Foreign Body Tattoo
Date: Sat, 01 Jun 2002 21:56:32 -0400
Subject: tattoos and Judaism
To: [email protected]
Hello:
I have an involuntary tattoo on my face: I was struck by a car while
bicycling and landed face first on the roadway. The bicycling helmet,
which was cracked all the way through, and deformed, most certainly
prevented a concussion, and perhaps saved my life. However, as a
result,
there is a small amount of black coloration of the asphalt left in my
cheek, where I made contact with the road below the helmet line. The
plastic surgeon refers to this as a "foreign body tattoo".
The plastic surgeon will attempt to remove the tattoo by laser surgery,
and
fortunately this is going to be covered by the assailant's insurance.
But,
the more general, and mostly academic, halachic question is, to what
extent
is a Jew expected to undergo such expensive treatment to remove a
tattoo
obtained in a previous, less observant phase of his/her life, or one
obtained involuntarily, as was mine? In my case, the plastic surgeon
considers that there is little danger of further damage from the laser
treatment, but suppose that were not the case?
Also: bicycle helmets are for Jews!
Hello H.,
I am glad to hear that you survived that accident.
"May He who has bestowed goodness upon you always bestow all goodness upon you!"
(From Birkat HaGomel).
I already mentioned in the feedback section of my web site ( http://www.geocities.com/mnlerner2000/let025.html ) that one who has a tattoo
is not obligated to remove it. This is even in the case of one who got tattooed intentionally.
"Bicycle helmets are for Jews!" Is that the title of a new web site? ;-)
All the best.
BACK TO YOUR FEEDBACK