A challenging issue that often arises in modern times is the possibility of shortening the life of a terminally ill patient by hours or days. It is important to realize that as long as a person is alive, it is strictly prohibited to hasten his death. The halakha even warns against moving a dying person or closing his eyes, as this might hasten his death. The Torah does not distinguish between the murder of an infant, the killing of a person in his prime, or an action that shortens the life of a dying man struggling for his last breaths. Human life is not measured in qualitative terms, but is considered absolutely sacred, and it is strictly prohibited to bring about its termination. Nevertheless, a distinction must be made between shortening a life and artificially prolonging a life, which in some cases does not need to be done.

The advancement of modern medicine enables the extension of human life by artificial means, and this is certainly a welcome development. But sometimes this entails the suffering of the dying individual as well as his family. When a person is about to die, and he – or his family, in a situation in which the patient himself is unable to respond or make decisions – seeks to avoid prolonging his life, one must consult both a physician and a halakhic authority who is proficient in this area, and only then make a decision.