Sterilization

From Halachipedia
  1. The Torah prohibits the destruction of human and animal reproductive organs.[1]
  2. If a male's reproductive organs were damaged after birth he is excluded from the Jewish community[2]
  3. Sterilizing a woman is also forbidden.[3]
  4. Using a medicine to sterilize a man or animal is forbidden.[4]
  5. One may not have a non-jew sterilize an animal on his behalf. Therefore if one has a pet dog or cat one may not instruct the vet to neuter and spay, rather he should sell the animal to a non-jew and that non-jew should instruct the vet to do the procedure.[5]

Sources

  1. Vayikra 22:24, S”A EH 5:11
  2. Deuteronomy 23:2, Rambam Isurei Biyah 16:9, Shulchan Arukh Even HaEzer 5:10
  3. Rambam Isurei Biyah 16:11, Shulchan Aruch EH 5:11. Gra EH 5:25 implies it is biblical without malkot. Perisha 5:30 explains that the reason it is forbidden to sterilize women is because they won’t be able to populate the world (lo tohu l’shevet yetzara) which also applies to women.
  4. Gemara Shabbat 110b, Shulchan Aruch EH 5:12
  5. Shulchan Arukh Even HaEzer 5:14