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asked about the details of the disease by a potential spouse of
one of the children of the patient?
4. There is a test to determine whether a person is a carrier of the
disease. To carry it out, it is necessary to obtain blood samples
for comparison from members of the family. Is there an obliga-
DIVORCE OR BROKEN tion to undergo this test? Can the relatives be forced to provide
ENGAGEMENT DUE TO blood samples, when they claim they do not wish to suffer emo-
78 EPILEPSY tional torment about the disease?
5. How should one relate to bringing children into the world who
have a 50% chance of becoming ill with this disease?
The woman would more easily bear the burden if she knew that
1 Question this was the Torah view, and this is how the halacha would advise
Our highly-successful daughter married a wonderful person. He her. As physicians who treat the patient’s mental health, who, more
is successful, highly capable, and a person of good character. Our than we, know the importance of not only what is said, but, more
daughter is very happy with him. He was offered a prestigious posi- importantly, of how it is said? We must find the best possible way
tion abroad. They traveled there together, and our daughter gave birth to transmit painful tidings to the patient and his family. Often, this
there. Now they have returned to Israel for a visit. When we went to conversation alone is an act of saving lives.
greet them at the airport, a pill called Tegretol fell out of our son-in- Unfortunately, I have often seen the serious results of imparting
law’s pocket. We asked physicians about the pill, and they explained distressing information to patients and/or family members without
that Tegretol is given to prevent epileptic seizures. We understood paying attention to their feelings, and this is a mistake which cannot
that our son-in-law and his family had concealed the fact that he has be corrected.
epilepsy. Professor Matityahu Weisenberg, Clinical Psychologist
We do not want our successful daughter who has no defect to be
married to a man who suffers from epilepsy. We are also afraid, due to Following is the portrayal of the genetic disease addressed in the
the hereditary nature of this disease, that our grandchildren will also question, as provided by geneticist Professor S. Miklah:
suffer from epilepsy. Notably. our daughter has not yet been told the Huntington’s Disease, also known as Huntington’s Chorea, is a
secret, and her husband has certainly hidden this information from hereditary disease determined by a dominant autosomal gene with
her. Should we demand a divorce for our daughter? full penetrance and expressivity.
The diagnosis of the disease: the disease causes atrophy and loss of
1 AnsweR neurons (nerve cells) in specific regions of the brain, (caudate nucleus
and putamen). The first external signs are abnormal facial expres-
If it is true that the groom suffers from epilepsy, then it is clear that sion and involuntary movements, especially of the upper extremities;
he violated the prohibition of deception by not telling his wife about movements which seem to be attempts to begin a strange dance,
his illness. As explained in Sefer Chassidim (#507): A person should hence the name “chorea” (which means “dance” in Greek).
78 1 Medical-HalacHic Responsa of Rav ZilbeRstein Revealing a Hereditary Disease 2 55
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