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mitzvah of adoption should thoroughly investigate every single child
to ascertain who their real parents are and publicize this knowledge
in fulfillment of our Heavenly Father’s injunction, “They established
their family pedigree according to their father’s family.” (Bamidbar
1:18)3



A Physically Abused Girl whose Mother

Threatens Suicide if her Daughter is Taken away
from Her

ɳ Question

My question concerns a nine year old girl suffering from knocks and
bruises apparently inflicted by her mother who is a widow with men-
tal health issues. At times the mother also gives her daughter sleeping
pills, or puts her to work until midnight cleaning the house. Some
days the mother even refuses to accept hot meals delivered by a wel-
fare organization. The girl is not seeking of her own volition to leave
home and when she is asked the reason for her bruises she responds
that her mother said she fell on her metal bed. The mother threatens
that if they take her daughter away she will commit suicide.

The question arises: Should the girl be removed from her mother’s
custody and sent for fostering to a good, kind foster family for her
own benefit, so that she can eat well and have a warm and proper
home and be trained in appropriate life skills? Or is it preferable, since

3. Nowadays, the authorities make it impossible to learn details about the biologi-
cal parents until the child is eighteen. On the other hand there is clear indication
(through a specific code on the number on the identification card) regarding
the individual’s status as an adoptee so that when registering for marriage there
will be no concern of a brother and sister chas veshalom marrying. [For further
discussion of adoption, of the virtues of adopting and of the problems that can
occur, see further, siman 291.]

Removing a Child from the Parents’ Custody 2 239