Sacred Verses Lead to Differing Opinions on Tattoos in Judaism
STATESMAN JOURNAL
By Hank Arends
There was a day when tattoos mainly were on sailors or bikers. Rabbi Daniel Aronson of Temple Beth Shalom in South Salem said — like other faiths — there are divided opinions in Judaism on receiving tattoos. "When people see Rabbi Klaven's expressions of Jewish pride and commitment engraved on his body — yes, there are others — many undoubtedly question whether Jews, let alone rabbis, are permitted by Jewish law to have tattoos." Aronson answered with "it depends." Some point to Leviticus 19:28 prohibiting the "marking" of one self. Others say that scripture had to do with idolatrous purpose or images of God. The rabbi noted, "In short, whether Judaism permits tattoos is a legitimate matter of debate." [link]
Hank Arends is a retired religion/community events writer for the Statesman Journal who writes a weekly column on religion. He may be reached at hankarends@msn.com or (503) 930-9653.
By Hank Arends
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| Love expression tattoo that is inspired from the song of Solomon and says “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” |
Hank Arends is a retired religion/community events writer for the Statesman Journal who writes a weekly column on religion. He may be reached at hankarends@msn.com or (503) 930-9653.