Is it a violation of Jewish law to receive a VeriChip implant?
Many Conservative and Orthodox Jews believe that cutting, piercing, or marking the flesh is contrary to B’tzelem Elokim, the notion that people were made “in the image of God,” and therefore their bodies should not be altered. Implanting a microchip may also invoke the Jewish prohibition against tattooing and other body marking that stems from the following Torah passage: “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:28). This prohibition is widely observed in Orthodox and Conservative Jewish communities. The Conservative Jewish Solomon Schechter High School of Westchester, NY, for example, prohibits students from receiving either piercings or tattoos, stating: “Other than piercing to female ears, all other noticeable piercing of the body are prohibited. Additionally, tattoos or other permanent marks made on the body are prohibited.” The school’s student handbook explains that “These rules are based upon the mode
