I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a Judaism-themed tattoo for a few years now, but have always thought that it was a pretty severe restriction under Jewish law. My roomate sent me this article though.
Basically, it says that that tattoos are ok. Do any of our more knowledgable Jewish dopers have a take on this? Thanks in advance.
I am not Jewish, but I do read the Bible. The following quote is taken from the book of Leviticus, chapter 19 verse 28 (New International Version):
That seems pretty definitive to me.
I’ve never heard an orthodox or conservative rabbi say that getting tattooed was OK.
See http://www.myjewishlearning.com/daily_life/TheBody/Adorning_the_Body/Tattoo.htm
Growing up I was always told by my rabbi (reform) that you can’t be buried in a Jewish cemetary if you have tatoos. Another friend, however, had a Rabbi who hada tat. All in all… I guess it depends on which splinter group you belong to. Orthodox? You’re probably screwed.
Conservative? Again, probably but not definitely screwed.
Reform? Up in the air.
Reconstructionist? I kinda doubt it’d be a major problem.
Then again, I won’t care what happens to the meat-which-was-me after “I” no longer exist anyways…
hope you figure something out.
Definitively speaking, according to Orthodox and Conservative Jewish law, it is forbidden for a Jew to get a tattoo, whether it is Judaically themed or not.
The common assumption that one who has a tattoo cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery is a myth. While getting a tattoo is forbidden, if one has it done, one is not barred from being buried in a Jewish cemetery.
Zev Steinhardt
So is there a fine? A penance? G-d doesn’t like you anymore? What are the consequences, if any?
The consequences are pretty much the same as for eating non-kosher or hitching your mule and horse up to the same plow. You are in violation of a lav (negative commandment… “Thou shalt not…”) and must repent for the sin just as any other.
Zev Steinhardt
To expand on Zev’s answer…if the tatooer lived in the time of the Sanhedrin, he’d be liable to get whipped thirty-nine lashes, which is true of all other low-severity negative commandments (high-severity ones would include defiling Temple/sacrificial holiness, illicit sexual relations, and doing prohibited work on the Sabbath). In this day and age, there is no Jewish authority that has punitive power, so it’s a matter between the tatooer and G-d.
Thinking of the millions of Jewish holocaust victims who had numbers tatooed on their arms in the death camps. I would have hoped that God made an exception in their case. 
There is a general rule in Jewish law that one who is forced to do something is not culpable for the act. For example, if someone were to ram pork down a Jew’s throat, the Jew would not be liable for the act of eating non-kosher food - he was forced. The very same would apply to Holocaust victims who had numbers forcibly tattooed on their arms.
Zev Steinhardt
I’ve totally missed this restricition in the past. Can you give me a full quote for this or a passage so I can look it up myself? I’m not doubting you, just curious.
Duet 22:10.
Zev Steinhardt
By the way, I should also mention that the link in the OP is not only wrong about tattoos, it also is incorrect in stating that cosmetic surgery, such as elective rhinoplasty, is permitted by Jewish law. While a Rabbi might, on an individual basis, allow certain people to have reconstructive surgery that is of a non-medical nature (e.g., breast implants for a woman who had a mastectomy), there is no blanket permission (it depends very much on a number of factors that must be evaluated on a patient-by-patient basis), and certainly not for purely cosmetic purposes.
The overall attitude of Jewish Law (at least from the Orthodox perspective) toward the human body is that it belongs to G-d and we are only borrowing it, and as such, we have an obligation to not alter it except as explicitly commanded by G-d (i.e., circumcision) or except as necessary to protect the functionality of the body as a whole (i.e., non-elective surgery).
So you’re telling me that all those nice jewish girls my mom wanted me to marry who had nose jobs are on the outs with the big guy…
That’s pretty much what I figured the answer would be. While I’m not the most observant Jew, it always seemed extra-wrong to violate the law with a Jewish-themed tattoo.
Appreciated, guys.
Johnny Bravo:
If you wish to express yourself by wearing a Judaic symbol on your body, artistic T-Shirts work quite well.
This reminds me, of course, of the not-so-recent news item of Brittney Spears getting a tattoo of God’s name placed on her neck. :smack: I’ve also heard reports that it was done backwards by mistake (although I haven’t seen it to confirm it one way or the other).
Yes, I’m aware that, not being Jewish, Ms. Spears is free to get tattoos whereever she wants. I just found it odd that she would be doing so because of her attachment to “Kabbalah” and Judaism :rolleyes:
Zev Steinhardt
Spears has an ‘attachment’ to Judaism?
Guys! First Madonna, now this! We’re gonna have ALL the hot babes soon! Woot!
I will remind you thayt Lady Chance is goyishe. As am I. 