What was the last teaching of the late Rabbi Yosef on childhood vaccinations?

January 25, 2022   

Following parents' concerns about vaccinating their children against the coronavirus: In letters written by Maran Ha-Gar'a Yosef and his son, the Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, about eight and a half years ago, when even then many were concerned about vaccinating their children against polio, they clarified the "sacred duty" and "mitzvah" to vaccinate children. Where are the coronavirus tests performed? What test is done and when? All the information This was when the Rabbi Yosef responded to the request of the Ministry of Health officials and published a special letter, with his father, the late Maran, adding his signature to his letter - less than two months before his passing. Likewise, the next day, the Rabbi Yosef was asked by avrechim from the 'Or Chaim' Yeshiva in Jerusalem, what his opinion was about vaccinations, since some are afraid of this vaccine - to which the Rabbi Yosef replied in his own handwriting: "Today we issued a letter that parents must obey the doctors and vaccinate their children against polio" - referring to the letter of his son, the First of Zion, written the day before. In a holy call, under the title "To our brothers in the house of Israel" dated 16 Elul 5773, the Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, writes: "Since I have heard from the Ministry of Health officials that there are those who are afraid to take the vaccine that prevents polio, and since there is a reason for this, and you are very careful about your lives, and we have also discussed the matter with experts who told us that there is a great concern and a real danger to lives." "Therefore," the Rishon LeZion writes in his letter, "there is a sacred duty and commandment imposed on every parent to vaccinate their children against polio according to the precise instructions of the Ministry of Health, who perform a holy work, and whoever listens to us will dwell in safety. And may what is said be fulfilled in us, 'I will not put any of the diseases that I put on Egypt on you, for I am the Lord your healer.'" To the letter, as mentioned, his father, Maran Gra"a Yosef, zt"l, attached his signature and added in his own handwriting: "I agree with all of the above, Ovadia Yosef." [Gallery]

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It should be noted that this is the only signature that the Gra"a Yosef attached to a letter on official letterhead from his son, who began serving as Chief Rabbi at that time. This is also the first public letter that the Gra"a Yosef wrote, apart from a similar letter that he wrote on the same subject together with his colleague the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, the Gaon Rabbi David Lau. In another letter sent by the avrechim from the "Or Chaim" Yeshiva in Jerusalem, containing a number of questions to the late Maran Gra"a Yosef, one of the questions presented in the letter is as follows: "Recently, the Ministry of Health announced that children should be vaccinated against polio. We wanted to know what the Honorable Maran Shlit"a thinks, since some are afraid of this vaccine?" The late Maran Gra"a Yosef replied in his own handwriting: "Today we issued a letter stating that parents should obey the doctors and vaccinate their children against polio." The publication of the letters constitutes a clear answer to all parents who are afraid to vaccinate their children, as it becomes clear to everyone what the clear opinion of Maran Gra"a Yosef zt"l is regarding vaccinations and the instructions of doctors and Ministry of Health personnel.