Organ Donation, Pikuach Nefesh, and Burial

Question from a Gentile, it is my understanding that Jewish burial custom says the person must be buried whole, as they were born. However does the rule of Pikuach nefesh override this, if giving organs could save someone's life? Thank you for your time

Shalom!

Thank you for your question!

Yes, in Judaism it is very important for a person to be buried whole just as one was born - complete with all his limbs and organs. The human body is considered holy both in life, and even in death, as the boy contained a G-dly soul. Burial must be in-ground.

There are two forms of organ donation. One is donation from the living and the other is donation from the dead.

Living people can donate life-saving organs to others without endangering their own life. The most common of these is kidney donation. As a general rule, such donations from the living are permitted and would be considered a mitzva.

There are 3 concerns that are cited with harvesting organs from the dead:

1. There is a ban on deriving any benefit from the dead. As such, taking an organ from the dead appears problematic.

2. The ban on defiling the dead. Here too, tampering with the body is a form of defilement

3. The requirement for the entire body to be buried. A missing organ seems to conflict with this principle.

But, as you correctly note, saving lives is paramount.  Of course, a competent rabbi must be consulted on a case by case basis.