Are “Tattoos”Allowed?

Nowadays, we see people with tattoos at the supermarket, the beach and other places. The Torah says “You should not put on a tattoo on your body. (Vayikra 19:28)”

What is a tattoo? The famous rabbi, Rashi wrote “Writing that is engraved and embedded which cannot ever be erased. For he tattoos it with a needle, and it stays dark permanently. (Vayikra 19:28)”

You may wonder if it’s okay to do that on your body. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (19th Century, Germany) explained the reason for the prohibition. G-d made the man in the image of G-d Himself. Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (1135-1204 C.E.) wrote “You shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead, and a (permanent) tattoo shall you not place upon yourselves”. We are considered children of G-d. We are also created in the image of G-d. It is considered improper to inflict wounds on that image or upon the children of G-d.”

Here are some common questions that have been asked many times:

1) What about the Holocaust tattoo on the arm from the concentration camp? In that case, it was done under force and it is not his/her fault at all. G-d knows that.

2) Can a person with tattoo be buried in a Jewish cemetery? Yes.

3) What can be done if a man who has a tattoo on the area of his arm where his tefillin put on? If he wants to remove it, there is a place that can remove with lasers. If he feels that it is too painful, he may leave it.

4) May a secular Jew with tattoo who becomes religious go to mikvah (water immersion)? Yes.

A temporary tattoo is allowed for fun as long as it can wash off.