Tattoos TB Makkot 21

Today’s daf TB Makkot 21 discusses the prohibition of tattooing. “Mishna: One who imprints a tattoo, by inserting a dye into recesses carved in the skin, is also liable to receive lashes. If one imprinted on the skin with a dye but did not carve the skin, or if one carved the skin but did not imprint the tattoo by adding a dye, he is not liable; he is not liable until he imprints and carves the skin, with ink, or with kohl [keḥol], or with any substance that marks. Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Shimon: He is liable only if he writes the name there, as it is stated: “And a tattoo inscription you shall not place upon you, I am the Lord. GEMARA: Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi: Is Rabbi Shimon saying that one is liable only if he actually inscribes the words “I am the Lord” in his skin? Rav Ashi said to him: No, he is saying as bar Kappara teaches: One is liable only if he inscribes a name of an object of idol worship, as it is stated: “And a tattoo inscription you shall not place upon you, I am the Lord,” which means: Do not place an idolatrous name on your skin, as I am the Lord, and no one else.” (Leviticus 19:28).” (Sefaria.org translation)

The Observant Life: The Wisdom of Conservative Judaism for Contemporary Jews pages 385-386 explains Conservative Judaism’s approach to tattooing.

               All the more significant, then, is the fact that there has been unanimity in

all subsequent legal codes (including that of Maimonides himself- who holds

a similar view of the context of the biblical prohibition according to Rabbi

Shimon in his Mishneh Torah-gg) that the prohibition on tattooing is general and

independent of context. When such things occur in the legal literature, is not

possible to critique the rulings in question on the grounds that they are based on

mistaken views of original contexts. And so, despite the fact that tattooing has

become quite fashionable in recent years (including among Jews, and especially,

and perhaps surprisingly, and secular Israeli society), it cannot be reconciled

with the commitment to live according to traditional Jewish norms. Independent

of its original context, though how could the mandate of those traditional norms

be understood today? Perhaps it can be best understood in our time as the

commitment to be as careful as possible to preserve the integrity of the body

with which each of us is gifted by God (except when that integrity is breached

for medical reasons, or for minimal or nonpermanent cosmetic alterations, such

as ear piercings). This will be, for many, sufficient reason for maintaining

the age-old prohibition of tattooing, and for finding other avenues for

self-expression. It should be noted, however, they having tattoos on one’s body

does not entail any enduring loss of standing in the Jewish community

(despite a mysteriously persistent, though completely mistaken, notion that

 somehow precludes burial in the Jewish cemetery).

 

The halakhic issues attached to tattooing and body piercing are discussed in

detail in a responsum by Rabbi Alan Lucas and published by the Rabbinical

Assembly in CJLS Responsa 1991-2000, pp, 115-120

I once saw a cartoon depicting two old men sitting in rocking chairs at an older age facility talking to another. Each man was covered with tattoos and piercings from head to toe. One man turns to the other and says, “I see that you were an idiot in the 90s too!” When somebody asks me about tattooing, I always advise them to think about it very carefully because tattooing is relatively permanent. Over time the tattoo may change due to the person’s body’s change or what was meaningful when a person was 20 may no longer being meaningful later in life. To remove an unwanted tattoo it’s painful, costly, and time consuming.

If you are interested in an in-depth study of tattooing I recommend following this link https://www.talmudology.com/ for today’s daf.