Biblical Verses Regarding Tattooing
(כח) וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קַֽעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃
(28) Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor imprint any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

(ו) הכותב כתבת קעקע, כתב ולא קעקע, קעקע ולא כתב, אינו חיב עד שיכתוב ויקעקע בדיו ובכחול ובכל דבר שהוא רושם. רבי שמעון בן יהודה משום רבי שמעון אומר: אינו חיב עד שיכתוב שם השם, שנאמר (ויקרא יט) וכתבת קעקע לא תתנו בכם אני ה'.

(6) One who tatoos: If he writes without engraving, or he engraves without writing, he is not liable for lashes, until he writes and engraves with ink or pigment or anything that leaves an impression. Rebbi Shimon ben Yehudah said in the name of Rebbi Shimon [bar Yochai]: He is not liable until he writes a name [of idolatry] there. As it says (Vayikra 19): "Do not tatoo yourself, for I am G-d."

(ה) זֶ֤ה יֹאמַר֙ לַֽיהוָ֣ה אָ֔נִי וְזֶ֖ה יִקְרָ֣א בְשֵֽׁם־יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְזֶ֗ה יִכְתֹּ֤ב יָדוֹ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וּבְשֵׁ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יְכַנֶּֽה׃ (פ)
(5) One shall say: ‘I am the LORD’S’; And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, And surname himself by the name of Israel.
(טז) הֵ֥ן עַל־כַּפַּ֖יִם חַקֹּתִ֑יךְ חוֹמֹתַ֥יִךְ נֶגְדִּ֖י תָּמִֽיד׃
(16) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; Thy walls are continually before Me.
(ז) בְּיַד־כָּל־אָדָ֥ם יַחְתּ֑וֹם לָ֝דַ֗עַת כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י מַעֲשֵֽׂהוּ׃
(7) He sealeth up the hand of every man, That all men whom He hath made may know it.

(ב) אִם עוֹשֶׂה כֵן עַל בְּשַׂר חֲבֵרוֹ, אוֹתוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ פָּטוּר, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן סִיַּע בַּדָּבָר.

(2) If he does this on his friend's flesh, the one to whom it was done is exempt unless he aided in the matter.

Is this why we are forgiving of Holocaust survivors that were tattooed by the Nazis?