Halakhot of Mental Illness
While positions regarding a multitude of scenarios in the realm of physical health have been crafted over centuries of Halakhic literature, questions of mental illness have unfortunately received very little attention. This series will consider how Halakhah responds to mental illness, considering topics from their earliest sources to contemporary application. We will consider various scenarios (people who experience psychotic episodes, anorexia, and borderline personality disorder), examine the challenges that come with them, and the various solutions that might be offered to mitigate these challenges.
Class 1: Can one violate Torah prohibitions in order to prevent a psychotic episode?
Class 2: Is someone suffering from anorexia exempt from any obligation on their way to recovery?
Class 3: Can we allow journaling on Shabbat for someone suffering from depression or Borderline Personality Disorder?
