tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post4675951008078326892..comments2023-09-11T17:58:13.764-04:00Comments on The Rebbetzin's Husband: Burying a Suicide Victim in a Jewish CemeteryThe Rebbetzin's Husbandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14977193945074906534noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-69376922310879825392010-03-24T09:49:36.264-04:002010-03-24T09:49:36.264-04:00Rav Goren also has an analysis of M'tzada in T...Rav Goren also has an analysis of M'tzada in Torat Hashabbat V'hamoed.Mordechai Y. Scherhttp://www.kolberamah.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-776981805320769182010-03-23T23:58:23.933-04:002010-03-23T23:58:23.933-04:00Joel (and others): Zvi Zohar, in his "He'...Joel (and others): Zvi Zohar, in his "He'iru Penei ha-Mizrah," (chapter 8) discusses a tragic epidemic of suicides that Rabbi Repha'el ben-Shim'on of Cairo (late 19th and early 20th centuries) had to deal with, and analyzes the reasons that the sanctions that R. ben-Shim'on imposed were successful at stemming the tide. His success was due to a very perceptive read of both the epidemic of suicides in question and the effect such sanctions would have in Egyptian society specifically.Josephnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-32112247727687048622010-03-23T17:20:45.646-04:002010-03-23T17:20:45.646-04:00Fruma-
Yes, this is the problem. The core halachah...Fruma-<br />Yes, this is the problem. The core halachah recognizes this by insisting that we do take care of the survivors in their bereavement, and the time-honored practice of doing everything to label the death a non-suicide is also in part on their behalf.<br /><br />Joel-<br />Yes, that would be interesting.<br /><br />Yossi-<br />Yes, that was what I meant in my comment, <i>as the Rambam himself wrote there, and as the Aruch haShulchan noted (Yoreh Deah 345:5) seven centuries later, we depend on any possible explanation to conclude that this was not an intentional suicide</i>.The Rebbetzin's Husbandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14977193945074906534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-88601085650014792572010-03-23T12:02:52.615-04:002010-03-23T12:02:52.615-04:00It is my understanding that in most cases of suici...It is my understanding that in most cases of suicide, the deceased is considered to have been mentally ill and therefore not responsible for his actions.Yossinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-72205368970739864582010-03-23T05:42:23.101-04:002010-03-23T05:42:23.101-04:00would be interesting to chart the actual orthodox ...would be interesting to chart the actual orthodox practice though history and what changed (in society, in orthodoxy, in application)and what that tells us about halachic process<br />KT<br />Joel RichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-79050614932812600732010-03-22T22:45:50.394-04:002010-03-22T22:45:50.394-04:00I understand the need to keep from encouraging oth...I understand the need to keep from encouraging others in this practice, but what of the pain felt by those left behind? I always thought that an important aspect of mourning was to address the needs of the close relatives who survived. It seems insensitive to deny them the comfort of mourning rituals.Frumanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-34007434484549243092010-03-22T22:32:36.001-04:002010-03-22T22:32:36.001-04:00Anonymous-
Thanks for your question.
Re: Suicide i...Anonymous-<br />Thanks for your question.<br />Re: Suicide in light of terminal disease - Yes, I do think that this spurs imitations.<br />Re: Masada - An interesting question, which has been debated for centuries. I'd recommend Bereishit Rabbah 34:13 and Radak to Shemuel I 31:5 as worthwhile and relevant reading.The Rebbetzin's Husbandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14977193945074906534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7898782635470765614.post-5559787221884450492010-03-22T21:42:33.812-04:002010-03-22T21:42:33.812-04:00Thank you for clearing this up. My question is tha...Thank you for clearing this up. My question is that the examples you gave are related to suicide by depression. What about suicide in light of unremitting pain from a terminal disease, such as cancer? Certainly, one would not expect others to follow suit? Would this be looked at differently? Along those lines, what about the Jews of Masada? Should we look at them in a positive way, or are their deaths not to be mourned or eulogized?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com