Mental Health Reflection

A 1992 analysis of data from the National Institutes of Mental Health found that “the overall lifetime rate of psychiatric disorder did not differ among Jews as compared to non-Jews, even after controlling for demographic factors.” The study did find that Jews suffer from certain mental illnesses at higher rates, including major depression, dysthymia, schizophrenia and simple phobia, but had lower rates of others, including alcoholism. This finding echoes the results of studies conducted in the 1950s and 1960s that found elevated rates of neurosis and manic depression (now known as bipolar disorder) among the Jewish population. The 1992 analysis found that rates of bipolar disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug abuse did not differ significantly between different religious groups.
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/judaism-and-mental-illness/

Responses to Mental Illness

יומא ע״ה א:ב׳

(משלי יב, כה) דאגה בלב איש ישחנה רבי אמי ורבי אסי חד אמר ישחנה מדעתו וחד אמר ישיחנה לאחרים

Yoma 75a:2

§ The Gemara explains another verse in Proverbs: “If there is care in a man’s heart, let him quash it [yashḥena]” (Proverbs 12:25). Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi dispute the verse’s meaning. One said: He should forcefully push it [yasḥena] out of his mind. One who worries should banish his concerns from his thoughts. And one said: It means he should tell [yesiḥena] others his concerns, which will lower his anxiety.

This text suggests three ways to deal with anxiety. 1. Suppress it it. 2. Ignore it 3. Talk to someone who can help you
1. What are the ways that people tend to respond to mental illness?
2. What might be the best course of action to deal with mental illness?
3. What are the consequences for suppressing and ignore mental illness?
4. Why might people feel reluctant to share their issues with other people?

Rabbinic Stigma Against Mental Illness

חגיגה ג׳ ב:י״ב

ת"ר איזהו שוטה היוצא יחידי בלילה והלן בבית הקברות והמקרע את כסותו איתמר רב הונא אמר עד שיהו כולן בבת אחת ר' יוחנן אמר אפי' באחת מהן

Chagigah 3b:12

§ The Sages taught: Who is considered an shoteh? One who goes out alone at night, and one who sleeps in a cemetery, and one who rends his garment. It was stated that Rav Huna said: One does not have the halakhic status of a shoteh until there are all of these signs present in him at the same time. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He is considered a shoteh even due to the appearance of one of these signs.

NOTE: A Shoteh is a rabbinic term for a wanderer or someone who might be labled "insane."
Questions for Discussion:
1. What might this text suggest about stigmas that existed in the ancient rabbinic world concerning mental illness?
2. How might the ancient stigmas of mental illness parallel modern stigmas? How might they be different?
3. In what ways are those with mental illness shunned in the communities in which they belong?

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's Advice

In general, one must try with all one's might to be joyful always. For it is human nature to be drawn to bitterness and sadness because of the wounds one has suffered -- and every person is full of troubles. So one must force oneself, with a great effort, to be happy always...Now, it is also true that a broken heart is very good -- but only at certain times. So, it is wise to set an hour each day to break one's heart and talk to God, as we do. But the rest of the day, one must be in joy.
Struggle with your sadness, [Rabbi Nachman] says, struggle with your soul....The point is not to rid oneself of struggle, but to accept it as a condition of being human. We are not meant to prevail. We must make room in the soul for an existential condition of lack.
Rabbi Nachman, The Gate of Tears: Sadness and the Spiritual Path

NOTE: Modern scholars suggest that Rabbi Nachman suffered from depression in his life
Questions for Discussion:
1. What might be the challenges of following Rabbi Nachman's advice?
2. How might mental illness hinder a person's ability to choose happiness?
3. How might brokenness be holy?

Saul is Stricken with Mental Illness

שמואל א ט״ז:י״ד-כ״ג

(יד) וְר֧וּחַ יְהוָ֛ה סָ֖רָה מֵעִ֣ם שָׁא֑וּל וּבִֽעֲתַ֥תּוּ רֽוּחַ־רָעָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃ (טו) וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־שָׁא֖וּל אֵלָ֑יו הִנֵּה־נָ֧א רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִ֛ים רָעָ֖ה מְבַעִתֶּֽךָ׃ (טז) יֹאמַר־נָ֤א אֲדֹנֵ֙נוּ֙ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ יְבַקְשׁ֕וּ אִ֕ישׁ יֹדֵ֖עַ מְנַגֵּ֣ן בַּכִּנּ֑וֹר וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֨וֹת עָלֶ֤יךָ רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ רָעָ֔ה וְנִגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ וְט֥וֹב לָֽךְ׃ (פ) (יז) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שָׁא֖וּל אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו רְאוּ־נָ֣א לִ֗י אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃ (יח) וַיַּעַן֩ אֶחָ֨ד מֵהַנְּעָרִ֜ים וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּ֨ה רָאִ֜יתִי בֵּ֣ן לְיִשַׁי֮ בֵּ֣ית הַלַּחְמִי֒ יֹדֵ֣עַ נַ֠גֵּן וְגִבּ֨וֹר חַ֜יִל וְאִ֧ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֛ה וּנְב֥וֹן דָּבָ֖ר וְאִ֣ישׁ תֹּ֑אַר וַיהוָ֖ה עִמּֽוֹ׃ (יט) וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח שָׁא֛וּל מַלְאָכִ֖ים אֶל־יִשָׁ֑י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁלְחָ֥ה אֵלַ֛י אֶת־דָּוִ֥ד בִּנְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּצֹּֽאן׃ (כ) וַיִּקַּ֨ח יִשַׁ֜י חֲמ֥וֹר לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְנֹ֣אד יַ֔יִן וּגְדִ֥י עִזִּ֖ים אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלַ֛ח בְּיַד־דָּוִ֥ד בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל־שָׁאֽוּל׃ (כא) וַיָּבֹ֤א דָוִד֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד לְפָנָ֑יו וַיֶּאֱהָבֵ֣הֽוּ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיְהִי־ל֖וֹ נֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלִֽים׃ (כב) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח שָׁא֔וּל אֶל־יִשַׁ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר יַעֲמָד־נָ֤א דָוִד֙ לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינָֽי׃ (כג) וְהָיָ֗ה בִּֽהְי֤וֹת רֽוּחַ־אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־שָׁא֔וּל וְלָקַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־הַכִּנּ֖וֹר וְנִגֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְרָוַ֤ח לְשָׁאוּל֙ וְט֣וֹב ל֔וֹ וְסָ֥רָה מֵעָלָ֖יו ר֥וּחַ הָרָעָֽה׃ (פ)

I Samuel 16:14-23

Now the spirit of YHWH departed from Saul, and tormenting him was an evil spirit from YHWH. Saul's servants said to him: Now here, an evil spirit of God is tormenting you; let our lord speak––your servants stand before you: let a man be sought who knows how to play the lyre with skill, that it may be, whenever there is upon you an evil spirit of God, that he may play it with his hand, so that you might be well once again. Saul said to his servants: select for me a man who plays well, and have him come to me! Then one fo the serving-lads spoke and said: Here, I have seen a son of Yishai the Bethlehemite, one who is a skilled musician, and a mighty-man of valor, a man of war, skilled in words, a man of pleasing form––and YHWH is with him. So Saul sent messengers to Yishai, he said: Send me David your son, who is with the flock. Yishai took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine, and one goat kid, and sent them by the hand of David his son, to Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him; he grew to love him, exceedingly, and he became his weapons bearer. Saul sent to Yishai saying: Let David remain in my attendance before me for he has found favor in my eyes. And so it was that whenever there was a spirit of God upon Sual, David would take up the lyre and play it with his hand. Saul would have relief, and it would be-well with him; the evil spirit would depart.

Questions for Discussion
1. How does Saul's condition affect his ability to function as King of Israel?
2. How does David's presence affect and comfort Saul?
3. What role does meditation, spirituality, and music play in mental health?

Moshe Prays for Death

שמות ל״ב:ל״ב

(לב) וְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ׃

Exodus 32:32

(32) Now, if You will forgive their sin [well and good]; but if not, erase me from the record which You have written!”

במדבר י״א:י׳-ט״ו

(י) וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם בֹּכֶה֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔יו אִ֖ישׁ לְפֶ֣תַח אָהֳל֑וֹ וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֤ף יְהוָה֙ מְאֹ֔ד וּבְעֵינֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה רָֽע׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֙תָ֙ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלָ֛מָּה לֹא־מָצָ֥תִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ לָשׂ֗וּם אֶת־מַשָּׂ֛א כָּל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה עָלָֽי׃ (יב) הֶאָנֹכִ֣י הָרִ֗יתִי אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־אָנֹכִ֖י יְלִדְתִּ֑יהוּ כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֵלַ֜י שָׂאֵ֣הוּ בְחֵיקֶ֗ךָ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשָּׂ֤א הָאֹמֵן֙ אֶת־הַיֹּנֵ֔ק עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתָּ לַאֲבֹתָֽיו׃ (יג) מֵאַ֤יִן לִי֙ בָּשָׂ֔ר לָתֵ֖ת לְכָל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־יִבְכּ֤וּ עָלַי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָה־לָּ֥נוּ בָשָׂ֖ר וְנֹאכֵֽלָה׃ (יד) לֹֽא־אוּכַ֤ל אָנֹכִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֥י כָבֵ֖ד מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (טו) וְאִם־כָּ֣כָה ׀ אַתְּ־עֹ֣שֶׂה לִּ֗י הָרְגֵ֤נִי נָא֙ הָרֹ֔ג אִם־מָצָ֥אתִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וְאַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּרָעָתִֽי׃ (פ)

Numbers 11:10-15

Numbers 11:10 Moshe heard the people weeping by their clans, each-man at the entrance to his tent. Now
YHVH'S anger flared up exceedingly, and in the eyes of Moshe it was ill.
Numbers 11:11 Moshe said to YHVH: For-what have you dealt-ill with your servant, for-what-reason have I not found favor in your eyes, (that you) have placed the burden of this entire people on me?
Numbers 11:12 Did I myself conceive this entire people, or did I myself give-birth to it, that you should say to me, Carry it in your bosom like a nursing-parent carries a suckling-child, to the soil about which you swore to their fathers?
Numbers 11:13 Where should I (get) meat to give to this entire people, when they weep on me, saying: Give us meat so that we may eat!
Numbers 11:14 I am not able, myself alone, to carry this entire people, for it is too heavy for me!
Numbers 11:15 If thus you deal with me, pray kill me, yes, kill me, if I have found favor in your eyes, so that I do not have to see my ill-fortune!

Questions for Discussion:
1. What are Moses's issues with the Israelites that cause him so much stress?
2. How does leadership affect levels of stress and anxiety?
3. What do Moses's words suggest about his mental state?

Big Picture Questions for Discussion
1. How has the way that we view mental illness changed over the centuries?
2. What might we glean from ancient wisdom, and what might we leave in the past?
3. What are your biggest questions about mental health?
4. How has mental illness touched you, your family, and your friends?