Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea

Edited Title: Chaim and I agree on this ... as per this weeks Ask JTF.

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Lubab:
I was just listening to Ask JTF and heard Chaim was asked about suicide and he said that in a terminally ill person's case where there is very little chance of recovery, that suicide is justified, or ending the life in some way.

I was horrified by this and am registering my public disagreement here. As much as I love you Chaim, I must represent today that this does not represent the Torah view.

Each moment of life is precious, and taking away a life a moment too soon is murder.

I was very surprised by Chaim's answer and I hope he will correct the record ASAP and if I am wrong I would like to hear why and I will reconsider, but I am quite certain that I am not wrong here and I want to defend what I believe to be the Torah position on the topic.

Thank you.

And i don't mean any disrespect whatsoever to the Chaim, the great Jewish hero, whom I love like a brother.

Lubab

New Edit: P.S. As I explain later in this thread I am NOT referring to the debate about whether you can "pull the plug"...the question was about suicide, which means doing something proactive to directly end the life by either the patient or the doctor or someone else.

Tzvi Ben Roshel1:
I was sort of thinking the same way, (except for the revealing of secrets which does sound somewhat right, allthought I dont know). Lubab I want to ask you- is it concidered suicide if one prays or while praying asks or thinks of G-d killing him/her? Or someone saying something like "please G-d take me from this low world, and bring me closer to you in the higher spiriutal worlds" etc.

jdl4ever:
My father asked a trusted Rabbi about DNR and he said that according to the Torah it is permitted if the person has less than a year to live since he is permitted to refuse medical treatment in such a case.  I myself am ignorant in this subject.  Suicide is forbidden of course. 

Sarah:
Euthanasia, or so called "mercy killing" is another form of murder if it is non-voluntary, especially when the patient is in a coma or something. If it is voluntary it is like suicide because you never know even the slightest possibility could arise for a miraculous cure or recovary. If God hasn't let the time for the person to die, come even though they are terminally ill then why should they take their own life.

However if a person is nearly brain dead but being kept alive artificially by a life-support machine, then I think there is some controversy.

DownwithIslam:
I totally agree with Chaim on this. He wasn't saying that euthanasia was justified, he was saying that if their is absolutely no chance the person would survive, why should the person have to be tortured further? He wasn't saying that people could just kill themselves left and right.

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