What is the view of suicide in Judaism?

[White Israelite]

I never been able to figure out the view of suicide in Judaism, there are several mentions of suicide by the Israelites including Saul and the mass suicide at Masada to prevent capture by the Romans.

Why are Jews who commit suicide not permitted to be buried in a Jewish cemetery?

[muman613]

Suicide is Murder!


Murder is prohibited by the Ten Sayings {Ten Commandments}...

It is only allowed if the resulting death will sanctify the name of Hashem... Suicide is allowed in situations where the person may be forced to perform one of the three carnal sins... These are Murder, Idolatry, and Sexual immorality...

http://www.torah.org/learning/issues/tattoo.html
http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/574,1310/Does-Judaism-forbid-suicide.html

The Torah forbids suicide (see Rashi on Genesis 9:5).

There are no accidents or coincidences, everything is planned by G-d. If you are in this world it is because G-d has a specific plan for you. There is something which you can, must, and will, accomplish which no one else can.


G-d is good. Period. G-d did not put a person on this world in order to have a miserable time. So if someone is having a difficult time, it must be that Hashem also gave him/her the ability to overcome the difficulties and still lead a happy and productive life.

Just a piece of advice: having a mentor and spiritual guide can be very helpful in overcoming problems.

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/574,816225/Is-suicide-forbidden-under-all-circumstances.html

Is suicide forbidden under all circumstances?

To commit suicide is forbidden by Jewish Law, except for certain circumstances which we will address shortly. The Torah states: "However, your blood which belongs to your souls I (G-d) will demand".1 This includes one who takes his own life.2 The Talmud3 also discusses the issue and comes to the same conclusion -- it is forbidden.

However, if a person is afraid that he/she will be forced to violate one of the three cardinal prohibitions which one must never violate even at the pain of death (idolatry, murder, or certain sexual prohibitions such as incest or adultery) or to avoid terrible degradation and torture (like King Saul) then his/her suicide is not censured. This is the rationale behind the mass suicide at Masada, and King Saul's suicide.

Now let us look at the issue from another point of view: One of the great Sages of the Talmud, Rabbi Chanina ben Tradyon was sentenced to death by the Romans. They sadistically wrapped wet wool around him and then wrapped him in the Torah scroll from which he had been teaching (against the roman decree), and they then set him ablaze to die an agonizingly slow death, since the wet wool prevented him from dying quickly. His students begged him to open his mouth and breathe in the flames so that he would die more quickly. He answered: "It is better that He who gave (my soul) should take it..."4

In other words, the life we have been given is very valuable. Each person is unique, and has something unique to contribute to the world - for if this were not so, then they would never have been born. The greatest tragedy is for a person to waste that precious gift of life -- and not fulfill the mission of their soul. It is not always easy to find out what this mission in life is, but it is possible.

A good place to start is by helping others who are less fortunate than ourselves, such as volunteering for Chai Lifeline (http://www.chailifeline.org) or Friendship Circle (http://www.friendshipcircle.org).

[The One and Only Mo]

Suicide is Murder!


Murder is prohibited by the Ten Sayings {Ten Commandments}...

It is only allowed if the resulting death will sanctify the name of Hashem... Suicide is allowed in situations where the person may be forced to perform one of the three carnal sins... These are Murder, Idolatry, and Sexual immorality...

http://www.torah.org/learning/issues/tattoo.html
http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/574,1310/Does-Judaism-forbid-suicide.html

The Torah forbids suicide (see Rashi on Genesis 9:5).

There are no accidents or coincidences, everything is planned by G-d. If you are in this world it is because G-d has a specific plan for you. There is something which you can, must, and will, accomplish which no one else can.


G-d is good. Period. G-d did not put a person on this world in order to have a miserable time. So if someone is having a difficult time, it must be that Hashem also gave him/her the ability to overcome the difficulties and still lead a happy and productive life.

Just a piece of advice: having a mentor and spiritual guide can be very helpful in overcoming problems.

http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/574,816225/Is-suicide-forbidden-under-all-circumstances.html

Is suicide forbidden under all circumstances?

To commit suicide is forbidden by Jewish Law, except for certain circumstances which we will address shortly. The Torah states: "However, your blood which belongs to your souls I (G-d) will demand".1 This includes one who takes his own life.2 The Talmud3 also discusses the issue and comes to the same conclusion -- it is forbidden.

However, if a person is afraid that he/she will be forced to violate one of the three cardinal prohibitions which one must never violate even at the pain of death (idolatry, murder, or certain sexual prohibitions such as incest or adultery) or to avoid terrible degradation and torture (like King Saul) then his/her suicide is not censured. This is the rationale behind the mass suicide at Masada, and King Saul's suicide.

Now let us look at the issue from another point of view: One of the great Sages of the Talmud, Rabbi Chanina ben Tradyon was sentenced to death by the Romans. They sadistically wrapped wet wool around him and then wrapped him in the Torah scroll from which he had been teaching (against the roman decree), and they then set him ablaze to die an agonizingly slow death, since the wet wool prevented him from dying quickly. His students begged him to open his mouth and breathe in the flames so that he would die more quickly. He answered: "It is better that He who gave (my soul) should take it..."4

In other words, the life we have been given is very valuable. Each person is unique, and has something unique to contribute to the world - for if this were not so, then they would never have been born. The greatest tragedy is for a person to waste that precious gift of life -- and not fulfill the mission of their soul. It is not always easy to find out what this mission in life is, but it is possible.

A good place to start is by helping others who are less fortunate than ourselves, such as volunteering for Chai Lifeline (http://www.chailifeline.org) or Friendship Circle (http://www.friendshipcircle.org).

Yasher Koach!