Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
What is wrong with ending one’s own life? If someone is suffering profoundly and feels that life is no longer worth living, why can’t he choose to end it?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
Our lives are not ours to do with as we please. The foundational reason Judaism is against suicide is that Hashem (God) is the Source of all life, and He continues to sustain us at every moment, which means our lives belong to Him, not to us. We are merely entrusted with it in order to serve Him. And just as He gave us rules for how to live life, He also gave us rules about ending it.
The Jewish View of Suicide: The Value of a Single Moment
As Hashem told Noach (Noah), “However, your blood that belongs to your souls I will demand” (Bereishit 9:5), which Chazal (our Sages – Bava Kama 91b) understand as a strict Torah prohibition against taking one’s own life.
Furthermore, life is always worth living. One must never underestimate the gift of life or the value of even a single moment in this world. If Hashem is keeping a person alive, then in His infinite wisdom He knows that this person still has something to accomplish. Every moment a person is alive is another opportunity to serve Hashem, perform mitzvot (Torah commandments), and grow spiritually.
Indeed, Chazal (Kiddushin 80b) teach that a person should not complain about his suffering, for all of life’s difficulties pale in comparison to the extraordinary gift of being alive. No matter how challenging life may be, every moment in this world is precious and should be cherished.
Understanding the Halachic Gravity of the Act
This is why the Torah prohibits suicide. In fact, halachah (Jewish law) dictates that suicide is no less than murdering someone else, as, because life is not ours, taking one’s own life is no different from taking someone else’s. In both cases, a life is taken, and the ability to continue living and serving Hashem is lost.
And in a sense, suicide is even worse. When someone murders another person, as heinous an act as it is, and although the person can never be brought back, the murderer can still do teshuvah (repent) and receive atonement, as no sin is beyond repentance. On the other hand, someone who ends his own life dies without an opportunity to do teshuvah.
In fact, a deliberate act of suicide is considered in halachah to be such an egregious act that a person who takes his own life has the status of a rasha (wicked person), and we do not eulogize him or sit shivah for him.
Halachah and Mental Health: A View of Compassion
In practice, however, this law almost never applies. The overwhelming majority of those who take their own lives are suffering from profound emotional or psychological distress and are not acting with a clear mind. They are therefore not considered wicked; rather, their death is a tragedy, and they are treated with compassion.
In Short
The core Jewish view of suicide is that our lives are not ours, they belong to Hashem. He gives us life and sets the rules for it, including that we may not end it. Every moment we are in this world is precious—an opportunity to do another mitzvah and earn eternal reward.
Written by Rabbi Aaron Shapiro
Disclaimer: This article focuses strictly on the Torah and halachic outlook regarding suicide and is not intended to address or replace mental health guidance. If you or a loved one are contemplating suicide, please seek immediate assistance by calling or texting the National Lifeline at 988, or by speaking with a licensed mental health professional.
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