Applying Jewish theology to issues in mental and physical health

Abstract

AbstractJewish theological convictions and values undergird the approaches of Judaism to all aspects of life. This article first describes five fundamental Jewish convictions about God, human beings, and the relations between them as well as the place of medicine in life. It then describes the positions taken by the three largest denominations of contemporary Judaism on end‐of‐life issues and the approach of Judaism to mental health issues, two aspects of medical ethics that have become especially prominent during the COVID‐19 pandemic but have always been, and will always be, important aspects of human life to which religious traditions can and should give guidance.