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(placing a burden on society). It’s possible that the burden of their
care as spouses will be greater that the burden they would have im-
posed had they remained single, particularly once they have children.

3. Children of a schizophrenic parent have an 11% chance of suffer-
ing from the disease, with the chances rising to 40% if both parents
suffer from the condition.

The positive aspects are:
1. Patients are often bothered by their natural urges. The men do
not hesitate to let their therapists know.
2. Marriage enables fulfillment of the mitzvah of procreation.
3. Marriage gives the patient a good feeling – of being “regular” –
which can contribute to improvement in their mental state.
The questions are, is a physician allowed to recommend that his
schizophrenic patient to seek a marriage partner or to encourage
them to do so:
1. When there is concern that if one side declines to continue, the
other party may chas veshalom commit suicide?
2. When the family is willing to support a sick couple and the pa-
tient will not be a burden to them but there is concern that they will
bring sick (schizophrenic) children into the world.

Dr. Yosef Margi, Psychiatrist

ɳ Response

In order to respond to the question of whether or not to encourage
schizophrenic patients to marry several points must be clarified: 1. Is
a schizophrenic considered as having normal intelligence and being
obligated to fulfill the mitzvos or is he considered imbecilic and there-
fore exempt? 2. Even if we decide that he is obligated in mitzvos, need
we be concerned that if he meets a prospective marriage partner and
things do not work out, the disappointment may lead him to commit
suicide? 3. Does concern over the birth of sick or defective children
absolve a schizophrenic from the mitzvah of procreation?

Before attempting to answer these questions I approached Dr.

212 1 Medical-Halachic Responsa of Rav Zilberstein