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282: ISSUING FALSE
D O CUMENTATION I N
ORDER TO PREVENT
SUICIDE

ɳ Question

There was a case involving a woman who was caught up in criminal
activity and who was terribly afraid of going to prison because of the
harsh conditions there. She approached us requesting that we issue
her a false document declaring her to be mentally unbalanced, which
would enable her to avoid punishment. She threatened that if we
didn’t fulfill her request, she would commit suicide. We refused to do
as she asked and later heard that she had been found lifeless.

I would like to ask whether we had an obligation to issue her the
document she asked for, because the prohibition against lying is also
set aside for piku’ach nefesh and her fate demonstrates that her sit-
uation was one of piku’ach nefesh. Or maybe it is wrong to cover up
for criminals and their threats should be ignored, for if we took their
threats seriously there would be no end to them and the public would
suffer from this kind of blackmail.

Dr. Yosef Kastner, Specialist in Psychi-
atry, Neve On Hospital, Bnei Brak

I received a similar question based upon an actual incident, also con-
cerning the topic of robbing and lying in order to prevent suicide, as
follows:

I have been asked to raise several questions that have arisen in

Lying to Prevent Suicide 2 373