Reply To: Going off the Derech

Imaofthree-I am so desperate for him to speak with someone, but he will never agree to go. He would rather sink into an abyss of depression and who knows what, than get help for himself. I have to assume that bc of his depression, perhaps he can’t help or mobilize himself, so what should I do? He is not psychotic, so I cannot force any decisions on him. Most of my husband’s friends who see him, always stop to talk to him. They’ve been doing this on their own initiative, bc they really like him and are also pained by what’s happened. They invite him to eat something, take him places. But it happens infrequently, and isn’t really enough to pick him up.

I just heard a chiddush about Rachel Imenu that I can really relate to. It says, “Rachel mivaka al baneha ki eineinu”. How can it be that the word ‘baneha’ is plural but the word ‘eineinu’ is singular? It says that Rachel is crying for her children bc he is not there. This means that even if I have 10 righteous children, all talmidei chachamim, if I have one child OTD, I cannot be comforted. And it is sooo true. The pain is truly unbearable, and there IS NO COMFORT….except for his return….