Halacha Headlines 1/3/26 – Shiur 542 – Are you taking medication? Are you seeing a therapist? These are Seminary Application questions
Jan 2, 2026
Guest
Yair Bruck
Guest
Dayan Yitzchok (Yitzhak) Grossman
Guest
Mindy Blumenfeld
Guest
Rabbi Zecharya (Zechariah) Greenwald
In this engaging discussion, Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald, dean of Me'ohr Bais Yaakov, shares insights on why seminaries ask about mental health in admissions. Mindy Blumenfeld, a licensed therapist, highlights the stigma these questions create, urging a shift to post-acceptance disclosures. Dayan Yitzchok Grossman examines the halachic implications of honesty in applications, suggesting leaving intrusive questions unanswered. Attorney Yair Bruck discusses legal boundaries and the risks of broad mental health inquiries, emphasizing the importance of focused, safety-oriented questions.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Why Seminaries Ask About Medication
- Seminaries see dormitory responsibility as demanding full disclosure about medications because they act as surrogate parents for nine months.
- Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald argues medication info is needed to ensure student safety and manage crises in an intense, 24/7 environment.
Ask Focused Safety Questions Only
- Ask narrowly targeted safety questions rather than broad therapy/medication queries, focusing on current risk and safety plans.
- Use questions like recent self-harm incidents, current safety plans, or present risk to self/others.
Past Crises Shaped Seminary Policies
- Rabbi Greenwald recounts schools facing horrific outbreaks from undisclosed conditions, including suicide and severe emergencies.
- He uses these incidents to justify why some leaders seek more medical transparency.