Judaism and Scrupulosity: When OCD Becomes Entangled With Faith
Series Introduction: Faith, Doubt, and OCD — Scrupulosity Across Traditions
Article 1: - When Faith Meets Fear — Understanding Scrupulosity in OCD
Article 2 in a 5 Part Series
When Alex, now a college student, began deepening his Jewish observance in high school — becoming more engaged in regular prayer and deepening his involvement in halacha — he began to notice his OCD latching onto these practices.
As these practices became more central to his life, they also became a place where OCD began to latch on, leading to increased doubt and repeated questioning about whether things were done “correctly.”
“So my family was sort of always wondering, ‘Well is this just your OCD [or] is this actually something that is meaningful?’” Alex recalled. “And I think at the end of the day, it’s always a little bit of both, but the OCD doesn’t negate the fact that this is a part of my identity, and I find it to be a very sort of meaningful thing.”
OCD and Scrupulosity in a Jewish Context
In Jewish life, where ritual practice and religious law often shape daily routines, scrupulosity may become closely tied to questions of observance and ritual detail.
As Rabbi and psychotherapist Noah Tile explains, for many people Judaism is a central part of identity—whether through law, belief, or community—and OCD often attached to what matters most.
For some, scrupulosity can show up as excessive prayer rituals. As Tile explains, a person might repeat the Shema—a core Jewish statement of faith—multiple times a day as a way of seeking protection or certainty. When understood through an OCD lens, these behaviors are not expressions of greater devotion, but rather compulsions driven by anxiety.
The difficulty, Tile explains, is that the same outward behavior can reflect either meaningful religious practice or OCD-driven compulsion. This uncertainty — wondering what reflects faith and what reflects OCD — is often one of the most distressing parts of the experience. For example, one person may repeat a prayer out of genuine connection and devotion, while another may do so because of OCD-driven anxiety.
Halacha as a Grounding Framework
For Alex, scrupulosity often shows up in questions about prayer. In certain situations, halacha can help him distinguish ritual from compulsion.
“I’ve dealt with questions about, ‘Did I say certain prayers properly, with the proper pronunciation or the proper intent?’” he said. “And so I’ve sort of dealt with trying not to repeat myself too much, which is something that OCD kind of wants . . . to compel us to do.”
On Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest), he sometimes worries about muktzeh — the rule that certain items are prohibited from being moved. “If I accidentally move something that maybe was muktzeh . . . then I might sort of obsessively say [ ] a prayer about that . . . in a sort of obsessive way.”
In some cases, having open communication among rabbis, therapists, and families can help individuals navigate OCD in a religious context. As Alex explains, a coordinated support system can make it easier to understand what reflects OCD and what reflects normative religious practice.
“In some ways… having it being codified… helps to understand what is normative practice versus what’s OCD,” Alex said. “[There are] things that are… very clear as to what Jewish law is and isn’t… The most prominent way to tell is, is this meaningful? Is this joyful? Or is this just something that’s repetitive and torturous… coming from a place of anxiety and stress rather than… my fundamental values.”
Alex also described how OCD can show up in moral concerns. At times, he finds himself questioning, “Am I being a good person?” or worrying that he may have said something harmful.
While he values being mindful about lashon hara and avoiding hurtful speech, he explained that a single mistake can sometimes lead to excessive rumination—replaying the interaction, seeking reassurance, or trying to determine whether he did something wrong. At times, these responses reflect appropriate repair; at others, they become driven by OCD.
Jewish Wisdom on Faith and Uncertainty
Tile points to the Jewish concept of emunah — often understood as faith or trust — as especially relevant to OCD treatment. He explains that Jewish teachings about living with uncertainty and practicing trust can align closely with evidence-based therapy.
“In the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), God is not a character that can be proven or disproven. . . . God exists,” Tile explained. “But from a Jewish standpoint. . . faith is not certainty but the courage to live with uncertainty. And that’s OCD therapy in a nutshell . . . because faith is trust, it’s loyalty. . . .So much of OCD therapy is learning to build back emunah in the world.”
For Tile, this perspective closely parallels OCD treatment: rather than eliminating doubt, individuals learn to tolerate it and act in accordance with their values, rather than in response to fear. Drawing on Rabbi Jonathan Sacks — the former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom and member of the House of Lords, widely known for his compassionate and intellectually rigorous approach to faith — he reinforces the idea that faith is not about certainty, but about the willingness to live with uncertainty.
Support and Integration
For Alex, navigating scrupulosity has required communication among his rabbi, parents, and therapist.
“Having that sort of streamlined communication and support system . . . has been very helpful for me to understand, firstly, how to make sure that I’m doing self-advocacy both for religion and for mental health, and then secondly, to understand what do I need to learn or know in cases where I don’t really have certain answers,” he said.
While OCD continues to show up in different ways throughout his life, Alex remains committed to both his Jewish practice and his mental health.
Alex describes OCD as something he has learned to manage over time with the help of therapy and strong support systems. “It’s [ ] something I’ve dealt with on and off my entire life. And, you know, it just pops up in different places. And I've got good therapy, and I've got great, you know, resources and strategies, but it's not something that you're ever like cured from, you know, per se, right?”
Looking Ahead
In this five-part series, the articles that follow look more closely at how scrupulosity appears in specific religious contexts and how faith communities can support healing alongside clinical care.
Interviews Conducted by Abby Shapiro
Scrupulosity Blog Series - The following sources informed the content of the Scrupulosity Blog and provide additional context on OCD, scrupulosity, and evidence-based treatment approaches. See HERE. Key Terms Appendix - HERE.
Coming soon: A clear, practical guide to understanding OCD — and what helps.