Chazal and PTSD

(2) Four entered the orchard: Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, another, and Rabbi Akiva. One looked and died. One looked and was harmed. One looked and cut down the trees. And one went up in peace and went down in peace.

(20) Elisha ben Abuya says: One who learns as a child is compared to what? To ink written on new parchment. And one who learns as an elder is compared to what? To ink written on scraped parchment. Rabbi Yose bar Yehuda, man of the town of the Babylonian, says: One who learns from young ones is compared to what? To one who eats unripe grapes and drinks wine from its press. And one who learns from elders is compared to what? To one who eats ripe grapes and drinks aged wine. Rabbi says: Do not look at the jug but rather at what is in it. For there are new jugs full of old, and old that do not have even new within them.

About honouring parents, it is written, "In order that your days will be lengthened, and in order that it would be good for you" (Deuteronomy 5:15). About sending away the mother bird, it is written, "In order that it will be good for you and your days will be lengthened" (Deuteronomy 22:7). For when his father says to him, "Go up to the attic and bring me chicks!" And he goes up to the attic, sends away the mother [bird], and takes the children, but on his return, he falls and dies. Where is the goodness of this one's days? Where are the lengthening of this one's days? Rather, "In order that it be good for you"—in the world which is all good; "And in order that your days will be lengthened"—in the world which is all long. Perhaps this has never happened? Rabbi Ya'akov saw it happen. But perhaps he was thinking about a sin? God does not act upon bad thoughts. But perhaps he was thinking about idolatry, and it is written, "So that you abandon the house of Israel in your minds" (Ezekiel 14:5)? He also [could have done this], and this is what [Rabbi Ya'akov] said: If you should think there is reward for a mitzvah in this world, why didn't the mitzvot protect him, such that he wouldn't have [bad] thoughts? But didn't Rabbi Elazar say: Agents of a mitzvah are not damaged? There, in their going, is different. But didn't Rabbi Elazar say: Agents of a mitzvah are not damaged—neither in their going nor in their returning? It was a rickety ladder that is susceptible to damaging, and in any case which is susceptible to damaging we don't rely on a miracle. As it is written, "Shmuel said: How will I go? If Shaul hears he will kill me!" (1 Samuel 16:2).

Rather [he said], 'Just like gold and glass vessels, although they are broken, have a way to be fixed, so too a scholar, even though he has rotted [with sin], he has a way to be fixed.'" He said to him, "You too, return [and repent]." He said to him, "I have already heard from behind the [divine] curtain: 'Return, rebellious sons- except for Acher.'" The Rabbis taught: It once happened that Acher was riding on a horse on Shabbat, and Rabbi Meir was walking behind him to learn Torah from his mouth. He said to him, "Meir, turn around. I have calculated with my horse's steps [that] until here is the Techum Shabbat (area in which it is permissible to walk on Shabbat). He said to him, "You, too, return [and repent]." He said to him, "Have not I already told you? I have already heard from behind the [divine] curtain: 'Return, rebellious sons- except for Acher.'"