Excellent question! I’m aware that in recent years there’s been increasing interest in the phenomenon of hypnosis, both for entertainment purposes and for medical applications. By medical applications I mean stopping smoking, weight loss, anxiety issues and more. There are two main sources in Jewish teachings that I will present here regarding whether hypnotherapy is a permitted form of treatment.
Rabbi Yaakov Ettlinger (Germany, 1798-1871) wrote a reply regarding the use of hypnosis for health reasons. (Responsa Binyan Tziyon 67) After consultation with the experts at the time, he concluded that there were two schools of thought on the nature of hypnotism — some saying it’s fake, while others claimed it’s real. If it’s fake, there’s certainly no problem. And even it it’s real, Rabbi Ettlinger reasoned that hypnosis works through natural means (even if we don’t understand the exact science behind it), but not through any forbidden impure spiritual forces. Based on this analysis he permitted the use of hypnosis for treating infirmity, although he doesn’t specify that it would be permitted for weight loss.
A more contemporary source is Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, one of greatest Jewish authorities in recent history. He discusses the topic of hypnotism in his famous response called Igrot Moshe. After consulting a number of hypnotists he wrote that hypnotism is a legitimate technique used to help patients overcome various problems. He does, however, warn that a person seeking this kind of therapy must consult a Jewish, God-fearing practitioner. He then adds that although he cannot find any grounds for forbidding hypnotism, it is self-degrading for a person to allow himself to fall into such a trance. He therefore maintains that one should resort to this kind of therapy only if he indeed requires it, and not just for the experience.
Therefore, I suggest that you first try “traditional” means of weight loss, such as diet, exercise and – most importantly – checking with your physician to make sure that the extra weight is not due to an unusual health issue that needs treatment, such as an underactive thyroid. If nothing else works, and all else checks out, then hypnosis is an option that may be pursued, in accordance with the guidance of stated by Rabbi Feinstein.
I wish you much happiness and success in losing weight and in all that you do. And I really hope that no matter what happens you will always feel good about the way you are, no matter what you weigh or how you look!
