Rabbi Itiel Gilady, Lecturer
in the School for the Soul and Editor of the Writings of Rabbi
Yitzchak Ginzburg
This
week, on the twenty-fourth of Tevet, is the anniversary of the death
of the Alter Rebbe, who wrote the Tanya, which can be considered the
"written Torah" of Chassidut. In the introduction, the
Tanya describes the unique traits of the book in that the text is
based on "therapeutic experience" of many years, in answers
to questions brought to him by his disciples in personal
consultation. He writes that "a person will find calm for his
soul and good advice for whatever is difficult for him in his service
of G-d."
Two
Sides of the Coin
The
secular form of therapy, even if performed by a religious therapist,
does not usually bring the Holy One, Blessed be He, into the picture,
and it is not aware of the Divine soul. It therefore separates
between spiritual healing and the worship of G-d. On the other hand,
one of the basic principles of Jewish psychology is to form a link
between spiritual healing ("calming the soul") and serving
G-d ("whatever is difficult for him in his service of G-d").
Every spiritual problem can also be defined as difficulty in serving
G-d (for example, sadness/depression/despair are a difficulty to the
joy of serving G-d), and every difficulty in serving G-d can be
viewed as a need for a deeper spiritual relationship (for example, a
difficulty with prayer can stem from problems in the relationship
between parents and children). There are advantages to looking at
both sides of the coin, and a good therapist will know how to switch
from one mode to the other as needed.
Treating
a problem as something that is "difficult in the service of G-d"
can help to release the person from an image of being unfortunate and
mentally ill. After all, we all have to cope with "difficulties
in the service of G-d" – otherwise this would not be called
"avodah"
– labor. This is true for both the therapist and the patient, and
the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives us the strength to serve Him.
Using the definition of a difficulty in serving G-d also forces the
person to take action, and this can sometimes encourage and push him
forward more than standard therapy or attempts at rehabilitation.
One
the other hand, identifying the difficulty in serving G-d as the
result of a deeper spiritual problem shows that not every problem can
be solved by brute force – by applying a greater effort and more
strength – but that it is necessary to delve into the depths of the
problem and to find a true and efficient solution. (This in itself
entails a more internal service of G-d, since the Holy One, Blessed
be He, also expects us to improve our ways and not only to perform
the positive acts of the service of G-d.) And before a solution is
reached, the fact that a person recognizes his own limitations is an
important aspect of the treatment and the progress – both in
spiritual healing and in the service of G-d.
What
is Under my Control and What is Not?
To
be precise, we should note that the Tanya defines spiritual healing
as "calming the soul" and proposes "the proper advice"
for difficulties in serving G-d. When the two realms are looked at
separately, the approach is usually the opposite of this idea. A
patient will be told that he should "calm down" somewhat in
his Divine service and focus on finding advice for the treatment of
spiritual healing. (It is true that "a danger should be
approached more seriously than a prohibition," which also
includes a danger to a person's mental health, and there are times
when a spiritual problem is so serious that the person will be
defined as a "fool" who is not obligated to perform
mitzvot, but this is only in extreme cases which are relatively
rare.)
In
the end, "everything is in the hands of heaven, except for the
fear of heaven." Our mental health is in G-d's hands, and it is
up to us to calm down and to depend on Him. Many times we feel
tension because our mental state causes harm to the personal image
which we have created for ourselves, and the internal calm is an
acknowledgement that "I did not make myself." (See Tanya,
Chapter 31.) On the other hand, the service of G-d is our duty, and
it is under our control – always matched to our powers, since "the
Holy One, Blessed be He, does not severely criticize His creatures
about their behavior." It is our task to search for good and
helpful advice. Only a feeling of calm, with which the therapy
begins, can allow us to build a positive path in the service of G-d,
and to implement the advice in a "clean" and helpful way.
The
Tanya ends the sentence that we quoted at the beginning of this
article with the following: "And his heart should have faith in
G-d, who wants to finish in the best way for us." Bringing G-d
into the therapy room reminds both the patient and the therapist that
in the end "everything is in the hands of heaven" and gives
a feeling of calm and confidence that the treatment will succeed –
with the help of G-d, who wants to finish in the best way for us.
