Articles and Tools

What is a human being?  Depending on your philosophic lenses, there may be several answers.  Judaism defines a human being as a being created in the image of G-d—a physical body with an eternal, non-physical soul.  The medieval commentator, Rashi explains that “created in G-d’s image” means that the human …

Judaism encourages us to strive for greatness. What’s more, one of the greatest needs of a human being is to be great.  This is because we are created in the image of G-d and every human being is instilled with a thirst to be G-d-like.  We see this everywhere we …

Previously, I discussed the importance of listening to ones feelings. Feelings educate us.They are information that we must access and process if we want to maximize ourself-development. They are the pathways to self-discovery. I also pointed out that troubling feelings such as sadness, loneliness, shame, anger, etc, contain the greatest …

In the movie, Inside/Out, Riley’s parents demonstrate the damaging impact of being emotionally unattuned when they fail to listen to their daughter’s anger and sadness. While at the end of the movie, they model the healing impact of being emotionally attuned when they embrace Riley’s sadness upon her return home …

Songwriter Leonard Cohen wrote, “Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” There is no perfection in life. Each of us is given a different hand to play and our job is to do the best we can with what we’ve been given …

There are five relational movements towards becoming intimate with the Eternal. KNOWING It is impossible to have a relationship with an imaginary person.  Likewise, it is impossible to have a relationship with the “idea of G-d.”  One can only have a relationship with a real person who is fully present.  …

Perhaps the most fundamental psychological task of a human being is to differentiate from his or her family and become a unique individual. For all eternity, there will never be another you. Imitation is death, uniqueness is life. To differentiate we must do one thing: listen to our own voice. …

The Disney animated movie, Inside Out teaches one of the most powerful principles I know for authentic transformation: We experience joy by embracing sadness (and other troubling feelings). At first glance it seems counter-intuitive. How can a positive emotional state arise by embracing a negative emotional state? Doesn’t Judaism teach …

In the film Inside Out, when Riley finally takes ownership of her sadness and is no longer in conflict with it, she feels one with her feelings and with herself. As a result she experiences joy and an upsurge of vitality and empowerment. The more we feel emotionally integrated, the …

Judaism is a system for living that is built on obligations as opposed to rights. This is especially true with respect to the Jewish approach to marriage. Obligations foster responsibility and giving. Rights foster a sense of entitlement which can lead to irresponsibility. In Judaism, one is not entitled to …