MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 232, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Sunday, October 21, 2018 / 12 Cheshvan 5779 – 8:00-9:00PM EST
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The topics in this week’s 232nd episode of the highly acclaimed popular MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, will include:
Chassidus Applied to Vayeira
Do we need secular sources to teach us how to understand and raise our children?
What should our attitude be to “non-official” shluchim?
How do you explain the blessing of “she’lo osani isha” (not making me a woman)?
Hiding Sarah in a… box?
Are controversial verses in the Torah being taught to our children in the proper way?
Can we go to a non-religious/non-Chassidic therapist?
Follow-up (episode 231):
Couple who fight after going out
Diminishing generations
Chagas Chassidus
Chassidus question: What is the attitude of Chassidus Chabad to the Ramchal and his Mesilas Yisharim? Why are they not heavily accepted?
My Life 2018 essays:
Guide to Imperfection, Moshe Goldstein, 19, Brooklyn, NY
Da’as – Power For Change, Meir Arad, 36, Israel
Change Begins in the Mind, Zev Weinstein, 49, Brooklyn, NY
This hour-long dose of insights, broadcast live every Sunday night 8-9PM EST, is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.
In what has now become a staple in so many people’s lives, MyLife: Chassidus Applied addresses questions that many people are afraid to ask and others are afraid to answer. When asked about the sensitive topics he has been addressing, Rabbi Simon Jacobson commented, “I understand that the stakes are high and great care has to be taken when speaking openly, but the silence and lack of clarity on matters plaguing the community can no longer go unaddressed. The stakes of not providing answers are even higher.”
The on-going series has provoked a significant reaction from the community, with thousands of people viewing each live broadcast and hundreds of questions pouring in week after week. At the root of every question and personal challenge tackled by the series is the overarching question: Does Judaism have the answers to my personal dilemmas?
In inimitable “Jacobson-fashion”, the broadcast answers people’s questions in simple, clear language while being heavily sourced. Each episode is jam-packed with eye-opening advice from the Rebbeim, gleaned from uncovering surprising gems in their letters, sichos and maamorim that address our personal issues with disarming relevance. Simultaneously, Rabbi Jacobson is able to crystallize a concept quickly, succinctly, and poignantly for any level of listener.
All episodes are immediately available for viewing in the MLC’s archive and can be downloaded as MP3s for listening on the go.
Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife.
Live Video:
Has everything. Literally everything. Even the cure for cancer. Cancer patients should learn parshas haazinu. If we would all just apply ourselves to learning it really really well we will see the answers clearly and know how to apply them. Oh, but we’ll all be dead by then? Naaah. People are committing suicide daily. There is no time to slowly understand how to apply the grand course of avodas Hashem according to chabad to their lives. Honestly there’s barely time to find an effective therapy so just spread love people. Honestly I feel like when people try to reunderstand chassidus… Read more »
I made an email anyone can reach me at regarding my post:
Mk770770770@gmail
Its actually the rebbes view and is basicly since it could very well be עבודה זרה based or אביזרייהו or כפירה. Or against שו”ע.
חסידות is more wide spread then people think. I have met grate professors that when. I told them things in chassidus in their field and they were beyond shocked of “my” knowledge and who they were just discovered it i learnt it age 14/15!
i would be very interesed in your details.
can you please let me know a way of reaching you.
thank you
As a shomer Mitzvah person but not particularly religious therapist, I deal with a lot of religious Jews and have been seeing something over and over: two people get married, the marriage is not perfect but it is doable, they have one child or a couple children and then one of the partners begins becoming difficult and the other partner then claims the person is sick and incurable. there was a letter printed recently from the Rebbe where the Rebbe writes to somebody who is complaining about a person in their community that is driving people nuts and the person… Read more »
To 12 and 13,
What type of marriage therapy was it that worked?
Can you share so others get the help they need?
In my humble opinion
Just like there is a difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist there is in mentel health a difference between marriage counseling and depression jut to name 2
I think in marriage one should. Seek a frum therapist
But in issues concerning depression etc. When you need an MD a real Dr we all know from the rebbe thats not a time to look for frumkiet then you just go to the best
The poster of this veiw knows nothing in this area just excpresding an opinion which may be dangerously wrong
I’ve seen all kids of therapists and the best one I saw was a non Jewish therapist. He was very interested in yiddishkeit. Maybe it was unique and just as number 12 it took me years to find him, he accepted my goals and worked with that. He understood that I had a mashpia working with me and understood that too. And for the record, I was advised by a prominent Chabad Rav to seek therapy he didn’t say what kind or whom (ie Frum or even Jewish) He just wanted to make sure I was getting the care I… Read more »
To number 12.
After reading your comment I came to understand you found your perfect therapist. You and your husband should continue to grow together With a beautiful home and family. There is always hope and help for anyone who is looking to be helped. There are all types of help and you found what you need. I found here in crown heights help from a person using the same therapy based on where you went and he says it is frum.
Be proud you really received the help you needed.
We spent the first 10 years of our marriage on the brink of divorce. We both had mashpiahs who we dealt with often. When my husband started going to secular therapist the first answer was alway divorce. Then we went to a frum rabbi licensed therapist who also said our marriage was beyond saving to the point that he suggested we separate that week-that is how low we were. We went to the community rabbi for help and he offered to mediate the divorce and help divide out property (never once offered to help us salvage the marriage) Our mashpiahs… Read more »
So sad how many uneducated people out there .
And unfortunately you are buying into that.
Very sad.
we need a mareh mekomos to what is covered in each and every program, and having that organised according to abc.
All I can say is thank Hashem every day that you don’t suffer from mental illness. And I don’t know who the rav who said it but either you misunderstood or that person should not be a rav
Therapy is sometimes necessary,as is going to a doctor,when needed. Curious about seeing a male vs female therapist….is it ok for a man to see a woman and vice versa?
The theories behind the majority of the psychology and psychotherapy today is antithetical to Jewish and Chassidic thought. While many non-religious and non-Jewish therapists/psychoanalysts can be good, well meaning, and helpful, the Torah taught by Chassidus fits the Jewish person. We do need qualified mashpi’im, meaning, those who are patients, trained, and expert at helping others navigate the vicissitudes of life.
I once heard a prominent chabad Rav say, “The only therapy that works for a Jew is Chassidus, and that makes the only therapist, the Rebbe…it you need further assistance follow the Rebbe’e direction of connecting with a qualified mashpia”
Oftentimes it’s better to have a Frum competent therapist over one that isn’t Frum or Jewish. This is simply because they can better understand you.
To clarify, I’m referring to having a competent therapist and I’m referring to what’s often but not always the case.
Some of these “licensed” therapists aren’t so great either They play that card especially if they are religious to attract clients. It’s in their best interest to discourage potential clients to seek help from anyone other than with their secular education and religious lifestyle so they have the full market. For people that are frum one would hope that they would be more understanding of the firm financial lifestyle and adjust their rates accordingly but many price according to the “going rate” forgetting that this isn’t the high double income two children non yesheva tuition paying community. If the problems… Read more »
I don’t usually listen to these. However the title caught my attention so I found the part and listened. Define pry you don’t want a therapist who will put their beliefs on you but I’m sorry during therapy it’s not abt Torah and Chassidishe it’s abt other healing that you actually can’t get from the Torah and that should not be even a question. The area of mental health is BH becoming more accepted in our circles and pple are speaking out to lessen the shame. Even though you said that it’s okay to go it was in a way… Read more »
agree 100%
Religious “therapists” aren’t 100%safe.
I know at least three rabbis that were guiding women throughout their divorces, and they did not behave as a rabbi should.Their comments were not modest ,showed lack of boundaries and not professional.(definitively not halachically acceptable)
Rabbis can teach Torah ,but they are not licensed professionals and should not be guiding people in complex situations.
Food for thought.