Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah

Rabbi Mark Borovitz

Description

Torah can help you recover your soul—if you are willing to ask yourself the right questions.
"If the Torah is the all-encompassing moral compass that it claims to be, and I believe it to be so, then we can find anything in it, including the support needed for recovery…. In it are the remedies for all spiritual maladies—we just have to probe the text, dig deeply in it and drink of its life-giving waters."
—from the Foreword
In this soul-restoring resource, Rabbi Mark Borovitz combines his knowledge of Judaism and his experience as a leader in the field of recovery to help you find in the Five Books of Moses the deeper meaning, wisdom and guidance for living well in the moment.
For each Torah portion, he provides seven days of teachings and reflection questions to help you reconnect with your sacred self, discover solutions to life's challenges and to help you heal.
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Sujets

• Rituals
• Philosophie et théologie
• Torá
• Judaism
• Religion
• Practice
• Torah

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 29 mars 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781580238625
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Praise for Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah: A Daily Spiritual Path to Wholeness
“Lively, highly readable…. Challenges us to create lives of purpose, meaning, integrity and transparency…. A unique, valuable addition to the spiritual treatment of addictive disorders.”
— Dr. David Friedman , addiction psychiatrist; assistant clinical professor, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine
“The strength of the commentary is in the straightforward messages [Rabbi Mark] teaches from Torah…. Certainly needed.”
— Arnold Eisen, PhD , chancellor, The Jewish Theological Seminary
“Provides a simple yet profound spiritual practice to facilitate recovery…. I will keep this book on my breakfast table, for daily nourishment and inspiration!”
— Rabbi Laura Owens , Congregation B’nai Horin, Children of Freedom; chair of the board, Academy for Jewish Religion, California
“Weave[s] stories from the Torah with issues confronting us every day. Intriguing questions stimulate self-reflection, encouraging you to look inside in a non-threatening way. Read this book and it will surely enrich your soul. I know it did mine.”
— Dr. Susan Krevoy , founding director, Susan B. Krevoy Eating Disorders Program
“An essential companion for anyone who wants to experience the life-changing gifts of daily practice that leads to holiness and wholeness…. There is no more sure-footed guide to the immersion of Torah and recovery in our lives.”
— Rabbi Jodie Siff , Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore
“Offers … immediate access to the power of Torah to repair the world—the world of the individual and family seeking recovery…. Remarkable…. Anyone who seeks guidance will find it here in abundance.”
— Leonard Buschel , certified substance abuse counselor; founder, Writers in Treatment; creator, Reel Recovery Film Festival
“This richly buoyant book propels us all forward to find luminous meaning in our lives. So at home in both the Torah and the 12 Steps, this book will help a wide audience live in the soul and discover joy and wholeness there.”
— Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ , founder/executive director, Homeboy Industries; author, Tattoos on the Heart
“A wellspring of inspiration and practical, spiritual guidance certain to support all who walk the path of recovery.”
— Rabbi Edwin S. Harris, PhD , visiting assistant professor of pastoral counseling, Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles
“Rabbi Mark’s … extraordinary teaching brings Torah to life. His book is a gift to all who search for a truth to live by.”
— Rabbi Edward Feinstein , author, Tough Questions Jews Ask: A Young Adult’s Guide to Building a Jewish Life and The Chutzpah Imperative: Empowering Today’s Jews for a Life That Matters
“Give[s] you the right questions in order to enhance the way you live. I’ve worked with Rabbi Mark in various ways and he has helped me in ways I never thought possible.”
— Jimmy Iovine , record and film producer; co-founder, Interscope Records; chairman, Interscope Geffen A&M.
“An invaluable resource for all of us who yearn to live with a sense of meaning…. [I]nvites us to grapple with questions that help us integrate the wisdom of Torah into the fabric of our lives.”
— Rabbi Mychal Springer , chaplain; director, The Center for Pastoral Education at The Jewish Theological Seminary
Who Should Read This Book
You don’t have to be an addict to find recovery in Torah. You don’t have to be Jewish to learn from the wisdom of the Hebrew Bible. This book is meant for all seekers—anyone searching for a deeper connection with themselves, with their communities, and with a power greater than themselves, that is to say, God. This book offers a clear path to receiving the wisdom of the Jewish tradition to everyone willing to be honest with themselves, asking the questions laid out for each day and allowing for time to reflect and listen to the answers contained within their souls.
• People living in recovery from addiction.
• People searching for a Jewish path to recovery.
• People wanting to be immersed in the wisdom of the Torah.
• People who are seeking a path to connect with their soul.
• Families of people living in recovery or who are still in active addiction.
• Clergy who want to help their congregants find recovery, and the families of those who have struggled with addiction.
• Clergy of all denominations who want to begin or deepen their recovery through Hebrew Bible study.
• Rabbis and educators who want to teach a living and relevant Torah to their students.
• Psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and counselors who seek practical tools to introduce clients to a spiritual practice rooted in scripture.
• Jews and non-Jews alike who seek tools to help themselves live well.
• Anyone who has read any of the books in the Jewish Lights Publishing Recovery Series including:
Twelve Jewish Steps to Recovery: A Personal Guide for Turning from Alcoholism and Other Addictions
100 Blessings Every Day: Daily Twelve Step Recovery Affirmations, Exercises for Personal Growth and Renewal Reflecting Seasons of the Jewish Year
Renewed Each Day: Daily Twelve Step Recovery Meditations Based on the Bible
Recovery from Codependence: A Jewish Twelve Steps Guide to Healing Your Soul
Recovery—The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice
Recovery, the 12 Steps and Jewish Spirituality: Reclaiming Hope, Courage and Wholeness
A note on the cover art: Many recovery programs and treatment centers throughout the world use recovery medallions to mark sobriety anniversaries and to provide hope and encouragement to people struggling with addiction.
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This book is dedicated to all of my teachers of Torah:
Rabbi Neal Borovitz
Heather Garrett
Harriet Rossetto
Rabbi Mel Silverman, z”l
Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man
Rabbi Edward Feinstein
Rabbi Harold Schulweis, z”l
Dr. Garrett O’Connor , z”l
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, z”l
Alumni and residents of Beit T’Shuvah
Board of Directors of Beit T’Shuvah
Community of Beit T’Shuvah
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Bereshit
Noach
Lech L’cha
Va-yeira
Chayei Sarah
Toledot
Va-yetzei
Va-yishlach
Va-yeishev
Miketz
Va-yigash
Va-yechi
Shemot
Va-eira
Bo
Beshalach
Yitro
Mishpatim
Terumah
Tetzaveh
Ki Tisa
Va-yakhel
Pekudei
Va-yikra
Tzav
Shemini
Tazria
Metzora
Acharei Mot
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukotai
Bemidbar
Naso
Behaalotecha
Shelach L’cha
Korach
Chukat
Balak
Pinchas
Matot/Mas’ei
Devarim
Va-etchanan
Eikev
Re’eih
Shofetim
Ki Teitzei
Ki Tavo
Nitzavim
Va-yelech
Haazinu
My Covenant
Afterword
The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
Secular Calendar of Torah Readings: 2016–2020
Glossary
Suggestions for Further Reading
About the Author
Copyright
Also Available
About Jewish Lights
Sign Up for E-mail Updates
Send Us Your Feedback
Foreword
I f the Torah is the all-encompassing moral compass that it claims to be, and I believe it to be so, then we can find anything in it, including the support needed for recovery. Jewish resources, especially in sacred literature, are available for those in recovery from alcoholism and other addictions and compulsive behaviors. We just have to help people access those resources. That’s why the Rabbis quipped, referring to Torah, “Turn it, turn it—for everything is in it” ( Pirkei Avot 5:22). The great medieval Jewish philosopher and physician Moses Maimonides went so far as to say, “Torah is a healing balm.” In it are the remedies for all spiritual maladies—we just have to probe the text, dig deeply in it, and drink of its life-giving waters. Some even suggest that the Torah is like a love letter. We handle it the way we would a missive from our lover. Every aspect of it offers meaning, particularly in its nuances and subtleties, all expressions of love.
The process of recovery shares a great deal in common with the practice of Torah study. This is clearly demonstrated in the pages ahead. Both the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Torah study are lifelong endeavors that carry us forward, providing spiritual buoyancy for our lives—one hour, one day, one week at a time. We read these texts over and over, digesting each word, searching for meaning and insight, as if we have never reviewed them before. The Rabbis provide us with this guidance about the study of Torah, loosely translated from the Hebrew as “There is no before or after in the Torah.” In other words, chronology doesn’t get in the way of our understanding the lessons of the sacred text. We read the Torah as if its stories unfold in a linear sequence of events. Yet, we also read the Torah as if the stories happen somewhat simultaneously or even in a different temporal order. At the same time, we follow the entire Torah narrative and the journey of the Jewish people as if we don’t know what will happen next while fully aware of all of the Torah’s dramatic events.
The Torah and Twelve-Step spirituality are a perfect fit. They both provide us with a spiritual discipline that helps guide and anchor our lives. They both offer us community a