Emotions &amp; Psychology

Many tears indeed can be shed for our children whose lives are prematurely “hijacked” by the demons of abuse and drugs; bright futures suddenly aborted; robbed of their possibilities; injured psyches.

Holy Thieves

The Torah distinguishes between a burglar that comes in hiding, at night, and one who robs in broad daylight.

Joy Amidst Turmoil

Weekly Op-Ed • 3 Comments

Connect your active life to a deeper mission, reintroduce seamlessness into your existence, and you will begin releasing the joy within you.

Shemini: Shame On You

Weekly Op-Ed •April 17th, 2009• 11 Comments

Our challenge – and choice – is to use technology and all the gifts we were blessed with not merely for personal gain and self-interest, or for entertainment and killing time, but for bettering the world in which we live.

Matos-Massei: One Small Step

Weekly Op-Ed •July 17th, 2009• 8 Comments

If our “one step” on the moon can humbly remind us that the internal “moon” of our own inner malchus/dignity remains intact, and that it can actually experience rebirth and renewal, than this indeed is “one giant leap for mankind.”

Ki Teitzei: Religion and Dysfunctionality

Weekly Op-Ed •August 27th, 2009• 21 Comments

Our calling is to marginalize (and possibly eliminate) so-called “religious” behavior that feeds the stereotype of close-minded, unevolved and condescending religiosity. And more importantly, reintroduce the alternative – faith and religion that allows man to actualize and shine in his full glory.

Yom Kippur: The Real You

Weekly Op-Ed • 12 Comments

Just one day we are asked to enter our “holy of holies.” This gives us the power to be real the rest of the year. So this Yom Kippur open yourself up – and may you experience the REAL YOU.

Mighty Lessons from the Simple Sukkah

Weekly Op-Ed • 17 Comments

The simple Sukkah reminds us all that our security comes from the “unalienable rights” endowed upon us all by our Creator.

Shemini Atzeret: The World and You

Weekly Op-Ed •October 8th, 2009• 4 Comments

We dwell in Sukkot, made of vegetation of the world, we pray and commit to improve and refine the nations of the world, we dance and celebrate in public, we engage, connect and unite with others.

The Greatest Journey Ever Taken

A lonely journey by a single man (accompanied by a small group of people) taken 3747 years ago changed the entire course of history!

Vayishlach: Hypocrisy

Weekly Op-Ed •December 3rd, 2009• 9 Comments

Instead of seeing hypocrisy in our inconsistencies, we should be seeing in them our struggle to discover our true selves—a struggle that inevitably creates a dichotomy between what you believe and what you do.

Vayechi: 2500 Seekers

Weekly Op-Ed •December 31st, 2009• 17 Comments

Let us always remember that whomever you meet in the coming year will not be an accident. It will be an opportunity – a dual opportunity: For you to illuminate, inspire and warm that person’s soul, to inspire encourage that person to add and extra good deed; and for you to be illuminated and inspired in return.

Bamidbar: Unconditional Love

Weekly Op-Ed •May 13th, 2010• 8 Comments

We need to get beyond the labels and stereotypes that divide, and treat fellow Jews as our own family.

Time To Sing

Weekly Op-Ed • 12 Comments

I realized and continue to realize the deep grief of so many tormented souls; children whose lives were forever altered because of a self-indulgent, sick adult.

Pesach: Do You Believe in Miracles?

Weekly Op-Ed •April 15th, 2011• 3 Comments

The Baal Shem Tov offers us a novel interpretation of a miracle, and in the process turns the entire concept on its head. We learn how each of us can recognize – and create – miracles in our lives.

Emor: How to Speak

Weekly Op-Ed • 11 Comments

Passionate faith can spill over into dogma and intolerance. We must be vigilant that the path of faith should be saturated with love and inspiration.

Shemini Atzeret: My Child: Let Us Not Part

Minds separate us, but our legs unite us. We dance as one.

How the Alter Rebbe Changed the World

Weekly Op-Ed •January 3rd, 2013• 6 Comments

Over two centuries ago Rabbi Schneur Zalman presented us with an invaluable model of life that can be appreciated now more than ever. Freud and his colleagues may be the fathers of psychology today. But the Alter Rebbe is the true father of the psychology of tomorrow.

Vayeirah : G-d’s Mysterious Ways

Weekly Op-Ed •October 17th, 2013• 1 Comment

Our relationship with G-d is a two-way street: The more we immerse ourselves in our calling and the more dedicated we become to our mission, the more access we gain to the deeper mysteries of life.

Medicine, Psychology and Spirituality

How much of a role do religious practices, faith and trust in G-d play in the healing process?

Are You Damaged Goods?

Weekly Op-Ed • 28 Comments

So there you have the psychology of Chassidus: There is no such thing as damaged goods.

Is Psychology Good For Us? Are Therapists Necessary?

We should be striving to a psychology imbued with the confidence in the resilience and fortitude of the soul, and one that follows a higher moral calling.

What is Pain?

What is the purpose of pain? Why do good people suffer? Are there any benefits to pain? How can we alleviate our pain?

Loneliness

Transcripts/Sources • 2 Comments

The excitement to jump out of bed knowing that you have a mission to do, something that you’re needed for today, is ultimately the solution to any type of sense of deep loneliness.

Good Grief

Chassidic teaching differentiates between two types of sorrow: merirus, a constructive grief, and atzvus, a destructive grief. The first is active, the second—passive. The first one weeps, the second’s eyes are dry and blank.

Depression & Mental Illness

Transcripts/Sources • 1 Comment

The author of the best-selling “Toward a Meaningful Life” discusses the spiritual roots and solutions for depression in an open forum.

Who Needs Meaning in Life Anyway?

Transcripts/Sources • 0 Comments

What is the meaning of life? Rabbi Simon Jacobson, author of the best-seller Toward a Meaningful Life, actually answers that question.

Humor

Transcripts/Sources • 1 Comment

So humor, like anything, can be abused or used in a good way. To lead a meaningful life and to be able to find purpose and solace, we need to be able to also learn the secret of learning how to smile.

How to Find Joy in Your Life

1 Comment

How to cultivate natural joy in your life. An open discussion on how to find joy in your life, with Simon Jacobson, author of Toward a Meaningful Life.

Image for "Guilt and Shame: Constructive or Destructive"

Guilt & Shame: Constructive or Destructive?

Is there such a thing as healthy shame? Find out how to transform guilt and shame into positive self-help. An open discussion with Rabbi Simon Jacobson.

Growing Through Our Pasts

A healthy past is something we build upon. But when you’re dealing with a past that often includes sins or crimes in any sense of the word (I don’t necessarily mean in the Biblical sense, but any time we’ve made errors, mistakes, hurt ourselves or others whether out of our own ignorance or even maliciously), and now we come to new awareness and realizations, what do you do then?

Emotional Subjectivity: Enemy or Ally?

Emotions: Are they our greatest enemy? Emotional subjectivity can trap us, but it is also a necessary part of living. An open discussion.

Dreams

1 Comment

A dream can usually be interpreted in two different ways: it can be interpreted in a positive way, or often it can be interpreted in a negative way. And the interpreter himself or herself can actually have an effect on how that dream plays out in a person’s life.

Do You Think That You Matter?

Essays • 53 Comments

Here is a message that will change your life forever: Birth is G-d’s way of saying “you matter.” This means you are absolutely necessary. You are indispensable to G-d’s vision of the world, chosen to fulfill a mission in this world that you and only you can accomplish, like musical notes in the grand Divine composition, each of us has our unique music to play.

Anger

Transcripts/Sources • 2 Comments

Anger is not about whether you get angry, but, in general, it’s about your attitude; your attitude and reactions to phenomena, to experiences in life, and how you see yourself in your community and the world around you.

Achieving Emotional Intimacy

Transcripts/Sources • 0 Comments

Discussion of the issue of developing emotional intimacy, building trust after there’s been loss and pain. Also discussion of a fundamental concept in Jewish mysticism and Chassidic thought: the perpetual battle between good and evil, between dark and light, and between these two forces in our lives, which is what life is about.

Joy in Four Dimensions: Purim

On Purim the Jew attains the ultimate in joy: not only is his joy not qualified by any reason or objective, it is free even of the objective to be joyous. He is so consumed with joy that he is oblivious to all, including the fact that he is rejoicing…

Abraham Departed From Self to Self

Essays • 1 Comment

In his journey of discovery, Abraham departed the “land, birthplace and father’s house” of his native Mesopotamia; but this is not the departure of which we are speaking… Abraham received this call many years after he had renounced the pagan ways of his family and birthplace, recognized G-d, and had a profound impact on his society. Still he is told: Go! Depart from your nature, depart from your habits, depart from your rational self. After rejecting your negative, idolatrous origins, you must now also transcend your positive and gainful past. Reach beyond yourself, albeit a perfected self.

Vistas of Repentance

A moving personal essay about repentance. Release your guilt and shame. You are doing the best you can do. Elevate the past and choose wisely in the future.

Doubt: The Silent Killer

Essays •Weekly Op-Ed • 7 Comments

Amalek embodies the most potent enemy we face. That enemy is not an external force, nor a prowler or weapon on the attack. It is not an enemy from without, but one from within. The enemy is: Doubt.

Addition of Candles on Chanukah

On the first night we kindle one candle, on the second two, and so on until the eighth night–when all eight candles shine forth.

Vayeitzei: Overcoming Fear

Weekly Op-Ed •December 28th, 2014• 4 Comments

Overcoming fear: To face the battles of life you must first fortify your inner life. You must build a strong inner core – a home and family that provides you with the security and confidence to handle any force or enemy from without.

Mission Possible: How To Discover Your Mission

Essays •List • 4 Comments

How to discover your mission: Look closely at your life experiences and you will see patterns emerge that will direct you toward your calling.

Yud Shevat: Meshuga: The Sanity of Insanity

Weekly Op-Ed •January 30th, 2015• 0 Comments

Chapter five of Basi L’Gani offers us a novel and even revolutionary approach to the absurdity of our lives. Instead of just avoiding or ignoring the irrational, transform that mindless mindset into a supra-rational force of transcendence, creating something absolutely unusual — something absolutely crazy. Since you are already in a mad and wild state of mind — turn that wild energy into revolution, changing the status quo.

Speaker of the House

What are spoken words? Nothing really, at least not in the material sense.

Double Stitching

Stories • 1 Comment

Rabbi Yerachmiel had a lesson for a proud tailor: A humble spirit is noticed and evokes admiration, while arrogance and pride is devoid of grace and beauty.

Communication

A small piece of sage advice from the Lubavitcher Rebbe in regards to correcting or advising a friend.

Voices

Our sages tell us that “Every day, an echo resounds from Mount Sinai” beckoning to man to come close to G-d.

Informed Debate

A Chassidic story of Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz inspiring two argumentative combatants to criticise themselves instead of each other.

The Bottom of the Barrel

Essays • 1 Comment

One of the great Chassidic masters teaches us about sadness and where the pieces of a broken heart should lie.

A Tale of Two Cities

Rabbi Shneur Zalman, an accomplished scholar and mentor to many disciples, teaches us the significance of Prayer.

The Disposable Self

The closer one comes to G-d, the more one realizes one’s own insignificance in the face of the divine infinity.

The Prodigy Under the Bed

An honest appraisal of your own character will show you how much there is for you to emulate and learn from those who are supposedly ‘inferior’ to yourself.

The Bottom Line

Discover how the unity of G-d can infiltrate even the most mundane of activities.

Ki-Tavo: Continuing Journeys of a W(e)ary Traveler – Diary

A humorous personal story set in Schwenksville on Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei, the fifth of the ‘Seven weeks of comfort’.

Eikev: Blackout

A personal message about the value of reflecting during the period after the 15th of Av when “the power of the sun” begins to weaken.

Joy in Four Dimensions

The Torah teaches us that joy should be a constant in life. However, there are multiple degrees of joy. What are they?

An Eye and a Sigh

Stories • 1 Comment

A story of two devoted neighbors, one living a spiritual life and the other a material one, and their surprising judgments at death.

Diamonds and Chicken Fat

An allegory of diamonds and chicken fat that describes the soul’s descent into the physical body.

Publicity

Shorts •Stories • 0 Comments

It’s nice to sound your horn, but remember to save some of you breath for the task at hand.

The World as You

It was with bitterness in their hearts that the Children of Israel received their inheritance, and those feelings seeped into the gift.

The Joy of Adar

Since one has to always grow and ascend in all good activities, the increase in joy in Adar must also grow from day to day.

The Transformative Joy of Adar

Adar is the month of joyous transformation, the month with the “nullifying power” of sixty. The power to transform an undesirable — even destructive — force into a nourishing joy and delight.

A Lesson in Humility

There are two approaches to develop a true feeling of humility toward someone whose character or behavior is obviously inferior to one’s own.

Numerical Value

Essays •July 27th, 2015• 2 Comments

Throughout the Chumash, G-d instructs Moses to count the Jewish people on 4 separate occasions so much so that the fourth book is called “Book of Countings”

The Slap

A story of ahavat yisroel, desperation & forgiveness in the waiting room & study of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir (founder of Gur) & his secretary Reb Bunim.

The Water Drawing Festival

Youth have a unique strength derived from the Water Drawing Festival; they sets their sights on a goal and climb straight up. The more mature person takes time and makes calculations for every goal.

Lamps and Lives

The verses in Parshat Beha’alotecha specify two laws of the menorah corresponding to two visions of man provided by Rashi and Nachmanides.

The Cost of Light

Giving, whether physical or spiritual, carries a “price”. We find an example of such spiritual descent in Moses’ bestowal of the leadership upon Joshua.

Train Journey

Using the metaphor of a railway journey, there are two possible routes the Redemption may come about – it may be hastened or come in its time.

Vayigash: 2006

As we conclude the calendar year – my 50^th on earth – it’s an appropriate time to examine the past year’s events, and attempt to place them in perspective.

The Long Pole

Aaron is the prototype for man’s responsibility for the spiritual elevation of his fellows, which reflects his role as kindler of the menorah in the Temple

A Humbling Thought

An important lesson to the spiritual “lamplighter”: do not think that you are achieving anything that your fellow could not, in truth, achieve on his own.

Lighting Instructions

The menorah represents man’s potential to “kindle lamps”: to illuminate within his own self, in his fellow man & in the material resources at his disposal.

The Servant and the Minister

The minister serves his king with his mind; the servant with his body. Our service of the Creator includes both elements – embodied in Torah study & mitzvot.

Hammered Gold

Two essential laws of the menorah: it should be forged of a single piece of gold & its diverse lights should face each other in harmony with their source.

A Restless Land

Chassidic master Rabbi Yitzchak of Varka explains the deeper significance of “it is a land that consumes its settlers” in the bad report in Parshat Shelach.

Doubly Small

Worse than feeling inferior to one’s adversaries is being concerned about how one is perceived by others, as explained in Parshat Shelach.

Subjective Judge

Insight into judgement: The only power on earth or heaven that can judge man is man himself.

The “Impossible” Dream

Caleb’s role in the tragic story of The 12 Spies in Parshat Shelach.

Bitter Knowledge

Insightful words by the Rebbe Maharash: “In truth, we could be rid of the oppressors of Israel. But the Jewish people prefer the bitter medicine”.

THE REBBE : The Ache in my Heart

While I continue to experience the Rebbe as a very active, involved part of my life, still, I miss the flesh & blood connection.

The Gap

The Talmud relates that Rabbi Meir would deduce a person’s nature from his name: the 3 Hebrew letters that spell “Korach” delineate the contours of conflict.

The Quest

In Parshat Korach the difference between Moses & Korach is Moses desired to be a Kohen Gadol; Korach & his crew acted to appropriate the rank for themselves

The Paradox of Pain

From Parshat Maasei & the period of the 3 Weeks we learn not to view difficulty as a wholly negative experience, but as the greatest facilitator of growth.

The Hard Life

Essays • 2 Comments

Both Mattot and Massei are parashiyot read during the Three Weeks – both are lessons on galut.

A Slumber and a Headache

Revisiting the 42-stationed journey in the desert from the Exodus of Egypt (that marked our birth as a nation) to our entry into the Land of Israel.

Signpost

The “cities of refuge” were six cities in the Land of Israel designated as havens for murderers. They also exist on the spiritual plane.

A Purim Poem

A Purim poem by Rabbi Simon Jacobson.

Purim: Joy on Demand?

Purim is a day of joyous abandon that transcends conventional boundaries. It is a day when a window opens up that allows us deep inside of ourselves.

Return to a Timeless Essence

Everyone has access to a timeless essence–their inner, higher self. Learn about the transformative power of accessing it.

What Skinny Jeans Are Teaching Me About Living A Meaningful Life

If enough people change their attitude and practice, whatever they do becomes a cultural norm.

Taking Experiences Personally

It is worth being mindful about even the most mundane events in our lives.

Separating the Sexes

Questions & Answers •November 7th, 2015• 0 Comments

Keeping teenage guys and girls apart is a wise approach to their future.

The Soul of Religious Bigotry

There is a great vacuum that feeds bigotry, nourishing it where you’d least expect to find it; but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Path to Recovery from Childhood Abuse

Questions & Answers • 2 Comments

The dependable soul-centered path to recovery from life-shattering childhood abuse.

Helping a Drug Addicted Relative

Questions & Answers • 1 Comment

What you can, should, and should not do practically for a loved one who is causing self-harm through substance abuse.

A Tailor in a Stitch: A Rebbe Rashab Story

This Rebbe Rashab story was told by the Rebbe, Cheshvan 20 5737, November 13 1976. A story about learning a lesson in the laws of proper speech at the tailor.

Rebuilding Life After Trauma: A Six-Step Plan

List • 6 Comments

Repair your own life; help to repair the lives of others; strive to champion the entities which supply dignity and purpose to you and to the world.

Passover: From Boredom To Freedom

Using Torah thought to personalize the Seder experience on Pesach, rendering it into a powerful psychological/spiritual journey into our own hearts & souls.

Crime of Passion

Weekly Op-Ed • 10 Comments

The fire of our souls, like any fire, can be the source of sustenance (healthy fire), or… an inferno (“strange fire”). The challenge is great. The choice is ours.

The Kabbalah of Curses

Questions & Answers •Weekly Op-Ed • 1 Comment

The 49 curses listed in the Torah portion of Bechukosei evokes an interesting question: what possible benefit can be found in these curses?

Spiritual Auditing: A Letter from the Rebbe

Essays •Shorts • 0 Comments

Spiritual auditing is part of preparing for Yom Kippur. Learn about taking an honest accounting of your deeds before Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur: Your Inner Child

Weekly Op-Ed • 14 Comments

Once a year on Yom Kippur, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. In the same vein, each person should enter his own holy of holies.

The Fall and Rise of Nations and Overcoming Fear

Overcoming fear: To face the transitions and battles of life you must fortify your inner life. You must build a strong inner core – a home and family that provides you with the security and confidence to handle any force or enemy from without.

Do You Care?

Weekly Op-Ed • 15 Comments

How many crimes and injustices in the world – and in history – would have been prevented had some people – someone, anyone – protested and intervened?

How to Be a Good Person

The true key to being a good person is knowing that you, and everybody else, has a purpose in life.

A Plan to Manage Anxiety

To make a plan to handle anxiety, do not take your fears at face value. When you are afraid, dig deeper.

How to Chill When You Are About to Blow a Gasket

When you feel the tell-tale signs of wanting to barrel your way through a situation that you have no control over, notice the sensations in your body.

Suicidal Thoughts

The words I read in Toward a Meaningful Life pierced through me and opened up a world of new possibilities and serene peace.

When You Are Holding a Grudge

This is a five-point plan for letting go of a grudge. It’s based on Kabbalah, and it really works.

How To Feel Secure In A Climate Of Fear

The culture of fear is not reality. Reality is much higher and bigger and more interesting than the culture of fear. If you’re tired of living in the shadows of all the what ifs…

Seven Ways to Overcome Fear of Commitment

Commitment is majestic. Commitment is dignified. Commitment brings Heaven down to Earth.

Are You Too Nice?

“Nice” can mean being inoffensive — to anyone. “Nice” can mean people-pleasing and acquiescing. “Nice” can also mean being non-confrontational (even when you should be).

How to Practice Self-Discipline with Self-Love

Whether you are embarking on an exercise regimen, attempting work that you have been procrastinating, or trying to establish a new healthy habit, you’ll get farther and you’ll get better results if you do it with love.

Do You Think You Are Ugly?

We think we are unbecoming because, when we were children, people told us we were ugly.`Even if our parents told us we were good-looking, our peers took care of making sure we knew it was a lie created by the self-esteem movement.

The Difference Between Fear and Doubt

While healthy fear wakes you up, doubt demoralizes you.

Listen to Your Body

Weekly Op-Ed •July 6th, 2017• 2 Comments

What is most fascinating about this concept is that usually we associate awareness with the soul. Yet, Jewish mysticism teaches that the body too was created by G-d. It therefore contains unique Divine energy of its own. Indeed, the body carries enormous power stemming from the Essence of G-d, which in some ways is superior even to the energy of the soul!

The Journey Begins

Weekly Op-Ed • 5 Comments

Creating a mission statement is vital to achieving your purpose. To find it one must look at their personality, opportunities, people, and places.

How to Create a New Habit

Are you trying to create a new habit, or break free from an old one? There are four practices that will facilitate your process.

How to Respect Yourself

If you feel that you lack self-respect, work on building up your personal dignity. Personal dignity is a state of being rather than an activity. Here’s a few ways to establish (or bring back) that state of being in your life.

19 Kislev: How the Alter Rebbe Changed the World

Over two centuries ago Rabbi Schneur Zalman presented us with an invaluable model of life that can be appreciated now more than ever. Freud and his colleagues may be the fathers of psychology today. But the Alter Rebbe is the true father of the psychology of tomorrow.

Taking Responsibility as a Form of Self-Care

Responsibility is a basic human need, just like food or oxygen; we cannot fulfill or justify our existence without it. It is one of the greatest gifts we’ve been endowed with — the gift of being active participants in the unfolding of our destinies.

Stereotyping

Weekly Op-Ed •Questions & Answers • 7 Comments

Moses teaches us the art of communication. With his guidance we can enhance existing relationships, connect to others more sincerely and end stereotyping.

Environmental New Year

Everything was created for a purpose and we are responsible to care for and protect every part of existence, whether it is human, animal, vegetable or mineral.

BS or BSD

A typo leads to a lesson on deception and BS versus a higher reality.

The Transcendent Sense of Humor

Can humor be used for spiritual growth? Absolutely! But, it has to be the right and dignified kind of humor. Some jokes have the ability to open hearts, reveal the truth, and help you grow.

Giving Up Your Life for God?

Weekly Op-Ed •Shorts •Essays • 3 Comments

Should we “give up” our lives for God? Certainly not! That’s sacrifice. We shouldn’t give up our God-given talents and behaviors; we should bring them closer to their purer state.

How to Find Your Inner Strength

Every one of us has inner strengths, far beyond what we are aware of. The extent to which your inner strength is buried within you effects your access to it, yet with the right effort you can discover these powers.

Your Deepest Secret Isn’t What You Think It Is

We all have secrets — the question is what you think is your deepest secret. What does it look like? Is it dark and shameful — the ugliest parts of your personality that only you know about, or is it something bright and beautiful?

When No is Greater than Yes

Avoiding the wrong thing is better than doing the right thing; protecting is better than serving (Samech Vav) as seen in Parshat Naso and the wilderness.

Light

Many lessons can be gleaned from Parshat Behaalotcho, three of which I learned from my father: light, independence and perseverance.

Does Insecurity Stand In the Way of Your Success?

Shorts • 7 Comments

Theme: Fear of Success
If you are in a pattern of self-sabotage and/or underachieving, it is healthy to evaluate your sense of self-worth and your self-confidence. Our fears, inhibitions, and low self-confidence thrive when we don’t have clarity.

Think Different Part II: On the Nature of Intelligence

Part two of a discussion about cognitive processes, particularly the twofold approach for expanding one’s mind and tuning into the collective unconscious.

Think Different

We must see current events as a unique opportunity to wake up: This is our time to affect real change, it is time to start thinking and acting differently.

Forgiveness Starts With Yourself

Weekly Op-Ed •Questions & Answers • 0 Comments

As long as you see it as someone else’s problem, you remain a victim. YOU need to take control of your life. It often requires much work, and it always requires a connection to G-d.

Overcoming Fear of Failure

After all, experiencing cause and effect is normal; sitting around paralyzed by fear of failure is not.

The Anatomy of Fear

The only answer to the invisible power of fear – the fear of being alone – is to recognize that you are not alone.

Soul to Soul

An excerpt from a paper by Rabbi Simon Jacobson titled “The Basic Principles of Therapy, from a Torah Perspective”.

Interview on the The Addicted Mind Podcast

Questions & Answers • 1 Comment

The Addicted Mind Podcast hosts Rabbi Simon Jacobson to discuss making meaning out of suffering, and understanding your own purpose. Learn how surrendering to a higher power, and relinquishing control over your circumstances gives you an edge on dealing with pain.

Embracing Your Vulnerability and Loss of Control

Marisa Donnelly welcomes Rabbi Simon Jacobson to talk about the challenge of embracing your vulnerability and learning to let go of all that you can’t control, a message that’s all the more relevant in pandemic time.

2020 Vision: How the Pandemic Will Change Us w/ Rabbi Simon Jacobson & Sr. Jenna

2020 Vision: How the Pandemic Will Change Us w/ Rabbi Simon Jacobson & Sr. Jenna

Problem of David: Do Our Political Leaders Need to Be Moral Leaders?

This discussion is apropos to the issue of our contested election irrespective of your faith or political party, and on the show we’ll tackle the question of “What Next?” from a spiritual perspective.

Toward a Meaningful Life with Rabbi Simon Jacobson & Sister Jenna

Toward a Meaningful Life with Rabbi Simon Jacobson & Sister Jenna

A Conversation With Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Rivka Malka Perlman

A Conversation With Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Rivka Malka Perlman

A Conversation With Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Rivka Malka Perlman

A Conversation With Rabbi Simon Jacobson and Rivka Malka Perlman

Are We a Victim of Circumstances? How to Be Proactive this Coming Year

Rabbi Simon Jacobson on “Let’s get real with Coach Menachem” Show.

Four Things to Do When Therapy Isn’t Working

Introduce fresh air to transcend “analysis paralysis.”

Are You Your Own Worst Enemy?

The great gift of Torah is that it provides us with a Divine blueprint on how to live our lives. Your unique mission statement is embedded within you.

The Face of G-d

From overhearing the conversation between G-d and Moses in Parshat Ki Tissa, we learn how to have a true intimate relationship with our Creator.

The Pure Ones

Weekly Op-Ed • 9 Comments

The innate purity within children and their effortless connection to the Divine is examined, despite popular scientific theories and thought to the contrary.

To Be Like G-d

Spirituality in and of itself is not enough to satiate the Jewish soul, which seeks a unity with G-d that transcends a mere servant-master relationship.

The Original 12-Type Biblical Personality Test

Theme: Personality Types
Here is a template of twelve archetypes, based on the Biblical twelve tribes, to help you discover your distinctive character, and learn to express your unique voice.

How to Loosen Up

Spiritually, Kabbalistically, your inner child is your soul — your true self. To loosen up, peel away the shell of adult stress that covers it.

The Power Of Human Touch

Weekly Op-Ed • 2 Comments

The destruction of the second temple was caused by baseless hatred. Can we begin to repair this through the power of the human touch?

Raise Your Expectations to Achieve More

Your attitude shapes your possibilities. You create your own reality. The cause for our lower expectations is lower expectations.

Sukkot: My Dear Child

Weekly Op-Ed • 21 Comments

As we begin the holiday of Sukkot a letter to my child, my inner child, my essence, after re-emerging a bit on Yom Kippur.

Six Ways to Gain Confidence

List • 8 Comments

Every one of us can build and grow confidence. Even if you feel insecure and lack self-confidence, it is possible to work on yourself to acquire it.

Messenger or Matchmaker

Weekly Op-Ed • 5 Comments

Ultimate commitment is when an independent thinker chooses to dedicate himself to a cause greater than himself, to be a messenger and extension of it.

Are You Responsible for Other People’s Reactions?

Are you responsible to repress your opinion if it may offend others? In a culture where trigger warnings, safe spaces, and social-media outrage have become part of the common parlance, it can be hard to discern what your responsibility for another person’s reaction is. Is there an absolute guideline?

Climb

Jacob instilled in us the power to climb despite our fear of falling. We should trust G-d to help us but must also strengthen ourselves from the inside out.

How to Live on Your Own Terms

One of the biggest obstacles to living on your own terms is the effect that parents, teachers, and the culture at large have had on you. You must look carefully and honestly at which parts of yourself are authentic, and which parts you acquired as a reaction to the outside forces around you.

Two Things You Need to Succeed In Life

To be successful in life, you need to be two things: Passionate and humble.

Which Personality Type Describes You Best?

Weekly Op-Ed • 2 Comments

May we discover our path and live up to it. May it help us reach the time at the end of days when we will gain clarity as to who belongs to what tribe.

Fear Is Really About Loneliness

Isolation is the cause of fear. More than anything, fear is the fear of being alone in our painful situations.

Quiz: Are You Emotionally Mature?

How much work do you need to do to become emotionally mature? Find out by taking this quiz.

Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut: How We Define Our Own Destinies

The entire concept of reality is actually turned inside out: We tend to think there is an objective reality “out there”. The truth is that it is not reality that shapes our perception; it is our perception that shapes our reality.

Untrained Addiction: Five Steps to Break Addiction

This article on five steps to break addiction is not meant to replace a program of recovery. If you are an addict, please seek help from an established recovery center, recovery group, or therapist.

Can We Change Our Personalities?

By seeing ourselves as Divine we can begin looking at the universe in a new way and then recognize our ability to change existence as a whole.

Small Moves Make All the Difference

You cannot gain experience without failure. When you take small steps, you are able to slowly and carefully adapt and assimilate healthy approaches by learning from your failures and successes. These small steps help build your confidence and resilience.

Confidence

Weekly Op-Ed • 18 Comments

Korach: Confidence – where does it come from? Inborn or acquired? Nature or nurture? It stems from the soul, one permanence in an immortal physical world.

How to Listen to Your Inner Voice

Theme: Your Inner Mystic
Beyond all the complexity of life, beyond all our jaded experiences, beyond all the clutter and noise, we each have within our souls a very quiet place – a soft and gentle voice. This is who you are at your purest core.

How to Make Amends When You Have Hurt Someone

You, as all people, have been blessed with free will. When you refrain from doing more harm to others, you actively negate the harm you’ve done before.

When to Enter and When to Leave

Weekly Op-Ed • 15 Comments

Healthy boundaries: Spiritual secrets of knowing when to let stuff in, and when to keep stuff out. How to know your boundaries.

How to Stop Repeating Your Mistakes

It takes sustained and consistent effort, but it is possible to stop repeating mistakes. Try the following.

The Wisdom to Know the Difference

Theme: Letting Go of Control
We don’t always know what is beyond our control what we can do ourselves. Fortunately, the 4000-year-old tradition of Kabbalah has some answers…

Your Daily Life Is Everything

List • 4 Comments

Theme: Your Daily Life
Using the activities of day-to-day life, you can spark an inspiration revolution for yourself. Your daily life — especially the mundane parts — holds the keys to living a more meaningful life.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

When confronted with a challenge, the best approach to overcome it is to keep moving forward.

Four Ways to Transcend Selfishness

List • 5 Comments

Topic: Servant Leadership
Pursue knowledge, give to charity, practice faith, and love unconditionally.

Yud Tes Kislev: The Psycho-Spiritual Revolution of Our Times

A bit more than two centuries years ago Rabbi Schneur Zalman presented us with an invaluable model of life that can be appreciated now more than ever. It would be wise to explore his teachings, which provide us with a most comprehensive blueprint for modern life, uniting faith and reason, spirit and matter in our struggle with physical life.

How to Transcend Deception

Every day life is replete with dissonance and deception (intentional or not). Identify them and you are well on your way to freeing yourself and discovering truth.

Anochi: I Give You My Soul

Weekly Op-Ed • 13 Comments

Anochi captures the essence and purpose of all existence: To inscribe and reveal the soul in our every word and in our every experience.

Six Ways Love Makes Life Better

List • 2 Comments

As we continue to search for the secret formula to finding love and not losing it, here are several love words to help us unlock the heart to the mystery of love. Love makes life better!

Joy and Depression

Questions & Answers •Weekly Op-Ed • 6 Comments

We have the power and ability to bring true and lasting joy into our lives, despite all circumstances.

Giving Up Your Life for God?

Weekly Op-Ed •Essays • 2 Comments

Should we “give up” our lives for God? Certainly not! That’s sacrifice. We shouldn’t give up our God-given talents and behaviors; we should bring them closer to their purer state.

Can Drugs Help You To Lead A Meaningful Life?

Can drugs help you to lead a meaningful life? Do they offer true transcendence or momentary sensation?

Drugs – Strange Fire

Questions & Answers •Weekly Op-Ed • 19 Comments

A soul burning with fiery passion is an incredible asset, but lack of self-control coupled with the pursuit of selfish desires lead to disaster.

Are You Loved?

Weekly Op-Ed • 21 Comments

Being loved by family and friends is a valuable source of comfort and support, but true security can only be found in love which stems from the Divine.

How to Settle the Mind

List • 4 Comments

How to settle the mind when you are in the midst of an anxiety attack? These five tips point to how to settle the mind.

Special Children

Questions & Answers •Weekly Op-Ed • 34 Comments

An email exchange between Rabbi Jacobson and the mother of a bi-polar son illuminates the concept of special children and their unique strengths.

How to Give Yourself Motherly Love

Whether your mother is present in your life or not, each one of us needs to give ourselves motherly love. Motherly love fosters a sense of security and dignity — and you can give yourself the nurturing that you need regardless of whether your mother gave it to you or not, or is present now (or not).

Are You Unique?

Weekly Op-Ed • 9 Comments

Become a giver, instead of a taker, and you will find the courage to be yourself, to finally allow your unique voice to play its own music.

What Leadership Is (And Is Not)

Shorts •Essays •List • 4 Comments

By discovering what a leader is not, we can come to understand what a leader is. What leadership is…

How Not to Say the Wrong Thing

If we practice silence, humility, and compassion, our words will surely be potent for good.

Enough Water for All

Shorts •Stories • 2 Comments

Perspective and insight by Rabbi Meir of Premishlan as to how G-d runs the world and our misguided perception as to how we think the world is run.

Where is G-d When I Cry?

Essays •List • 4 Comments

There is such darkness in this world, such unbearable pain, such untold suffering. Where is G-d in all of this?

Having Intention

If you protect your intentions like you’d protect a small child from harm, you’ll be more likely to succeed at actualizing them.

Ki Tovo: To You My Heart Speaks

Essays • 3 Comments

The month of Elul is a month of love and compassion. In this time how does prayer help us to face and respond to pain and suffering?

The Key to Happiness

To be a happy, wholesome and healthy person, your body and soul must work in perfect harmony. This means uniting the body and soul.

New Year’s Resolutions: The Spiritual Edition

Essays •List • 0 Comments

Resolutions, like money, are easier to make than to keep. But, also like money, resolutions can truly enrich your life and turn the most mundane exercise into a precious commodity.

Choose to Keep Your Life Positive

All positive change is precipitated by action. The negative forces of the world and within you thrive on complacency and inaction — if you want to live a positive life, you have to do positive things and think positive thoughts.

How to Rise to the Occasion

The way to triumph in this battle is to muster the deepest resources of the soul – the enormous, unwavering power of your soul’s natural confident nature – which emerges only in the face of adversity.

The Big Confrontation – Jacob & Esau Meet

Each of us must ask ourselves the question: Is my material life aligned with my spiritual one? Have I integrated what I do with who I am?

The Key to Taking Charge of Your Life

As big as the task of taking charge of your life can seem, three basic practices lay the foundation for doing so.

Beyond the New Year

Weekly Op-Ed • 2 Comments

The book of Genesis ends as the year ends. But our book just begins. What will your story be? It’s up to you.

The Anatomy of Fear

4 Comments

The root of fear is the fear of being alone. The answer to the invisible power of fear – the fear of being alone – is to recognize that you are not alone.

Can You Make Yourself Happy?

Shorts • 6 Comments

Theme: Happiness In Life
Happiness is the domain of those who don’t take themselves too seriously, who realize that there is a cause greater than themselves and dedicate themselves to that. The end result of a life of giving is lasting happiness.

Joy Amidst Turmoil

Weekly Op-Ed • 11 Comments

The secret of seamlessness – which lies behind the secret of happiness – is thus dependent on discovering the mission of our lives.

How to Express Your Opinion Without Being Arrogant

The following three approaches can help you infuse the way you speak with sensitivity and humility — with practice, you can let go of speaking arrogantly.

The Golden Calf

Weekly Op-Ed • 8 Comments

The majesty of great people is that it is never about them personally. Even when their Divine cause emerges victorious, they display profound humility.

How to Improve Your Listening Skills

Whether you are at work, with your family, or among friends, here are four ways to improve your listening skills and relate to others better.

Eight Steps to Breaking Bad Habits

List • 1 Comment

The following eight steps, based on ancient knowledge of harnessing the true power of your mind, can help you to move beyond your bad habits. If you can pick up a habit, you can break it.

The Pariah

Weekly Op-Ed • 16 Comments

At times, we all experience existential loneliness. The feeling of “not belonging,” that we are alone, different and isolated, without a sense of camaraderie and community.

Transcending Limiting Beliefs

Have you forgotten how to live a meaningful life? You might be held back by limiting beliefs. Here are concrete, tried-and-true spiritual instructions for transcending a slump.

Four Steps to Freedom

List • 1 Comment

Four steps are necessary to be free from any given “trap” in our lives, all with the help from above.

The Stranger

Weekly Op-Ed • 18 Comments

We are all “strangers” in this world. We are all “special children.” All in need and deserving of unconditional love.

In Defense of Anarchy

Questions & Answers •Weekly Op-Ed • 9 Comments

The continued quest for an authentic teacher results in a discussion about the virtues of a specific anarchy and the refinement of our search for a rabbi.

How to Connect With Others: A Seven Step Method

Are you socially awkward, or feeling disconnected from your loved ones? The following seven steps are a proven, time-tested method, based on the Kabbalah’s seven-dimensional emotional spectrum, to improve how you bond with others.

Are You a Giver or a Taker?

A secure person feels secure enough to give, while an insecure person thinks that giving will make him be less.

What It Means to Be Honest With Yourself

Being honest with yourself means separating yourself from your personal narrative.

The Talking Donkey

Weekly Op-Ed • 23 Comments

The talking donkey in Parshat Balak reveals a phenomenon new to modern psychology— listening to our body’s voice, which carries messages, memories & power.

Emotional Intelligence: The Key to True Maturity

July 18th, 2024• 0 Comments

The concept of emotional intelligence, or EI, has gained significant traction in recent times. And for good reason. While IQ might secure us a place in the world, it’s our EI that determines how we navigate the complex landscape of human relationships and experiences.

Kabbalah of Dreams: Unlocking Their Meaning

July 18th, 2024• 0 Comments

Dreams. Since time immemorial, they have captivated and perplexed us. Fleeting visions that dance behind closed eyelids, leaving us with whispers of memories, fragments of stories both nonsensical and profound. What lies behind these nocturnal dramas? What secrets do they hold about ourselves, about the very nature of reality?

How to Know If You Are Judging Someone