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May 5, 1984

The Traditional Jewish Patient: His Life-Style and World-View (1984)

General Jewish Thought
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Madness and Suffering In Jewish Tradition and Literature (1984)

I. Introduction. a) Story – Johnstown Flood. b) Plan of Lecture – discuss depression as a historical phenomenon in Jewish tradition, especially Hasidism, which I find most interesting; then turn to contemporary Jewish fictional literature for brief analysis of madness as response to suffering. Finally – can and does Judaism legitimate madness as a way of perceiving the world?II - Depression.Most well known case of depression in Bible - King Saul (I Samuel) .Because of his failure to follow divine commandments asby Prophet Samuel, Samuel secretly seeksout an unknownyoung shephb^d, David son of Jesse, and annointshim nextMeanwhileKing.afflicted with depression.This istheScriptural description:feeloI Samuel 125־14:14 Now the spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord began to terrify him, 15 Saul’s courtiers said to him, “An evil spirit of God is terrifying yo 16 Let our lordgive the order [and] the courtiers in attendance ori\pu will look for someone who is skilled at playing the lyre; whenev the evilspirit of God comes over you, he will play it4 and you wlbetter.” 17 So Saul said to his courtiers, “Find me someonecan play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the attendantspoke up, “I have observed a son ofjesse the Bethlehemite who is skilled in music; he is a stalwart fellow and a warrior, sensible in speech, and handsome in appearance, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Whereupon Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, who is with the flock.” 20Jesse took 4an ass [laden with]'4 bread, a skin of wine, and a kid, and sent them to Saul by his son David.21 So David came to Saul and entered his service; [Saul] took a strong liking to him and made him one of his arms-bearers. 22Saul sent word to Jesse, “Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.” 28 Whenever the [evil] spirit of God came upon Saul, David would take the lyre and play it;4 Saul would find relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would_…
General Jewish Thought Torah & Science

Note

On Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1991)

During my visit today with Chief Rabbi Shapira, he told me the following story to which he was a personal witness. When Rabbi Soloveitchik came to visit Israel – the one and only time during his life – in the 1930s, it was the final year of the life of Rabbi Kook, the Elder. Rabbi Soloveitchik spoke in several places – at Mercaz Harav, at the Harry Fischel Institute, and at several other yeshivot. At every lecture that he gave, Rabbi Kook’s son, Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, attended and listened attentively. When Rabbi Shapira asked the younger Rav Kook why he was doing so, he answered as follows: His father had received Rabbi Soloveitchik and they “talked in learning.” When Rabbi Soloveitchik left, the elder Rav Kook told his son that the experience of speaking with Rabbi Soloveitchik reminded him of his earliest years, when he was a student at the Yeshiva of Volozhin, during the time that Rabbi Soloveitchik’s grandfather, Rabbi Hayyim Soloveitchik, first began to give shiurim. I believe, the elder Rav Kook said, that the power of genius of the grandfather now resides with the grandson – and therefore, he said to his son, you should not miss a single shiur by Rabbi Soloveitchik.
The Rabbinate

Speech

Rabbi & Doctor: Some Parallels (1975)

The Raphael Society of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists/"Rabbi & Doctor: Some Parallels"/by Norman LammThe Rabbi and the physician, both traditionally honored personalities in Jewish society, represent two concepts always sought after and admired; spiritual health and physical well-being. It may be instructive, therefore, to sketch some of the parallel ways in which the two vocations are treated in Jewish law, both as functionaries in society and as human beings.In ancient days, both rabbi and doctor were united: The Kohen was also the one who examined the Israelite to determine the nature of his plague, such as tzaraat (usually translated as "leprosy"). The reason for this is not only because they were medically primitive and underdeveloped, but for basic philosophical reasons: psychological and physical integrity of man. The dichotomy is not an absolute bifurcation (gnostic). Hence the importance of (and its emphasis on immortality).Perhaps the differentiation starts with Ezekiel, who was both prophet and Kohen in exile.At any rate, as civilization becomes more complex, a differentiation functions. Today, with a more organismic and holistic view of man, and a less atomistic view, leads to a greater harmony of ends. Of course, methodologies and means differ, but one must realize that man is one, a whole, and each profession can make its greatest contribution only when appreciating the integrity of man.It is not insignificant that both rabbi & doctor mean the same thing: teacher! (Doctor – Latin: teach)Also of importance is the use Maimonides makes of the physician as a metaphor for the spiritual mentor. So he advises one of unbalanced character to seek help.Maimonides thereafter applies basic medical principles to character therapy. While the source for this analogy may be Greek — in *The Republic*, Plato uses the physician as the model of a rational ruler (and YHL, in turn, uses the rational ruler as a model for the wholesome personality) — t…
General Jewish Thought