The designated time for a Jew to reach spiritual fulfillment: [Likkutei Torah Bechukosaiy]

The designated time for a Jew to expand his love of G-d is during the time of prayer of Shemoneh Esrei and the praises of Pesukei Dezimra which are said prior to it. These prayers include blessings that have been established by our forefathers and sages of the general assembly as it states that Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov established the prayers. The prayers include verses that describe the greatness of G-d through which one can reach a love for G-d after contemplating their content. There are verses that describe matters of G-d that can also increase one’s fear for Him, which is the attribute of Yitzchak. There also verses which discuss G-d’s compassion which is the attribute of Yaakov. Each one of our forefathers is considered one of the seven shepherds of Israel and provide their holy flock, which refers to their descendants, with energy in service of G-d so they can grow from day to day. This is the meaning of the verse, Im Bechukosaiy Teileichu, as Hashem is pleading with us that we should use the opportunity given during prayer to grow and strengthen our love for Him. There is no need to search for other options were methods for developing one’s love for G-d and spiritual experience, as this is the best of the option available from all the other methods and options, and if only that this would suffice for us.

• The divine lesson – Yoga, Mindfulness, Zen: It is no secret that many Jews, both secular and observant, as a result of their Jewish soul’s passion for a life with spiritual purpose, begin searching for a spiritual experience that can quench their thirst. Many entertain religions and philosophies that are foreign to Judaism thinking it will give them some form of spiritual fulfillment. Some join cults, or travel to the Himalayas to feel the spirituality offered there by the monks, or simply practice various different methods of meditations and/or join meditation groups such as yoga, mindfulness, mantra, transcendental, Zen, and so on and so forth. All in all, they are looking for something to heal their souls yearning desire for spiritual experience, and are looking for a cure to their abhorrence for materialism and the emptiness that materialistic fulfillment and success provides. The desire to have spiritual meaning in ones life is certainly true and commended, however the methods chosen to quench it are often dangerous and damaging for the Jewish soul, at times involving actual practices of idolatry. Certainly, being involved in idolatry, as spiritual as it may sound, will not bring healing to one’s pained soul. What is even more troubling is the fact that even amongst observant Orthodox Jews they sometimes feel a need for such spiritual fulfillment that is offered by these practices which are foreign to Judaism. The above teaching of the Alter Rebbe comes to tell us that there is no need for someone to search for spiritual experience outside of Judaism, and he can find it right then and there with proper effort and experience of the daily prayer. Furthermore, this is the greatest spiritual fulfillment that one can achieve, in contrast to all of the other methods foreign to Judaism which will leave one still thirsty and cause him to eventually come back to Judaism in any respect. To quote from the AB Rotenberg song in the album Journeys Vol. 1, “There’s no place like home,” that one’s search for spiritual fulfillment is found right here in Judaism, and there’s no need to go search for it in foreign countries and theologies. Indeed, this song was sung by Moshe Yess a”h, who himself became a returnee to Judaism after his long journey searching for spiritual fulfillment. Accordingly, while community leaders should be open to the idea that the dry study of Talmud and Torah observance does not necessarily quench the thirst of the soul for spiritual experience. However, the solution is not to present the Orthodox community with foreign meditations and philosophies, as all the solutions and remedies are right here in Judaism. The proper study of the inner dimensions of the Torah known as Kabbalah and Chassidus, together with their contemplation and experience within prayer, can provide the Jew with exactly what he needs. Our forefathers and holy sages of the general assembly already prepared the Jewish meditation program that will bring spiritual fulfillment for every Jew and that is found within prayer.
• Nonetheless, we must also remain open to the idea that just as there exists sick people who cannot survive on regular foods and must rather also take medicine for their condition, so too, there are individuals who may require certain aspects of meditations outside of Judaism to help with their specific mental or emotional condition or trauma. Indeed the Rebbe encouraged Rabbanim to seek G-d fearing psychologists and mental health experts to study the field of meditation and make Kosher forms of meditations available for those in need of these therapies. In addition, the Rebbe proposed that the meditations include a Jewish spiritual content, such as the concept of Shema Yisrael, G-d’s oneness.^[1] However, the Rebbe’s position even regarding Kosher meditations was that it is not meant for the healthy minded and should only be used as proscribed by a medical or mental health professional. The same way a healthy person does not take medicines for ailments he does not have, and if he does so it will damage his body, so too taking part in these therapies when not needed can prove detrimental to one’s mental health. Furthermore, even one who needs these therapies, it should be used like a medicine, only on occasion and according to need. Just as one can overdose on medicine, and become addicted, similarly one can become indoctrinated and infatuated with the therapy given to the point that what was once a healer of mental health becomes its destroyer. Kosher meditations must be regulated. Once one becomes stable and healthy, he is to leave this therapy all together and continue to lead a normal and healthy life without external dependencies.

[1] See Sichos Kodesh 5739 3/314; Likkutei Sichos 36/335-336; Heichal Menachem 1/48, two letters of Rebbe to Rav Yaakov Landa, Chief Rabbi of Bnei Brak; Healthy in Body Mind and Spirit chapter 9