The Library

The Gemora Brachos 13a discusses whether we will still refer to Hashem as the 'One who took us out of Mitzrayim' when Moshiach comes. The Gemara concludes that it will not make much sense to us to do that. It brings the example of a man who is endangered by a succession o...

A number of people have raised the issue of the relationship of the 12-step program to Yiddishkeit. Some have indicated that they were “frum” during their active addiction but that they dropped their Yiddishkeit during the program. In order to address these issues, I thin...

I read the article you sent me by this Rabbi criticizing the 12-step program. Rather than responding to each point, I would like to discuss a broader issue. Sexual addiction and pornography are now epidemic, even among frum people, and are destroying families. The followi...

In response to the article published in Issue #1219, we have received the following: This is a great topic. Thank you so much for covering it. I've been sober in SA for over 5 months now, and I was always scared of going to a meeting. I imagined I would meet all my close...

Many partners early in recovery don't believe they have any problems of their own. It is the sex addict who has all the problems, not them. Granted, his addiction is usually more devastating and definitely the priority early on for the couple's survival. It takes a while,...

Here are some great on-line “Ask the Rabbi” Resources: yeshiva.org.il chabad.org breslev.co.il revach.net asktherabbi.org ohr.edu aish.com or directly to aishrabbi@aish.com Rabbi Avraham J. Twerski is not a Posek, but he is a world renowned expert on addictions and a gr...

A member called "Yaakov" posted a reply to "eme" (edited): I have done the 12 steps without the groups, so I can testify that it is possible to grow from the 12 steps without the groups. However, those who went to the groups will tell that you will gain a lot by going to ...

We would like to welcome a true soldier and hero to our community today. He calls himself "Dov" and one of his first post's on our forum where he shares his own personal story spanning 25 years, is one of the most "eye-opening" stories I have ever read. I really must shar...

"London" writes on the forum to someone who believes that Torah and Mussar will be enough to get him out of his addiction: My question to you is simply this: is what you are doing now working, are you staying sober, staying stopped, and leading a purposeful life? If you a...

GYE Writes: We all know that Chazal tell us how Torah is an anecdote against the Yetzer Hara and that learning Torah protects us even during the times that we are not learning. The question is, why didn't our Torah learning protect so many of us in our struggle with lust ...

There have been many elaborate discussions on our forum about how the 12-Steps fit in with the Torah's approach, and if there are any conflicts or not. The Addiction therapist Dr/Rabbi Naftali Fish (see contact info at bottom), has developed a Torah-Based 12-Step techniqu...

Today one of the great warriors on our forum had a fall after about 70 days clean. He felt he had to fall because the withdrawal was causing him to feel as if he was "on the edge of a big emotional cliff" and he claimed that he felt "the edge of his sanity coming into ran...

1. We admitted we were powerless over lust--that our lives had become unmanageable. 2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. 4. ...