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Torah Perspectives on the Twelve Steps
In this section we will analyze the Twelve Step program of addictions and recovery from a Torah perspective. In recent years the Twelve Step program has become widely accepted both in Israel and in the Jewish world. Our goal is to clarify where there is compatibility between the program and the Torah, and where there are differences. This endeavor is a response to the great interest in this subject by those who are participating in the program and others.

Six additional Torah concepts that enhance the "classical program" for those who are looking for more Jewish content per se will also be discussed and is seen to be an important.

The First Step

"We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable."[1]

This step is equivalent to the Jewish concept of confession, or vidui, in which a person verbally admits that he has a problem. In Judaism this is the first step on the road to repentance or teshuvah.[2] The Torah acknowledges that it is not easy for a person to admit he made a mistake. For addicts it often takes years before they are "ready" and able to break out of denial and finally admit that they have a serious problem. Usually, the existence of this problem was already known to everyone else, but not to the addict himself.

In Judaism, confession was an integral part of the Yom Kippur rites that accompanied the sacrificial service during the time of the Temple: "Those who bring sin offerings or guilt offerings must also confess when they bring their sacrifices for their inadvertent or willful transgressions. Their sacrifices will not atone for their sins unless they repent and make a verbal confession."[3]

According to the Sephardic tradition, vidui is also recited throughout the year after the Amidah. It is written in the plural form: "We have become guilty, we have betrayed... (.(אשמנו בגדנו..."

Similarly, the Twelve Steps are formulated from a group perspective: "We admitted that we were powerless over our addictions." Psychologically, it might be easier for the individual to admit his shortcomings as part of a larger group, which may mean for him that he is not the only "bad" or "sick" person who has this problem or behavior to work on.

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book (Van Nuys, CA: World Service Office, 1988), p. 19.

[2] Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 1:1.

[3] Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 1:1, translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger (New York: Moznaim Publishing Corporation, 1990).

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Continuation of "Step 1"

An important principle in Jewish thought related to change enjoins the individual to take immediate action to cease his negative behavior and begin to act in a positive direction: סור מרע ועשה טוב, "Depart from evil, and do good" (Psalms 34:15). The Twelve Steps also start from this perspective. The addict initially needs to stop his active addiction ("depart from evil") and then begin to learn how to live in a better way ("do good"). In contrast, the classical Freudian view of addictions believed that the addict first needed to work through the unconscious conflict, which was thought to be the source of the addiction. In the best case scenario, this process would take considerable time before the active addiction would "fade away" because it was no longer "being fuelled" by the unconscious etiology or source. The problem involved in using this approach was that in the meantime the addict would still be "out of control," continuing to act in ways that were destructive to himself, his family, and his environment.

Judaism also stresses that teshuvah means first stopping the behavior and then trying to understand and modify its deeper roots. The Rambam explains this further: "What constitutes teshuvah? That a sinner should abandon his sin [in action] and remove itfrom his thoughts.[1]

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[1] Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 2:2.

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"The Second Step"

"We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." [1]

This can be seen as an intellectual acknowledgment of what Judaism calls "accepting the yoke of Divine sovereignty" (Kabbalas ol Malchus Shamayim), which the Rabbis understood to be the implication of the first of the Ten Commandments: "I, Hashem, shall be your God, Who brought you out of Egypt, from the house of slaves."[2]

I noted earlier that in contemporary society, the Twelve Step philosophy represents a paradigm shift. I once heard from Rav Chaim Lipschitz that in the "post-modern world" most of the major ideologies of the twentieth century have been discredited. The only "ism" that remains is narcissism - the ideology of "I... Self... Me." Therefore, it really is significant that the Twelve Step program is based on acknowledging "a power greater than ourselves." In practical terms, this means that the recovering addict learns that one's willpower is "necessary but not sufficient" to overcome an addiction and that there is a higher purpose or motivation in life besides seeking immediate gratification, which for many people growing up in contemporary society is really a new idea.

The Torah begins with the powerful statement acknowledging the Higher Power:בראשית ברא אלוקים את השמים ואת הארץ, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). In relation to this issue, the Rambam begins the Mishneh Torah with the dramatic teaching: "The foundation of all foundations and the pillar of wisdom is to know that there is a Primary Being Who brought into being all existence."[3]

Looking at addictions, the Torah understands that beyond physical servitude, there are also emotional and spiritual kinds of slavery, which lead us into narrow, constricted places of the soul: מן המצר קראתי יה, ענני במרחב יה, "From the straits did I call upon God; God answered me with expansiveness" (Psalm 118:5). The root of the word "straits" ((מצר is the same as the root of the word "Egypt" (מצרים). Addictions certainly fall into this category.

In relation to the belief that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity, it is clear that the Jewish people were not able to leave slavery without direct Divine assistance, as stressed in the Pesach Haggadah. Nonetheless, before receiving Divine assistance, they had to make some initial effort that demonstrated their willingness and worthiness to be redeemed. The Pesach sacrifice (the korban Pesach) was offered only after the Jewish slaves openly kept the sheep in their houses for four days before the actual sacrifice. This required great courage, since the Jews knew that the Egyptians, their masters, worshiped this animal and had the power to punish them for opposing what they believed in.

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, p. 22.

[2] The Pentateuch: Trumath Zvi, p. 281.

[3] Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 1:1.

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Continuation of "The Second Step"

In the Nachas Ruach perspective, addiction is viewed as a disease and is understood to be a specific manifestation of the evil inclination (yetzer hara), which constitutes a powerful ongoing influence on human motivation and behavior. Not only was it true for the Jews in Egypt, but the Rabbis also stress that ultimately no person could overcome the evil inclination without Divine assistance.

In the Talmud (Maseches Sukkah 52b) we learn in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: "A man's evil inclination threatens every day to overpower him and seeks to kill him...and if not for the Holy One, Blessed is He, Who aids him, he would be unable to withstand it."

In relation to the second step, which attempts to "restore us to sanity" from the disease of addiction, the Torah also recognizes that Hashem is the source of all healing: כל המחלה אשר שמתי במצרים לא אשים עליך כי אני ה' רופאך, "All of the diseases that I have placed in Egypt, I will not place upon you, for I am Hashem, your Healer" (Exodus 15:26).

It is an unquestioned axiom of the Twelve Steps that the "inability to control our usage of drugs is a symptom of the disease of addiction. We are powerless not only over our drugs but over our addiction as well."[1]

The clear treatment goal that flows from this reality is that total long-term abstinence is the only option, and this must be accomplished slowly, "one day at a time." The program is aware of the psychological reality that it is particularly difficult to stay clean for the rest of one's life, especially for addicts who have been under the influence of their active disease, which seeks immediate gratification. A natural response would be to think: this goal is impossible, so why try? By teaching the concept of coping through saying to oneself "Just for today" and other tools, the addict is given a way of effectively coping that enhances his ability to stay clean and maintain long-term recovery.

Every day in our prayers we say: ברוך ה' יום יום יעמס לנו האל ישועתנו סלע, "Blessed is God every single day, He burdens us, and is the God of our salvation" (Psalms 68:20). A Jew learns from this verse that Hashem gives him the ability to overcome his struggles and serve Hashem on a daily basis.

Practically, in the process of recovery, a person has to first admit that he has a problem, which is the goal of the first step. The goal of the second step is realizing that one cannot deal with his addiction alone and needs to be open to receiving help and actively seek it out. While seeking help, ultimately involves turning to God, it initially begins with trying to get help from others in recovery. The Torah also understands the need for one to ask for help, when the Rabbis teach that "a prisoner cannot free himself from prison."[2]

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, p. 20.

[2]אין חבוש מתיר עצמו מבית האסורים - Berachos 5b.

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"The Third Step"

"We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him."[1]

While the second step talks about coming to believe, the third step requires the addict to make a commitment to "surrender or turn his life over to God as we understand Him." In the prevailing secular outlook of modern Western society, this is a very significant decision. Every day an observant Jew makes this commitment when he closes his eyes and says, with the intention to accept Hashem's sovereignty: שמע ישראל ה' אלוקינו ה' אחד - "Hear, O Israel: Hashem is Our God, Hashem the One and Only" (Deuteronomy 6:4).

For many Orthodox Jewish addicts, the initial motivation to deal with their addiction was experienced as a conflict with their commitment to halachah and a Torah lifestyle. This is true for "classical addictions" such as substance abuse and gambling, as well as with more "contemporary addictions" such as various forms of Internet addiction, including pornography and online chatting.

The Torah describes the nazir, who has made a commitment to abstain from wine after he becoming aware that he was at risk for abusing alcohol: איש או אשה כי יפליא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לה', "A man or woman who shall separate himself or herself by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence, for the sake of Hashem" (Numbers 6:2). Rashi comments on the words "for the sake of Hashem," that the nazir is motivated to separate himself from wine for the sake of Heaven.

A Torah source for "turning over our will and our lives" to the care of God is: גול על ה' דרכך ובטח עליו והוא יעשה, "Turn your way over to Hashem, rely on Him and He will act"(Psalms37:5). On the beginning of this verse, Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch comments that the word gol ((גול actually means to remove a burden that is too heavy to carry. One must not refrain from a good endeavor because it seems to be beyond his meager strength. We have an omnipotent helper in God. We must do our utmost and then we can rely upon God to do the rest."[2]

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[1] Ibid., p. 24.

[2] Artscroll Book of Psalms with Commentary (New York: Mesorah Publications, 2001), p. 96.

In practical terms, the Twelve Step program involves applying this commitment to the struggles of daily living and encourages one in recovery to act in a way that is basically opposite to his former coping style and mode of addictive thinking. This means that if his sponsor, who represents the program, advises him to do "B" when the addict stubbornly and with false confidence wants to do "A," the addict will still "turn over" his understanding and do what the sponsor recommends and not what he originally wanted to do.

In the Torah we see this principle clearly in the Mishnah taught in Pirkei Avos 2:4: עשה רצונו כרצונך ... בטל רצונך מפני רצונ, "Do His will as if it were your own will...Nullify your will before His will."

In stressing that the addict should live a life that is more "God centered" and less "self-centered," the program strongly advances the concept to "let go...and let God in." This is in contrast to the overemphasis that modern Western culture places on being in control and expecting reality to be exactly what you want it to be all the time. Contemporary man is also conditioned through the media, for example, to believe that it is terrible not to feel "the way you would like to." He is encouraged to try to change his mood by taking a mood altering substance or having some type of experience that can become addictive that will also lead to changing one's inner state. From this kind of social conditioning, it is not surprising that so many people start to drink or smoke or become involved in Internet addictions.

The innovation of the Twelve Steps was to stress the importance of learning to accept reality as it is, and from this place "not to pick up." The program teaches this from a spiritual perspective. It stresses belief in a Higher Power, and beyond this, a view that recognizes that the Higher Power is actively involved in one's life. In practical terms for the addict,this means to "let go" of what he expects and thinks he needs and to learn to accept that whatever happens to him is a reflection of God's will at that moment.

In this context, the "serenity prayer" utilized in group meetings is balanced, where one asks for "the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference."[1]

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[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer

The concept of Divine providence (hashgachah pratis), which is implied in the phrase "let go... and let God in," is a fundamental belief of the Torah perspective, as emphasized in the first of Rambam's Thirteen Principles of Faith: "I believe with complete faith that the Creator, Blessed is His Name, creates and guides all creatures, and that He alone made, makes, and will make everything."[1]

Having faith (emunah) and trust (bitachon) in God also teaches a Jew to accept life and not expect to be in control all the time. For example, David HaMelech wrote in Psalms (16:8): שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד, "I have placed Hashem before me always." According to the Baal Shem Tov, the verb shiviti ("I have placed") is an expression of equanimity. With this interpretation, the Baal Shem Tov taught that ultimately a person should strive to react to whatever happens to him with equanimity. A Jew accepts that what happens to him is an expression of Hashem's will.[2] Obviously, this is a difficult spiritual level to attain. Recovering addicts "really working the program" are able to internalize and apply this spiritual principle.

Another Torah source for "letting go" is the verse: תמים תהיה עם ה' אלוקיך, "You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, your God" (Deuteronomy 18:13). On this Rashi says: "Have pure faith in Hashem and do not try to search out the future; rather accept what happens and then you will be His."

An important difference between the Torah perspective and that of the Twelve Steps is that Torah belief and faith is not based on each individual coming up with his own understanding of God. This part of the Twelve Step programis compatible with the great emphasis placed in modern Western culture on each individual determining what is right and wrong for him and not accepting outside authority. From a Torah perspective, however, this part of the program leaves open the possibility and concern that a recovering addict could worship the Higher Power in a manner that would not be acceptable to Judaism. For example, theoretically a person could understand the Higher Power in a way that would be considered avodah zarah (idol worship) by the Torah.

On the other hand, the Torah recognizes and values that each individual can have his own unique experience of understanding Hashem. For example, the first verse of the Ten Commandments - "I am the Lord, your God" - is understood by the Rabbis to mean that Hashem spoke to each individual on his own level, because the phrase "your God" is written in the singular rather than in the plural tense. Also, at the crossing of the Red Sea, each individual had his own perception of God, as we see in the song at the crossing of the Red Sea: זה קלי ואנוהו, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2).

Based on my professional experience, I have seen that some Jewish addicts, often those who were not religious before going into the Twelve Step program, are subtly blocked by the program's stress on faith alone, believing that this is enough and it's not necessary for them to observe mitzvos. Others, usually FFBs, ultimately become more observant through the working the program; ironically, the Twelve Step program brings them closer to Torah observance. In Torah, the challenge is for each individual to develop a personal relationship with Hashem within the framework of halachah.

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[1] Rambam's commentary on the Mishnah, Sanhedrin, ch. 10.

[2] Tzavaat Harivash, The Testament of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, p. 4

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"The Fourth Step"

"We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."[1]

This step requires the recovering addict to try to honestly understand the pscho-social-spiritual sources of his addiction. This step clearly overlaps with the Torah's concept of "self-evaluation"or cheshbon hanefesh. This means that people need to try to understand themselves and their behavior on a deeper level and have accurate self-awareness of both their strengths and their limitations. This goal is stressed in the Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avos) in theMishnah.

In this area there is much Torah literature, including such classics as Ramchal'sMesillas Yesharim, which explains how increased self-awareness means working on underlying "character defects" and not only enhanced psychological self-knowledge.

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, p. 27.

"The Fifth Step"

"We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs."[1]

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Teshuvah 2:5 that it is recommended to tell other people about one's shortcomings regarding mitzvos between man and his fellowman, but not those that concern the relationship between man and God. Here the Torah perspective can be seen to differ in some way from the Twelve Steps.

There is also an important Chassidic source in the introduction toSefer Noam Elimelech, where a Jew is encouraged to "find a friend with whom he can speak openly and share his inner world completely, including thoughts and wishes that are considered forbidden."

Certain schools in the mussar movement also utilized the technique of an individual member sharing within the context of a group his inner process and struggles. "Rav Israel Salant advocated setting up 'mussar' houses. Some would come there individually. Others might come in groups at set times, and altogether vent their feelings and thoughts with intense fervor. Sometimes a member of a group would deliver an emotionally stimulating discourse and they would encourage one another."[2]

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[1] Ibid., p. 30.

[2] Rabbi Dov Katz, The Mussar Movement (Tel Aviv: Orli Press 1977), p. 42.

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"The Sixth & Seventh Steps"

"We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."

"We humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."[1]

These steps relate to the relationship between human effort (hishtadlus) and Divine response. There is a difference here between Torah and non-Jewish perspectives, with the Torah placing more emphasis on the value and possibility of an individual being able to change himself through his own efforts. However, ultimately the Torah recognizes that for an addict to truly recover, Divine assistance is necessary. This is stressed in Psalms 51:12, which is considered a psalm for repentance: לב טהור ברא לי אלוקים ורוח נכון חדש בקרבי, "Create a pure heart for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me."

The addict is asking Hashem to give him a new pure heart and to renew his spirit, which has been negatively affected through his active addiction. The verb "bara" (ברא) implies a new creation, [2] whereas the verb "chadesh" (חדש) implies a renewal.

We also see this idea reflected in each of the Shabbos prayers that a Jew expresses with deep yearning: וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת, "Purify our hearts to serve You in truth."

The Ramchalalso addresses the relationship between human effort and Divine response. He writes: "Holiness is twofold. Its beginning is labor and its end reward; its beginning is exertion and its end, a gift. That is, it begins with sanctifying himselfand ends with his being sanctified. As our Sages of blessed memory have said (Yoma 39a), if one sanctifies himself a little, he is sanctified a great deal; if he sanctifies himself below, he is sanctified from above."[3]

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, pp. 33-34.

[2] Artscroll Commentary on Genesis, 1:1, Ramban (New York: Messorah Publications, 2004), p. 23.

[3] Ramchal, Mesillas Yesharim (Feldheim), p. 326.

"The Eighth & Ninth Steps"

"We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all."

"We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." [1]

These steps are compatible with the Torah's understanding of the process of teshuvah, which the Rambam stresses requires an individual to actively redress wrongs that he may have committed against another person, including returning money that had been stolen.[2]

These steps are important for any person who has caused harm to another. They are particularly important for an addict, and though they are difficult steps, they are very worthwhile in helping him gain a sense of also being "clean" in this area as well as his active addiction. Emotionally, it allows him to become freer of the burdens and "unfinished business" of the past and gives him more of a possibility to go forward in a positive way.

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, pp. 36, 39.

[2] Hilchos Teshuvah 2:11.

"The Tenth Step"

"We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it."[1]

Self-evaluation, or cheshbon hanefesh, is also not a "one time deal" in Torah. For example, before going to sleep every night there is a custom to forgive others in one's heart and to doteshuvah for mistakes we may have made during the day. In the well-known "Letter of the Ramban" (Iggeres HaRamban), it is recommended: "Examine your deeds in the morning and in the evening, and in this way you will be doing teshuvah all your days."

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, p. 41.

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"The Eleventh Step"

"We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out." [1]

It is clear that prayer is the "lifeline" of a Jew and one of the three things upon which the world stands, as taught in Pirkei Avos 1:2. The Rabbis learned many of the halachic requirements for prayer (tefillah) from the prayers of Chanah: "He should be careful to pray the Shemoneh Esrei quietly, so that only he himself may hear what he says, but not the one standing next to him, as it is written of Chanah: 'Only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard' (1 Samuel 1:13)."[2]

It is suggested that there is a clear connection between the context of Chanah's prayer and fundamental recovery issues, as implicitly understood by the Twelve Step movement. Chanah went to the Sanctuary at Shiloh heartbroken because of her inability over many years to become pregnant. Her situation was made even more difficult by the fact that her husband's other wife (having more than one wife was permitted at that time) had many children "and provoked her again and again to irritate her"(1 Samuel 1:6).

Her husband was aware that she was sad and said to her, "Chanah why do you cry and why do you not eat, why is your heart broken?"(ibid. 1:8).

Channah continued to be depressed. "She was still feeling bitter and prayed to Hashem, weeping continuously"(ibid. 1:10).

As she continued to pray deeply before Hashem, the text stresses that Eli the Priest observed her mouth. "Chanah was speaking to her heart; only her lips moved but her voice was not heard, so Eli thought that she was drunk. Eli said to her, 'How long will you be drunk, remove your wine from yourself!' Chanah answered and said, 'No, my Lord, I am a woman of aggravated spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, and I have poured out my soul before Hashem'" (ibid. 1:12-15).

I would like to suggest that Eli understood that Chanah was experiencing the type of emotional anguish that would lead many to drink as a way to escape from their problems. However, instead of coping this way, Chanah "turned over to Hashem" and "spoke it out" from the depths of her heart, rather than seeking to "act it out" in a negative way.

The Twelve Step approach understood this as reflected in step eleven. Beyond that, the main medium of the group experience is that it encourages and positively reinforces addicts in recovery to openly express and "share" their inner struggles before the group, rather than "stuffing their feelings," which increases the likelihood of them "picking up again" the negative behavior.

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[1] Ibid., p. 43.

[2] Berachos 30b.

In the contemporary era, Rebbe Nachman's stress on personal meditation or hisbodedus has struck a surprisingly deep chord in modern man, who has the need to talk to God and share all his personal aspirations and struggles, hopes and fears.

Meditation is the highest path of all. One must therefore set aside an hour or more each day to meditate by himself in a room or in the field.

Meditation should consist of conversation with God. One can pour out his words before His Creator. This can include complaints, excuses or words seeking grace, acceptance and reconciliation. He must beg and plead that God bring him close and allow him to serve Him in truth... This practice is extremely potent and powerful. It is an extremely beneficial practice in coming close to God. It is a general practice that is all inclusive. No matter what one feels he is lacking in his relationship to God, he can converse with God and ask Him for help. This is true even if one is completely removed from any relationship with God.

There will be many times that one will find it impossible to say anything to God. His mouth will be sealed and he will not be able to find any words to say. Nevertheless the very fact that he has made the effort and has prepared himself to converse with God is in itself very beneficial. He has tried and is ready and prepared to converse with God, yearning and longing to do so, but he is unable. This in itself is also very good.

Actually, one can make a conversation and prayer out of this itself. He should cry out to God that he is so far from Him that he cannot even speak. He should beg that God grant him mercy and open his mouth so that he will be able to express himself before Him.

Many great holy men have related that they reached their high spiritual level only through this practice. However, it is a universal practice that can be used by great and small alike. Happy is he who grasps it."[1]

Rabbi Nachman also taught: "It is very good to have a special room set aside for Torah study and prayer. Such a room is especially beneficial for secluded meditation and conversation with God."[2]

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[1] Rabbi Nachman, Outpouring of the Soul, "Hishtap'khuth HaNefesh," Teaching no. 2(Jerusalem: The Breslov Research Institute, 1990), p. 20-21.

[2] Rabbi Nachman's Wisdom, translated and annotated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (Jerusalem: The Breslov Research Institute, 1973), p. 401.

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"The Twelfth Step"

"Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts and to practice these principles in all our affairs."[1]

The Twelve Step orientation understands that having a spiritual awakening should lead to sharing the positive benefits of this experience with others who are in earlier stages of recovery. The Torah stresses that an increased awareness of God's reality and presence should ideally motivate a Jew who is created in the Divine image to "imitate His ways" (והלכת בדרכיו). Chazal explain this to mean, "As He is merciful and compassionate, you should also be."[2]

This step is also related to the Torah concept that כל ישראל ערבין זה לזה, "All of Israel are responsible for each other,[3] which is based on the fundamental principle and aspiration of Torah to "Love your fellow man as yourself, I am Hashem"(Leviticus 19:18).

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[1] Narcotics Anonymous NA Blue Book, p. 48.

[2] Talmud Bavli,Shabbos133b.

[3]Talmud Bavli, Shavuos 39a.

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Torah Perspectives on the Twelve Steps

"Six Additional Torah Concepts to Supplement the Twelve Steps"

I have learned to value the Twelve Steps as providing a basic psycho-social-spiritual foundation for understanding addictions and recovery. The steps are compatible with the Seven Mitzvos that were given to the sons of Noach after the Flood. As learned from the Torah, they delineate the universal laws of morality that are based on the foundation of faith in the God of the Bible.[1] Chazal also teach that דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה, "Derech eretz, or basic morality, preceded the Torah" (Vayikra Rabbah 9:3).

In this light, it is taught in the name of Rav Chaim Vital, the main student of Rav Yitzchak Luria (the Arizal), that "character traits provide the principal preparation for the 613 commandments, whether in respect of observing or transgressing them."[2]

Working extensively with Jewish addicts since the mid 1980s, I have seen the need and possibility to supplement the "official Twelve Steps" with six additional Torah concepts. It has been shown in this chapter that the Twelve Steps can be understood from a Torah perspective and are basically compatible with Judaism. Nonetheless, it is not possible to avoid the historical fact that the steps and the worldview upon which they were based were developed by those whose faith was not Jewish. Thus, in the Nachas Ruach approach, I utilize six additional Jewish concepts in the Chai program (12 + 6 = 18 = chai) when working with groups and in individual psychotherapy, in a way that enhances the program for many Jewish participants.

These are the six concepts that the Nachas Ruach approach has incorporated:

1. "Beloved is man, who was created in the Divine image" (Pirkei Avos 3:18).

"חביב אדם שנברא בצלם, חיבה יתרה נודעת לו שנברא בצלם שנאמר: כי בצלם אלוקים עשה את האדם"

2. "Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him" (Psalms 34:9).

"טעמו וראו כי טוב ה' אשרי הגבר יחסה בו"

3. "Rabban Gamliel used to say... Find yourself a Rav" (Pirkei Avos 1:16).

"רבן גמליאל היה אומר עשה לך רב"

4. "And the study of Torah is equivalent to them all" (Maseches Shabbos 127).

"ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם"

5. "You shall be Holy, for Holy am I, Hashem your God" (Leviticus 19:2).

"קדושים תהיו כי קדוש ה' אלוקיכם"

6. "Do not return to Egypt..." (Deuteronomy 17:16) - relapse prevention.

"לא-ישיב את העם מצרימה...לא תוסיפו לשוב בדרך הזה עוד"

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[1] Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56a.

[2] Rav Chaim Vital, Shaarei Kedushah 1:2.

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"Six Additional Torah Concepts to Supplement the 12 Steps"

1. "Beloved is man, who was created in the Divine image" (Pirkei Avos 3:18).

The concept that each person is created in the Divine image is the foundation of a Torah-based psychological theory of man's nature, and this should in turn be the basis for developing positive self-esteem. This applies to everyone, and is even more important for addicts. Dr. Twerski stresses that "low self-esteem is a major source of addictions."[1] From this understanding, it is clear that an important goal in the treatment of addictions is to improve self-esteem.

Concept one addresses this practical issue of recovery. Already in the first chapter of the Torah it is taught that man is created in the Divine image: ויברא אלוקים את האדם בצלמו בצלם אלוקים ברא אותו זכר ונקוה ברא אותם, "God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).

The Torah recognizes that man is created with a dual nature, with a physical and a spiritual dimension and reality. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul"(Genesis 2:6). While understanding that there is a basic conflict between the body and the soul, we also understand that it is the latter that is man's true essence and eternal element.[2]

We also learn in Pirkei Avos in the name of Rabbi Akiva that man should be aware that he was created in the Divine image. "Beloved is Man, for he was created in God's image; it is indicative of a greater love that it was made known to him that he was created in God's image" (3:18).

The psychological implication at the core of the Nachas Ruach Treatment Model is that each individual has intrinsic value and unique potential, as one created in the Divine image regardless of his current achievements or problems. This basic truth is particularly important in contemporary society, where most people have "absorbed" the belief that self-esteem and self- worth are highly associated with one's actual achievements. Also, there is a tendency to define oneself in relation to limitations that he or she might have, as seen professionally when clients are labeled according to their diagnostic category. In contrast to over-identifying with one's problems, the Torah believes that "the soul in its essence always remains healthy and pure."[3]

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[1]Let Us Make Man: Self-Esteem Through Jewishness (New York: CIS Publishers, 1987), p. 35.

[2] Rabbi Naphtali Wiesner, In His Image (New York: Mesorah Publications, 1992), p. 19.

[3] Ibid., p. 54.

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Concept 1: Part 2

1. "Beloved is man, who was created in the Divine image" (Pirkei Avos 3:18).

The Torah obviously doesn't deny one's "issues" but sees them as external to his deepest inner self. Thus, a main goal of the Nachas Ruach treatment is to help the client know this intellectually and internalize this truth unconsciously, and from this place rebuild a healthy self-esteem. For example, the Twelve Step program correctly requires an addict to continue to say, "I am Joe Smith and I am an addict, clean for the past ten years." This is necessary so the addict won't "fall back" into denial, which is the first step to relapse. The Chai group clearly recognizes this requirement of the program. However, it encourages the recovering addict to say as well, "I am Moshe Cohen and I am an addict, clean for the past eight years. I am also a Jew created in the Divine image." When a Jewish addict says this, he is recognizing that he has intrinsic value, positive potentials, and the possibility to grow.

Being created in the Divine image is also the source of man's free will, and the Sfat Emet teaches that this also gives him the responsibility to live a life congruent with his potential and true value.[1] The classical Twelve Step program teaches an addict how to "stay clean;" Torah-based recovery emphasizes why an addict should want to be clean - because he is a person created in the Divine image.

In summary, the Nachas Ruach formulation means that while an addict should never forget that he has a "chronic disease," he doesn't have to and should not define himselfonly in terms of that disease. He should also recognize and affirm that his unique Divine spark, which is his essential self, is always clean.

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[1] Rabbi Yosef Stern, The Three Festivals: Insights of the Sfat Emet (New York: Artscroll Publishers, 1994), p. 255.

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"Six Additional Torah Concepts to Supplement the 12 Steps"

Concept 2

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

One of the issues that the Twelve Steps does not address explicitly is the positive need to have joy in life. It is true the program teaches that the ideal goal of recovery is to be "clean and serene" rather than just being a "dry drunk." Achieving serenity is a very important outgrowth of staying clean, and the program deserves credit for this awareness. My understanding of what the program means by serenity is that the addict in recovery will begin to live life in a healthier and more mature way; and it is obvious that this is no small achievement. It implies, first of all, that the addict has enough inner strength and self-control to stay clean "one day at a time" and to reorganize his life, which has become unmanageable. The program implicitly recognizes the importance of living in a responsible way, which includes being able to function as a "good enough" participant in family relationships, work, and leisure time situations. This in itself usually allows a person to begin to feel "better about himself" and to have a certain "sense of well-being" and inner satisfaction. The innovation or chiddush of the program is to teach that "normative living" is ultimately the best "high" and is "really enough" without having to expect and need and crave more and more.

This position is congruent with the Torah perspective. However, the Torah also understands the legitimate, deep need for a person to experience genuine pleasure and joy in this world.

The Ramchal begins Mesillas Yesharim by teaching, in the name of the Rabbis: שהאדם לא נברא אלא להתענג על ה' ולהנות מזיו שכינתו, שזהו התענוג האמיתי והעידון הגדול מכל העידונים שיכולים להמצא, "Man was created for the sole purpose of rejoicing in God and deriving pleasure from the splendor of His Presence, for this is the true joy and greatest pleasure that can be found."[1]

This experience is attainable in the ultimate sense only in the next world. However, it is possible for every Jew to at times have the sense of "rejoicing in Hashem" also in this world through a sincere committed halachic lifestyle.

In the book of Psalms (34:9), it is written, טעמו וראו כי טוב ה', אשרי הגבר יחסה בו, "Taste and see that God is good." On this verse, the Kuzari teaches that "taste" implies that a Jew can have a real experience of relating to Hashem and thus "sense that He is good."[2]

It has already been asserted in several places in this book that a major contemporary issue challenging the Torah world is how to have pleasure within a normative Torah lifestyle. The next section will begin to clarify the Torah's position on the pleasure principle in contrast to that of contemporary society.

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[1] Ramchal, Mesillas Yesharim (Feldheim), p. 16.

[2] Rav Yehudah HaLevi, Kuzari, 1998, Page 145

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Concept 2: Part 2

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

The Torah's Position on the Pleasure Principle or the Pursuit of Happiness

Freud defined man's basic motivator to be the "pleasure principle." Historically, Western society has vacillated between two extremes in relation to how to express the pleasure principle. American culture was initially strongly influenced by the Puritan ethic, which viewed pleasure as a sin and sought to suppress this drive. This led in the early 1930s to the era of Prohibition, where the production and consumption of alcohol was constitutionally declared illegal, before being repealed only several years later. To a great degree, the "counter-culture" of the late 1960s and early 1970s was a reaction against the "straight" WASP work ethic and lifestyle of the pre-'60s era, and it sought to legitimatize the pursuit of pleasure and immediate gratification as an end in itself. For the hippies of this era, smoking marijuana became mainstream and the symbol of their rebellion against the "establishment." This ideology was expressed in popular slogans of the time such as: "Make love, not war" and "If it feels good, do it." It also included challenging previously accepted norms and inhibitions concerning sexual behavior.

Since the mid 1970s, much of the idealism of the hippie culture has been lost. However, what has remained from it is that in many ways contemporary society has become more and more a "fun" or "hedonistic" culture, and within this context the increase in the frequency and range of addictive behaviors has been almost inevitable. One could almost describe modern Western society as being a "culture of addictions." In many ways Freud's critique that civilization overly repressed man's natural instinctive drives had a major effect on the way Western culture developed in the twentieth century. Freud developed his theory in what could be characterized as being a "super ego society," where morals were too rigid, whereas since the 1960s, Western society has become what can be characterized as more of an "id society," where free expression is encouraged.

From a comparative historical-social perspective, the Torah viewpoint on pleasure can be seen as taking a balanced or middle position between the two extremes of hedonism and asceticism. The Torah does not view the drive for pleasure as a sin per se. On the contrary, as we mentioned above, ultimately man was created in order to have the delight(oneg) of experiencing Hashem's presence. Thus, from a Torah perspective, man's choice is not whether to experience pleasure, but rather how to experience it.

Physical pleasures in this world, including sexuality, are legitimate as long as they are expressed through the framework of halachah, which guides man how to "walk the tightrope" between seeking and expressing pleasure in a constructive or destructive way, both for the individual and in its implications for society. This principle is related to the idea that "the Almighty has created one thing opposite the other" -זה לאומת זה עשה האלוקים (Ecclesiastes 7:14). This is interpreted to mean that in general, things in the realm of holiness have their opposite in the realm of the profane. Therefore, the implication is that if there are negative ways to have pleasure, there also must be positive ways. Beyond that, it includes the goal of sublimating one's passions to allow them to be expressed within the framework of serving Hashem.

This can be seen in the remarks by the classic commentator Rashi on the first verseof the Shema prayer, which a Jew recites twice a day. Commenting on the verse, "And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). Rashi quotes Chazal as understanding that "with all your heart" means serving God with both the good and the evil inclinations.

It is understood that the good inclination naturally wants to serve Hashem, while the evil inclination opposes accepting Hashem's will; being connected to the body, it is naturally drawn after seeking physical pleasures. Rashi made this comment based on the word levavcha, "your heart," being spelled with two letter "beits" when only one was necessary, and he suggested that each letter stands for one of the two inclinations. In relation to this goal, the Baal Shem Tov taught in the name of Rav Saadia Gaon that "one should learn from his desire for physical things how to desire to serve Hashem and to love Him.[1]

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[1] Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, The Light Beyond: Adventures in Hassidic Thought (Moznaim Publishing, 1981).

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Concept 2: Part 3

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

The Torah's Position on the Pleasure Principle or the Pursuit of Happiness

In Parashas Vayishlach, Genesis 32:5, Yaakov sent messengers to Esav and commanded them to tell him, "I have sojourned with Lavan and stayed until now." On this phrase, Rashi comments that Yaakov Avinu was saying that he was able to maintain his loyalty to the 613 mitzvos of the Torah even while living in a foreign atmosphere that was so hostile to Torah observance. However, Rav Meir Shapiro of Lublin, z"l, teaches that Yaakov Avinu added regretfully, "While I remained firm in my observance of the 613 commandments, I failed to learn from Lavan to perform the commandments with the same dedication and passion as he pursued his evil ways."[1]

Judaism stresses not only self-control but also the value of serving Hashem joyfully (b'simchah), as part of normative halachic living: עבדו את ה' בשמחה באו לפניו ברננה, "Serve Hashem with gladness, come before Him with joyous song" (Psalms 100:2).

For example, delighting in or having oneg on the Shabbos is an intrinsic halachicaspect of Shabbos observance. In the standard Shabbos prayers, we pray every week, "They shall rejoice in Your Kingdom - those who observe the Sabbath and call it a delight (oneg). The people that sanctifies the Seventh - they will all be satisfied and delighted with Your goodness."[2]

It is also customary to read several verses from the prophet Isaiah before making Kiddush on Shabbos morning. These include: "If you restrain your foot, because of the Shabbos, [and refrain] from accomplishing your own needs on my holy day; if you proclaim the Shabbos a delight (oneg), the holy day of Hashem...then you will delight in Hashem and I shall mount you astride the heights of the world, and provide you the heritage of your forefather Jacob - for the mouth of Hashem has spoken" (Isaiah 58:13-14).

The phrase "I shall mount you astride the heights of the world," or, more literally, "I will cause you to ride on the high places of the land," implies that a Jew with his additional soul (neshamah yeseirah) will have greater awareness or a higher consciousness on Shabbos. From a secular perspective, the traditional observance of Shabbos can lead one to have a sense of being "high," but in a natural way.

Chazal teach that one of the goals of learning Torah and doing mitzvos is to allow a Jew to develop an intimate relationship with Hashem. The sense of feeling connected or close to Hashem is called deveikus. The Ramchal teaches that "God's purpose in creation was to bestow of His good to another." This means giving created beings the opportunity to attach themselves to Him to the greatest degree possible. The purpose of all that was created was therefore to bring into existence a creature who would derive pleasure from God's own good in a way that would be possible for it.[3]

The Ramchal also teaches that only deveikus, or union with God, constitutes true perfection.[4] We also learn from David HaMelech that communion with Hashem is ultimately the greatest joy, as we read in Psalms 73:28: ואני קרבת אלוקים לי טוב, "But as for me, God's nearness is my good," and in the verse in Psalms 27:4: אחת שאלתי מאת ה' אותו אבקש שפתי בבית ה' כל ימי חיי לחזות בנועם ה' ולבקר בהיכלו, "One thing I asked of Hashem, that shall I seek: Would that I dwell in the House of Hashem all the days of my life, to behold the sweetness of Hashem and to contemplate in His sanctuary."

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[1] Friedman, Wellsprings of Torah, p. 65.

[2]Artscroll Siddur: Siddur Imrei Ephraim, p. 461.

[3] Ramchal, Derech Hashem (Feldheim), p.51, 261.

[4] Ramchal, Mesillas Yesharim (Feldheim), p. 19.

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Concept 2: Part 4

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

The Torah's Position on the Pleasure Principle or the Pursuit of Happiness

Rebbe Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Peasetzna wrote the following concerning the need for pleasure:

The human soul relishes sensation, not only if it is a pleasant feeling but for the very experience of stimulation. Sooner sadness or some deep pain rather than the boredom of non-stimulation. People will watch distressing scenes and listen to heartrending stories just to get stimulation. Such is human nature and a need of the soul, just like all its other needs and natures. So he who is clever will fulfill this need with passionate prayer and Torah learning. But the soul whose Divine service is without emotion will have to find its stimulation elsewhere. It will either be driven to cheap, even forbidden sensation or will become emotionally ill from lack of stimulation.[1]

Finally, the Ramchal puts the issue of pleasure into a broader perspective.

We thus derive that the essence of a man's existence in this world is solely the fulfilling of mitzvos, the serving of God, and the withstanding of trials, and that the world's pleasures should serve only the purpose of aiding and assisting him, by way of providing him with the contentment (nachas ruach) and peace of mind (yishuv hadaas) requisite for the freeing of his heart for the service which devolves upon him.[2]

In this paragraph, which appears at the end of the first chapter of Mesillas Yesharimand deals with man's duties in the world, the Ramchal clarifies the correct Torah perspective concerning the role and nature of worldly pleasures, which is particularly important for the era that we are living in now. Pleasure is legitimatized as a means for creating the optimal conditions that allow a Jew to serve Hashem. Practically, this means that the way to clarify whether a particular pleasure is valid is related to the consequence that it has afterwards concerning a person's serving God (avodas Hashem). In my clinical experience, discussing and clarifying the role of worldly pleasures is often an important aspect of therapy, whether the person has dropped out or taken a "time out" in a negative way.

The Kuzari and Ramban both emphasize that the possibility that one can "Taste and see that Hashem is good" (Psalms 34:9), or to know God through experience and not primarily through the intellect, is potentially more possible in Eretz Yisrael, and particularly in Jerusalem, the Holy City, where Hashem's Presence or Shechinah is more accessible. Chazal also teach, in Baba Basra 158b, that the very "air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise."

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[1] Shapira, To Heal the Soul, p. 23.

[2] Ramchal, Mesillas Yesharim (Feldheim) p. 27.

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Concept 2: Part 5

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

The Torah's Position on the Pleasure Principle or the Pursuit of Happiness

Unfortunately, many Jews, whether baalei teshuvah (BT) or frum from birth (FFB), don't adequately realize that pleasure and joy are meant to be integral elements of serving Hashem. For BTs, this realization can help them have more motivation to return to traditional Judaism. HaRav Noach Weinberg, z"l, rosh yeshivah of AishHaTorah, used to ask new students, "What is the purpose of life?" He would then go on to explain that Hashem created the world for only one purpose: To give His children as much pleasure as possible. Rav Noach would teach a class called "The Five Levels of Pleasure," with the highest pleasure being the love of God.[1]

For those who are FFB, the legitimacy of joy and pleasure in Judaism can help them find deeper meaning in what they have already been observing, which is an important need for many in the contemporary situation. For those who grew up religious, it's possible to experience doing mitzvos in a routine, habitual manner, which has both advantages and disadvantages. Rav Dessler stresses that every Jew should go beyond the "free will point" that he acquired through his childhood education.[2] For many, having more of the experience of having a personal relationship with Hashem through doing mitzvos can provide a sense of fulfillment that otherwise might be lacking.

In summary, the Nachas Ruach model as a Torah-based approach emphasizes, within the Chai program, the legitimacy of joy in a way that goes beyond the classical Twelve Step program. Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twerski confirmed that "the Twelve Step program doesn't provide a framework and the tools for having joy in an active way like Judaism does."[3] For addicts in recovery, it is my clinical experience that it can make it easier for them to stay clean by validating their need to experience pleasure, or oneg, in a healthy way. This whole issue is very practical and not just theoretical, for addicts are often initially trying, almost desperately, to "pursue happiness"[4] as understood in the modern Western culture, but tragically end up experiencing the pain that is a consequence of the disease of addiction.

This paradox can be seen in Hebrew where the word "to delight" is oneg (עונג) and the word for "plague" is nega (נגע), which is based on the same root as oneg but with the letters in a different order. In such instances, the Rabbis teach that there is a relationship between the two concepts. [5] Therefore, one goal of the recovery process is to help the addict reverse the process and move from "nega" to "oneg."

The Biblical book Song of Songs uses the metaphor of a man and woman feeling passionate love and joy, addressing the natural love that the neshamah has for Hashem. One of the first verses in chapter 1 is כי טובים דודך מיין, "For your love is better than wine" (1:2). On this verse, Rashi comments that personally experiencing a relationship with Hashem is better than any pleasure or joy.

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[1] Hamodia, March 5, 2009, Special Supplement, p. 15.

[2] Rabbi E. E. Dessler, Strive for Truth - Discourse on Free Will (Jerusalem: Feldheim Publishers, 1988), p. 55.

[3] Heard from Dr. Twerski in a personal discussion in January 2008.

[4] Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, MD, Self-Improvement: I'm Jewish (New York: Shaar Press, 1998), p. 81.

[5] Rav Naftali Zvi Fish (z"l), Torot Beit Dinov (Jerusalem: Mossad HaRav Kook), p. 73.

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Concept 2: Part 6/6

2. Taste and see that God is good. Happy is the man who trusts in Him - Psalms 34:9

The Torah's Position on the Pleasure Principle or the Pursuit of Happiness

Chazal teach that in the last period before Messiah "there will be a great battle between the forces of holiness - kedushah - and the profane, before the latter is finally overcome."[1]

When viewed from a historical perspective, we could conclude that Sigmund Freud almost "got it" when he realized that the pleasure principle had been overly repressed in early twentieth-century culture and that this had negative consequences for mental health. He tried to legitimize the pleasure principle and allow it to be expressed more and repressed less. As a result, secular Western society, which was highly influenced by Freud's theories, encourages and models negative ways to express the pleasure principle, which are often destructive and can lead to the development of addictions. Contemporary society has in many ways gone to the opposite extreme of what Freud was reacting against. Freud had some basis to his claim that the superego or conscience of the "civilized man" of his time was too strict. However, today it is clear that the id or instinctual drives have gone out of control after being released. This consequence makes sense within the social context of a liberal society that advocates pleasure seeking and free expression and where there are few limits or boundaries set.

In contrast, the Torah view tries to integrate the experience of pleasure constructively within the framework of sanctity or "kedushah." Yet it still requires a committed Jew to work hard toward achieving this ideal within the framework of normative halachah. It is possible that the current situation is in some way ironically preparing the generation that has been given so many opportunities to experiment with different manifestations of the evil inclination to ultimately re-channel this energy back toward serving Hashem"with all your heart."

The Rabbis taught that "the purpose of the creation of this world is that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have an abode in the lower worlds."[2] The previous Rebbe of Slonim, z"l, wrote on the above teaching, "Hashem's desire is to have an abode,particularly in the lowest of the lowest world, and that the physical passions be utilized to fuel a holy fire (eish kodesh)."[3]

Here the Hebrew verb for "desire" (נתאוה) is shown to be related to the root for "passion." It might have been expected that Hashem would have "willed" to have a place in the lower world. By using the expression "desired," it seems to be implying that just as Hashem has a passionate desire to paradoxically be in this world, we should channel the passion from our "lower self" that He has created for us, to serve Him in a way that contributes to His Purpose being actualized.

Such an encompassing commitment, "With all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 5:5) may have some aspects of being like a "positive addiction," a concept coined by Dr. William Glazer in his book on "reality therapy."[4]

From a Torah perspective, the strong desire to achieve closeness to Hashem, which is the root of observing all of the 248 positive mitzvos, and not feel distant from Him, which is the root of not doing any of the 365 prohibitions, is an important motivation that leads to studying Torah and doing mitzvos.[5] In the final chapter of Hilchos Teshuvah, the Rambam teaches the highest level is to serve Hashem from love. The Rambam asks, "What is the proper degree of love? That a person should love God with a very great exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of God. Thus he will be always be obsessed with this love, as if he is lovesick... This concept was implied by Shlomo HaMelech when he stated, as a metaphor: ' I am lovesick.' Indeed, the totality of the Song of Songs is a parable describing this love."[6]

For instance, a Jew who is used to putting on tefillin every morning and studying Torah every day will feel something "missing" or a sense of emptiness if for some reason he is not able to do so one day, such as when being in a state of anenus. The strong yearning to always be close to Hashem ultimately can and does enhance life, rather than degrade it, as is true with negative addictions.

ואתם הדבקים בה' חיים כולכם היום.

"But you who cling to Hashem, your God - you are all alive today."

(Deuteronomy 4:4)

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[1] Likutei Halachos, Beheimah v'Chayah Tehorah 4:34.

[2] Midrash Tanchuma, Nasso 7:1.

[3] Netivos Shalom, Sefer Devarim, p. 208.

[4] William Glasser, MD, Positive Addiction (New York: Harper & Row, 1976), p. 93.

[5] Lessons in Tanya, ch. 4, pp. 77-78.

[6] Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 10:3.

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Concept 3

3. Rabban Gamliel used to say... Find yourself a Rav - Pirkei Avos 1:16

The Twelve Step program encourages addicts to work with "sponsors," other addicts in more advanced stages of recovery who are also participating in the group. They provide guidance from the perspective of someone who has been in the same position. The program took a clear position that "addicts helping addicts" is a fundamental element in effective recovery.

The Nachas Ruach approach accepts this position but also recommends that addicts in recovery also try to develop a meaningful relationship with a rabbi who has some training in how to counsel in this area. Over the years I have worked with many rabbis who have provided important input. One of the rationales for doing this is to help the addict not be confined to working only with addicts, which, despite its importance, can also be limiting, especially in the long term.

This recommendation is based on the assumption that ideally every Jew needs to be working on self-improvement and doing teshuvah throughout his life. This was mentioned in the Iggeres HaRamban. The Nachas Ruach approach believes that understanding addiction as a disease is similar to understanding the evil inclination, as taught by the Torah and Chazal. Such traits as selfishness, stubbornness, rebellion against authority, and not considering future consequences are often aspects of the addictive personality.[1] Therefore, trained rabbis with the "right style" have the potential to relate to the addict from the perspective of the Torah's wisdom regarding man's basic nature, including the ongoing conflict between the good and evil inclinations. In Chassidut, this struggle is viewed in a deeper way as being related to the conflict between the "Divine soul" and the "animal soul."[2]

A positive "working relationship" with a rabbi is also a means to potentially help the addict in recovery integrate more into the "mainstream" Jewish community. This is necessary because the Twelve Step movement often becomes the primary and sometimes only social framework for the addict. Again, while accepting that recovery involves a long-term commitment to continue to participate in the program, the Nachas Ruach approach sees the possibility and value of the addict having a social identity that isn't only based on his addiction, which at some point can be overly restrictive or narrowing for him. Beyond that, the Twelve Step groups do not usually provide a Jewish social context for the Jewish addict. One technical problem of the Twelve Steps is that the meetings often take place in a social hall in a church setting. Connecting with a rabbi and a community can help the Jewish addict feel less rejected, stigmatized, and isolated from the larger Jewish community and experience recovery in a setting that acknowledges that Jews can also have problems with addiction. The Chai program also avoids some of the halachic problems that are part of Twelve Step meetings. The groups do not include males and females together, and therefore avoid the problems of maintaining modesty that sometimes arise in regular groups. Therefore, the traditional "group hug" would be possible in the separate male and female groups. The "serenity prayer," which is often said out loud at the end of meetings, in the Jewish context is addressed to Hashem, rather than to "the Lord," as in the non-Jewish source of this prayer.

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[1] Rabbi Naphtali Wiesner, In His Own Image (New York: Mesorah Publications, 1992), pp. 90, 101.

[2] Lessons in Tanya, ch. 9, p. 139.

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Concept 4

4. And the study of Torah is equivalent to them all - Maseches Shabbos 127

Beyond establishing a relationship with a rabbi and a community, the Nachas Ruach approach also asserts that addicts can benefit from the study of Torah. Chazal teach, "I created the evil inclination and I created the Torah as an antidote to it."[1] Working for many years as a clinical psychologist in the area of Torah-based prisoner rehabilitation in Israel, I observed the often powerful and transforming impact Torah had on this difficult population, who usually also had problems with addictions. Learning Torah gave this group a new "world view" and a clear framework in which to develop a new identity, lifestyle, and value system based on the foundation of "fear of Heaven" or yiras Shamayim. Torah study in this context means learning Torah in the general sense (studying the weeklyTorahreading, halachah, Midrash, Mishnah,Gemara, and also learning aspects of Torah, such as mussar (ethics), that is specifically relevant to the situation and the needs of the addict, e.g., anger management.

In addition to establishing a relationship with a rabbi, as was stressed in Concept 3, Torah is preferably studied with another person, a chavrusa. The root of this word is the same as the root of the word "friend." Behaviors that develop into addictions often started as a result of peer pressure to be "part of the group." In this context, learning Torah with a chavrusa is a constructive social experience that helps the addict develop positive friendships. This clearly is an important need, as is taught in Pirkei Avos(1:6): "Acquire for yourself a friend."

In a good relationship with any chavrusa, part of the interaction also involves informal chatting or "schmoozing." Thus, there is also the potential for the addict to begin to feel safe enough to share his inner world with a friend who is not an addict himself and to speak openly with him about his inner struggles as a way to reduce the power of theyetzer hara. This approach was advocated by Noam Elimelech.

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[1] Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 30b.

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Concept 5

5. You shall be Holy, for Holy am I, Hashem your God - Leviticus 19:2

This concept expands upon the third step in the Twelve Step program, where one turns his or her life over to a Higher Power; the Torah emphasizes that the Torah connects how we are to live to a Higher Power, which implies a higher purpose. As mentioned in Concept 2, the Torah recognizes the necessity to express one's physical needs in an appropriate way. However, the pursuit of self-gratification is notan end in itself. The Torah teaches that we should strive to connect all of our actions to the "higher purpose" of sanctifying life. "Being Holy" is a major principle in Judaism: וידבר ה' אל משה לאמור: דבר אל כל בני עדת ישראל ואמרת אליהם קדשים תהיו כי קדוש אני ה' אלוקיכם, "God spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to the entire congregation of the Children of the Israel, and say to them 'You shall be Holy, for Holy am I, Hashem Your God' " (Leviticus 19:2).

Rashi emphasizes that this part of the Torah was taught to all Am Yisrael who had assembled together because the "majority of the essentials of the Torah are dependent on it" (Rashi on Leviticus 19:2).

Rabbi Dr. Leo Levi, former dean of Machon Lev in Jerusalem and president of the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, writes: "The Torah commands us to bekadosh, "holy." What does this mean? When applied to an object, kadosh means that it is set aside for a certain elevated purpose. Similarly, then, our duty to be holy means that we must view ourselves as dedicated to a higher purpose, that we do not drift along in our life, driven by momentary inclinations and desires, but rather adopt a higher goal and devote ourselves to it. According to Viktor Frankl's logotherapy, it is exactly the lack of such purpose in life which is responsible for much of today's mental illness. In these cases, the mitzvah of kedushah is the obvious cure - and preventative." [1]

An example of this is that the Torah, unlike non-Jewish perspectives that extolled celibacy as the ideal state, views marriage as the highest goal for all, including the High Priest. Viewing marriage as kiddushin implies that the marital relationship and commitment is not just "civil," but also holy, and it provides a framework within which the Divine Presence or Shechinah can dwell if that relationship is worthy.

In summary, when analyzing the relationship between the Twelve Steps and Torah, one important distinction is that while the program shows one how to stay clean, Torah-based recovery goes a step beyond and teaches deeper reasons why it is important to be clean in a world that has so many temptations.

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[1] Leo Levi, Torah and Science: Their Interplay in the World Scheme (Jerusalem: Feldheim, 1983), p. 96.

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Concept 6: Part 1/3

6. Do not return to Egypt... - Deuteronomy 17:16

This concept deals with issues related to relapse prevention. It views the status of a "slave in Egypt" as also being a metaphor for other forms of slavery, including the addictive experience. Just as the Jewish people were slaves to the Egyptians physically, emotionally, and spiritually, addicts are also enslaved to the object of their addiction.

One similarity between Egypt and the addictive experience is that when the Jews first came to Egypt, they were invited by Pharaoh himself to live in the best part of the country: וקחו את אביכם ואת בתיכם ובאו אלי ואתנה לכם את טוב ארץ מצרים ואכלו את חלב הארץ, "Bring your father and your households and come to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land" (Genesis 45:18).

Later, Am Yisrael became fully enslaved in Egypt through a gradual process, without fully realizing what was happening until it was too late. Chazal teach that until this time, no slave had ever been able to leave Egypt. The addictive experience is similar in that what the addict later becomes addicted to was often initially experienced as being positive or helpful. For example, a teenager who felt insecure at high school parties learnt that drinking alcohol and getting drunk would help him or her to feel more confident. In its early stages, using drugs, gambling, overeating, and sexual acting out might provide the sense of being a positive solution. Unfortunately, in most cases these behaviors turn out to be only pseudo or false solutions, or even illusions that lead to even deeper difficulties, without ever addressing the cause of the initial problems.

A basic goal of the Twelve Step program is relapse prevention. The ideal goal of the program is to maintain total abstinence "one day at a time" for your whole life. However, addicts are obviously often tempted t o resume the shackles of their addiction. It is clear that there are many forces influencing the addict to "use" again. The Torah also understood the inclination of the Jewish people who clamored to returnto the site of their former enslavement. It is interesting that the Torah will later actually forbid a Jewish king to allow Jews go back to Mitzrayim: "So that he [the king] will not bring the people back to Egypt...for Hashem said to you: You shall not return on this road again" (Deuteronomy 17:16).

The Rambam includes this in the list of negative mitzvos (number 42) listed in Sefer HaMitzvos. [1]

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[1] Rambam Sefer HaMitzvos, negative mitzvah #42.

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Concept 6: Part 2/3

6. Do not return to Egypt... - Deuteronomy 17:16

One of the common reasons that addicts relapse after being clean for a significant period of time is that they go back into denial, or begin remembering again positive aspects of "being active." The Torah also describes the Jewish people as having distorted or "selective memory," which means remembering only the positive but not the negative aspects of what was clearly an aversive experience. Thus, as we see in Exodus 16:3 regarding their experience of being slaves in Egypt, Am Yisrael cried out: "If only we had died by the Hand of Hashem in the land of Egypt, as we sat by the pot of meat, when we ate bread to satiety, for You have taken us out of this wilderness to kill this entire congregation by famine."

After leaving Egypt, the Jews were in the desert for forty years before entering the promised land. Being in the desert subsequently becomes a powerful metaphor to describe the ambivalence and fears of many addicts after beginning recovery and "leaving Egypt." While in the desert, they are often in conflict between "going back to Egypt" - relapse - or going forward toward full recovery to "the promised land": "Isn't this the statement that we made to you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us be and we will serve Egypt, for it is better that we should serve Egypt than we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14:12).

One of the difficulties of being in the desert or the wilderness is that it requires a person to be in a situation of uncertainty or ambiguity, and there is a natural tendency for people to "drift back" to a known situation, even if this is a "negative place," rather than stay in a new or unknown situation.[1] One practical implication of this understanding is that addicts and people in general need to develop real and relevant personal positive goals to give them the motivation and strength to avoid slipping back to Egypt.

The Twelve Step approach emphasizes that even someone clean for ten years must remind himself every day that he still is an addict in recovery and must continue living according to the principles of the program. This aspect of the program goes against the natural tendency and need for people who feel that they have been able to solve problems to forget about them. This might be true in many situations, but when an addict does this, experience shows that he is already beginning to move closer to a relapse. The Torah also stresses that the remembrance of leaving Egypt on an ongoing basis (zecher l'yetzias Mitzrayim) and views it as a fundamental concept that is the foundation of faith and trust in God. For example, the Chazal incorporated the third paragraph of Shema prayer that is recited twice a day, in order that we should fulfill the commandment to recall the exodus from Egypt daily. In addition, the tefillin that a Jew wears every morning contain verses associated with leaving Egypt. Also, beyond mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim on a daily basis, the three major festivals - Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos - are all related to different aspects of leaving Egypt. On Shabbos, the remembrance of leaving Egypt is incorporated into the evening Kiddush.

In addition to the above, there is a custom to recite six verses that need to be remembered on a daily basis after the morning prayer has been concluded. The first of these six verses is: למען תזכור את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים כל ימי חייך, "So that you will remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt all the days of your life" (Deuteronomy 16:3).

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[1] A. Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being (D. Van Nostrand Company,1968), p. 46.

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Torah Perspectives on the Twelve Steps

"Six Additional Torah Concepts to Supplement the 12 Steps"

Concept 6: Part 3/3

6. Do not return to Egypt... - Deuteronomy 17:16

One reason the Torah puts so much stress on not returning to Egypt is that existentially it is not possible to fully serve Hashem while still being a slave. For example, the Mishnah in Berachosteaches that a Canaanite slave, while being obligated to do certain mitzvos, was still exempt from reciting the Shema Yisraeldeclaration,[1] where the intent is for him to "accept the sovereignty of God."[2] The implication here is that only a free person can serve God. Therefore, every day immediately upon awakening a Jew recites the berachah "Blessed are You...for not making me a slave."

This point should be stressed in education and prevention programs, working with religious youth, where "value clarification" is an important component. It is important to give contemporary teenagers the opportunity to receive a perspective that will allow them to make proper choices. Going against the natural tendency to think that "it won't happen to me" teenagers need to hear that besides possibly being "fun," substance use clearly leads to emotional dependence and powerlessness.

Thus, the Nachas Ruach approach defines five stages in the process of the development and treatment of addictions utilizing the model of Egypt as a metaphor. They are:

1. Going into Egypt
2. Becoming enslaved in Egypt
3. Leaving Egypt
4. Being in the desert
5. Entering the promised land

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In summation, based on extensive clinical experience, I have asserted that the six additional concepts elaborated here effectively supplement the basic Twelve Step program from a Torah perspective. It has been stressed that the Nachas Ruach model clarifies why it is important to avoid an addictive lifestyle. The first step of the program rightfully acknowledges that being powerless to one's addiction is the fundamental issue of recovery. Being powerless means that the addict has less free will. Having free will is the foundation of Torah, which is possible because man is created in the Divine image. The Torah cannot accept being addicted as "okay," because ultimately, it takes us away from an important dimension of man's self-respect. The "spiritual awakening" that recovery demands really allows the addict to recover an important dimension of his basic human dignity. This requires them not only to know the program principles or Torah teachings, but to actually live and apply these guidelines in their lives - it is taught in Pirkei Avos 1:17 that "Not study, but practice is the main thing."

The irony and beauty of recovery is that when the addict finally "gets it," he will have actually been forced to grow in a psycho-social-spiritual way, sometimes even more than the average "normal" person who doesn't have to deal with such life-or-death choices. The Torah understands the possibility of what is called yeridah l'tzorech aliyah, "descent for the sake of ascent." This process can be seen at work in the Torah. Before Yaakov Avinu went down to Egypt, he was promised by Hashem: אל תירא מרדה מצרימה כי לגוי גדול אשימך שם: אנכי ארד עמך מצרימה ואנכי אעלך גם עלה, "Have no fear of descending to Egypt, for I shall establish you as a great nation there. I shall descend with you to Egypt, and I shall also bring you up"(Genesis 46:3-4). On the words אעלך גם עלה: "And I shall also bring you up," the Sforno teaches, "I will raise you even higherthan you were before going down there."

This Torah-based perspective can give the addict, as well as anyone who is struggling with difficult issues, the hope that they can rebuild their lives and ultimately achieve more wisdom and maturity as a result of their previous problems.

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[1] Talmud Bavli, Berachos 20a, mishnah.

[2] Ibid.,13a.