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Moses' Worst Crisis: How We Inspire the People Who Inspire Us

Sigmund Freud’s Advice to the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1903

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Right is a painting of the fifth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Sholom Ber Schneerson (1860-1920), by Miriam Teleshevsky (http://artbymiriam.com/artobj.php?id=65). Left is a photo of Dr. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) from 1905.

Comments (46)

Dr. Berk On Freud and the Rebbe

Monday, Jun 08 2009 - ט"ז סיון תשס"ט
Shmuel
You didn't want to supply the group the additional resource?
http://www.jhberke.com/Freud_Lub_Rebbe.htm

- Most people I sent it to seemed to have enjoyed and respected it.

It was referenced in Alan Brill's work on Reb Tzaddok HaCohen " Thinking G-D"..
All the best looking forward to tonight.

Shmuel
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jhberke.com

Monday, Jun 08 2009 - ט"ז סיון תשס"ט
Neshama
I noticed one thing that surprised me, in endnote 9, it says something about the Zohar that I'm not sure is correct.
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Dr. Berk's Analysis

Monday, Jun 08 2009 - ט"ז סיון תשס"ט
Isaac
I read his paper on the meeting with Freud. I do not think his observations are correct. All of the ideas discussed in the Rebbe's discouses henceforth have their sources in discourses of earlier Rebbes in previous years.
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Controversial Picture

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Shlomo
Is it respectful to place a picture of the Holy Rebbe Rashab right next to a man famous for his unclean and perverted theories?

We cannot attempt to fathom the secrets of a Rebbe, of a Moses.
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Feedback: Rabbi Jacobson is greatly appreciated

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Neshama
I would have thought that the Alter Rebbe, in his Tanya, might have covered such an inyan, of the tension between the heart and the mind? Did not the Alter Rebbe cover such dilemmas? Not to take away from the reason the Rebbe Reshab felt the need to visit Dr Freud, I was under the impression from the Chassidus I have learned, that the Farbrengen was one such way of receiving feedback.
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Thank you

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Mendy C
Rabbi this class tome was also cold water on a weary soul. Yasher Koach
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Freud and the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Marcia Naomi Berger, LCSW
As a psychotherapist and baalat tshuvah, I am very happy to have heard this talk that gives credit to Freud, the father of modern psychology, and in a way that integrates psychological concepts into your Jewish teachings. We all do need the kind of feedback from others that validates our contributions and suggests that we are here on earth and for a reason. Thank you, Rabbi Jacobson!
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masterful

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Yossi
1. Tonight's was a masterpiece.
2. In the booklet Bakodesh Pnima, R Sholom Ber Gansburg tells a story of the Rebbe in his room complaining that he never gets anything done and is always behind, and how he responded about the hundreds of Baalei Teshuva, etc.
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why?

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Yosef
it certainly is tough to get feedback. why?
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Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Laneri
Dear Rabbi,
You always deliver us profound message from above. But this time my personal appreciations that you managed not to dilute it with a drop of tears of your own…
Be blessed with cold (warm) water for your souls and a lot of Nahas from your followers as well as from your own children.

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Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Elki
In the spirit of the shiur, Rabbi Jacobson, you are a master (Rabbi, teacher, thinker...)of shiurim - indeed, a non-pareille.
Even though I myself often wonder if students realize that teachers of all ages and experience enjoy positive feedback, perhaps I'm guilty of the same chisaron regarding your shiurim."Rabbi Jacobson needs my...?"
So, consider my words just a snippet of positive feedback.
As a student of psycholoy and psychoanalysis, I applaud your synthesis of Freud (deemed treif by so many who know nothing about his invention --The Talking Cure, and all that goes with it).
Clearly you separate the chaff from the grain. To bring the Rebbe Rashab, no less, as a visitor to Freud's famous house in Vienna, brought psychology into a sphere where it is often needed badly and dismissed as "meshugeh and apikorsus." I read the "G-dless Jew" by Peter Gay, and Freud by no means rejected his roots. He did not practice but was obsessed with his grandfather's piety and questioned why G-d chose him, "A G-dless Jew" to discovere a science that Hashem had already invented thousands of years before.
I also was dumbfounded by the humility and brilliance of the Rebbe Rashab to feel down because he didn't think he accomplished anything and to go to a secular doctor for advice.
Looking forward, as always, to Monday once again.
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Amazing

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Mendel
The classs was phenomenal! Amazingly well presented and articlulated. Isn't it amazing that the Rebbe seeing the impact of thousands of shluchim in every corner of the world and the thousands he personally touched every week could still state -"lihelvel vlarik" because Moshiach hasn't yet come! What was the meaning of that?

PS I hope that YOU get the feedback to know what a HUGE impact you are having!!!
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A request

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Gary
This was an amazing class. I think this type of Torah can inspire hundreds of thousands and I want to suggest and request from all of you listening and watching to send links of this week's shuir to all of your friends and contacts. Let them "taste" this Torah, let them be inspired and uplifted. This shuir needs to get much more promotion and exposure. And each one of us can do our part.

Thank you Mr. Schottenstein for your helping making this extraordinary event happen.
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feedback

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Daniel Burstein
Rabbi Jacobson;
You are a source of inspiration to me and my wife, from the moment I heard you years ago till today. Every Shabbat, we read your commentaries about the Parasha and try to hear your lectures in this setting.
Thank you, G-d bless you.
Daniel Burstein
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a groisse yasher koiach from Brazil

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
atbeuthner@gmail.com
If people agree or not with all that was said it looks like it doesn't matter (so much), as long as they stop and start thinking more about what is life's ikar and tofel... Just to make us think, rethink, think through or whatever - this is the key to the "inspiring spark" which makes us move forwards!
Regards from your listeners in Brazil (some of whom are using it extensively in their droshos, etc...).

I'll really like to know if you had the time to read through http://www.jhberke.com/Freud_Lub_Rebbe.htm and what do you think about it.

hatslocho rabo umuflogo im the Brazilian retreat (unfortunately I will not be able to be there)!
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Thanks

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Chayah
Your web classes are absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for being such a source of inspiration and hope.
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Feedback from students

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Gershon
Very powerful lesson from Chumash and those 2 stories u mentioned. I called your Aunt Ceril Lispker last night to thank her.

A little feedback. Its interesting. Rabbi David Wichnin A”H mentioned on a tape, that when a teacher sees a student paying attention and their eyes are not wandering, this increases the Hashpa to the Talmid, This sounds like what you mentioned yesterday. The teacher (Moshe Rabenu) wanted feedback. Some might even use the word validation.
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Yasher Koach

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
Yochanan Gordon
Rabbi Jacobson,
In line with the crux of this class I wanted to thank you for being a constant source of moral and emotional strength to so many from various disparate backgrounds - serving as a unifier of the Jewish people. The RBSHO should bless you with the strength to continue in this manner ad eiah v'esrim ubias hamoshiach kodem.
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thanh you

Tuesday, Jun 09 2009 - י"ז סיון תשס"ט
mw
i just feel corect to let know the feedback from your classes , in one word : amazing , keep up this magnificant shiurim !
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Awesome

Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 - י"ח סיון תשס"ט
ZS
Thank you so much for your weekly classes online.
I download it to my phone and listen to your class in the car while driving my kids to school.
I never miss a class!
You have truly taught me so much!
Although I study regularly sichos etc. I truly enjoy the way you deliver it and I am inspired every week by your message!
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Torah's inspiration.

Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 - י"ח סיון תשס"ט
Joe
The notion that one of the greatest Jewish leaders could experience such despair and depression that ultimately could make him pray for his own demise is something that is quite extraordinary. Ordinary for some - extraordinary for someone of the caliber of Moshe.
Yet this is precisely the reason why we as a people have attached ourselves over the centuries to the torah. We identify with the trials and tribulations that have affected some of the greatest people in our history, to see their vulnerability and the way they expose themselves in the face of a test shows us that despite their greatness, they never cease to be human.
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Uplifting

Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 - י"ח סיון תשס"ט
Anchelle
This week’s Internet shiur was particularly uplifting and complete. Just inspiring those who inspire.
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Keeps Me Going

Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 - י"ח סיון תשס"ט
Sara
I really enjoy, and get inspired every time I listen to your lecture.I am in Vienna, and every week we learn with jewish girls in the university, very often I give over your lecture.

So thank you so much! the inspiration keeps me going the whole week!
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Thanks

Wednesday, Jun 10 2009 - י"ח סיון תשס"ט
Ber
Thank you Rabbi and thank you
David B. Schottenstein for all of this. Amazing and great!
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Ramban

Thursday, Jun 11 2009 - י"ט סיון תשס"ט
Yochanan Gordon
It seems that there is a contradiction in the words of the Ramban.
First he dismisses the necessity for the seventy elders saying, the Jews will still only approach Moshe because he took them out of Egypt.
In his last explanation he continues, perhaps when the Jews see the elders prophesizing they will not only approach Moshe but congregate around the elders to fulfill their desires.
What changed in this last scenario that the Jews would all of a sudden congregate around the elders despite the fact that Moshe took them out of Egypt - like the Rambn suggested above?
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V'lo Yasafu

Thursday, Jun 11 2009 - י"ט סיון תשס"ט
Yochanan Gordon
Why would the explanation on these words be any different than the expression used by Mattan Torah - "Kol Gadol V'lo Yasaf" which we know meant an unceasing voice or proclomation?
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Freud was my mother's first cousin...

Thursday, Jun 11 2009 - י"ט סיון תשס"ט
David Benveniste HaLevy
Bs"d
I am baali teshuvah Lubavitch for over thirty years and a licensed Social Worker and counselor who worked for two years in a lock down criminal mental hospital .
Freud and the Rebbe Rashab apparently influenced each other for the good, as Dr. Berk writes in his article. The Rashab must have some influence on Freud, and vise versa. We must also remember the Lubavitcher Rebbe had degrees in physics as well, so why is this meeting such a stretch of the imagination? Truth is truth, and sometimes we need to dig with the help of other yiddin', especially the tops in their field, so what? Freud's dad's family were frumme yiddin'.My mother once told me she was Freud's first cousin, but I don't know from which side, but I don't feel so ashamed after reading this article by Berk.

BTW, My grandmother's private math tutor was Professor Albert Einstein in 1913, who came Friday nights as a close family friend to the mansion she grew up in , but I don't know if they made kiddush. She said the Professor had a fantastic sense of humor.
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toda raba from rehovot

Thursday, Jun 11 2009 - י"ט סיון תשס"ט
moshe haizler
thank you for ligthing up the
the most complicated corners of the parasha every week
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critique

Thursday, Jun 11 2009 - י"ט סיון תשס"ט
Wondering
Do you ever get negative critique? And if yes, would you post it?
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To Wondering

Friday, Jun 12 2009 - כ' סיון תשס"ט
Admin
Our policy is to post all comments, as long as they are written in a respectful way.
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Question

Friday, Jun 12 2009 - כ' סיון תשס"ט
Nechemyah
My question is on the shiyur. Listened twice now… What I am not clear about is why in this weeks parshah does Moshe Rabeinu finally hit the roof? In the previous complaints it was also about food? Is the point that he finally just “had enough already?”
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To Nechemyah

Friday, Jun 12 2009 - כ' סיון תשס"ט
Admin
Before they did not have the tremendous revelation, geluiom, of matan torah and the mishkan, so he could tolerate it. But now after all the geluim.... all the revelations, and still no movement!
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Thank you Mr. Schottenstein

Friday, Jun 12 2009 - כ' סיון תשס"ט
George
I want to express my sincere appreciation to David B. Schottenstein for making this most amazing Torah class in the world happen each week, literally inspiring and infusing tens of thousands each week. Each one of the thousands who hears these classes gives them over to at least 10 people. I know many a rabbi who use this for their weekly classes. This may be the most popular class in the world each week and I salute the Rabbi, his team and Mr. Schootenstein for this vision, passion and resolve.
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I will splash cold water on my face and remember...!

Friday, Jun 12 2009 - כ' סיון תשס"ט
Eliyahu Benz
Thank you Rabbi Jacobson and thank you David Schottenstein and family for this wonderful talk. As someone in a northeastern Canadian desert, where the community does not organize proper farbrengens, this year even Gimmel Tammuz has been overlooked, your classes keep the neshama alive. May you have lots of hatzlacha and always make your plane ! Amazing Inspiring and great! Shabbat Shalom! I will splash cold water on my face and remember...!

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I Loved

Sunday, Jun 14 2009 - כ"ב סיון תשס"ט
Pinchas
I very much enjoyed it. Loved the idea and its most relevant message. A groyse yshar koach for the continued inspiration and enrichment.
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The video is painful to watch

Sunday, Jun 14 2009 - כ"ב סיון תשס"ט
Kayla
To Rabbi Jacobson, Shlita

I have written about this before. I am a HUGE fan! I'd love to watch these lectures. But I find it painful to watch because it keeps stopping and a circular thing appears across your face and the video stops and starts again.

It's gotten much better, but I know you can do better than that and make it play normally.

PLEASE!
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We Love

Tuesday, Jun 23 2009 - א' תמוז תשס"ט
Chaim Boyarsky
I watch your classes with a bunch of students, and as you said in your last class always give feedback, event to people who are very successful.

WE LOVE your classes.

I would like to sponsor one in the near future IYH>

Thanks

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Impact on my life

Tuesday, May 25 2010 - י"ב סיון תש"ע
Yakov
Rabbi Jacobson yes you impacted my life in a very positive way :-).

I had your shiur besides the shiurim on tanya on chassidus.com

Thank you
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Thanks for reminding us that we can make adifference

Wednesday, May 26 2010 - י"ג סיון תש"ע
Yehoshua
Rabbi Jacobson,
I wanted to thank you for your timely and inspirational lesson. I am a first time viewer and I really enjoyed the lecture. The professionalism displayed was extremely high quality. From the clearly formatted curriculum to the sources appearing on the screen, it was self evident that everything was done to ensure that the presentation would be as palatable as possible.

Your passion for teaching Torah stands out and is empowering. I will try to spread the word about this wonderful site to both my observant friends and the 'not yet' observant ones.

A very big Thank You to David Schottenstein for supporting this wonderful enterprise and allowing hundreds of ordinary Jews like me to be inspired and empowered.

I would also like to express my gratitude & appreciation to the wonderful producers:
Yanki Teitelbaum and Choni Morosow; project manager: Leah Loxsen; the curriculum creator: Rabbi Avi Shlomo

May G-d send both Mr. Schottenstein, Rabbi Jacobson & the entire staff much continued blessing & success.
Sincerely,
Yehoshua
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feedback

Wednesday, May 26 2010 - י"ג סיון תש"ע
australian mother
thank you for the class.i really enjoy your classes. i think you are the best speaker in lubavitch. I first attended some of your shiurim in 770 at the end of 2000 when i was visiting NY, and im so happy to be able to hear them all the way in australia.
i want to let you know that since last week when you spoke about not paying attention to foreign thoughts in davening, i have been much more focused and concentrating on my davening - what i started doing since the class is that whenever im thinking about something else and notice, i immediately refocus back on the words and stop myself from thinking more about whatever it was that came to mind.
ps. i notice you have been quite successful in inspiring listeners to give feedback, there are much more comments than usual! good shabbos
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toda raba mi kol halev

Thursday, May 27 2010 - י"ד סיון תש"ע
nechama
from cape town sa
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Freud

Monday, Jun 13 2011 - י"א סיון תשע"א
Sam C
Regardless if the source and origin of this rumor has been substantiated or not: The Rashab actually helped Freud develope theories he has later transcribed and printed in a essay titled Mourning and Melancholy in 1917.

Talmud in Nedarim relates that the Torah was Given to Moshe the second time solely for him and his descendants, and he shared it with Bnei Yisroel.

I am certain that Moshe Rabbeinu had you Rabbi Jacobson in mind as a teacher in the future to teach and impart inspiration and touch many lives.

May you have ample continued success and bask in the light of Moshe Rabbeinus Shadow.
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Re: Freud

Monday, Jun 13 2011 - י"א סיון תשע"א
Rabbi YY Jacobson
Thank you Sam. I am wondering how do you know that the idea of the 1917 essay were inspired in any part by the Rebbe Rashab?
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Freud

Monday, Jun 13 2011 - י"א סיון תשע"א
Sam c
This site points fingers in that direction

http://www.jhberke.com/articles/Freud_Lub_Rebbe.html
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Re: Freud

Monday, Jun 13 2011 - י"א סיון תשע"א
Rabbi YY Jacobson
I read that paper and I have high regard for its author. But I found all of the speculations proposed therein completely unsubstantiated.
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Freud

Monday, Jun 13 2011 - י"א סיון תשע"א
Sam c
Well then, back to square one, Freuds best accomplishments only posed the identifications of the maladies and neuro-emotional epedemics that lay embedded in the human physche, lacking of course any solution and antidote to overcome and abolish our greatest inner demons.
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