Jewish Psychology College Offers Deep Self-Understanding Through Chassidic Teachings
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The "Torat HaNefesh" college is concluding registration for its 20th year, offering Jewish psychology studies rooted in Chassidic teachings. Founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, the program aims to help individuals confront life's challenges and understand themselves more deeply. Lecturer Rabbi Noam Shapira highlights the approach of growing from crises, while alumna Valerie Vides describes profound personal transformation. The curriculum integrates Torah sources with practical workshops, with branches in several Israeli cities and online options.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The "Torat HaNefesh" college offers Jewish psychology studies based on Chassidic teachings.
- Registration is closing for the 20th year of the college, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh.
- The program teaches individuals to confront life's challenges and grow from crises.
- Alumna Valerie Vides reported a fundamental change in her life perspective.
- The college emphasizes that all necessary psychological tools are found within Jewish sources.
- Branches are located in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Beit El, and Pardes Hanna-Karkur, with online options.
The "Torat HaNefesh" college, founded by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, is concluding registration for its 20th year, offering a unique approach to personal growth by integrating Chassidic depth with practical self-work. The college focuses on addressing life's challenges, fears, and personal weaknesses through the lens of Jewish psychology, aiming to connect individuals with their divine mission.
Rabbi Noam Shapira, a lecturer at the college and its former director for over 15 years, emphasizes that life is full of difficulties, but the goal is to learn to stand within these challenges and grow from them. He explains that perceived shortcomings are actually mirrors reflecting our divine purpose, urging students to stop running from problems and instead understand them as opportunities for self-discovery.
The college's philosophy, established by Rabbi Ginsburgh, posits that all necessary tools for psychological work are inherent in Jewish mysticism and Chassidism, negating the need to adopt external psychological approaches. Rabbi Shapira illustrates this with the example of a psychologist who, after suffering a deep hurt from her husband, found a new perspective through a lecture from the college. This perspective suggested that perhaps God presented the challenge, and her reaction was linked to her ego management, a concept absent in conventional psychology.
Alumna Valerie Vides attests to the transformative power of the college's teachings, stating that it led to profound personal change rather than just providing coping tools. She describes it as a "deep treatment" that altered her entire life perspective, influencing her family and all aspects of her life, unlike previous superficial methods she had encountered.
The curriculum, based on Torah sources, includes a year of Jewish psychology studies following the path of the Baal Shem Tov. It explores the structure of the soul, thought patterns, and coping mechanisms for fears and crises, integrating Chassidic teachings with practical workshops and personal exercises. The college also offers online Zoom courses and has branches in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Rehovot, Beit El, and Pardes Hanna-Karkur, with instructors like Rabbi Nir Manusi and Naama Manusi leading the northern branch.