Rabbi's Musings

What Does Judaism Say About Psychoanalysis?

So, I have been reading this new book, Genius & Anxiety: How Jews Changed the World, 1847-1947, by Norman Lebrecht, and, among many other famous Jews, Sigmund Freud is featured. He was a genius and he thought a lot about anxiety. He was such an important teacher that many of his disciples considered him their “rabbi”. But is psychoanalysis Jewish? Or is there at least a connection between it and Judaism?

As a rabbi I was exposed in my training to counseling theory and technique, and I offer such therapeutic sessions when called for on a very limited basis. Of course, I refer people to trained professionals when needed. Unlike therapists, I can be more open in offering moral opinions. I can also urge those who need assistance to find it and support them on their path.

Are there parallels between psychoanalytic theories and Jewish teachings? While Freud did not study Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah, there are noted similarities between his theories and how the Kabbalah understands diverse personality traits of individuals (and God?). There is also the similarity in Freud’s conception of the id vs the super ego and the ancient rabbis’ understanding of our evil and good urges.

Freud famously though of religion as neurotic but this does not mean his view of human awareness and the choices we make is not reflected in Jewish thought. I would like to think that, had he lived a hundred years later, perhaps, Freud would have discovered a religious faith that spoke to him. I am grateful for the ways his theories have helped me become a better rabbi and, paradoxically, a more enlightened Jew.