The Biblical Path to Psychological Maturity: Psychological Insights into the Weekly Torah Readings - Couverture souple

Skolnick Ph.D., Vivian B.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0692024530 ISBN 13 : 9780692024539

Editeur : Kodesh Press, 2014

Synopsis

The Biblical Path to Psychological Maturity is a groundbreaking fusion of Torah commentary and modern psychoanalytic theory, offering deep psychological insights into the weekly Torah portions (parshiyot) from Genesis to Deuteronomy. Written by Vivian B. Skolnick, Ph.D., a practicing psychoanalyst and observant Jewish woman, this book reveals how the spiritual and emotional struggles of our biblical ancestors mirror the timeless human journey toward emotional growth, spiritual development, and psychological maturity.

Each chapter pairs a concise summary of the weekly parsha with original psychoanalytic commentary. Drawing from decades of clinical experience, Dr. Skolnick brings a unique lens to stories like Adam and Eve’s fall, Cain and Abel’s rivalry, Abraham’s courage, Sarah’s grief, Jacob’s individuation, and Moses’ leadership transformation. Biblical characters are treated not only as spiritual archetypes but as psychological models whose inner conflicts—narcissism, trauma, family dynamics, moral growth—continue to play out in our lives today.

Dr. Skolnick engages classic Jewish sources—Midrash, Rashi, Rambam—as well as modern psychological authorities like Freud, Kohut, and Ana-Maria Rizzuto, to map out a Torah-based developmental path from infancy (Garden of Eden) to adulthood (entry into the Promised Land). Her commentary addresses issues like boundaries in relationships, parent-child conflict, identity formation, and spiritual individuation, offering therapeutic tools grounded in sacred text.

Perfect for:

• Therapists, educators, and clergy seeking Torah-based psychological tools

• Torah learners who want deeper meaning in weekly parsha study

• Jewish professionals integrating faith and psychology

• Readers of Erich Fromm, Viktor Frankl, or Jonathan Haidt

• Individuals exploring the connection between Judaism and mental health

The Biblical Path to Psychological Maturity will deepen your understanding of both sacred text and self. Week by week, Dr. Skolnick shows how the Torah’s timeless stories reflect the human struggle for meaning, healing, and personal growth. This compelling work is not just a Torah commentary—it is a guide for anyone on the journey toward inner wholeness, ethical living, and spiritual maturity through the lens of Jewish tradition and psychological insight.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

As an observant woman psychoanalyst—an anomaly to both my Orthodox friends and psychoanalyst colleagues—I have attempted to apply the fruits of my professional training in revealing the psycho-dynamic underpinnings of Biblical events and figures. The synagogue’s cycle of weekly Sabbath Torah readings provides a practical framework for the examination of the psychological issues experienced by Torah figures. Beginning with the book of Genesis, one finds fertile ground for psychoanalytic explication. Adam and Eve are portrayed as beset by unrestrained narcissistic desires typical of young children. Matters of good and evil are a foreign realm to them; they are being driven by the need for instant gratification. In succeeding chapters, from that of Cain and Abel, through the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs in the book of Genesis, and through the life of Moses concluding with the book of Deuteronomy, we see a pattern of gradual development of human potential moving toward maturity.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Kodesh Press
• Date d'édition: 2014
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0692024530
• ISBN 13: 9780692024539
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 266
• Coordonnées du fabricant: Manufactured by Amazon on behalf of the author; https://www.amazon.fr/hz/contact-us; ; c/o Amazon Media EU S.à.r.l., 38 Avenue John F. Kennedy; Luxembourg; L-1855; Luxembourg