God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction

by Shais Taub

God of Our Understanding is a frank and penetrating look at the underlying spiritual dynamics of addiction and its treatment through Twelve-Step programs. Rabbi Shais Taub, a world renowned expert in Jewish mysticism as well as a mentor to many thousands of addicts, draws from his unique background to thoroughly address many of the concerns raised by Jewish addicts in recovery while also using Jewish knowledge to enrich the understanding of the spiritual principles of recovery for addicts of all faiths.

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction, Self Help, Jewish, Addiction, Spirituality

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 2, 2010

About the author

Rabbi Shais Taub is a popular scholar and teacher of Jewish mysticism whose contributions to Jewish recovery include authoring the bestselling book, God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction which was lauded by Jewish recovery pioneer, Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski.

National Public Radio dubbed Rabbi Taub "an expert in Jewish mysticism and the Twelve Steps" for his work with the Jewish recovery community in Milwaukee where he lived for six years. He currently directs Conscious Contact, a program providing meetings for Jewish prayer, meditation and study at the Aleph Institute NE in Pittsburgh where he now lives with his wife and children.

He was recently selected to deliver the keynote address "God and Recovery" at the First Annual Conference on the Evolution of Addiction Treatment in Los Angeles, CA.

Reviews

[Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction
by Rabbi Shais Taub

I found it particularly odd to be drawn to this book. I am not Jewish—mostly agnostic with atheist leanings. Nor am I an addict—at least not in the common use of the term.

In the introductory chapter, Rabbi Shais Taub acknowledges the book's limited appeal. "Is [it] a book about addiction for Jews or a book about Judaism for addicts? Either way it has a highly 'selective' audience—what one might call a 'niche of niche' in terms of marketing."

Listening to a CBC radio interview with Rabbi Taub, I had an ah-ha moment. This prompted me to read the book and to explore a different meaning and purpose than perhaps the author intended. And on that front the book did not disappoint.

While the specific ah-ha insight might only make sense to me, like an addict, I can't stop myself from indulging in it and offering some to you. Do you want another line too?

Gabor Maté is a Hungarian-born Canadian physician who specializes in the study and treatment of addiction. He has authored several books including, "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts" and he argues that everyone has an addiction—some are just more harmful than others.

If we think in terms of Maté's wider perspective of addiction, and then go a bit further by applying it beyond the individual to the collective, we might end up asking: What are we collectively addicted too?

I silently sing Robert Palmer's song, "Addicted to Love" and substitute Palmer's lyrics with words spoken by George W. Bush:

The lights are on, but you're not home
Your mind is not your own ...
You see the signs, but you can't read
You're runnin' at a different speed

You like to think you're immune to the stuff, oh yeah
It's closer to the truth to say you can't get enough
You know you're going to have to face it, you're ADDICTED TO OIL

Addiction to drugs, addiction to oil, is there really that big a difference?

"For an addict his or her choice of drug [oil - my substitution] is not a problem but a solution. If it were their problem they would eventually give it up. But because it is their solution—a matter of fact their only solution—they haven't any real choice of going without it." - Rabbi Taub.

Out of addiction often comes codependency. Consumerism and unfettered capitalism are codependent on oil. From my perspective, if humanity doesn't come out of it's addiction to oil, along with its associated codependencies, Neil Young's lyrics , "Every junkie's like a setting sun ... " will be all too prolific.

For some, hitting bottom can mean a premature death. For others it's the moment when they face the truth—the first necessary step to sobriety. Often I find myself contemplating what it might look like if humanity hits its collective bottom.

Must it come to that? And if not, what are the necessary steps required to avoid it?

"Hi, our name is mankind and we're addicts. We admit we are powerless over our addictions—that our lives have become unmanageable."

I'm not suggesting that the 12 Step Program, which was designed to help individual addicts get and stay clean, be adapted and then applied, wholesale, as a means to help humanity deal with its many addictions, such as fossil fuel use, consumerism, war/violence, poverty, etcetera. And yet it shouldn't be ignored either.

Step 12:

"Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to [addicts] (my substitution), and to practice these principles in all our affairs."

We are all addicts. I have come to believe that if we are to avoid hitting bottom, we must sequester our personal and collective addictions by shifting the human heart and consciousness.

Bravo Rabbi Taub for working towards such a shift.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really insightful take on the 12-Steps of AA that meaningfully incorporates many different areas of Jewish thought (though focused on drawing from Chasidic scholarship, but with things naturally applicable across different Judaisms). It also has helpful sections on codependence and the family of the addict.

I found Taub’s writings in general, but especially regarding powerlessness, surrender, and Step 4, to be instrumental in my development of my own approach to my step process/my recovery. It all meshes and/or productively disagrees with both the standard AA approaches and my sponsor’s own take, rooted in Buddhist traditions.

There was little I’d “leave” behind, but I encourage Jews and non-Jews alike to give this one a try; “take what you like and leave the rest”.

[Nechama · Rating 2 out of 5]

just okay

[Stephen Manos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabbi Taub walks through the Steps with ideas that open doors to news not lookunderstanding for me. I did not look forward to reading this, thinking I'd not learn much new as I already have a relationship with a Higher Power. Thankfully I adopted humility and an open mind. He weaves in Jewish texts which I appreciate.

[Frumma Rosenberg-Gottlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is very real and at the same time intellectual and insightful. I love his story about giving everything to G-d

[Aaron Wertlieb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long and tedious. Sounds like he is writing this not of his own experience, but of others. There was some good bits of the history. I did not finish it. Could not keep my attention.

[j j]

Meh.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated in particular the chapters near the end that dealt with codependency and the addict.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

very well written. liked it a lot.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11779825