While meditation offers definite therapeutic benefits for those seeking relief from stress, contemporary meditational courses incorporate practices that border on idolatry. An acceptable alternative is a clinical, value-free meditational technique devoid of and religious associations.
Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers (Bereishis 47:3)
You shall not bow down to them or serve them (Shemos 20:5)
He shall surely heal him: From this we learn that permission has been given to the physician to heal. (Berachos 60a)
The so-called meditation movement has become remarkably popular. There are any number of courses offered in meditation, and millions of people over the world are taking them, with Jews of all ages liberally numbered among its adherents. Eretz Yisrael is not exempt, and it too has many flourishing meditation groups.
The beginning of "meditation" is usually innocuous, a means of relief from the strain and tension of everyday life. People live under constant pressure, endlessly competing with others in work and society. It is a cliche that life has become increasingly complex, but cliches often contain a great deal of truth. It is increasingly more difficult to cope with pressures and worries, and mental health suffers as a result.
Meditation is offered as a way to cope with such stress. The opportunity to withdraw, at least for a while, from the tumult and clamor of everyday life has definite benefits. The mind is rejuvenated, the soul refreshed, nerves calmed, and in general, one is at peace -- with oneself and the environment. Fortified by sessions of meditation, people have found they are able to face the tensions of the world with increased success.
Judaism does not frown upon the practice of meditation. It can even be a positive force in one’s spiritual growth. Meditating on G-d’s greatness and kindness for example, brings a person to more devoted service to G-d. Thus our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, were shepherds, finding the accompanying solitude conducive to contemplation and communion with G-d. With such a definite goal in mind, and set within proper limits, meditation can help strengthen the bond between man and his Creator.
The main use of meditation today, however, is more therapeutic than as a means to come closer to G-d; to gain peace of mind rather than commune with the Divine. Again, Judaism is not adverse to this. It is almost axiomatic in Jewish teaching that the health of the soul and physical health are interdependent. The body and mind are not to be mistreated, and if meditation can heal the physical, then by all means it should be used.
But, and this is a serious word of caution, popular forms of meditation today are not limited to that. Meditational techniques as commonly practiced today are adopted mainly from Eastern practices, and they carry with them many of the rites peculiar to Eastern faiths. In the East, meditation is not regarded as just a therapeutic device. It is an integral part of religious practice (notably in Hinduism and Buddhism), and many of the ceremonies associated with it are religiously inspired. The uses of incense and bowing for example, that are present in many meditational disciplines, are not dispensable appendages but form an intrinsic part of these religions and their associated meditational practices.
Even more striking is the association of meditation with particular cults and gurus. It is not unusual to find adoration for the guru and homage to him as normal routine of a cult. It would be difficult to maintain in such cases that these are trivial appendages to the primary aim of meditation.
Such practices are emphatically prohibited by Jewish law. They are either simple avodah zarah, idolatry, or derivatives of it, either way clearly forbidden. Adoration of a guru comes dangerously close to idolatry, while practices such as the chanting of mantras and offering of incense, flowers, or fruits to an idol or picture, are definitely derivatives of idol worship. While perhaps the person performing such rites does not intend them to be idolatrous, it makes no difference. They are intimately connected with religious beliefs, and cannot be disassociated from them. All claims to the contrary, that various meditational techniques are free of religious associations, are simply incorrect. These practices stem directly from Eastern religions with all there overtones of idol worship. Needless to say, it is a violation of Judaism’s principal tenet of belief in one G-d.
Does this mean that Jews must renounce any form of meditation? Not at all. The objection is not to meditation per se, but to the religious trappings which invariably accompany contemporary meditational techniques. Should a Jew consider himself in need of the benefits that can be acquired through meditation, he is free to avail himself of it, with a vital proviso we shall discuss in a moment. Judaism requires a healthy body and mind, and if everyday living is too full of stress and strain, then he may turn to meditation as an acceptable solution.
It is necessary to insert a stipulation at this point. Even without any of its alien religious trappings, meditation is not to be used indiscriminately. It is undoubtedly useful for those who wish to relax and rejuvenate themselves. In such cases it is regarded as ‘medicine’ to heal one’s battered spirit. But it is a different matter for healthy, non-stressed people. Man, Judaism teaches, is made for work, to achieve, to build and be productive. Except when used specifically in one’s service of G-d (contemplation of G-d’s greatness etc.) -- and then within definite limits -- withdrawal and isolation from life has no place in Jewish thought. One must constantly seek to influence one’s environment, and withdrawing into a life of meditation is to defeat that goal. Meditation is only for those who find themselves unable to cope with their situations, and then it has a definite therapeutic value.
How can meditation be practiced in an acceptable manner? If contemporary meditational practices are prohibited because of their association with
avodah zarah, what should take their place? A logical corollary is a meditational technique completely stripped of all religious associations, and directed to one goal -- relieving tensions. It should be incorporated as another tool in the repertoire of the mental health field.
There are many branches of medicine which deal with the mental health of patients. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts occupy important positions in healing. Mental health professionals do not commonly use meditation as a tool for treating their patients. Obviously, the mental problems of some patients are far more complex, and require greater assistance than mere reduction of stress. But many could be helped in no small measure through the benefits accruing from meditation. Many patients of mental health professionals are not ‘sick’ in the accepted sense, and meditation can be a valuable help for them. For those whose only need is relief from stress and tension, to learn how to cope with everyday life, value-free meditation can be of great benefit .
The alarming rise in cults demands strong immediate action. Medical professionals must develop meditational techniques that are value-free and can be used by all in need, as a valuable adjunct to their tools of healing. Besides the great benefit for their patients’ mental health, it is a sacred duty to prevent people from falling into idolatrous practices.
It must be emphasized again that such meditation should not be associated with any religious practices. It is the doctor’s calling to help the patient get well, and his interest lies only in the mitzvah of healing. While a Jew can use meditation in furthering his Divine service, this should not be the goal of medical professionals when treating stress and tension related problems. They must help those who come to them with clinical, value-free methods of meditation and relaxation, to promote a mentally healthy life style. Their work should be a purely medical alternative to current meditation.
With training, mental health professionals can acquire knowledge in clinical meditational techniques. Using their professional knowledge, they can develop a value-free method of meditation, totally devoid of any Eastern, cultic, or guru techniques, and an effective alternative to current meditational courses. Indeed, so important is this subject that these professionals should not be content with treating only their immediate patients. The idea that a value-free meditational course exists and is available must be publicized and disseminated. People in need should know that there are alternatives, and they can get the benefits of meditation without recourse to those associated with alien religions.
Adapted from an address given on 13th Tammuz, 5739
