Imagine there was a pill that could decrease rates of severe depression and high-risk behaviors in children or adolescents by 30 or 40%?
Could you imagine the line of parents waiting to get it?
This was the opening of one of my favorite talks last weekend at the Jewish National Retreat in Florida. Surprisingly, this inspirational lecture came not from a Rabbi or Rebbetzin, but a psychologist and noted professor at Columbia University.
Dr Lisa Miller is an expert on the relationship spirituality plays in a child’s resilience, physical and mental health, and healing. In her powerful lecture, she brought MRI studies that show specific circuits in the brain associated with spiritual awareness. These grow stronger and thickens when we tap into our innate, spiritual core such that a person feels loved, held and guided, and never alone. (You can learn more about this in her book "The Awakened Brain.)
She lamented a society in which a child's confidence and identity comes from things like academic or sports achievement as opposed to the inherent self worth that comes from knowing you matter to G-d. And she powerfully illustrated how one of the strongest battles against the mental health crisis amongst youth today is spiritualty that blossoms when one cultivates a personal relationship with G-d.
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My mind immediately thought of this verse in the Parsha:
Man cannot live by bread alone but by all that proceeds from the mouth of G-d. (Eikev 8:3)
There are fascinating mystical interpretations of this verse, but the simple meaning might just be the most powerful:
The human spirit is such that we crave more than bread. Human beings will never satisfied with money or materialism alone.
And since man cannot live on bread alone, we will either fill that extra space with real meaning - a relationship with our Creator that includes Mitzvot to others, or we will sadly look for unhealthy substitutes to that meaning…
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Has there ever been a time in history where this has been so obvious?
We live in an era of complete opposites. For the most part, the standard of living is BH better than at any point in history. We have luxuries that our grandparents could not have even dreamed about.
And yet, it is very painful to watch so many struggling today with confusion, sadness, and anxiety.
To be clear, mental health is a complex and sensitive issue. There are many, different factors in this terrible crisis facing our country today.
But we Jews should know that:
- Thousands of years of Torah teachings provide incredible wisdom towards happier living.
- Being part of a community, attending a Shul regularly, etc is not only good for your soul, but also for your mind and body!
- One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is a solid traditional Jewish education founded upon Torah faith and a personal relationship with Hashem.
It’s never too late to start exercising this part of our brain. And what better time to plan for the year ahead than now as we begin the 40 days countdown to Rosh Hashana…