Disagree strongly. This maaneh was to specific people regarding a very specific context, and not the Rebbe’s “shitah on therapy” overall.

According to your reasoning:

1. If its not the Tanya’s business to serve you cholent, why does it suddenly become busy with solving your depression?

2. You explain why sadness is addressed because it stands in the way of serving Hashem with joy. Can you name me one mental health challenge that doesnt stand in the way of Avodas Hashem?

Beautifully expressed, thank you!

Thank you for your insightful comment.
There are many things the Rambam and the Alter Rebbe have in common, as noted by the Rebbe, but there are also differences.
The Rambam was a skilled and well known doctor, whose medical works are still read today. In his Mishneh Torah, as a doctor, he writes at length how to be a healthy person, covering a myriad of areas of a person’s life, both physically and emotionally. The Alter Rebbe in Tanya focuses on one: happiness. Or, the absence of depression.
Why?
The Alter is not writing Tanya as a doctor. He is presenting a path in Divine service. Emotional problems are relevant vis-à-vis they disturb that singular goal.
It is noteworthy that the Alter Rebbe doesn’t stop with “ירע לבבו ויהיה עצב”. He adds “ולא יוכל לעבוד ה’ בשמחה ובטוב לבב”. Why?
Serving Hashem with joy is a clear requirement. מקרא מלא דיבר הכתוב. The only reason the Alter Rebbe mentions depression is because it interferes with the singular goal of serving G-d.
Later, the Alter Rebbe emphasizes this further, with the moshul of the two people who are wrestling. The only way to be victorious in the struggle against the nefesh habehamis is with zrizus, which comes from joy. Sadness stands in direct opposition to avoda, and therefore must be targeted.
A critical mental health point that the Alter Rebbe is careful to point out is that it’s okay to be human. A person can be sincerely and earnestly pursing the path in Divine service that the Alter Rebbe prescribes, and still be troubled by distracting thoughts during davening. The Alter Rebbe writes that a person can’t let himself be discouraged by this. It is not a sign of failure, it is just a fact of life for anyone who is not a tzaddik. It shouldn’t be dwelled on, it should be pushed away.
Again, the reason why the Alter Rebbe clarifies a point of identity is so that it doesn’t disturb a person from his avoda, or make him abandon it entirely ch”v.

This is not a cold, intellectual reading of Tanya. Many people suffer from health challenges. Many people struggle to put food on their shabbos table. A person is not supposed to put his hand into the Tanya and take out cholent. This is not because the Alter Rebbe doesn’t care about you; in the introduction, as explained by the Rebbe, he wrote Tanya with you in mind. It’s just that that is not the problem that he’s solving with this sefer.

I encourage you, and everyone, to continue studying Tanya deeply. It is a never ending wellspring.

All the best,
— Yehuda Ringler

Lessons in Tanya translates it into “a privy of filth”. No one knows what a privy is. And filth takes away the whole punch of the moshol.

It hits home better when you translate it correctly. Also, imagine the smell.

No one is saying that being happy is not important. Just like you need to eat and sleep well. But Chassidus is much more than that. It’s about connecting to Hashem.

Of course that too will uplift you, but it’s not about you – it’s about Hashem!

How do you know whether you’re lifting up the prince or burying the king’s head in filth (as the Alter Rebbe himself writes)?
Not every intersection of Torah and lowliness is good. It depends who is serving who…
Check carefully and be honest!

What I will point out is how the author blatantly jumps to Shaar Hayichud V’haEmunah for his opening source, while completely ignoring the beginning of Tanya itself which starts off with the very question of self-identity (A question that doesn’t belong in Chassidus altogether, let alone for it to be the opening discussion of Tanya).

“אם יהי’ בעיניו כרשע ירע לבבו ויהי’ עצב ולא יוכל לעבוד ה’ בשמחה ובטוב לבב”

Who cares about what you’re feeling, You think Hashem has to deal with your anxiety or feelings of inadequacy? Let me tell you about Achdus Hashem, pull out a Samach Vav and start learning!

The Alter Rebbe clearly rejected this approach.

Learn Samach Vav, learn Ranat, learn Tanya, but if you’re going to learn Tanya again please start from the beginning this time.

I wish everyone who reads this, the ability to recognize the relevance Chassidus can have to your life, and if you haven’t merited this gift yet, don’t be deterred, don’t stop learning as we are taught that “Hamaor Sheba Machziro Lemutav” learning Chassidus will put you in a better place in every sense of the matter; spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.

And —
Could we find more simcha, chayus. Menuchas hanefesh and healthier relationships by learning chassidus?
Yes.

Because that’s part of avodas Hashem.

In a totally different discussion there are many practicing psychiatrists and doctors who found chasidus to be very capable where psychiatry and psychology hit a wall.
Obviously Chasidus is way more however it is not incapable when the alter Rebbe clearly says it is meant for those who are confused

Since we should spread the awareness of Hashem everywhere we should also use Chassidus to serve ourself?!

There is a simple distinction here between serving Hashem and serving your own needs (even if those needs are indeed valid). Why is that so difficult to understand?

Chassidus is about Hashem. If you are using Chassidus for your own needs, it’s a nice chochmo, but it’s not Chassidus.

If your argument for breathwork, or DBT, or emotion code, or 12 steps, or any other modality is “look it’s in Chassidus!” then you don’t have Chassidus and you don’t recognize the limitations of the chosen modality.

If you’re using therapy for physical healing, and Chassidus to strengthen your mind and heart, you’re good. When you claim you have Chassidus because you have the therapy du jour, you stop recognizing its limitations and develop a hashkafa that is antithetical to Yiddishkeit and Chassidus.

There is so much opposition to healing because people feel like if one accepts the value of healing that insinuates that chassidus is not good enough, when they are two entirely different things.

אין הכוונה שילמדו קבלה או חסידות או תורה בכלל, כ”א אך ורק שילמדו איך שע”י התבוננות ומח’ חזקה וכיו”ב — הכשרים ומותרים ע”פ שו”ע — אפשר לבוא למנוחת הנפש וכיו”ב.

ובעיקר למנוחת הנפש דהא נפש דאלה חשסר זה אצלם באופן חריף, ע”י דאגות במסחר, בשלום בית, בבריאות וכיו”ב.

ולכן לא ילמדו קבלה וסודות התורה וזוהר וכיו”ב בסעאנסן שלהם,

ז. א. מטרתם כרופאים (ולא כמלמדי תורה) — ותפקיד עיקרי
Preventive.
_______________

My understanding:

There’s torah, and there’s medicine. Therapy and self help etc. would fit into the category of medicine – not Torah.

There’s no doubt that Chassidus can uplift you in a way that nothing else can. And the warm energy of Chassidus can heal in a way that nothing else can.

But… It must be Chassidus. If you turn into another therapy modality, it’s no longer Chassidus – and it won’t accomplish those things. Chassidus is inherently a G-dly understanding and it must remain that.

The article is not about whether you should do therapy or not (that’s a separate discussion and it’s case by case).

The point of this article is that Chassidus is much more than a self-serving therapy. We have many needs, but Chassidus is not here to serve us.

Of course, when you rise higher, you will need less. But that’s a side effect, not what Chassidus is about.

If it was some yuppy neighbor raving about one of those modalities, it’s one thing,

However when a fellow lubavitcher gets all caught up in a fad, it’s a sad thing.

We all have expectations from someone growing up in the wings of the Rebbe,
And when it seems that they are caught up in narishkeit, it brakes our heart

Pokeiach Ivrim was written for an alcohol addict-would be interested if you would be able to write here a source.

Thanks!

The Rebbe referred mental health issues to mental health professionals. But if you aren’t also taking steps towards incorporating more Yiddishkeit and more Chassidus into your life, don’t fool yourself that you are following the Rebbe’s guidelines. If you look at the Rebbe’s letters, you will always see a two-pronged approach.