{"id":63301,"date":"2019-09-22T18:41:13","date_gmt":"2019-09-22T15:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=63301"},"modified":"2023-04-16T10:01:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-16T07:01:49","slug":"the-prophet-elisha-and-positive-psychology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-prophet-elisha-and-positive-psychology\/","title":{"rendered":"The Prophet Elisha And Positive Psychology"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[498,931,386],"acf":{"old_id":"63301","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":58418,"related_cahpter":"313","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Word for word, Elisha offers the widow spiritual healing, and a path to abundance","content":"

I am especially taken by today\u2019s chapter, because of the principles of positive psychology it contains. These were pointed out to me by Rachel Ettun, a family therapist and spiritual caregiver, founder of Haverut and a facilitator at Kolot \u2013 a pluralistic Beit Midrash for the study of Judaism.<\/span><\/p>\n

By definition, any kind of therapy is based on: presence, empathic listening, identifying the source of the pain, empowering the client and recruiting them to help themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

All these elements are concentrated in just four verses:<\/span><\/p>\n

A certain woman, the wife of one of the disciples of the prophets, cried out to Elisha: \u201cYour servant my husband is dead, and you know how your servant revered the LORD. And now a creditor is coming to seize my two children as slaves.\u201d Elisha said to her, \u201cWhat can I do for you? Tell me, what have you in the house?\u201d She replied, \u201cYour maidservant has nothing at all in the house, except a jug of oil.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cGo,\u201d he said, \u201cand borrow vessels outside, from all your neighbors, empty vessels, as many as you can. Then go in and shut the door behind you and your children, and pour [oil] into all those vessels, removing each one as it is filled.\u201d (II Kings, 4:1-4)<\/span><\/p>\n

A wife of one of the disciples of the prophets had become widowed, and because of extreme financial hardship, her children were in danger of being taken to slavery. In her distress, she calls out for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

Elisha asks:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>What\u201d \u2013 <\/b>What are you asking and crying out about?<\/span><\/p>\n

Not every painful issue becomes a cry for help. A person cries out when one difficulty is compounded with others giving rise to existential questions. Her husband had been a God-fearing person so, over and above the emotional and financial issues, there is a cry for help on a theological level of why righteous people suffer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Can I do\u201d \u2013 <\/b>The prophet promises not only to speak, but to be active.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor you\u201d <\/b>\u2013 the client is you. Not your sons and not the creditors. I am seeing you.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me, what have you\u201d<\/b> \u2013 in terms of positive psychology, Elisha diverts the therapy focus from what is missing to what there is, to the strong points.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt home\u201d<\/b> \u2013 The solution will be found in your home: in the physical building, in your family, your heart or your soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

A miracle then occurs. From her position of \u201c<\/span>I have nothing\u201d<\/b>, she discovers the <\/span>\u201coil\u201d<\/b> which symbolizes warmth, creation, anointing, holiness and even destruction. And in psychological terms – a potential waiting to be realized.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the potential – the basis for functioning and growth will be found, then\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cborrow vessels from outside\u201d <\/b>\u2013 share your difficulties with others and you will receive <\/span>\u201cvessels\u201d <\/b>\u2013 advice and \u201c<\/span>empty\u201d<\/b> \u2013 containment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And then \u2013 look inwards, and with your sons, <\/span>\u201cremoving each one as it is filled\u201d \u2013 <\/b>you will find abundance within yourself and will be able to help others.<\/span><\/p>\n

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