Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski ZTL

Rabbi Twerski had an outstanding medical career, including founding and serving as the medical director emeritus of Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh. He also served as the clinical director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine, and the founder of the Shaar Hatikvah rehabilitation center for prisoners in Israel. Rabbi Twerski had a distinguished Rabbinic career as a prolific writer of Jewish books and lecturer on Torah topics. He was co-spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Jehudah alongside his father until 1959. During this time, he composed a popular melody for the Hebrew verse Psalms 28:9, known as "Hoshea es Amecha." Rabbi Twerski's clinical career was dedicated to alcoholism and addiction, but his impactful writing extended far beyond. His work explored self-improvement, ethical behavior, the fusion of mussar (Jewish ethics and morality movement), the Twelve-Step Program, and ideas from clinical psychology. He was not only drawn to the pragmatism of the Twelve Steps but also captivated by its effectiveness. Unlike conventional psychoanalysis, which failed to resonate with traditional Judaism, the AA system provided a practical, non-analytic therapy that Twerski found immensely appealing. In his experience with treating addicts, he discovered the limitations of delving into the origins of one's behavior. Patients would tirelessly explore the potential reasons for their drinking while continuing to indulge in their addiction. In stark contrast, the Twelve Step program adopted a different approach, emphasizing an immediate halt to destructive behavior as the first step towards transformation. Twerski realized a profound similarity between the Torah's approach to behavior and the Twelve Step program. Engaging in a debate or argument with the yetzer hara is futile. No matter the reasons one may propose, the yetzer hara will provide countless logical counter-arguments." In my earlier days of practicing psychotherapy," he reflected, "treating individuals with a negative self-image was truly disheartening. I couldn't help but feel frustrated as it seemed like the patients preferred immersing themselves in thoughts of worthlessness." "The secret to successful therapy," he concluded, using the equivalent of the Hebrew term "mussar" (meaning both the evil inclination and strategies to conquer it), "is to eliminate the distorted perspective that hinders both psychological and moral development." Beginning with a traditional moralistic approach emphasizing a stubborn will as the primary obstacle to self-improvement, Twerski eventually understood that psychological barriers are essentially involuntary, akin to physical impairments, yet capable of being overcome. Rabbi Abraham Yehoshua Twerski died in Jerusalem on January 31, 2021, of COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. He wrote over 90 books on Judaism and self-help topics.