International Jewish Media Celebrates the Rebbe’s “Letters for Life”
The Rebbe’s guidance for emotional wellness finds eager reception in global Jewish media.
Despite their increasing relevance, the treasures of emotional guidance in the Rebbe’s letters had remained relatively unknown to the broader Jewish community. Chabad.org’s new book “Letters for Life” is changing that.
“This is an extraordinary book,” Dr. Moshe Dann writes in the Jerusalem Post.
“Based on the compilation of the letters of the Rebbe of Lubavitch [Igrot Kodesh, published 1987] Letters for Life presents the Rebbe’s advice in a simple, practical way, and thus has universal appeal.”
“Those who wrote to the Rebbe and met him and shared their stories of trauma and challenges came from widely diverse backgrounds, yet the Rebbe was able to understand their suffering and their dilemmas. That was his greatest gift.
“Letters for Life, however, is not only about what the Rebbe taught but also how to use it. Rabbi Shmotkin has presented a synthesis of the Rebbe’s ideas in an easy, readable format… “
“You, and only you, have the answers.” Dann Concludes his review. “This book will help you find them.”
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When Dr. Michael R. Mantell was asked by the San Diego Jewish World to review the book, he relates, he was “quite honestly, taken aback… to write a review of this transformative masterpiece that illuminates the profound wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on emotional wellness.
“I’m going to review a book on what the esteemed Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches us about emotional wellness? Even with nearly 50 years of caring for the emotional wellbeing of so many, how could I possibly comment on this treasure trove of practical advice?
“Reading this book has been mind and heart opening, offering a beacon of hope, filled with concrete doable suggestions and demonstrating their application through real-life, easily relatable examples…”
“This is my newest highly recommended essential book to clients seeking a deeper understanding of emotional wellness through the lens of our timeless Jewish wisdom. The colorful distillation of the profound insights of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson into do-able, accessible, practical and life-changing guidance, is a valuable part of any therapy for mental strength
“The 338 pages stand as a testament to the enduring power of compassion, faith, and human resilience. This is not just a book to read once and put away; it’s a life companion to return to again and again, each time discovering new depths of wisdom and comfort. This is more than a psychology book. This is a companion for the soul, that has the power to change perspectives, heal hearts, and ignite the reader’s personal transformation.”
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“Some had met the Rebbe” Luke Tress writes in his 3 Tammuz report for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency “when he held court at Chabad’s home base of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. But for those born after his passing 30 years ago, a visit to the Ohel, as his gravesite is known, is the closest they can physically be to the last leader of their global movement…”
“Like some other Chabadniks under 30, Levi Shmotkin has immersed himself in Schneerson’s teachings which are organized in compendia of letters he wrote and talks he gave in Crown Heights. Shmotkin felt drawn to the letters Schneerson exchanged with those seeking his counseling. He has now published his own book on the correspondence, called “Letters for Life.” He spent five years organizing Schneerson’s 13,000 archived letters thematically, with a focus on emotional wellness…”
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“This article” Ami Magazine concludes its in-depth article entitled ‘The Rebbe’s Guidance for Emotional Wellness’ “was excerpted from the first section of Letters for Life, a new book that examines over 40 years of the Rebbe’s private counseling to glean lessons on mental and emotional health.”
“The Rebbe consistently emphasized the importance—and preference—of preventive medicine. He critiqued approaches that place the limelight exclusively on treating illness—curative medicine—instead of pouring equal resources into fortifying stable health, preventing maladies and suffering to begin with. Thus, an exploration of the Rebbe’s guidance for emotional wellness must begin not with problems, but with the mindsets and habits that keep us strong in the first place. These are the core concepts discussed above.”
“The later sections of Letters for Life convey the Rebbe’s “curative” approach to emotional challenges, such as discontent, self-criticism, and mood swings. Letters for Life will be available at fine Jewish bookstores everywhere…”
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“Recent decades” Mrs. Bronia Shaffer writes in the Jewish Voice “have seen leaps in our focus on human emotions and a commensurate surge of data, analyses and advice. It might seem that every nuance of emotional wellbeing has already been addressed. But a new beacon emerges with the new release of Letters for Life: Guidance for Emotional Wellness from the Lubavitcher Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.”
“Over a period of some 50 years, tens of thousands of men and women of every age turned to the Rebbe for his wisdom, in writing and in person, seeking his advice for problems big and small. To create Letters for Life, author Levi Shmotkin sifted through more than 20,000 of the Rebbe’s correspondences and 1,500 interviews to identify the core principles found in the guidance he gave. The result, its author writes, is no ‘anthology of abstract hypotheses,’ but a collection of practical tools, delivering the Rebbe’s message on many of life’s challenges.”
“The Rebbe’s approach is elegant in its simplicity. It is a steadfast focus on moving forward and upward, imbuing every moment with meaning and consistent growth… The Rebbe’s path was less about the promise of a rose garden, and more about planting our own roses, dealing with the thorns with equanimity that comes from faith, while nurturing an endless optimism.”
“It has been three decades since his passing, but more people benefit from the Rebbe’s wisdom than ever before. Thanks to this book, many more will be able to draw from his treasury of strength and hope, learning how to better give, how to better love, and how to better lead a life that is as meaningful as it is joyful.”
To download an excerpt of “Letters for Life” click here. To get yourself a copy click here.
