Rabbi Ben A.’s bio states he is “the most famous anonymous rabbi.”
Using his pen name, Ben A. draws from his personal experience in recovery to incorporate unique chassidic philosophy into the practice of the 12 Steps.
In response to his article The Source of Evil - Bo on his blog at JewishRecovery.org I contacted him:
Hello Rabbi Ben A.,
Interesting article. Great writing.
You said:
“All of these were but manifestations of Pharaoh-particular character defects, if you will. But the essence of Pharaoh - that which made all of these other behaviors possible - was nothing more or less than the worship of self, as Pharaoh so outrageously exclaimed (Ezekiel 29:9), “I created myself.”
Are these character defects or sin? Or both?
Also, could you please explain your use of “G-d” without the “o”?
If you are willing, I’d like to post your response on my blog.
Thank you.
Roxie
Rabbi Ben A.’s response posted with permission:
I once heard Chuck C. (alright a recording of Chuck C.) say that there’s been a lot of debate in AA about the difference between “defects of character” in Step 6 and “shortcomings” in Step 7. Chuck wanted to get right to the bottom of it so he asked Bill W. himself. Bill said, “Oh that? They mean the same thing. It’s just that I learned somewhere that you shouldn’t use the same word over again right away.”
My answer to your question is pretty much the same.
The only qualification I would like to make is that the word “sin” has to be used carefully. Firstly, the word has heavy moralistic implications. It just sounds preachy and I try not to use it often. The second point is that a sin is different than a character defect because a sin — at least in the Jewish sense — is a behavior, not just an urge or a proclivity. Now, mind you, behavior does not necessarily mean “action.” Behavior can include speech and even willful thought. But the point is that it’s not a sin to want to do wrong. It’s a character defect. When you express that desire (whether in action, speech or willful thought) then it can be deemed a sin.
In other words, when we act, speak or think in a way that is not aligned with G-d’s will for us, we are expressing our character defects. You can call it “sin” or you can just call it “not living right” or whatever you want.
In the program we are not so much concerned with the behaviors as we are with the character defects that cause them. Like Joe and Charlie say in relation to the Fourth Step, it doesn’t matter how many times you did such-and-such or where and when. The real concern is, “Why?”
In other words, to put it real simple, a person “sins” (read: behaves improperly) because of a particular character defect and he has a particular character defect because of his obsession with himself. When you trace everything back to its root, it’s all self-obsession.
So, in terms of what I wrote about Pharaoh (which is, by the way, not my original idea but something that great Jewish thinkers have been saying for centuries), you can break it down like this:
Why did Pharaoh _______ (enslave the Hebrews, order babies to be thrown in the Nile, etc.)?
Because of a character defect. (Fear, self-seeking, etc.)
Why did he have those character defects?
Because he was obsessed with himself. (”I created myself.”)
This, by the way, is the same idea as Kurtz expresses in the title of his book on AA, “Not G-d” — that the alcoholic’s sickness is that he attributes G-d-like powers to himself. Recovery thus requires admission of the opposite.
Rabbi Ben A.,
Thank you for your insightful response from a Jewish perspective. I am a Christian, and currently re-thinking this.
Bill W.’s reply about not repeating words in close proximity is a memorable reminder to writers, especially writers in recovery. I attended an in-depth Big Book study at my sponsor’s home in Las Vegas where grammar mavens dissected sentences from the original manuscript word-by-word. My knowledge of archaic language increased, however, I learned very little about how to take the Twelve Steps or the recovery process.
I love Joe and Charlie, especially the story about “getting religion.” I laugh every time I hear it. And I agree. If I have done it, I need to get down to causes and conditions, and look at “why,” and not sludge through the mud of who, what, when, and where. If I had to inventory every fear I had when I was drinking and drugging, I’d still be out there.
I am an admirer of Ernie Kurtz’s work. Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most interesting doctoral dissertations I have read.
I had the pleasure of having lunch with Dr. Kurtz when he presented a workshop sponsored by a private neuro-psychriatric hospital where I was employed as a family therapist. I was deeply saddened when I read where he said, “It is ironic that I now walk like a drunk,” after a botched spinal surgery left him with the ability to only partially stand and walk.
Whether character defects and shortcomings are sin or not, there is a sharp contrast between the humbleness of “build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt” and the self-centered selfishness of “I want what I want when I want it” without regard to consequence.
To paraphrase a passage from How It Works on page 64 of the Big Book:
I pray for the willingness required to make a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in myself which block me from God.
Thanks again Rabbi Ben A. I look forward to your answer to my question about your noted spelling of “G-d.”
Recovery Rocks!
Roxie
