Abraham Twerski, Andrew McMeel, 1997
The well known rabbi, raconteur and therapist, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski has written numerous books; he often jokes that he has actually written one book in 40 different ways! Actually, this book is somewhat different, in that it deals not with self-esteem, but, as its title suggests, the importance of doing good. It is subtitled ‘how good deeds can change your life.’ This notion is based on a familiar Torah idea – that one who does good deeds vastly enriches his own life as well, of course, helping others. The book is mostly inspiring stories. One that I particularly like and have used on a number of occasions is of a man suffering from a sever delusion that prompts him to stand all day in a contorted position, as though he were holding something up. His doctors were unable to help, but a visitor realised that the man believed that he was holding the world up, and that it would collapse were he to move away. The visitor offered to stand in the same position, thus relieving the man of his job and enabling to gain some respite from his torment for the first time in many years. I like this book – it speaks of the good in people and the fact that small altruistic acts can sometimes affect enormous change.
Do Unto Others
The well known rabbi, raconteur and therapist, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski has written numerous books; he often jokes that he has actually written one book in 40 different ways! Actually, this book is somewhat different, in that it deals not with self-esteem, but, as its title suggests, the importance of doing good. It is subtitled ‘how good deeds can change your life.’ This notion is based on a familiar Torah idea – that one who does good deeds vastly enriches his own life as well, of course, helping others. The book is mostly inspiring stories. One that I particularly like and have used on a number of occasions is of a man suffering from a sever delusion that prompts him to stand all day in a contorted position, as though he were holding something up. His doctors were unable to help, but a visitor realised that the man believed that he was holding the world up, and that it would collapse were he to move away. The visitor offered to stand in the same position, thus relieving the man of his job and enabling to gain some respite from his torment for the first time in many years. I like this book – it speaks of the good in people and the fact that small altruistic acts can sometimes affect enormous change.
Do Unto Others
