Curriculum for Spiritual and Personal Growth

At Sulam Yaakov we believe that Rabbinic training should be more than the memorization of the cold, hard facts of Halacha. Judaism is as much about the spirit as it is about religious observance in the material world. Thus, an integral part of the Rabbinic training program will be a weekly course in “Spiritual and Personal Growth.”

Taught by Rabbi Daniel Kohn, Rabbi of Bat Ayin, the goal of the course is to produce spiritually attuned, humble, creative and personally connecting Rabbis and teachers.

The course will be a combination of inspired, personal spiritual study from the writings of the Chassidic Masters, the Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook and others, facilitated group work, personal process and discovery, development of meditative and intuitive consciousness, and exercises in gaining spiritual experience.

The two year program includes:

Work in Personal Growth:

1. Expanding the Range of Conscious Choice
   • Discovering one’s cognitive origins of negativity and disconnection
   • Learning to increase positivity and joyous creativity
   • Undoing blocks to achievement
   • Discovering negative core beliefs about Avodat HaShem
   • Identifying one’s special gift and purpose
   • Enhancing self esteem
   • Forgiveness
   •  
2. Middot Work:
   • Loving oneself
   • Anger
   • Jealousies
   • Status seeking
   • Gratitude
   • Ta’avot
   • Loving others
   •  

Work in Spiritual Growth:

1. • Meditatively expanding spiritual experience
   • Deepening awe and love of God
   • Learning “presence”
   • Learning inner listening
   • Experiencing God’s love
   • Prayer: Deepening Kavanah
   • The Unity of God
   • Understanding and experiencing His oneness
   • Trust in God

Students will be taught the use of psychological and spiritual tools and techniques from emotional-cognitive psychology, “coaching”, and meditation. There will also be time set aside for individual growth counseling.