UPCOMING BOOK
His next book is about Genesis Chapter 1, verses 26-28, on the creation of man and woman. Creation is a progressive process: from atoms to life, from life to intelligence, and from intelligence to empathy. Man was created on the Sixth Day, the same as other mammals. But unlike animals, mas was granted a Nefesh Chaya (ruach memalela) that is: verbal intelligence. Unlike animals that perceive reality through sight, smell and sharing, humans think with words, that is: we grasp reality linguistically. And among other things thought makes room for many possible responses to any given impulse. Humans possess freedom of choice or the ability to respond (response-ability) and say yes or no to our urges. Language also allows man to classify reality: he names the animals and the surrounding elements, creating systems that connect words to things. Unlike all other animals, in the beginning, a man was created alone. And in a different act of creation, both in terms of timing and the source of this creation, God fashioned woman: as a special companion opposite to man. Designed with a unique type of non-verbal intelligence, that modern scientist Simon Baron-Cohen, author of the book “The essential difference” defines as“empathy”. Both men and women are to act and work together, using their different uniqueness to complement and supplement each other in synergy and harmony.
IF YOU LOVE ME, READ MY MIND
IF YOU LOVE ME, READ MY MIND
a Shalom Bayit Workshop, by Rabbi Yosef Bitton.
One of the biggest challenges we face is the rise of divorce rates, the growth in the number of men and women who chose to remain single, and the difficulties with Shalom Bayit for the couples that stay in their marriage. To address these very real crises, we must first understand the causes. This workshop addresses one of the main reasons for the lack of happiness and fulfillment in marriage: men and women were created differently by design. Their nature, needs, thought processes, and communication methods are different. Men and women differ in the way they experience and convey emotions; in the way they deal with tensions and challenges; in the way that they solve problems, and in the way that they communicate feelings and love. These differences, when unknown and unacknowledged, cause a lot of unnecessary stress and friction and often damage the relationship between husband and wife. Learning about these differences is essential for achieving a level of understanding and acceptance which will strengthen the married couple for years to come.
THE WORKSHOP
The workshop I’m presenting consists of three units, each focusing on both theory and practical application regarding the innate differences between male and female brains.
The first class is for the couple; we explore the biblical story of Creation and what we learn from the fact that men and women were created in two different acts, from two different sources, and with two different types of intelligence. We explore the ways men and women communicate with each other and the tools we need to learn to reach a better and more healthy relationship.
The second class, just for women, focuses on what men need: physically and psychologically. The challenges of direct or indirect communication and how learning the language of “trade” can improve men’s response. We also refer to the eighth week and the beginning of the male brain and the dynamics between love and intimacy in a man’s world.
The third class is addressed just to men. Women yearn for love and companionship and yet, they would hardly express these needs explicitly. The female brain expects her love circle to understand each other without the mediation of words, almost telepathically. Husbands need to learn how to listen to their wives and almost how to read their feelings. Mastering the 5 love languages
THE SOURCES
(1) This workshop is based on Tora and Jewish values. Is presented around biblical verses and examples. And yet it is designed for modern couples, and it is suitable for all levels of religious observance.
(2) All the information brought in the workshop about the brain and the innate differences between the genders is based on peer-reviewed scientific findings. Mostly on the research of Dr. Simon Baron Cohen, a neuroscientist from Cambridge University, and Dr. Louann Brizendine, an American neuropsychiatrist.
