Abstract
As a response to the traditional study of psychology which focused solely on negative emotions, the field of positive psychology ushered in new ways of thinking about, and pursuing, positive emotions. It has greatly enhanced our sense of well-being and has helped many pursue a more meaningful life. However, the focus on positive emotions and relegation of negative emotions has obscured our vision of what it means to live a complete and whole life. Recent psychological research and ancient Torah sources teach us that a more realistic and profound sense of joy lies in the integration of both positive and negative emotions and the concept of becoming whole. Life isn’t about pursuing a pain-free existence; it is about being able to have joy despite, and sometimes because of, our suffering.
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Notes
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Tim Lomas, “Positive Psychology—The Second Wave,” The Psychologist 29 (2016): 536–39.
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Avot D’ Rebbe Natan (34:10) lists ten.
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Elijah Kramer, Divrei Eliyahu. Psalms 119.
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See, for example, https://aish.com/gems-of-wisdom-of-the-kotzker-rebbe/.
- 28.
Sotah 5b.
- 29.
Lev. 75a.
- 30.
I would like to thank my wife Sonny, as well as my friends and colleagues Rabbi Effie Wagner, Yehuda Fogel, and Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman for their editorial help and insights in crafting this essay.
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Eichenbaum, M. (2023). Becoming Whole: The Positive Value of Negative Emotions. In: Brown, E., Weiss, S. (eds) An Ode to Joy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28229-4_41
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