{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,4]],"date-time":"2026-02-04T04:19:54Z","timestamp":1770178794696,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":65,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,20]],"date-time":"2020-09-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1600560000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Transcult Psychiatry"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>This article examines Fischl Schneersohn\u2019s (1887\u20131958) \u201cscience of man\u201d as a psychotherapeutic approach situated between modern psychology and Chassidic mysticism. While almost forgotten today, Schneersohn was a prolific writer, well-known in Yiddish-speaking circles as a psychologist, educationalist, novelist, and psychotherapist. As a descendant of an important dynasty of Chassidic rebbes, he grew up inside the Chabad movement, but followed a secular career. The first part of this article traces Schneersohn\u2019s biography from the outskirts of the Russian empire to Germany, Poland, the United States, and Palestine, and shows how his upbringing and historical experiences shaped his psychological works and his self-understanding as educationalist and psychotherapist. The second part examines Schneersohn\u2019s main work, Studies in Psycho-Expedition, which blended Chassidic mysticism and contemporary psychology in a way that was both idiosyncratic and unique. The psycho-sociological \u201cscience of man\u201d was a modern psychological and psychotherapeutic approach, using specific methods to gain knowledge about the human mind, and to counteract and treat mental disorders, neuroses, and nervousness. At the same time, however, it was deeply influenced by Chassidic mysticism; revolving around the assumption of a universal human need for spiritual ecstasy. Schneersohn universalised, secularised, and reframed elements of the Kabbalah as a modern psychotherapy. By examining an almost forgotten psychotherapeutic approach outside the mainstream in its specific historical context, this article contributes to the history of the connection between religion and the psy-disciplines, as well as to ongoing debates about the role of spirituality and ecstasy in psychology and psychotherapy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1363461520952625","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,21]],"date-time":"2020-09-21T02:57:59Z","timestamp":1600657079000},"page":"775-785","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Ecstatic expeditions: Fischl Schneersohn\u2019s \u201cscience of man\u201d between modern psychology and Jewish mysticism"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"57","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3304-6473","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Freis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Ethics, History, and Philosophy of Medicine, Westf\u00e4lische Wilhelms-Universit\u00e4t M\u00fcnster, M\u00fcnster, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4614-6086-2_450"},{"key":"bibr2-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/11509-000"},{"key":"bibr3-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S0364009410000280"},{"key":"bibr4-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Die Bedeutung der Suggestion im sozialen Leben [The importance of suggestion in social life]","author":"Bekhterev V. M.","year":"1905"},{"key":"bibr5-1363461520952625","volume-title":"The hidden Freud: His Hassidic roots","author":"Berke J. H.","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr6-1363461520952625","author":"Biale D.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press"},{"key":"bibr7-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Brinkmann T. (2010). Ort des \u00dcbergangs: Berlin als Schnittstelle der j\u00fcdischen Migration aus Osteuropa nach 1918. In V. Dohrn (Ed.),\n                      Transit und transformation: Osteurop\u00e4isch-j\u00fcdische Migranten in Berlin 1918\u20131939\n                      [Place of passage: Berlin as point of intersection in Jewish migration from Eastern Europe after 1918]. G\u00f6ttingen, Germany: Wallstein."},{"key":"bibr8-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Brossat A., Klingberg S. (2016).\n                      Revolutionary Yiddishland: A history of Jewish radicalism\n                      (D. Fernbach, Trans.). 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Wils (Eds.),\n                      Scientists\u2019 expertise as performance: Between state and society\n                      ,\n                      1860\u20131960\n                      (pp. 81\u201398). London, UK: Pickering & Chatto."},{"key":"bibr22-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Der Mann Moses und die monotheistische Religion [Moses and monotheism]","author":"Freud S.","year":"1939"},{"key":"bibr23-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/1520-6696(198404)20:2<150::AID-JHBS2300200204>3.0.CO;2-0"},{"key":"bibr24-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1163\/9789004333406"},{"key":"bibr25-1363461520952625","volume-title":"A century of ambivalence: The Jews of Russia and the Soviet Union, 1881 to the present","author":"Gitelman Z. Y.","year":"2001"},{"key":"bibr26-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hayward R. (2017). Psychiatry and religion. In G. Eghigian (Ed.),\n                      The Routledge history of madness and mental health\n                      (pp. 137\u2013152). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315202211-8"},{"key":"bibr27-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Mit yenen un mit zikh","author":"Hofer J.","year":"1976"},{"key":"bibr28-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hume, D. (1739\u201340).\n                      A treatise of human nature.\n                      London, UK: John Noon.","DOI":"10.1093\/oseo\/instance.00046221"},{"key":"bibr29-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Kaploun, U. (Ed.). (2017).\n                      Lessons in Tanya of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi\n                      (Vol. 1; L. Wineberg & S. B. Wineberg, Trans.). New York, NY: Kehot Publication Society."},{"key":"bibr30-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Karlin M. (2014).\n                      \u201cTo create a dwelling place for God\u201d: Life coaching and the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement in contemporary America\n                      (Unpublished PhD thesis). Emory University, Atlanta, GA."},{"key":"bibr31-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kauders A. D. (2017). From place to race and back again: The Jewishness of psychoanalysis revisited. In S. L\u00e4ssig & M. R\u00fcrup (Eds.),\n                      Space and spatiality in modern German-Jewish history\n                      (pp. 72\u201387). New York, NY: Berghahn Books.","DOI":"10.2307\/j.ctvw04f34.9"},{"key":"bibr32-1363461520952625","volume-title":"The parting of the ways: How esoteric Judaism and Christianity influenced the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung","author":"Kradin R.","year":"2016"},{"key":"bibr33-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Krutikov M. (2012). Nachwort. In A.C. Sa\u00df (Ed.),\n                      Fischl Schneersohn: Grenadierstra\u00dfe\n                      [Epilog] (pp. 248\u2013268). G\u00f6ttingen, Germany: Wallstein."},{"key":"bibr34-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Lilienthal U., Kreft G. (2012). Ganzheit versus Psychologischer Skorbut: Der Rabbiner, Arzt, Belletrist und Sozialaktivist Prof. Dr. med. Fischl Joshua Schneerson (1887\u20131958) [Holismus versus psychic scurvy: The rabbi, physician, and social activist Prof. Dr. med. Fischl Schneersohn (1887\u20131958)]. In C.P. Heidel (Ed.),\n                      Der j\u00fcdische Arzt in Kunst und Kultur\n                      (pp. 245\u2013263). Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Mabuse-Verlag."},{"key":"bibr35-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01381917"},{"key":"bibr36-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Masor A. (2011).\n                      The evolution of the literary neo-Hasid\n                      (PhD thesis). Columbia University, New York, NY."},{"key":"bibr37-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Porat D. (1989). Al-domi: Palestinian intellectuals and the Holocaust, 1943\u20131945. In M. R. Marrus (Ed.),\n                      The Nazi Holocaust: Historical articles on the destruction of European Jews\n                      (Vol. 8.2, pp. 682\u2013719). Westport, CT: Meckler.","DOI":"10.1515\/9783110968699.692"},{"key":"bibr38-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Leksikon fun der yidisher litteratur, prese un filologie [Encyclopedia of Yiddish literature, press, and philology]","author":"Reisen Z.","year":"1929"},{"issue":"8","key":"bibr39-1363461520952625","first-page":"485","volume":"33","author":"Rivkin B.","year":"1928","journal-title":"Di Tsukunft"},{"key":"bibr40-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Rubin E. (2018, October). Traveling and traversing Chabad\u2019s literary paths: From Likutei torah to Khayim gravitser and beyond.\n                      In geveb\n                      . https:\/\/ingeveb.org\/articles\/traveling-and-traversing-chabads-literary-paths-from-likutei-torah-to-khayim-gravitser-and-beyond"},{"key":"bibr41-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Rubinstein A., Elior R. (2007).\n                      Chabad. In\n                      Encyclopedia Judaica (2nd ed., Vol. 4, pp. 553\u2013555).  Detroit, MI:  Macmillan Reference."},{"key":"bibr42-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Rubinstein A., Gartner L. P., Baskin J. R., Morris B. J., Jacobs L., Shatz-Uffenheimer R. (2007). Hasidism. In\n                      Encyclopedia Judaica\n                      (2nd ed., Vol. 8, pp. 393\u2013434). Detroit, MI: Macmillan Reference."},{"key":"bibr43-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Berliner Luftmenschen: Osteurop\u00e4isch-j\u00fcdische Migranten in der Weimarer Republik [Luftmenschen of Berlin: Eastern European Jewish migrants in the Weimar republic]","author":"Sa\u00df A.-C.","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr44-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Sa\u00df A.C. (2012b). Einf\u00fchrung [Introduction]. In A.C. Sa\u00df (Ed.),\n                      Fischl Schneersohn: Grenadierstra\u00dfe\n                      (pp. 5\u201316). G\u00f6ttingen, Germany: Wallstein."},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr45-1363461520952625","first-page":"48","volume":"4","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1922","journal-title":"Di naye shul"},{"key":"bibr46-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Die katastrophale Zeit und die heranwachsende Generation: Die Wirkung von Katastrophen auf die Seele des normalen und anormalen Kindes [Catastrophic times and the adolescent generation: The effect of catastrophes on the soul of the normal and abnormal child]","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1924"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr47-1363461520952625","first-page":"414","volume":"1","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1925","journal-title":"Ethos"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr48-1363461520952625","first-page":"6","volume":"1","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1926","journal-title":"Ose-Rundschau"},{"key":"bibr49-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Der veg tsum mentsh: die isudus fun mentsh-visnshaft un di lere fun nervezishkeyt [The way to man: The foundations of the science of man and the study of nervousness]","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1927"},{"key":"bibr50-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Mentsh-gezelshaft [Man-society]","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1927"},{"key":"bibr51-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Der Weg zum Menschen: Grundlagen der Mensch-Wissenschaft und die Lehre von der Nervosit\u00e4t [The way to man: The foundations of the science of man and the study of nervousness]","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1928"},{"key":"bibr52-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Schneersohn F. (1929).\n                      Studies in psycho-expedition: Fundamentals of the psychological science of man and a theory of nervousness\n                      (H. Frank, Trans.). New York, NY: The Science of Man Press."},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr53-1363461520952625","first-page":"11","volume":"1","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1930","journal-title":"Mentsh-Visnshaft"},{"key":"bibr54-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Yidn un felker-psikhologie: di fargleykhndike psikhologie un psikhopatologie fun yidishn lebn [Jews and folk psychology: Comparative psychology and psychopathology of Jewish life]","author":"Schneersohn F.","year":"1936"},{"key":"#cr-split#-bibr55-1363461520952625.1","unstructured":"Schneersohn F. (2012). Grenadierstra\u00dfe (A. Bothe, Trans."},{"key":"#cr-split#-bibr55-1363461520952625.2","unstructured":"A.C. Sa\u00df, Ed.). G\u00f6ttingen, Germany: Wallstein. (Original work published 1935)"},{"issue":"1","key":"bibr56-1363461520952625","first-page":"39","volume":"87","author":"Schneider S.","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychoanalytic Review"},{"key":"bibr57-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Die j\u00fcdische Mystik in ihren Hauptstr\u00f6mungen [Major trends in Jewish mysticism]","author":"Scholem G.","year":"1980"},{"key":"bibr58-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Scholem G., Garb J., Idel M. (2007).\n                      Kabbalah. In\n                      Encyclopedia Judaica (2nd ed., Vol. 11, pp. 586\u2013692).  Detroit, MI:  Macmillan Reference."},{"key":"bibr59-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S001781600800196X"},{"key":"bibr60-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Historical atlas of Hasidism","author":"Spallek W.","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr61-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Nerv\u00f6se Angstzust\u00e4nde und ihre Behandlung [Nervous states of anxiety and their treatment]","author":"Stekel W.","year":"1912","edition":"2"},{"key":"bibr62-1363461520952625","unstructured":"Stroll A. (2007). Shneur Zalman of (Liozna-) Lyady Encyclopedia Judaica (2nd ed.,  Vol. 18, pp. 501\u2013505).  Detroit, MI:  Macmillan Reference."},{"key":"bibr63-1363461520952625","volume-title":"Crowds, psychology and politics, 1871\u20131899","author":"van Ginneken J.","year":"1992"},{"key":"bibr64-1363461520952625","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7312\/columbia\/9780231172448.001.0001"}],"container-title":["Transcultural Psychiatry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1363461520952625","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1363461520952625","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1363461520952625","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,3]],"date-time":"2026-02-03T14:49:41Z","timestamp":1770130181000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1363461520952625"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,20]]},"references-count":65,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,12]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1363461520952625"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1363461520952625","relation":{},"ISSN":["1363-4615","1461-7471"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1363-4615","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-7471","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,20]]}}}