Stages of Spiritual Growth

R. Tzadok Hakohen of Lublin (1823-1900), Chassidic master of Torah, taught that spiritual growth follows a predictable sequence of stages: One's youth is most conducive to growth in love and kindness, one's middle years provide the best opportunity for learning submission to Divine authority, and one's later years are the optimal time for growth in truth-perception. Stages of Spiritual Growth explores R. Tzadok's system. It clarifies the necessary steps within each stage of growth, explains why each stage of life lends itself to that specific facet of development, examines some of the underlying axioms of non-Jewish culture that sabotage our psychological and spiritual progress, and perhaps most significant for the current generation, dispels the common misconception that spiritual growth in Torah stifles an individual's self-expression. Stages of Spiritual Growth provides a philosophical framework for incorporating one's individuality into one's quest to serve God.