Spirituality lite

God is laughing with you, writes a rabbi in her self-help book.

By DANIELLE MAX
we plan god laughs (photo credit: )
we plan god laughs
(photo credit: )
We Plan, God Laughs By Sherre Hirsch Doubleday 180 pages; $18.95 Had I implemented the advice given in every self-help book I've read, I would weigh less than the day I was born, be happily ensconced in a perfect relationship, working in a dream job and living in a sparkling clean, clutter-free environment. I would bake, I would cook and I would volunteer. I would never accept a date for Saturday night after Wednesday and I would never check my e-mail in the morning. In truth, reading these books is one thing, actually executing their suggestions - which are often just a little north of ridiculous - is altogether something else. In We Plan, God Laughs (the title is taken from the Yiddish proverb), rather than offering advice on banal, everyday subjects, Rabbi Sherre Hirsch heads straight to the top and gives her readers 10 steps to help them find their "divine path." In just 180 pages (was it intentionally planned that 180 divides by 18, which stands for "hai" or life in Jewish numerology, or just a coincidence?), Hirsch promises to show her readers how to get their lives back on track when they discover things are not turning out quite as planned. Each of the 10 steps, such as "Ending the Excuses," "Partnering with God" or "Re-Creating Your Creator," starts with a description that summarizes the chapter and ends with a quote or a question encapsulating that particular challenge. Every section is subdivided with stories and examples to illustrate the points Hirsch is trying to make - many of them taken from her own life experience, both personal and professional. In addition, the book is peppered with biblical anecdotes and references to Jewish tradition, though Hirsch may need to go back to basics on some of them, as she appears to confuse the story of Rabbi Akiva with elements of the life of Jacob. In the introduction, Hirsch asks "So why is it so hard? Why am I stuck? Why are my plans not going as planned? Why do I keep falling on my face? How come I am not filled with contentment and satisfaction? How come I am not laughing?" Many of us have had to deal with these questions. Certainly, Hirsch has undergone some struggles in her life, and she does not hold back about describing them. She opens up about her abusive father, about the period in her life when she excommunicated him from her life and how she ultimately dealt with his passing. Perhaps it is therapy for the writer as well as her readers. With eight years' experience as a pulpit rabbi in Los Angeles, Hirsch's intimate relationship with God is hardly a surprise, but some readers may feel that the constant references to the divine being would be more at home in a non-Jewish inspired text. In other ways, it is unclear whom the book is aimed at. Referring to Jesus - even in passing - may be a little disquieting for Jewish readers, while non-Jewish readers might feel lost at the lack of context given to some allusions to Jewish life and figures. In one example, Hirsch quotes the Ba'al Shem Tov without explaining who he was or what he did. Not all Jewish readers will know that he was the founder of the hassidic movement; far fewer non-Jewish readers will be aware of the fact. Hirsch has an open and accessible style and it is easy to see why she is a successful rabbi and speaker. Her credits include appearances on The Today Show and The Tyra Banks Show, and she is on the nationwide faculty of Canyon Ranch, a chain of wellness ranches whose Web site describes her as a "spiritual life consultant." But it is this feeling of morning television show advice that permeates the book ("God has the mega ipod" or "Is your God a babe?"). In essence, it is spirituality lite and will most likely suit those who read glossy women's magazines or viewers of the shows on which she appears. Despite these quibbles, Hirsch tries to show her readers - albeit on a very simple level - that God is laughing with them and not at them when things go wrong. While it may be hard for most people to take her advice that the obstacles that life throws our way should be seen as learning opportunities or cherished as blessings, knowing that - in theory - we can get back on the path at any point in our lives is very comforting.