The Enduring Effect of the Jewish Tradition Upon Freud

Freud's background included many significant sources of contact with traditional Jewish scholarship. From this background, in part, his intense rational and analytical approach to psychology undoubtedly originated. The author notes remarkable similarities to Jewish scholarship in Freud's determinism, his utilization of metaphorical communication, and his study and interpretation of associations and dreams. Freud proudly acknowledged this influence and inspiration. On the other hand, there is little to indicate that Freud was seriously affected by Jewish cabbalistic and mystical movements, as has been proposed by others.