Sigmund Freud’s <i>Moses and Monotheism</i> : A treatment of free association and stimulus words

This essay discusses the complex interplay between Jewish identity and the intellectual contribution of Sigmund Freud. It explores his unique relationship with Judaism, focusing on his views on circumcision and its sociocultural implications for understanding anti-Semitism, as well as his critical engagement with religious dogma and mysticism through the lens of psychoanalysis, particularly as expressed in his final work Moses and Monotheism. The second part of this article explores Freud's Moses and Monotheism as a psychoanalytic attempt to address the historical roots of anti-Semitism by examining Jewish identity and religious belief through a therapeutic lens. Freud suggests that the concept of the “chosen people” catalyzes a collective narcissistic neurosis, contributing to anti-Semitism. His portrayal of Moses as an Egyptian is considered a provocative stimulus used to trigger resistance and explore repressed material within the Jewish psyche, aimed at liberating Judaism from dogmatic religious beliefs.