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To be misunderstood is to not be known at all. The hidden responsibility and secret faith of Aharon in Parshat Tetzaveh reveal how our own, inner worlds live as our private secrets—known only to ourselves and to God. What does this tell us about faith? Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

What stories are you telling yourself about yourself? Our narrative identity—how we understand our life story—can define the quality of our lives. If your story is not serving you, then it's time to write a new one. We learn about Yosef's reveal to his brothers and how, in that tense moment, he breaks the fourth wall and thinks about his life from God's perspective. Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

Where can we find God? Spiritual experiences can enliven and transform us, but they feel so hard to come by. This week, we discuss Yaakov's mysticism and break down what it means to be a Jewish mystic—and how we can all become one. Join us as we search for the doorway to the Divine. Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

Questions can make or break our faith. In the case of Rivka, our second Matriarch, we find her existentialism dealing with pressing, intense, and scary questions—to the point where she seems to question life altogether. Join us as we dive further into her inner life. Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

What would you do if you weren't afraid? If you believed in the possibility of your dreams? If you didn't limit yourself? This shiur explores Sarah—our first Matriarch—and the question of limiting beliefs, that which prevents us from the life we want. Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

Why learn Torah? Why read about Patriarchs and Matriarchs, biblical failures and triumphs, God's anger and delight? What could possibly draw a modern person into its ancient words? Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg — a renowned biblical scholar who weaves Midrash, biblical commentaries, Hasidic thinkers, and psychoanalysts, literary giants, and more — explores such questions with us. When a soul encounters God's word in the text, something is experienced. The narratives, stories, and lessons in the Torah are meant to touch us—to shatter, comfort, awaken us to the full depths of life. If you are seeking a new mode of connecting to religious texts, religious living, and God, then you will find endless spiritual enrichment from Dr. Zornberg's resonant words. Please email me with any comments or questions at [email protected].

What does it mean to seek God together—across peoples, across faiths? In this episode of Soul Life, Zevi Slavin from Seekers of Unity joins us to discuss his work in studying, teaching, and discussing mysticism with scholars of other faiths. A Chabad Chassid at heart, Zevi speaks about his own journey with mysticism, why he loves his work, how he navigates the questions, and when he feels God in his own life. For those thinking about life, spirituality, and God, this conversation will deliver the nourishment for mind and soul that you seek. Join us. (Also, tune in at the end for Zevi to answer my favorite question: What's it like to be you?) If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

Elul is the season of teshuva. But what exactly is teshuva? People usually say "repentance," a reaction to bad behavior or bad actions. For Rav Kook, teshuva is self-expression. It is the foundation of existence, the foundation of identity, the foundation of self. For Elul, that makes all the difference. Tune in for the light and love baked in Rav Kook's words. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we’ll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world’s light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

Do you ever feel like a stranger in your own skin? That is the consequence of exile, Rav Kook tells. "I am in the depths of exile," the prophet once declared. The "I"—the essence of selfhood, our truest selves—has been abandoned and banished. How do we reclaim our identity? How do we transform the house of our body into a home? How do we feel alive? These are the questions the soul demands, especially in light of Tisha B'Av. We must reclaim our "I," if not for ourselves, then for God. Tune in for the melodious words of Rav Kook. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we’ll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world’s light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

It may be time to get rid of your God. That sounds radical, but if your idea of "God" is damaging, disempowering, and destructive, then Rav Kook would suggest you stop believing. Not all beliefs are good beliefs. Some—many—are incorrect, harmful, and highly problematic. Similarly, not all atheism is bad atheism. Some ideas of God—many—should be denied and rejected. Rav Kook teaches us about the right kind of atheism and the wrong type of faith. God should uplift, not degrade; inspire, not depress; love, not hate. If you find God to be a negative force in your life, then tune in for Rav Kook's solution of healing and growth. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we’ll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world’s light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

What does it take to be happy? What is the happy life? Is it attainable? How? That's the question Rav Kook answered for us in this chaburah. Rav Kook wrote about happiness—where to find it, how to live it. Everyone is chasing after happiness, but it seems like fewer people are reaching it as time moves on. Dive into the world of Rav Kook to hear his timeless words on what it means to be happy. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we’ll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world’s light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].

"We have abandoned the soul of Torah!" That is the cause of our distresses, Rav Kook tells us. We have the body, the structure, the skeleton, but we have forsaken its essence, its light, its life. If you have ever experienced a dread in Judaism—whether in Torah study or living Torah ways—Rav Kook is here with a medicine for that ailment. In this chaburah, we explore what Rav Kook means by "the soul of Torah" and how we can reclaim it for an inspiring, exciting, and empowering brand of Judaism. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we’ll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world’s light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [email protected].