18 Questions, 40 Mystics

In order to study Kabbalah, argues Rav Moshe Weinberger, one must approach it with humility, holding their hands out in the form of a cup, as though they are ready to receive. Rav Moshe Weinberger has served as mashpia at Yeshiva University since 2013, and is the founding rabbi of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY.Today, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including the smallness of man, prayer as dialogue, and his transformative introduction to the world of Kabbalah. Here are our questions: What is Jewish mysticism?How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?What do you think of when you think of God?What is the purpose of the Jewish people?How does prayer work?What is the goal of Torah study?Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?Should Judaism be hard or easy?Why did God create the world? Can humans do something that is against God’s will?What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions? Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?Can mysticism be dangerous?How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

As a Chabad Hassid, Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidus and Kabbalah. This upbringing provided him with a unique lens through which he continues to learn, study and connect with others. Drawing on his background, Slavin created “Seekers of Unity,” a Youtube channel dedicated to exploring the philosophy and history of mysticism across diverse traditions. He founded this channel with the goal of forming a community focused on creating a more intimate world, together. Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including people’s inherent divinity, tapping into the potential of modernity, and the perpetual experience of Har Sinai. Here are our questions: What is Jewish mysticism?How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?What do you think of when you think of God?What is the purpose of the Jewish people?How does prayer work?What is the goal of Torah study?Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?Should Judaism be hard or easy?Why did God create the world? Can humans do something that is against God’s will?What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions? Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?Can mysticism be dangerous?How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

Sarah Yehudit Schneider believes meditation is the entryway to understanding mysticism. She highlights that traditional Kabbalah often focuses on mystical realms associated with the masculine, and in her current work, she is actively exploring and articulating the Kabbalah of the feminine. Sarah Yehudit Schneider is the founding director of A Still Small Voice, a correspondence school that provides weekly teachings in Jewish wisdom to subscribers around the world. She is the author of several books, most recently Dark Matters of the Soul: The Kabbalah of Shame (2024). Here, she joins us to answer 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including growth through joy in the Messianic era and how to reconcile God’s all-knowingness with free will.Here are our questions: What is Jewish mysticism?How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?What do you think of when you think of God?What is the purpose of the Jewish people?How does prayer work?What is the goal of Torah study?Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?Should Judaism be hard or easy?Why did God create the world? Can humans do something that is against God’s will?What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions? Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?Can mysticism be dangerous?How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

Rav Joey Rosenfeld’s entryway into mystical thought began with the writings of Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. Discussing Jewish mysticism with Rav Joey is not just a conversation about ancient texts and ideas, but it is a journey into the soul, wherein he describes how mystical principles can transform relationships, heal trauma, and guide us in a modern world. Rav Joey Rosenfeld is a practicing psychotherapist in the field of addiction, focusing on the interface between philosophy, spirituality, and psychology. He regularly gives shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Kabbalah, and the inner workings of the human soul.Here, he sits down to discuss 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including the various dimensions of redemption and the paradoxical nature of God. Here are our 18 questions: What is Jewish mysticism?How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?What do you think of when you think of God?What is the purpose of the Jewish people?How does prayer work?What is the goal of Torah study?Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?Should Judaism be hard or easy?Why did God create the world? Can humans do something that is against God’s will?What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions? Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?Can mysticism be dangerous?How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

Join Rabbi Benji Levy as he asks 18 existential questions to 40 mystics from around the world.Series launches Monday, Dec. 8.Visit 40mystics.com to learn more.A partnership between Share and 18Forty.