Knowledge on the Deeper Side

The Four Worlds - Part 12

“The Microscopic Soul”

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on February 21, 2016)

There's an old mystical teaching that goes like this: To understand the mysteries of the universe, all you need to do is understand your soul. The wise King Solomon put it like this: "From my heart I perceive the Divine," and "the whole world was placed in the heart of man."

Which means that instead of using a telescope to discover the secrets of the cosmos, we'd be better served pulling out a microscope and taking a closer look at our souls.

In this session of Kabbalah & Coffee we take an in-depth look at the human soul and the incredible powers it possesses. We learn the difference between transcendent powers, internal powers, and facilitative powers. Basically, we identify what makes us tick. And then we learn a thing or two about the spiritual heavens.

The Four Worlds - Part 11

“Time and Space”

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on February 14, 2016)

In a time before time... In a space beyond space... There was....

Wait -- what exactly was there before time? How do you even measure "before" and "after" if there's no time? And what is beyond space anyway? Where does it exist, if there's no space?

These are just some of the questions that come to mind when trying to imagine a reality beyond our own. These questions are very relevant when exploring the four spiritual "worlds" of Kabbalah.

In this session of Kabbalah & Coffee we travel beyond the here and now to ponder a completely different state of reality. Along the journey we'll discover that the more we know about the metaphysical realm, the more we know about our own.

When Moses Was Missing

Understanding True Leadership

From the time Moses enters the Biblical narrative, he is the central character of our nation. But this week, his name is absent from the Torah portion. Why? To answer this question is to understand who Moses really was, and what leadership skills we can learn from him.

The Shadows

Dealing with Pain, Loss, and Suffering

All of us, at some point in our lives, will have occasion to ask: Why is there so much pain in the world? Why do people suffer?

In the fifth lesson of Toward a Meaningful Life we address the phenomenon of pain and suffering. The lesson does not attempt to answer why bad things happen to good people, because philosophy can never answer pain. Instead, we address what we can do to avoid becoming paralyzed. This class opens new possibilities for dealing with our own personal challenges, as well as provide guidance for dealing emphatically with others who are struggling.

The Woman Who Cried Wolf

A Jew is a Jew

The story of Miriam Bat Bilgah is a tragic one. She abandoned her faith and married a Greek minister, before brazenly entering the Holy Temple and attacking the Holy Altar. How do we approach someone who has sunk so low?

Labor of Love

Exploring the Significance of Work, Charity, and Wealth

Almost everyone needs to work to make ends meet. Indeed, work consumes most of the waking hours of our day. If work is no more than a means to pay our bills and purchase the necessities of life, then we spend most of our life on a treadmill, running just to stay in the same place.

How can we keep work from getting in the way of living?

Perhaps the key is recognizing that work is an essential part of living well, and critical to the fulfillment of our personal mission. In this session of Toward a Meaningful Life we explore our relationship to work and wealth. We learn how to infuse meaning into our workday, and to identify how our work helps us make our unique contribution to the world.

The Four Worlds - Part 10

“Knowing & Not Knowing”

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on February 7, 2016)

There are things you know. There are things you don't know. Then there are things you don't know, but you know what they're not.

The Kabbalists call these two types of knowing "direct perception" and "indirect perception." In direct perception you know what a thing is -- you can define it, grasp it, you get it. In indirect perception you don't actually know what a thing is. All you know is what it's not. Which does help somewhat, since now at least you've eliminated some potential definitions.

We experience these dual-modalities of knowing in virtually every area of life. Even in our justice system. In fact, a large part of what intrigues us about true crime cases has to do with direct and indirect perceptions.

In this session of Kabbalah & Coffee we explore the fascinating world of knowing and not knowing, and uncover amazing insights about ourselves, our world, and the great spiritual beyond.

The Cleves Get

An 18th Century Saga

On August 14, 1766, Isaac, son of Eliezer Neiberg of Mannheim, married Leah, daughter of Jacob Guenzhausen of Bonn. Days later, the bridegroom took 94 gold crowns of the dowry and disappeared. This troubling episode began a stormy debate between the great rabbis of the time.

The Sun and the Moon

Understanding the Jewish Calendar

Our calendar is unique-not quite lunar, not quite solar. What is the rationale behind it? Why is it such a central part of our faith, and what lessons can we learn from it? This class takes an in-depth look at this fascinating aspect of Judaism.

The Cleves Get

An 18th Century Saga

On August 14, 1766, Isaac, son of Eliezer Neiberg of Mannheim, married Leah, daughter of Jacob Guenzhausen of Bonn. Days later, the bridegroom took 94 gold crowns of the dowry and disappeared. This troubling episode began a stormy debate between the great rabbis of the time.