Knowledge on the Deeper Side

The Four Worlds - Part 5

“Divine Déjà Vu”

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on January 3, 2016)

Ever have the feeling that you’ve been here before? That you’ve heard a song before? That you’ve met someone before? That’s déjà vu.

There’s also a spiritual form of this phenomenon. Where you sense that there’s something bigger to life, that there’s a greater meaning and purpose to existence, that there’s a loving G-d guiding all. When you sense that innately and don’t know why, that’s Divine déjà vu.

In this session we explore the origins of this inner sense, and trace it back to the spiritual evolution of the worlds.

And Then There Was Night

The Darkness of Division

When our lives are filled with unity and hope, the light shines brightly. But when we are alone and there is little hope, just darkness remains. Just how bad is darkness, and what can we do to avoid it?

Intent vs. Action

Which One Takes the Cake?

Some of us thrive on rituals, doing the right deeds consistently and devotedly. Others like to develop their observance while taking the time to reflect and grow internally. All in all, what is more important, our actions or our intentions?

Define Providence

Whose Body Is It, Anyway?

Granted G-d runs the world. But to what extent? If He oversees cataclysmic world changing events, does He also dictate the direction and speed of each gust of wind? When we find ourselves caught in the motions of the daily grind, this lesson offers us a spiritual boost.

"A Shrek of a Trek"

With David N. Weiss

(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on Thursday, January 14, 2016)

This is the hilarious and inspiring adventures of a nice Jewish boy who spent years as a charismatic Christian youth worker before returning to his Jewish roots -- amazingly, through a blockbuster Hollywood writing career.

Emmy Award nominee David N. Weiss has written some of Hollywood’s most endearing family films, from Academy Award nominated features Shrek 2 and Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius to the Rugrats movies, The Smurfs (with a record-breaking 7 weeks at #1, world-wide) and Smurfs 2. His combined box office revenues now exceeds $2.3 billion worldwide — if only he got a percentage, his parents might forgive him for not being a doctor!

Mixing true life stories with practical career tips from Hollywood and ancient Jewish wisdom, David inspires and energized audiences around the world.

The Four Worlds - Part 4

"How to Make a World (From Scratch)"

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on December 20, 2015)

So you want to make a world. Where do you start? What materials do you use? What does it look like? What does it "do"?

In this session of Kabbalah & Coffee we reveal the blueprint for world creation. If you're a tinkerer or hobbyist, or just someone's who's been thinking about creating a world, this is the class for you!

The Four Worlds - Part 3

"Welcome To The World Of Atzilut"

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on December 13, 2015)

The first stop on our mystical tour of the galaxy is the wonderful world of Atzilut. Atzilut is the "highest" of the spiritual realms, closest to the Infinite Light. It's a bit of a paradox: One the one hand it's a wholly G-dly realm, not even considered to be a created entity. On the other hand, it is understood to be a world.

What exactly is Atzilut? What makes it tick? How can we understand a non-created world? And where in the world is Atzilut anyway?

Join us as we explore uncharted territory and trek the Kabbalistic terrain of the spiritual world of Atzilut.

The Ultimate Destination:

The Kabbalah of Life, Death and Resurrection

Life, death, afterlife -- where does it all lead? As we arrive at the sixth and final lesson of Journey of the Soul, it is time to ask about the biggest question of all: what is the ultimate endgame?

The metaphysics of death are rooted in what transpired in the Garden of Eden at the beginning of time. Which means that to really understand the end, we need to first explore the beginning…

The Four Worlds - Part 2

"The Cosmic Mirror"

(Recorded at the Intown Jewish Academy on December 6, 2015)

The mystics teach that the lower world is created in accordance with the upper world. Which basically means that the universe is one huge mirror: that which exists above is reflected below.

But where do we see this? In what way exactly does the lower world mirror the upper world?

To understand this we take a pretty deep and detailed look at the upper world. Join us for a tour of the mystical galaxy and encounter Heavenly Academies, soul chambers, celestial proclamations, and more.

The Mourning After

Grief and Consolation

Bereavement: It is pointless to attempt to describe the feeling. Those who’ve experienced it know it all too well. For those who have not experienced it, no words will enable them to relate to the depth of the loss, pain, and agony.

In this lesson we discuss the Jewish perspective on mourning and its associated rituals. We discover how these rituals provide the survivors with a healthy channel for the crushing grief and the necessary tools to—when the time is right—reemerge and cope with “life after death.” We also learn what to say, and what not to say, to comfort one who is grieving.