Live Kabbalah: Living from the Soul

The story of the spies, found in this week's Torah portion Shelach (Numbers 13-14), involves twelve leaders, one from each tribe of Israel, who were sent by Moses to scout the Promised Land of Canaan.

Upon returning from their mission, ten of the spies reported that, while the land was indeed bountiful ("a land flowing with milk and honey"), its inhabitants were powerful, and their cities fortified, which led to their recommendation against attempting to conquer it.

There are multiple explanations of the spies' actual intentions and mistakes.

In today's class, I look forward to exploring this topic and its explanations and extracting valuable life lessons that can be applied to our daily lives.

What is the secret of the Jewish spirit? Despite persecution throughout world history, the Jews survived the mightiest empires. The secret of the Menorah, which Kabbalah and Chassidut elaborate upon, captures the unity and essence of Divine connection or self-sacrifice, which is our essence.  

The Menorah is a symbol of the Jewish people. Beyond its profound symbolism, it carries a message of hope and strength.  

In our Parsha, B'Haalotcha, the Torah begins with the process of kindling the Menorah.  This week's Haftara (a portion from the prophets read every Shabbat after the Torah portion) is from Zachariah chapter 4.  

The prophet Zachariah sees the image of the intact Menorah as a message of solace and comfort in the imminent return of the people to the land of Israel.  Zechariah, who prophesized during the Babylonian exile and before the Jews were able to return to Israel, describes a vision of the menorah that would stand in a rebuilt temple.

The prophet is told that the menorah symbolizes the restoration of the kingdom of Judaea under the new king Zerubavel: "Not by might and not by power but by my [Divine] spirit."   The message of the Torah is eternal and gives us strength now, just as it has in the past. The secret of the Jewish people is intertwined with the message of light, unity, and the enduring spirit of Hashem, which guides and protects us.

At the young age of 13, Adam contended with cancer in his right hip which was eventually amputated. In his journey as a paraplegic Olympian tennis player ranked 8th in the world, Adam had to quit his Olympic aspirations after sustaining another injury. This led him through a long trek in Africa, to South America, Australia, Israel, and ultimately to himself.Adam is a motivational speaker, coach, meditation teacher, and a role model for staying persistent amid adversity.

What is the Kabbalistic essence of the month of Sivan? It is about instilling presence within contradictions.  

The Torah says, regarding the month of Sivan, "They (the Israelites) encamped around the mountain."

Our sages say that this was the first time true prevailing peace was achieved from an interpersonal point of view. After all the days of counting and inner accounting, the ultimate was achieved: mutual respect and love for one another. This was a precursor and an absolute must for the Torah to be given.

What is holiness? The Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman of Barcelona, Spain) says it means "removed from the mundane."

In this week's Parsha Emor, we learn about the innate holiness found within the Kohen, which translates into a different level of responsibility they have towards the collective. 

In truth, all of us are called Kohanim. As the Torah says, "I will make you a nation of Kohanim and holy assembly." 

This means that holiness is found inside of us, as the verse says, "say (Emor) to the Kohanim In; the famous commentator of the Torah, Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, Trois France), says that this means that the older Kohanim have an obligation of "illuminating" the younger ones.

As we transition from the month of Nissan—Aries into Iyar Taurus, we transition into a different phase of consciousness, which is unique to Iyar and the month of May. The Arizal teaches about three phases of consciousness.

These three archetypes are experienced on a superconscious level on the Seder night, and then we strive to internalize this experience. How do these phases reflect in our daily lives and what should we be more mindful for during the somewhat mindless material energy of Iyar/Taurus?

Charoset: The Sweetness of Liberation - The Symbolism on the Passover Table

We are happy to welcome botanical expert and historian Avraham Dahan, the author of the Talmudic Encyclopedia of Plants & Herbs, as a guest teacher.

The presence of Charoset on the Seder table is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and symbolism, particularly during the Passover holiday, which commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. Charoset is a sweet, paste-like mixture made from various ingredients, including apples, nuts, wine, and spices. Its exact origin is not definitively documented, but there are several explanations for its presence on the Seder table, which Avraham will expand upon.

In our Parsha, Tzaria, we learn about the leper and the healing from leprosy. 

Leprosy is a skin condition with a spiritual root. The Torah says that if a person suspects that they have leprosy, they must "come to the Kohen" and show him the white patches. The Kohen determines whether the person is an actual leper and quarantines him for seven days. 

In our Inner Vibe class, we will delve into what leprosy is from the spiritual dimension and why is a lepor, called "Adam," the highest description of man?

How does leprosy translate into our lives in 2024 in terms of healing our traumas and ailments?

The Kohen is the ultimate Jewish healer who facilitates all the of healing and transformation of the leper..

Join us as we try to understand his role in the process and what inner life lessons are for us. 

The month of Nissan represents the above nature dimension. The name Nissan means miracles, and during this month, we assume the above natural reality of love, joy, and compassion as our true selves.

A profound class on the roots of shame and how we may heal it.

Shame is something we all have. In fact, it is part of our human DNA and is stamped deeply into our psyche.

After the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam, the first man, was asked by G-d in the Garden of Eden, "Where are you?