In this special Maslul Academy episode we explore the hidden power of the wilderness, those unexpected seasons of disruption that ultimately become the very pathway to our destiny. Drawing from Parashat Eikev, Kabbalistic teachings, and my own personal journey from a comfortable life in Lafayette, California to finally moving to New York City, I share how a series of painful and seemingly random events were actually signs of Divine redirection.

From a beloved car exploding to the loss of a tech career and the emotional moment of releasing my son into adulthood, each experience served as sacred preparation, a birur or spiritual refinement, clearing the way for me to step into the life I was created to live.

Whether you are currently in a season of transition or reflecting on a past one, this Maslul Academy episode offers an uplifting reminder that discomfort is rarely punishment. It is often choreography. This message explores what Eikev teaches us about hardship and blessing, how the Kabbalistic concepts of birur, mashiach, and galut help us recognise Divine redirection in our own lives, and how powerful it can be to simply say Hineni, “Here I am.”

Tune in for a heartfelt and soul-nourishing reflection that will inspire you to view your challenges through the lens of purpose and possibility.

A Maslul Academy podcast for spiritual seekers and leaders across the

This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Emor, speaks directly to anyone who carries the quiet weight of leadership. From the ancient Kohanim to today’s educators, mentors, and community figures, this episode explores the divine expectation that those in positions of trust live with elevated awareness.

Dr. Robert Brown shares a personal story—one Friday night, a bottle of tequila, and a student’s unexpected question—that reveals the quiet holiness embedded in how we carry ourselves. Through this experience, and the priestly laws of Emor, we’ll unpack how to lead with integrity, and what it really means to be “set apart.”

“Speak to the priests... and say to them: None shall defile himself for a dead person among his people.”
— Leviticus 21:1

🎧 Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or someone others simply look up to, this episode is a reminder: the call to leadership is not always fair—but it is always sacred.

In this episode, Dr. Robert Brown reflects on an unexpected spiritual lesson found in a blemish on a Spode Blue Willow plate. What seemed like a flaw became a doorway into the heart of Parashat Acharei Mot–Kedoshim and the deeper wisdom of Kabbalah.

Through the lens of Jewish mysticism, we explore how every mark, every “mistake,” and every crack in the glaze of life is part of a divine design—proof that we have passed through the fire and emerged more real, not less.

You’ll learn:
•Why holiness isn’t about being flawless—but about being faithful to your journey.
•A Kabbalistic view of life’s imperfections as on-purpose and for a purpose.

Because maybe the unglazed spot in your story isn’t a defect at all.

Maybe it’s your signature of becoming.

In this episode of the Maslul Academy podcast, we reflect on Leviticus 13:45–46, where a person afflicted with tzara’at is cast outside the camp, forced to wear torn clothes and cry out “Unclean! Unclean!”

“They shall remain unclean as long as they have the affliction; they shall dwell alone; their dwelling shall be outside the camp.”

This powerful passage opens a conversation about ancient systems of exclusion and their echoes in today’s world. What does it mean to be marked as impure? How do stigma, marginalization, and public shame persist in our communities — especially for those living at the intersections of race, faith, illness, or identity?
Join us as we explore how sacred texts invite us not only to name exclusion, but to reimagine wholeness, reintegration, and radical belonging.

#MaslulAcademy #Podcast #Leviticus #TorahStudy #SpiritualHealing #JewishLearning #Inclusion #Stigma #JewsOfColor #xubunik