In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein explore powerful insights from a Rabbi Simon Jacobson class examining how radically different narratives can exist around the same reality — and what Torah perspective contributes to understanding identity, history, and purpose.

Drawing from timeless Jewish wisdom, they unpack the contrast between material and spiritual frameworks for interpreting events and discuss how perspective shapes not only global discourse but also personal growth, resilience, and meaning in everyday life.

Rabbi Simon Jacobson is a renowned educator and founder of The Meaningful Life Center, known for presenting Torah teachings as a practical blueprint for navigating the human experience and bridging the secular and spiritual worlds.  

🎥 Watch Rabbi Jacobson’s full class here:

Watch the Full Episode

(Direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iglMnx5ExVI)

Why is it so hard to change—even when we want to grow?

In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack a powerful class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson on comfort zones, growth, and the invisible force that keeps us stuck: inertia.

We explore why comfort feels nurturing yet quietly blocks transformation, why willpower alone rarely leads to lasting change, and how the human soul is wired not just for survival—but for transcendence. Drawing on vivid metaphors, Torah wisdom, and deeply relatable examples, this conversation reframes discomfort as an act of love toward ourselves and others.

This episode isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about awakening the deeper, restless part of you that didn’t come into this world to stay comfortable—but to live meaningfully.

👉 Watch the full class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V_Q4l61nmc

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s been circling the same patterns—and subscribe for more conversations that help us journey toward a meaningful life.

In this powerful episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack a deeply moving class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson on one of the most urgent issues of our time: the destructive power of hatred — and the redemptive power of love.

Drawing from real-world events and timeless Torah wisdom, Rabbi Jacobson explores what happens to the human soul when hatred takes over, how it distorts judgment, consumes identity, and devastates both the hated and the hater. More importantly, he challenges us to confront a harder question: How do we respond without allowing ourselves to become defined by the darkness we witness?

David and Levi translate these ideas into relatable, honest conversation — discussing resentment, emotional triggers, personal growth, spiritual resilience, and how everyday choices toward empathy and purpose can reshape our inner world.

This is not just a discussion about global events. It’s an invitation to look inward, elevate consciousness, and choose a higher way of living.

🎧 Listen to the full class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEJS7x-wl9E

Subscribe to the podcast and join us each week as we explore Torah wisdom through the lens of modern life.

Let’s journey toward a meaningful life.

Is karma real — and if it is, are you stuck with the life your past “earned”? In this episode, David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s powerful take: yes, cause-and-effect is real… but Judaism introduces something radical — teshuvah, the ability to repair, return, and rewrite the trajectory of your life.

We explore why accountability builds trust more than perfection, how denial and cover-ups can cause deeper damage than the original mistake, and why Torah insists that hope isn’t naïve — it’s essential. From the Golden Calf and the birth of Yom Kippur to real-world stories of love reaching “unreachable” places, this conversation is a wake-up call: you may have tendencies, wounds, and consequences — but you don’t have to be defined by them.

Watch Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s full class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CShu_5VeeMM

“Let’s journey toward a meaningful life.”

Betrayal hits differently — because it doesn’t just hurt, it breaks the foundation of trust. In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s powerful Torah-based framework for healing after betrayal: when to repair, when to walk away, and why “I’m sorry” isn’t enough without real accountability. Drawing from the story of the Golden Calf and the birth of Yom Kippur as the day of forgiveness, we explore how trust can sometimes be rebuilt — and even become stronger than before — when honesty, vulnerability, and sustained change are real.

Watch the full class here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOaqjSEr-fk

 Let’s journey toward a meaningful life.

What if the headline of our time isn’t “crisis,” “conflict,” or “chaos” — but disruption?

In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s powerful perspective: when you zoom out, the turbulence of our era starts to look like a transition — an old world order breaking down as a new one struggles to be born.

We explore:

• Why it’s so hard to think clearly when you’re emotionally inside the moment
• How “disruption” often precedes growth—personally and collectively
• The spiritual idea of the “in-between” space: the vacuum between paradigms
• The unforgettable butterfly-and-cocoon story—and why removing the struggle can remove the ability to soar
• Practical ways to “disrupt yourself” in a healthy way, before life forces disruption on you

If you’ve been feeling unsettled, stuck, or anxious about change—this conversation offers a calmer lens, real-life application, and a hopeful reframing: the struggle may be shaping your wings.

Watch Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s full class here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgO922d4rK8

What does a solar eclipse have to do with war, faith, and the Jewish soul?

In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein explore a powerful and timely teaching from Rabbi Simon Jacobson, delivered just one week after the October 7 attacks in Israel — on the very day of a rare annular solar eclipse.

Rabbi Jacobson explains that the sun represents immense power, while the moon symbolizes the Jewish people — a nation that waxes and wanes, disappears and reemerges, yet never truly vanishes. Drawing from the Talmud and Kabbalistic insight, he reveals how even at its most vulnerable, the moon has the power to eclipse the sun, leaving behind a “ring of fire” — light that contains and ultimately transforms darkness.

David and Levi unpack this cosmic metaphor and translate it into a deeply personal message about spiritual resilience, moral courage, and the quiet strength required to bring light into a fractured world. This episode is not just about global events — it’s about the inner battles we all face, and how unity, faith, and consciousness can eclipse negativity without becoming consumed by it.

If you’ve been searching for meaning during uncertain times, this conversation offers clarity, hope, and a call to action: to become soldiers in a spiritual war of light.

👉 Watch Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s full class here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChX7bdYSCpQ

Subscribe, share, and join us as we continue the journey toward a meaningful life.

s the world’s most enduring conflict truly about land, politics, or power—or something far deeper?

In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein unpack a profound teaching from Rabbi Simon Jacobson that reframes modern conflict through the timeless wisdom of the Torah.

Drawing from the stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael, they explore how spiritual passion, identity, and belief have shaped the world’s most persistent tensions. Far from being a “thing of the past,” religious instinct and devotion—when untempered by humility and boundaries—can fuel conflict in both global affairs and personal life.

🔍 What You’ll Discover in This Episode:

• How the ancient story of Abraham’s sons offers insight into modern conflict
• Why religious identity is not just symbolic—but real, powerful, and relevant
• The difference between compassionate faith and weaponized belief
• How the Torah’s vision of peace challenges conventional ideas about religion and war

This conversation takes you beyond headlines and politics into deeper questions about faith, humanity, and the meaning of peace. Whether you’re wrestling with world events or personal struggles, this episode invites you to rethink what peace really requires.

👉 Watch the full Rabbi Simon Jacobson class here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XtPcJQikhI

🎧 Listen, reflect, and continue your journey toward a meaningful life.

In this episode of Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein dive into a powerful class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson that explores how the hardest challenges and deepest pains in life can — against all odds — become sources of blessing, wisdom, and spiritual growth. Through the lens of the Torah story of Balaam and his failed attempts to curse the Jewish people, we examine what really defines us: not the struggles we face, but how we respond to them. Whether you’re dealing with loss, failure, betrayal, or simply life’s everyday setbacks — this episode offers a roadmap for transforming pain into purpose.

Reflect on five major “curses” in your life, explore whether they’ve been healed, buried, or transformed — and consider: how could your most painful moments become your greatest strengths?

Listen in for deep insight, honest conversation, and practical guidance to help you discover the hidden blessings in dark times.

🎧 Watch the full class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sGvGlFkkk8  

In this episode of the Toward a Meaningful Life Podcast, hosts David Cohen and Levi Goldstein dive into Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s captivating class, “What the Stars Say About You: Pisces.”

Whether you’re a Pisces or not, this episode uncovers a spiritual archetype that lives in every one of us — the “fish soul,” that inner part of you that feels most alive, joyful, and at home when it’s connected to something deeper.

🌊 In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• What Kabbalah teaches about “water souls” vs. “land souls”
• Why Pisces represents joy, depth, fluidity, and spiritual sensitivity
• The meaning behind the two fish swimming in opposite directions
• How to access your natural state of inner joy — like a fish in water
• Why real blessings grow best when they’re hidden, protected, and submerged
• Practical ways to connect more deeply with your own soul’s “water”

David and Levi weave Rabbi Jacobson’s mystical insights with humor, modern-day examples, and relatable life scenarios — helping you discover where you feel seamless, held, and spiritually at home.

✨ Explore the full class by Rabbi Simon Jacobson here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNfYtEaUgsc

If you’re longing for more connection, more joy, and a deeper sense of belonging in your life, this conversation opens the door.

👍 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use a little more “water” in their world.

Let’s journey toward a meaningful life — together.