Simon Jacobson: 'The music of Judaism is what I’m looking for, not just the mechanics'

Rabbi Simon Jacobson describes his childhood years as being shaped by his nature of being a “skeptic and a seeker.” As he grew older, he began to study other traditions, eventually returning to a deeper study of Hasidic thought, where he found “the music of Judaism.” As he continued his studies, he became a close disciple of the Lubavitcher Rabbi, serving as one of his oral scribes.

Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the founder of the The Meaningful Life Center, an organization dedicated to sharing the wisdom of the Torah to people of all backgrounds. He is the author of Towards A Meaningful Life.

Now, he joins us to answer eighteen questions with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy on Jewish mysticism including its emphasis on action and how Pnimiyut HaTorah [inner dimensions of Torah] is a taste of redemption.

Here are our questions:
What is Jewish mysticism?
How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism?
In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics?
What do you think of when you think of God?
What is the purpose of the Jewish people?
How does prayer work?
What is the goal of Torah study?
Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same?
Should Judaism be hard or easy?
Why did God create the world?
Can humans do something that is against God’s will?
What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?
Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?
What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?
How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?
What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions?
Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?
Can mysticism be dangerous?
How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?
What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

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Jaksot(92)

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For Rabbi Dr. Eli Rubin, in an ideal world all people would be mystics. He argues that if mysticism means connecting to God, then everyone should feel that connection. And through it, everyone should ...

17 Elo 46min

Aron Moss: 'The term religious doesn't really exist in Judaism'

It is difficult to navigate the complexities of the world without having inner purpose. For Rabbi Aron Moss, Jewish mysticism provides this crucial depth. He describes God not as a distant figure but ...

10 Elo 31min

Yussie Zakutinsky: 'God is as much part of this world as He was before Creation'

For Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky, Jewish mysticism means reintroducing the soul into the body of the world, turning every action into a gateway for the Infinite, who is closer to us than we are to ourselve...

3 Elo 41min

Faigy Blumstein: 'Take that darkness, flip it over, and see the light'

For Faigy Blumstein, mysticism is the secret that reveals the vibrant, colorful layers hidden beneath the surface of a black-and-white world. It is a soulful GPS for navigating life’s darkest challeng...

27 Heinä 28min

Judah Mischel: 'I identify as somebody who is living in the days of redemption'

Raised in a home that focused on the soul of Judaism, Rabbi Judah Mischel was immersed in the world of mysticism from a young age. For Rabbi Judah, true connection with God begins with love for other ...

20 Heinä 48min

Elliot Wolfson: ‘Jewish mysticism is the garment that I wear in this world’

Professor Elliot Wolfson, one of the world’s foremost scholars of Jewish mysticism, has dedicated over forty years to teaching and researching Kabbala and its expressions across Jewish history. He exp...

13 Heinä 37min

Efraim Palvanov: 'Every person can be the Messiah'

What is taught today as basic science, argues Efraim Palvanov, was taught centuries ago in the Zohar. To Efraim, complex scientific functions such as quantum physics, epigenetics, and wave particle du...

6 Heinä 45min

Fruma Schapiro: 'The direct path of connection to Hashem is through the simple and the small'

Fruma Schapiro’s connection to Jewish mysticism is deeply entrenched in Chabad Hasidism. She has seen the way it can transform lives and nourish souls, and she is particularly drawn to the idea that e...

29 Kesä 41min