18 Questions, 40 Mystics22 Des 2025

Zevi Slavin: ‘To be a mystic is to be human at its most raw’

As a Chabad Hassid, Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidus and Kabbalah. This upbringing provided him with a unique lens through which he continues to learn, study and connect with others.
Drawing on his background, Slavin created “Seekers of Unity,” a Youtube channel dedicated to exploring the philosophy and history of mysticism across diverse traditions. He founded this channel with the goal of forming a community focused on creating a more intimate world, together.
Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including people’s inherent divinity, tapping into the potential of modernity, and the perpetual experience of Har Sinai.
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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Episoder(79)

Zvi Leshem: 'Modernity in general was a movement that was anti-mystical'

As director of the Gershom Scholem Collection for Kabbalah and Hasidism at the National Library of Israel, Rabbi Dr. Zvi Leshem dedicates much of his time to the study of Jewish mysticism. He believes...

18 Mai 35min

Devori Nussbaum: 'I see God as this one coherent frequency of truth'

For Devori Nussbaum, Jewish mysticism is the study of the soul behind the psyche, a transformative framework that integrates the profound spiritual truths of Chasidut [Hasidism] with insights of psych...

11 Mai 36min

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 deep...

4 Mai 46min

Jeremy Tibbetts: 'Being a spiritual seeker is not in vogue'

For Rabbi Jeremy Tibbetts, Jewish mysticism is all about turning inwards: both individually and religiously. While he did not grow up Orthodox, Rabbi Jeremy was exposed to Hasidic teachings for the fi...

20 Apr 37min

Yehudis Golshevsky: 'The root of all prophecy is spiritual imagination'

For Rebbetzin Yehudis Golshevsky, Jewish mysticism is a living tradition, one that influences daily life and decision-making. She emphasizes the importance of loving-kindness and Jewish mysticism’s pr...

13 Apr 51min

Shlomo Katz: 'Today's idol worship is self-persecution'

To Rabbi Shlomo Katz, the song of Torah is the most natural gateway into Jewish mysticism. A spiritual disciple of Shlomo Carlebach, Rabbi Shlomo believes that our greatest challenge today is that we ...

30 Mar 42min

Tonia Chazanow: 'Every soul has a story'

Tonia Chazanow believes everyone deserves to have access to Jewish mysticism because it is a tool through which each person can discover and understand the divinity in their own life and help others f...

23 Mar 26min

Daniel Rowe: 'It's very easy to either idolatrize God or just misuse mystical teachings'

Rabbi Daniel Rowe sees Jewish mysticism as a path to deepen one’s relationship with God. He connects Jewish mysticism to the deeper dimensions of the Torah, viewing it as a unifying principle that int...

16 Mar 1h 1min