Moshe Idel: ‘The Jews are supposed to serve something’

Moshe Idel: ‘The Jews are supposed to serve something’

Professor Moshe Idel has always been curious about what he doesn’t know – it’s what drew him to the world of kabbalistic manuscripts, and ultimately it is what led him to become a philosopher of Jewish mysticism.

Moshe Idel is professor emeritus of Jewish Thought at Hebrew University and a Senior Research Fellow at Hartman Institute. His PhD focuses on the thirteenth century kabbalist Abraham Abulafia.

Now, he joins us to answer eighteen questions on Jewish mysticism with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy including the importance of diversity within Jewish life and the true concerns of most Jews throughout history.

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?
  1. How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?
  2. What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?

Episoder(72)

Shani Taragin: 'It's good that Judaism is hard'

Shani Taragin: 'It's good that Judaism is hard'

Whether through the lens of Tanach or Maimonides, Rabbi Kook or the Zohar, Rabbanit Shani Taragin believes that the layers of the Torah form a unified language of divine intimacy. Shani directs and te...

19 Jan 42min

Moshe Gersht: ‘The world of mysticism begs for practicality’

Moshe Gersht: ‘The world of mysticism begs for practicality’

Rabbi Moshe Gersht first encountered the world of Chassidus at the age of twenty, the beginning of what he terms his “spiritual awakening.” From there, he began to dive deep into Jewish mysticism, vie...

12 Jan 45min

Suri Weingot: ‘The fellow Jew is as close to God as you'll get’

Suri Weingot: ‘The fellow Jew is as close to God as you'll get’

What does it mean to experience God as lived reality? Mrs. Suri Weingot reframes spirituality not as something hidden or elite but as something pulsing through every blade of grass, every Hebrew lette...

5 Jan 35min

Moshe Weinberger: ‘The Jewish People are God's shofar’

Moshe Weinberger: ‘The Jewish People are God's shofar’

In order to study Kabbala, argues Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, one must approach it with humility, holding one’s hands out in the form of a cup as though they are ready to receive. Rabbi Moshe Weinberger h...

29 Des 202559min

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

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 le...

22 Des 202550min

Sarah Yehudit Schneider: ‘Jewish mysticism is not so different from any mysticism’

Sarah Yehudit Schneider: ‘Jewish mysticism is not so different from any mysticism’

Rabbanit Sarah Yehudit Schneider believes meditation is the entryway to understanding mysticism. She highlights that traditional Kabbala often focuses on mystical realms associated with the masculine,...

15 Des 202533min

Joey Rosenfeld: "All Jews by definition are mystics'

Joey Rosenfeld: "All Jews by definition are mystics'

Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld’s entryway into mystical thought began with the writings of Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. Discussing Jewish mysticism with Rabbi Joey is not just a conversation about ancient text...

8 Des 202559min

Introducing 18 Questions, 40 Mystics with R' Benji Levy

Introducing 18 Questions, 40 Mystics with R' Benji Levy

Join Rabbi Benji Levy as he asks 18 existential questions to 40 mystics from around the world.Series launches Monday, Dec. 8.Visit 40mystics.com to learn more.A partnership between Share and 18Forty.

2 Des 202550s

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