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 find theirs.

Tonia Chazanow is a Los Angeles-based writer and poet. Along with teaching weekly Torah classes, she is also the founder and host of the Human and Holy, a podcast that explores Judaism and Chasidut [Hasidism] through the lived experiences of and conversations between a spectrum of Jewish women.

Now, she sits down with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy to answer eighteen questions on Jewish mysticism including the role of the Jewish mystic, the goals of Torah study, and the potential dangers involved in studying mysticism.

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?

1. What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?