18 Questions, 40 Mystics

For Rabbi Dr. Meir Sendor, mysticism is fundamentally the “direct experience of divine reality.” His profound engagement with Jewish mysticism, he shares, was initially sparked by a series of personal “enlightened experiences,” transformative moments that prompted him to delve deeply into the rich heritage of Jewish mystical traditions. Rabbi Sendor is the rabbi emeritus at Young Israel of Sharon,...

Rabbi Shmuel Braun draws an important distinction between the terms mysticism and Pnimiyut HaTorah [inner dimensions of Torah]. While mysticism is about having an experience of the divine that is not part of the rational world, Pnimiyut HaTorah is about experiencing God in our regular, mundane lives.  Rabbi Shmuel Braun is a teacher, lecturer, and mentor. He studied for many years at the Ner Israe...

For Gedale Fenster, Jewish Mysticism is not a retreat from reality but the "expanded consciousness" needed to see that “the problem is the solution.” Gedale Fenster is an internationally renowned motivational speaker, spiritual leader, life coach, entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. He is well known in the field of personal development. His teachings are firmly rooted in spirituality and the...

Victoria Hanna sees tremendous power in riddles. In many ways, she argues, questions are more important than answers. The Israeli musician uses sounds and letters to understand God and the world, believing in the power of the “limitless within the limits.”  Victoria Hanna is a multidisciplinary singer, artist, and musician. Her first single, “Aleph Bet,” went viral in 2015, garnering over two mill...

For Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pill, self-satisfaction is the biggest obstacle to living a more spiritual life. Based on the teaching of the Arizal, Rabbi Isaac ben Solomon Ashkenazi Luria, he argues that a sense of lack is what promotes true spiritual growth. Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pill is a professor at Emory University School of Law, where he earned his SJD. He is also a research scholar at The Center for the...

Fally Klein stumbled upon Jewish mysticism almost on her own, as a teenager battling cancer. Now she’s on a journey to fill in the gaps in her knowledge and anchor her natural spiritual inclinations in the deep-rooted, ancient tradition of Jewish law and peoplehood. Fally Klein is a Jewish educator, licensed hypnotherapist, and breathwork facilitator based in Brooklyn, NY. She is known for an inte...

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 be able to live better, more meaningful lives.  Rabbi Eli Rubin is the author of Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity as well as a number of articles that have been published in the AJS Review , Jewi...

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 as the inner reality of everything and the life force of all beings, enabling a personal and immediate connection to the divine.  Rabbi Aron Moss is the rabbi of the Nefesh community in Sydney, Austra...

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 ourselves. Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky is a prominent lecturer and author known for his unique ability to translate lofty spiritual and philosophical concepts into relatable, down-to-earth guidance. He has author...

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 challenges, transforming our struggles into a radical partnership with the Divine that allows every individual to become a lamplighter for the world. Faigy Blumstein is a passionate educator, school psycholog...

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 people.  Rabbi Judah Mischel is the Executive Director of Camp HASC and founder of the educational initiative Tzama Nafshi. He is the author of the Baderech series, and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh wit...

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 explores how ancient kabbalistic concepts resonate with contemporary philosophical and feminist theory.  Elliot Wolfson is a professor emeritus of religion at University of California, Santa Barbara. He...

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 duality go hand in hand with Torah and Jewish mysticism.  Efraim Palvanov studied biology and chemistry at York University, earned a bachelor of education at University of Toronto, and studied at Aish H...

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 each and every person has a responsibility to spread a little more light in the world. Fruma Schapiro is a teacher in California. She teaches Judaic studies at Ohel Chana, a girls’ school in Los Angele...

In this insightful conversation, Rabbi YY Jacobson presents Jewish mysticism as a dynamic framework for consciousness and connection rather than abstract theology. He passionately and clearly illustrates how faith and, ultimately, surrender can redefine how we see ourselves, our pain, and the world around us.  Before the Lubavitcher Rabbi’s passing, Rabbi Jacobson served as one of his oral scribes...

For Rabbanit Oshra Koren, mysticism is the soul and spirit of the Torah that animates the "body" of Jewish law. It is a path of deep longing that wakes the sleeping heart, transforming the way we see ourselves and our capacity to heal the world. Rabbanit Oshra Koren is the founder and director of Matan HaSharon and the global Matan Mother–Daughter Bat Mitzvah program. A sought after speaker and ed...

For Dr. Jonnie Schnytzer, Jewish mysticism teaches us to recognize that nothing in this world is the way it appears to be. Kabbalistic study is a process in deconstructing something we think we understand and rebuilding it.  Dr. Jonnie Schnytzer has a PhD in Jewish Philosophy and currently teaches at Bar-Ilan University. Previously, Jonnie has served as advisor to the CEO of Taglit-Birthright Isra...

For Dina Etigson, encountering Jewish Mysticism has been a transformative experience. Beyond the academic and textual Judaism she already knew and loved, she describes the experience as entering “a different dimension,” where spirituality and intellectualism blends.  Dina Etigson is a teacher and a thinker in Israel. Now, she sits down with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy to answer eighteen questions on Jewi...

For Dr. Biti Roi, the texts of Jewish mysticism aren’t just ideas to study – they are a life force. A renowned scholar of Zohar, Kabbala, and Chasidut [Hasidism], these texts are the animating energy behind Dr. Roi’s teaching and way of life.  Dr. Biti Roi is a fellow of the Kogod Research for Center Contemporary Jewish Thought and the academic coordinator and adviser for North American seminars a...

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 Jewish mysticism teaches us to listen, uplift, and shape our world as part of our path towards redemption.  Rabbi Dr. Leshem received his PhD in Jewish Philosophy from Bar-Ilan University and is the...

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 psychotherapy to foster personal healing and divine connection. Devori is an integrative psychotherapist who has trained in many different healing modalities including body psychotherapy, imago therapy, lo...

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 J...

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 first time at eighteen years old and found that there was something “deeply healing” about the Torah. Over the past decade, he has dedicated himself to studying mysticism and has grown fluent in the wri...

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 practical applications.  Yehudis Golshevsky is the founder and director of SHIVITI, a seminary in Jerusalem that emphasizes Chasidut [Hasidism] and musar classes to Torah-observant women of all ages and...

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 lack the courage to connect with others and show our love.  Rabbi Shlomo Katz is the rabbi and spiritual leader of Kehilat Shirat David in Efrat and the head of Machon Zimrat Ha’aretz. He is also an a...