I joined my friend Zevi Slavin in discussion on his podcast, Seekers of Unity, where we dove into experiential Judaism, mystical experience in Jewish practice today, and why it matters

Beneath The Surface

Experiential Judaism w/ Zevi Slavin

 Jesse Israel is a social entrepreneur, meditation leader and former record label executive known for founding the mass meditation movement The Big Quiet. Jesse has signed multi-platinum bands like MGMT, has led some of the largest meditations in the world, teaches meditation to next-generation leaders and speaks at Fortune 500s and colleges. At the start of 2020, Jesse was invited to go on tour with Oprah Winfrey and WW to speak at and lead mass meditations at sold-out arenas throughout the US. Jesse’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Vice, Vogue, Fast Company, GQ and the Wall Street Journal.     

Jesse Israel: Authentic Mindful Living

Soul Living 31: Lag Ba'omer - The Fire of Love

There are 7 weeks between the holidays of Passover  & Shavuot. These days were utilized by the jewish nation – and continued on throughout history until today – as a time of self refinement & personal growth, working on each of our 7 sefirot – our emotional soul traits. Kabbalah teaches us that each of these 7 traits are made up of the other 7 aspects - totaling 7 weeks of 49 days. What are these Sefirot and how did they come to be?

Soul Living 30: Detailed Transcendence - The Sefirot

This Shabbat we read about the holy brothers Nadav & Avihu, sons of Aharon the Kohen Gadol, who enter the Temple with incense. The Torah calls it “strange fire before God, which He hadn’t commanded them.” As they enter, their souls leave their body. What happened here? This coming week we will focus on the divine soul attribute of Tiferet – beauty, compassion, balance and harmony – the path of truth. Perhaps we can find guidance & meaning in this story through this trait of harmony.

Soul Living 29: Grounding Transcendence - The Path of Harmony

Rudy Rochman is an important young voice in this generation of proud Jewish identity. A passionate advocate for the self determination of Jews on their ancestral homeland in Israel, Rudy works to find mutual understanding between Jews, Arabs, and all peoples in a peaceful way that will benefit all. In this episode we discuss what motivates him to do his work, his documentary "We Were Never Lost" about Jewish tribes in Africa, Jewish spiritual identity, and the always simple subject of how to create a lasting peace in Israel.

Rudy Rochman: Proud Jewish Living

I spoke with Holocaust survivor and best-selling author Dr. Edith Eger about her resiliency and perspective during her trauma, and her visualization of a better future. How can we find light in the darkness? Can we see how in spite of our past troubles, we can find strength and live meaningful, impactful lives?

Dr. Edith Eger: Choosing Life

This week, we read about the building of the Mishkan in the desert – a home for God designed by Betzalel, as directed by Moses. But a difference of opinion arises in the order of creation: Moshe asks that the vessels be built first, and then the structure of the building. Betzalel says the structure should come first, and only then the vessels are placed inside it. When Moshe hears this, he agrees and adds that this is truly God’s Will. What’s the deeper idea behind their differing perspectives? The answer may be found in the covering of the Ark - the Kruvim

Soul Living 28: The Holy Cherubs

I discussed with Micaela Ezra her life's journey and how she found meaning in her Jewish learning; how we can become more intentional in our lives, elevating our homes into sacred spaces, and modeling a meaningful  life for our children.

Micaela Ezra: How to Reveal Sacred Beauty in our Everyday Lives

This week we read about the infamous creation and worship of the golden calf, perhaps the greatest human mistake since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge. Throughout the Torah God implores us not to worship idols. But in today’s world, this seems extremely strange: Where did a deep desire for worshiping inanimate objects come from? 

Soul Living 27: The Golden Calf

Mordechai responds to Esther: “Do not think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews by being in the king’s palace. For if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this royal position.”

Soul Living 26: Hidden Sweetness of Purim

At that moment, God called to the soul of Moshe and said to her: "My daughter, I assigned you 120 years in Moshe's body. Now the time has come for you to depart. Emerge and do not delay." She responded: "Master of the Universe, I know that You are the Master of all spirits and the Master of all souls. You created me and You placed me in Moshe's body for 120 years. And now, is there a body in this world purer than that of Moshe? I love him and I do not wish to depart from him!"

Soul Living 25: The Humility of Moses

At that moment none of the mysteries of Torah and the secrets above and below were withheld from them, for they saw the radiance of their Master's glory eye to eye [Zohar]

Soul Living 24: Revelation at Sinai

“They did not see each other, and no one rose from his place for three days, but for all the children of Israel there was light in their homes.” [Exodus 10:23] The darkness was tangibly felt, so powerful that those seated couldn’t rise from their place. I wonder if this darkness was internal, a depression – a dark feeling of the mind that there’s no reason to arise. Perhaps the light the people of Israel found amidst the darkness was internal, a feeling of Divine connectivity that illuminated a purpose and meaning to the world around them. ‘One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.’ [Carl Jung]

Soul Living 23: Darkness & Light

Why was Moses not tasked with the carrying out the first 3 plagues in Egypt? To show his gratitude

Soul Living 22: 10 Plagues & Appreciation

Welcome to the Beneath the Surface Podcast, hosted by the Millennial Rabbi, Daniel Bortz. Tune in as I talk to high impact people around the world, discovering meaningful ways to live life deeper, beneath the surface

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Beneath The Surface

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