In this episode of the Live Kabbalah podcast, Rabbi Amichai is joined by special guest Jessie Shapiro, an Ontological Coach. Together, they explore the significance of inner reflection and discuss how grounding ourselves in the earth helps us connect more deeply with our emotions and bodies.
Elul is a time of reflection and introspection when we examine who we are and who we are becoming. The Alter Rebbe famously said that during the month of Elul, "the King is in the field." This is a reference to the potential of the month of Elul. During this month, the King—Hashem—is in the field and is more accessible than ever. In Shulchan, it says that even Torah scholars who learned all day closed their books and went into the field. The field is, of course, a metaphor for seeing G-d in all ...
In this teaching we explore the profound Torah of the B'Nai Ysaschar, Rav Tzadok Ha'Cohen of Lublin and the Lubavitcher Rebbe for a deep understanding of the transaction of the months of Tammuz and Av to the auspicious month of Elul. Elul is a doorway and a portal in time that allows us to see that every situation we are placed in is exact. Once we find the door or gate, we can walk through to the other side and witness that everything is HIM. There are many ideas here and it is worthwhile to le...
The 15th day of the month of Av stands out as one of the year's most potent days. According to the Talmud, Israel has seen no greater days than the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur. This date, marked by the full moon in Av, symbolizes the peak of descent following its ascent. From a Kabbalistic perspective, the moon embodies the Shechina—the feminine aspect of the Divine presence. Its ascent signifies the upliftment from exile and the realization of its Divine feminine potential of true wholeness....
In this captivating class, we explored the biography of the esoteric master of Kabbalah, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, the Arizal, the greatest Kabbalist of the past thousand years. Recorded on the 5th of Av, 8/8/2024, the Hilula (day of passing) of the Arizal, we delved into his extraordinary biography, including his transformative years in Tzfat and the profound impact of his teachings, as captured in the "Eitz Chaim—The Tree of Life" by his devoted disciple, Rabbi Chaim Vital. Click here fo...
AnaRina Kreisman on the Rich History and Spiritual Essence of Jerusalem In this episode of Live Kabbalah's podcast, we heard from AnaRina Kreisman, the director of Align with Zion and a tour guide for the City of David Archaeological site. We delved into Jerusalem's 5,000-year history, from its ancient roots to Charles Warren's discovery of the City of David in 1867. We explored the significant 50-year alignment periods leading to its unification in 1967 and the relocation of the US embassy to J...
What is the difference between Destiny and Fate? Many of us think we know what these words mean. What is the actual definition and difference between the two? In this week's Torah portion- Pinchas, we learn about the division of the land of Israel to the tribes. This division was done by the casting of lots and via the Divine spirit. The casting of lots is called Go'ral in Hebrew or fate. Each tribe had its fateful inheritance. As it is in land there is in person. We all have our potential lots,...
This powerful class discusses how to contend with our inner and outer darkness. The darkness we see in the world mirrors our inner darkness, yet we have the key to transmuting it into light, and it's called Rachamim- compassion. We know that the week's energy is encoded in the week's Torah portion. In the Torah portion of the week (July 19th), Balak, the king of Midyan, hires Ba'alam, a master of dark magic, to curse the children of Israel. However, not only do his curses fail, but they are also...
One of the main pillars of life is the recognition that we can always start again. The great Chassidic masters said that even if someone commits the worst sins, they can and need to start again. What prevents us from starting again is the lack of belief in ourselves and in the Creator's infinite love and compassion. While we are so harsh, shameful, and judgemental of ourselves, G-d looks at us with endless belief and love. In this week's Parsha, we learn about the Red Heifer- Para Aduma, which c...
The story of the spies, found in this week's Torah portion Shelach (Numbers 13-14), involves twelve leaders, one from each tribe of Israel, who were sent by Moses to scout the Promised Land of Canaan. Upon returning from their mission, ten of the spies reported that, while the land was indeed bountiful ("a land flowing with milk and honey"), its inhabitants were powerful, and their cities fortified, which led to their recommendation against attempting to conquer it. There are multiple explanatio...
What is the secret of the Jewish spirit? Despite persecution throughout world history, the Jews survived the mightiest empires. The secret of the Menorah, which Kabbalah and Chassidut elaborate upon, captures the unity and essence of Divine connection or self-sacrifice, which is our essence. The Menorah is a symbol of the Jewish people. Beyond its profound symbolism, it carries a message of hope and strength. In our Parsha, B'Haalotcha, the Torah begins with the process of kindling the Menorah. ...
At the young age of 13, Adam contended with cancer in his right hip which was eventually amputated. In his journey as a paraplegic Olympian tennis player ranked 8th in the world, Adam had to quit his Olympic aspirations after sustaining another injury. This led him through a long trek in Africa, to South America, Australia, Israel, and ultimately to himself.Adam is a motivational speaker, coach, meditation teacher, and a role model for staying persistent amid adversity.
What is the Kabbalistic essence of the month of Sivan? It is about instilling presence within contradictions. The Torah says, regarding the month of Sivan, "They (the Israelites) encamped around the mountain." Our sages say that this was the first time true prevailing peace was achieved from an interpersonal point of view. After all the days of counting and inner accounting, the ultimate was achieved: mutual respect and love for one another. This was a precursor and an absolute must for the Tora...
What is holiness? The Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman of Barcelona, Spain) says it means "removed from the mundane." In this week's Parsha Emor, we learn about the innate holiness found within the Kohen, which translates into a different level of responsibility they have towards the collective. In truth, all of us are called Kohanim. As the Torah says, "I will make you a nation of Kohanim and holy assembly." This means that holiness is found inside of us, as the verse says, "say (Emor) to the Ko...
As we transition from the month of Nissan—Aries into Iyar Taurus, we transition into a different phase of consciousness, which is unique to Iyar and the month of May. The Arizal teaches about three phases of consciousness. These three archetypes are experienced on a superconscious level on the Seder night, and then we strive to internalize this experience. How do these phases reflect in our daily lives and what should we be more mindful for during the somewhat mindless material energy of Iyar/Ta...
Charoset: The Sweetness of Liberation - The Symbolism on the Passover Table We are happy to welcome botanical expert and historian Avraham Dahan, the author of the Talmudic Encyclopedia of Plants & Herbs, as a guest teacher. The presence of Charoset on the Seder table is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and symbolism, particularly during the Passover holiday, which commemorates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. Charoset is a sweet, paste-like mixture made from various ingred...
In our Parsha, Tzaria, we learn about the leper and the healing from leprosy. Leprosy is a skin condition with a spiritual root. The Torah says that if a person suspects that they have leprosy, they must "come to the Kohen" and show him the white patches. The Kohen determines whether the person is an actual leper and quarantines him for seven days. In our Inner Vibe class, we will delve into what leprosy is from the spiritual dimension and why is a lepor, called "Adam," the highest description o...
The month of Nissan represents the above nature dimension. The name Nissan means miracles, and during this month, we assume the above natural reality of love, joy, and compassion as our true selves.
A profound class on the roots of shame and how we may heal it. Shame is something we all have. In fact, it is part of our human DNA and is stamped deeply into our psyche. After the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam, the first man, was asked by G-d in the Garden of Eden, "Where are you?
A deep dive into understanding life's journeys. As much as we do not yearn for or anticipate expansiveness/redemption, it is found within the challenge itself, and one of life's great lessons is this recognition. The Torah portion of Pekudai culminates the book of Shemot-Exodus. The book begins by recounting the children of Jacob's descent into Egypt or exile. Yet this recounting is described by our Sages as an ascent or redemption. At the end of the book, the Torah lists the details of the Mish...
The Zohar teaches that we are comprised of the spiritual higher self, which is called our "other half." We are also comprised of our lower ego-centric self. We are interested in uplifting the ego self by utilizing the power of choice and observation. This Shabbat is the first of four special Torah readings that spiritually prepare us for the holidays of Purim and Passover. The Zohar says that it corresponds to the four-letter name of G-d. This week, we read the additional Torah portion called Sh...
In the Torah portion, Ki -Tissa, we learn about the sin of the golden calf in which Moshe rises in prayer to the Creator to atone for this grave sin. It says Hashem (G-d) teaches Moshe THE prayer to annul the negative decree and atone for the sin. It is the 13 Attributes of mercy. The holy Zohar says that the 13 Attributes of mercy are compared to the various colors of the 13 petals of the rose, where there is a transformation of the attribute of judgment to the attribute of mercy. We find that ...
What is the essence of joy? The holiday of Purim teaches us that there is a constant joy of self beyond our knowing and doing. This joy is interconnected with our inner child, whose birthright is joy. Purim Katan offers us to connect to the constant and subtle joy of being in the moment and harnassing the opportunity to live with an open mind and open heart throughout the year. This minor holiday is a major reminder for the entire year of the secret of continual joy. Since this year is a leap ye...
The month of Adar is one of the most joyous and auspicious months on the calendar. This year, we are in a leap year and are celebrating two Adars or 60 days of Adar. When this happens (every 2-3 years), there is a special inherent potential that we can tap into. In a sense, we become nullified within these 60 days and its potential.The month of Adar teaches us about the power of miracles. Not miracles that are above nature, but rather miracles that are within nature. In this class, we explore th...
In this week's Parsha-Bo, Moshe is asked to approach Pharoah on his home turf. Moshe is frightened, and the Zohar says that Hashem tells him, "Come with me to Pharoah." Hashem walks Moshe into the fearsome face-to-face with the dark side. The Zohar gives a secondary interpretation that the Pharoah represents the source from which all lights stem, the Pharoah of holiness. According to this interpretation, Moshe was frightened to approach this source for fear of extinguishing his reality. Similarl...
What is flow? It is the state of being where we are perfectly aligned with our purpose. Behavioral Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says that flow is the balance of when our challenges and capacities are conjoined to connect with our ecstatic state of being. Csikszentmihalyi says that the best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits voluntarily to accomplish something diffic...
Throughout the book of Beriesheit - Genesis, we hear the word Hineini from all of our greats. Starting with Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph, they refer to their divine awareness within the darkness of uncertainty as Hineini. Lenord Cohen has a famous song Hineni, in which he refers to his surrender to G-d as Hineni. In this week's Parsha and new book of Shmot- Moshe uses the word Hineni to head to the call of his greatness. He answers beyond the veil of the burning bush and courageously agrees to the...
Inarguably, Jacob stands out as one of the greatest spiritual heroes who engaged in the most courageous battles ✨ His struggles encompassed inner and outer conflicts stemming from a perceived lack of paternal love, sibling strife, discord among his children, a celestial encounter with an angel, and confrontations with his father-in-law. According to our Sages, Jacob faced seven significant battles, aligning with King Solomon's adage, "A Tzadik will fall seven times and rise." After a lifelong jo...
Learn about the Ari's three stages of our spiritual evolution and the rise of the feminine consciousness called Malchut, which the world is evolving into.
The eighth day of Chanukah is also called "Zot Chanukah" or "this is Chanukah" because it captures the essence of the holiday. In this class, we explore the two opinions of Beit Hillel and Beit Shamai about seeing the actual now vs accessing potential. How do we surrender to a great place of oneness and release our limiting beliefs? Why do we mention the wars and challenges? Chanukah entails us sitting with our darkness and realizing that it, too, is light waiting to be transmuted. On Zot Chanuk...
