Today, I sit down with my friend, Zisi Zirkind for an unscripted conversation about burnout, motherhood, faith, friendship, and the holy delusion of believing your soul is needed in this world.This isn't an interview; it's a conversation between two close friends. We talk about why it's not always doing less that restores our energy, the undervaluing of women's work and how we each experience meaning in our homes, why faith doesn't have to be rigid to be strong, how we hold paradox in every identity, and how friendship can help us each remember who we are.Zisi Zirkind is the Rebbetzin of Yeshiva Center in Melbourne, teaches Chassidus through her weekly women’s Torah classes, teaches guided research classes at Ohel Chana Seminary, and is the host of the podcast Standing Between Earth and Sky. Find her podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/0EOKqR8gwDDnEEvq7W02z3?si=0c228c7fbde34a5f Contact her at [email protected].* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Host's Intro: A Conversation Between Friends00:02:25 Welcome Zisi Zirkind 00:02:50 Springboarding ideas as a way of bridging the human and holy00:04:01 How much do I trust myself?00:04:53 When you're taking a leap 00:05:19 A friend who can see you clearly 00:06:14 Sustained creative devotion is supported by a witness00:08:14 Why sharing an idea forces it to become real00:10:10 Is this my animal soul or my divine soul?00:11:41 Delusion of separateness vs. delusion of holiness00:12:54 Does what I do matter?00:14:28 Burnout happens when you're not lit up by what you're doing00:14:41 What will actually energize you?00:17:06 Busy but not doing the right things00:17:36 The Rebbe's "add another one" — what was he actually saying?00:18:27 Showing up before the energy comes00:20:27 The seductive permission to wallow 00:21:50 "I had to make a choice that I'm going to love my life again"00:22:08 Hosting vs. being hosted — what really makes a place yours00:24:08 Dissolution of self prepares you to rise00:24:50 When to add, and when you need more support 00:25:42 Delegating what depletes you -- "I'm sick of cleaning" 00:27:10 Excellence and pride in the work nobody sees00:27:55 Bringing the same creativity to home life 00:28:35 Why the years that look like pause are often the years that change you00:31:51 Bringing your full self into your home 00:32:29 Letting yourself enjoy what you didn't think was "you" — dropping the identity attachment00:33:43 Paradox: when opposing realities exist at once00:35:17 Teaching style: opening to the text vs. filing it into systems00:38:05 Tanya's permission for multiple parts of self to coexist00:38:08 Trusting that Torah's truth can hold your questions00:38:39 After the Bondi terror attack: "Faith doesn't have to be rigid to be strong" 00:41:51 Faith from intuition, not intellect00:42:35 Why paradox can only be experienced00:43:02 Faith as identity: "I'm here. This is who I am."00:44:34 The ego in Torah study, and what it costs us00:45:50 The never-ending process00:47:38 Host's Outro

A conversation with Chana Kalmenson: shlucha of Chabad of Belgravia in London, poet, and teacher of Jewish mysticism, on the Sefirot of the Omer.Chana walks through each of the seven emotional Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malchut. What each one is, how they relate to each other, and how they show up in everyday emotional life. The episode also covers how the months of Nissan, Iyar, and Sivan mirror human development from childhood to maturity, why the inner work of the Omer is what prepares us to receive the Torah at Sinai, and how to approach the counting without falling into perfectionism.The conversation goes especially deep on three Sefirot: Hod (humility, gratitude, surrender), Tiferet (compassion, holding paradox, the antidote to shame), and Malchut (dignity, agency, authentic expression). Chana shares what she learned about humility from her father-in-law, the Chassidic teaching on the soul's forgetting at birth, and how to step out of comparison with others.A grounded, accessible introduction to the Sefirot for anyone counting the Omer or wanting to understand the Kabbalistic map of the inner life.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Opening reflection: loved into existence, loving me as me00:31 Tonia's Intro01:58 Welcome, and Chana on women's circles05:25 What is Sefirat HaOmer, really? Pesach as emergence, Sinai as the destination11:38 Nissan, Iyar, Sivan — the child, the teenager, the partner17:45 Walking through each Sefirah: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malchut22:10 Why we use consciousness to look at the inner emotional life29:17 When perfectionism hijacks the practice (and what to do instead)33:03 On Hod: humility, gratitude, the quiet power of the left leg40:33 What Chana learned from her father-in-law about humility46:10 The trauma of forgetting at birth, and the long work of remembering50:37 On Tiferet: holding paradox, growing up, why compassion is truth56:09 Self-compassion as the antidote to shame1:00:14 On Malchut: dignity, agency, and what emerges when everything inside has a voice1:09:33 Soul to soul

A live Human & Holy Women's Open Mic Night in Jerusalem, exploring the theme "I Am a Dreamer". A deeply moving evening of poetry, prose and song about dreams fulfilled and dreams shattered, on the dreams laid to rest and the ones held onto with quiet persistence, on the courage to keep dreaming. Listen for an expansive, heart opening hour of soulful art that will dare you to your own dreams. Thank you to Sara & Joel Halpern for hosting this evening in Jerusalem.Featured in this episode (in order of appearance):Mazal ZaikinZeesy GurevitchRivka Mazal TauberChanah RothbergHindel SwerdlowEstee Silberberg (30:07) Name Missing(32:28) Name Missing Ariella SeltzerShani PollackMiriam SebbagLeah KatzKeren VardiDevorah RutnerChana BennettTonia Chazanow* * * * * * *To join our virtual Tanya class, click here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclassTo inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Join our virtual Tanya class here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclassChana Bennet grew up in the religious system, but found herself searching for something from a young age. With nowhere to turn, she turned to God. In this conversation, Chana discusses the concept of devekut (attachment to God), the role of a Tzadik in awakening the soul, and what it actually looks like to live in daily relationship with Hashem.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A personal essay about motherhood, the way it awakens my childhood self, and a fleeting, luminous moment where I allowed myself to experience its simplicity. Sharing this as we enter into an immersive Pesach season, as an invitation to let yourself feel these moments when they come. Read the essay here: https://open.substack.com/pub/toniachazanow/p/let-it-be-simple?r=c8uie&utm campaign=post&utm medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Meet Ricka Razel, the Israeli musician who has been leading thousands of women in monthly Rosh Chodesh gatherings across Israel during one of the country's darkest times. In this conversation, Ricka shares how she experiences music as prayer, why she and fellow musicians became the "Brigade of Joy" visiting evacuated families in hotels, how music became therapeutic catharsis for Israeli women processing trauma, and how it can connect Jews from around the world. Listen to Ricka's music here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc5vxWffKI 5qf8mhtYG0Nghttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6aZPpCSaYpDLkk4nfOESdz?si=iBbP7LRVT2alZ8Ylbjbl4AFind her on instagram @ricka razel* * * * * * *Join our upcoming virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, four part Tanya series, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Opening0:47 - Introduction to Ricka Razel & Israel Series2:22 - Family, Music & 8 Kids3:58 - Why Rosh Chodesh is the Women's Holiday5:41 - The War Experience: Nova Festival, Evacuations & Loss7:34 - The Power of Music During War9:35 - The "Brigade of Simcha" - Bringing Joy to Hotels12:29 - Sitting Shiva in a Hotel: Meeting a 24-Year-Old Widow14:45 - Holocaust Survivor Grandparents: 2.5 Years in Amsterdam Attic17:20 - The Miracle: How They Survived19:15 - Why Ricka Returned to Music at 4221:30 - From Real Estate to Crave Restaurant to Music23:45 - The Biblical Energy of Women's Song25:10 - Miriam the Prophetess Leading Through Music27:00 - Monthly Gatherings: 600 Women Singing in Jerusalem29:20 - The Therapeutic Power of Song During Trauma31:40 - Women Who Couldn't Cry Until They Sang33:15 - The Nova Festival Tragedy in Her Community35:00 - Young People in the Army: Every Day Hearing News36:45 - Funerals, Missiles, and Living Through War38:20 - The Song That Became October 7th's Anthem39:49 - "Achenu Kol Beit Yisrael" - Prayer for Captives41:10 - The Concert That Didn't Happen on October 7th42:49 - Jewish Family Connection: What Makes Us Different43:36 - Israeli vs. American Jewish Music: Bridging the Gap44:05 - Contemporary Jewish Artists44:24 - "Still I Wait" - Song of Hope During War44:33 - Closing Message: Bring Your Light to the World45:27 - Outro

Nissan, the month of freedom, is an invitation for personal freedom. Today, we explore the many dimensions of personal freedom: lack of external attachments, knowing our life force, taking a leap, finding the words, allowing ourselves to feel the bitterness of our slavery, and being able to tolerate the uncertainty of what comes after our own personal exile. * * * * * * *Based on Pesach teachings from the Maharal, Sfas Emes, Chidushei Harim, Arizal, Lubavitcher Rebbe, and Alter Rebbe.To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Sivan Rav-Meir has been on Israeli television since age six, and became religious at fifteen after a chance encounter with three girls who simply said, "Bo l'Shabbat." In this conversation recorded in Jerusalem, Sivan shares how she's channeled three decades of journalism skills toward teaching Torah, why she sees a massive post-October 7th hunger for practical Jewish doing (not just inspiration), and why she believes Jewish identity is our real protection. She's candid about the gap between her public influence and her private reality, and how she is guided by the Lubavitcher Rebbe's paradox: always happy, but never satisfied. She notes the Jewish world's blindspot as the 85% of unaffiliated Jews outside the organized community bubble, and calls every connected Jew to the same simple shlichut that changed her life: invite someone in.* * * * * * *Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. Married to Yedidya, the mother of five. Lives in Jerusalem. Went on shlichut with her family 2019-2020, when she served as World Mizrachi's Shlicha to North America.She works for Israel TV news, writes a column for Yediot Aharonot newspaper, and hosts a weekly radio show. Her lectures on the weekly Torah portion are attended by hundreds and the live broadcast attracts thousands more listeners throughout the world. Sivan lectures in Israel and overseas about her personal story. the Jewish world since 10/7, Judaism and new media.She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.Learn more at www.sivanrahavmeir.com Find her podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OlPTHjKBnNwDrNNalxD9jFollow her on instagram @sivanrahavmeir* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] Introduction[02:04] Welcome Sivan[04:00] The problem with news media [05:10] The role of Torah in making sense of chaos[06:42] Sivan's origin story [07:50] The two words that changed my life [10:05] Building a relationship with Shabbat gradually[11:00] My personal political transformation [13:20] Political peace and inner peace[13:53] Communicating Torah accessibly[15:30] Using professional skills in a holy direction[16:45] What has changed after October 7th?[17:30] People want something tangible [18:39] Responding to the enemey [20:10] Omar Shemtov's testimony from the tunnels [20:56] Why Sivan doesn't call herself a Rebbetzin [24:30] Where does her energy come from? [25:00] The real Avodat Hashem happens in my home [26:15] "Always happy, but never satisfied"[28:10] Resilience & drive as a framework that doesn't contradict joy[28:45] The private work of a public person: young motherhood and the test of patience[31:30] Immediate gratification culture vs. long-term spiritual investment[32:10] If you didn't post it, did it happen?[33:00] Sivan's own social media guidelines[36:00] What worries Sivan about the Jewish world [37:00] Building Jewish identity from within[41:10] Our blindspot: the 85% of unaffiliated Jews outside the "bubble"[44:00] Israeli expats in America [45:30] What I want my legacy to be[46:10] Self love as the basis for loving another [48:30] How Sivan remembers thinks about her connections[50:45] Favorite verse in Tanach[51:00] One book everyone should read [51:20] How I nourish myself[51:55] A daily habit that can transform your life [52:15] My message to the Jewish world [53:30] Closing [54:15] Host outro

The Medrash teaches that every person has three names: the one our parents give us, the one our friends give us, and the ones we make for ourselves. In this episode, we dive deep into a single verse in Parshat Vayakhel to explore what it truly means name ourselves, and why the greatness of our ancestors only becomes relevant once we become a person in our own right. * * * * * * *Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A deeply personal and Torah-rich conversation on facing darkness from within. Kiki opens up about her own journey with anxiety and depression, sharing how she moved from resenting the darkness she experienced to believing in its inherent blessing. Drawing on biblical stories, Kiki weaves profound insight with raw personal honesty. She explores what it practically means to face darkness, professional help as a prerequisite to faith-based tools and the belief that our inner light is inextinguishable, no matter what darkness we are facing.Kiki is a Chabad Shlucha for a community in Israel, teaches weekly Chassidus and Kabbalah classes in person and online. She is a bridal educator and mikvah attendant, and is passionate about learning and teaching chassidus. Find her classes on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@kabbalahwithkikiFind her classes on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/6uscGnRqwgd2j8qwkk542M?si=FIxIy73QQNWw7qVSbDYRUgEmail her at [email protected] and find her on instagram at @kabbalahwithkiki. * * * * * * *Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *Timestamps:00:00 — Introduction01:43 — Today's topic: Torah wisdom on facing inner and outer darkness02:14 — Why this is personal: Kiki's journey with anxiety and depression03:30 — Showing up to teach even on the hardest days05:14 — Biblical context: Abraham, Yaakov, and descending into Egypt06:00 — The Kabbalistic purpose of exile:07:38 — Descent before ascent08:20 — Yaakov wrestling with the angel10:00 — What blessing is this bringing me?11:15 — The blessing is not external 13:13 — Practically speaking: what does facing darkness actually look like?15:00 — The Hillel model: lighting one candle when the darkness feels overwhelming16:50 — Going outward as a tool: moving out of yourself to find light18:35 — The fear of being swallowed by darkness20:30 — Balancing inward processing and outward giving23:10 — Designating time for pain25:00 — When mental health requires medical treatment first26:24 — Yosef vs. his brothers: two worldviews on how to live in a dark world28:30 — The brothers' approach: protect holiness by withdrawing from the world29:30 — Yosef's approach: engage with darkness and elevate it30:45 — Galus as a dream: the power of opposites coexisting35:00 — Two kinds of dreams: exile's confusion vs. Yosef's redemptive vision40:50 — What happened to our dreams? 43:00 — Changing "if only" to "only because"46:00 — Two approaches to supporting people in their darkness48:00 — Yaakov's model: sometimes when you're in the pit can't climb out alone50:00 — Yosef's model: the power of presence52:30 — Just sitting with someone is enough54:30 — Kiki's personal postpartum depression56:30 — The inextinguishable light58:30 — How to support someone in darkness59:26 — Soul-to-soul closing message

The power of having our blindspots revealed to us, why seeing ourselves clearly (both our flaws and potential) is the beginning of all growth, the spark of Moshe in each soul that allows us to experience an unfiltered version of our soul's descent, and the subtle movements we make in our lives that initiate a much larger expansion. Source: Maamer Vekibel Hayehudim 5738Join our new virtual Tanya class! We are hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – Intro & Tanya Class Info01:15 – Part One Recap 02:02 – A Life of Learning03:00 – Seeing Your Inner Gap 04:50 – Two Types of Enemies06:18 – Blindspots and Honest Self-Awareness08:40 – Humility 09:10 – A Spark of Moshe Within11:01 – The Soul's Descent13:27 – The Purim Story 15:38 – The Gift in Response to Our Initiation 17:54 – Shema Yisrael: Witnessing G-d's Oneness19:00 – God As Our Shadow20:17 – Accepting the Torah from Within

A lesson from the Purim story about self-education, becoming a student of life, waking up to the gap between where we are and what is possible for our soul's expression in this world, and the internal, conscious choice that the Jews during the Purim story were finally able to make to accept the Torah in their lives. Source: Maamer Vekibel Hayehudim 5738Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

In this deeply honest conversation, Shani opens up about the origins of her love for Torah, a genuine religious crisis she experienced in college, and how wrestling with philosophy ultimately widened her faith. We talk about Jewish womanhood, halacha, and why Shani wants women to stop being afraid of their own bodies and their own questions. With remarkable vulnerability, Shani reflects on the cost of a life given to community, the nights she wasn't home, and the conversation with her daughter that taught her a powerful lesson about accepting the hidden costs of our most idealistic choices. Rabbanit Shani Taragin directs and teaches in Israel and worldwide. She currently serves on the advisory committee for the Mizrachi Olami Shalhevet program, as Rosh Beit Midrash for the women in Yeshiva University’s new academic program in Israel, and together with her husband, Reuven, as Educational Director for Mizrachi Olami.Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] — Intro [00:03] — Host's intro[00:06] — Online Tanya Class Launch[00:09] — Welcome Rabbanit Shani [00:12] — How My Love of Torah Developed[00:15] — The Merging of Study and Teaching [00:18] — Torah Changes Who I Am[00:21] — Bible Criticism in the Beit Medrash[00:24] — Have You Ever Experienced Religious Doubt?[00:27] — A Personal Faith Crisis[00:30] — What is the Foundation of Faith?[00:33] — Judaism Where We Can Question While We Study [00:36] — Not Just an Ethical System, A Relationship with God[00:39] — A Love Letter to the Torah [00:42] — Ideals Put Into Daily Practice[00:45] — Women's Torah Study[00:48] — Torah and Daily Life Are Naturally Intertwined for Jewish Women[00:51] — I Want Women to Feel More Comfortable in Their Bodies[00:54] — What I'd Like to See Changed[00:57] — The Human Dimension of My Role [01:00] — The Hidden Costs of Our Choices[01:03] — A Conversation with My Daughter About Balance in Motherhood[01:06] — Communicating the Why Behind Your Choices[01:09] — Evolving in the Balance Between Family and Public Work [01:12] — Rapid Fire [01:19] — Outro

In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar, we talk about the mystical underpinnings of this month of joy: why humor is the very space where contradictions can breathe, how the soul finds expression in lighthearted depth, why taking ourselves less seriously can be a conduit for our fullest expression, and play as a way to find expression for our soul's experience. * * * * * * *Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclassTo inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A live conversation with my mother about joy, reflections on life when living so close to hardship, her work caring for people in their most tenuous moments, the privilege of being in a position of giving, raising children with Jewish values outside of a Jewish community, letting yourself dream, and so much more. Rochel Lazaroff is the co-founder and co-director of Aishel House, a hospitality home for patients and their families visiting the Texas Medical Center, a shlucha, mother of eleven, and Torah teacher. Find out more about her work here: aishelhouse.org. Contact her at [email protected] our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Episode sponsored by Naomi Gruber. Dedicated in honor of my dear father’s neshama, דב ברל בן יצחק . May his neshama have the highest aliyah!* * * * * * *Can any of us experience objective truth? What do we make of the ebbs and flows of our inner worlds? If a spiritual experience felt real, but didn't last, was it ever genuine?Sharing one of my favorite ideas from the Tanya about truth as a moving target, and why the imperfect, shifting experience of truth is the only way to touch G-d. * * * * * * *Source: Chapter 13 of Tanya Heads up: Human & Holy is launching an online Tanya course going live this February! More details coming this Sunday. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation about the deaths and rebirths that we experience throughout our lives, the existential shift of motherhood, the personal language required to choose faith, the philosophy behind Chabad outreach and how it democratizes spirituality, why the concept of Moshiach (messiah) cannot be disentangled from the purpose of the Jewish people, and the small concessions to our vices that have outsized negative impacts on our lives. This episode is part 3/3 of a series on the Introduction to the Zohar: The Wisdom of Truth by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag, co-hosted by Tonia Chazanow and Charlotte Broukhim. Find the book here: share.fund/zoharhhUse code ZOHARHH at checkout for 20% offCharlotte Broukhim is a Jewish mom from Los Angeles who explores the intersections of Jewish mysticism, science, and politics. She studied comparative religion at Harvard, and her upcoming Substack will share practical reflections and insights at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and today’s world. Find her on instagram @cbroukhim and contact her at [email protected].* * * * * *EPISODE SPONSOR: Today’s episode is sponsored by SHARE, a global initiative connecting individuals to the timeless teachings of the inner dimension of Jewish wisdom, known as Pnimiyut Hatorah. Their mission is to inspire soulful living and learning by translating ancient insights for the contemporary moment. You can learn more on Share.Fund.To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction & Charlotte's Background03:28 - The Intersection of Mysticism and Science06:20 - Messianic Vision as Core Jewish Purpose11:12 - Looking Forward vs Looking Backward 15:45 - Shabbat is a Dress Rehearsal for Redemption 20:31 - Resurrection of the Dead in Modern Times24:16 - Releasing Our Attachments to our Roles and Accomplishments27:53 - Becoming a Channel for God Through Unexpected Questions30:21 - Matrescence and the Ego Death of Motherhood 34:21 - Intergenerational Healing 38:46 - Who is the Zohar's Author? 42:04 - Torah Ideas Are More Powerful Than Historical Proof46:29 - Faith is a Choice We Make 50:40 - Emunah vs. Blind Faith55:07 - Spiritual Maturity 59:05 - Mysticism Awakens the Deepest Parts of Our Souls 01:02:29 - Should We Lead With the Mystical Parts of Torah?01:04:38 - The Democratization of Spirituality 01:09:48 - Even Following Traffic Laws Can be a Mitzvah 01:14:58 - Hashgacha Pratis: Making Meaning of Every Moment01:17:38 - Is Time Management Holy? The Trap of Wasting Time & Scrolling01:21:55 - Upping the Stakes Helps Us Overcome Our Vices01:24:24 - Intensity Driven by Purpose, Not Shame 01:27:11 - Delayed Pleasure Comes Through the Work01:31:13 - Falling in Love with the Process

A conversation about the nature of human desire, why we were each created with enormous wanting, and how to transform our desire to take into a desire to receive in order to give what we have.We talk about perfection as wholeness, not a lack of flaws, making sense of our relationship to materiality, and the deep, personal fulfillment that happens through merging our own desires with the divine will, through Torah and Mitzvot. This episode is part 2/3 of a series on the Introduction to the Zohar: The Wisdom of Truth by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag, co-hosted by Tonia Chazanow and Charlotte Broukhim. Find the book here: share.fund/zoharhhUse code ZOHARHH at checkout for 20% offCharlotte Broukhim is a Jewish mom from Los Angeles who explores the intersections of Jewish mysticism, science, and politics. She studied comparative religion at Harvard, and her upcoming Substack will share practical reflections and insights at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and today’s world. Find her on instagram @cbroukhim and contact her at [email protected].* * * * * * *EPISODE SPONSOR:Today’s episode is sponsored by SHARE, a global initiative connecting individuals to the timeless teachings of the inner dimension of Jewish wisdom, known as Pnimiyut Hatorah. Their mission is to inspire soulful living and learning by translating ancient insights for the contemporary moment. You can learn more on Share.Fund.To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation exploring the introduction to the Zohar, through some of life's biggest questions, like: Why are we here? Why do humans suffer? If everything is part of a divine plan, what is our role in G-d's broader story?We explore the opportunities for growth in facing our own resistance, what our suffering can invite us to, the call to adventure within daily life, studying mysticism while remaining connected with reality, and testing spiritual ideas in our own lives. This episode is part 1/3 of a series on the Introduction to the Zohar: The Wisdom of Truth by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ashlag, co-hosted by Tonia Chazanow and Charlotte Broukhim. Find the book here: https://korenpub.com/products/introduction-to-the-zohar?srsltid=AfmBOoob-Gp3WIs3jbSf1s7CA7pdFPNBn8B91jTles8xkN39SDMBQM89Charlotte Broukhim is a Jewish mom from Los Angeles who explores the intersections of Jewish mysticism, science, and politics. She studied comparative religion at Harvard, and her upcoming Substack will share practical reflections and insights at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and today’s world. Find her on instagram @cbroukhim and contact her at [email protected].* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Where do I look for direction? Is G-d just speaking the world into existence, or is G-d speaking to me through all that exists in my life?The Sfas Emes teaches that the plagues transformed the ten divine utterances of creation into the ten commandments, reflecting a clear unveiling of God's hidden creative forces.What is the difference between background speech and directed speech? How can we reinforce G-d's guidance through the ways we notice His words to us? How can we transform the concealed divine within all of creation, into a felt experience of Hashem's guidance in our lives?Source:Sfas Emes Parshas Bo 5631* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Shoshana Manssouri stumbled into the role of being a mikveh attendant as a young woman. Over the years, she has developed a deep reverence for the experience of accompanying women to immerse in the mikvah's holy waters.Today, she shares the deeper meaning behind mikvah immersion, what makes these ritual waters holy, and the experiences that made her fall in love with her role. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

How do the past versions of ourselves prevent us from experiencing who we are? How can we become more present to what exists in our lives, to the people, callings, and divine encounters that reveal themselves to us every day? The Zohar says "The righteous live every day as if it is their last." What does this teaching illuminate about living life with more presence, living with less attachment to the days that came before this one, to meet each moment fully, to shed old identities and fully experience what exists right now in our lives? * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation with Raizy Fried about discovering the Godly purpose of her natural personality, the way resurrection of the dead (Techiyas Hameisim) can be a practical, emotional experience, the realization that Hashem wants our full hearts, how Raizy's personal questions led her to deeper Torah study, how gossip and judgment can be a reflection of our own unfulfilled purpose, what compels her to stick her neck out to discuss taboo topics, and a transformative teaching from the Tanya that changed Raizy's life. Raizy Fried is a world-renowned author of the Lekovod Shabbos Kodesh series and The Anatomy of a Yenta, and a beloved speaker known for her warm, honest, and deeply relatable style. She brings clarity and depth to topics ranging from Shabbos to emotional wellness and personal growth.Through her platform, Inspired Living, Raizy reaches thousands of women with thoughtful content designed to uplift and enrich everyday life. Link to Inspired Living: watch.raizyfried.comFind her on instagram @raizyscookin* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

What happens when we are called to a mission, but we don't have what it takes? Why is the world we live in one of specificity, where every person experiences a very individual life and purpose? Can we be channels for divine light in this world, as our imperfect selves? When God tells Moshe to speak to Pharoh, he says: "I am not a man of speech." His inability to communicate is not just a technical inability, it is a spiritual one. What follows is a rich lesson about the advantage of deep, expressed light over the highest, disembodied light and the power of communication, both in life and speech: the power of compressing limitless information into contained expression, the power of taking the raw material of our potential and building a life with it. Source: Torah Ohr, Parshas Shemos * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

How do we trust God when we face unfathomable challenges in our lives? How do we believe that God is good when He says no to the things we most want? How can we expand our vessels to receive more blessing in our lives, to make space for better even when it's already good? A live Human & Holy podcast recorded in Woodmere, NY with Miriam Rubenstein on the subject of Bitachon (trust in God). Includes audience questions, vulnerable shares about trusting even when God says no, and women sharing the personal transformations that they experienced through studying this subject.Miriam Rubenstein is a Rebbetzin at Cong. Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, and an experienced facilitator whose Bitachon Chaburas have uplifted the lives of many women. She is passionate about helping women step into their light, and inspires growth, trust, and joy through her teaching and guidance. To contact Miriam: [email protected]* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

There are so many bittersweet flavors to our emotional landscape: our grief intermingled with relief, the tears of compassion when those who have hurt us express their regrets, the push and pull between our inner and outer worlds, the existential ache of not finding full expression in any world, the relief at expressing who we are aloud only to discover that we still only belong to ourselves, the lonely costs of success, the recognition that what was broken in our lifetime may not be made whole for hundreds more years, and a thousand more inner contradictions. Yosef's story is the story of a dreamer whose dreams came true. But even stories with the happiest endings come with an underlying ache. As we close Yosef’s story in this week's Parsha, we analyze Yosef's emotional world through the astounding record of Yosef’s tears, a central character in the Torah who is plainly recorded in verse after verse as weeping: sometimes in private, sometimes in public, sometimes so loudly that the entire land can hear. How do we make meaning of these tears? What story do they tell us about Yosef’s experience of his life’s triumphs and hardships, of the inner, emotional world that beat beneath this powerful figure, who rose from the pit to find astounding success as viceroy in Egypt, and as he released his restraint on his buried identity, expressed an emotional landscape that echoes the complexity of each of our own inner worlds?* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Is the life of a Jew an individual journey with God or a communal one? What is being asked of the Jewish people right now? When your faith fractures, how do you find wholeness again in your relationship with God?A conversation with Dr. Mijal Bitton exploring faith in God, the current Jewish experience, Judaism not just as a religion but as a family, the significance of our ancestral bonds and the power and necessity of individual contributions to the collective Jewish narrative. Dr. Mijal Bitton is a spiritual leader, public intellectual, and sociologist. She serves as Scholar in Residence at the Maimonides Fund and Rosh Kehilla of the Downtown Minyan in New York City. A Visiting Researcher at NYU Wagner, she directed pioneering research on Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in the United States.Mijal is an alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, a New Pluralist Field Builder, and a Sacks Scholar. She co-hosts the podcast Wondering Jews and shares weekly reflections on Jewish life, identity, and resilience in her Substack newsletter, Committed.Substack: https://mijal.substack.com/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1cU0NTHYQZOTARwuXTbpLU?si=uPmpMnd6RbycOuFli-N9SgWebsite & contact: mijalbitton.comInstagram: @mijalbitton * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introducing Mijal Bitton03:12 The Jewish Experience: Identity and Collective Responsibility05:56 Faith and Imperfection: Navigating Belief in Difficult Times08:48 Judaism Beyond Religion: A Family and Community12:04 The Interconnectedness of Faith and Peoplehood14:56 Finding Your Individual Path Within a Collective Identity17:48 The Role of My Ancestors in Shaping My Faith21:10 Hope vs. Optimism: A Jewish Perspective on Challenges23:53 The Joy of Being Jewish27:13 The Future of Judaism: A Vision for the World30:02 Fighting for Our Place: Political Mobilization and Community Engagement32:54 Personal Practices: Staying Centered Amidst Responsibilities36:10 Sephardic Heritage: A Unique Perspective on Tradition38:56 Closing Thoughts: Embracing Our Roles in the Jewish Community

What is the Jewish response to existential threat? Is political activism, investment in physical security and self protection the Jewish response? Is increased prayer and good deeds enough, to the exclusion of all else?Using the biblical record of Yaakov's response to Esav in his moment of danger, the Purim story, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe's response to the 1954 massacre in Kfar Chabad, we explore when it is a time to grieve, when it is a time to pray, and when it is a time to mobilize to confront the realities of our world.Episode dedicated to the Refuah Sheleima, the complete healing, of Yehudah Leib Ben Manya. To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation with Miriam Pineles, a practitioner of Chinese medicine, Chassidus teacher and founder of Ayin Healing, exploring the intersection of Chinese medicine and Chassidic ideas. Miriam shares how an understanding of the elements within a person can lead to personal healing and balance, the role that the inner dimension of Torah plays in finding wholeness, and practical tools for releasing stored emotions. Miriam Pineles is a licensed, board-certified Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist in NYC, specializing in women's health, fertility, pain, anxiety, and digestive issues, with a focus on integrative healing using Dr. Richard Tan's Balance Method and custom herbal formulas to treat both physical and emotional well-being, helping bodies function optimally and promoting self-care. She holds a Master's degree from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and is also a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM). Miriam is the founder of Ayin Healing, an organization supporting Jewish women in their journey of healing from the wound of childhood sexual abuse.She is also the teacher of popular weekly Chassidus chaburahs.For more information about Ayin Healing, visit ayinhealing.comTo book an appointment with Miriam Pineles, visit conscioushealthandwellness.com. Find her on instagram @dr.miriampineles * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

In this Chanukah episode, we gather the light of eight Torah teachers, offering one luminous idea for each night. Exploring the depth behind halachic questions, modern lessons from our ancient victory, and chassidic insight into this festival of light. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

We celebrated Season Six of the podcast with an evening in LA, celebrating the innermost teachings of Torah with a spiritual gathering of art, poetry, and deep connection. Link to watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/bUQrJUFWpmYLink to the conversation cards created for this evening: humanandholy.com/downloadSPONSOR: Today’s episode is sponsored by SHARE, a global initiative connecting individuals to the timeless teachings of the inner dimension of Jewish wisdom, known as Pnimiyut Hatorah. Their mission is to inspire soulful living and learning by translating ancient insights for the contemporary moment. You can learn more on Share.Fund.Florals & lamps sponsored by Lark Floral Event & Design. Find out more at larkla.com. Instagram @larklosangelesEvent planning, setup & magnificent foodscape by Shaina Liberow-Schmukler of The Graze LA. Found out more at thegrazela.com. Instagram @thegrazelaTo inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

In honor of Yud Tes Kislev, we're talking about farbrengens, everything I learned about gathering with intention, and how to create an environment for honest sharing at a spiritual gathering. Link to download free Human & Holy farbrengen conversation cards here: humanandholy.com/downloadLink to join our Human & Holy Women's Open Mic Night: eventbrite.com/e/1975623794953/?aff=oddtdtcreator (women only) Books:"The Art of Gathering" by Priya Parkers* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

When a former student reached out to Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner expressing his dejection at his own spiritual struggles, he received a deeply personal, timeless response giving insight into the inner worlds of our most righteous teachers and leaders, the struggles they silently face, and redemptive wisdom on what our own inner discord tells us about our relationships with G-d. Sources:Letter: Pachad Yitzchak, Igrot U’ketavim No. 128"Biblical Images" by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Are the inward parts of life a step away from our external contributions? Is the only way to influence others through a concerted focus on our outer purpose? Does our personal development and divine service bear fruit in tangible ways? Lessons from our biblical patriarch Yitzchok, whose life of inwardness is titled "Toldos" (offspring) in this week's Torah portion, teaching us a deep lesson about what our inwardness brings to the world, and helping us understand the relationship between our purpose and our inner work.Source:Parshas Toldos, Likutei Sichos, Volume 25, Sicha 2* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation delving into the complexities of the mitzvah of honoring one's parents, exploring the emotional struggles many face in fulfilling this commandment. By turning our focus of the mitzvah towards G-d, we create more pathways for acceptance of our parents and the ways they've shaped us into who we are, while opening up channels for healthier, deeper relationships with the people we love. * * * * * * *Ita Cagen is co-director of Chabad of Rancho Penasquitos in S. Diego, California.Ita is the cohost of All The Answers, a new podcast featuring conversations with Chassidic thinkers that explore how Tanya offers practical guidance for our everyday lives. Contact her at [email protected] to All The Answers here: https://open.spotify.com/show/10CxKsrzGW9J7owOEBeqls?si=clKN4DJHRsC39tksNMZYwA* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Is your body's experience a threat to your soul's expression? What impact does the body's wellbeing have on the soul? Does the body have any inherent wisdom worth listening to?Today's episode is an exploration of the value of the body's experience within Judaism, why the Zohar explains the deeper meaning of Avraham and Sarah's exchange as being an instruction to "listen to everything the body tells us", how it is possible that in the future "the soul will receive its nourishment from the body" and how to approach our body's cues, resistance and wisdom within the framework of a spiritual life. Based on a talk from the Lubavitcher Rebbe said on Parshas Chayei Sarah, 24 Cheshvan, 5711, recorded in Likkutei Sichos, Volume 1. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation with Helana Herman about integrating the Baal Shem Tov's teachings of connecting to G-d within nature, finding stillness, a Jewish path to manifesting and voicing our desires, the three stages of close relationships and how to move through conflict, deepened community impact through a deeper connection to oneself and the journey to parenting children with religious differences with true love and acceptance. Helana Herman is a Life and Relationship Coach and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She and her husband, Rabbi Pinney Herman, were shluchim in Raleigh, North Carolina for thirty years. The Herman’s are Certified Imago Relationship Educators, offering tools for compassionate communication and teaching couples how to turn conflict into connection. Helana blends somatic tools with Torah and Chassidic wisdom to help women and couples live with more safety, connection, and joy. Contact her at [email protected]* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

What does it mean to see yourself inside the story of Torah, not as a spectator of the past, but as a co-author of the Jewish future?In honor of the fifth anniversary of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks' passing, we explore his writings and ideas on themes of leadership, purpose, love of Torah, love of others, lifelong learning and the call to moral imagination. Rabbi Sacks invites us to see Judaism as a living book, one with our family’s name inscribed on the cover, waiting for us to write the next chapter. Through his vision of moral courage, intellectual clarity, and deep love for the Jewish people, the voice of Rabbi Sacks continues to remind us that the story of Torah is still being written, and that we are being called to write it. References:Tradition Journal: The Intellectual Legacy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks"Traditional in an Untraditional Age" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks"Covenant & Conversation" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks "To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Lessons from our biblical matriarchs on owning our Judaism, giving while maintaining personal boundaries, the personal process of rebuilding our Judaism after periods of disillusionment, growing into the choices we've made in our youth, and navigating our own spiritual evolution. Chana Herzog was born and raised in Australia and now lives in Encino, California, with her husband and four spirited children, where they are dedicated to bringing joyful and authentic Jewish experiences to their community. She is inspired by family, friendship, stories of faith and bravery, and the quiet wisdom of the ocean.Chana is passionate about combining creative expression with soulful intention to bring meaning to everyday life. My Inner Spark is her first book—so far. Purchase My Inner Spark here: www.innerspark.world.To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

G-d's call to Avraham is the call to a life of openness, attention, inner transformation, self awareness and trust. Lessons from Parshas Lech Lecha on finding the courage to answer the call of the open road, develop our inner worlds and step into the unknown.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A conversation with parenting coach Chani Heyman about imparting Jewish values to our children. We explore the importance of owning our own values fully, establishing routines for our children from a young age, and cultivating a strong emotional connection to each child through intentional quality time and physical touch. Chani emphasizes the need for parents to find their own love for Judaism and gives practical tools to create a positive environment that fosters a genuine relationship with each child, even as they transition into their teenage years. Chani Heyman is a dynamic parenting coach, motivational speaker, educator, and Torah teacher who's passionate about empowering families to thrive. Originally from Los Angeles, Chani now calls Israel home. With a background rooted in the timeless wisdom of Rebbetzin Spetner and her own experiences as a mother of eight, Chani shares practical and inspiring guidance with parents worldwide.Through her engaging group classes, popular parenting column, and vibrant Instagram community @parentingwithchani, Chani sparks meaningful connections and helps families unlock their full potential.Episode sponsored in honor of the shloshim of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Kalmenson from New Haven, Yosef Yitzchok ben Yekusiel Dovber ob"m. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

How can precise spiritual language bring G-d to life in our lives? What happens when deep ideas become hollow, when holy words become strangers to the meaning they hold? References:"People of the Word" by Mendel Kalmenson, Zalman Abraham "Chassidus Through the Eyes of a Psychotherapist" by Devori NussbaumStory of the Lubavitcher Rebbe re "House of Healing": https://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog cdo/aid/1099296/jewish/A-Hospital-is-Not-a-House-of-the-Sick.htm* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

What does the biblical description of the world's creation have to teach us about our role in the world's future? In a time of rapid technological change, our place in co-creating the development of reality has never felt more pressing. Through an exploration of the converge of science and Torah and the deep lessons within our origin story in the book of Bereshit, we explore how we are each being called to co-create reality, what role divine acts have to play in awakening our interconnectedness, the importance of individuality in spiritual expression, and the renewed opportunities available to us within our world's continuous creation.Charlotte Broukhim is a Jewish mom from Los Angeles who explores the intersections of Jewish mysticism, science, and politics. She studied comparative religion at Harvard, and her upcoming Substack will share practical reflections and insights at the crossroads of ancient wisdom and today’s world. Find her on instagram @cbroukhim and contact her at [email protected].* * * * * *EPISODE SPONSOR: Today’s episode is sponsored by SHARE, a global initiative connecting individuals to the timeless teachings of the inner dimension of Jewish wisdom, known as Pnimiyut Hatorah. Their mission is to inspire soulful living and learning by translating ancient insights for the contemporary moment. You can learn more on https://share.fund/learn/Explore their new book, an English translation of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag’s Introduction to the Zohar: The Wisdom of Truth here: https://korenpub.com/products/introdu...To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction03:15 When Judaism Began to Impact my Worldview06:33 Where is Our Technological Development Leading Us?8:47 Where Science and Torah Converge 12:00 Bringing G-d Consciousness into the Development of AI 16:00 The Wisdom of Shabbat in a Digital World 18:25 Divine Responsibility Keeps Us Tethered to a Global Reality 19:42 Why Should a Spiritual Life Include Divine Laws (Halachah)?23:19 Four Levels of Understanding Truth 24:16 What is the Messianic Era?26:20 Spiritual Knowledge Without Responsibility28:23 Being Like Our Creator: The Greatest Pleasure is to Give31:20 The First Verse of the Torah: Why Do We Begin With a Story?32:50 Torah as a Description of Reality 33:13 The World Has a Beginning34:30 G-d Spoke the World into Existence: What Does That Mean?37:50 Why Isn't the First Verse of the Torah a Commandment?38:15 Two Levels of Divine Light 39:30 Co-Creating a Future With G-d41:00 Our Lives Are a Gift43:00 The Illusion of Separateness44:44 Individuality: Distinct Divine Light47:00 Does Religion Mean Removing Channels for Self-Expression?48:50 The Limitations of a Fixed Identity50:08 Channeling Your Unique Soul 50:47 G-d Consciousness Brings Me Freedom 52:15 The Soul Vs. The Ego 53:40 This is Who I Am: Judaism Beyond Obligation 58:45 Mitzvot as Remembrances 1:00:00 Activating Your Power Through Divine Acts1:01:54 You Are Not Measured Against Anyone But Yourself1:04:10 Can We Experience Objective Truth? 1:07:30 Cancel Culture and the Power to Recreate Yourself1:10:15 Teshuvah Was Created Before Creation 1:14:10 Did G-d Create the World and Then Leave It?

A historical, halachic and cultural exploration of women's celebration of Simchas Torah. Through a poll of women's experiences, a deep dive into relevant halachic and historical sources, and an analysis of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's visit to the Lubavitcher Rebbe asking if the women of his community could dance with the Torah, we explore questions like: Is Simchas Torah a “men’s holiday”? Is there an essential difference between men and women’s relationship to this day? How did the custom to dance with the Torah develop? Can women dance with the Torah? Should women dance at all?Join us in exploring women's relationship to this joyful, celebratory holiday. Sources:The Diary of Samuel Pepys, entry for October 14, 1663 "Law as Love" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Shlomo Riskin, Listening to G-d (New Milford, CT: Maggid, 2010), pp.193-96Lubavitcher Rebbe's letter to Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, 13 Kislev 1976Rambam Hilchot Shofar V'sukka V'lulav 8:14Chemdat Yamim III Sukka 8"Dancing With the Torah" by Laurie NovickR. Moshe Meiselman, Jewish Woman in Jewish Law (New York, 1978)Shulchan Aruch OC 88 * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: Why We're Exploring This Topic02:49 What Simchas Torah Means to Me05:24 Poll Results on Women's Experiences of Simchas Torah7:00 Is There an Essential Difference Between Men and Women's Relationship to Dancing on Simchas Torah?9:39 Participating Through Watching 10:32 Being a Bystander 11:18 The Pain of Alienation13:39 Why Do Women Dance?14:40 What Motivates Women's Desire to Dance With the Torah?17:20 When Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Went to Ask the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Advice21:18 The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Retraction 23:50 When Samuel Pepys Visited a Synagogue in 166325:30 The Evolution of the Tradition of Dancing 29:11 What is the Barrier to Women Dancing with the Torah?31:10 Diversity of Rabbinic Perspectives on the Topic 32:40 Exploring the Custom Women Took Upon Themselves Not to Touch the Torah 39:15 Recognizing the Nuances of this Topic 41:30 Women Yearning to Dance with the Torah43:55 Cultural Impact of Each Woman's Experience 45:00 Ensuring a Vibrant Women's Section 47:00 Simchas Torah Belongs to the Entire Jewish People

How do we access joy when the world feels heavy?How do we lean into joy amidst collective anguish, grief, and global uncertainty?As we enter the holiday of Sukkos, the time of our joy, we are asked to celebrate. But what does it look like to celebrate honestly, without ignoring the ache of our times?In this episode, we explore how Sukkos offers a model of Jewish joy that honors the emotional complexity of life. A joy that is not about denying our pain, but about making a courageous spiritual choice: to recognize the divine presence and be moved by it, to root more deeply into our communal spaces and our responsibility for one another, and to bring our sorrow to the dance floor, trusting in its ultimate healing.Sources:Chapter 33, Tanya by the Alter Rebbe "I Praised Happiness" by Rabbi Shagar "Catharsis" by Rabbi Joseph B. SoloveitchikLikutei Moharan, Part II 23:1:2Rabbi Isaac Luria, Pri Etz Hayim, Sukkot* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

A meditation to open us up to the profound spiritual potential of Yom Kippur — the day of G-d's ultimate love. Together, we explore what it means for the day to atone, and how we might be softened and expanded by our encounter with Hashem. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

In this raw conversation with Sara Mayberg, we explore Sara's personal process of Teshuvah and the path back to her divine soul, as someone who was already committed to her Jewish practice. We discuss how the inherent nature of the divine soul is to want G-d, how Sara began to develop a visceral experience of trust, and how grief can crack us open in transformative ways. Other topics explored: how financial struggles can be invitations to lean on G-d, the significance of community in the path back to ourselves, learning to see the divine in others, the ongoing process of return, and the journey to reclaiming a sense of choice in our Judaism and relationships. Sara can be contacted at [email protected]. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Reconnecting with Joy 01:26 The Journey of Trust and Divine Connection03:45 Awakening Through Relationships07:49 The Catalyst of Darkness11:04 Surrendering to the Void14:56 Finding G-d in Material Insecurity20:15 Navigating Financial Strain and Trust22:41 Grieving and Embracing New Perspectives29:31The Ongoing Conversation with Hashem32:28 Experiencing Hashem Within and Around Us34:18 Integrating Knowledge into the Body36:34 The Role of Prayer and Learning in Personal Growth38:59 Understanding the Animal and Divine Souls42:26 Compassion and Connection in Healing45:12 Seeing the Divine in Others48:37 Building Community and Support50:27 Reconnecting with Judaism and Mitzvot52:59 The Process of Teshuvah and Reclaiming Choice55:53 Acceptance and Compassion in Relationships59:04 Trusting the Power of Our Souls01:00:58 Letting Go to Make Space for What's Next 01:02:12 "I Love You"

Elul and the high holidays are a period of introspection and self accounting. In this conversation with Matti Banon, we discuss the Chassidic perspective on gentle growth, what it looks like to live our lives with agency while remaining humble enough to recognize our recurring flaws, the balance between intellect and emotion, the transformative power of compassion and curiosity, and the parenting truths that can guide us in becoming more whole ourselves. Matti Banon is a campus shlucha in Montreal who enjoys learning and delving into topics like marriage and parenting through the lens of Chassidus. Her children are her biggest helpers when it comes to her shlichus and self growth. She can be reached at [email protected]:Story of the Baal Shem Tov & the shofar: https://www.chabad.org/library/article cdo/aid/3080/jewish/The-Master-Key.htmChapter 27 of the Tanya (the sweet & spicy paths): https://www.chabad.org/library/tanya/tanya cdo/aid/7906/jewish/Chapter-27.htmMore about Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev: https://www.chabad.org/library/article cdo/aid/1007604/jewish/A-Brief-Biography.htmThe 4 Body System: https://a.co/d/djfpzDuParenting reference: Blimieheller.com* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction and Personal Background01:53 The Essence of Parenting and Nurturing05:13 Leading Ourselves: The Journey of Self-Discovery10:03 Awareness and Compassion: The First Steps14:42 The Role of Emotions in Personal Growth19:52 The Chassidic Balance of Intellect and Emotion 24:48 Transforming the Inner Critic29:43 Discipline and Connection in Parenting34:33 Embracing Imperfection and Growth39:27 The Importance of Compassion in Relationships44:34 Curiosity and Self-Exploration49:06 Final Thoughts

The Shofar is a call to face your own desire. Its explosive call on Rosh Hashanah is an invitation to be awoken to the depths within us, to witness the divine desire with which G-d created the world, and to have the courage to face the gaps between where we are and what we truly want.Source: Likkutei Torah Tiku Bachodesh, Parshas Netzavim, pg. 106SPONSOR:Sponsored in honor of Malka Mayasha bat Esther, for a year of blessings and joy. To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 The Call of the Shofar: Awakening the Soul's Desire02:48 Rosh Hashanah: Renewal and Connection 06:08 Understanding G-d's Desire: The Essence of Creation08:47 Two Levels of Divine Will 11:55 The Gift of Rupture: Awakening Your Depths14:47 The Courage to Face Our True Desires18:07 Meeting G-d: The Divine Invitation on Rosh Hashanah

In this conversation, Gitty Hecht shares her transformative journey from a well-known makeup artist to a spiritual leader, exploring her relationship with G-d and the evolution of her self-worth. She explores moving from a fear-based connection with G-d to one of secure attachment and intimacy, the importance of embracing one's gifts, overcoming fear, dismantling self-imposed pedestals of spiritual leadership, and embracing her current role with humility and authenticity. Gitty emphasizes that everyone has something to offer to the world as they are and that the impact of our actions can resonate deeply, even if we don't always see it.Gitty Hecht is a Rebbetzin, speaker, and educator based in Queens, NY. Find more of her work here: https://linktr.ee/gittyhechtExplore her online courses here: https://stan.store/GittyHechtContact her at [email protected]. Find her on instagram @gittyhecht * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Guest Intro & Life Journey00:05:10 - Post-Divorce Transformation10:35:00 - Shame, Vulnerability, and G-d14:05:00 - Evolving Faith: From Fear to Connection21:58:00 - G-d's Unconditional Love27:12:00 - Finding Love & Safety00:30:39 - Dismantling the Pedestal of Spiritual Leadership34:35:00 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome41:00:00 - Torah Study & Leadership