Maimonides’ Mysticism of Light, Love and Silence Seekers of Unity 2024-10-19 | Maimonides’ Mysticism of Light, Love and Silence
Why do people Hate Jews? | Street Interview Seekers of Unity 2024-07-19 | Why do people Hate Jews? Fielding questions from the street. Check out the full vid here: I'm Jewish, Ask Me ANYTHING: youtu.be/mHyrBX6jXpICheck out Zach: @traumadumpwithzachadler instagram.com/zachadlerJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekers
What is Merkabah Mysticism? Street Interview Seekers of Unity 2024-07-11 | Aliens? Psychedelics? What is Merkabah Mysticism? | Street InterviewCheck out the full vid here: I'm Jewish, Ask Me ANYTHING: youtu.be/mHyrBX6jXpIJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekersCheck out Zach: @TraumaDumpWithZachAdler instagram.com/zachadler
Im Jewish, Ask Me ANYTHING (#2) Seekers of Unity 2024-07-03 | In this second installment of our street conversations we discuss Zionism, Israel, Palestine and the war in Gaza.In times like these we rarely have the opportunity to talk face-to-face with one another. In the hopes of bringing that opportunity back, we set up some chairs and a camera and invited people to ask us anything. Check out the first installment here: youtu.be/mHyrBX6jXpIIf you enjoyed this, check out "A Day in the Life of a Jew:" youtu.be/UDqHDTxGCIkCheck out Zach: @TraumaDumpWithZachAdler instagram.com/zachadlerJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekers
Im Jewish, Ask Me ANYTHING Seekers of Unity 2024-06-19 | In times like these we rarely have the opportunity to talk face-to-face with one another. In the hopes of bringing that opportunity back, we set up some chairs and a camera and invited people to ask us anything. The following is what transpired…If you enjoyed this vid, check out "A Day in the Life of a Jew:" youtu.be/UDqHDTxGCIkCheck out Zach: @TraumaDumpWithZachAdler instagram.com/zachadlerJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekers
How To Celebrate Your Birthday According to Jewish Mysticism Seekers of Unity 2024-03-28 | Do Jews celebrate their birthdays? For most of Jewish history Jews did not celebrate their birthdays. But in 1988 that all changed thanks to one radical Jewish mystic. Find out more in this episode on Jewish Mysticism's Meditations on Birthdays. How to Celebrate Your Birthday According to Jewish Mysticism - The How and Why of Jewish Birthdays CelebrationsDedicated to Tzvi Slavin in honor of his birth. May he grow up to be a proud Chasid.00:00 A Radical Innovation03:27 Three Meditations10:50 Ten Practices20:38 Personal/Channel Update23:00 Dedication Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
What can Hasidic Mysticism offer to a World in Crisis? Seekers of Unity 2024-03-17 | This conversation was recorded with the Jewish Diasporist podcast, you can find it wherever you listen to podcasts.In this episode, we talk about the historical and etymological roots of Chasidism, grounded in Chesed - loving kindness - and how Zevi’s own journey has brought him to a diasporist understanding of the unity at the heart of mysticism. Zevi joins Ben and Jordan Yanowitz as they together paint a picture of the role that love, community, and dialogue together play in shaping Jewish life. Chesed and Chasidism are diasporically interfused in this discussion with Seekers of Unity.Hosted by The Jewish Diasporist Podcast:youtube.com/@JewishDiasporistMakingMensches open.spotify.com/show/43IG9ymNBWTbovOMNaI8mIrss.com/podcasts/diasporist00:00 Introduction02:14 Zevi’s family history in Jewish Diaspora08:40 Hasidism’s contribution to Jewish Spirituality15:07 How Zevi’s Hasidism informs Seekers of Unity21:51 The Relationship between Hasidism and NeoHasidism 29:42 Reflections on being a Diasporic Jew44:51 The Role of Community in Zevi’s Spiritual Work and Life52:28 Why are Hasidic Communities Hierarchical?1:07:24 A Seekers Response to Crisis1:17:45 Closing wordsJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Introduction to the Study of Ritual Seekers of Unity 2024-03-04 | In this episode we introduce some of the key theorists and theories over the past century that have shaped our modern understanding of ritual and discuss the core questions, debates, issues and theories that have constituted the grand study of ritual. We begin with an overview of different types of ritual, followed by a brief discussion on the early challenges the study of ritual faced, followed by a historical sketch of the leading theories of ritual, and conclude with some closing words about what we might learn from the study of ritual, what it might teach us about rituals, and what it and they might teach us about ourselves. 00:00 Xunzi’s three warnings01:08 Intro: Religious Studies vs Religious Practice?01:51 Table of Content 02:46 Acknowledgements04:19 Pitch04:58 What is Ritual? Etymology and Taxonomy09:33 Early Scholarship 11:35 Intro: Theory of Ritual12:54 Smith14:36 Frazer16:42 Durkheim19:33 Douglas21:16 Hubert & Mauss22:50 Erikson25:26 Eliade27:13 Smith29:10 van Gennep32:33 Turner35:18 Lévi-Strauss37:40 Geertz39:22 Leach40:50 Practice & Performance 43:40 Grimes44:44 Bell47:52 Ritual?49:15 Summary50:33 Conclusion References and Further Reading: • Bell, “Ritual,” in The Wiley Blackwell Companion to the Study of Religion, Second Edition, 2021• Bell, Catherine. 1992. Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice. New York: Oxford University Press. • Bell, Catherine. 1997. Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions. New York: Oxford University Press• Douglas, Mary, Natural Symbols: Explorations in Cosmology (New York: Random House, 1970)• Douglas, Mary. 1966. Purity and Danger: London: Routledge and Kegan Paul• Durkheim, The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, New York, The Free Press, 1995• Eliade, Mircea, The Myth of the Eternal Return (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1954 • Eliade, Mircea. 1963 [1958]. Patterns in Comparative Religion. New York: Meridian Books• Eliade, Sacred and Profane, New York: Harvest Book, 1957• Erikson, “Eight Ages of Man” in Childhood and Society, 2d rev. ed. (New York: Norton, 1963)• Frazer, 1922 (1890). The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion.. London: Macmillan• Geertz, The Interpretation of Culture, (New York: Basic Books, 1973)• Grimes, Ronald L. 1995 [1982]. Beginnings in Ritual Studies. Columbia• Grimes, Ronald L., Research in Ritual Studies [1982] (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1985)• Hubert and Mauss, 1964 [1898]. Sacrifice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.• Hughes‐Freeland and Crain. 1998. Recasting Ritual: Performance, Media, Identity. London: Routledge.• Humphrey, Caroline, and James Laidlaw. 1994. The Archetypal Actions of Ritual. Oxford: Clarendon Press.• Ortner, Sherry B. 1978. Sherpas Through Their Rituals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.• Rappaport, 1999. Ritual and Religion in the Making of Humanity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.• Robertson Smith, William, Lectures on the Religion of the Semites: [1889] (New York: KTAV, 1969)• Schechner and Appel, eds. 1989. By Means of Performance, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.• Segal, Robert A., ed. 1998. The Myth and Ritual Theory. Oxford: Blackwell.• Smith, Jonathan Z., Imagining Religion, (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1982)• Smith, Jonathan Z., To Take Place, (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1987)• Turner, Victor. 1969. The Ritual Process: Structure and Antistructure. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press• Van Gennep, The Rites of Passage, Chicago, University of Chicago Press, 1961Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
The Art of Prayer: A Practical Guide Seekers of Unity 2024-01-11 | I would like to share some tips and tricks that I’ve gleaned over the past few decades of praying in the hopes that they might be helpful to you. We’ll present a ten-point practical guide to prayer covering: setting, posture, breath, body, senses, awareness, silence, pace, dialogue and object.You might have all kinds of preconceptions about what prayer is. I invite you to set aside what you know and indulge me in a fresh articulation of prayer. We’ll present prayer as an opportunity to slow down, feel held and seen, to center yourself in silence, pour out your heart, and emerge re-empowered to face whatever comes your way - with love.What is Prayer: youtu.be/Y88PtJnrHak?si=31zdCNOv8HJpXMTU00:00 Why Pray?03:24 How to Pray?09:58 What to Pray?15:08 When to Pray16:35 World of PrayerJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
What is Prayer? Seekers of Unity 2024-01-04 | Prayer is a core component of the religious and spiritual life in many a tradition, yet a clean and straightforward presentation of prayer is often never taught and as a result, sorely lacking.What I hope to do here is give a brief historical introduction to the subject of prayer, provide a typology, an overview, of the different types of prayer, next we’ll have a look at some of the philosophical and theological challenges facing prayer and some responses to those challenges, and end by opening a window to an entirely different kind of prayer. How to Pray: youtu.be/52iSRXUAh3sIf you find the work we’re doing here to be of value, of bringing a critical yet sympathetic lens to the study of religion and mysticism, please do subscribe and consider supporting our work with a one-time donation on PayPal, or a recurring donation on Patreon:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU00:00 Intro to Prayer01:07 Prayer, Historically 02:57 Types of Prayer08:00 Challenges to Prayer 09:56 Responses 12:22 Mystical Prayer14:56 Like a Child15:52 Book TimeJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySources and Further Reading:• Aldous Huxley, The Perennial Philosophy, 1945, p. 251• Alexander J. Hodge, Prayer and Its Psychology (New York), 1931• Antti Alhonsaari, Prayer: An Analysis of Theological Terminology (Helsinki, 1973).• Basinger, D. (1995) ‘Petitionary prayer,’ Religious Studies 31: 475–84.• Bruce Ellis Benson, Norman Wirzba (eds.), The Phenomenology of Prayer. United Kingdom: Fordham University Press, 2005• Brümmer, V. (1984) What Are We Doing When We Pray? London: SCM Press • Carol and Zaleski Philip, (2006). Prayer: A History. Boston: Mariner Books. pp. 24–25.• Charles Taliaferro, “Prayer,” in The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Religion, Routledge, 2012• D. Z. Phillips, The Concept of Prayer (Routledge Revivals). United Kingdom, Taylor & Francis, 2014.• Donald Brown, (1991). Human Universals. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. • Donald G. Bloesch, "Payer", Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed., 2001• Friedrich Heiler, Prayer: A Study in the History and Psychology of Religion from the German theologian and historian of religion, 1932• George Mavrodes, 1998, 'Prayer' In: Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor and Francis, • Gerardus van der Leeuw, Religion in Essence and Manifestation, (2 vols., translated by J. E. Turner (London, 1938), pp. 403–446.)• Harold A. Carter’s The Prayer Tradition of Black People (Valley Forge, Pa., 1976) • Immanuel Kant, Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason, 1792, p. 198 • Issler, K. (2001) ‘Divine providence and impetratory prayer,’ Philosophia Christi ns 3/2: 533–41• Jerome Neyry, Give God the Glory, B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, 2007, p. 11.• Margaret M Poloma and Brian F. Pendleton. 1991. The effects of prayer and prayer experiences on measures of general well-being. Journal of Psychology and Theology 19(1):71–83.• Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 2nd ed., 1998• Murray, M. (2004) ‘God responds to prayer,’ in M. Peterson and R. Van Arragon (eds) Contemporary Debates in the Philosophy of Religion, Malden, MA: Blackwell • Perry Le Fevre, Understandings of Prayer (Philadelphia, 1981).• R. H. Coats, The Realm of Prayer, (London), 1920• Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, “Mitzvas Haamanas Elokus” in Derech Mitzvosecha, Poltava, 1912• Sam D. Gill, “Prayer,” (1987), in Encyclopedia of Religion, Second Edition, Lindsay Jones ed., 2005, p. 7368• Scott Davison, Petitionary Prayer: A Philosophical Investigation, United Kingdom, Oxford, 2017• Scott Davison, "Petitionary Prayer", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2021 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)• Simon Parker, “Divine Intercession in Judah,” in Vetus Testamentum, 56 no 1, 2006, p. 81-82.• Stump, E. (1979) ‘Petitionary prayer,’ American Philosophical Quarterly 16: 81–91 • The Oxford Book of Prayer, edited by George Appleton and others (New York, 1985)• Tzvee Zahavy “A New Approach to Early Jewish Prayer,” in History of Judaism, Baruch Bokser ed. (Calif., 1980), pp. 45–60.• Ward, K. (1990) Divine Action, London: Collins• William James, Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature, 1902, (pp. 359–371.)
Behind the Scenes: Reacting to Day in the Life of a Jew Seekers of Unity 2023-12-20 | Welcome to the reaction video to “Day in the Life of Jew”Watch the original video: youtu.be/UDqHDTxGCIkI wanted to take this opportunity to break down the rituals, mention a lot that didn’t make it into the original video, answer some questions that were raised, respond to some comments, explain the disclaimers, and show my work. I hope you enjoy it.Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
A Day in the Life of a Jew Seekers of Unity 2023-12-01 | Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a Jew looks like from the inside? I filmed a full day of Jewish ritual practice, from the moment we wake up, to the moment we fall asleep, with a little explanation of each. I hope you enjoy. We live in a ritual bereft society, hungering for meaning, community and connection. Religion, at its finest, is able to provide those. In this series, we’re going to explore the form and function of religious rituals.I recently moved to the US and would love to collaborate with a local org in the creation of these vids. If you know any orgs, institutions or communities I could collab with please let me know.Love,ZeviJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
A Case for Ancient Rituals in our Modern World Seekers of Unity 2023-11-24 | We live in a ritual bereft society, hungering for meaning, community and connection. Religion, at its finest, is able to provide those. In this upcoming series, we’re going to explore the form and function of Jewish rituals.I recently moved to the US and would love to collaborate with a local org in the creation of these vids. If you know any orgs, institutions or communities I could collab with please let me know.Love,Zevi00:00 Intro 00:21 Past and Present01:36 Why Rituals? 03:15 Halacha and Jewish Rituals05:27 The Function of Rituals, Sacred and Mundane06:53 The Unity of Body and Soul08:36 Update and RequestJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.me/seekersofu
Jewish Meditation with Mira Neshama Seekers of Unity 2023-10-26 | Mira Neshama Weil, a scholar and teacher of Jewish Spirituality, Hasidut, Mussar, Meditation and Mindfulness leads us on a four-step journey through the Hashkata Meditation of Kalonymus Kalman Shapira.Mira’s Links:instagram.com/mira.neshamamiraneshama.comneshima.coMore details on the mediation here:miraneshama.com/post/hashkata-meditation00:00 Excerpt00:14 Ethics00:58 Practices 04:27 Who Was Kalonymus Kalman Shapira?07:32 Conscious Community 09:22 Hashkata Meditation12:16 Charting the Journey 15:15 Already there17:57 Demonstration19:30 Final Step Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Israel vs Hamas: A Jewish Perspective Seekers of Unity 2023-10-19 | Choosing Life: How to End the Israel-Hamas War For the Love of God: A Plea for Life in a Time of TragedyThank you to those who assisted, proofread and encouraged me to share: Meyer, Brianna, Leibel, Adina, Elisha, Estee, Jesse, Shraga and Menachem. Israel vs Hamas: A Jewish PerspectiveNews Video Credits: Hamas Attack Hundreds Killed and Israeli Hostages Taken Into Gaza - Wall Street Journal How the Hamas Attack on Israel Unfolded - Wall Street Journal Iran Supported Hamas in Attack Against Israel - Wall Street Journal Where was the Israeli army on October 7 - VoxWhy Hamas Attacked Israel And What s Next For Gaza - Al Jazeera Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Hegel’s Philosophy from Nihilism to Enlightenment Seekers of Unity 2023-10-12 | Dylan Shaul presents one of the most important events in modern philosophy, the Pantheism Controversy sparked by the reception of Spinoza in 18th century Germany. The Controversy involved the greatest German philosophers of the period, and laid the foundations for the next 200 years of European thought. In the balance of the Pantheism Controversy hung the fate of the Enlightenment and Modernity; the fate of faith and reason, religion and philosophy; the fate of freedom, of the immortal soul, and even of God Godself. Our story will take us from the renegade Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza, to the heyday of the German Aufklärung or Enlightenment, through the philosophical revolution of Immanuel Kant, and eventually the birth of German Idealism itself. In the first episode of the series, we explored the philosophy of Spinoza and its reception in Germany, which first spurred the controversy. In the second episode we explored Immanuel Kant’s response to Spinozism and the Pantheism Controversy, where he attempted to stake out a middle ground between reason and faith. In this third episode we’ll tackle Hegel’s efforts to solve the Pantheism Controversy by reconciling Spinoza and Kant—thereby attempting to complete the grand journey from nihilism to Absolute Spirit. Watch the full series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_7jcKJs6iwU9ZGBNyXrzS28PShgzp3jlDylan Shaul is a PhD candidate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. His dissertation is titled Hegel's Concept of Reconciliation: On Absolute Spirit. He has also published on Spinoza, Kant, Kierkegaard, Husserl, Adorno, Levinas, Kristeva, and Derrida. See more of his work here: dylanshaul.com00:00 Introduction to Hegel06:04 Substance and Subject: ‘The True is the Whole’13:30 Hegel’s Encyclopedia System: Logic, Nature, Spirit22:21 Hegel on Pantheism35:51 Hegel on the ‘Death of God’54:49 Critical Reception of Hegel1:02:11 Conclusion Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Immanuel Kant’s God of Reason Seekers of Unity 2023-10-05 | Dylan Shaul presents one of the most important events in modern philosophy, the Pantheism Controversy sparked by the reception of Spinoza in 18th century Germany. The Controversy involved the greatest German philosophers of the period, and laid the foundations for the next 200 years of European thought. In the balance of the Pantheism Controversy hung the fate of the Enlightenment and Modernity; the fate of faith and reason, religion and philosophy; the fate of freedom, of the immortal soul, and even of God Godself. Our story will take us from the renegade Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza, to the heyday of the German Aufklärung or Enlightenment, through the philosophical revolution of Immanuel Kant, and eventually the birth of German Idealism itself. In the first episode of the series, we explored the philosophy of Spinoza and its reception in Germany, which first spurred the controversy. In this second episode we'll explore Immanuel Kant’s response to Spinozism and the Pantheism Controversy, where he attempted to stake out a middle ground between reason and faith. In the third episode we’ll tackle Hegel’s efforts to solve the Pantheism Controversy by reconciling Spinoza and Kant—thereby attempting to complete the grand journey from nihilism to Absolute Spirit. Watch the full series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_7jcKJs6iwU9ZGBNyXrzS28PShgzp3jlDylan Shaul is a PhD candidate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. His dissertation is titled Hegel's Concept of Reconciliation: On Absolute Spirit. He has also published on Spinoza, Kant, Kierkegaard, Husserl, Adorno, Levinas, Kristeva, and Derrida. See more of his work here: dylanshaul.com00:00 Introduction to Kant04:25 Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason09:35 Practical Rational Faith14:26 Critical Reception of KantJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Spinoza and the Death of God Seekers of Unity 2023-09-28 | Dylan Shaul presents one of the most important events in modern philosophy, the Pantheism Controversy sparked by the reception of Spinoza in 18th century Germany. The Controversy involved the greatest German philosophers of the period, and laid the foundations for the next 200 years of European thought. In the balance of the Pantheism Controversy hung the fate of the Enlightenment and Modernity; the fate of faith and reason, religion and philosophy; the fate of freedom, of the immortal soul, and even of God Godself. Our story will take us from the renegade Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza, to the heyday of the German Aufklärung or Enlightenment, through the philosophical revolution of Immanuel Kant, and eventually the birth of German Idealism itself. In this first episode of the series, we’ll explore the philosophy of Spinoza and its reception in Germany, which first spurred the controversy. In the second episode we’ll turn to Kant’s response to the controversy, in which he tried to stake out a middle ground between reason and faith. In the third episode we’ll tackle Hegel’s efforts to solve the Pantheism Controversy by reconciling Spinoza and Kant—thereby attempting to complete the grand journey from nihilism to Absolute Spirit. Watch the full series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_7jcKJs6iwU9ZGBNyXrzS28PShgzp3jlDylan Shaul is a PhD candidate in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. His dissertation is titled Hegel's Concept of Reconciliation: On Absolute Spirit. He has also published on Spinoza, Kant, Kierkegaard, Husserl, Adorno, Levinas, Kristeva, and Derrida. See more of his work here: dylanshaul.com00:00 Intro the Series06:04 Introduction to Spinoza11:21 Spinoza’s Philosophy17:53 Critical Reception of Spinoza22:47 The Pantheism ControversyJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Faith and Doubt with a Radical Mystic | Biti Roi Seekers of Unity 2023-09-21 | Join Biti Roi in a critical and meaningful exploration of religious faith and doubt as filtered through the mind of a radical mystic, Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and the luminous words of the Tikkunei Zohar. Dr. Biti Roi is a Senior Fellow of the Kogod Research Center of Contemporary Jewish Thought. Biti holds a Ph.D from Bar Ilan University and is a lecturer in the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University and the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem, where she teaches kabbalah and Hasidism. She was a leader and participant in the first cohort of the Beit Midrash for Israeli Rabbis and teaches at the Shalom Hartman Institute for various programs in Israel and abroad.Biti has won several prizes and post doctorate fellowships (Kreitman, Polack, Elyashar) at Ben-Gurion University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.Her book, Love of Shekhina: Mysticism and Poetics in Tiqqunei ha-Zohar, was awarded the Matanel World Union of Jewish Studies Prize for the best book in Jewish Studies.Source: https://www.hartman.org.il/person/biti-roi/Do better. Hartman scholars bring you the big Jewish ideas we need for this moment. Study with them in free virtual classes or watch the videos at: www.shalomhartman.org/ideasfortoday - www.youtube.com/@ShalomHartmanInstitute00:00 Excerpt00:17 Opening 01:20 Why R' Nachman is still alive08:29 A Personal Journey15:01 R' Nachman18:50 R’ Nachman's Path 26:08 The Body30:48 Radical Mystic35:32 Scholar and Seeker41:54 Question47:39 Storyteller59:06 R' Nachman and the Zohar1:12:08 Core Themes 1:17:35 Thank youJoin us:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsmfacebook.com/seekersofunityinstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofuseekersofunity.comThank you to our beloved Patrons: Billy, Jackie, Andrew, Josh, Glenn, Zv, George, Ivana, Keenan, Gab, John, Victoria, Casey, Joseph, Brad, Benjamin, Arin, jXaviErre, Margo, Gale, Eny, Kim, Michael, Kirk, Ron, Seth, Daniel, Raphael, Daniel, Jason, Sergio, Leila, Wael, Simona, Francis, Etty, Stephen, Arash, William, Michael, Matija, Timony, Vilijami, Stoney, El techo, Stephen, Ross, Ahmed, Alexander, Diceman, Hannah, Julian, Leo, Sim, Sultan, John, Joshua, Igor, Chezi, Jorge, Andrew, Alexandra, Füsun, Lucas, Andrew, Stian, Ivana, Aédàn, Darjeeling, Astarte, Declan, Gregory, Alex, Charlie, Anonymous, Joshua, Arin, Sage, Marcel, Ahawk, Yehuda, Kevin, Evan, Shahin, Al Alami, Dale, Ethan, Gerr, Effy, Noam, Ron, Shtus, Mendel, Jared, Tim, Mystic Experiment, MM, Lenny, Justin, Joshua, Jorge, Wayne, Jason, Caroline, Yaakov, Daniel, Wodenborn, Steve, Collin, Justin, Mariana, Vic, Shaw, Carlos, Nico, Isaac, Frederick, David, Ben, Rodney, Charley, Jonathan, Chelsea, Curly Joe, Adam and Andre.Join them in supporting us:patreon: patreon.com/seekerspaypal: paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Heresy, Faith and Spirit among the Sages | Shraga Bar-On Seekers of Unity 2023-09-14 | Join us on a journey of faith and heresy with Rabbi Dr. Shraga Bar-On through a neglected chapter in the history of Jewish mysticism, the mysticism of the great sages of the Mishna and the Talmud. In a rich culture of dispute, rabbinic voices debate the mystical. Shraga gives us a first-hand creative rereading of one of the most mystical rabbinic passages, the famed ‘Four Who Entered the Orchard’ shedding light on its secret history and transformation from a forbidding tale of three, to a cautionary tale of four. Join us as we venture into the orchard, discover its pitfalls, promises, presences and pleasures, and whatever you do, don’t say ‘water, water.’ Rabbi Dr. Shraga Bar-On is the Director of the Kogod Research Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought and the David Hartman Center for Intellectual Excellence, and a lecturer of Talmud and Jewish Thought at Shalem College.At the David Hartman Center, he is responsible for the advanced training of aspiring public intellectuals through the Beit Midrash for Israeli Rabbis, the David Hartman postdoctoral fellowship, and the Maskilot fellowship for women pursuing their doctorate. His research in Jewish philosophy and identity addresses a wide range of eras and topics: Second Temple literature, Mishnaic and Talmudic scholarship, medieval Jewish literature, early Zionism, and contemporary Jewish identity. His books and other works have been published in academic, popular, and educational contexts.Shraga lives in Beit Horon, is married to Vered, and is the father of Peleg, Sinai, and Gefen. Source: https://www.hartman.org.il/person/shraga-bar-on/00:00 Excerpt00:48 Mysticism among the Rabbis11:50 A Culture of Dispute 26:41 Normal Mysticism – Akiva30:21 Four Who Entered44:39 Battling Schools52:53 Encountering Two Gods59:45 Relevance TodayJoin us:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsmfacebook.com/seekersofunityinstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofuseekersofunity.comThank you to our beloved Patrons: Frederique, Laurie, Joshua, Spacecowboy, Cliffton, Steve, Billy, Jackie, Andrew, Josh, Glenn, Zv, George, Ivana, Keenan, Gab, John, Victoria, Casey, Joseph, Brad, Benjamin, Arin, jXaviErre, Margo, Gale, Eny, Kim, Michael, Kirk, Ron, Seth, Daniel, Raphael, Daniel, Jason, Sergio, Leila, Wael, Simona, Francis, Etty, Stephen, Arash, William, Michael, Matija, Timony, Vilijami, Stoney, El techo, Stephen, Ross, Ahmed, Alexander, Diceman, Hannah, Julian, Leo, Sim, Sultan, John, Joshua, Igor, Chezi, Jorge, Andrew, Alexandra, Füsun, Lucas, Andrew, Stian, Ivana, Aédàn, Darjeeling, Astarte, Declan, Gregory, Alex, Charlie, Anonymous, Joshua, Arin, Sage, Marcel, Ahawk, Yehuda, Kevin, Evan, Shahin, Al Alami, Dale, Ethan, Gerr, Effy, Noam, Ron, Shtus, Mendel, Jared, Tim, Mystic Experiment, MM, Lenny, Justin, Joshua, Jorge, Wayne, Jason, Caroline, Yaakov, Daniel, Wodenborn, Steve, Collin, Justin, Mariana, Vic, Shaw, Carlos, Nico, Isaac, Frederick, David, Ben, Rodney, Charley, Jonathan, Chelsea, Curly Joe, Adam and Andre.Join them in supporting us:patreon: patreon.com/seekerspaypal: paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
11 Questions for Moshe Idel Seekers of Unity 2023-09-11 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
zevi gets schooled about his own culture Seekers of Unity 2023-09-10 | Watch the full interview:youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYUJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Birth and Rebirth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis Seekers of Unity 2023-09-07 | Join us for a laborious and enlivening conversation on birth and rebirth, hope and fear, beauty and chaos, spirit and matter - winding through the tunnels of Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis.Watch the full series: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_7jcKJs6iwX239Hsnl7hG3p9hPB6WQ_kDr. Ruth Kara-Ivanov Kaniel (Ph.D. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2010) is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Jewish History and Thought at the University of Haifa where she heads the Posen Saulire Foundation-funded Jewish Israeli Culture Program. She also serves as Research Fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis and at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Her research deals with intersections between mysticism, gender, and psychoanalysis.Dr. Kara-Ivanov Kaniel was a postdoctoral fellow at New York University, the HBI center at Brandeis University, and a Kreitman and Matanel at Ben-Gurion University. She also headed a Research Group on Psychoanalysis and Kabbalah at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. Her book Holiness and Transgression: Mothers of the Messiah in the Jewish Myth was published by Academic Studies Press (2017). Her book Human Ropes—Birth in Kabbalah and Psychoanalysis won the Gorgias Press competition for Jewish Thought and will soon be published by De Gruyter Press. Her new book, The Feminine Messiah: King David in the Image of the Shekhina in Kabbalistic Literature (2021) was published recently by Brill. A poet and editor of poetry, as well as translator of Russian poets into Hebrew, her book The World Has No Silence (2011) won the Rachel Negev Literature Award. Her book The Soul is Moved was published in the Ritmus Poetry Series of the Hakibbutz Hameuhad Press in 2017. Her latest poetry book, Diamonds and Ashes, will be published by Pardes Press in 2022.Think better. Do better. Hartman scholars bring you the big Jewish ideas we need for this moment. Study with them in free virtual classes or watch the videos at: www.shalomhartman.org/ideasfortoday - www.youtube.com/@ShalomHartmanInstitute00:00 Excerpt00:48 Scholarship 09:09 Ruth’s Books18:40 What is Birth?24:17 Beauty 32:54 Psychoanalysis41:23 Hope 48:10 A New Paradigm56:30 Facing the Fear59:47 Darkness and Light 1:07:04 Hope1:09:16 Rebirth1:11:09 Dreaming1:12:43 Born again, and again1:14:54 Not to be or to be?1:16:32 Closing and openingJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel on the Continuity of Jewish Mysticism Seekers of Unity 2023-09-07 | Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel’s Accidental Mastery of Jewish Mysticism Seekers of Unity 2023-09-06 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
How Moshe Idel Writes a Book Seekers of Unity 2023-09-06 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
The Divine Feminine | Moshe Idel Seekers of Unity 2023-09-05 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel on Psychedelics and Mystical Experiences Seekers of Unity 2023-09-05 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsmfacebook.com/seekersofunityinstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofuSupport Seekers:patreon: patreon.com/seekerspaypal: paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel on Mircea Eliade Seekers of Unity 2023-09-04 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Moshe Idel on Mircea EliadeJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel on Abraham Abulafia Seekers of Unity 2023-09-03 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Moshe Idel on Abraham AbulafiaJoin Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
Moshe Idel on Postmodernism Seekers of Unity 2023-09-01 | Watch the full interview: youtu.be/_DVK8baBYYU Moshe Idel on Postmodernism and Deconstruction Join Seekers:discord.gg/EQtjK2FWsminstagram.com/seekersofunitytwitter.com/seekersofufacebook.com/seekersofunitySupport Seekers:patreon.com/seekerspaypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=RKCYGQSMJFDRU
