Overcoming Folly - Part 15
"When the Moon Complained"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on April 25, 2021)

Once upon a time, the moon was big and bright. In fact, it was as big and bright as the sun. It shone of its own light, and it ruled in the sky.

But the moon was not alone. There was another sovereign orb, a shining star that rivaled the moon's light. This rival was none other than the sun.

So the moon came before G-d and lodged a complaint. "Two rulers cannot rule one kingdom," the moon declared. "This town ain't big enough for the both of us. Something needs to change!"

"I agree," said G-d. "So now go diminish yourself!"

And from then on, the moon lost its light.

This, the Talmud says, is the origin story of the moon, a celestial body that reflects a light not its own and waxes and wanes through its monthly sky dance. And this tale contains powerful insights about the nature of existence and the purpose of our lives.

In this absolutely magnificent session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we explore the Kabbalah of the moon, the sun, the complaint, and the aftermath. You will never look at the sky the same again!

Overcoming Folly - 15 - When the Moon Complained

Kabbalah Café
Know Your Soul - Part 24
“The Soul of Passover”
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Sunday, April 6, 2025

The Jewish year revolves around two powerful seasons: Tishrei and Nissan.

Tishrei brings the heavyweight trio—Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. Nissan is all about Passover. At first glance, the holidays might seem similar: we pray, we celebrate, we eat (well, for most of them). But there’s a deeper current running through them—one that changes everything.

Kabbalah teaches that Tishrei is all about an “awakening from below,” our effort to reach upward. Nissan, on the other hand, is an “awakening from Above,” a divine spark that lifts us. These opposite energies shape not just the holidays, but how we show up for them.

In this session of Kabbalah Café we journey through the Jewish calendar and unlock its spiritual rhythm. The insights will transform how you experience every holiday—starting with the upcoming holiday of Passover, the Festival of Freedom.


Kabbalah Café: Know Your Soul - 24 - The Soul of Passover | Rabbi Ari Sollish

Torah Studies 5785
Class 23: Pesach
A Cup for Elijah and a World of Hope
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Elijah’s cup at the seder stands as more than just a custom—it’s a symbol of our unshakable belief in redemption. This lesson delves into its origins, halachic mysteries, and enduring message of faith, connecting past promises to future hope.


Torah Studies 5785 - 23 - Pesach: A Cup for Elijah and a World of Hope | Rabbi Ari Sollish

Demystifying Tanya - Lesson 7
With Rabbi Tzvi Freeman
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Thursday, April 24, 2025

The Tanya is a cornerstone of Jewish spirituality, offering profound insights into the nature of the soul, the struggles of human existence, and the path to a purposeful life. In this new weekly series, Rabbi Tzvi Freeman provides a clear and thoughtful exploration of its core ideas, making the text accessible and relevant for modern seekers.

Guided by Rabbi Freeman’s expertise and his masterful new translation of the text, participants will uncover the Tanya’s teachings on topics such as free will, inner conflict, and spiritual growth. The series blends textual study with practical applications, offering tools for navigating life with clarity and intention.



Demystifying Tanya | Lesson 7 | Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

Kabbalah Café
Know Your Soul - Part 25
“Paradox Busters”
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Sunday, April 27, 2025

The Kabbalists offer us a vision of creation that’s full of tension and mystery. They teach that G-d’s infinite light is so pure, so boundless, that it leaves no room for anything else. In that state, creation is impossible. And so, the light is drawn back, concealed. Space is made for a world to exist.

But then they tell us something even more astonishing: that the ultimate purpose of it all is for G-d’s own Essence -- the very Infinity that seemed too vast to allow creation -- to dwell within creation. Not above it, not outside it, but inside its most limited corners.

So how does the Infinite enter the finite? How does the impossible become the goal?

That’s where we come in. Human beings, with the capacity to do something no angel can do: reach beyond ourselves. Transform. Return. Through the fierce, focused strength of teshuvah, we bridge what logic says can’t be bridged. We don’t just navigate the paradox -- we embody it.

In this session  of Kabbalah Café we explore the impossible dream of G-d, and discover how we carry the key to making it real.


Kabbalah Café: Know Your Soul - 25 - Paradox Busters | Rabbi Ari Sollish

Torah Studies 5785
Class 24: Parshat Tazria-Metzora
The Treasure of Words:
Transforming Harmful Speech Into Hidden Gems of the Soul
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Tuesday, April 29, 2025

This lesson reexamines tzaraat as a powerful message about the impact of our words. Through Rashi’s commentary, discover how avoiding gossip and embracing mindful speech can transform negativity, uncover hidden potential, and elevate the way we communicate and live.

Does healing absolve the need for amends? Learn how the Torah balances personal resilience with moral accountability, emphasizing that true repentance begins with repairing harm to others.

Torah Studies 5785 - 24- Tazria-Metzora: The Treasure of Words | Rabbi Ari Sollish

Kabbalah Café
Know Your Soul - Part 26
“The Biggest Question”
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded live at The Torah Center ATL on Sunday, May 4, 2025

It’s the oldest question in the book: Why are we here?

Not because we have somewhere else to be -- this universe is all we’ve ever known. But still, the question echoes. Why this world? Why us?

The Kabbalists are obsessed with this question. For them, it's not just philosophical, it's real. It's alive and dynamic. It opens doors to purpose, to mission, to the very heart of existence.

And while they offer many answers -- some poetic, some logical, some otherworldly -- only one gets the title of the "true" answer. And it’s the wildest one of all. Of course it is. These are Jewish mystics, after all.

In this session of Kabbalah Café we dive into the deepest of deep questions, and discover an answer that just might change how you see everything.


Kabbalah Café: Know Your Soul - 26 - The Biggest Question | Rabbi Ari Sollish

Colorful Profiles - Lesson 1
Courageous Converts
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
Recorded Live at The Torah Center ATL on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

A Roman prince outwits his uncle to study Torah, an Italian priest studies his way to a new life, and a Polish noble meets an old Jew studying Talmud on a Paris park bench—see their journey to Judaism and what came next.

Colorful Profiles - Lesson 1 - Courageous Converts

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Overcoming Folly - 15 - When the Moon Complained

The Torah Center ATL

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