Miraculous Beginnings
Sowing the Seeds of the Jewish Nation

The painful theme of childlessness is found again and again at the beginning of the Jewish story. But why did the beginning of our nation entail such hardship? Discover the depth and the beauty of our prayerful matriarchs as they laid the foundation for the eternal edifice of the Jewish people.

Torah Studies 5778 - 5 - Toldot (Miraculous Beginnings)

Art Of Marriage - Lesson 5
Danger Ahead
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy)

How does one defend a marriage from the threats of boredom from within and temptation from without? This lesson shows ways to form and fortify an exclusive and powerful relationship.

Art Of Marriage - Lesson 5

Art Of Marriage - Lesson 6
Make Up or Break Up?
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy)

How far should you go to make a marriage work? This lesson explores Jewish insights on divorce that provide powerful instruction on how to stay married when the going gets tough.

Art Of Marriage - Lesson 6

Overcoming Folly - Part 62
"Creation vs. Evolution"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on June 12, 2022)

January 9, 2007. That date may not stand out to you, but it should. Because on that day, everything changed. Our lives today are radically shaped by what happened on that day.

See, change can come in two forms. It can be iterative, or it can be revolutionary. Iterative change is gradual and progressive. Radical change happens all at once. It hits you upside the head. You never see it coming. But once it comes it packs a big punch.

In this week's session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we trace the spiritual origins of radical and iterative change. We see how the universe is predicated on both systems, and how each plays an important role in our collective and personal loves. Plus, we discuss and debate the virtues of modern technology.

Overcoming Folly - 62 - Creation vs Evolution

Overcoming Folly - Part 63
"The Miracle of Teva"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on June 19, 2022)

Mother Nature seems so... natural. And so different than the miraculous. We intuitively sense a great divide between phenomena that belong to nature and those that are of a supernatural order. But is that duality valid?

According to the Jewish mystics, absolutely not! Nature and the supernatural are more alike than we'd imagine. In fact -- and this gets really paradoxical -- nature expresses the supernatural even more than a miracle. The line between them is thus blurred.

In this EPIC session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we dive deep into the mysteries of the universe and chart the lines of nature and the supernatural. We learn what miracles teach us about our everyday lives, where an Israeli sandal company got its name, and how all of this can drastically change the way we show up for work.

Overcoming Folly - 63 - The Miracle of Teva

Overcoming Folly - Part 64
"M$king M$ney"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on June 26, 2022)

If you're looking for the "secret of wealth," the "five keys to becoming rich beyond your wildest dreams," or the "next can't-fail investment opportunity"... there are no shortage of sources promising all the above and more.

Kabbalah has its own secret to attaining wealth. Jewish mystical wisdom teaches a path to material success -- and this path is paved with spiritual consciousness. Because the physical and metaphysical are much more intertwined than we might think...

In this mind-expanding session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we discover the interplay between spirit and matter, and learn how money just might grow on trees -- if you have the right tree. :)

Overcoming Folly - 64 - M$king M$ney

Overcoming Folly - Part 65
"American Idol"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on July 10, 2022)

It was 2400 years ago, during the leadership of the prophet Nehemiah, that one of the most dramatic episodes in Jewish history took place. The Jewish people had just returned to the Holy Land after 70 years of exile in Babylonia, and they had one thing on their mind: slay the urge for idol worship.

See, the destruction of the Holy Temple and all the calamities that befell the people were due to the sin of idolatry. And that nefarious urge, that heated desire, that fierce temptation, was still very much alive and well.

So they fasted for three days, prayed fervently for G-d's mercy, and then -- incredibly -- the urge to worship idols vanished.

Today, we may not get excited about the prospect of bowing down to little stone statues. But we have our own, subtle, forms of idolatry. We have our "American Idols." And while the worship may look different, the problem is oh so familiar...

In this session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we explore modern forms of idolatry and discover the spiritual threat of convincing ourselves that other forces have control over our life and destiny.

Overcoming Folly - 65 - American Idol

Overcoming Folly - Part 66
"Holy Folly Batman"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on July 17, 2022)

There's something to be said about behavior that falls neatly inside the range of what's considered "normal." After all, the rational and logical approach certainly has its advantages.

But it also has its limitations.

See, there's a modality of living that defies the normal and the rational. Not that the person acts irrationally. No, they act in a superrational manner, not allowing natural, logical limitations to get in the way. This way of living higher was championed by kings, prophets, and mystics.

In this epic session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we study Jewish mysticism and discover how to live life a little higher than the norm. This, my friends, is "Holy Folly."

Overcoming Folly - 66 - Holy Folly Batman

Overcoming Folly - Part 67
"Life Before the Snake"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live at the Intown Jewish Academy on July 24, 2022)

So what was life like before the snake pestered Adam and Eve?

Imagine a world of idyllic beauty, a place of physical and spiritual perfection. A world where people intuitively know what's right and what's wrong. A world in which lines are clearly defined and the mission is clear.

Welcome to the Garden of Eden.

And then everything fell apart...

In this unforgettable session of Kabbalah & Coffee, we look at what went wrong that fateful Day 6 of creation. We learn why the very psyche of human beings changed forever, and how you and I can get back to that pre-snake reality -- and even higher.

Overcoming Folly - 67 - Life Before the Snake

This Can Happen - Lesson 1
"Start With the Science"
With Rabbi Ari Sollish
(Recorded live in Atlanta on April 20, 2021)

In a society marked by chaos and discord, it's hard to believe our world is actually better than it's ever been. Let's dive into the data of what's wrong - and what's right - with the world.

This Can Happen - Lesson 1

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