Knowledge and Faith

"Knowledge & Faith" is a magnificent exploration of these dueling dynamics of the human condition. Explore the secrets of the universe, examine where knowledge ends and faith begins, and discover how to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown.

What is life? Where does life come from? Where does life go? How do lifeless beings gain life? And how does a live being lose life? These questions have been pondered, discussed, and debated throughout time. Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical tradition, has a fascinating approach to the questions of life – an approach that is both humbling and profoundly empowering. In this lesson we explore the mystery of life through the lens of Kabbalah.

The mystics speak of revealed worlds and hidden worlds. The revealed worlds are easier to figure – that's the sandbox we play in. But what are the hidden worlds? Can we interact with these hidden worlds? Do they affect our revealed reality? In this lesson we take a mystical tour of the galaxy as we explore the hidden worlds.

In this lesson we explore the mystical concepts of Divine immanence and Divine transcendence, and learn how each influences us in a powerful, yet distinct manner.

In this lesson we explore love through the lens of Jewish mysticism, and discover how love's two dimensions correspond to the dual system of reality that G-d set up in the universe, as well as two different planes of time. Plus, we take a Kabbalistic look at those lovable temporary huts called "sukkot."

There's an ancient Kabbalistic teaching that the Torah originates in heaven as black fire on white fire. But what is the black fire and what is the white fire? And how does it subsequently translate into the black ink on white parchment—Torah we know on earth? In this lesson we learn about the secret code that is the letters of the Torah, and how they reveal some of the deepest mysteries of existence.

Where do bodies and souls come from? According to Kabbalah – from very different places! In this lesson we take a Kabbalistic tour of the cosmos and discover the unique (and opposite) origins of body and soul. Along the way we'll encounter the Divine Chariot and its four "faces", and uncover the deeper truth behind food.

What if the world didn't really exist? How big would our day-to-day problems be? The Kabbalists explore the notion of reality – and what is really real – in considerable depth. And their conclusion is that while the world appears to be real, and is indeed real on a certain dimension; on another dimension, it's far less real than we imagine. Explore this profound revelation of mystical teaching and discover its life-altering ramifications.

G-d's greatness, say the ancient Kabbalists, lies in the fact that He can make Himself so small. For just as G-d has the power of infinity, so does He have the power to limit Himself – otherwise, that itself would constitute a limitation. Yet, there is much to be said about G-d's infinite power and greatness. Like the fact that G-d is beyond time and space, and beyond anything we can know. And on one level, G-d is absolutely and essentially unchanged by the entire spectrum of creation. In this lesson we learn three powerful messages from G-d's infinity.

Life certainly has its fair share of ups and downs. One minute things are going well, the next, perhaps not so much. We usually chalk it up to life just being unexpected, unpredictable and volatile. In this lesson we explore Kabbalistic wisdom on the source and spiritual root-cause of life's turbulence. It may not end the shuddering, but knowing where it comes from can steady us as we navigate what's ahead.

Look at the news and, unfortunately, you'll see a lot of really bad things, which is both heartbreaking and a seeming impossibility from a spiritual and theological perspective: How does a good G-d allow for such evil in His world? Many have grappled with this throughout the ages, including the great Kabbalists. In this lesson we'll explore the origins of evil from a Jewish mystical perspective.