Kabbalah & Chassidism; Mysticism

In this world, we cannot attain absolute perfection, absolute truth, or absolute good. What is required of us is an incredibly difficult form of existence. We must live continually with partial truth, which stems from compromise.

The “child” and the “servant” exist in all relationships: in the family, in the workplace, and in our divine service.

The disciples of Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch gathered around his bed to hear their teacher speak about Jacob's angels. It was the last Shabbat of the chassidic master's life...

Is there lover in the world who loves with the intensity that a hater hates? Evil exists because it is so much more powerful than good

The Kabbalists see Esau and Jacob as the embodiments of the primordial world of Tohu (“Chaos”) and our present reality-process of Tikkun (“correction”)

Jacob straddled the river, one foot planted on each bank. He passed his family and possessions across the divide. He now had to make the move himself . . . The hosts of heaven gathered to see which way he would lean.

Sometimes it’s just a camel when it’s supposed to be a cow. A non-kosher offering to a pagan god.

Fleeing Laban, now Jacob confronts the evil Esau; enroute with murder in mind. Seeking to inhibit his brother's baleful intent; he sends a mollifying message – its literal elucidation is our initial point of departure. Then piercing the veil, the biblical...