Is there a spiritual explanation for the growing popularity of psychedelics and entheogens like ayuahasca, DMT, iboga, and psilocybin? Might such substances have been used by the ancient Hebrew prophets and high priests? Were they also used by the Zoroastrian magi, and are there overlaps between the two? What are the true origins of lighting Chanukah candles and Shabbat candles, and might these practices have been influenced by Zoroastrian fire rituals? Why do Jews look at a reflection of fire on their fingernails during the Havdalah ceremony following the conclusion of the Sabbath? And what does it all have to do with Adam’s mystical powers in the Garden of Eden?
Tag Archives: Baal Shem Tov
Erev Rav, Part 3: Conspiracy Theory
How did the Erev Rav become so powerful in recent times? Was there a conspiracy in the 18th century by a small group of heretics to destroy Judaism? And how has it manifest itself in the world today? Plus: exploring Samson as a model for current events, pinpointing the exact number of Erev Rav souls, and what exactly happened in the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident?
For more on the significance of the year 1648 and the aftermath of Shabbateanism, see here.
Things You Didn’t Know About the Arizal
Last Friday, the fifth of Av, was the yahrzeit of the great Ari HaKadosh or Arizal, “The Holy Lion of Blessed Memory”, Rabbi Itzchak Luria (1534-1572). Few have had as monumental an impact on Judaism as the Arizal. Despite being an educator for only a couple of years, and passing away at the young age of 37 or 38, his teachings shaped the course of Jewish history for the next five centuries, until the present. Who was the Arizal, what did he reveal, and why was he so influential? Continue reading