What are the different parts of the soul, and how do they relate to, and interact with, the body? What is the real reason for sleeping and dreaming? How might we be able to explain spiritual phenomena like prophecy and telepathy? And how does one rectify their soul to the highest degree to become a master of life? Find out in this class as we embark on an eye-opening exploration of the human soul.
Tag Archives: Healing
A Jewish Approach to Psychedelics (Video)
In recent years, psychedelic substances have entered the mainstream and many people have begun using Ayahuasca, DMT, psilocybin, peyote, and other “plant medicines” for healing and overcoming traumas. What is the Jewish approach to such psychedelics? What can we learn about them from the Torah, and from the procedures of the kohen gadol on Yom Kippur? How do we address the risks and dangers surrounding these drugs? And is there any connection to avodah zarah or idolatry in ceremonies that make use of these substances? Find out in this fascinating podcast where we also discuss “snake energy” and kundalini, yoga and astronomy, and what role plant medicines might play in the forthcoming Messianic Age.
The Secret of HaMotzi Lechem
This week’s parasha is Balak, named after the Moabite king who sought to curse Israel. The Zohar spends a significant amount of time on the mysteries of this parasha. Included within it is a distinct mystical text known as the Yenuka, the “Child”, describing some fateful encounters between the Sages and an angelic youth, who reveals to them profound Torah secrets. (The identity of this child and some of his teachings were explored in the second edition of Secrets of the Last Waters.) In the first encounter (Zohar III, 186a), Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehudah are travelling and make a stop at the home of the famous mystic Rav Hamnuna Saba. They meet the Rav’s wife and child, then settle down to rest and eat. This sets the stage for the youth to reveal the secrets of things like netilat yadayim, mayim achronim, and zimun.
In another encounter (III, 188a), Rabbis Elazar, Abba, and Yose make a stop at the same home. The Yenuka senses that the Sages are perplexed by an issue regarding Ammon and Moav (which ties to this week’s parasha, Balak being the king of Moav). The youth segues into a discussion of the mystical secrets of grains and breads. These teachings help us understand why the hamotzi blessing is so powerful and “covers” all other foods. It also explains why the Sages described bread as the most wholesome food, and one that can save a person from many illnesses: In Bava Metzia 107b, for instance, we read that the gematria of “illness” (מחלה) is 83, while “bread” (לחמה) is its anagram, with the same value. This is to teach that eating a simple meal of bread and water—with the right blessings and meditations in mind—can cure a person of 83 illnesses. Continue reading