Human & Holy

• Can Women Dance With the Torah?

  A historical, halachic and cultural exploration of women's celebration of Simchas Torah. Through a poll of women's experiences, a deep dive into relevant halachic and historical sources, and an analysis of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin's visit to the Lubavitcher Rebbe asking if the women of his community could dance with the Torah, we explore questions like: Is Simchas Torah a “men’s holiday”? Is there an essential difference between men and women’s relationship to this day? How did the custom to dance with the Torah develop? Can women dance with the Torah? Should women dance at all?Join us in exploring women's relationship to this joyful, celebratory holiday. Sources:The Diary of Samuel Pepys, entry for October 14, 1663 "Law as Love" by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Shlomo Riskin, Listening to G-d (New Milford, CT: Maggid, 2010), pp.193-96Lubavitcher Rebbe's letter to Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, 13 Kislev 1976Rambam Hilchot Shofar V'sukka V'lulav 8:14Chemdat Yamim III Sukka 8"Dancing With the Torah" by Laurie NovickR. Moshe Meiselman, Jewish Woman in Jewish Law (New York, 1978)Shulchan Aruch OC 88 * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction: Why We're Exploring This Topic02:49 What Simchas Torah Means to Me05:24 Poll Results on Women's Experiences of Simchas Torah7:00 Is There an Essential Difference Between Men and Women's Relationship to Dancing on Simchas Torah?9:39 Participating Through Watching 10:32 Being a Bystander 11:18 The Pain of Alienation13:39 Why Do Women Dance?14:40 What Motivates Women's Desire to Dance With the Torah?17:20 When Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Went to Ask the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Advice21:18 The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Retraction 23:50 When Samuel Pepys Visited a Synagogue in 166325:30 The Evolution of the Tradition of Dancing 29:11 What is the Barrier to Women Dancing with the Torah?31:10 Diversity of Rabbinic Perspectives on the Topic 32:40 Exploring the Custom Women Took Upon Themselves Not to Touch the Torah 39:15 Recognizing the Nuances of this Topic 41:30 Women Yearning to Dance with the Torah43:55 Cultural Impact of Each Woman's Experience 45:00 Ensuring a Vibrant Women's Section 47:00 Simchas Torah Belongs to the Entire Jewish People

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• Bring Your Sorrow to the Dance Floor: Sukkos & the Emotional Complexity of Joy

  How do we access joy when the world feels heavy?How do we lean into joy amidst collective anguish, grief, and global uncertainty?As we enter the holiday of Sukkos, the time of our joy, we are asked to celebrate. But what does it look like to celebrate honestly, without ignoring the ache of our times?In this episode, we explore how Sukkos offers a model of Jewish joy that honors the emotional complexity of life. A joy that is not about denying our pain, but about making a courageous, spiritual choice: to recognize the divine presence and be moved by it, to root more deeply into our communal spaces and our responsibility for one another, and to bring our sorrow to the dance floor, trusting in its ultimate healing.Sources:Chapter 33, Tanya by the Alter Rebbe "I Praised Happiness" by Rabbi Shagar "Catharsis" by Rabbi Joseph B. SoloveitchikLikutei Moharan, Part II 23:1:2Rabbi Isaac Luria, Pri Etz Hayim, Sukkot* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

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• Yom Kippur Meditation: Accessing Forgiveness

  A meditation to open us up to the profound spiritual potential of Yom Kippur — the day of G-d's ultimate love. Together, we explore what it means for the day to atone, and how we might be softened and expanded by our encounter with Hashem. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

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• Reconnecting with the Divine | Sara Mayberg

  In this raw conversation with Sara Mayberg, we explore Sara's personal process of Teshuvah and the path back to her divine soul, as someone who was already committed to her Jewish practice. We discuss how the inherent nature of the divine soul is to want G-d, how Sara began to develop a visceral experience of trust, and how grief can crack us open in transformative ways. Other topics explored: how financial struggles can be invitations to lean on G-d, the significance of community in the path back to ourselves, learning to see the divine in others, the ongoing process of return, and the journey to reclaiming a sense of choice in our Judaism and relationships. Sara can be contacted at [email protected]. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Reconnecting with Joy 01:26 The Journey of Trust and Divine Connection03:45 Awakening Through Relationships07:49 The Catalyst of Darkness11:04 Surrendering to the Void14:56 Finding G-d in Material Insecurity20:15 Navigating Financial Strain and Trust22:41 Grieving and Embracing New Perspectives29:31The Ongoing Conversation with Hashem32:28 Experiencing Hashem Within and Around Us34:18 Integrating Knowledge into the Body36:34 The Role of Prayer and Learning in Personal Growth38:59 Understanding the Animal and Divine Souls42:26 Compassion and Connection in Healing45:12 Seeing the Divine in Others48:37 Building Community and Support50:27 Reconnecting with Judaism and Mitzvot52:59 The Process of Teshuvah and Reclaiming Choice55:53 Acceptance and Compassion in Relationships59:04 Trusting the Power of Our Souls01:00:58 Letting Go to Make Space for What's Next 01:02:12 "I Love You"

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• Start With Compassion | Matti Banon

  Elul and the high holidays are a period of introspection and self accounting. In this conversation with Matti Banon, we discuss the Chassidic perspective on gentle growth, what it looks like to live our lives with agency while remaining humble enough to recognize our recurring flaws, the balance between intellect and emotion, the transformative power of compassion and curiosity, and the parenting truths that can guide us in becoming more whole ourselves. Matti Banon is a campus shlucha in Montreal who enjoys learning and delving into topics like marriage and parenting through the lens of Chassidus. Her children are her biggest helpers when it comes to her shlichus and self growth. She can be reached at [email protected]:Story of the Baal Shem Tov & the shofar: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/3080/jewish/The-Master-Key.htmChapter 27 of the Tanya (the sweet & spicy paths): https://www.chabad.org/library/tanya/tanya_cdo/aid/7906/jewish/Chapter-27.htmMore about Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1007604/jewish/A-Brief-Biography.htmThe 4 Body System: https://a.co/d/djfpzDuParenting reference: Blimieheller.com* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction and Personal Background01:53 The Essence of Parenting and Nurturing05:13 Leading Ourselves: The Journey of Self-Discovery10:03 Awareness and Compassion: The First Steps14:42 The Role of Emotions in Personal Growth19:52 The Chassidic Balance of Intellect and Emotion 24:48 Transforming the Inner Critic29:43 Discipline and Connection in Parenting34:33 Embracing Imperfection and Growth39:27 The Importance of Compassion in Relationships44:34 Curiosity and Self-Exploration49:06 Final Thoughts

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