AI Summary
5 min readIn the opening interview of the 18 Questions, 40 Mystics series, Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld defines Jewish mysticism not as esoteric escape but as the basic awareness that “there is more going on beneath the surface than that which meets the eye.” The conversation, conducted by Rabbi Benji Levy, explores how this interiority—what Rosenfeld calls pnimiyut—offers a practical framework for confronting trauma, addiction, relationship struggles, and the deepest questions of purpose. Rather than a system of secret knowledge for the cloistered, Rosenfeld presents mysticism as a medicine for the modern soul, one that begins where rationalism ends and demands engagement with the brokenness of everyday life.
The Gateway: From Existential Crack to Mystical Depth
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What you'll learn
- 1 (22:22) **Introducing Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld** - Benji Levy welcomes Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld, a psychotherapist and teacher, as the first guest in the 18 Questions, 40 Mystics series.
- 2 (22:51) **Defining Jewish Mysticism** - Rosenfeld defines mysticism as the awareness that there is more beneath the surface than meets the eye.
- 3 (23:56) **The Catalyst for Mystical Study** - Rosenfeld describes the specific moment that opened him to deeper study, starting with existential literature.
- 4 (24:34) **Where to Begin the Journey** - Rosenfeld recommends starting with existential works that awaken a sense that the surface is not enough, rather than introductory mystical texts.
- 5 (26:11) **The Rational Path to the Irrational** - Rosenfeld explains how Rav Soloveitchik uses rationalism to reach a place beyond rationalism, where wonder begins.
- 6 (27:49) **Are All Jews Mystics?** - Rosenfeld argues that all Jews are inherently mystics because every Jew has a layered soul with a point perpetually attuned to the deepest elements of reality.
- 7 (28:53) **What is God?** - Rosenfeld describes God as an idea that pushes a person into accepting their own human limitation and as the invisible connectivity that holds systems together.
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Show Notes
Rav Joey Rosenfeld’s entryway into mystical thought began with the writings of Franz Kafka and Albert Camus. Discussing Jewish mysticism with Rav Joey is not just a conversation about ancient texts and ideas, but it is a journey into the soul, wherein he describes how mystical principles can transform relationships, heal trauma, and guide us in a modern world.Rav Joey Rosenfeld is a practicing psychotherapist in the field of addiction, focusing on the interface between philosophy, spirituality, and psychology. He regularly gives shiurim on Jewish philosophy, Kabbalah, and the inner workings of the human soul. Here, he sits down to discuss 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including the various dimensions of redemption and the paradoxical nature of God.
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