Soul Life

To be misunderstood is to not be known at all. The hidden responsibility and secret faith of Aharon in Parshat Tetzaveh reveal how our own, inner worlds live as our private secrets—known only to ourselves and to God. What does this tell us about faith? Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

What stories are you telling yourself about yourself? Our narrative identity—how we understand our life story—can define the quality of our lives. If your story is not serving you, then it's time to write a new one. We learn about Yosef's reveal to his brothers and how, in that tense moment, he breaks the fourth wall and thinks about his life from God's perspective. Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Where can we find God? Spiritual experiences can enliven and transform us, but they feel so hard to come by. This week, we discuss Yaakov's mysticism and break down what it means to be a Jewish mystic—and how we can all become one. Join us as we search for the doorway to the Divine. Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Questions can make or break our faith. In the case of Rivka, our second Matriarch, we find her existentialism dealing with pressing, intense, and scary questions—to the point where she seems to question life altogether. Join us as we dive further into her inner life. Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

What would you do if you weren't afraid? If you believed in the possibility of your dreams? If you didn't limit yourself? This shiur explores Sarah—our first Matriarch—and the question of limiting beliefs, that which prevents us from the life we want. Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Why learn Torah? Why read about Patriarchs and Matriarchs, biblical failures and triumphs, God's anger and delight? What could possibly draw a modern person into its ancient words? Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg — a renowned biblical scholar who weaves Midrash, biblical commentaries, Hasidic thinkers, and psychoanalysts, literary giants, and more — explores such questions with us. When a soul encounters God's word in the text, something is experienced. The narratives, stories, and lessons in the Torah are meant to touch us—to shatter, comfort, awaken us to the full depths of life. If you are seeking a new mode of connecting to religious texts, religious living, and God, then you will find endless spiritual enrichment from Dr. Zornberg's resonant words. Please email me with any comments or questions at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

What does it mean to seek God together—across peoples, across faiths? In this episode of Soul Life, Zevi Slavin from Seekers of Unity joins us to discuss his work in studying, teaching, and discussing mysticism with scholars of other faiths. A Chabad Chassid at heart, Zevi speaks about his own journey with mysticism, why he loves his work, how he navigates the questions, and when he feels God in his own life. For those thinking about life, spirituality, and God, this conversation will deliver the nourishment for mind and soul that you seek. Join us. (Also, tune in at the end for Zevi to answer my favorite question: What's it like to be you?) If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Elul is the season of teshuva. But what exactly is teshuva? People usually say "repentance," a reaction to bad behavior or bad actions. For Rav Kook, teshuva is self-expression. It is the foundation of existence, the foundation of identity, the foundation of self. For Elul, that makes all the difference. Tune in for the light and love baked in Rav Kook's words. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Do you ever feel like a stranger in your own skin? That is the consequence of exile, Rav Kook tells. "I am in the depths of exile," the prophet once declared. The "I"—the essence of selfhood, our truest selves—has been abandoned and banished. How do we reclaim our identity? How do we transform the house of our body into a home? How do we feel alive? These are the questions the soul demands, especially in light of Tisha B'Av. We must reclaim our "I," if not for ourselves, then for God. Tune in for the melodious words of Rav Kook. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

It may be time to get rid of your God. That sounds radical, but if your idea of "God" is damaging, disempowering, and destructive, then Rav Kook would suggest you stop believing. Not all beliefs are good beliefs. Some—many—are incorrect, harmful, and highly problematic. Similarly, not all atheism is bad atheism. Some ideas of God—many—should be denied and rejected. Rav Kook teaches us about the right kind of atheism and the wrong type of faith. God should uplift, not degrade; inspire, not depress; love, not hate. If you find God to be a negative force in your life, then tune in for Rav Kook's solution of healing and growth. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

What does it take to be happy? What is the happy life? Is it attainable? How? That's the question Rav Kook answered for us in this chaburah. Rav Kook wrote about happiness—where to find it, how to live it. Everyone is chasing after happiness, but it seems like fewer people are reaching it as time moves on. Dive into the world of Rav Kook to hear his timeless words on what it means to be happy. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

"We have abandoned the soul of Torah!" That is the cause of our distresses, Rav Kook tells us. We have the body, the structure, the skeleton, but we have forsaken its essence, its light, its life. If you have ever experienced a dread in Judaism—whether in Torah study or living Torah ways—Rav Kook is here with a medicine for that ailment. In this chaburah, we explore what Rav Kook means by "the soul of Torah" and how we can reclaim it for an inspiring, exciting, and empowering brand of Judaism. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Have you ever heard the voice of God? No, not Morgan Freeman screaming from the heavens—I'm talking about the voice of your soul's Soul, the Source of all existence: God. In this chaburah, Rav Kook tells us how to do so. God is always speaking, he writes, but we are not always listening. Tune into this episode to tune into the voice of God. The voice speaks the language of love, hope, encouragement, guidance, and self. Let's start listening. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

What is Judaism all about? Servitude? Sacrifice? Community? There are many answers people will suggest. But how many would say self-love? Rav Kook tells us that the ultimate goal of Judaism relies upon the highest level of self-love. The more we love ourselves, he says, the more good we will bring into the world. It's a striking idea. In this chaburah, we delve right into it. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

"When we forget the individual soul, when we stop paying attention to the inner life of a person, everything becomes confusing and unclear." Rav Kook believed that all of our problems stem from a lack of self-awareness, from forgetting that we are a ray of God's infinite light, that we are a soul. If we want to feel in alignment, we need to return to our true selves. We explored two pieces by Rav Kook that explain these deep secrets. — The teachings of Rav Kook changed my life — they unlock the wellspring of love, happiness, faith, and empowerment. Once a week, we'll explore some of his teachings and find the spiritual remedy we need. Rav Kook taught the deepest secrets of Torah that draw out the world's light, and now, it's time to find your light. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at srulifruchter@gmail.com.

Look at life like a poet. In this first season of Soul Life, we've been speaking about life in so many ways that relate to ourselves and our world. All this talk and discussion, however, cannot be isolated — they need to be matched with living. In this episode, I spoke with a close friend and brilliant poet, Avi Fried, about poetry, spirituality, and living our best life. Poets see more than what meets the eye; they see the soul of life. For any comments, questions, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com *** Avi Fried is a poet and a senior at Yeshiva University studying Finance. In high school, he joined the poetry slam team and was named a finalist in his first-ever performance. Most recently, Avi was selected by his professor to participate in a state-wide poetry reading with established poets and writers; afterward, Avi was profiled by Yeshiva University about his experience at the reading. He writes in a full range of forms from sestinas to free verse to rap lyrics, and he is currently working on his first collection.

Are you growing others in your leadership? We are all leaders in our own lives. There are always people who follow us, who we guide, and who we lead — whether at home, work, or social environments. Leaders dare to create and design, to serve others, and as souls, it's something natural and intuitive to us. I spoke with Dr. Erica Brown about the gift of leadership, and her sheer brilliance on the topic, as well as how she so strongly lives her lessons, made this such an impactful conversation. I hope you'll feel the same way and be more connected to your soulful self. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email Srulifruchter@gmail.com *** Dr. Erica Brown, the director of the Mayberg Center for Jewish Education and Leadership and an associate professor of curriculum and pedagogy at The George Washington University, is the author of twelve books on leadership, the Hebrew Bible and spirituality. Erica has a daily podcast, “Take Your Soul to Work.” Her latest book Esther: Power, Fate and Fragility in Exile (Maggid) was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Council award. She has been published in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Tablet, First Things, and The Jewish Review of Books, and she wrote a monthly column for the New York Jewish Week. She has blogged for Psychology Today, Newsweek & Washington Post's “On Faith” and JTA, and she. tweeted on one page of Talmud study a day @DrEricaBrown. She has master's degrees from the Institute of Education (University of London), Jews' College (University of London) and Harvard University, as well as a Ph.D. from Baltimore Hebrew University. Erica was a Jerusalem Fellow, is a faculty member of the Wexner Foundation, an Avi Chai Fellow and the recipient of the 2009 Covenant Award for her work in education. She previously served as the scholar-in-residence at both The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston and as the community scholar for the Jewish Center of New York. She currently serves as a community scholar for Congregation Etz Chaim in Livingston, NJ.

If we can't live with inner peace, how can we expect to live with world peace? In this episode, I spoke with Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen about what is the essence of peace — or shalom, in Hebrew. Finding balance and harmony within ourselves and with others has the power to change everything. I loved discussing this topic with Rav Nagen — especially since he lives and breathes all things interfaith and peace — and I hope you grow from it, too! For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com *** Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen is a renowned Israeli rabbi and is a leader in interfaith peace initiatives between Judaism and Islam and in encounters between Judaism and Eastern religions. He is currently the director of the Blickle Institute for Interfaith Dialogue and the Beit Midrash for Judaism and Humanity. Rav Nagen was profiled in Tablet Magazine as one of the ten “Israeli Rabbis You Should Know” and is a senior educator at Yeshivat Otniel, where he teaches Talmud and Kabbalah.

Every day, we have blessing and curse set before us; we choose which one we want. Our beliefs and our perceptions determine what world we live in, whether it's one of chaos and catastrophe, or harmony and happiness. The secret is that we have the power to change our beliefs, to design our lives to be aligned with our true, soulful selves. In this episode, we see that to live our soul life, we must first focus on reshaping our beliefs, developing our emunah. Even in the global arena, countries struggle to make sure their beliefs align with reality. International relations theories, such as realism, liberalism, or constructivism, demonstrate the importance of focusing on what we believe, perceive, and receive. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com.

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" This famous question in the Jewish tradition reminds us that only we can bring the change we seek in our lives. Only we can give ourselves our best lives, and if we forsake that opportunity, then we cannot expect tomorrow to be different from today. God imbues us, as souls, with infinite personal power, and all we need to do is tap into that. We also hold this same gift to change the entire world. The soul can be an activist for the individual self and the world's self, both of which yearn for growth. When we step into our potential, there is only one remaining question left to ask: How good are we willing to let it get? For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

If you want to be happier, try giving to others. It may seem counterintuitive, but giving to others is, in truth, giving to ourselves. Study after study has shown that when one gives to someone else — in whatever form — they will be significantly happier. This is natural for all souls, as each person seeks to make a difference, to mean something to the infinite universe. Giving validates our existence. When we act in ways of love and compassion, we'll live in a world of love and compassion. Tune in to hear more! For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

We are all gardeners in the divine garden we call nature. There's a reason people so often find the beauty of our world to be breathtaking, almost as if there's something transcendent about it. Everything in the world is an expression of God, a ray or spark of His Endless Light, and we see this in our environment. But it's not just wonderful sights that make nature so important. As souls, we have an invaluable connection to nature, one of endless inspiration and existential responsibility. As climate change and pollution continue to threaten our planet, understanding our relationship to nature becomes increasingly more important. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

Being lonely is real and hard. Feeling like you are unheard, unseen, and unreceived — without any recourse to abate that feeling — breeds the pain of loneliness. Tune in to learn how community can bring immense healing to our loneliness and to see the role community plays on the international level! For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

Many people find the word “God” triggering, and I believe rightly so. That three-letter word is often packed with painful and problematic notions of a “being” consumed by control, anger, wrath, enslavement, punishment, judgment, and death. It makes sense that a “being” with those associations can be the source of so much hardship, but that is not God, at least not according to Torah. Until now, we saw that we are, in our deepest essence, souls — each a ray of God's endless light. Now, we're going to explore the question: Who is God? In this episode, we're going to develop a mature, sophisticated, and spiritually inspiring understanding of God, one that will bring us love and peace, not hate and conflict. What we believe directly impacts what we perceive and what we receive. Our view of God, or lack thereof, fundamentally alters our reality, and positively exploring that can bring abundant blessing into our life. Afterward, we're going to see this in the world through international relations. Tune in to experience the greatness :) For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

Why do we hold ourselves back from being our best? Self-sabotage is incredibly common, and it's not unique to any type of person or background. But just because we struggle with self-sabotage, doesn't mean we need to lose to self-sabotage. In this episode, we're going to re-understand what self-sabotage really means and examine it through a new lens, offering a theory to make sense of it. If we want to begin expressing our souls, we must stop suppressing our souls. To better grasp this phenomenon, we'll take a look at the discussion in international relations about whether countries are able to self-sabotage! This fascinating topic will show us how the personal struggles we face are global struggles similarly faced by countries. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

You don't have a soul; you are a soul. That is the single, most important idea I learned that completely changed my life. In this episode, we unpack what it means to be a soul and why it matters. This is the most foundational step to living our soul life. From there, we see how the understanding that we are souls redefines how we think about human rights, and we'll see this with the genocide against Uighur Muslims in China and a recent Supreme Court case regarding child slavery in foreign cocoa plantations. Through this lens, we see that living as a soul can make a radical difference in our own lives and in the lives of the world. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

Welcome to the Soul Life Podcast! This platform is all about sharing the deep, powerful ideas that changed my life and led me on this journey to living my soul life. Too often, we compartmentalize the meaning and purpose of our lives into a box we visit on certain occasions — it makes our identity feel disjointed and out of sync. Your soul life invites you to live as your true, soulful self and see the world through soul lens. In this episode, I explain why I started this podcast and why I think it's important. We also explore the idea of finding global spirituality and set up the two elements of Soul Life: actualizing our soul life and using the world to do so. For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to email: Srulifruchter@gmail.com

"When Hashem returns us to Israel, we will be like dreamers" (Tehillim 126:1). On Israel's 73rd birthday, we sit here, like dreamers. This shiur is centered around understanding the miracle of Israel and dreaming about what comes next for the Jewish People. However, imbued within this specific topic is the general lesson of taking the far-off visions of idealism we call "dreams" and bringing them into this space we call "real life."

What does it mean to be free? Why do we sometimes feel so constricted in our lives? In this podcast, we'll see that freedom and enslavement are about much more than who is physically imprisoned in chains. On Pesach, as we reflect on our historical redemption from Egypt, that same light of liberation returns to empower us to strive for true, inner freedom, to be the masters of our own fate: Freedom is a state of mind.