Transcript [00:01] Gdalia Fster, founder of Evolution's [00:03] Treatment Center, incredible podcaster, [00:06] inspirational speaker, and a spiritual [00:08] consultant. Thank you so much for being [00:10] with us here today. [00:11] >> My pleasure. My pleasure. What is Jewish [00:13] mysticism? [00:14] >> Jewish mysticism is um I believe it's [00:18] it's the cabala. It's the hiddenness [00:19] behind everything. Realizing there's [00:21] much more behind everything that you're [00:23] going through. there's a much bigger [00:25] picture and seeing [music] the essence [00:27] of everything instead of just the [00:28] details of everything I believe. [00:30] >> So you're a successful business person [00:32] and you're still chose choosing to [00:34] devote so much time in this space. How [00:36] did you get into it all? What's your [00:38] origin story around cababala and [00:39] mysticism? I [00:40] >> I mean I I was connected to Rabin's [00:42] teachings at uh 22 years old and that [00:45] you know changed everything changed [00:47] everything in my life. um from the way I [00:50] looked at things uh speaking to God, [00:54] seeing everything for the best, building [00:55] faith, you know, building discipline in [00:58] in in giving areas. Yeah. Pretty much [01:00] changed my life. [01:01] >> Was there a moment that brought you into [01:03] Ra Aman's teachings? [01:04] >> Rock bottom is I was 22 years old and I [01:07] was in a very bad situation in my life [01:09] and uh cried out to God and asked him [01:11] for advice and I found a book called [01:12] advice and uh that's where it came. [01:16] literally got a book with what you [01:18] advice. Exactly. You have to be care you [01:19] have to be careful what you pray for. [01:21] >> And what are the pe what's the messages [01:22] you give to other people that are rock [01:24] bottom to inspire them? [01:25] >> It's not just rock bottom. It's it's [01:27] it's about building strategy, building [01:28] consciousness. Look at thing looking at [01:30] things with um with the main thing I [01:33] teach is is expanded consciousness. You [01:35] know, dot, you know, if there's dot, if [01:38] you're looking at it the right way, you [01:40] have everything. If you if you if you [01:42] lack the consciousness, you have [01:43] nothing. If someone doesn't know what [01:45] that means, what what does it look like? [01:46] How can they actually practice? [01:47] >> I mean, a practical level is, let's say [01:49] you're, you know, you're a businessman [01:50] and you're walking into your office with [01:52] anxiety and fear and you have a very [01:54] fearful relationship with God. So, [01:56] you're almost expecting things to go [01:58] bad. You're not going to give charity. [02:00] You're going to be frightful. You're [02:01] going to contract instead of you're [02:02] going to overwork. You're going to try [02:04] to control. You're going to have be [02:05] angry at every details. But instead, if [02:07] you go into the same office with [02:09] expanded consciousness, you're going to [02:10] trust. You're going to give charity. [02:12] You're gonna be confident. You're gonna [02:14] make decisions. So, it's the same [02:15] businessman living in two different [02:17] worlds. [02:17] >> Amazing. In an ideal world, would all [02:19] Jews be mystics? [02:21] >> They should be. That's the we're the [02:23] light amongst the nations. If we're the [02:25] light amongst the nations, we have to be [02:26] the example. [02:27] >> And what do you think about when you [02:28] think of God? [02:30] >> God is uh infinite. God is self. Um it's [02:34] we contract God based on our [02:35] understanding. So, the the greater our [02:38] understanding, the greater God is in our [02:40] lives. Is there like an image or a [02:42] conception or something tangible that [02:44] you experience when you pray or think [02:46] about God or you share with people? [02:49] >> I just it's it's taking limits of [02:52] things. You know your kafk represents [02:54] past, present and future. When you're [02:56] connected to God, nothing's impossible. [02:59] Nothing. There's nothing that can't [03:00] change. But when you're connected to to [03:02] the world of tea, then you're then [03:04] you're bound to nature and things. [03:06] >> And what's the purpose of the Jewish [03:07] people? I believe to be the light [03:09] amongst the nations to be the example [03:12] you know we should be the example not [03:14] the uh if we have unity you know if [03:17] we're the light we're doing our job if [03:19] not unfortunately we learn from we learn [03:22] from everybody else and we diminish the [03:24] name [03:24] >> so what does that look like today what [03:26] should we be doing as a nation as a [03:27] people [03:28] >> we have to we our job is to I would say [03:30] spend more money on on unity and expand [03:34] expansion of consciousness and less on [03:36] anti-semitism and and begging people to [03:38] like you. Um, getting stronger instead [03:41] of, you know, getting people to to [03:43] approve us. I think the message is off [03:45] there. I think the message has to be we [03:47] need to build ourselves and when we [03:49] build ourselves, we'll be unstoppable. [03:51] We know who we are. We're unstoppable. [03:53] If not, we we become afraid of people. [03:55] So almost like if we were sitting as [03:57] investors and collectively looking at [03:59] the billions of dollars a year that are [04:02] invested, you'd say we need to [04:03] completely reallocate now, move away [04:05] from the anti- anti-semitism and move [04:08] much more towards the Jewish pride and [04:10] who we are and what we're meant to be [04:11] doing [04:12] >> to to to increase consciousness amongst [04:14] us. I mean, in a conscious world, the [04:16] religious and the non-religious will be [04:17] praying for each other. Um, everybody [04:20] would be wanting the best for each [04:21] other. When there's a lack of [04:23] consciousness and just Torah and there's [04:25] we don't have the the bigger picture, [04:26] then we're fighting against each other. [04:28] Unity is the key to everything. You have [04:30] unity, you have oneness. That's it. [04:31] That's the key. It's the fragmentation, [04:33] duality. [04:35] >> Why why is that? And how does it relate [04:36] to God's name and unity of God? [04:39] >> God's name is Yakivka represents past, [04:42] present, future. It's all one oneness. I [04:43] mean ultimately every situ situation in [04:45] our lives the only way we get we we end [04:48] up rising in that is when we when we [04:50] realize it's all coming from God you [04:52] know unfortunately when we don't see [04:54] that we end up blaming messengers or we [04:56] stay in the mess in our lives [04:57] >> and so in that process we sort of share [05:00] things with God through what we call [05:02] prayer how does prayer actually work [05:04] >> prayer God creates lack in order for you [05:06] to pray right so if you realize that we [05:09] say many times that troubled [05:12] would Hey, prayer doesn't get you out of [05:14] trouble. Trouble gets you into prayer. [05:16] >> So, the ultimate goal is is prayer. [05:18] Through prayer and Torah study, we get [05:20] to expanded consciousness. [05:22] >> And when we're in expanded [05:23] consciousness, we attract, we start [05:25] attracting things. We look at the world [05:26] completely different. If we don't have [05:28] Torah and prayer, then we look at the [05:31] world through reactive lens and we don't [05:34] see the bigger picture. We don't see the [05:36] depthness behind our relationships. We [05:38] don't see the the cabala behind this. We [05:40] don't see there's no mysticism because [05:41] we're all we're looking at is is uh [05:44] fragmentation, reactiveness, [05:46] details. We don't see the the bigger [05:48] picture that's going on. [05:50] >> And then you you talk about prayer and [05:51] Torah study and prayer is that lacking [05:53] for us to connect. [05:54] >> They both need each other. [05:55] >> But how do you differentiate? Meaning [05:56] what's the goal of Torah study? Then [05:58] >> you could the Torah study is potential, [06:01] but you need prayer to actualize it. I [06:03] could learn about being a good person, [06:05] but until I pray for it, it's not going [06:06] to happen. You know prayer could be we [06:09] have to bring a Torah study could be we [06:11] have to bring it down into the heart [06:13] into [06:15] we say yes something you learn is it's [06:17] in potential for example there's three [06:19] steps there's something that you learn [06:21] understand it's in it's in it's in [06:23] pregnancy then you have to develop it [06:26] through through nursing through um [06:29] through a pregnancy stage through [06:31] nursing it and then it becomes expanded [06:33] consciousness so an idea just doesn't [06:36] get grasped it has to be developed like [06:38] it's like like it's almost like a birth, [06:40] you know, when you want to become when [06:42] you want to become a more person with a [06:44] a person who has faith, it's it's like [06:46] you're giving a birth to a new reality, [06:47] to a new existence, and that that [06:50] requires prayer. It requires learning. [06:52] It's it's a back and forth motion. [06:55] >> Amazing. And does does mysticism view [06:57] women and men as the same? [06:59] >> It in Kabala talks about more the [07:01] masculine and the feminine. And every [07:03] word in Hebrew, it has either a [07:04] masculine or feminine word. So there's [07:07] times that we become masculine and [07:08] there's times that we become feminine. [07:10] For example, if we are able to say has [07:13] the Torah that if we're able to pray [07:15] with with with joy, if we're able to do [07:17] mitzvah with joy, God gets pleasure from [07:20] our our our work or our spirituality. So [07:24] God actually becomes the feminine and we [07:26] become the masculine. So it's the the [07:28] the cycle between masculine feminine [07:31] constantly switch. [07:32] >> When you say we, that means women also [07:34] become the masculine in the relationship [07:35] with God. That is the feminine in that [07:37] in that instance. [07:38] >> Correct. They could we could have we [07:39] have both masculine and feminine [07:41] aspects. But in general, for example, [07:43] the more we do things with joy, the more [07:45] we become givers. The more we do things [07:47] with sadness, the more we become [07:48] receivers. [07:50] So you can you can actually when you do [07:52] something with joy. For example, um a [07:55] kid could all of a sudden, you know, [07:57] give his father, you know, a cup of [07:59] water with joy. He's giving his father [08:02] now pleasure. You understand? So the [08:04] father [08:06] he's normally the giver he becomes the [08:07] receiver because the the kid becomes now [08:10] the giver. So the same concept in that [08:12] concept. [08:12] >> Well how do you how do you define joy? [08:14] >> Joy is uh growth. [sighs] [08:16] Joy is giving joy um I would say [08:20] resilience. You know [08:23] >> what's interesting is two of the two of [08:25] the words used were resilience and [08:28] growth. Now, [08:30] >> but what's interesting about those two [08:31] words is that [08:33] >> um you know traditionally people think [08:34] of joy or happiness as a smile on your [08:37] face. You're not always so [08:39] >> outwardly happy. So what what is this [08:41] mystical or Jewish view of happiness, [08:43] >> right? I mean the word the word it's [08:46] it's you know have the same words pretty [08:48] much [08:48] >> perspective perspective. Yeah. Yeah. I [08:51] mean listen if you you know all if you [08:52] think about what you said you had I had [08:54] a good day today. Okay. You had an [08:55] expectation that you were going to make [08:56] $5 and you made $10. You had a good day. [08:59] You had a bad day, right? What happened? [09:01] You had expectation you're going to make [09:02] $5. You made $3. So, at the end of the [09:04] day, it's really our our expectations. [09:06] We have to turn our expectations into [09:07] appreciations. [09:08] >> And so, should Judaism be hard or easy? [09:12] >> It should be growth. It should be [09:14] resistance is is resistance is good. [09:17] Struggle is good because we're always [09:19] worried about the bread of shame. [09:20] Anytime we're trying to receive [09:22] something, we don't earn it. It's going [09:23] to not be good for us. There there has [09:25] to be a combination between and gabbor [09:28] both of these aspects must be there [09:30] because otherwise there would be you [09:31] wouldn't appreciate the growth. So it's [09:36] it something too easy is not good [09:38] because whatever is easy you're going to [09:39] lose it. So there has to be a concept [09:42] where there has to be struggle because [09:44] without the struggle [09:47] you can't get to the you get you can't [09:48] get on the other side of growth. [09:49] >> Is there like a limit to that? Is there [09:51] a struggle that's too much? [09:52] >> It's based on it's based on your [09:53] attitude. [09:54] you know, you can grow quicker or you [09:56] can resist and suffer. So, it's it's [09:58] really sometimes, but it's either we're [10:00] going to grow through inspiration or [10:01] we're going to grow through desperation. [10:03] One way or another, we're it's going to [10:05] happen. So, you the key is what door do [10:07] you want to come in? You want to come in [10:08] from the front door or do you want to [10:10] come in through the back door? [10:11] >> You can wake up in the morning and and [10:13] break your sleep or your wife's going to [10:15] tell you not you're lazy and [10:17] >> you need to get up in the morning. So, [10:18] one way or another, it's going to come. [10:20] It's up to you. you're going to be in [10:22] good shape or your doctor's going to [10:23] tell you you're going to be in good [10:24] shape. So, it's it's it's [10:26] going to come one way or the other. The [10:28] question is is what do you want to toil [10:29] in? You want to toil in effort or do you [10:32] want to toil in, you know, pain? [10:36] >> You mentioned being in good shape. I I [10:38] know that's something that um you [10:40] believe is very important in the sense [10:41] why is it so important in Judaism to be [10:44] healthy and working out? [10:45] >> Without without energy, you can't do [10:47] anything. You can't learn without [10:49] energy. You can't pray without energy. [10:51] Um 90% of our serotonin comes from what [10:53] we eat. Um and the and the and the [10:56] schedule that we have to grow, it's very [10:58] demanding. You have to have energy for [10:59] your kids. You have to have energy for [11:00] your wife. You have to have energy for [11:02] for your creator. You have to have [11:04] energy for work. So if you're not moving [11:07] your body, if you don't feel strong, if [11:09] you're eating the wrong foods, you [11:10] you're going to walk around with no [11:12] energy. But if I walk for 20 minutes a [11:14] day or half an hour a day, um do I also [11:17] need to then like you know curl biceps [11:20] and everybody's [11:21] >> work my core or [11:22] >> according to RV RV cook and according to [11:25] the Rambam they wanted exercise. Um and [11:28] again the reason why is you know we lose [11:31] we lose every year we lose body strength [11:34] we lose muscle. So at the end of the day [11:36] when you get older if you don't have [11:38] that me muscle it's it's going to affect [11:40] you. It's going to affect you. It was [11:42] almost planning for the long term. [11:44] >> Yeah. You have to you have to build [11:45] muscle because it it's going to [11:47] constantly degrade and and as you get [11:49] older you you god forbid people fall, [11:51] they lose their hip. It takes him months [11:52] to recover. If you're in great shape, [11:54] could take you much easier. So you have [11:56] to think about recovery also. [11:58] >> Why did God create the world? [12:00] >> In order to bestow his kindness on us, [12:04] >> believe it or not, [12:05] >> according to [12:07] in order to bestow his kindness upon us. [12:09] in order to bestow his love upon us. [12:12] >> That's what he that's what the our sages [12:13] tell us. [12:14] >> And couldn't God come up with something [12:15] else to bestow his kindness on? Like why [12:17] this? [12:18] >> That's the way he created the world [12:19] because there could be no no God without [12:21] a nation. You can you have a Super Bowl [12:23] owner without a team? No. So his [12:26] compassion is based on a team. You could [12:29] have a great owner but no team. What's [12:31] the point of it? [12:32] >> And now that he's created this world, [12:34] can we go against his will? [12:35] >> Of Yeah, you can. Of course you can go [12:37] against your his will. people go against [12:39] his will and that's where when it's it's [12:41] where people are not aligned with the [12:43] creator. The more we are aligned with [12:45] God, then the more she flows, everybody [12:48] wins. Because remember, if he created [12:49] the world to win, if we align with his [12:52] will, everybody wins. He wins, we win, [12:56] and everybody wins. It's when we when we [12:58] don't do his will, he doesn't win [13:00] because he can't give. You can't [13:02] receive. And then the shea goes to the [13:05] to the wrong places. [13:07] >> What do you think about when you think [13:08] about Mashiach? We spoke about God [13:10] before. What's this messian? Mashiach [13:12] Ramakma speaks about is believing [13:14] everything that's happening for you is a [13:16] taste of the world to come and living in [13:18] a world of dot living in a world of of [13:20] complete consciousness where where where [13:22] consciousness there is no bad everything [13:25] is oneness. So I would say living in [13:27] presence is this concept of mashia. So [13:29] what [13:30] >> mean we can live in that concept today [13:32] by living and believing that everything [13:34] that's happening is for our benefit and [13:36] also thanking God is is these two [13:39] concepts of [13:40] >> when Msiah comes does that mean that [13:43] everyone will be thinking like that or [13:46] >> when that will be full when the dot will [13:48] be complete there will be no I will [13:50] respect your opinion you'll respect my [13:51] opinion there will be no no duality [13:54] there won't be any fragmentation [13:56] everything will be oneness the wolf will [13:58] get along with the lamb [13:59] there there will be oneness. [14:01] >> It comes back to that unity idea you're [14:03] saying as well. [14:04] >> Correct. [14:04] >> And so [14:05] >> everything's back to unity at the end of [14:06] the day. Even our job is to unite our [14:09] heart and our mind together. You know, [14:11] when when everything's united, [14:14] that's that's the ultimate zebug. That's [14:16] the ultimate unification. [14:18] >> And is the state of Israel part of the [14:19] final redemption? [14:20] >> I believe so. Israel represents [14:22] Jerusalem represents the heart, [14:25] >> you know. [14:26] >> And why [14:26] >> Israel represents the expanded [14:27] consciousness? Do you see it like, you [14:29] know, you've been here for the last [14:30] while, do you see it on a day-to-day [14:32] basis? [14:33] >> When I when I living being here for the [14:35] past week, spec specifically in [14:37] Jerusalem, you could see that time [14:39] collapses here. You meet people exactly [14:41] the time you're supposed to meet them. [14:43] There's like everything everything is [14:44] like divinely ordained. You know, the [14:46] the waitress uh is 5 minutes late on her [14:49] on on the credit card. I end up meeting [14:51] a friend exactly at that time to pick me [14:53] to the event. It just it seems to be so [14:55] much syn synchronosity and divinely or [14:58] everything's so divinely ordained that [15:00] you're supposed to meet exactly who [15:01] you're supposed to meet. It's like [15:02] living in hashk in exactly divinely [15:05] ordained. [15:07] >> So that that's and that's why time flies [15:08] because everything is just ex the way [15:10] it's exactly supposed to be going. It's [15:13] like a halo of energy. You're exactly [15:15] where you're supposed to be. [15:16] >> Do you think more Jews should be living [15:17] here? Do you think that people should be [15:19] tapping into this more? [15:20] >> I think people at least should whoever [15:22] can come here and live here should live [15:23] here. Of course, whoever you know [15:25] everybody's got their own their own [15:26] struggle coming here and obviously but [15:28] you cann says you can bring you could [15:30] bring your shalim into your into your [15:33] space in America also. [15:35] >> Yeah. [15:35] >> You could bring the air of your shime [15:37] into America also creating that space. [15:40] >> So you should try the [15:41] >> listen people in Tel Aviv you don't have [15:42] the space of of of Jerusalem you know [15:45] you could see the it doesn't necessarily [15:47] the the n but you can actually bring [15:50] that space into your place. What is the [15:52] grace? [15:52] >> When I go to Oman and Rashashana, I feel [15:54] Jerusalem. [15:55] >> Wow. [15:56] >> I feel I feel the exact same energy as I [15:59] feel in in Jerusalem. [16:01] >> But there's still something special [16:02] about actually being here, [16:03] >> of course. Yeah. [16:04] >> What is you know, you work um you [16:06] founded addiction centers and you work [16:08] with people all across the spectrum. [16:11] From your perspective, what is the [16:12] greatest challenge facing the world [16:13] today on a broader level? [16:15] >> Not seeing everything for the best. [16:18] I would say not looking not not not [16:20] facing not people not facing their [16:22] challenges you know trying to alter [16:24] their consciousness instead of expand I [16:27] think that's one of them running away [16:28] from [16:30] other ones focusing too much on the [16:32] fruit not on the root you know these are [16:35] these are the big issues blaming the [16:36] messenger not the message getting the [16:38] message I'm just thinking to myself when [16:41] you say like the first point you said [16:43] you know with when someone is in a real [16:45] challenge that seems out of their [16:47] control. Let's say, God forbid, they've [16:49] got an illness or a family member does. [16:52] Um, or they're rock bottom, you know, [16:54] with other areas. Um, how should they be [16:58] approaching that? Isn't that a difficult [16:59] place to But the purpose of evil is [17:02] actually to create good, you know, if [17:04] you if you look at what that situation [17:06] got you to. Parro was was evil. He ran [17:09] after us, but he got us closer to God. [17:11] If you don't look at the illness itself, [17:12] but what what did the illness do to you? [17:14] It got you closer to God. It got you to [17:16] change your diet. It got you to be [17:17] healthier. Not not so much focus on what [17:20] happened, but what did what how did it [17:22] make you? You know, we focus on the [17:24] power of now. Power of now what? What [17:26] are you doing with this? I think that's [17:28] the message. What what are you doing [17:30] with what you got with what happened to [17:32] you? Not what happened to you. What [17:33] happened to you could just be the [17:35] trigger. What are you doing with it is [17:37] the key. What are we doing after October [17:40] 7th? Have we been more united or not? [17:43] >> Yeah. [17:43] >> You know, one thing is the evil. What [17:45] did it do for you? [17:46] >> You're reframing the question cuz the [17:48] why question is paralyzing. [17:49] >> Correct. Correct. [17:50] >> You can't deal with it. [17:51] >> Correct. Exactly. Correct. [17:53] >> That's exactly right. Correct. It's [17:54] paralyzing. Okay. You had a trauma in [17:56] your business. What did it How did it [17:58] What did it do to you? Did it Did it [17:59] make you build a new vessel? So, if we [18:01] if we understand that everything's [18:02] happening for us, we have to focus on [18:04] that even this is good. And we have to [18:06] find a way to to to catapult that [18:10] situation and turn it for the best. And [18:13] this is pretty much is across the board [18:16] through our lives. We're just going [18:17] through struggle, growth, struggle, [18:19] growth, struggle, growth, struggle, [18:21] growth. And and and we're meant to grow. [18:23] We're meant to toil. So I think, you [18:26] know, if you understand that these [18:27] concepts, it's easier to to deal with [18:29] life. But if you understand that you're [18:30] here for comfort, that's probably one of [18:32] the biggest problems. [18:34] >> And how has modernity changed Jewish [18:36] mysticism? [18:38] >> Good and way, good, good and bad. I [18:40] would say you know sometimes you know [18:42] anything mysticism cabala could have [18:45] impure sources that have could have pure [18:47] sources but um [18:49] >> and modernity has changed that [18:54] >> yeah because I mean positively and and [18:57] and negatively I would say like anything [18:59] else I would say it's it's brought [19:01] people the internet has brought people [19:02] to you know much more access but at the [19:05] same time has also distracted people [19:08] >> and so how do you recommend dealing with [19:10] the two sides of that. [19:12] >> Anything anything in life has a positive [19:14] and negative to it. God doesn't create [19:16] you know you know psychedelics have a [19:19] positive experience if a person has the [19:21] vessel and it could be terrible [19:23] experience for that for that person if [19:25] he doesn't have the vessel. It's it's [19:26] really the up to the vessel for a [19:28] person. AI could be great for people and [19:31] AI can also take away people's [19:33] creativity. [19:34] So everything everything has this aspect [19:38] >> on the distraction point which you [19:39] mentioned first what advice would you [19:41] give people [19:43] >> parro parro purposely tried to get us [19:46] distracted so we wouldn't leave the [19:47] desire has to be clarified in order for [19:49] it to be satisfied okay so there's a lot [19:52] of situations today where people don't [19:55] know what they want and they're blaming [19:57] God for why is nothing happening you [19:59] don't know what you want so if you [20:01] realize that sometimes the the let's say [20:04] dating dating apps, let's say dating [20:05] sometimes, you know, I got married in 60 [20:07] days. I know what I wanted. I knew who I [20:09] wanted. And I knew it was going to be an [20:11] constant work. But if because we're so [20:14] distracted today, we're almost have it's [20:16] almost [20:18] it's too much light in no vessel. You [20:20] know, if you look at dating today, you [20:22] know, if you're dating too many people, [20:24] you'll get distracted. Where if you [20:26] focus on one person and you go all in, [20:29] you make it work. [20:30] >> You talked about clarity of desire. Can [20:32] you have like wrong desires or is that [20:34] not your real true desire? [20:35] >> Then you won't have any then you won't [20:37] Yeah, of course you can. Energy works [20:39] desire works both ways. You know, desire [20:42] works both ways. But as far as as far as [20:44] we us wanting to manifest and optimize, [20:48] we must have clear vessels. We must know [20:51] what we want and what we know we want. [20:53] That's why it says [20:56] God will give you according to your [20:57] desire. What is your desire? You know, [21:00] you have to have clarity. Clarity is [21:01] very important. Clarity and energy are [21:04] very important in our lives. Uh if we [21:06] have those two things and they both they [21:08] both feed off each other. [21:10] >> Yeah. [21:10] >> Cuz the more clear we are, the more [21:12] energetic we are to do it. When we don't [21:14] have clarity, we don't we we don't focus [21:17] on the thing we want. We get confused [21:19] and then we don't put the energy into [21:20] it. So you can see how how what a v what [21:22] a vicious cycle it becomes when you [21:25] don't have clarity. Like for example, [21:27] sometimes you you see a menu with too [21:28] many things on the menu. You almost you [21:30] don't know what to order. you leave [21:31] confused [21:33] and it's the enjoyment is off because [21:35] maybe you're missing maybe you ordered [21:37] the wrong thing. [21:38] >> Yeah. [21:39] >> I'm thinking [21:40] >> backfires [21:41] >> on the energy point. I'm just thinking [21:43] like does it mean like literally like [21:45] that vivacity and that sort of sense [21:48] because a lot of the world today is [21:50] almost like anti-energy meaning sit back [21:54] and watch us play, sit back and watch us [21:55] Netflix, sit back and watch us. It's [21:57] like not demanding and active. It's [21:59] creating a pacivity. U what does the [22:02] energy look like? How do we tap into it [22:03] more? [22:04] >> I mean you people are are spending too [22:06] much entertaining [22:09] entertaining instead of empowering [22:10] themselves. There's nothing wrong with [22:12] entertaining yourself but it should be a [22:13] 70 empowerment 30% entertainment. But [22:17] when entertainment becomes 70% and [22:20] empowerment becomes 30% it's it's a [22:23] recipe for disaster. Energy represents [22:25] the concept of azus. Ozus is movement [22:29] you know boldness being bold in what you [22:31] want where whatever it is it could be in [22:34] business it could be spirituality that [22:36] boldness is the same word as masle [22:39] so our energy our sages woke up in the [22:41] morning early right they say he woke up [22:44] in every single time Mosh Rabu woke up [22:45] early to do that everything was Abra all [22:48] of them they all boom it wasn't a you [22:52] know trunilo take it easy because when [22:54] you want something you get out of bed or [22:55] say just the First, rise up like a lion. [22:59] >> Yeah. [22:59] >> Rise up like a lion. Make a decision to [23:02] rise up like a lion. And when you have [23:04] this mindset, it it you you start [23:06] becoming empowered. [23:08] It's an empowering mindset. [23:09] >> Well, it sets the tone for the whole [23:10] day. [23:11] >> Yeah. Because once you start your [23:12] indecision fatigue, you it's really [23:14] fear-based and fear takes 50% of your [23:17] energy away. [23:19] >> So, what differentiates Jewish mysticism [23:21] from other forms of mysticism? [23:23] I I don't I I I don't know that many [23:25] other religions. I don't study other [23:27] that many other religions. Um but one [23:30] thing about Judaism uh Judaism [23:32] mysticism, it it doesn't try to [23:33] eliminate things. It tries focusing on [23:35] elevating things. Yes, you can have [23:37] relations but it has to be in in kadoo. [23:40] Yes, you can eat but lift the sparks, [23:42] right? Yes, you can work, right? Make [23:45] money, give charity. I think it's more [23:47] about elevation versus elimination. [23:51] And I think that's what I really love [23:52] about it because God, you're living in [23:55] this world. You're going to be physical. [23:57] You're going to be in the business [23:58] world. You're going to be everything, [23:59] but just bring heaven down to earth. And [24:02] I think that's more doable versus just [24:04] eliminating. Eliminating, you could see [24:06] it has not worked. [24:07] >> Well, based on that, it go even further. [24:09] You can actually express it through the [24:10] physical. [24:11] >> Exactly. Correct. It's more opportunity [24:13] to bring and that's exactly what the the [24:15] job is is is to is to you know to take [24:17] the same you have a nice car drive it to [24:19] synagogue elevate the car you know you [24:21] have you know you want to take something [24:24] beautiful you know elevate it make it [24:26] into you know for Shabbat so it's [24:29] nothing wrong with that I think it's [24:31] it's the elevation which is [24:32] >> are there any limits on that meaning [24:34] like [24:34] >> there's of course there's limit there's [24:35] limits on everything but you know [24:38] you know it's it's the limit is when you [24:40] start flaunting it when you start [24:42] flaunting it or you need it. If it if [24:45] it's there, you enjoy nice things, [24:47] there's nothing wrong with it. But if [24:48] you need it, the dependency, [24:51] the lack is the problem. [24:53] >> Does one need to be religious to study [24:54] Jewish mysticism? [24:56] >> I I think I think the the concept of [25:00] religion is a is a tough word to say [25:02] today. I think connected to God is the [25:04] key. I think um everybody has you know [25:07] people that word itself you know doing [25:10] the mitzvot I think absolutely but if [25:12] you explain Shabbat for example is wow [25:14] this is a day to receive this is a day [25:16] to the reason why we don't want to work [25:18] on Shabbat because we don't if God's [25:19] giving the whole day what are you [25:20] getting in the way for it what do you [25:22] need to work what do you need to be on [25:23] your phone don't be a slave but if you [25:25] tell people you can't do this you can't [25:26] do this they don't understand the [25:28] concept so this is what mysticism is all [25:29] about the the deeper essence of that um [25:33] that every single mitzvah has is has the [25:35] aspect of the infinite light into it. So [25:37] if you can connect to it, you can [25:39] connect to that infinite light. Today [25:40] people are just doing things out of [25:42] being told. So they don't they don't [25:44] they can't they don't connect to the [25:45] infinite light. You know, two people [25:47] could do the same thing and one person [25:49] can get a complete blast of light and [25:51] other person could get nothing out of [25:52] it. It's the way they're thinking about [25:54] it. They're their their intention and [25:56] attention to it. [25:57] >> And can it be dangerous? [26:00] >> Anything in excess could be dangerous? [26:01] Of course. Yeah, of course it could be, [26:04] you know, you could be hyper hyper hyper [26:06] attached to it. You could be uh OCD with [26:09] religion, but you people people need [26:12] need to have a healthy relationship with [26:13] God. And then they need to connect to [26:15] God through joy. Fear and joy, fear and [26:18] love. But if it's just fear-based, it's [26:21] a problem. If it's just love based, then [26:24] there's no structure. You know any [26:26] relationship that has too much love and [26:28] no boundaries it could be cheating [26:32] right? Any relationship that has too [26:33] fear too much gavor and no love it could [26:36] be too two too hard high expectations no [26:39] love. So we need to have both and and [26:42] gavor and everything. [26:43] >> So you talk about the relationship with [26:45] God. Um a lot of it is also about the [26:47] relationship with other people in our [26:49] lives. How has studying since your early [26:51] 20s this material helped you in your [26:54] personal relationships? Do you have any [26:55] examples about spouse or kids or [26:58] students or colleagues or you know [27:00] interact [27:00] >> like like everything else in life like [27:02] we just said there's times to press go [27:04] and there's times to press the brakes [27:06] with it with with sometimes with [27:07] teenagers sometimes with business [27:09] there's sometimes you need to make a [27:10] simpum a contraction of the light [27:12] there's sometimes the vessel must break [27:14] in order to rebuild a new one so I've [27:16] seen this personally in my life where [27:18] just like stock markets have to [27:19] sometimes a good a market has to [27:22] sometimes take a breath has to go down [27:24] in order for a new high to come up. So [27:26] once you understand the aris the [27:27] reconcept of of the tempum of a [27:29] contraction of light the shattering of [27:31] the vessels that you see this [27:32] practically in your life you'll see this [27:34] practically in your life as far as [27:36] markets going down in order to to create [27:38] buying opportunity. um things that are [27:41] stagnant should sometimes it's better [27:43] that they should fall in order to re you [27:46] know regroup right um a person um you [27:50] know going through you know putting a C [27:52] effort in his let's say in his in his [27:55] lifestyle it's better that he should [27:57] have some kind of an F so he should [27:59] re-engage and get an A eventually so I I [28:02] don't look at trauma as bad I look at [28:04] trauma as as rebuilding you [28:06] >> and you personally like when you see [28:08] your own relationship is an example you [28:10] can give us [28:11] >> situations with my wife where where [28:12] there had to be sometimes almost close [28:14] to breakups in order to rebuild new [28:16] things, new life out of it. Um you know [28:18] um businesses that have had major [28:21] contractions and those contractions [28:23] forced me to think outside the box and [28:25] come up with new ideas which I would [28:27] have never gone to. [28:28] >> So when you look back on them you see [28:29] them as [28:30] >> there's nothing there's not nothing but [28:32] blessings in in the thing. It's just [28:33] while you're in the moment, your your [28:35] emotions take over you and you're [28:36] hijacked by your emotions and you you go [28:38] into fear and this is this is where we [28:40] have to surrender. [28:41] >> Are you able to do that in that moment? [28:42] >> It take the the first couple of days it [28:44] takes me I have to go vent it out. But [28:47] after that I I end up getting back on [28:49] the horse and I I change a strategy and [28:53] I realize you know what this is a [28:54] blessing. This is a blessing and I start [28:56] getting excited over the same thing I've [28:58] become anxious about. [28:59] >> Amazing. Well, I've shared through this [29:02] conversation applications in the life in [29:04] such an honest and um authentic way that [29:08] other people can relate to. I'm [29:09] wondering if there's one teaching that [29:11] you'd like to share to conclude this [29:13] conversation. [29:14] >> There's so many teachings. There's so [29:16] many. It's it's it's all I like I said, [29:18] I combine therapy, motivation, and Torah [29:21] at the same time, and it's all needed. [29:23] >> Is there like one like that's sitting [29:25] with you right now? I would say I would [29:26] say one of the one of the favorite ones [29:28] that I've used lately is [29:31] um if you get the God always sends you a [29:35] messenger [29:36] to get the message. So there's always [29:39] the mess the message and the messenger. [29:42] So what happens is is if you focus on [29:44] the message you won't stay in the mess [29:46] or the messenger. Okay? But if you don't [29:49] focus on the message, you end up [29:52] becoming you end up falling in the mess [29:54] and the messenger. And this is what a [29:56] lot of people get stuck in. You know, [29:58] they become victims. This person did [29:59] ruin my life. This person caused me to [30:01] be to to to to be depressed. This [30:04] person, you understand? So they focus [30:06] too much on the on on the person itself [30:09] or and that's how they stay in the mess. [30:12] So I I always like to the the always [30:15] believing that everything's from God and [30:16] there's nothing but God and everybody's [30:18] there is just a messenger in my life to [30:20] get me to get the message and the [30:22] message is always going to come which is [30:24] constant growth and growth and growth. [30:26] So I've seen that a lot. I think that's [30:27] one of the favorite teachings. Another [30:29] one is focusing on your good points in [30:31] life. Uh another beautiful cl concept I [30:34] always f always go back to is the [30:36] problem is the solution. [30:38] That's one of the things I always go to. [30:40] You know, I always realize that the [30:42] problem is the solution. You know, my [30:45] being you being single is how are you [30:48] going to get to spirituality? Cuz if you [30:49] weren't single, if you weren't single, [30:50] you wouldn't have a problem. You would [30:51] never go to the classes. You would never [30:53] start talking to God. You know, if you [30:55] were not going through this business [30:57] problem, you would never be given [30:58] charity. And because of the business [31:00] problem, now forced you to give charity, [31:02] which now connected you to give maser. [31:04] So at the end of the day in in the [31:06] distress you have relieved me. So it's [31:09] you know the formula's the formula is [31:11] there but the thing is the tests do get [31:13] bigger as you grow and they're always [31:15] ahead of you. They're always bigger than [31:17] us. So we have to constantly ask God for [31:20] help because you could have mastered [31:22] something in one level new level devil. [31:25] So as much as we speak about this, we [31:27] have great we have great strategies for [31:29] every single situation, but they're [31:31] always given to us on a much bigger [31:33] level. You know, I'm dealing with things [31:35] now on a much bigger level than I've [31:38] ever dealt with, you know, where before [31:42] I I could have handled them, right? [31:44] >> It's counterintuitive cuz you think I've [31:46] mastered this. So [31:47] >> exactly. So you think you think you're [31:48] good. Exactly. So it's the opposite. And [31:50] that's why with the more dot, the more [31:52] suffering, but the more expansion. So [31:54] there's also there's also a concept that [31:56] you can't stay in one level because it's [32:00] just the way it is. But the more you [32:01] grow, the harder the tests become. Not [32:04] because it's there to hurt you, it's [32:06] because you can handle them now. So and [32:09] and and the more you have to rely on [32:10] God. So I I have great tools for pretty [32:14] much every situation, but they are get [32:17] they do get bigger. [32:18] >> And all of these come from our sources [32:20] like you talked about everything from [32:21] seeing the good. It sounds like Retman [32:25] the Bulam the Arizal [32:28] lesson 64. I mean all of these every [32:30] single every single thing I've told you [32:31] today comes from old Zohar Kabala the [32:35] Ramaches. [32:38] >> Well Gdalia will you give you a blessing [32:39] that you're able to [32:41] >> rise in the consciousness to be able to [32:43] take the bigger challenges. [32:45] >> Amen. Amen. [32:45] >> And to inspire so many along the way so [32:47] that we can see the mess is part of the [32:49] problem which is really the solution. [32:51] Look for the good. Acknowledge the [32:53] message and the messenger behind it all. [32:55] >> Exactly. Exactly. Thank you so much. [32:57] Such a pleasure.
