Lectures Offered by Maggid Yitzhak Buzbaum

Mystic Breezes/Jewish Spirit: The Essential Teachings of Jewish Mysticism

What is the difference between religion and mysticism? It is the difference between believing in God and actually experiencing the Divine Presence. Hasidism simplified Kabbalistic mysticism to make it accessible and easily understood. The hasidic masters taught how to do all activities, religious and worldly, with God-consciousness, until a person attains a constant, devotional awareness of God's presence, a blissful state called "being in the Garden of Eden."

Mysticism is a path to the deepest meaning of life, to the source of joy, and to a closer relationship with God. Yet, even non-mystics can tap into these wellsprings of mystic teachings.

We learn about the guiding principles of Jewish mysticism and its spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, mantras, storytelling, song and dance, and the soul-ascent into heaven. Illustrative stories about hasidic saints, such as the founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, will be told and discussed.

This lecture can be accompanied by an experiential workshop involving Jewish spiritual practices for d'vekut (God-consciousness) -- for prayer, song and dance, meditation, "mantras," eating, etc.

The Light of the Baal Shem Tov

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov was one of the greatest Jewish leaders of all time: the founder of Hasidism, who revived Jewish mysticism and brought a renewed joy in God to the common people.

Though many of us have been touched or moved by the spiritual waves set in motion by the Besht -- through hasidic songs and stories, for example -- how much do we know of his personality and life -- its stages, turning points, heights and depths? During a soul-ascent to heaven, the Baal Shem Tov was told by the Messiah that he would come when the wellsprings of the Besht's teachings spread abroad to all the Jewish people. What are those teachings? Have they reached us? In this lecture we will learn about the Baal Shem Tov through the legends about his life and his core teachings as recorded in the books of his disciples.

Topics covered: 1) an overview of the Besht's life-history; 2) particularly significant and beautiful stories about him; 3) the teachings that constitute his essential contribution; 4) his spiritual path and practices; 5) what he has to teach us.

An Open Heart: The Mystic Path of Loving People

Many Jews over the past years have developed an interest in Jewish mysticism, with its goal of God-consciousness. But Jews are also attached to the Jewish ideal -- expressed by Hillel and Rabbi Akiba -- that the essence of Judaism is to love your neighbor as yourself. What is the connection between Jewish mysticism and Jewish religious humanism? We explore the exciting teachings of Jewish "mystic humanism" as expressed in the Torah, Talmud, Midrash, Kabbalah, and the teachings of the hasidic and Musar movements.

The Life and Teachings of Hillel

Hillel is one of the greatest rabbis of the Jewish tradition, yet even knowledgeable people usually know only the same few stories and sayings of his -- about his teaching the Golden Rule to the gentile standing on one foot, his saying, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me, and if I am for myself alone, who am I?" and so on. Many fascinating aspects of Hillel's life and teaching have been neglected and virtually "lost."

The early rabbinic tradition offered two contrary ideals, represented by the gentle Hillel and his stern adversary Shammai. It recommended the softer one and judged the rigid one critically, preferring the loving and flexible hasid to the severe and intolerant ascetic. But the later tradition transmitted Hillel's teachings mixed in with the contrary teachings of Shammai and attempted to reconcile the two opponents by pouring both streams into one cup.People assume that Hillel represents what came to be identified as normative Judaism, but when his teachings are viewed separately, his pious radicalism becomes apparent.

People will be charmed and fascinated by Hillel's fiery gentleness. The struggle and choice between Hillel and Shammai, between these two ideals and types, is still with us. Hillel has a special attraction for our generation, representing the gentler, more loving side of Judaism that so many today are searching for. This lecture will show that the teachings of this radiant religious figure can still speak to our hearts today.

The Deepest Jewish Truths I Know

Maggid Yitzhak Buxbaum shares the deepest spiritual truths he has come to know in his many years of religious study and practice.

Storytelling and Spirituality

Storytelling has always been a prime vehicle for communicating spirituality. Some of the greatest religious teachers were expert storytellers. Then, as time passed, events in their own lives also became stories. In Judaism, hasidism emphasizes sacred storytelling and the sacred story -- especially tales about tzaddikim, the hasidic rebbes. The Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav and Rabbi Israel of Rizhin all specialized in storytelling.

Hasidic rebbes considered storytelling and listening so important that they developed a hasidic "theology" of storytelling as a spiritual practice; there are many hasidic teachings and stories about storytelling. The rebbes asked and answered the questions: What is the place of storytelling among spiritual practices? Why do stories fascinate us so? How should they be told, and listened to? What are their effects? We will investigate their teachings and the many interconnections between storytelling and spirituality.

We will learn how for the rebbes, storytelling was not only inspirational, but also a form of mystical activity. This material can be taught more fully in a workshop format. See workshop information.

God's Loving Face

God revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai the essential nature of His personality and goodness, which the rabbis called The Thirteen Attributes of Divine Mercy. We will study the Torah teachings and tales about this concept, the explanations of the different divine attributes, and the relation between God's loving "face" and His occasionally angry "face."

Many people have a view of God as often angry and judgmental, which troubles them, but they also know that God is supposed to be a loving parent (this is usually less prominent in their minds). They don't know how these two conceptions relate.

We study the teachings of the Rabbis which make clear that the loving God is the inside, and the occasionally angry God etc. is only the outside. God has "two faces" to His "personality": He is loving and strict, gentle and wrathful, forgiving and judgmental; but the inside is always love.

The Rabbis taught that we should imitate the divine attributes of mercy. We will consider each of them in turn, to learn how we can be like God by being loving, giving, patient, and forgiving.