Oshra Koren: 'If this is not redemption, I don't know what is'
About this episode
Rabbanit Oshra Koren discusses the essence of Jewish mysticism and its impact on spirituality and community.
For Rabbanit Oshra Koren, mysticism is the soul and spirit of the Torah that animates the "body" of Jewish law. It is a path of deep longing that wakes the sleeping heart, transforming the way we see ourselves and our capacity to heal the world. Rabbanit Oshra Koren is the founder and director of Matan HaSharon and the global Matan Mother–Daughter Bat Mitzvah program. A sought after speaker and educator, she leads the Gavna Ensemble and serves as deputy head of the Raanana Religious Council, contributing extensively to communal leadership and women’s Torah study in Israel and abroad. Now, she sits down with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy to answer eighteen questions on Jewish mysticism including the soul of the Torah, the spiritual significance of Israel, and how Hasidic stories wake the heart. Here are our questions: What is Jewish mysticism? How were you introduced to Jewish mysticism? In an ideal world, would all Jews be mystics? What do you think of when you think of God? What is the purpose of the Jewish people? How does prayer work? What is the goal of Torah study? Does Jewish mysticism view men and women the same? Should Judaism be hard or easy? Why did God create the world? Can…
People in this episode
Host: Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy
Guest: Rabbanit Oshra Koren
Topics covered
- Jewish mysticism
- spirituality
- Torah study
- communal leadership
- women's Torah study
- Hasidic stories
Keywords
- Jewish mysticism
- Torah
- spiritual significance
- Israel
- Hasidic stories
- prayer
- Moshiach
- redemption
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Matan HaSharon, Matan Mother–Daughter Bat Mitzvah program
Places: Israel, Raanana
More episodes of 18 Questions, 40 Mystics
- Judah Mischel: 'I identify as somebody who is living in the days of redemption'
- Elliot Wolfson: ‘Jewish mysticism is the garment that I wear in this world’
- Efraim Palvanov: 'Every person can be the Messiah'
- Fruma Schapiro: 'The direct path of connection to Hashem is through the simple and the small'
- YY Jacobson: 'Jews were chosen to hold onto the frequency of redemptive consciousness'
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