Human & Holy

Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. Watch the original episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhnlNd2zd2wIn this excerpt from a past episode with Devori Nussbaum, we explore healing a blocked heart, rooted in Tanya and Chassidic thought. We explore why arrogance and honesty are opposites, the Torah's real definition of humility, and the difference between grief and depression. Devori shares how the animal soul keeps us "small, safe, and in control" and the exact language for asking G-d for help from wherever you honestly are, not where you think you should be. If you've been feeling numb, disconnected, or far from Hashem, this episode is a way back in.Devori is an integrative psychotherapist who has trained in many different healing modalities including body psychotherapy, imago therapy, logotherapy, the energetics of food, quantum touch, breathwork, CBT, NLP, EMDR, IFS, inner child work and somatic modalities. She is also passionate about teaching Chassidus in a way that is accessible, relevant and embodied, showing people that these teachings are not just nice ideas, but a description of our reality. Get in touch with Devori and find out more about her work on www.devorinussbaum.com. * * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:0:00 — The antidote to the desire to be "transformed"0:15 — Presencing your block: how to begin when you feel numb or disconnected1:09 — Why honesty is what unlocks connection to Hashem1:40 — The Tanya's teaching on the oneness of God and the kelipah (shell) of separation2:57 — Pain vs. suffering: the difference between what hurts and the story we tell about it4:08 — The void as a portal: Ayin (nothingness) as the source of infinite potential5:09 — Bringing G-d's presence into your darkness: how tears open the way to joy5:30 — The classic teaching: "To open hearts, to know what one sees and hears"6:59 — Seeing past people's defenses to "the light behind their eyes"8:22 — Living in constant one-on-one conversation with G-d9:14 — Why we judge the external shell before we ever see the soul underneath10:22 — The frequency of oneness: hearing it like a heartbeat, an undercurrent11:49 — Clearing the noise: expanding your capacity to notice the sacred in ordinary things13:31 — Where blocked hearts really come from: unacknowledged grief14:12 — Grief, attachment, and learning to move through the seasons of life17:25 — Is being present with pain against Jewish values? 17:56 — Merirut vs. atzvut: the Tanya's distinction between grief and depression19:26 — Moving through the cycle of grief back into joy21:41 — "Ask for help from where you actually are" 23:04 — Arrogance and honesty as opposites, and what true humility actually means24:00 — Moshe Rabbeinu, humility, and the honesty of naming your own greatness25:28 — "Small, safe, and in control": the animal soul's real agenda26:26 — Living from the divine soul: success and failure as opportunities, not identity28:20 — The real cost of letting go of an identity you've outgrown30:22 — Peeling away the layers: why every threshold in life asks you to release something31:51 — Closing thoughts

Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons. Watch the original episode in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_0i0EAAC_4This excerpt with Chanie Krasnianski explores the Jewish view on sexual intimacy and marriage. We explore the soul-level magnetism between men and women that is sourced in the creation of the world, and talk honestly about the lived experience: what it means when attraction shows up outside your marriage, why halacha starts to feel like a checklist the second you lose the relationship underneath it, and what it looks like to reclaim the mikvah as an immersion into light instead of one more item on the list.We also sit in the places that don't resolve as cleanly: religious guilt, growing spiritually at a different pace than your spouse, wanting closeness during niddah and not always getting it, and navigating personal discomfort around immersion in the mikvah.Mrs. Chanie Krasnianski is the shlucha in the Upper East Side in Manhattan, NY and a seasoned educator and Torah teacher. Contact Chanie at [email protected].* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 — The soul-level reason for attraction between husband and wife04:05 — Attraction outside your marriage: where it's really coming from 07:23 — Halacha as relationship, not checklist 10:32 — When the framework feels restricting, not freeing 12:44 — "We're human, not angels" 13:58 — Trust in Hashem, and the mikvah as immersion into light 20:18 — Bare minimum vs. growing on purpose 22:11 — Why halacha is freedom, not restriction 24:16 — Body image and privacy at the mikvah 26:30 — The headstand story 29:18 — Checking in with yourself when you won't call a rabbi 30:35 — Why none of us are objective about our own lives 37:53 — Calling a rabbi on a different continent — privacy and permission 40:05 — Religious guilt and "you're not your spouse's rabbi" 43:30 — Growing faster than your spouse — baby steps, not pressure 47:07 — When you're the one resisting your spouse's growth 48:49 — Your spouse as your mirror — the Adam-and-Eve reframe 50:49 — Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? 52:25 — Marriage as decades of weather 55:49 — Closing reflection and outro

Human & Holy is on a season break for the rest of the summer! During this time, we're airing your favorite moments from the past few seasons.How do you instill Jewish values from a young age, while leaving space for a child to grow into them on their own? In this conversation, we talk about why Judaism has to start as routine for young children before it becomes relationship, why “yes, unless you have a value to say no” changes everything with a teenager, the importance of physical touch in raising healthy children, and why mourning openly when our children's religious choices look differently than ours do can do real damage, even when it comes from love. This is a conversation about giving our children strong roots in their Judaism, and navigating the evolution from childhood to adulthood, as they begin to make their own choices in their relationship with G-d.Chani Heyman is a dynamic parenting coach, motivational speaker, educator, and Torah teacher who's passionate about empowering families to thrive. Originally from Los Angeles, Chani now calls Israel home. With a background rooted in the timeless wisdom of Rebbetzin Spetner and her own experiences as a mother of eight, Chani shares practical and inspiring guidance with parents worldwide.Through her engaging group classes, popular parenting column, and vibrant Instagram community @parentingwithchani, Chani sparks meaningful connections and helps families unlock their full potential. Find out more at https://theparentingclub.info.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:00:00 How to build Yiddishkeit routines that feel as natural as brushing teeth01:06 Building the routine: start at the smallest sustainable level06:24 The teen shift09:13 Foundation vs. peer pressure10:45 The reframe: “Yes, unless you have a value to say no”11:38 Choosing your battles 12:49 “Copy paste” — are we raising kids to replicate our table, or to be halachically their own person?14:41 Finding a rav to define the lowest level that is still 100% halacha — the loose-fitting-pants story16:44 When your child doesn't look like you17:44 Is “because it would make my mother happy” a legitimate motivation for a teen’s mitzvah observance?21:43 Why building the habit before the meaning arrives is so much easier than trying to build both at once at 2022:17 Parental fear and projection 22:34 For ba’alei teshuva parents specifically — “I’m trying to give you what I didn’t have,” and why force backfires23:33 Beyond 100% halacha — what it looks like when a child’s practice truly diverges25:36 “Keep your relationship strong” 27:03 The sapling-and-tree image 28:17 The emotional baseline — what it is, and why it differs by age28:26 Ten minutes of true one-on-one time30:33 For teens: it’s not about the ten minutes, it’s about being available the moment they want you32:15 Modeling adult relationships 33:37 Physical touch as an emotional need 35:40 The mother who couldn’t remember the last time she’d touched her 19-year-old son38:45 Host's Outro

Sivan Rahav-Meir has been on Israeli television since age six, and became religious at fifteen after a chance encounter with three girls who simply said, "Bo l'Shabbat." In this conversation recorded in Jerusalem, Sivan shares how she's channeled three decades of journalism skills toward teaching Torah, why she sees a massive post-October 7th hunger for practical Jewish doing (not just inspiration), and why she believes Jewish identity is our real protection. She's candid about the gap between her public influence and her private reality, and how she is guided by the Lubavitcher Rebbe's paradox: always happy, but never satisfied. She notes the Jewish world's blindspot as the 85% of unaffiliated Jews outside the organized community bubble, and calls every connected Jew to the same simple shlichut that changed her life: invite someone in.* * * * * * *Sivan Rahav-Meir is a media personality and lecturer. Married to Yedidya, the mother of five. Lives in Jerusalem. Went on shlichut with her family 2019-2020, when she served as World Mizrachi's Shlicha to North America.She works for Israel TV news, writes a column for Yediot Aharonot newspaper, and hosts a weekly radio show. Her lectures on the weekly Torah portion are attended by hundreds and the live broadcast attracts thousands more listeners throughout the world. Sivan lectures in Israel and overseas about her personal story. the Jewish world since 10/7, Judaism and new media.She was voted by Globes newspaper as most popular female media personality in Israel and by the Jerusalem Post as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.Learn more at www.sivanrahavmeir.com Find her podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OlPTHjKBnNwDrNNalxD9jFollow her on instagram @sivanrahavmeir* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS:[00:00] Introduction[02:04] Welcome Sivan[04:00] The problem with news media [05:10] The role of Torah in making sense of chaos[06:42] Sivan's origin story [07:50] The two words that changed my life [10:05] Building a relationship with Shabbat gradually[11:00] My personal political transformation [13:20] Political peace and inner peace[13:53] Communicating Torah accessibly[15:30] Using professional skills in a holy direction[16:45] What has changed after October 7th?[17:30] People want something tangible [18:39] Responding to the enemey [20:10] Omar Shemtov's testimony from the tunnels [20:56] Why Sivan doesn't call herself a Rebbetzin [24:30] Where does her energy come from? [25:00] The real Avodat Hashem happens in my home [26:15] "Always happy, but never satisfied"[28:10] Resilience & drive as a framework that doesn't contradict joy[28:45] The private work of a public person: young motherhood and the test of patience[31:30] Immediate gratification culture vs. long-term spiritual investment[32:10] If you didn't post it, did it happen?[33:00] Sivan's own social media guidelines[36:00] What worries Sivan about the Jewish world [37:00] Building Jewish identity from within[41:10] Our blindspot: the 85% of unaffiliated Jews outside the "bubble"[44:00] Israeli expats in America [45:30] What I want my legacy to be[46:10] Self love as the basis for loving another [48:30] How Sivan remembers thinks about her connections[50:45] Favorite verse in Tanach[51:00] One book everyone should read [51:20] How I nourish myself[51:55] A daily habit that can transform your life [52:15] My message to the Jewish world [53:30] Closing [54:15] Host outro

A deeply personal and Torah-rich conversation on facing darkness from within. Kiki opens up about her own journey with anxiety and depression, sharing how she moved from resenting the darkness she experienced to believing in its inherent blessing. Drawing on biblical stories, Kiki weaves profound insight with raw personal honesty. She explores what it practically means to face darkness, professional help as a prerequisite to faith-based tools and the belief that our inner light is inextinguishable, no matter what darkness we are facing.Kiki is a Chabad Shlucha for a community in Israel, teaches weekly Chassidus and Kabbalah classes in person and online. She is a bridal educator and mikvah attendant, and is passionate about learning and teaching chassidus. Find her classes on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@kabbalahwithkikiFind her classes on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/6uscGnRqwgd2j8qwkk542M?si=FIxIy73QQNWw7qVSbDYRUgEmail her at [email protected] and find her on instagram at @kabbalahwithkiki. * * * * * * *Join our new virtual Tanya class! We will be hosting a live, three part series on the divine soul, through Chapter 2 of the Tanya, a space to explore the text through shared study, poetry, curated illustrations, songs, and guided reflection. Link to join us here: https://humanandholy.mykajabi.com/tanyaclass* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at [email protected] support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *Timestamps:00:00 — Introduction01:43 — Today's topic: Torah wisdom on facing inner and outer darkness02:14 — Why this is personal: Kiki's journey with anxiety and depression03:30 — Showing up to teach even on the hardest days05:14 — Biblical context: Abraham, Yaakov, and descending into Egypt06:00 — The Kabbalistic purpose of exile:07:38 — Descent before ascent08:20 — Yaakov wrestling with the angel10:00 — What blessing is this bringing me?11:15 — The blessing is not external 13:13 — Practically speaking: what does facing darkness actually look like?15:00 — The Hillel model: lighting one candle when the darkness feels overwhelming16:50 — Going outward as a tool: moving out of yourself to find light18:35 — The fear of being swallowed by darkness20:30 — Balancing inward processing and outward giving23:10 — Designating time for pain25:00 — When mental health requires medical treatment first26:24 — Yosef vs. his brothers: two worldviews on how to live in a dark world28:30 — The brothers' approach: protect holiness by withdrawing from the world29:30 — Yosef's approach: engage with darkness and elevate it30:45 — Galus as a dream: the power of opposites coexisting35:00 — Two kinds of dreams: exile's confusion vs. Yosef's redemptive vision40:50 — What happened to our dreams? 43:00 — Changing "if only" to "only because"46:00 — Two approaches to supporting people in their darkness48:00 — Yaakov's model: sometimes when you're in the pit can't climb out alone50:00 — Yosef's model: the power of presence52:30 — Just sitting with someone is enough54:30 — Kiki's personal postpartum depression56:30 — The inextinguishable light58:30 — How to support someone in darkness59:26 — Soul-to-soul closing message