Eli Rubin: 'The Arizal was the first herald of modernity'

For Rabbi Dr. Eli Rubin, in an ideal world all people would be mystics. He argues that if mysticism means connecting to God, then everyone should feel that connection. And through it, everyone should be able to live better, more meaningful lives.

Rabbi Eli Rubin is the author of Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity as well as a number of articles that have been published in the AJS Review, Jewish Currents, and The Lehrhaus. He is also a contributing editor to Chabad.org and holds a PhD from the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College London.

Now, he joins us to answer eighteen questions with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy on Jewish mysticism, including how it has changed modernity and free choice of the “essential soul.”

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?