Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels is adjunct faculty at Pardes, where he has developed and taught programs in Jewish thought, mysticism, spiritual practice, and meditation. James holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from the University of Chicago and degrees from Brown University and Oxford University. He studied at Pardes from 2001-2003 as a member of its inaugural Kollel Program and received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes.
James is the founder and Spiritual Director of Or HaLev, bringing Jewish spirituality, meditation and mindfulness to thousands across the globe. He has taught at Haifa University and Yeshivat Hadar, and was the founding Rosh Yeshiva of Romemu Yeshiva. James strives to integrate his study with his practice, and to help teach and live Judaism as a spiritual discipline.
In this week’s parsha podcast, Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels discusses Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk’s teaching on parshat Emor: he describes how we can use our Jewish life as a path of joy and compassion, finding both in our practice of…
Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Emor
Through a teaching of Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels in this week’s Parsha Podcast explores the place of desire in our lives and spiritual practice, the ways we get lost in it and the ways we can…
Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis), Chaye Sarah
In this podcast, Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels explores the Vitebsker Rebbe’s derash on Ve’etchanan where he describes how we can free ourselves from harmful habitual patterns through contemplating those habits and recognizing our non-separation from others. Please let us know your…
Tanakh, Torah, Devarim (Deuteronomy), VaEtchanan
Through a teaching of R. Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (a Hasidic Rebbe who led a pre-Zionist Hasidic Aliyah to Israel) on this week’s parsha, Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels will explore the nature of transformation and how true transformation requires a dying…
Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Acharei Mot, Self & Spirituality, Personal Transformation
In this podcast, through the teachings of the Piaseczner Rebbe, Rabbi Dr. James Jacobson-Maisels explores how the ways we act harmfully are rooted in our forgetting of who we are and the many distractions which cause us to lose our…
Tanakh, Torah, Shemot (Exodus), Ki Tisa
In this Podcast Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels looks at the Piaseczner Rebbe who discusses the crucial place of the body in our spiritual practice and the unique gift and contribution each one of us has to give to the task of…
Self & Spirituality, Personal Transformation, Spirituality, Tanakh, Torah, Bereishit (Genesis)
The Torah, which we have just begun again this last week, begins “bereshit.” This opening word is often translated as “in the beginning” but we can perhaps more properly read as in a beginning, (rather than in the beginning which…
Self & Spirituality, Jewish Prayer, Spirituality
On Yom Kippur, we let go. We let go of food, drink, sex, and comfort. We try to let go, to not hold onto our normal ideas and practices of what we need. On Yom Kippur, we reenact the Temple…
Jewish Calendar, Yom Kippur
In this podcast, Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels discusses tzara’at and opening our hearts. Please let us know your comments and thoughts about the podcast, write to us at info@pardes.org.il. Credits Larry Kluger – Creative Consultant Arlene Harel – Production Coordinator
Tanakh, Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus), Metzora, Tazria