Zevi Slavin: ‘To be a mystic is to be human at its most raw’

Zevi Slavin: ‘To be a mystic is to be human at its most raw’

Author: 18Forty December 22, 2025 Duration: 50:20
As a Chabad Hassid, Zevi Slavin’s formative years were spent immersed in the rich traditions of Chassidus and Kabbalah. This upbringing provided him with a unique lens through which he continues to learn, study and connect with others. 
Drawing on his background, Slavin created “Seekers of Unity,” a Youtube channel dedicated to exploring the philosophy and history of mysticism across diverse traditions. He founded this channel with the goal of forming a community focused on creating a more intimate world, together. 
Now, he joins us to answer 18 questions on Jewish mysticism, including people’s inherent divinity, tapping into the potential of modernity, and the perpetual experience of Har Sinai. 
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 humans do something that is against God’s will?
What do you think of when you think about Moshiach?
Is the State of Israel part of the final redemption?
What is the greatest challenge facing the world today?
How has modernity changed Jewish mysticism?
What differentiates Jewish mysticism from the mysticism of other religions? 
Does one need to be religious to study Jewish mysticism?
Can mysticism be dangerous?
How has Jewish mysticism affected your relationships with yourself and with others?
What is a Jewish teaching that you always take with you?


What does it mean to live a meaningful life? How do we navigate doubt, find purpose, or understand suffering? 18 Questions, 40 Mystics explores these profound human inquiries through a distinctly Jewish mystical lens. Hosted by Rabbi Benji Levy, this series from 18Forty engages in deep, personal conversations with a diverse global community of thinkers-including rabbis, kabbalists, artists, and teachers-each deeply immersed in mystical tradition. The format is elegantly simple yet expansive: eighteen core existential questions posed to forty different voices, yielding a rich tapestry of perspectives drawn from ancient wisdom and contemporary experience. Listeners will encounter discussions that weave together spirituality, daily practice, and the inner dimensions of faith known as pnimiyut. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about the practical and soulful insights that arise when earnest questioning meets lived spiritual knowledge. Whether you're well-versed in Jewish texts or simply curious about the intersection of mysticism and modern life, each episode offers a unique point of reflection and inspiration. The conversations are intimate and revealing, designed not to provide monolithic answers but to illuminate the many paths toward understanding. Tune in for a journey that is as much about the questions we all share as it is about the diverse, thoughtful responses from those who have dedicated their lives to contemplation. This podcast serves as a rare gateway into the minds and hearts of today's leading mystical practitioners.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 74

18 Questions, 40 Mystics
Podcast Episodes
Rachelle Fraenkel: 'I had expectations from humanity' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:17
Rabbanit Rachelle Fraenkel has expectations from humanity. It made October 7's horror all the more terrifying.The religious figure and educator has been a voice of faith, hope, and strength for Israel and the Jewish Peop…
Gadi Taub: 'We should annex the north third of the Gaza Strip' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:29
In Gadi Taub's eyes, Israel is hardly a democracy — "it's a juristocracy."The historian, activist, and public intellectual believes that there are many forces at play that threaten the Jewish state: progressivism, elitis…
Efraim Inbar: 'Israel doesn't use enough force' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:40
Bullying isn't always a bad thing, Efraim Inbar says. In a tough neighborhood like the Middle East, sometimes it's necessary.President of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and head of Shalem College’s pro…
Anita Shapira: 'You cannot wipe out Hamas' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:13
After Auschwitz, Anita Shapira says, Jews understood the necessity of power—and the necessity of statehood.A leading Israeli historian and author, she is professor emerita of Jewish History at Tel Aviv University and fou…
David Horovitz: 'We need this state to survive' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:22
No news outlet is utterly reliable these days, David Horovitz says. You always need one eyebrow raised.The founding editor of Time of Israel — with tens of millions of monthly readers, and ranked as the world’s fastest-g…
Sivan Rahav-Meir: 'When it comes to terrorism, you can't compromise' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:25
Israel's fight against Hamas, Sivan Rahav-Meir says, is preventing another Oct. 7—and another Sept. 11.The Israeli religious journalist — voted Israel’s most popular media personality — grew up secular and part of the Is…