Meir Sendor: 'God is manifest in plain sight'

For Rabbi Dr. Meir Sendor, mysticism is fundamentally the “direct experience of divine reality.” His profound engagement with Jewish mysticism, he shares, was initially sparked by a series of personal “enlightened experiences,” transformative moments that prompted him to delve deeply into the rich heritage of Jewish mystical traditions.

Rabbi Sendor is the rabbi emeritus at Young Israel of Sharon, MA and the director of Tal Orot, the center for Jewish contemplative practices. A distinguished scholar, he received his doctorate in medieval Jewish history from Harvard University.

Now, he joins us to answer eighteen questions on Jewish mysticism with Rabbi Dr. Benji Levy including how prayer is indicative of our closeness with God, the flexibility of human will, and the dangers of a mystic becoming self-absorbed. 

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?