S2E3 - Shmuel Ashkenazi - Why Pleasure Isn’t Enough: The Search for True Meaning

S2E6 | Meron Gribetz — Consciousness, Brain-Computer Interfaces & the Future of Human Cognition

In this episode of What Matters Most, Daniel sits down with Meron Gribetz, CEO of Inner Cosmos, a pioneering brain-computer interface company developing minimally invasive neurotechnology for treatment-resistant depression. Together, they explore one of the most important questions of our time: can technology help us recover, expand, and elevate consciousness? Meron shares his personal journey from growing up with ADHD in Jerusalem, to studying neuroscience and computer science, to building augmented reality company Meta, and now working at the frontier of psychiatric brain-computer interfaces. The conversation moves between neuroscience, Kabbalah, psychedelics, AI, depression, cognition, the soul, the ego, and the possibility that our future technologies may become tools for deeper presence rather than greater distraction. This is a conversation about the fragile boundary between consciousness and technology — and whether that boundary is something to fear, transcend, or consciously design. This episode is for anyone thinking seriously about the future of consciousness, AI, brain-computer interfaces, spirituality, depression, cognition, and the human soul in the technological age. Relevant links for Meron & Inner Cosmos: * Meron Gribetz TED profile / AR talk: https://www.ted.com/speakers/meron_gribetz [https://www.ted.com/speakers/meron_gribetz?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Inner Cosmos Linktree, including Meron LinkedIn and company LinkedIn: https://linktr.ee/innercosmos [https://linktr.ee/innercosmos?utm_source=chatgpt.com]

S2E5 — David Agmon: Purpose, Healing, Hasidut & Returning to Presence

In this episode of What Matters Most, Daniel sits down with David Agmon, a spiritual guide and breathwork facilitator based in Atesi, a kosher eco-regenerative village outside Mexico City. Together, they explore what it means to live with purpose in every moment — not only as a big life mission, but as a daily question: What does this situation need from me, and what do I have to give? David shares his personal journey through childhood pain, divorce, business success without inner meaning, and a deep process of healing that led him toward Hasidut, Rabbi Nachman, breathwork, and a more embodied relationship with God. The conversation moves through powerful themes: finding the good point within yourself, reframing suffering into purpose, the role of vulnerability, the Beit Hamikdash as a place of healing, Judaism’s responsibility to bring light into the world, and why true unity does not mean sameness — it means every person offering their unique song. A deep, heartfelt conversation about presence, Jewish purpose, healing, gratitude, and becoming more human.

S2E4 — Rabbi Yehezkel Yosef Abulafia - On Meditation, Prophetic Kabbalah, and Returning to the Soul

In this episode of What Matters Most, Daniel Benarroch is joined by Rabbi Yehezkel Yosef Abulafia, a Tzfat-based rabbi and meditation teacher carrying the lineage of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, founder of Prophetic (Meditative) Kabbalah. Together, they explore what it truly means to “do your best” in spiritual life — reframing growth not as perfection, but as continual teshuva: returning to who you truly are. Rabbi Abulafia offers a compassionate vision of Judaism rooted in responsibility without shame, faith without fear, and spirituality grounded in lived, embodied experience. The conversation moves through Jewish meditation, hitbodedut (speaking directly to God), breathwork, intention (kavanah), and the balance between soul and body, masculine and feminine, effort and surrender. Rabbi Abulafia shares the forgotten meditative roots of Judaism, the legacy of prophetic consciousness, and why exile led to the loss of these practices — and how they are returning today. The episode weaves together Kabbalah, trauma-informed spirituality, technology, AI, and redemption, culminating in a short guided meditation that invites listeners into direct inner experience rather than theory alone. Highlights: * What “doing your best” really means through teshuva and self-responsibility * God as an intimate, ever-present relationship — not a distant abstraction * Hitbodedut as a core Jewish meditative practice- Prophetic Kabbalah and the lineage of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia * Why Judaism lost its meditative traditions — and how they are returning * Masculine and feminine balance, consciousness, and spiritual maturity * Technology, AI, and the next spiritual renaissance * A short guided meditation to ground the conversation experientially Rabbi Yehezkel Yosef Abulafia is a rabbi, meditation teacher, and spiritual guide based in Tzfat (Safed), Israel. He teaches a grounded, accessible form of Jewish meditation rooted in Prophetic Kabbalah, helping people reconnect to God through breathwork, awareness, prayer, and inner experience. His work focuses on elevating consciousness while remaining firmly anchored in Torah and mitzvot, making deep spiritual practices approachable for modern seekers. Rabbi Abulafia leads meditation groups, retreats, and online teachings, and shares guided meditations and educational content through his community and digital platforms. 👉 Links to his website, community, and channels below- https://linktr.ee/abulafiameditation

S2E3 - Shmuel Ashkenazi - Why Pleasure Isn’t Enough: The Search for True Meaning

In this episode, Daniel speaks with Shmuel Ashkenazi, a Kabbalah teacher and therapist who has spent decades exploring how people grow, change, and find meaning. Shmuel explains that while we all start life chasing pleasure and avoiding discomfort, real fulfillment begins when we start asking deeper questions about purpose. He breaks down a practical inner map of the human being — how we define ourselves through our experiences, actions, emotions, and thoughts — and why none of these truly capture who we are. Beneath them all lies our essence, a unique spark each person carries. When we learn to act from that deeper place, life becomes more meaningful and relationships become more genuine. Together, Daniel and Shmuel explore how essence is revealed most clearly in our connections with others: in parenting, marriage, community, and the ways we take responsibility. This conversation makes ancient spiritual wisdom simple and usable, offering tools for living with more alignment, freedom, and joy. Key Highlights * Pleasure & suffering as the first gateway to authentic self-knowledge. * Meaning emerges when pleasure is no longer enough — when the soul seeks purpose. * Kabbalah gives the story of essence: a hidden level of consciousness deeper than intellect, emotion, function, or experience. * Identity mistake: “I am my feeling / function / intellect” — all of which constantly change. * Essence reveals itself through three lines: pleasure, will, and meaning. * The middle line (meaning) is where freedom, responsibility, and mission appear. * Relationship is the arena of essence, especially parenting and marriage. * Suffering signals misalignment; pleasure signals truth — when understood correctly. * Real spiritual growth is practical: if it doesn’t translate into lived experience, it’s not real. * Each person has a unique revelation of essence needed by the world — no two are alike.

S2E2 - Rabbi Jack Cohen - The Meaning of Your Life, on Individuality, Identity & Jewish Destiny

In this rich, soul-stirring conversation, Daniel sits down with Rabbi Jack Cohen—educator, thinker, and author of Nurture Their Nature—to explore one of the deepest questions a human being can ask: What is the meaning of your life? From personal stories and family roots to Jewish identity, individuality, purpose, and the delicate tension between humility and human responsibility, Rabbi Jack opens a sweeping exploration of meaning. Together, they travel through Torah, Kabbalah, and ancient narratives—especially the misunderstood story of Lot—to reveal how urgency, patience, individuality, and collective destiny shape our modern spiritual lives. This episode is a blend of philosophy, Torah wisdom, contemporary life, and raw human honesty, culminating in a powerful message about the role each one of us plays in moving the world forward. Key Highlights * The meaning of life begins with discovering the meaning of your individual life. * Identity is “spiritual soil” — your culture, family, and story shape your growth. * Competition drives achievement, but it cannot define self-worth or purpose. * The Torah’s balance: individuality within community, not one at the expense of the other. * Lot as an unexpected model of “messianic urgency” — the drive to act now. * Redemption emerges from the tension between humility (Abraham) and urgency (Lot). * Judaism’s 3-line model: giving, boundaries, and harmonious balance. * The danger of extremes: total individualism or total collectivism both distort truth. * Our task: do our part fully, with the humility that we don't orchestrate the whole picture. * Parenting insight: each child has a unique nature — nurture their nature. You can find Rabbi Jack's book Nurture Their Nature in Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Nurture-Their-Nature-Essential-Guidance/dp/1952370310].