About this episode
A conversation with Rivky Kaplan exploring what it means to lean into the feminine spirit in both the private and public sphere, the Lubavitcher Rebbe's vision for Jewish womanhood, the wisdom available to us in our cycles and the seasons of our life, how to stay connected to the woman beneath the role of mother, and the power of sisterhood in helping us find our voices. Rivky Kaplan is a Chabad Shlucha in Tzfat, Israel with her husband Chaim and family. Rivky teaches Torah and Chassidut in various seminaries as well as many adult education classes both in Israel and abroad. She is passionate about engaging her students in the text and making Torah concepts personal and relevant. Rivky is a Yoetzet Halacha and has recently opened a one of a kind Educational Visitors center in their newly renovated Mikva. She is also a trained Fertility Fellow providing guidance to couples navigating the challenges of infertility. Rivky is also a very proud Bubby. You can contact Rivky at rivkaplan@gmail.com To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.com To support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor. Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨ Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Sneak Peek 00:27 - Host's Intro 02:13 - Welcome Rivky 05:51 - Rosh Chodesh: A Gift to Women 07:35 -The Lubavitcher Rebbe's Vision for Jewish Womanhood 10:26 - Why Chana Decided to Stay Home 15:00 - Giving Your Child That Little Bit More 16:26 - Why Dena Went Out to Lead 17:35 - Personifying Internality: The Feminine Spirit 19:03 - Beyond Biological Motherhood: A Spiritual Role 21:00 - Expanding the Walls of the Home 23:46 - Capitalizing on What is Unique About Us 25:40 - If the Workplace Was Designed for Women's Needs 28:55 - The World is Waking Up to Feminine Values 29:55 - Listening to Our Bodies 32:50 - I Expected Myself to Be a Full Moon Every Day 33:25 - Understanding the Hormonal Phases 35:15 - Attuning Ourselves to Our Bodies 37:58 - The Phases of Our Menstrual Cycles 38:44 - Wishing My Mother Could Hold My Babies 42:55 - Our Bodies Hold Paradox 44:28 - Carrying Life and Grief in Israel 46:40 - A Disconnect From Our Bodies 47:50 - Navigating Life's Seasons: We Are Both Chana and Dina 50:33 - Being Present Where You Are 52:50 - Staying Connected to What Fuels Me 56:33 - What is a Feminine Way of Giving? 57:56 - Story of the Rebbe: What is the Identifier of a Jewish Girl? 1:01:30 - Shifting the Way the World Sees Jewish Women 1:04:30 - Have We Internalized That Vision? 01:07:05 - Menopause and Its Impact on a Woman’s Identity 1:09:24 - Expanding the Why's That Carried You 1:11:30 - How to Nurture Yourself When You're a Mother 1:13:37 - G-d Trusts Us 1:17:35 - Having a Firsthand Experience of the Torah 1:20:48 - Teaching From a Place of Trust 1:24:25 - Textual Learning Makes Space for Critical Thinking 1:30:58 - There Are Many Ways of Serving G-d 1:33:18 - I Felt Escorted to the Mikvah by the Chain of Jewish Women 1:37:33 - The Contemporary Sisterhood 1:40:00 - Female Soldiers Immersing in the Mikvah 1:41:42 - How to Create Your Own Sisterhood 1:43:28 - You Need One Person to Truly See You 1:49:00 - The World is Waiting for Every Woman's Voice 01:50:05 - Host’s Outro