This three-part series explores the luminous poetry of Kabbalah, where love, longing, and the search for the Divine intertwine. Each session focuses on one timeless poem, uncovering its layers of mystical symbolism, spiritual yearning, and poetic beauty.

Exploring the poems in translation and the original, we will reflect on how themes of intimacy, devotion, and divine union resonate in Judaism and in our own spiritual lives.

Each class stands on its own, offering a rich encounter with one masterpiece of Jewish mystical poetry. Come for a single session or for the full journey—either way, you will leave with a deeper appreciation of how Kabbalah speaks of the soul’s deepest desire: to unite with the Beloved. No previous experience required.

Session 2: Atkinu S’ud’ta (The Feast of Perfect Faith)
The reimagining of the Shabbat table as wedding feast and marital bed. Are we the party planners, guests of honor, or something else? Composed by Isaac Luria, this short liturgical poem invites us into the mystical vision of the Ari, in which the Friday night meal becomes an enactment of divine union and cosmic repair.

Geo Poor is a doctoral student at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, where he is focusing on Kabbalah. He is the Director of Operations and Finance at the Vilna Shul in Boston. In his spare time, he creates daily(ish) memes about Talmud and Kabbalah on Instagram, bakes babka/challah of wacky and delicious flavors, and plays archery dodgeball.