Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen: Why I Gave Up Buddhism for Judaism

Inspiration for the Nation with Yaakov Langer

Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen spent six years living in Asia, immersing himself in local culture and delving deeply into Eastern philosophies From orphanages in Sri Lanka to silent meditation in Thailand; from fasting in India to temples in the Himalayas; from extreme martial arts in Korea, China, and Japan.

He eventually made his way to Israel, where he discovered the depth, beauty, and wisdom of his own religion. After walking the whole length of Israel in forty days to raise money for orphanages around the world, he made aliyah, got semichah, and is now a senior lecturer at Aish HaTorah World Center in Jerusalem.

In this week's episode, we talk about Buddhism, Hinduism, the meaning of life, how to be happy and how it al led Rabbi Cohen back to Judaism.

Follow Rabbi Cohen here: https://youtube.com/@MasteringLifeSeries?si=ybNfFDbx2jpNu5VT

Get his book here: https://bit.ly/KW1as

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____________________________________ ✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬ ____________________________________

This episode is in memory of:

• Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima

• Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe

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Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:58 - Rav Dovber Cohens Background 05:44 - My Rabbi Bruce Lee 06:30 - Jewish Fascination with Buddhism 08:59 - What It’s Like to Live a Buddhist Life 12:44 - Inner Tranquility: Buddhist Meditations and Breathwork 18:40 - Key Differences Between Judaism and Buddhism 22:31 - Does Attachment Cause Suffering? 23:38 - Hiring4Less 26:08 - BitBean 28:46 - Rav Dovber's Journey Through India and Japan 38:20 - The Shift From Buddhism to Judaism 46:39 - Rules Release a Person and Don't Restrict Them 50:50 - Navigating the Challenges of Self-Discovery within Judaism 55:19 - Who Would Rav Dovber Like to Meet from History? 56:43 - Twillory 58:26 - Acceptance Among Jews 1:00:21 - What is Rav Dovber’s Favorite Mitzvot? 1:03:30 - Elevating the Physical for the Spiritual 1:05:07 - Rav Dovber Cohen’s Books and Tips for Meditation 1:10:58 - A Thank You to Rav Cohen’s Grandfather 1:11:45 - Just Breathe: Finding Calm in Chaos 1:14:12 - Outro