In this episode, Andras sits down with author and speaker Rabbi Levi Shmotkin for a conversation about his global best-seller book “Letters for Life: Guidance for Emotional Wellness from the Lubavitcher Rebbe”. They discuss universal truths, human nature, agency, and finding meaning through adversity.

Based in New York but speaking from Brussels, Levi discusses how we distilled 33 volumes of private letters written by one of the most influential Hasidic leaders of the 20th century into an inspiring and practical book that speaks to everyone.

Levi shares how these letters, written decades ago to people from all walks of life, mirror the same inner struggles we face today: fear, anxiety, isolation, and the search for purpose. He reflects on how these teachings helped him out of a dark period, and how they offer not just religious insight, but a universal and deeply practical framework for resilience, healing, and growth.

András and Levi explore how faith, instead of being a dogma, is rather the potential of the human soul, and can reconnect us with meaning and with others. Levi explains how giving to others and aligning ourselves with the natural rhythm of “give and take” restores our emotional balance.

When discussing the role and importance of rituals, they conclude that rootedness serves as an anchor for progress and how rediscovering our sense of agency helps reclaim our story after trauma.

Through personal stories and reflections on grief, and the legacy of figures like Dr. Edith Eger, they talk about healing not by forgetting pain, but by transforming it into purpose and meaning. Whether it’s the experience of a former prisoner of war or the resilience of people who’ve lost loved ones, Levi emphasizes how choosing to live fully can also be an act of carrying others forward.