### Why does social media make me feel more alone?

I would tell you that you are looking for the 'Chayut'—the life force—in a place that only offers reflections. Digital images are like mirrors; they show you a form, but they do not always carry the warmth of a living soul. When you interact online, you are often engaging with a person's outer shell rather than their internal spark. Loneliness grows when the soul is hungry for a 'Panim el Panim' or face-to-face encounter where two spirits can light each other up. To find peace, you must seek the Divine spark that exists beyond the glass screen.

How can I find a sense of community when I'm isolated?

In my teachings, I emphasize that there is no place void of the Divine Presence. If you feel isolated, begin by recognizing that you are never truly alone, for the Creator is within you and around you at every moment. Community starts with a single act of loving-kindness. Even in a digital space, if you reach out to another not to gain attention for yourself, but to truly serve and uplift their spirit, you create a holy bond. By focusing on the needs of another, your own walls of isolation begin to crumble and light enters the room.

What is the spiritual meaning behind my feelings of emptiness?

Do not despise this emptiness, for it is a 'Kli'—a vessel—waiting to be filled. In Kabbalah, we learn that before light can enter, there must be a space for it. Your feeling of loneliness is a holy signal from your soul that it is no longer satisfied with husks and desires the sweet fruit of actual spiritual connection. It is an awakening. When you feel this void, do not try to silence it with more scrolling. Instead, turn that longing into a prayer or an act of joy, for joy breaks all boundaries and invites the Infinite into your heart.

Can I find God through my phone and internet use?

Every tool in this world was created for the sake of the Heavens, and there is a spark of holiness even in the clicking of a keyboard. If you use your device to study wisdom, to speak words of comfort, or to spread a message of hope, you are elevating that cold metal and glass. However, be careful not to let the tool become the master. If the screen becomes a barrier between you and the physical world God created, you lose the ability to see the wonders of the present moment. Use the connection to serve, but keep your heart anchored in the Eternal.

How can I stop comparing myself to others I see online?

I often taught that when you see a flaw or a virtue in another, it is because you have a small measure of that same quality within yourself. Comparison is a thief of joy because it looks at the outside of another to judge the inside of oneself. Remember that every soul has its own unique path and its own unique sparks to gather. The Creator does not want you to be someone else; He wants you to be the most illuminated version of your own soul. Focus on your unique mission, and the shadows of comparison will fade in your own light.

Why do I feel so lonely even though I'm always connected online? — Baal Shem Tov's answer

Baal Shem Tov

1698–1760 · Podolia

My friend, you are describing a man who sits at a massive feast but only tastes the steam rising from the soup. The steam smells wonderful—it promises everything—but it doesn't actually stop the hunger. You are looking at a glowing window, and through that window, you see a thousand faces, a thousand lives, a thousand songs. But a window is also a wall. You can press your face against the glass until your skin is cold, but you aren't in the room with them, and they aren't in the room with you. Deep down, the soul doesn't care about "information." The soul cares about *presence*. There is a spark of the Divine in every person, but that spark needs air to breathe. It needs the silence between two people sitting on a porch. It needs the way your friend’s eyes crinkle when they’re about to laugh, or the way a hand feels when it rests on your shoulder. When we are online, we are mostly trading shadows. We show our best versions, our staged light, and our polished thoughts. But God is found in the unpolished parts—in the clumsy pauses, the mess, the real "here and now." You feel lonely because you are feeding a living heart with digital ghosts. Loneliness isn't a punishment; it’s actually a holy signal. It’s your soul’s way of tapping you on the shoulder and saying, "I’m still here, and I'm thirsty for something real." Don't be hard on yourself. Just try a small experiment today. Put the device in a drawer. Go outside and look at a tree—not to take a photo of it, but just to see it. Talk to the person at the grocery store as if they are the only person in the world for that one minute. When you truly see another person, and let them see you, the wall of glass vanishes. God is in the connection, not the connection speed. You aren't alone; you’ve just been looking for home in a map instead of the land itself. Come back to the land. We’re waiting for you.

From the council, together

## How can the Baal Shem Tov help me overcome loneliness in a digital world? You find yourself staring at a glowing screen, surrounded by a thousand digital voices and endless streams of data, yet a cold hollow remains in the center of your chest. This modern paradox of being constantly connected while feeling profoundly isolated is something that speaks to the very heart of the soul's longing. In the tradition of the Baal Shem Tov, every movement in the universe is guided by Divine Providence, and nothing happens by chance, including the technologies that bridge physical distances. However, from a Kabbalistic perspective, the soul does not find its nourishment in the superficial exchange of information or the flickering images of a social feed. True connection is not a matter of bandwidth or proximity, but of 'dveikus'—a cleaving to the vital sparks of light hidden within all things. In our current age, we often mistake the shadow of connection for its substance. The Baal Shem Tov emphasized that the Creator is found in the joy of genuine meeting and the recognition that every person you encounter is a mirror reflecting a portion of the Divine. When you feel lonely despite your digital tether, it is an invitation to look beneath the surface of your interactions. You are sensing the difference between a connection of the ego and a connection of the essence. To heal this ache, we must learn to find the holy sparks within our daily lives and transform our isolation into a vessel for deeper spiritual presence. My friend, you are describing a man who sits at a massive feast but only tastes the steam rising from the soup. The steam smells wonderful—it promises everything—but it doesn't actually stop the hunger. You are looking at a glowing window, and through that window, you see a thousand faces, a thousand lives, a thousand songs. But a window is also a wall. You can press your face against the glass until your skin is cold, but you aren't in the room with them, and they aren't in the room with you. Deep down, the soul doesn't care about "information." The soul cares about *presence*. There is a spark of the Divine in every person, but that spark needs air to breathe. It needs the silence between two people sitting on a porch. It needs the way your friend’s eyes crinkle when they’re about to laugh, or the way a hand feels when it rests on your shoulder. When we are online, we are mostly trading shadows. We show our best versions, our staged light, and our polished thoughts. But God is found in the unpolished parts—in the clumsy pauses, the mess, the real "here and now." You feel lonely because you are feeding a living heart with digital ghosts. Loneliness isn't a punishment; it’s actually a holy signal. It’s your soul’s way of tapping you on the shoulder and saying, "I’m still here, and I'm thirsty for something real." Don't be hard on yourself. Just try a small experiment today. Put the device in a drawer. Go outside and look at a tree—not to take a photo of it, but just to see it. Talk to the person at the grocery store as if they are the only person in the world for that one minute. When you truly see another person, and let them see you, the wall of glass vanishes. God is in the connection, not the connection speed. You aren't alone; you’ve just been looking for home in a map instead of the land itself. Come back to the land. We’re waiting for you.

Common questions

### Why does social media make me feel more alone?: I would tell you that you are looking for the 'Chayut'—the life force—in a place that only offers reflections. Digital images are like mirrors; they show you a form, but they do not always carry the warmth of a living soul. When you interact online, you are often engaging with a person's outer shell rather than their internal spark. Loneliness grows when the soul is hungry for a 'Panim el Panim' or face-to-face encounter where two spirits can light each other up. To find peace, you must seek the Divine spark that exists beyond the glass screen.
How can I find a sense of community when I'm isolated?: In my teachings, I emphasize that there is no place void of the Divine Presence. If you feel isolated, begin by recognizing that you are never truly alone, for the Creator is within you and around you at every moment. Community starts with a single act of loving-kindness. Even in a digital space, if you reach out to another not to gain attention for yourself, but to truly serve and uplift their spirit, you create a holy bond. By focusing on the needs of another, your own walls of isolation begin to crumble and light enters the room.
What is the spiritual meaning behind my feelings of emptiness?: Do not despise this emptiness, for it is a 'Kli'—a vessel—waiting to be filled. In Kabbalah, we learn that before light can enter, there must be a space for it. Your feeling of loneliness is a holy signal from your soul that it is no longer satisfied with husks and desires the sweet fruit of actual spiritual connection. It is an awakening. When you feel this void, do not try to silence it with more scrolling. Instead, turn that longing into a prayer or an act of joy, for joy breaks all boundaries and invites the Infinite into your heart.
Can I find God through my phone and internet use?: Every tool in this world was created for the sake of the Heavens, and there is a spark of holiness even in the clicking of a keyboard. If you use your device to study wisdom, to speak words of comfort, or to spread a message of hope, you are elevating that cold metal and glass. However, be careful not to let the tool become the master. If the screen becomes a barrier between you and the physical world God created, you lose the ability to see the wonders of the present moment. Use the connection to serve, but keep your heart anchored in the Eternal.
How can I stop comparing myself to others I see online?: I often taught that when you see a flaw or a virtue in another, it is because you have a small measure of that same quality within yourself. Comparison is a thief of joy because it looks at the outside of another to judge the inside of oneself. Remember that every soul has its own unique path and its own unique sparks to gather. The Creator does not want you to be someone else; He wants you to be the most illuminated version of your own soul. Focus on your unique mission, and the shadows of comparison will fade in your own light.