#139: A High Holiday Wake-Up Call: Finding Your Spiritual Compass with Esti Hamilton

Send us Fan Mail

From the Inside Out: Rebbetzin Esti Hamilton on Emunah, Purpose, and Rosh Hashanah Clarity

In this episode of From The Inside Out Podcast with Rivkah Krinsky and Eda Schottenstein, we share a Rosh Hashanah episode featuring Rebbetzin Esti Hamilton,  Esti recounts growing up in a Torah-teaching family, beginning to teach in Israel, and how her life changed when her first son, Daniel, was born profoundly disabled and hospitalized for two years, leading her to speak publicly about faith and to teach spiritual growth. She describes shifting from a transactional “spiritual slot machine” view of Hashem to a mature relationship, embracing paradigm shifts where circumstances may not change but perception does, and seeing purpose through hashgachah pratit and the holiness of the present. She discusses Rosh Hashanah as crowning Hashem rather than vidui, cultivating forgiveness, avoiding autopilot in mitzvot through kavanah, curating the “diet of the mind” with Torah learning, and offers practical tools from Mesilat Yesharim: awareness, holistic cheshbon hanefesh, and choosing one area to add intention.

EPISODE SPONSORS

Keren Hashana

Keren Hashana is the daily giving fund established by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1953. By contributing an amount that reflects the days of the coming year, you become a daily giver, with funds distributed twice a day, before Shacharit and before Mincha, all year long. For 73 years Keren Hashanah has supported low income and single parent households, emergency medical assistance, and so much more through Chabad's global reach. 

This Rosh Hashanah, make the resolution to become a daily giver at mykerenhashanah.com, and consider giving on behalf of your family and friends too.

Yakira Bella

Yakira Bella is a modest, beautiful clothing brand with dresses that look and feel like designer pieces — elegant, well-made, and made to move with you all night — without the designer price tag. Their pieces get noticed and get compliments every time, and they're proud to be a brand featured on our podcast. Check out the link in our show notes. 

🔗 https://go.jcn.io/ybio

A Soliani

This episode is sponsored by A Soliani, the Italian made shoe brand behind the comfortable, effortlessly chic flats and slides you keep seeing everywhere. What started as one woman's small business out of her own home has grown into a go to brand for high quality, durable flats you can dress up or down. Check them out and shop now:

🔗 https://go.jcn.io/asio

GUEST BIO

Esti Hamilton is an international speaker and Torah teacher whose own journey through faith and heartbreak — after her son Daniel was born with profound disabilities — has shaped 25 years of teaching women around the world on emunah and spiritual growth. For over 25 years, she has taught women around the world — from intimate shiurim to international stages — on emunah, spiritual growth, and what it really means to live a connected life. 

You can find her here: https://www.rebbetzinesti.com/ 

COMMUNITY
Join the Community! Connect with us on socials to discuss Episode 135, share insights, and continue the conversation:
💫 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fromtheinsideout.podcast/
💫 Whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L0W4PRglR5B4kC
💫 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheInsideOutPodcast?sub_confirmation=1

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome & Elul Introduction

03:46 Meet Esti Hamilton

07:34 Her Son's Birth and a Crisis of Faith

12:50 The Transactional Faith Trap

20:47 A Paradigm Shift

26:05 Finding Your Tafkid

31:40 Learning to Accept, Learning to See

39:08 Crowning Hashem King on Rosh Hashanah

49:49 Bechira, Ego & Hard Choices

01:00:24 Forgiveness and Midos

01:08:45 Elul Soul Accounting

01:12:37 Purpose, Ratzon & Public Speaking

01:19:48 Turning Off Autopilot

01:27:04 Kotel Connection Stories

01:31:01 New Light for Rosh Hashanah & Asking for Clarity

01:36:38 Lost at Sea: Finding Your Compass

01:39:56 From Self Help to Transcendence

01:46:14 Tzedakah and Reward

01:52:39 Doing Enough? Spiritual Growth Tools

02:05:37 Closing Thoughts & Blessings

COMMUNITY
Join the Community! Connect with us on socials to discuss Episode 101, share insights, and continue the conversations you want to have:

💫 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fromtheinsideout.podcast/ 💫 Whatsapp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L0W4PRglR5B4kC 💫 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@FromTheInsideOutPodcast?sub_confirmation=1