Podcasts about Baal Shem Tov

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

This week I have one long story for you. It's about Reb Adam Baal Shem of Ropshitz — one of the most powerful hidden masters of the generation before the Baal Shem Tov — and what he did when the king of Prague issued harsh decrees against the Jews. If you're enjoying these Chassidic stories, please take a quick moment to buy me a coffee. https://ko-fi.com/barakhullman Thank you! I deeply appreciate your support! Link to Two Cups of Tea, my first story video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d48AFirymU Also available at https://soundcloud.com/barak-hullman/we-are-not-helpless To become a part of this project or sponsor an episode please go to https://hasidicstory.com/be-a-supporter. Hear all of the stories at https://hasidicstory.com. Go here to hear my other podcast https://jewishpeopleideas.com or https://soundcloud.com/jewishpeopleideas. Find my books, Figure It Out When You Get There: A Memoir of Stories About Living Life First and Watching How Everything Falls Into Place and A Shtikel Sholom: A Student, His Mentor and Their Unconventional Conversations on Amazon by going to https://bit.ly/barakhullman. My classes in Breslov Chassidus, Likutey Moharan, can be found here https://www.youtube.com/@barakhullman/videos I also have a YouTube channel of ceramics which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@thejerusalempotter

Learning weekly Lessons in Tanya chapter 44 at Shirat David Efrat. The Essential Love, the Baal Shem Tov's teaching of No Seperation from Hashem, a real relationship responsibility, like a Son to a Father.Cover pic

התוכן דוקא באותם דורות שבהם הי' מצב של יאוש וכו' נתגלו רזין דרזין דאורייתא (בתורת החסידות) עד לאנשים פשוטים. כי – היא הנותנת: מצד גודל אהבת הקב"ה לכאו"א מישראל – כידוע מאמר הבעש"ט שאהבת הקב"ה לכאו"א מישראל היא שלא בערך יותר מאהבת הורים זקנים לבנם יחידם שנולד להם לעת זקנותם – נותן ה' את ה"אבן יקרה" שבכתר המלך, רזין דרזין דאורייתא, כדי להציל על ידה את "בן המלך". וזה מתגלה ע"י תורת הבעש"ט והולך ומיתוסף מדור לדור. ומכיון שביאת המשיח תלוי' ב"יפוצו מעינותיך חוצה", הרי ככל שמתקרבים לביאת המשיח צריך להוסיף בזה ולהציל בכך בנו של הקב"ה ממות לחיים ממש. זהו רצון ה'! והכלי לזה הוא אהבה לכאו"א מישראל בלי הבדל, שהרי בכאו"א מהם ישנה נשמה שהיא חלק מאותו עצם, ודוקא עי"ז בנקל יותר לעורר את עצם הנשמה שלו ועד שזה יפעל על המחדו"מ שלו וכו'.משיחת יו"ד שבט ה'תש"כ [שנת המאתיים להסתלקות הבעש"ט] ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=19-06-2026 Synopsis The fact that the Jewish people were in a state of despair in later generations etc. is precisely why the deepest secrets of the Torah were revealed in this era (through the teachings of Chassidus), and even to simplest people: Out of His immense love for every single Jew (which is like the love of parents to an only child born to them in their old age, as the Baal Shem Tov taught), Hashem gives up the “precious stone from the royal crown” (the deepest secrets of the Torah) in order to save His child (the Jewish people). The precious gem is revealed through the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, and continues to increase from generation to generation. Since the coming of Moshiach depends upon “your wellsprings spreading outward,” therefore, the closer we get to the coming of Moshiach, the more we must add in spreading the wellsprings, which literally rescues Hashem's child from death to life. The vessel for this is to love every Jew without distinction, because all Jewish souls share the same essence, and loving another Jew makes it easier to awaken the essence of one's own soul, in a way that impacts him practically in thought, speech, and action.Excerpt from sichah of 10 Shevat 5720 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=19-06-2026

The Rebbe addresses errors in the Yiddish Tanya translation and discusses how seeing health improvement is a clear sign to rely on holiness rather than one's own intellect, following the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and Chabad leaders. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/007/006/2043

The Rebbe addresses the importance of opening spiritual channels for future generations and expresses surprise that spreading the inner teachings of Torah and the Baal Shem Tov is not mentioned in the recipient's letters. He encourages active involvement, especially around Shavuos. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/007/008/2115

The Rebbe writes that the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov must reach every place where Jews live, in accordance with the wishes of the Baal Shem Tov and Chabad leaders. He emphasizes integrating Torah into daily life and making yeshivas centers for all Chabad activities. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/007/012/2234

We all know the moment: a flash of "I made a mistake — I want to change." A hirhur teshuvah, a thought of return. So why does it so rarely turn into anything? In this live, give-and-take shiur — the third in the Sephardic Center series on Rebbe Nachman's tale of the Lost Princess — we sit with that exact question. Walking through the opening of the story, we watch the King turn into aviha — her father — the moment his daughter is lost. It's not the King who gives decrees and stays distant. It's your Father, and He's in pain. He misses you. That shift is the whole secret of why the search begins — and why our own thought of teshuvah is meant to move us. Along the way: why the spark sparks but the engine won't turn over; why summer is the hardest stretch; the painful Uman cycle of swearing at Rabbeinu's tziyun every Erev Rosh Hashana and falling again; what nekudos tovos have to do with it; and the eitzah — instead of demanding the whole transformation at once, stay inside the hirhur teshuvah, feel the pain of causing your Father pain, and take it one pound at a time. Plus an unforgettable personal story of a child's journey behind the Iron Curtain in 1976 — turned away from Uman, interrogated, and brought instead to the Baal Shem Tov's kever to say Tikkun HaKlali. We close with Rabbeinu's promise: hirhur teshuvah she'lo yashuv od le'ivalto — bring Him your broken stones and your cement, and He will build. In this shiur: The hirhur teshuvah — and why it doesn't become action The King who becomes a Father in pain "It's not the King who misses you — it's your Father" The Uman cycle, nekudos tovos, and not mistaking the spark for the victory The eitzah: stay in the thought, feel the pain, one step at a time A true story from behind the Iron Curtain, 1976 Part of Eilech V'anaseh — a journey through Rebbe Nachman's Lost Princess. #Breslov #RebbeNachman #LostPrincess #Teshuvah #HirhurTeshuvah #Eilech Vanaseh #Uman #Hisbodedus #Hashem #Emunah #SippureiMaasiyos #Chassidus #Torah #JewishWisdom #Spirituality #Faith #RoshHashana #BaalShemTov #JewishPodcast #Shiur

In 1968, after the first manned mission to orbit the moon, the Rebbe taught that even a lunar expedition contains lessons in avodas Hashem. Quoting the Baal Shem Tov, the Rebbe reminded us that everything a person sees or hears must become a lesson in serving Hashem.So what can we learn from a Knicks championship?This shiur takes the drama of the season, the missed shots, the hustle plays, the OG Anunoby block, the impossible comeback, the trust in role players, the timeout that should have been called, and the fifty-three-year drought and turns it into a powerful mussar message.A mistake is only a failure if you stop running after it happens. Greatness is often one more inch of effort. Confidence is built when nobody is watching. A healthy life is constructed, not collected. A timeout is not weakness; it is refusing to let panic coach the team. And a long drought does not mean the story is over.

Life is a journey. In fact, the great mystic the Baal Shem Tov teaches that each of us travels through 42 distinct journeys in the course of our lives. The 42 journeys the Jewish people traversed in the wilderness, as recorded in the Torah, are not merely ancient history; they are a map of the human soul and a mirror of our own life's voyage.Every stage, every twist and turn, every ascent and descent, every triumph and setback is part of a larger choreography. When you begin to see your life not as a series of disconnected events but as a purposeful journey, patterns begin to develop and it starts to make sense. The challenges do not disappear, but your ability to navigate them is transformed. You recognize that every step, every encounter, and every obstacle carries within it an opportunity for growth and discovery.In Part Two of our seven-part series, The 42 Journeys of Life, we continue the expedition. Having explored the first five journeys—the formative years in which our identity begins to take shape—we now enter journeys six through twelve, where we begin to develop the tools to confront adversity and discover our inner strength.Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for Part Two: The Forces That Try to Break You Before You Become You—an exploration of the early challenges that test us, shape us, and ultimately reveal who we are meant to become.

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Parshas Behaalosecha: Beyond The Journey Why does the Torah repeat, again and again, that the Jewish people traveled and camped according to the Cloud of Glory? Through the insights of the Ohr HaChaim and the Baal Shem Tov, this episode uncovers a timeless lesson: not every stage of life is meant for movement. Some seasons are for growth, some for waiting, and both are part of the journey G-d has prepared for us. ✨ What feels like a delay may be preparing you for where you're meant to go.

When the Baal Shem Tov Danced: The Gift of Children Who Make You Feel You Lost EverythingRabbi YY Jacobson presented this pre-Shabbos lecture at the Kesher Nafshi 2026 Cleveland weekend retreat, Erev Shabbos Parshas Naso, 13 Sivan, 5786, May 29, 2026. The class empowers parents with a Divine perspective on how to view the challenges of our children. We share the insight by the Satmar Rebbe on life's challenges, sending us "on a mission," not expelling us, and the story of the Baal Shem Tov dancing when he heard that he lost his Olam Haba.

The Gemara says that if a person takes the wrong change out of his pocket, it's from Hashem. If a person stubs his toe, it's from Hashem. All the more so if something more severe happens. The Shomer Emunim writes in his Ma'mar Hashkacha Pratit perek 21 that a person must know, in Shamayim , Hashem is waiting to hear every word that comes out of his mouth in response to the difficulty that he is given. Every word of emunah is valued greatly and accomplishes so much. And thus, a person should train himself to regularly respond with the proper words, even for the most insignificant inconveniences, all the more so for the difficult ones. He should immediately say, “I recognize that this came from you, Hashem, I know I needed it for my best, please let it accomplish the kapara that I need.” The Shomer Emunim writes further, someone who forgets things often and it causes him a lot of anguish must believe that he doesn't forget because of a weakness that he has. Rather, Hashem sends the angel appointed over forgetfulness, each time, to make him forget. And the anguish that it causes is meant to bring him the kapara that he needs. If someone forgot about a meeting he had or forgot to say something that he wanted to say at a meeting, it's because Hashem wanted him to forget it. If someone traveled a long distance and forgot to bring an important document, it was min haShamayim . If someone forgot directions and made a wrong turn, it's min haShamayim . If someone's mind was preoccupied with a different issue and that caused him to forget something, he must know, when Hashem decreed that the issue should take place, included in it was the fact that it would cause the person to forget also. Nothing happens by accident. Hashem decrees how many times a person forgets and what he forgets. And every day there's a new calculation. What happened yesterday has nothing to do with today. Every day of life is judged separately. If a person recognizes each time that he forgets that it's from Hashem and he asks Hashem that it should be the kapara that he needs, then after years and years he will have accumulated endless amounts of kapara . The kapara that he gets will make it that he doesn't need to forget as much. If a person was looking for a certain house and accidentally knocked on the wrong door, he must believe that it was Hashem who brought that about. On one occasion, the Baal Shem Tov accidentally walked into a different room in his house than he planned on going to. He then told his attendant to take down the mezuzah in that room to be checked. The attendant then asked the Rebbe, “Is this the halachah, that if a person walks into the wrong room by accident, he needs to check the mezuzah there?” The Rebbe said no, but he knew for sure that Hashem caused him to go in that room and he thought perhaps it was because he needed to check the mezuzah . The immediate reaction of the Baal Shem Tov to his accidental turn was that it came from Hashem for a reason. The Shomer Emunim told a story that a great tzaddik from an earlier generation related. There was a man who had a very hard life and when he went up to Shamayim for his judgment they found that he had an enormous amount of sin. Then, when a heavenly advocate said to bring out his afflictions to be put on the side of good, it was found that he never attributed any of his afflictions to Hashem. He always felt that it was just his bad luck. In Shamayim they said, if he would have attributed everything to Hashem and said that it was justified in coming, then it would have accomplished what it needed to accomplish and the yisurim would have wiped away all of his sins and allowed him entry to enjoy the delights of Gan Eden . It's never too late for a person to make teshuva . So long as he has life he can correct everything he ever did. A person can say right now, “I'm sorry Hashem for not attributing my difficulties to You. I'm sorry that I did not accept them with love, understanding that I needed them for my best.” With one wholehearted acceptance a person can correct years of the opposite response. Let us accept upon ourselves to respond constantly with emunah and thereby gain the full value of everything that happens to us.

At the end of this week's parasha Naso , the Torah goes into great detail regarding the donations that the Nasi'im brought to inaugurate the Mishkan . And as we know, each Nasi brought the exact same donation and the Torah repeated each one of them, twelve times, one for each Nasi . Many mefarshim offer explanations as to why the Torah has all this repetition. The sefer Darkeh Musar brings from the Saba m'Kelm who explained, the Torah is teaching us here how Hashem relates to the individual. One should not think if a large group gets together to do a mitzvah that Hashem views it as if that group, so to speak, all got a check for their actions. The parasha of the Nasi'im teaches us, Hashem is happy with each individual separately. Although they all brought the same donations and collectively comprised a group of twelve, Hashem took delight in each one of them independently. Each one of them brought Hashem a different type of joy, depending on the person's background and what each of them had accomplished and experienced in their lives prior to this point. Everyone is always treated as if he is the only one in the world. And this does not only apply when a group of people get together to do a mitzvah. This is always the way it is. When something happens to a group of people, Hashem doesn't deal with them as a group, but rather every single person, with his own hashgacha . Whatever happens to him was decided solely based on what was supposed to happen to him. And the way a person reacts when things happen to him will show how much he really believes in Hashem's hashgacha . The Shomer Emunim writes, if we would know how valuable it is to honestly believe that every single thing that takes place in our lives comes directly from Hashem, our hearts would ignite with endless excitement. Furthermore, the pasuk says, ה' צילך – that Hashem is our shadow. And the Baal Shem Tov explained this to mean that Hashem acts towards us corresponding to the way we act towards Him. If a person says each time that something happens that it was from Hashem, then Hashem will deal with him with extra hashgacha pratit . He will be able to feel Hashem's presence more and he will get more Heavenly help. The pasuk says in Tehillim , ה' משמים השקיף על בני-אדם לראות היש משכיל דורש את אלוקים – Hashem is watching to see who is wise enough to seek Him out. The word אלוקים represents טבע which is nature. And as we know, הטבע is the same numerical value as אלוקים . So the pasuk is saying, Hashem is watching to see who will find Him inside of nature, who will attribute what seems to be natural occurrences, to Him. For this, a person must train himself until instinctively, he is able to say about everything, "That was m'et Hashem." When someone becomes a person who is fully ma'amin in Hashem's constant hashgacha , he will never get angry, he will never have animosity towards anyone, he will save himself from countless averot and he will get a mitzvah aseh each time he believes in Hashem's hashgacha , based on the pasuk, אנכי ה' אלוקיך אשר הוצאתיך מארץ מצרים. The Shomer Emunim gives the following words of chizuk to help strengthen us in this area. He writes, fortunate is the person who is constantly strengthening himself in the area of emunah called hashgacha pratit , because the reward for it in this world is that Hashem will show the person ניסים ונפלאות – miracles and wonders. And therefore, our job as religious Jews is to look at every single thing that takes place in our lives, whether it is obvious good or whether it seems to look bad, and attribute it to Hashem and know that it is absolute good and praise and thank Him for it. We constantly needed to be reminded about this great avodah . May Hashem help us to always see His hand in everything that takes place. Shabbat Shalom.

The Rebbe urges the recipient to strengthen and spread Judaism and Chassidus in Eretz Yisrael, emphasizing that true success comes from unwavering dedication to Torah and its truth, without compromise. He highlights the unique responsibility of those connected to the Baal Shem Tov to share Chassidus broadly. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/011/009/3588

The Rebbe explains that for the Baal Shem Tov, physical place and time were not limitations; he experienced true vision beyond these boundaries. This perception is unrelated to essence or being, as discussed in various sources cited in the letter. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/011/009/3546

In this episode, the deep connection between Torah, innovation, and the revelation of new spiritual light in the era of Mashiach is explored. Discover how new Torah insights have the power to elevate exiled souls and reveal the transformative impact of the Baal Shem Tov's teachings on the world. Like, Comment & Share If you ... Read more

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Learning Weekly from Rav Tzaddock HaCohen from Pri Tzaddick on Parshat Behaaloscha. The Broken Blast vs the Straight Blast, from Challenging Journeys in the week to preparing for the True Peace of Shabbos...Cover pic

Kchu imachem devarim v'shuvu el Hashem — take words with you, and return to Hashem.Likutey Moharan, Torah Daled (Torah 4) — Shiur 3, learned be'iyun. We go deeper into Os Daled: what da'as really is, and the Baal Shem Tov's secret that the repair you're looking for is already hidden inside the very thing that's broken.What we cover:The recap — me'ein Olam Haba — yediya shleima is knowing shekol me'ora'osav hem l'tovaso, that everything is for the good. Two modes today — HaTov Vehameitiv (the good revealed) and Dayan Emes (the broken) — and the future where it's all HaTov Vehameitiv.Letters are energy — the osiyos Hashem used to create the world are energy points; our words and our experiences become entangled tzerufim. Vidui devarim is taking the broken, jumbled letters of your story and rearranging them back to Hashem.The Baal Shem Tov's chiddush — nega and oneg — mehapech nega l'oneg. It's not a cute wordplay: nega (the deepest stuckness) and oneg (the highest delight) are built from the same letters — ayin, nun, gimmel — only the arrangement differs. So stop hunting for new "letters" outside yourself. Go into the very letters affecting you and rearrange them. The fixing is always already there — that's a core revelation of pnimiyus haTorah.Shame and the Tell-Tale Heart — why we can't find Hashem in our darkest places: shame tells us a part of our story is "unintegratable," so we bury it. (A striking mashal from Poe's Tell-Tale Heart — the buried thing keeps beating until it surfaces.) The cure: honesty before Hashem — You created me, You know me, it's all from You anyway — which lets us integrate and elevate the broken serufim.What da'as actually is — ikkar ha'da'as hu achdus shel chasadim u'gevuros. Da'as isn't knowing about opposites — it's the integration of them. The three mochin: chochma (the flash), bina (the unpacking), and da'as ha'mispashet — drawing the mind down into lived, embodied, emotional experience, where it's never clean, always chesed and gevura mixed together. Full da'as is holding them as one. V'yadata hayom v'hasheivosa el levavecha.Rebuilding the self — the aveiros engraved on the bones; kol atzmosai tomarna — through dibbur and vidui devarim we destroy the broken tziruf and rebuild a malchus d'kedusha: a healthy self-perception. Your thoughts are a language too — reorient the narrative, in vulnerability rooted in the safety of being loved no matter what.—#LikuteyMoharan #RebbeNachman #Breslov #BaalShemTov #Daas #ViduiDevarim #Torah4

The Rebbe explains why Ahavas Yisrael is the essential preparation for receiving the Torah. Through the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, and the Alter Rebbe, the sicha reveals how true love for every Jew uncovers the essential unity of the Jewish people and enables the reception of Hashem's Essence invested within the Torah. https://www.torahrecordings.com/likutei-sichos/002/001_004

The Rebbe addresses heightened emotional sensitivity, advising study of Divine Providence according to the Baal Shem Tov and Chassidus. He explains that internalizing this concept helps avoid anger and agitation, and encourages using vacation time for positive influence on youth. https://www.torahrecordings.com/rebbe/igroskodesh/015/010/5559

Explore the meaning of Shavuos as the day Jews became a kingdom of priests, the roles of Moshe Rabbeinu, King David, and the Baal Shem Tov, and how Torah empowers us to transcend limitations. Learn how mitzvos transform physicality and how acquiring Jewish books fulfills an ancient commandment. https://www.torahrecordings.com/classes/by_parsha/004_bamidbar/002_naso/016

This week I have four stories for you. The first is about a young chassid who abandons his wagon in a forest to spend Shavuos with the Alter Rebbe. The second is about a woman who walks into Rabbi Moshe Feller's Chabad house wanting to convert — and takes Judaism more seriously than the Jewish man she came with. The third is about Miri Gabay, who visited Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach after ten years of marriage with no children. And lastly, Reb Baruch of Mezhibuzh, the Baal Shem Tov's grandson, who made two trips to his grandfather's grave — and what he asked for each time. If you're enjoying these Chassidic stories, please take a quick moment to buy me a coffee. https://ko-fi.com/barakhullman Thank you! I deeply appreciate your support! Also available at https://soundcloud.com/barak-hullman/why-arent-we-screaming To become a part of this project or sponsor an episode please go to https://hasidicstory.com/be-a-supporter. Hear all of the stories at https://hasidicstory.com. Go here to hear my other podcast https://jewishpeopleideas.com or https://soundcloud.com/jewishpeopleideas. Find my books, Figure It Out When You Get There: A Memoir of Stories About Living Life First and Watching How Everything Falls Into Place and A Shtikel Sholom: A Student, His Mentor and Their Unconventional Conversations on Amazon by going to https://bit.ly/barakhullman. My classes in Breslov Chassidus, Likutey Moharan, can be found here https://www.youtube.com/@barakhullman/videos I also have a YouTube channel of ceramics which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@thejerusalempotter

Ahava Rabba vAhavat Olam - Abundant Love is Geulah Preps needed according to the Derech of the Baal Shem Tov for Shavuot & Beyond - So Divine Flow Learning Lessons in Tanya Perek 43 at Shirat David Efrat...Thanks to Bnei-Aliyah.com for the appreciated Summary... https://www.journeytoablessedlife.comCover pic from Moti Steinmetz new song

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

In this powerful episode, Rabbi Gartner reveals the revolutionary Torah teaching that business itself is Torah — not just learning about it, but actually conducting commerce with holiness and awareness. Drawing from the Baal Shem Tov and Rebbe Nachman, he shatters the false divide between spirituality and the marketplace. Key discussions include: The Baal Shem Tov's profound insight: if studying a business transaction in the Mishnah (Bava Metzia) is Torah, then real-world business done properly is even more so Torah The common mistake of separating “shul/Torah time” from “work time” — and why this disconnect is spiritually dangerous Rebbe Nachman's teaching in Likutey Moharan 280: why standing before judges in a Din Torah can actually be Torah's “vengeance” for forgetting the Torah hidden inside every deal The difference between an ordinary businessman and a holy businessman — keeping the inner mind attached to Hashem even while the outer mind handles negotiations, contracts, and profit Why daily Torah learning (especially Choshen Mishpat) is non-negotiable for anyone who wants to elevate business and reveal the sparks within it Practical preparation for Shavuos: how to receive the Torah that is already clothed inside your daily commerce, speech, and decisions The ultimate vision — entering the marketplace with emunah turns ordinary work into the building of the “Palace of Holy Wealth” Short, inspiring, and immediately applicable for every Jewish professional and entrepreneur.

Counting reveals the paradox that in holiness, quantity itself leads to quality. Even in a spiritual wilderness, we are meant to live a fully holy life—especially in the home and in the earliest stages of a child's education. True Jewish unity means uniting around Torah and mitzvos. Ahavas Yisrael is described on three levels—by the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, and the Alter Rebbe—each revealing a deeper way to love another Jew. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Bechukosai in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2.

Torah Daled. shiur 2.w reb joey After reviewing Nekudah Beis — the secret unity of Havayah and Elokim, and the work of elevating Malchus from its exile among the akum — we move into Os Gimmel, where Rabbeinu Nachman gives a very specific eitzah in avodas Hashem: וידוי דברים לפני תלמיד חכם, verbal confession before a Torah scholar. We explore why Malchus is rooted not in Binah but in Chochmah, and why this hidden circuit between Ani and Ayin is the heart of every Torah in Likutey Moharan. Speech is Malchus. When our letters fall into tzirufim ra'im and life feels stuck, congealed, and concealed, dibbur is the elevator back up — not because the Tzaddik needs to hear our chataim, but because the Talmid Chacham receives our words at the level of the aleph-beis, the raw osios, and rearranges them in chochmah. Along the way we touch on: - Why Elokim and akum emerge from tzimtzum, and how dinim are sweetened only at their source - He'emanti ki adaber — speaking your emunah into being - The Baal Shem Tov's derech of tzirufim chadashim, turning nega into oneg - Why the path through Chochmah comes before Kesser, and why Kesser without Chochmah becomes kares - Vidui Devarim as the antidote to shame — Bushah vs. the swampland of identity-level shame - Rav Pinchas Koritzer on why Ashamnu is said in the plural - Trauma, the body, and the unspeakability that vidui breaks open A shiur about coming back to Hashem through your own most uncomfortable words — and discovering that Malchus was always rooted in Chochmah, that you were never as far as you thought. Recorded with Joey. #Breslov #LikuteyMoharan #RebbeNachman #Chassidus #ViduyDevarim #Torah

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Find out from farmers what percent of grain in circulation is Chodosh How to practically keep Yoshon Can we rely on a dream of the Baal Shem Tov in Halacha? Is the dream accurate? What's called a Shaas Hadchak? Was the Heter only based on Shaas HaDchak? Does it make sense to be Machmir on Cholov Yisroel and be Meikel on Chodosh? Can you be Makpid on Chodosh only when you are home? And much more…… with Rabbi Mordechai Farkash – Chabad Shaliach, Rov and Poseik in Bellevue Washington – 24:25 with Rabbi Zalman Graus – Dayan for over 50 years, Formerly Magid Shiur in Belzer Yeshivah,  Editor of Otzar HaPoskim,  Mechaber Seforim:  Habori Vehashemoh;  Kol Boi on Eiruvin;  Milim shel Halacha - A dictionary of Halachic Words and more – 50:49 with Mr. Randy Watson – Quality Control Stafford Mills – 1:06:09 with Rabbi Beirach Steinfeld – Rov of Khal Dover Tov in Flatbush and head of Khal Dover Tov Kashrus, Halacha Columnist – 1:19:13 with Rabbi Nechemia Salzman – Representative of Kemach – 1:32:54 מראי מקומות   

Ephraim on the spiritual power of letters, language, and perception. Drawing on a story of the Baal Shem Tov transforming a harsh decree into “only a trace of fear,” the episode reflects on how the same letters can spell nega, affliction, or oneg, delight. The teaching invites us to ask: what word is our life spelling right now, and can we rearrange the letters into something more whole, healing, and true?

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

The Chassidim say that learning the Ohr Hachaim is a segula for many things, and that all the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov can be found within the Ohr HaChaim. The Skver Rebbe encourages his chassidim to learn and review this Ohr HaChaim in 18:3-4 about the importance of guarding ourselves in the area of morality and intimacy. May Hashem help us protect ourselves and come to kedusha.Have a wonderful Shabbos 

This week I have two stories for you. The first is a Baal Shem Tov story about a wealthy chassid sent on an impossible mission and the second about the Belzer Rov's Tish and the Rebbe Maharash. If you're enjoying these Chassidic stories, please take a quick moment to buy me a coffee. https://ko-fi.com/barakhullman Thank you! I deeply appreciate your support! Also available at https://soundcloud.com/barak-hullman/five-hundred-rubles-cast-upon-the-water To become a part of this project or sponsor an episode please go to https://hasidicstory.com/be-a-supporter. Hear all of the stories at https://hasidicstory.com. Go here to hear my other podcast https://jewishpeopleideas.com or https://soundcloud.com/jewishpeopleideas. Find my books, Figure It Out When You Get There: A Memoir of Stories About Living Life First and Watching How Everything Falls Into Place and A Shtikel Sholom: A Student, His Mentor and Their Unconventional Conversations on Amazon by going to https://bit.ly/barakhullman. My classes in Breslov Chassidus, Likutey Moharan, can be found here https://www.youtube.com/@barakhullman/videos I also have a YouTube channel of ceramics which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@thejerusalempotter

When to Trust Your Therapist: Three Vital Steps for Every Parent, Teacher, & MentorThis class, exploring the three phases of emotional healing according to the Baal Shem Tov, was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 4 Iyar, 5786, April 21, 2026, Parshas Achrei - Kedoshim, at The Barn @ 84 Viola Rd. in Montebello, NY. How do you know when to trust the person giving you advice? How do you know to trust your own advice? Three steps we each need to engage in in our work of healing: Surrender, unblending, and sweetening. This is why Hashem tells the first Jew: Leave your earthiness and ego (surrender), your birth template (unblending), and your anger (sweetening). These are also the three stages in our annual calendar of Pesach (surredner), counting of the Omer (unblending), and Shavuos (sweetening). View Source Sheets: https://portal.theyeshiva.net/api/source-sheets/9905

Why do we rely on leniency these day when the Heter was due to שעת הדחק and we don't have a shortage of food? If the Heter is based on Safek, nowadays the Safek is verifiable and can't be relied upon If a store has information posted that it's not Yoshon - there's no Safek at all - what do people rely on? Why are people making on Stam Cholov which is maybe a Safek Derabbanan and not on this? If a person needed to eat because of פיקוח נפש and it was a question of הקל הקל תחלה should he eat Chodosh or drink Stam Cholov? People spend a lot of money and time checking vegtables for bugs which the obligation to check is Derabanan but blatantly eat Chodosh - why? Why are Chasidim so lenient - How does a story from the Baal Shem Tov uproot Halacha - even if it's true we go with halacha not stories - we can uproot all the Torah if it's controlled by stories not Halacha? Chassidim specifically love to quote Chasam Sofer "חדש אסור מן התורה" - when it comes to any slight deviance of Minhag or even culture - and חדש itself they don't care about? with Rabbi Menachem Genack – Leading poseik of the OU, Rov in Englewood – 17:35 with Rabbi Dovid Gorelik – Rabbinic Coordinator of the OU – 17:35 with Rabbi Yaakov Teichman – Head of OK Kosher – 43:43 מראי מקומות   

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit JoeyRosenfeld.com

Is religion just a checklist of dos and don'ts? On today's page, Menachot 93, the Talmud suggests that while the "rules" of atonement are technical, the physical rituals are deeply personal. We explore why the "non-essential" act of placing hands on an animal offering is so vital for the believer's soul. Drawing on the wisdom of G.K. Chesterton and the Baal Shem Tov, this episode examines how doubt and devotion coexist in the life of a seeker. We discover that the real power of a mitzvah lies in the moments where we physically lean into our faith, going beyond what is strictly required to show our Creator who we truly are. Can an illiterate shepherd's passion teach us more than a textbook? Listen and find out.

In this conversation, Akiva shares what Torah actually teaches about animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and our responsibility to all living beings. We explore the Kabbalistic understanding of food and spiritual elevation, why so many rabbis who are vegetarian or vegan keep it to themselves, and what conscious eating has to do with the soul.We also talk about the relationship between inner work and outer activism, the power of silence — in the desert, at the Shabbat table, and in meditation — and the profound Jewish teaching that the sin of Adam and Eve wasn't what they ate, but how they ate.Whether you're Jewish or not, vegan or not, this episode will change the way you think about what you put on your plate — and why it matters.

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

The Zohar HaKadosh writes in Parashat Vayakhel that people do not realize how powerful tefillah really is. Tefillah has the ability to pierce through the heavens and open gates that previously could not be opened. Rabbeinu Bachya writes in Parashat Ekev that tefillah has the ability to change nature, to save a person from danger, and to nullify harsh decrees. The Maharsha writes in Masechet Shabbat ( דף קנ״א ע״ב ) that even though Chazal say a person's lifespan, number of children, and parnasah depend on mazal, tefillah has the power to change mazal. When a person prays during an et ratzon, a time of divine favor, the tefillah becomes even more powerful. David HaMelech asked Hashem that his prayers should reach Him during such a time, as it says: ואני תפילתי לך ה׳ עת רצון . The Midrash asks regarding the pasuk that says Eliezer ran toward Rivka: why was he running so quickly? It answers that once Eliezer realized he was experiencing an et ratzon, because Hashem had already performed a miracle for him by shortening the journey, he hurried to take advantage of that special moment and seek even more heavenly assistance. Rashi writes in Parashat Ki Tisa that when Moshe Rabbeinu saw that his requests were being answered, he understood that it was an et ratzon. He therefore continued asking for more in order to gain the greatest benefit from that special time. The Bnei Yissaschar writes that there are angels appointed in Shamayim to bring our tefillot upward, and they examine the prayers to determine if they are worthy. However, during an et ratzon the tefillot do not require their assistance. They ascend directly without scrutiny. The Mashgiach, Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, said that there is no greater et ratzon in Shamayim than when a person overcomes his yetzer hara. This means a person can actually create his own et ratzon and then use it to ask Hashem for whatever he needs. For example, if a person feels a strong yetzer hara to look at something inappropriate and overcomes it, he should realize that at that moment he has created an et ratzon. We have heard many stories about people who were publicly humiliated but chose not to respond and instead gave a blessing to a person in need of salvation. And those blessings brought about salvations. Why does this work? One explanation is that when a person is humiliated, the yetzer hara strongly pushes him to respond with anger. If he overcomes that impulse, he creates such a powerful et ratzon that his tefillot and blessings become especially potent. People are constantly tested—through anger, jealousy, and many other challenges. If we can motivate ourselves to overcome those tests, we can create moments of divine favor that we can then use to pray for what we need. The Keter Shem Tov brings from the Baal Shem Tov that when a person truly feels pain for another person's suffering, that creates an et ratzon. Even greater than that is when a person can genuinely feel happy when another person experiences success. And even greater still is when two people both need a salvation and one receives it while the other does not. If instead of complaining and asking why he was not helped, the person can feel sincere happiness for the other's simchah, that creates an extremely powerful et ratzon. At that moment he can pour out his heart to Hashem and ask for what he needs. Tefillah is always powerful, but during an et ratzon it becomes even more powerful.

When a person experiences any kind of suffering, he must understand that it comes only from the great love that Hashem has for him. The Tanach as well as Chazal are filled with statements attesting to this truth. When a person internalizes this and wholeheartedly accepts that Hashem is actually helping him when he has a difficulty, it is a wondrous expression of emunah, which is heavily rewarded in the next world. We must remind ourselves of this again and again, because when a person is hurting, he naturally wants to complain and bemoan his fate. There is a story brought down in the introduction to the sefer Divrei Yechezkel Shraga about Rabbi Yosef Teitelbaum, who served as the rav of a large city in Europe before the Holocaust. He took care of all the city's religious needs, and they paid his rent and supported him. One day, his non-Jewish landlord informed him that he was selling their apartment and they would have to vacate within the month. At that time, there were no other apartments available for rent in the city, and this meant the rabbi would not only lose his apartment, but his entire community and life's work, as he would have to move to a new city. A few days later, an argument broke out on a street corner between two women from the community. They were each saying hurtful words to each other. At one point, one of the women said to the other, "You are a difficult and terrible person. Even the rebbetzin said you're a dangerous woman." The other woman, hurt by this accusation, was filled with anger toward the rebbetzin for supposedly saying that. She immediately went to the rebbetzin's house and knocked on her door. The rebbetzin answered with a pleasant smile, but the woman burst out loudly and publicly, "How dare you say I'm a difficult and bad woman? Shame on you. You're a miserable woman yourself." The rebbetzin froze in shock. She had no idea what this woman was talking about. She told the woman she had never said anything of the sort, but the other woman was so swept away by her emotions that she continued mercilessly attacking the rebbetzin with harsh words. The rebbetzin could not bear the shame. She ran to her room, locked the door, and burst into tears. She sobbed bitterly. "Ribono Shel Olam I can't endure all of these hardships. First we find out that we have to leave the kehillah that we invested our entire lives in, from which we earn our livelihood and feed our children. And now this terrible pain and humiliation that is unbearable. Why so much suffering?" The rebbetzin cried until she fell asleep. Suddenly, the image of her holy father, Rav Yechezkel Shraga, appeared to her in a dream. He said, "I am ashamed of you, my daughter. Your crying and complaining is bringing me shame and pain in the upper world. "There was a harsh decree, and you were supposed to pass away. I exerted all of my strength to be an advocate for you and your children to annul the decree and keep you alive. After begging and pleading for mercy, my request was accepted. "It was decided in Shamayim to replace the decree with suffering instead. Your landlord would cause you distress by telling you he was going to sell your apartment so that you would have to leave behind your entire life and livelihood for an unknown future. As well, you would be shamed in public. "This was to give you a new life for years to come. How could you be crying and complaining?" The rebbetzin woke up in a sweat, remembering every detail she had just seen. A few minutes later, the woman returned to apologize. She had found out the other woman made it up, and she felt horrible for the way she acted. The rebbetzin told her not to worry. It was all for her best. A few hours later, the landlord came to say that he had decided not to sell the apartment and they could stay living there. The rebbetzin then shared with her husband all that had happened and felt terrible for not accepting her suffering with love. Rabbi Tzvi Nakar quoted the Baal Shem Tov, who said that every time suffering befalls a Jew and he accepts it without complaining, he builds immeasurable structures for himself in Shamayim. He elevates Hashem's honor and brings tikkunim that could not have been accomplished any other way. We always have to remember that Hashem is acting in our best interests, even if sometimes it hurts.

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

Episode #233: The Goy Who Threw A Rock At The Baal Shem Tov

Join Rabbi Joey Rosenfeld as he guides us through the world and major works of Kabbalah, Hasidic masters, and Jewish philosophy, shedding light on the inner life of the soul. To learn more, visit InwardTorah.org

This week I have three stories for you. The first takes place at a tisch of the first Belzer Rebbe, where a single piece of fruit changes everything. The second follows a chassid of Rabbi Mordechai of Chernobyl who sets out on a long business journey carrying two etrogim — one for his Rebbe, one for the holy Ruzhiner. And the third is a story of the Baal Shem Tov, told on a wedding day, when a debt of one thousand rubles arrives at the worst possible moment. If you're enjoying these Chassidic stories, please take a quick moment to buy me a coffee. https://ko-fi.com/barakhullman Thank you! I deeply appreciate your support! Also available at https://soundcloud.com/barak-hullman/the-blessing-inside-the-curse To become a part of this project or sponsor an episode please go to https://hasidicstory.com/be-a-supporter. Hear all of the stories at https://hasidicstory.com. Go here to hear my other podcast https://jewishpeopleideas.com or https://soundcloud.com/jewishpeopleideas. Find my books, Figure It Out When You Get There: A Memoir of Stories About Living Life First and Watching How Everything Falls Into Place and A Shtikel Sholom: A Student, His Mentor and Their Unconventional Conversations on Amazon by going to https://bit.ly/barakhullman. My classes in Breslov Chassidus, Likutey Moharan, can be found here https://www.youtube.com/@barakhullman/videos I also have a YouTube channel of ceramics which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@thejerusalempotter