Podcasts about Hashem

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.Support Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

What happens when the Bible comes back to life in the Land of Israel? In this powerful Land of Israel Fellowship from the hills of Judea, Jeremy Gimpel visits a young family living, shepherding, and raising their children in the biblical heartland. He also takes us to Carmel, connected to the stories of King David, Naval, and Avigail. Ari Abramowitz shares a moving story from a Judean synagogue about a 14-year-old boy reading the Tochacha in Parshat Ki Tavo, revealing a deeper lesson about serving Hashem with joy. The episode also explores Prophets of Israel Daily and Jeremy's vision for Rooted: The Next Generation—a community raising young adults who love Torah, Israel, and the Jewish people and are ready to lead. From the Judean desert to the next generation, this is a story of Torah, roots, redemption, and the Bible coming alive in the Land of Israel.

A man related that a family member of his betrayed him in business, and he is completely devastated by it. The financial loss alone is hard to deal with, but being hurt by a family member makes it so much harder. He wanted to know: Was it from Hashem, or did this person do an aveirah and harm him with his own free will? I told him there is no question that it came from Hashem. Yes, if the person did something wrong, he will be held accountable for it. But as far as we are concerned, what happened was meant for us and it had to happen. Although it is very difficult to deal with, we know that Hashem only does what is absolutely best for us. That means that for reasons we cannot understand, the loss of money, as well as the pain from the betrayal, were the best things that could have happened to this person, or else Hashem would not have allowed them to happen. We have no idea what yissurin in this world save us from, both here and in the Next World, but Hashem does. He is the only One who knows what we truly need to experience for our own good. On the surface level, Yosef HaTzaddik was "betrayed" by his own brothers. The pain of what he went through must have been extremely difficult, all the more so because it came at the hands of his own flesh and blood. But Yosef heroically overcame the challenge and said the most beautiful words to them years later: "It wasn't you who sent me here; it was Hashem." And ultimately, they were able to see that Hashem had done it for the greatest reasons. A person may not be halachically obligated to forgive someone who hurt him and does not feel remorse. But if he is able to overcome his natural feelings of resentment and replace them with feelings of emunah, and bring about shalom, that is considered a heroic act. As the Gemara says, when someone overlooks the wrongdoings that others do to him, Hashem overlooks that person's sins. What better time to utilize an opportunity to gain forgiveness than now, as we approach the awesome day of Rosh Hashanah. It may require superhuman strength, but we have that ability. A person could say, "Hashem, I know You want peace in the family, and so for Your sake, I am going to do what I can to keep it." Yosef HaTzaddik completely forgave his brothers for what they did to him. He was able to hug the very same people who wanted to kill him and eventually sold him into a foreign land. The Torah does not tell us these stories merely so that we should know what happened. It tells them to us so that we can learn from them and emulate our great ancestors. There are times when we ask Hashem for certain blessings that we may be unworthy of receiving. But Hashem, in His infinite kindness, may give a person a situation in which he has the opportunity to perform a heroic act. Perhaps that heroic act will become the zechut through which he receives the blessing he has been seeking. Bringing about shalom and harmony at a time when it is so difficult is certainly a heroic act, and it can bring down a tremendous amount of berachah. If a person could say, "Perhaps Hashem is giving me an opportunity right now to perform a heroic deed, and I'm going to rise to the occasion," that can give him additional motivation to overcome his feelings. We can never lose by going above and beyond. It may be uncomfortable, and it may even hurt, but the rewards will certainly be worth the effort.

In Days 195–196 of Orchot Tzaddikim, The Ways of the Righteous, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the Gate of Fear of Heaven by developing the idea that the human being is a microcosm of the entire world. Just as creation contains trees, herbs, fruits, waters, rivers, stones, mountains, winds, and countless other systems, the human body contains parallel structures and functions. The author uses these comparisons to awaken awe at the complexity and wisdom Hashem embedded within us.The lesson moves through a series of physical parallels: the digestive system is compared to the depths of the earth, arteries to rivers, bones to the foundations of the world, kidneys and bodily ducts to waterways, and the various fluids of the body to the different waters found throughout creation. The message is not merely anatomical. It is that the human body itself reflects a larger Divine pattern and should inspire a deeper appreciation of the Creator.Day 196 expands the comparison further. The Orchot Tzaddikim parallels hot and cold winds with human breath, thunder with the human voice, lightning with the brightness of the face, mountains with the body's joints and structures, stones with teeth and bones, soil with flesh and skin, vegetation with human hair, and even the zodiac with the spinal column and its attached structures. The author also describes ancient forms of wisdom through which sages were said to discern future events from natural signs, bodily features, vegetation, and other aspects of creation.Rabbi Wolbe concludes by emphasizing the wonder of the human body. The same wisdom Hashem placed throughout the cosmos is, in miniature, embedded within each person. The point is not to become distracted by speculative worlds beyond us, but to recognize the extraordinary miracle already present within our own bodies. The more carefully we contemplate ourselves, the more opportunities we have to develop Yirat Shamayim—awareness, reverence, and awe of Hashem._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 31, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim,  #HumanBody, #Creation, #Microcosm, #Wonder, #BodyAndSoul, #MiraclesEverywhere  ★ Support this podcast ★

What happens when Israel finally experiences peace? In 1 Kings Chapter 5, Solomon rules over a kingdom at rest, Israel dwells securely under its vine and fig tree, and the conditions are finally in place to begin building the Temple. But this chapter asks a question that reaches far beyond ancient Israel: when Hashem gives us peace, what will we build with it? In this chapter of Prophets of Israel Daily, Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel explore the deeper meaning of Solomon's peaceful kingdom, the connection between Solomon's borders and God's promise to Abraham, the "vine and fig tree" as a picture of redemption, and the extraordinary partnership between Israel and Hiram, the king of Tyre. In this chapter, learn: -Why 1 Kings 5 may give us a picture of the "days of old" we ask Hashem to renew. -Solomon's kingdom stretching from the Euphrates toward the border of Egypt—and its connection to the covenant with Abraham. -The biblical meaning of Israel dwelling securely "under his vine and under his fig tree." -Why peace is not the goal, but the opportunity to build. -Solomon's extraordinary wisdom and his "breadth of heart." -Hiram, the king of Tyre, and the role of the nations in helping build the House of God. -The powerful connection between Solomon's builders and the reality of Israeli reserve duty today. -The imagery of stones being shaped in the quarry—out of sight—as a picture of where Israel may be today. -The question Solomon's generation leaves for us: When Hashem finally gives us the quiet, what will we build with it?

When does one recite the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" over the morning hand-washing? The Tashbatz (Rav Shimshon Ben Sadok, Germany, 13 th century) relates that the Maharam Me'Rutenberg (Germany, 1215-1293) would recite the Beracha over the morning washing in the synagogue, well after he washed his hands. He would wash his hands at home, after waking, but he recited the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" later, together with the other Birkot Ha'shahar (morning blessings) upon arriving in the synagogue. Rabbenu Peretz (France, 13 th century), in his glosses to the Tashbatz, writes that although this was the custom in German communities, in his region the custom was to recite Birkot Ha'shahar at home, when washing one's hands. The Rambam, in one of his responsa, addresses a report that the Jews of Damascus would recite the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the synagogue, well after the morning washing, and he writes that the blessing recited at that point unquestionably constitutes a Beracha Le'batala – a blessing recited in vain. A well-established rule requires reciting a Beracha "Ober La'asiyatan" – before performing the Misva, and thus once a person completes the Misva, he cannot then recite the blessing over that Misva. Hence, the Rambam writes, the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" cannot be recited after one washes his hands. He adds that even if a community has a long-standing tradition to follow this practice, it must be discontinued, as this practice is incorrect. The Rambam rules that the Beracha must be recited before one begins the performance of the Misva – meaning, before he pours water over his hands. Maran (Rav Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch), in Bet Yosef, offers an explanation for the custom of reciting the Beracha upon arriving in the synagogue. He notes the view of the Rashba (Rav Shlomo Ben Aderet, Spain, 1235-1310) that the morning washing was instituted as an expression of gratitude to Hashem for restoring our souls in the morning. In response to the return of our souls, we wash our hands like Kohanim who wash their hands before entering the Bet Ha'mikdash to serve – showing that we are prepared to serve Hashem like the Kohanim. According to this understanding of the Misva, one could perceive the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" as a blessing of thanksgiving, expressing gratitude to Hashem for restoring one's soul. If so, then this Beracha indeed resembles the Birkot Ha'shahar, which give praise to Hashem for the gifts we receive each morning, such as the ability to open our eyes, to stand up straight, and to put on clothing. As such, the custom to recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" together with the other blessings in the synagogue is perhaps valid. This explanation given by the Bet Yosef appears already in the commentary of the Maharam Halawa (Spain, 14 th century) to Masechet Pesahim (7b), who supports the custom of reciting "Al Netilat Yadayim" together with the Birkot Ha'shahar in the synagogue. However, the Bet Yosef concludes his discussion by noting that the general custom among Sephardic Jewry does not follow this practice, and the more correct custom is to recite the Beracha at the time the Misva is performed. Hacham Ovadia Yosef noted that this issue could hinge on the fundamental question regarding the nature of the Birkot Ha'shahar. The Rambam maintained that each of the morning blessings must be recited at the time of the phenomenon for which it praises Hashem. For example, according to the Rambam, only if and when one hears the rooster crow does he recite "Ha'noten La'sechvi Bina." Likewise, one recites the Beracha "Poke'ah Ivrim" immediately upon opening his eyes, and one recites "Malbish Arumim" immediately when he puts on his clothes. In the Rambam's view, these blessings are recited over the personal experience of these phenomena. Others, however, viewed these blessings as expressions of praise for the general phenomena, and not of personal gratitude. This was the view of the Arizal, who maintained that one recites "Ha'noten La'sechvi Bina" even if he did not hear the rooster's crow in the morning. This is the basis for the accepted practice to recite all the morning blessings together, and not as one experiences each phenomenon. Hacham Ovadia observed that the Rambam, who viewed these blessings as expressions of personal gratitude, also argued that "Al Netilat Yadayim" must be recited at the time one washes his hands. Even if the Rambam would agree that "Al Netilat Yadayim" is recited over the gift of the soul's restoration in the morning, he requires reciting it at the time of the washing, just as he requires reciting all the morning blessings at the time one experiences each phenomenon. On the other hand, Hacham Ovadia added, the Arizal agreed that one does not recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning unless he washed his hands (and that one does not recite "Asher Yasar" in the morning unless he performed his bodily functions). And thus if one remained awake throughout the night, he does not recite "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning. Hence, it seems that the Arizal viewed "Al Netilat Yadayim" in the morning as a typical Birkat Ha'misva (Beracha recited over a Misva), in which case it must be recited at the time one fulfills the Misva, and not later. However, there are – surprisingly – those who require reciting "Al Netilat Yadayim" after the morning hand-washing, despite viewing this Beracha as a classic Birkat Ha'misva. The rationale behind this opinion is the fact that one cannot recite a Beracha while his hands are contaminated by the spirit of impurity that descends upon them during the night. Rabbenu David Bonafede (Spain, 13 th century), in his commentary to Masechet Pesahim (7b), draws a comparison between the Beracha over the morning hand-washing and the Beracha recited by a convert over his immersion in a Mikveh. The convert cannot recite the blessing before immersing, because he is at that point still a gentile. Therefore, the ordinary rule of "Ober La'asiyatan" is suspended, and the Beracha is recited after the fulfillment of the Misva – meaning, after the immersion. By the same token, since we cannot recite a Beracha in the morning until we dry our hands to eliminate the impurity, the rule of "Ober La'asiyatan" is suspended, as the Beracha must be recited afterward. And once the Beracha in any event cannot be recited before performing the Misva, it may be recited later, in the synagogue, together with the other morning blessings. (This brings to mind the Beracha of "Ga'al Yisrael" which we recite at the end of the Maggid section at the Seder, which many have viewed as the Beracha over the Misva to tell the story of the Exodus. When we begin the Seder, we are to see ourselves as slaves, and slaves have no Misva obligation. Hence, we cannot recite the Beracha before performing this Misva. Through the process of Maggid, we experience Yesiat Misrayim, and at that point we are then able to recite the Beracha which were unable to recite before performing the Misva.) Indeed, the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) cites the Maharam Nigrin (16th century) as stating that the impure forces remain on the hands until after they are dried, implying that the Beracha should be recited only after one dries his hands. This is the ruling of several Sephardic Poskim, including Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1868), the Hesed La'alafim (Rav Eliezer Papo, 1785-1828), and the Zechor Le'Abraham (Rav Abraham Alkalai, 1750-1811). Rav Eliyahu Mani (Hebron, d. 1899) wrote that the prevalent practice was to recite the Beracha only after drying the hands, though his custom was to recite the Beracha before drying his hands. By contrast, the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) brings the Arizal's teaching that the forces of impurity leave the hands after the water is poured on them, even before they are dried, and so the Beracha should be recited at that point – right before they are dried. As this is the Arizal's opinion, this is the practice that should be followed. If, however, one is unable to recite the Beracha before drying them, then he may recite it later, relying on the opinion that the Beracha should be recited after drying. This can happen if there is a foul odor in the area where one washes – such as if there is a sewage blockage – and it is thus forbidden to recite a Beracha at that spot. Likewise, if somebody forgot to recite a Beracha before he dried his hands, he recites the Beracha afterward. If one washes his hands and cannot remember whether or not he recited the Beracha, he does not recite the Beracha, as we follow the famous rule of "Safek Berachot Le'hakel" – a Beracha is not recited when there is some uncertainty about whether it is required. The proper text of the Beracha is "Al Netilat Yadayim." If somebody mistakenly recited "Li'tol Yadayim," he does not repeat the Beracha. If one does not have a towel available for drying his hands, he may use a hot-air machine, like those stationed in many public restrooms. If one slept with gloves, then he washes his hands in the morning without reciting the Beracha. The Rosh (Rabbenu Asher Ben Yehiel, Germany-Spain, d. 1327) understood the morning washing as resulting from the fact that a person's hands likely touched unclean parts of the body during the night. Therefore, according to the Rosh, one who wore gloves during the night does not bear an obligation to wash his hands in the morning. Although Halacha requires the individual to wash his hands due to the other reasons given for the morning hand-washing, he should not recite a blessing, in deference to the view of the Rosh. Summary: Some Poskim maintained that in the morning, the Beracha "Al Netilat Yadayim" should be recited only after one dries his hands following the morning hand-washing, and some have the custom to recite this Beracha together with the Birkot Ha'shahar in the synagogue. The more correct practice, however, is to recite the Beracha immediately after the washing, before drying the hands. If, however, one did not recite the Beracha at that point, then he recites the Beracha afterward. One who cannot remember whether or not he recited the Beracha of "Al Netilat Yadayim" does not recite it. One who slept with gloves must wash his hands in the morning, though he does not recite the Beracha.

In Day 194 of Orchot Tzaddikim, The Ways of the Righteous, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the Gate of Fear of Heaven with a fascinating comparison between the human being and the universe itself. If mankind reflects Hashem in a tiny and limited way, then the structure of the human body can likewise be understood as a miniature reflection of the greater world.The Orchot Tzaddikim draws parallels between the heavens and the human body: the skull resembles the heavenly firmament; the palate creates divisions within the body just as the firmament separates the waters; and the life-giving soul resides within and directs the body. Just as the universe is governed by the One Creator, the many organs and systems of the human body are unified and directed by one life-force.The author continues this imagery by comparing the seven openings of the head—two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and the mouth—to the heavenly luminaries and planets. The larger message is that the human being is a remarkable microcosm of Hashem's creation. The more carefully we contemplate ourselves and the world around us, the more opportunities we have to recognize the wisdom embedded throughout creation.Rabbi Wolbe then turns from anatomy to character. Just as the animal kingdom contains gentle creatures as well as predators, human beings can develop very different qualities. Some live peacefully and compassionately, while others behave like predatory animals—using their strength to hurt or take advantage of others.The crucial difference is that we can choose. Hashem created the abilities and forces within creation, but human beings decide how those powers will be expressed. We can use what Hashem has given us constructively or destructively. Fear of Heaven therefore means not merely marveling at creation, but recognizing our responsibility within it and consciously choosing what kind of person we wish to become._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 28, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim,  #HumanBody, #Creation ★ Support this podcast ★

What would you ask for if God told you, “Ask, what shall I give you?” King Solomon was given that extraordinary opportunity and his answer reveals something profound about wisdom, leadership, and what it truly means to live a guided life. In 1 Kings Chapter 3, Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel discover why Solomon didn't ask for wealth, power, or long life, but for a “listening heart” (לֵב שֹׁמֵעַ) and why that request pleased Hashem. In 1 Kings Chapter 3 learn: -Solomon's remarkable request: Why did the young king ask Hashem for a “listening heart” rather than riches or power? -The meaning of Shema: What does Solomon's request for a heart that can hear teach us about שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל — “Hear, O Israel”? -Wisdom and leadership: Why true wisdom isn't simply knowledge, but the ability to listen, discern, and make decisions with an open heart. -The famous judgment of Solomon: How did Solomon uncover the truth when two mothers both claimed the same living child? -The Solomon principle: Why pursuing what is truly essential can bring blessings we never even asked for.

Click this link for the new Living Emunah from Artscroll on Tefillah https://www.artscroll.com/Books/lemtfh.html The month of Elul is a tremendous gift from Hashem. It's an opportunity for us to prepare for a new beginning and attain teshuvah for our past wrongdoings. Hashem does not expect a person to become perfect overnight, but we do have to show that we care. We have to show that we want to grow. And besides for the will, we have to put forth effort. When a person truly wants something in avodat Hashem and does what he can to achieve it, he will often see Hashem giving him siyata d'Shmaya to accomplish things he never would have been able to accomplish otherwise. A young man recently went with his family on vacation to a place he really did not want to go. He never missed a minyan, but where they were staying, the nearest minyan was about a half hour away. Renting a car there wasn't an option, Uber didn't really work, and the only way to get to shul was by taxi. Each ride was going to cost about $60, which meant that to go to Shacharit and back and then Minchah and Arbit and back every day would cost him $240 a day. He tried contacting the local Chabad rabbi to see if maybe there were other Jews staying near him with whom they could make a minyan, but nothing worked out. Finally, he decided, "I'm going to minyan no matter what it costs." A few days into the trip, he received a phone call from a man who said, "I deal in Rolex watches, and I have one at the front desk of the hotel you're staying in. Can you bring it back with you to New York? I'll pay you a few hundred dollars." The young man asked, "How did you even know to call me?" He replied, "The Chabad rabbi gave me your number. He said you're a good guy." The young man agreed and then told the man, "I want you to know, every dollar you're giving me is going toward a mitzvah." He explained how much he was spending every day just to get back and forth to minyan. The man couldn't believe it. He said, "If that's what you're using the money for, then it would be my zechut to pay for every single day." And with that, the young man's taxi expenses to minyan were paid for the entire trip. First, he showed Hashem how much he wanted to do the mitzvah. Then he was willing to sacrifice for it, and Hashem took care of the rest. Another man told me that he took it upon himself to make sure people in shul were wearing their tefillin properly. He noticed that so many people had their tefillin falling below the proper place on the hairline, so he learned how to adjust the straps. Over the course of a year, he fixed between 200 and 300 pairs of tefillin. A few months ago, he started feeling different when he would pray. Day after day, he felt something was missing. He didn't feel the same connection to Hashem, and it was spilling over into the rest of his day. This continued for weeks. One day, he didn't have his tefillin with him and borrowed a pair from his friend. That day, suddenly, he felt so much better. The next day, he went back to his own tefillin, and once again things didn't feel right. It occurred to him that maybe there was something wrong with his tefillin. He brought them to his sofer, and indeed, it was discovered that his tefillin were pasul. He said, "I could have gone my entire life without ever knowing my tefillin were pasul." But he went out of his way to help hundreds of other Jews with the mitzvah of tefillin, and then Hashem gave him the extraordinary siyata d'Shmaya to discover the problem with his own. Another man said he went away with his family for a couple of weeks this summer. When they arrived, they discovered that the local shul prayed much later than they were accustomed to, and on Shabbat they would reach the Amidah only after the zman tefillah. This bothered the man very much because he was always careful to pray within the proper zman. He spent the first several days of his vacation searching for another minyan. The possibilities were miles away, but it was so important to him that he kept trying to find a solution. That Friday morning, he was sitting in the shul near his house when suddenly a man walked in and asked, "By any chance, could you join us for a minyan tomorrow morning that will be praying within the zman?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The man explained that six of them had just arrived from out of town and were looking to put together an early minyan. Suddenly, the minyan this man had been searching for was right down the block from his house. The following Shabbat, those people had left, and once again he had the same problem. He prayed to Hashem and hoped that somehow he would be able to make the zman again. Amazingly, that next Friday, another group arrived in town, staying in a different house—again, six people. Together with some people from his own family and a neighbor, they were once again able to make a minyan within the zman. This is a powerful lesson for the month of Elul. We may look at ourselves and see that a lot needs improving. Sometimes we may wonder, how am I going to change? It's too hard. But Hashem doesn't ask us to do everything ourselves. He wants us to show Him that we truly want to grow, and He wants us to put forth our best effort. When someone says, "Hashem, I want to do this. I'm going to try. I'm going to sacrifice. I'm going to do what I can," then hopefully Hashem will give him the siyata d'Shmaya he needs to accomplish it in the best way.

Offering bikkurim teaches both that all success comes from Hashem and that one can sanctify material life itself by using worldly possessions in His service. The rebuke read before Rosh Hashanah is not punishment but a cleansing that prepares us to receive an even greater revelation of divine blessing. Rabbi Akiva recognized that painful events ultimately produce good, while Nachum Ish Gamzu perceived that everything is inherently good from the outset—a perspective that will be fully revealed in the Messianic era. The various acronyms of Elul encompass Torah, prayer, charity, teshuvah, and redemption, enabling every aspect of the person to become united with Hashem. By asking Hashem for tzedakah rather than blessings measured according to our merits, we appeal directly to His unlimited essence and draw down a sweet new year beyond all limitations. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Ki Savo in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2.

What did King David choose to say with his final breath? In 1 Kings Chapter 2, David gives Solomon his final charge: keep the Torah, walk in God's ways, and remain faithful to Hashem. In this episode of Prophets of Israel Daily, Ari Abramowitz and Jeremy Gimpel explore: -David's final words to Solomon and why his greatest concern was faithfulness to God—not military power or political strength. -The tension between Torah and justice as David gives Solomon instructions concerning Yoav and Shimi. -Barzilai's kindness and why David makes sure that those who stood with him in his darkest hour are remembered and blessed. -The passing of the throne as David dies after forty years of reign and Solomon takes his seat on the throne of David.

The love Hashem has for us is unimaginable.

What if the key to serving Hashem with joy isn't getting more, but learning to recognize the blessings He has already given us? In this Land of Israel Fellowship teaching from the hills of Judea, Ari Abramowitz, along with Jeremy and Tehila Gimpel explore a powerful message from Parashat Ki Tavo about gratitude, joy, and learning to truly see Hashem's blessings in our lives. As we enter the month of Elul we reflect on the repeated Torah theme of being joyful with what Hashem has given us—and how our perspective can transform the way we experience our lives, our faith, and our connection to the Land of Israel. What does it mean to have “a heart to know, eyes to see, and ears to hear”? And how can we learn to see blessing even in circumstances that may not initially look like blessings? In this episode: The deeper message of Parashat Ki Tavo Why the Torah emphasizes joy and gratitude Learning to recognize Hashem's blessings The connection between Re'eh (“See”) and Ki Tavo Entering Elul with a heart of gratitude and faith

Click this link for the new Living Emunah from Artscroll on Tefillah https://www.artscroll.com/ Books/lemtfh.html The process of Shidduchim can be very difficult. There could be long periods of waiting, suggestions that seem to go nowhere, and times when a person wonders how the right Shidduch will ever come about. But there is something very comforting to always remember. The Yad Hashem is so prevalent when it comes to Shidduchim. Hashem is involved not only in bringing the right people together, but also in making sure that it happens at exactly the right time. A young man got married at the age of 30 to a girl in her 20s. They came from completely different backgrounds, to the point that one would have never imagined such a match being made. Yet when they finally met, things progressed very quickly, and Baruch Hashem, they got married and are very happy together. It turned out that this same Shidduch had been suggested two years earlier, and at that time the boy's mother was so taken aback by the difference in backgrounds that she immediately said no. A year after the wedding, the young man was sitting together with his wife and mother when the subject came up. He said, "Ma, why did you say no two years ago? You caused me two extra years of agony. We could have been married that entire time." His wife immediately interjected. "No, you don't understand," she said. "If this would have been suggested to me two years ago, I never would have agreed to it. So many things happened to me during those two years that completely changed my perspective. Only when the Shidduch was suggested at this time was I ready to consider someone from such a different background." What appeared to be a missed opportunity was actually Hashem's perfect timing. The Shidduch was there all along, but it had to wait until the perfect moment when both sides were ready for it. Hashem also has endless ways of bringing two people together, even people whose paths would seemingly never cross. There's a rabbi in a girls' school who started exercising a couple of years ago because his doctor said he needed to stay in shape. Someone helping the rabbi got him a trainer, and this trainer sometimes works with two people at once. For more than a year, the rabbi regularly trained alongside a certain young man. Over that time, he had an opportunity to see this boy up close. He saw his fine middot, his character, and that he was a true ben Torah. Eventually, when one of the girls from his school was ready for Shidduchim, the rabbi thought of this boy. Based on their different backgrounds and circles, it was a match that ordinarily would never have been suggested. But because Hashem arranged for this rabbi to exercise alongside this young man for more than a year, he knew who the boy really was. He suggested the Shidduch, and Baruch Hashem, the two were perfect for each other and are now happily married. Sometimes Hashem will even use a mistake to bring couples together. A boy was suggested to a girl who was just starting out in Shidduchim. She found out that the boy was a few months younger and was hesitant to proceed. She wanted someone older and more mature. But she was encouraged not to reject such a good suggestion over a couple of months. So she agreed to go out, and Baruch Hashem, they saw that they were perfect for each other and eventually got engaged. Only afterward did the families discover something amazing. The boy wasn't a few months younger. He was almost a full year younger. How did everyone get the age wrong? The Shadchan who suggested it was Israeli, and the date of the boy's birthday was misunderstood because dates are written differently in Israel and America. For example, imagine the girl's birthday was December 15, 2002, and the boy's was December 3, 2003. In Israel, his birthday would be written 3-12-03, meaning December 3. But read the American way, that same date means March 12, 2003. Instead of knowing that the boy was almost a year younger, the Shadchan thought he was less than three months younger. By the time they discovered the mistake, the girl already knew that this boy was perfect for her and that the concerns she had were not concerns at all. Hashem made it that the Shadchan for this particular couple had to be Israeli because He knew exactly what was necessary to bring the Shidduch about. When it comes to Shidduchim, we never have to figure out how it's going to happen. We don't have to worry that maybe the right person won't be suggested or maybe an opportunity will be missed. Hashem knows exactly how to bring people together. He knows when to bring them together. And when the time is right, He makes it happen. And if a person needs to wait, that's also Yad Hashem. Knowing that Hashem is involved in every single detail can give us a calmer feeling, even though the process itself may be difficult.

Halacha requires washing one's hands each morning, and the Rosh explains that this is because the hands move around during the night, and likely touched an unclean part of the body. According to this explanation of the Rosh, we easily understand why Halacha requires washing only the hands, and not other parts of the body. Other sources, however, give other reasons for this obligation. The Zohar teaches that when one's soul departs as he falls asleep, he is overcome by harmful spiritual forces. Although these impurities leave when a person wakes up, they remain on the hands, and must therefore be eliminated through washing. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in the introduction to Parashat Toledot, explains that the fingers and toes are especially susceptible to the harmful spiritual forces. A person's ten fingers and ten toes, the Ben Ish Hai writes, correspond to the five Hebrew letters known as "Mansepach" – Mem, Nun, Sadi, Peh and Chaf – which are formed differently when they appear at the end of a word, for a total of ten letters. According to the teachings of Kabbalah, these letters are associated with the forces of impurity. The combined value of these letters in Gematria is 280 – the Gematria of "Par," a term which alludes to the harmful spiritual energies. Although these forces cannot descend upon a person while he is awake, they are able to cling to his fingers and toes when he sleeps. We therefore eliminate these forces with water, which represents the divine attribute of kindness that defeats the harmful spiritual energies. (The word "Mayim" – "water" – may be read as an acrostic representing the phrase "Maleh Yadenu Mi'birchotecha" – "Fill our hands with Your blessings.") If so, then we should expect Halacha to require washing both the hands and feet each morning. Why do we wash only the hands? Citing the Yefeh Sha'a, the Ben Ish Hai answered that these forces cannot be removed from the toes. They cling so tightly to the toes that washing is incapable of eliminating them. Only the Kohanim, who washed with the sacred water of the Kiyor in the Bet Ha'mikdash, had the ability to remove this impurity from their toes, which is why the Torah requires the Kohanim to wash both their hands and their feet before entering the Bet Ha'mikdash to perform the service. We, however, are unable to remove the impurity from our toes, and so we do not wash our feet in the morning. The Ben Ish Hai adds that the sanctity of Shabbat empowers us to remove some degree of this impurity by washing our feet on Friday in honor of Shabbat. As we saw in a previous installment, the Rashba gave a different reason for the morning hand-washing, explaining that as we prepare to start our day of devoted service to Hashem, we resemble the Kohanim arriving at the Bet Ha'mikdash to serve. Therefore, we wash our hands each morning just as the Kohanim washed their hands and feet before serving in the Mikdash. It is unclear why, according to the Rashba, we are required in the morning to wash only our hands, and not our feet like the Kohanim.

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Click this link for the new Living Emunah from Artscroll on Tefillah https://www.artscroll.com/ Books/lemtfh.html This week's parasha opens up with the words, "כי תצא למלחמה על אויבך – when you go out to war against your enemy." The Zohar HaKadosh writes that אויבך-your enemy is referring to the יצר הרע – our evil inclination which means the Torah is calling our struggle with the evil inclination a war. Sometimes people get down on themselves because they always have to struggle to do anything proper in religion. "Nothing is ever easy," they say, and they feel like that means that Hashem doesn't want their service. Others get down because they feel that they are so evil. "Why can't we be happy for other people's good fortune?" They think to themselves, or, "Why is it so hard for us to forgive people?" We must internalize the fact that everybody is created with an evil inclination and it is that inclination which enables us to bring glory to Hashem. The Mabit writes there would be no kavod (glory) to Hashem if we only had our pure neshama that wants to do good all the time. All of the glory comes when we subdue that evil inclination and serve Hashem despite the pull the other way. We should not feel down when we have inclinations towards evil. We should feel excited at our opportunity to bring glory to Hashem by overcoming them. The sefer Nafshi Cholat Ahavatcha uses this Mabit to give us chizuk when it comes to praying. Many times the yetzer hara gets us to not pay attention to what we're saying when we're praying. And even when we try hard and extra hard to focus our minds, our minds still manage to somehow wander and we become frustrated. The natural tendency of a person in that situation would be to just stop trying and say to himself, "It's not helping anyway so why should I bother?" And even if a person does manage to want to make an attempt after he failed, the yetzer hara tells him, "Now you're going to start concentrating? You already messed up most of the prayer. Of what value is it now to have kavana for just one paragraph?" We must think to ourselves, it's exactly the opposite. Because it has been so difficult to concentrate, that is precisely why every word that we do concentrate upon afterward is so precious. That is what brings all the glory to Hashem. Hashem has so much satisfaction when we battle this inclination and then we overcome it. There is no glory in a computer being able to know the meaning of the words, because that's what it's programmed to do. But for a person who has so many thoughts flying through his mind and still manages to focus on some of the words he's praying to Hashem, that is extremely valuable. We should never underestimate the value of concentrating on even one word of the tefila. As the Chovot HaLevavot says, what might seem to be small in our eyes is very big in the eyes of Hashem. For someone who is jealous of his friend's successes and he cries to Hashem for help because he wants to improve in his middot and he works on himself and he reads sefarim that help him with those middot and finally after months, or even years, he is able to be happy for another person, that is where all the glory is because he did battle and he overcame that terrible, evil inclination. If someone feels his inclinations are so evil, and he says to himself, "I'm such a bad person," he is not understanding it properly. It just means he has a greater opportunity to serve Hashem by overcoming it. We are in constant battle with this yetzer hara, but that's the will of Hashem for us, to go to war against it, to do our best to overcome it and if we're fighting hard, we'll merit the continuation of the pasuk, "ונתנו ה' אלוקיך בידך – Hashem will help us beat him." Don't get down, don't feel bad when you have those inclinations. Fight them. Do your best. Every victory is so precious and brings such glory to Hashem. Shabbat Shalom.

We find in our sources four different reasons for the obligation to wash one's hands upon waking in the morning. The Rosh (Rabbenu Asher Ben Yehiel, 1250-1327) writes that the Sages required washing one's hands in the morning because they likely touched the private parts during the night. As the hands became dirty during the night, they must be washed in the morning. The Rashba (Rav Shlomo Ben Aderet, Spain, 1235-1310) writes that in the morning, Hashem restores our souls which we entrusted to Him when we went to sleep. Not only does He give our souls back – He gives them back to us in perfect condition. We go to sleep tired and worn, and we wake up in the morning refreshed and energized. It behooves us, then, to commit ourselves each morning to pay our debt of gratitude by serving Hashem to the best of our ability. Hence, just as the Kohanim wash their hands before entering the Bet Ha'mikdash to serve, we must similarly wash our hands before we begin our day of devoted service to G-d. According to the Rashba, then, we wash our hands in the morning because we are like the Kohanim, preparing to serve the Almighty. A third reason appears in the Zohar, which teaches that when a person's soul departs at night, he experiences a kind of death, whereupon harmful spiritual forces overtake his body. These forces leave when one wakes up in the morning, though they remain attached to the hands. We therefore wash our hands each morning to eliminate these harmful spiritual elements. A similar – but not identical – explanation is given by the Orhot Haim (Rav Aharon Ha'kohen of Lunel, late 13 th -early 14 th century). Based on the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (109a), he writes that one's hands become contaminated by harmful spiritual forces overnight, and must be removed by washing. Unlike the Zohar, which speaks of contamination resulting from sleep – a state of quasi-death – the Orhot Haim says that the night itself brings impurity to the hands. These different explanations will yield practical differences in various situations – such as if one slept during the day, or if one remained awake during the night. We will, please G-d, explore the practical Halachot in subsequent installments.

The angels have entered Sodom, and Lot has pulled them into his home despite the risk, in a city where sheltering a guest overnight is itself a crime. Rabbi Epstein and Tom pick up as the meal Lot serves turns out to be matzah, and the timing is not incidental. This is Passover night, centuries before the Exodus, the night the Torah ties to the very possibility of freedom. Lot has spent years chasing what Sodom offers and could never walk away from it on his own. Now G-d is about to take the choice out of his hands, and the conversation traces what that kind of mercy actually costs.That night the men of the city surround the house, and Lot makes an offer to the mob that is hard to read as anything but appalling. Rabbi Epstein and Tom work through what he might have been calculating and how the Sages weigh a failure like that. When the angels finally strike the crowd blind and drag Lot inside, warning him to gather his family before dawn and get out, he doesn't move. The Torah marks the moment with a cantillation so rare it appears only a handful of times in the entire text: he lingers.They end on the question they'll pick up next episode. If you've earned the right to survive judgment, have you also earned the right to watch it happen?

The Shomer Emunim writes, whenever a person experiences even the slightest inconvenience or suffering, he should immediately recognize that it came from Hashem and should accept that it is what he needed for his best. It can be something as small as his food being delayed in coming or the taste not being the way that he wanted. They too were from Hashem for his best. If an individual hurts someone or shames him, or takes away his parnasa , and that person accepts it with love in honor of Hashem, the person's level will soar to the greatest heights and it is considered as if he gave Hashem the greatest honor. There are different forms of pain in this world. The Arizal and the Ramak, who knew how things work in the Upper Worlds, both said that when a person gets shamed by somebody else, it is worth more than any type of suffering in this world that a person could possibly give himself as a kappara . In the olden days, people used to bring upon themselves self imposed yisurin , but none of them can compare to one shaming from another individual. However, the value is only so great if the person accepts it from Hashem with love. The Arizal said, if people would know the true value of being shamed, they would actually go around the streets searching for people to shame them. The Gemara says, Rav Nachman and Rav Papa both decreed fasts because of droughts. They and their communities cried and prayed, but to no avail. When they did not get answered, the Rabbis felt ashamed that they were not worthy of Hashem helping them, and at that moment, the rain started pouring. The feelings of shame that they had accomplished more than all of their prayers and tears. And therefore, the Shomer Emunim advises us not to be foolish and lose out on the endless gains we can amass if we are ever shamed. The best reaction would be to say, "Hashem, I know this was from you and I know that I needed it. Thank You for doing what I needed and please forgive me for my sins." A young man told me, he went to a class where the rabbi discussed this topic at length. The very same day, his boss at work utterly shamed him. His initial reaction was to snap back with anger, but he caught himself and realized the opportunity he was being given. That evening, he sat down in a room for an hour, working very hard to accept what was done to him and thank Hashem for it. He mentioned that for the last two weeks he had a shooting pain in his foot that went all the way up to his knee. After he finished accepting what happened, he got up and the pain was gone. I told him, the pain was obviously some type of kappara , but he accomplished way more than that pain could have ever given him with his acceptance of being shamed that day. The Shomer Emunim writes further, if a man married a woman who turns out to be someone with a temper and she causes him a lot of distress, that was decreed from Shamayim , based on the amount of suffering he needs to go through for his tikkun in this world. However, if he is able to maintain his composure and not fight back, but rather accept that it is coming from Hashem and turn to Him and say, "Please let this suffering be an atonement for me," then in the words of the Shomer Emunim ,אז נתהפך הכל לטובה ושלום -Then the entire situation will change for the better and his home will become one of peace. The rabbi testified, he has seen with his own eyes this approach working numerous times. This is tremendous shalom bayit advice. If someone has a difficult spouse, each time that spouse causes him pain, rather than snapping back, the person should accept it as coming from Hashem, make repentance, and eventually Hashem will change that difficult spouse's heart to be one that wants peace and tranquility. Everything that happens in life comes from Hashem and when we accept what He does with love, the gains are endless.

Elul is taught to most of us as pachad — dread, the Days of Awe closing in. Chassidus says the opposite. Ani l'dodi v'dodi li: the King takes off the uniform and comes out to the field to be with us. You take one step toward Him, and He comes the rest of the way.But what does it actually take to close that step? Reb Nachman gives the answer in four words — ikar haTeshuvah she'yishma bizyono, yiddom v'yishtok. The main thing in teshuvah is to hear your own humiliation, accept it, and stay quiet.In this shiur we work through why that is, and why it's harder than anything else we're asked to do:• Yira isn't fear — it's awe, and what an eved Hashem really is• Vayidom Aharon — why yiddom means acceptance before it means silence• Shuva and busha — the same letters, rescrambled• The vort on ki seitzei la'milchama: shivyo as roshei teivos for she'yishma bizyono yiddom v'yishtok• Ego = Edge God Out — how the "I" got built in the first place, out of a shame we refused to face• Shminis shebe'shminis — the eighth of an eighth you're allowed to keep• The scoreboard: transactional relationships, ahava she'tluya b'davar, and why in an "us" it's always fifty-fifty• People-pleasing as a form of taking• The hardest question of the night, from the floor: if Hashem is all-loving, why does closeness have to come through humiliation?• Where the 2-7 unsuited hand comes in — and turning that feeling into tefillah• Hatakiruni — how facing shame gives you the peek at the lost princessGiven over in the Eilech V'anaseh chabura, Chodesh Elul.#Elul #Breslov #Teshuva #RebNachman #Chassidus #RoshHashana #LikuteiMoharan

Drawing on Rebbe Nachman, the Baal Shem Tov, and the Rebbe Rashab, Reb Joey explores joy not simply as an emotion, but as a deep awareness of Hashem's ever-present goodness—a freedom that comes through letting go of self, relinquishing the need to control, and learning to receive life as a gift.Support Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

Reb Joey explores the reshimu—the persistent trace of Ohr Ein Sof that remains after the tzimtzum. Through the teachings of the Arizal and Chassidus, he explains how Divine presence can remain hidden yet fully present, and what this means for emunah, bittul, and finding Hashem within apparent absence.Series page: ⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/series/otzros-chaimSupport Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

Imagine a young man did a crime that warranted a life sentence in jail. Everything he did was caught on camera. There was nothing he could possibly say or do that could absolve him of his fate. He was also told that the judge is very strict, and it was a guarantee that he would get the full term. There was no lawyer or advocates that could possibly help him. Furthermore, when he was to go in for the trial, he would have to go alone, with no support from family or friends. Here, he was just starting out in life, looking forward to a bright future, and now it was abruptly coming to a halt. The trial was scheduled to take place in a few weeks. This young man would most likely experience extreme anxiety each day leading up to the trial. He would have trouble falling asleep; he would have trouble eating; he would have trouble focusing on anything other than the dismal life he was about to enter. But then, on the night before the trial, he receives a phone call. He picks it up and it is none other than the judge himself. The young man's heart started racing a mile a minute. The judge then tells him, with a very warm and soothing tone, he would like him to come over to his house to talk. The young man goes and, when he arrives, the judge greets him with the biggest smile. He says, "The rules in court are very strict. There is no leeway to take away any of the jail time. However, before the trial starts, there is a completely different set of rules. I am the most merciful and loving judge that you could possibly imagine. I want you to live a long and happy life. I want you to get married and have children and grandchildren. If you will tell me now that you feel remorse for your crime, and that you will never do it again, I'll call off the trial and consider it like that crime never took place." The young man wouldn't believe what he was hearing. If that happened, he would immediately apologize to the judge for the crime and express true remorse and tell him he would never do it again. He would then go home and celebrate with his family, looking forward to a happy life ahead. This scenario seems far-fetched, but in actuality, we are all presented with the exact same opportunity. The Shomer Emunim in perek 1 of his ma'amar on hashgacha peratit describes the terrible judgments that a person can potentially receive after he leaves this world. And they are far worse than a life sentence in prison here. It also says in the Gemara that although Hashem is so merciful, He does not overlook even one sin that a person did in this world. In the Next World, everything operates according to strict justice and even the lightest of transgressions will have to be accounted for. The judgment is very scary. There is no moral support from family or friends and everything a person did is, so to speak, caught on camera. However, the Midrash Tehillim , Mizmor 17 on the words מלפניך משפטי יצא tells us אמר הקב"ה לישראל, בני עד ששערי תפלה פתוחים עשו תפלה ותשובה שאני נוטל שוחד בעולם הזה, אבל משאני יושב בדין לעולם הבא איני נוטל שוחד – Hashem tells us "My precious children, while the Gates of Tefila are still open, make repentance and pray to Me for forgiveness because I take bribery in this world however, once I sit in judgment in the Upper World, I can no longer be bribed." Making teshuva is considered bribery, because instead of receiving endless punishments for our sins, we could just feel remorse and tell Hashem we won't do them anymore. And with those feelings and words, we could completely absolve ourselves of all judgments in the Next World. Hashem is the most merciful Judge that we could imagine. He invites everyone to see Him, kavayachol , before the trial so that He could dismiss the entire case and give everyone the greatest life of eternal bliss.

In Day 193 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues exploring the remarkable ways human beings reflect, on a limited scale, qualities Hashem placed into creation. Just as Hashem distinguishes between good and evil, human beings possess the capacity to discern between them. And just as Hashem created and formed the world, mankind has been endowed with extraordinary creative abilities—to build, plant, develop, transform, and accomplish.But human potential does not mean effortless success. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that there are no shortcuts. Greatness requires hard work, Torah study, understanding the ways of Hashem, and ultimately Hashem's assistance. The extraordinary capacities placed within us are possibilities that must be cultivated.The lesson also draws a fascinating parallel between Hashem and the neshamah: neither can be perceived with our physical eyes. We cannot see a soul entering the body at birth or departing at death, yet its reality defines human life. Similarly, the inner thoughts of another person remain hidden from us, while Hashem knows what lies within every heart.Rabbi Wolbe then explains the purpose of the Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Hara. Human beings were deliberately placed into a world of competing impulses so that our choices would have meaning. Our capacity to build or destroy, plant or uproot, accumulate or relinquish, exercise power or restraint creates the arena in which free will operates. The challenge is not to live without an evil inclination, but to strengthen the Yetzer Tov sufficiently to govern it.The lesson concludes with the essential balance between Divine judgment and Divine mercy. Rabbi Wolbe discusses Rashi's teaching on the opening of the Torah: creation is introduced with the Divine name Elohim, associated with judgment. Yet a world operating through strict judgment alone could not endure. Human beings need the possibility of making mistakes, repenting, growing, and trying again. Hashem therefore allows mercy to accompany judgment.Our greatness is found precisely within this system. We possess tremendous potential, but we also possess competing desires and the ability to fail. The person who repeatedly chooses the Yetzer Tov over the Yetzer Hara transforms that struggle into spiritual greatness. Such a person, Rabbi Wolbe concludes, is truly fortunate—and fortunate is the mother who brought such a person into the world._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 19, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 193 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues exploring the remarkable ways human beings reflect, on a limited scale, qualities Hashem placed into creation. Just as Hashem distinguishes between good and evil, human beings possess the capacity to discern between them. And just as Hashem created and formed the world, mankind has been endowed with extraordinary creative abilities—to build, plant, develop, transform, and accomplish.But human potential does not mean effortless success. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that there are no shortcuts. Greatness requires hard work, Torah study, understanding the ways of Hashem, and ultimately Hashem's assistance. The extraordinary capacities placed within us are possibilities that must be cultivated.The lesson also draws a fascinating parallel between Hashem and the neshamah: neither can be perceived with our physical eyes. We cannot see a soul entering the body at birth or departing at death, yet its reality defines human life. Similarly, the inner thoughts of another person remain hidden from us, while Hashem knows what lies within every heart.Rabbi Wolbe then explains the purpose of the Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Hara. Human beings were deliberately placed into a world of competing impulses so that our choices would have meaning. Our capacity to build or destroy, plant or uproot, accumulate or relinquish, exercise power or restraint creates the arena in which free will operates. The challenge is not to live without an evil inclination, but to strengthen the Yetzer Tov sufficiently to govern it.The lesson concludes with the essential balance between Divine judgment and Divine mercy. Rabbi Wolbe discusses Rashi's teaching on the opening of the Torah: creation is introduced with the Divine name Elohim, associated with judgment. Yet a world operating through strict judgment alone could not endure. Human beings need the possibility of making mistakes, repenting, growing, and trying again. Hashem therefore allows mercy to accompany judgment.Our greatness is found precisely within this system. We possess tremendous potential, but we also possess competing desires and the ability to fail. The person who repeatedly chooses the Yetzer Tov over the Yetzer Hara transforms that struggle into spiritual greatness. Such a person, Rabbi Wolbe concludes, is truly fortunate—and fortunate is the mother who brought such a person into the world._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 19, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Engaging in the spiritual battle to refine the animal soul guarantees divine assistance and enables one to transform worldly energy into spiritual gain. Constructing a ma'akeh (guardrail) is an independent mitzvah requiring a blessing, teaching that whenever one embarks on a new endeavor or a new year, higher spiritual safeguards are required. While the literal eradication of Amalek awaits the Messianic era, every individual is obligated daily to wage a spiritual war against the apathy and coldness of Amalek through the warmth of prayer. Chai Elul introduces the vitality of Chassidus into the month of Elul, enabling sincere regret over the past to coexist harmoniously with the deep joy of returning to Hashem. The final twelve days of the year before Rosh Hashanah are dedicated to a month-by-month accounting focused primarily on one's involvement in the inner dimensions of Torah and disseminating its wellsprings. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Ki Seitzei in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. Support our work. Please donate! charidy.com/rst

We say every day in Modim , נודה לך ונספר תהילתך. The Maharal explains נודה לך to mean that we thank Hashem that we are His, that He does everything for us. With those words, we are declaring that we recognize we are powerless to do anything on our own. And therefore, נספר תהילתך we constantly relate the praises of Hashem, attributing all our successes to Him. And that is our greatest praise, like the pasuk says in Yirmiya ( perek 9, pasuk 22). The more a person is able to take himself out of the picture and put Hashem in the picture, the greater success he will have. A student once asked his rabbi for guidance on how to bring Hashem more into his business life. The rabbi sent him to a different student of his who was a very successful banker. He said to this student to go and observe the banker and then ask him for advice. The student listened and went to observe the banker dealing with his customers with an unbelievable display of bitachon . After the workday was finished, the banker invited the student into his office and pulled out the Chovot HaLevavot from his drawer. He said, "Every day I learn the Shaar HaBitachon and, afterward, I turn to Hashem and say, ' Ribono Shel Olam , I know that from the day I started this job I never accomplished anything without You. I never worry about tomorrow, how I will repay loans or debts. I trust You with all my heart and I know You could help me fulfill every request. Please, be with me always and help me fulfill my obligations.'" He then told the student this was his secret to his success and source of strength. Another man who had just started out fundraising for a yeshiva went to his rabbi for advice and asked him how to succeed with that. That rabbi told him, "Whenever you speak to someone about the yeshiva's need for funds, have in mind that you are really talking directly to HaKadosh Baruch Hu . In your mind, feel like you are asking your loving Father for help with the yeshiva. Don't focus on the person sitting in front of you. You are talking to Hashem and He is listening." The man took the advice and he practiced it on his first fundraising trip. Since this was his first time, he didn't even know what was considered a successful trip. So when he told the yeshiva how much he raised, they replied that he had been amazingly successful. Some of the philanthropists who were asked for contributions gave in the thousands and the lowest was not less than $100. Some time later, he was told by a relative of his that one of the wealthiest men in the country used to be hosted by his grandfather when he was a young man. For a period of time, he even slept there. So his relative suggested that he go and see him and ask for a donation. He took the advice and, when he arrived at the wealthy man's home, the wealthy man greeted him warmly. They reminisced about their family lives and the conversation was going great. He was sure he was going to get an enormous donation for the yeshiva. After their long conversation, he told the wealthy man why he came to see him. The wealthy man then pulled out some money from his pocket and said he would be happy to contribute. However, it was a low sum. The man said, "I learned a great lesson that day. It was such a shame that I spoke to the wealthy man that entire time when I could have been speaking to HaKadosh Baruch Hu instead." The more we recognize that Hashem controls everything and take ourselves, and people, out of the picture, the more success we'll have.

In Day 192 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary greatness and potential Hashem placed within every human being. Humanity is unique among creation because we possess a neshamah capable of attaining wisdom, penetrating profound ideas, and recognizing both the physical world and the spiritual reality behind it.Rabbi Wolbe compares the Torah to life's owner's manual. A table, computer, or even a door comes with instructions explaining how it should be assembled and used. Life is infinitely more complicated, so Hashem gave us His instructions as well. The Torah teaches us how to approach marriage, raise children, develop ourselves, and understand the purpose for which we were created. If we want to know how to maximize life, we need to study the manual provided by its Creator.The lesson compares our relationship with Hashem to a king who brings trusted servants into his innermost chambers, reveals his treasures and secrets, and entrusts them with tremendous responsibility. The very fact that the king shares so much with them demonstrates how highly he regards them. Similarly, Hashem allows humanity to discover the extraordinary wisdom embedded throughout creation and gives us dominion over the physical world. This should awaken us to both our greatness and our responsibility.Rabbi Wolbe then offers a fascinating explanation for humanity's seemingly endless ambition. Our sages teach that one who has one hundred wants two hundred, and one who has two hundred wants four hundred. The soul originates from a lofty spiritual realm and naturally yearns to rise higher. But when that tremendous drive becomes redirected through the physical body, the desire for spiritual greatness can become a pursuit of bigger houses, greater wealth, higher positions, nicer possessions, and more honor.The goal, therefore, isn't to eliminate our drive for greatness—it is to redirect it upward. The closer we become to Hashem through Torah and mitzvot, the more we uncover the enormous spiritual potential already within us. Rabbi Wolbe concludes that human beings are capable of far more than we imagine. By fulfilling Hashem's will, we become increasingly connected to Him and can transform the soul's endless desire for "more" into an endless pursuit of wisdom, holiness, and closeness to God._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 18, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Understanding how and why Hashem loves us is not a just a "2026 concept" but rather the secret to Elul.

In Day 192 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary greatness and potential Hashem placed within every human being. Humanity is unique among creation because we possess a neshamah capable of attaining wisdom, penetrating profound ideas, and recognizing both the physical world and the spiritual reality behind it.Rabbi Wolbe compares the Torah to life's owner's manual. A table, computer, or even a door comes with instructions explaining how it should be assembled and used. Life is infinitely more complicated, so Hashem gave us His instructions as well. The Torah teaches us how to approach marriage, raise children, develop ourselves, and understand the purpose for which we were created. If we want to know how to maximize life, we need to study the manual provided by its Creator.The lesson compares our relationship with Hashem to a king who brings trusted servants into his innermost chambers, reveals his treasures and secrets, and entrusts them with tremendous responsibility. The very fact that the king shares so much with them demonstrates how highly he regards them. Similarly, Hashem allows humanity to discover the extraordinary wisdom embedded throughout creation and gives us dominion over the physical world. This should awaken us to both our greatness and our responsibility.Rabbi Wolbe then offers a fascinating explanation for humanity's seemingly endless ambition. Our sages teach that one who has one hundred wants two hundred, and one who has two hundred wants four hundred. The soul originates from a lofty spiritual realm and naturally yearns to rise higher. But when that tremendous drive becomes redirected through the physical body, the desire for spiritual greatness can become a pursuit of bigger houses, greater wealth, higher positions, nicer possessions, and more honor.The goal, therefore, isn't to eliminate our drive for greatness—it is to redirect it upward. The closer we become to Hashem through Torah and mitzvot, the more we uncover the enormous spiritual potential already within us. Rabbi Wolbe concludes that human beings are capable of far more than we imagine. By fulfilling Hashem's will, we become increasingly connected to Him and can transform the soul's endless desire for "more" into an endless pursuit of wisdom, holiness, and closeness to God._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 18, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Torah 32: Becoming a Kli for the LightWhat is our actual avodah in this world? In this opening to Torah 32, Rabbeinu gives us a striking framework: Hashem is ready to be mashpia. Our task is to become the kli capable of receiving that shefa. The world we experience as fragmented and complicated is the final expression of a much deeper spiritual structure, where unity unfolds through layer after layer until it reaches the apparent separateness of Malchus and our world.The shiur develops this through the relationship between mashpia and mekabel. A giver cannot meaningfully give without a recipient capable of receiving, and a recipient fulfills its purpose only by turning toward the source of what it is meant to receive. Our avodah is therefore not to manufacture the light, but to build ourselves into vessels aligned with it. What appears to us as countless separate pieces is ultimately one system, and emunah allows us to begin reconnecting the puzzle back to its Source.Against this background, Rabbeinu opens with “Hashem sefasai tiftach” and the dancing of a wedding. Before the zivug can occur, Malchus, represented by the kallah, must first become prepared to receive. Rabbeinu describes this preparation through the transformation of נער into נערה, the mitigation of din through its reconnection upward to Binah. The physical act of dancing is therefore not merely celebration. When performed with awareness, it reflects and participates in a spiritual process of preparing the kli to receive blessing.This gives an entirely different meaning to standing before a chassan and kallah and dancing. The same physical movement can exist at radically different levels depending on the consciousness behind it. A person can simply move his feet, or recognize that his actions participate in an avodah reaching into the deepest structure through which Hashem brings shefa into the world. Ultimately, Torah 32 begins with a question that reaches far beyond the wedding hall: Are we living as independent pieces, or are we continually turning ourselves toward the Source and becoming vessels capable of receiving what Hashem wants to give?Please reach out - would love to hear from you mrubin214@gmail.com

Do these laws originate with Moshe, just Hashem confirms them? Were they told to him at an earlier time?

We can't experience victory until we choose to reject defeat. In the last episode of “The Light of Thinking Supernaturally,” Rabbi explains how we must willingly reject the enemy's thoughts, and how that can break defeatist cycles and fully clothe us in the light of Hashem. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES - https://djj.show/1pj 

The pasuk says in Shir HaShirim about Hashem that He is משגיח מן החלונות מציץ מן החרכים – He watches over us through the windows and peers through the cracks. The sefer Shirat Shlomo explained this pasuk with a mashal of a father who heard that his son became sick with an illness that put him into a coma. The father quickly traveled to the hospital and never left his bedside until he became healed. When his son finally opened his eyes, he was so surprised to see his father there. He asked him how he got there so quickly. His father replied, "I didn't just get here. I have been by your side the entire time that you were here." The same is true of us and Hashem. During this long, almost two thousand-year exile, we have lost our ability to see Hashem, kavayachol . And when it suddenly comes to an end and Hashem reveals Himself, we are going to be in amazement at seeing the presence of the Shechina. We are also going to ask Hashem how He came so suddenly, and Hashem is going to say that He was always with us. He never left our side for a moment. Even though now we aren't able to see Hashem openly, we are definitely able to feel His presence and pick up on the signals that He sends us all the time. A person may say that he hears about how Hashem is involved in so many other people's lives, but he never gets to see it in his own life. We must know, Hashem is involved in everyone's lives without exception. He speaks to all of us all the time, but it is up to us to see it. And that depends on the way we train our minds to think. A young lady sent me the following story about herself, which will help us understand this point better. She said she had been taking the city bus to work for the last year. The beginning of the ride is pleasant but then, when the bus stops at a certain transit center, a lot of homeless people get on and the bus fills up with a terrible odor of alcohol and drugs. Each day, she would feel so down at that moment. She would sometimes think, Yosef Hatzaddik's wagon was filled with sweet spices on his way down to Mitzrayim , and that is how he knew that Hashem was with him. Why is my commute to work accompanied by the most unpleasant odors? Then, one day at the transit center, she was struck with a completely different feeling. The bus was filling up and it reached its capacity and the smell became very strong. But suddenly it hit her; all those people were taking things that harm themselves just to feel happier. Thank You Hashem that despite the fact that I am in shidduchim and it is rough and my friends are all married and I am bored and lonely, I have enough meaning and purpose and reason in my life to be grateful, that I don't have to resort to doing those things. הודו לה' כי טוב . From that moment on, her entire perspective changed. Every day she would anticipate the time when the bus would reach that transit center so she could, once again, be reminded of how much beracha she has in her life and how good Hashem is to her. Recently, baruch Hashem, she got engaged and will be moving to a new neighborhood and will no longer need public transportation regularly. She is so excited about how she was able to change her attitude and really feel Hashem with her. She will now miss that moment of daily connection on the bus, but she knows she will find it in other ways. This young lady is teaching us a great lesson. She thought that Hashem abandoned her, as she suffered from the foul odors every day on the bus. But little did she know, that was precisely where she was going to find Hashem and connect to Him in ways that she could have never dreamed of. Hashem is with us all the time but we have to use our minds the right way to feel His presence.

Rabbi Jonathan Rietti continues the series on Likutey Moharan, Torah 4, with Shiur #15 — mapping the three levels of Vidui Devarim and answering, head-on, the charge that Breslov's practice of confession was borrowed from the Church. Rebbe Nachman taught that the only way to take back the malchus we hand over to the nations is Vidui Devarim before a talmid chacham amiti. That teaching earned Breslov the nickname "Viduniks" — and 200 years of criticism from within Klal Yisrael. In this shiur R' Rietti shows that vidui devarim is not just older than Catholic confession, it is a mitzvas asei d'Oraisa that runs from the third chapter of Bereishis straight through the korbanos of Vayikra. Covered in this shiur: • The three levels: vidui before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, vidui before a tzaddik / talmid chacham, and vidui at the tzaddik's kever• Rabbi Tovia Singer and the FBI counterfeit-detection analogy — why you don't need to be a bokie in Christianity to answer it• Adam HaRishon: "Ayekah" as an invitation to say one word — "Chatati" — and what the world would have looked like had he said it• Chava's missed moment, and Rashi/Midrash on why Hashem asked questions He already knew the answers to• David HaMelech before Nasan HaNavi: one word that lifted a death sentence• Kayin: the first depression in the Torah, and the difference between "Lamah" and "Madua"• Yehuda and Tamar: how "Tzadka mimeni" earned the crown of malchus and the Davidic dynasty• The Golden Calf: Moshe Rabbeinu doing vidui on behalf of Klal Yisrael — "mecheini na misifrecha"• Korbanos: semicha and vidui in front of the kohen, thousands of times a day, for over a thousand years• "Ashrei hador shehanasi shelo mevi kapara al shig'so" — why we want leaders with the courage to admit a mistake• Reb Zusha's talmid, the search for "the tzaddik whose followers do vidui," and the scene outside Rebbe Nachman's room• The Baal Shem Tov's talmid who refused to confess three times — the story behind Torah 4• Q&A: If you can go straight to Hashem, why go through a tzaddik? Avraham Avinu and "v'nivrechu becha kol mishpechos ha'adamah"• Hisbodedus, Rebbe Nachman's openness about his own falls, why there is no yeridas hadoros for the individual, and emunah vs. daas Next week b'ezras Hashem: the Rambam's lashon in Hilchos Teshuvah, and vidui before a talmid chacham when the tzaddik is no longer in this world. Recorded live at Breslov New Hempstead, August 16, 2026. CHAPTERS0:00 Intro, dedication, and review of Torah 4 §1–34:00 Vidui devarim before a talmid chacham amiti5:17 "Viduniks" — the criticism of Breslov6:10 Catholic confession: 1,700 years vs. 3,3387:17 The three levels of vidui devarim8:24 There is nothing original in Christianity9:41 R' Tovia Singer and the FBI counterfeit-bill test13:38 The first vidui in the Torah — Adam HaRishon15:00 Moshe Rabbeinu transposing Yehuda's vidui16:44 A tzaddik who is mechaper for his generation17:57 Why we shied away from the tzaddik for 1,800 years21:45 "Ayekah" — an invitation to a conversation24:57 Adam blames Chava; the blame game29:33 David HaMelech: "Chatati LaShem"31:46 Kayin's korban and the first depression in the Torah34:39 "Lamah" or "Madua"? Which direction the question faces38:33 Kayin kills Hevel — the second invitation, refused42:20 "Tzadka mimeni" and the crown of malchus45:43 The Golden Calf — Moshe's vidui for Klal Yisrael50:54 Korbanos: semicha and vidui before the kohen54:14 "Ashrei hador shehanasi shelo mevi kapara"58:35 Reb Zusha and the Viduniks60:25 The Baal Shem Tov's talmid who refused to confess63:39 Q&A: Why go through the tzaddik at all?68:03 Hisbodedus, and Rebbe Nachman's honesty about falling71:07 No yeridas hadoros for the individual73:49 Emunah vs. daas — the pilot analogy77:11 Closing

Jackie Glaser shares her incredible story of getting married in her 40s and becoming a mother around 50. After freezing her eggs in her mid-30s, she came back to them 14 years later with just one viable embryo. That embryo became her daughter, Ariela. A moving conversation about dating, fertility, faith, and trusting Hashem's timing.More from Mrs. Glaser: https://www.jackieglaser.com/✬ FRIENDS OF THE EPISODE ✬► Colel Chabad: Help Families in IsraelThe Colel Chabad Pushka App makes it simple to turn giving tzedakah into a daily habit. Set a reminder, give from anywhere, and make sure tzedakah stays part of your day.DOWNLOAD THE APP & HELP HERE→ https://pushkapp.cc/inspo► BF Design: Designed for RealityBF Design brings a real understanding of frum life to architecture, helping shuls, schools, homes, commercial buildings, and community spaces function properly from day one.LEARN MORE→ https://bfdesign.comCALL HERE→ 732-961-1202► Primal Krisp: Glatt Kosher Meat ChipsNot jerky. Thin, crispy, crunchy meat chips packed with protein and made with simple ingredients. No sugar, preservatives, seed oils, or unnecessary fillers.Use code INSPIRE for 15% OFF your first order.SHOP HERE→ https://bit.ly/4bQB60J► JWed: Find Your Chosen OneFor over 25 years, JWed has been helping marriage-minded Jewish singles find their bashert, with more than 4,000 verified marriages.START HERE→ https://bit.ly/4wEnwoM► Wheels To Lease: #1 Leasing CompanyReach out to Sol from Wheels To Lease for a simple, stress-free leasing experience from a team that takes care of you throughout the process.→ CALL/TEXT: 718-871-8715→ EMAIL: inspire@wheelstolease.com→ WEB: https://bit.ly/41lnzYU→ WHATSAPP: https://wa.link/0w46ce► EL ALWhether you're traveling for business, visiting family, or planning Chanukah in Eretz Yisroel, fly EL AL and travel with confidence.BOOK YOUR FLIGHT→ https://bit.ly/4wvYWa1✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬This episode is in memory of:• Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima• Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe• Shaindel bas Chaim Yehuda Leib#iftnLchaim.

Visitors to Jerusalem's Old City see a marvelous religious diversity that is unique in the contemporary Middle East, and made possible by Israeli sovereignty. For most of Jewish history, the Jewish people have lived at the mercy of other nations, and the security of Jewish communities depended on the Christian or Muslim rulers in whose lands Jews lived. But in the Old City of Jerusalem, one walks around and sees so many religious sites, Christian and Muslim, of immense theological significance, all protected by the laws and law-enforcement officers of the Jewish state. Israel's commitment to the security of Christian and Muslim sites and worshipers is, seen through the eyes of history, a breathtaking accomplishment. But an accomplishment of this kind is also a test. There are shocking reports of Christian worshippers and Christian clergy being harassed by Jewish Israelis. The Wall Street Journal and other outlets have recently reported on a spike of such abhorrent incidents. Israel's president, prime minister, and chief rabbis, along with several members of the Knesset and other prominent figures, have all condemned this behavior. But even if the perpetrators are not in any way representative of Israeli society as a whole, it is worth seeking to understand why these contemptible acts are happening and what they mean. Rabbi Mark Dratch chairs the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations and has been writing about the ugly reports of spitting on Christian worshippers and on the damage and disrespect done to a Christian statue by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon. He joins the podcast today to discuss these topics with the host and editor of Mosaic Jonathan Silver. The primary subject of their conversation is not diplomacy or Israel's reputation abroad, though of course these things matter greatly. Instead, the focus of this episode is what the Jewish tradition calls hillul Hashem, desecration of God's name, and what it means for a people who spent thousands of years in exile to preside over religious minorities of the kind they once were.

In Day 191 of The Ways of the Righteous (Gate of Fear of Heaven), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains that while human beings are given dominion over creation, that authority carries responsibility. Animals were created to serve mankind—not because they are unimportant, but because humanity possesses something infinitely greater: an eternal soul. We are commanded to treat animals with compassion and even feed them before ourselves, yet our unique role is to elevate creation through our relationship with Hashem.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes the extraordinary greatness of the neshamah. Before birth, the soul exists in a realm of perfect spiritual clarity, but at birth it becomes enclosed within a physical body. The crying of a newborn symbolizes the soul's transition from unlimited closeness to Hashem into a world of confusion and physical limitations. Throughout life, the soul longs to return to that closeness, while the body constantly seeks physical gratification. Our task is to allow the soul—not the body—to direct our choices.Using the metaphor of a rider and a horse, Rabbi Wolbe teaches that the neshamah must hold the reins while the body serves merely as its vehicle. The body is necessary to perform mitzvot and acts of kindness, but it must remain subordinate to the soul's higher purpose. When the soul guides the body, every physical action becomes elevated into something eternal.The lesson also explores why Judaism teaches the future resurrection of the dead. Both the soul and the body contribute to a life of righteousness: the soul inspires holiness, while the body performs the mitzvot. Therefore, both ultimately share in the eternal reward when they are reunited in the World to Come.Finally, Rabbi Wolbe explains that the vast universe—the sun, moon, stars, and all of creation—exists not for the temporary body but for the eternal soul. Every aspect of creation is designed to inspire us to recognize Hashem's greatness and draw closer to Him. The purpose of enjoying this world is not indulgence but elevation: to use every blessing Hashem gives us as a means of strengthening our relationship with Him._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 14, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 191 of The Ways of the Righteous (Gate of Fear of Heaven), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains that while human beings are given dominion over creation, that authority carries responsibility. Animals were created to serve mankind—not because they are unimportant, but because humanity possesses something infinitely greater: an eternal soul. We are commanded to treat animals with compassion and even feed them before ourselves, yet our unique role is to elevate creation through our relationship with Hashem.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes the extraordinary greatness of the neshamah. Before birth, the soul exists in a realm of perfect spiritual clarity, but at birth it becomes enclosed within a physical body. The crying of a newborn symbolizes the soul's transition from unlimited closeness to Hashem into a world of confusion and physical limitations. Throughout life, the soul longs to return to that closeness, while the body constantly seeks physical gratification. Our task is to allow the soul—not the body—to direct our choices.Using the metaphor of a rider and a horse, Rabbi Wolbe teaches that the neshamah must hold the reins while the body serves merely as its vehicle. The body is necessary to perform mitzvot and acts of kindness, but it must remain subordinate to the soul's higher purpose. When the soul guides the body, every physical action becomes elevated into something eternal.The lesson also explores why Judaism teaches the future resurrection of the dead. Both the soul and the body contribute to a life of righteousness: the soul inspires holiness, while the body performs the mitzvot. Therefore, both ultimately share in the eternal reward when they are reunited in the World to Come.Finally, Rabbi Wolbe explains that the vast universe—the sun, moon, stars, and all of creation—exists not for the temporary body but for the eternal soul. Every aspect of creation is designed to inspire us to recognize Hashem's greatness and draw closer to Him. The purpose of enjoying this world is not indulgence but elevation: to use every blessing Hashem gives us as a means of strengthening our relationship with Him._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 14, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

The Torah says about the mitzvah of teshuva , according to the Ramban,כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו – teshuva is very close to us, it's in our mouths and it's in our hearts. When it comes to sins between us and Hashem, this is understandable. But what about when it comes to sins between man and man? If someone took money from someone else but can't find him to return it, how will he achieve teshuva just with his heart and his mouth. Or what if he wronged another person who refuses to forgive him? How will he achieve teshuva with his heart and his mouth? When Rav Zalman of Volozhin was trying to find somebody who he insulted in his youth, he couldn't locate him and he began to cry, thinking that he wasn't going to get forgiven. The Vilna Gaon found out about it and told him, when a person does all that he can to fix a sin, Hashem will send him help from above to fix it, even if that sin is bein adam lechavero. The Chovot HaLevavot writes in the Shaar HaTeshuva , perek 10, if someone stole money but he honestly feels remorse and wants to pay it back, but he doesn't have the money to pay, Hashem will give him the money just so he could achieve teshuva . The Chovot HaLevavot writes as well, if a person wronged another but he has a real desire to make teshuva , Hashem will put feelings of mercy in the other person's heart to forgive him. As long as we have a real ratzon in our hearts, Hashem will help us make the teshuva we need to be forgiven. Rabbi Shmuel Travis told a personal story which took place about 20 years ago. An older man in his 90's named Mr. Leib prayed in his shul. Mr. Leib moved to his area, Rishon Letzion, 15 years prior and he prayed in his shul every day. One day, Mr. Leib asked the Rabbi if he could speak to him in private. He told the Rabbi he wasn't always religious and growing up in Russia was very difficult for him. He had gone into business selling leather with his brother, but the taxes were extremely high. They formed a corporation of ten people which exempted them from the taxes. But, under that corporation they did some shady things and one of the men there was extremely corrupt. The brothers had to fire him but, in an act of revenge, this man told the KGB about their shady practices. They were punished mercilessly for their crimes. They then took revenge on this man and told the KGB about what he did when he was with their company. They came down very hard on this man and took a lot of money away from him. Mr Leib then told the Rabbi, "I can't live with myself. I informed on another Jew in an act of revenge and I never got forgiveness from him. Please, Rabbi, I'll do whatever it takes, I just need to be forgiven. The Rabbi asked Mr. Leib if he knew anything about that man and his family now. Mr. Leib replied he had heard the man passed away over ten years ago. The Rabbi then said, technically, he could ask forgiveness by the man's grave with a minyan, but he would need to find the man's heirs to pay back the money for the loss that he caused him. Mr. Leib then began to cry and said he would do anything to get forgiven. The Rabbi told him he would discuss the matter with other Rabbis and that Mr. Leib should come back to him the following week on a Wednesday. That next week, Mr. Leib came back to the Rabbi on Tuesday and his face was glowing. He told the Rabbi he didn't need any rulings, his issue was solved and he explained. On Sunday night he felt feverish and he decided to go to the doctor on Monday morning. He prayed in the first minyan, as usual, and went right afterward to the doctor. The doctor's office was still closed as it was very early in the morning. Mr. Leib was waiting outside and saw another man waiting by the bus stop next door. They made conversation with each other. Turned out, this man was from the old neighborhood that Mr. Leib was from in Russia. Not only that, he discovered that this man's wife was the daughter of the man he was trying to get forgiveness from. He then went back with this man to his home and told his wife all that happened. She said she remembered the episode and exactly how much money the KGB took from her father. She then told him she had three siblings back in Russia, three brothers who were her father's heirs, and she gave him their contact information. Mr. Leib had a bank account in Russia with money that he was not able to bring over with him but was able to transfer it to people in Russia. It had just the amount he needed to make full restitution to those heirs. He contacted them and made the bank transfer, dividing up the money in three ways. Later on, they each sent him a receipt to show that he paid. Mr. Leib then went to the Rabbi and showed him the receipts. He said, "Here, this is my proof that I have received teshuva ." He asked the Rabbi that when the time came he wanted to be buried with those receipts. This man had a strong desire to make teshuva and he even shed tears to show it. Hashem gave him the siyata d'Shamaya he needed to find the people he was looking for. Teshuva is very close to us, it's in our hearts and our mouths. All we need is a strong desire to do it.

In Day 190 of The Ways of the Righteous (Gate of Fear of Heaven), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues exploring the three dimensions of the human soul: the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. While animals possess the drives of the nefesh and ruach, only human beings are endowed with the neshamah—the uniquely Divine intellect that enables us to discern truth from falsehood, develop wisdom, and elevate ourselves spiritually. Unlike the physical body, the wisdom acquired by the neshamah accompanies a person beyond this world.The central message of the lesson is that our lives are shaped by whichever part of ourselves we choose to nourish. Rabbi Wolbe compares the neshamah to a vacuum cleaner that is constantly searching to be filled. If we fail to satisfy it with holiness, Torah, mitzvot, and acts of kindness, it will desperately seek fulfillment elsewhere through material pursuits that can never truly satisfy. Wealth, pleasure, fame, and possessions may entertain the body, but only closeness to Hashem nourishes the soul.Rabbi Wolbe also explains that although the neshamah originates in the intellect, its goal is to transform the heart. The heart is the source of both positive and negative inclinations, and every person chooses which side to strengthen. By allowing the mind and the neshamah to guide the heart, a person redirects powerful emotions and desires toward holiness rather than selfish gratification. The same passion that can drive destructive behavior can also become the engine for tremendous righteousness.Finally, the lesson teaches that wisdom is the key to understanding both the physical and spiritual worlds. Torah enables a person to distinguish between what merely appears attractive and what genuinely brings eternal value. Every advancement, talent, and technology can be used either for holiness or for destruction. The responsibility lies with us to allow our neshamah to lead our choices so that, when we ultimately stand before Hashem, we can answer that we invested our lives in what truly mattered._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 13, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

John Spencer is a retired Army officer, Urban Warfare expert, Chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum and Executive Director at the Urban Warfare Institute. He's been in some funky situations (including seven visits to Gaza), and encountered everything from terrorists to killer bees. He captures it all in his new book, Twenty Times I Almost Died: Life Lessons from the Edge of Survival. It's a great book, funny and insightful, and you should absolutely buy it for yourself and the people in your life.We talk about the badass bond between the IDF and the US Armed Forces, the privilege of being a pacifist, and why John might prefer his kids go to Columbia over the Naval Academy (shudder)* Chaya Leah was also in the army… Hashem's army* The NY Times wants to know if John got his $7,000 from us.* Pushing back against Jon Stewart* No man steps into the same river twice* John can't decide what's worse, sending his kids to Columbia, or the Naval Academy.* Oh you don't believe in war? How nice.* We ask John about his life, he answers about subterranean warfare.* A brief detour to Ukraine* Can you teach resilience?* Total victory? It's possible.* The bond between the US military and the IDF is pretty badass.* Lies of omission are everywhere.* Soft times create weak men.* Children on flights are worse than some wars. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

In this Elul shiur, Reb Joey explores teshuvah not as a return driven by fear, shame, or self-judgment, but as a movement back toward the love and closeness that have never truly disappeared. Through teachings of Rebbe Nachman and the tzaddikim, we discover the surprising role of laughter, joy, and lightness in breaking through the heaviness of the year—and in remembering that every descent can become the beginning of a deeper return to Hashem.Series page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/series/tanya⁠⁠Support Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

With many struggling in business at this time, people are asking what they could do spiritually to improve their financial status. We know the Sefer Hachinuch writes in mitzva 430 that whoever is careful to say Birkat Hamazon properly will have his sustenance given to him in a dignified manner for his entire life. The Sefer Ta'ameh Haminhagim u'Mekoreh Hadinim writes that saying Birkat Hamazon out loud with joy is a segula for wealth. A rabbi from Yerushalayim related that this past year he has had a lot of struggles in parnasa and Baruch Hashem, his daughter got engaged, which meant a lot more expenses. His friend encouraged him to start eating bread every single day and utilize the wondrous segula of saying Birkat Hamazon . The rabbi told this friend that his diet only allowed him to eat bread one day a week on Shabbat. But the friend insisted that the segula has been tried and tested and told him to eat just the bare minimum necessary to say Birkat Hamazon on a daily basis. Later that day, the rabbi went to the Kotel to pray Arbit and there he saw a Hashgacha Peratit newsletter. On the first page was a writeup from Rabbi Pinchas Shafer about a man who was struggling with parnasa, who began saying Birkat Hamazon and saw amazing yeshuot . The rabbi was convinced and he and his rebbetzin both accepted upon themselves to start eating bread every single day. The first thing the rabbi said was how much he enjoyed saying Birkat Hamazon and truly concentrating when thanking Hashem. Less than two weeks since they started, a wealthy friend of his came over to him one day and said, "I want to help with the upcoming wedding of your daughter. And then he handed him an envelope with 10,000 shekels inside. The rabbi became emotional, seeing how Hashem had just helped him in such an open way. That Friday, he told all of his children of the recent developments and asked them to each begin saying Birkat Hamazon with kavana from a siddur . He also told them that we don't do mitzvot just for a segula and proceeded to tell them what a zechut it was to thank Hashem properly for all of His goodness and chesed, especially during the mitzvat aseh of Birkat Hamazon . That Shabbat, they were all inspired to say Birkat Hamazon the right way. During that upcoming week, the rebbetzin who had been unemployed found an easy and pleasant job. The rabbi who learned during the day and had a job at night, seeing all of the Heavenly help with parnasa, decided to ask for a raise at his job. The very next day, he was told that the raise was approved. Furthermore, one of his children needed a new pair of shoes and went to the store to buy them. When he picked out the shoes he wanted, the salesman said, "Those are free." He explained that someone returned them after wearing them for an hour. He told that customer they couldn't take them back after they were worn. And so the person said, "No problem, just give them to someone who needs them." He put a mark on the box and that was the pair that this boy picked out. Another one of the rabbi's children needed a new suit, and he heard there was a sale at a popular store. The regular price of a suit is about a thousand shekels. On the outside of the store, it said some suits were as much as 50% off, but when he saw the selection, he did not like any of those suits. He took the suit he liked to the register, and there he was told that on that suit there were two sales and the price came out to only 360 shekels. Those are the stories that happened to them in just the last two months. The rabbi said the greatest gift he got from all of this is a new appreciation for saying Birkat Hamazon and thanking Hashem in general. We could all benefit from saying Birkat Hamazon the right way, and truly thanking Hashem the way we are supposed to.

In this lesson from the Gate of Fear of Heaven (Shaar Yirat Shamayim), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the deeper structure of the human soul through the concepts of nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. Drawing from the teachings of Orchot Tzaddikim, he explains that the nefesh is associated with physical desire, the ruach with emotion, honor, and ego, and the neshamah with the intellect and our highest spiritual aspirations. These three forces operate simultaneously within every person, creating the lifelong struggle between immediate physical gratification and the soul's desire for closeness to Hashem.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that reality extends far beyond what our physical eyes can perceive. Spiritual causes and consequences may exist even when they are hidden from us. Through a story involving a businessman who sought guidance from a Kabbalistic sage, he illustrates the Torah perspective that our spiritual choices can influence aspects of life in ways that are not visible on the surface. The broader lesson is that Judaism asks us to look beyond the purely material world and recognize that our actions affect both the physical and spiritual dimensions of existence.The lesson then focuses on the central battle between intellect and emotion. The heart may crave what feels pleasurable in the moment, even when the mind knows that the choice is harmful. Rabbi Wolbe uses the example of someone warned by a doctor to avoid unhealthy food who nevertheless places himself in a tempting environment and gradually rationalizes giving in. Spiritual maturity requires training the mind to govern the heart rather than allowing emotions and impulses to dictate our choices.Rabbi Wolbe concludes by describing life as an ongoing contest between the physical forces that pursue pleasure, wealth, honor, and comfort and the neshamah that continually asks a deeper question: What will bring me closer to Hashem? Whichever side we strengthen becomes more powerful. When physical desires dominate, spiritual sensitivity weakens. When the neshamah leads, humility, wisdom, and closeness to God flourish. The struggle itself is the purpose of life—and every choice gives us another opportunity to allow the highest part of ourselves to lead._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 12, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

Continuing the Alter Rebbe's introduction, Reb Joey explores the unique power of the writings of tzaddikim—not merely as sources of information, but as vessels carrying the light and presence of their authors. Tanya emerges as a deeply personal book of guidance, love, and healing, helping each person discover the tzaddik within themselves while navigating the work of growth and avodas Hashem.Series page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/series/tanya⁠⁠Support Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

Reb Joey enters into the Arizal's description of Tzimtzum—the concealment that allows what existed only in potential within the Infinite Light to emerge into actual revelation. Exploring the mysterious “center point,” the relationship between concealment and revelation, and the movement from infinity into limitation, Reb Joey shows how the Arizal's cosmic map speaks directly to avodah: discovering Hashem's presence within apparent absence and limitation.Series page: ⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/series/otzros-chaimSupport Reb Joey's Torah: ⁠⁠https://inwardtorah.org/support⁠⁠

The Shomer Emunim writes in his ma'amar on hashgacha peratit ( perek 6), any suffering that a person bears in this world, especially if he believes that it's coming from Hashem and doesn't question Him, then it will cleanse him from endless potential suffering in the Next World. If a person was able to see what he was gaining through each suffering in this world, he would dance with the greatest joy, realizing the unbelievable kindness that Hashem is bestowing upon him. The greatest gains from any affliction come about if the person accepts it with love. Fortunate is the person who accepts his suffering with love. Aside for the tremendous benefit it brings him, the Gemara in Ta'anit says, it is so powerful, it brings about salvations to the entire world. The Shomer Emunim writes further, if a person gets even a small affliction and instead of attributing it to happenstance, he recognizes it was from Hashem and he says, "I deserve this because of my sins," and he asks Hashem to be forgiven, that would bring him forgiveness for all of the blemishes he created in the Upper Worlds, and all the judgments would then become sweetened for him and it will be considered as if he received much more suffering than he actually did. The angel that used to learn Torah with the Bet Yosef told him, on one occasion, the reason why his wife wasn't having children. It had something to do with her neshama having a male element to it. But then he was told, because she went through certain sufferings and she accepted them happily, that made her soul so pure. Through that, she was zocheh to have children. A man once came to the Steipler Rebbe in need of chizuk due to all the problems he was experiencing. The Steipler told him not to dwell too much on the problems of this world. He went on to tell that man about all the problems he had. He said if he would have paid attention to all of his suffering, he would have remained an am ha'aretz , not learning even one page of Gemara . He said some of his problems were so great they could have been distributed to a hundred people and there would have been enough for all of them. Yet, because of his emunah, he knew all of his problems were sent by his loving Father Hashem, for his benefit, and that enabled him to move on each time with happiness. He grew in Torah, amidst the suffering, until he became the Gadol Hador. If people keep saying they are waiting for this problem to end, for that issue to become easier, they will be forfeiting their greatest opportunities for spiritual growth. We do hope the problems will become easier and go away, but in the meantime, if we persevere and continue fulfilling our roles as ovdei Hashem happily, we could reach the greatest heights. There are also great segulot involved in a person accepting what is happening to him with love. It brings about Heavenly mercy, it makes a person more fit for salvation, and most importantly, it purifies him and brings him to great spiritual levels. Chazal tell us, if Iyov wouldn't have complained about his suffering, he would have risen to the level of our holy Avot, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. This is the awesome value of not complaining, and rather accepting that whatever is happening is happening because of Hashem and it is for our best. If when a person is going through troubles, he is able to continue on living happily and serving Hashem to the best of his ability, his rewards will be endless.

Today's poem is ode to the afternoon by Zeina Hashem Beck.The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “‘Que Sera Sera' is a song I remember my mother singing when I was small. Which is fitting, as the song opens with these words: ‘When I was just a little girl I asked my mother what will I be.' I remember part of the chorus well: ‘Que Sera Sera, whatever will be, will be, the future's not ours to see.'” This show is supported by gifts from listeners. Support The Slowdown with a donation today. Slowdownshow.org/donate