Chassidus for Life

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Parshat Vayeira! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom Bereishit on page kuf yud zayin (117). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is anonymously sponsored l’ilui nishmas my grandmother, Tzipporah bas Chaim Dov HaLevi, Morah Cecile Stein. Thank you so much to this week’s generous sponsor! If you woul...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Parshat Lech Lecha! If you want to follow along inside, it is in the Nesivos Shalom on page sameach bet (62). You can find a pdf of the piece here . Thank you to this week’s generous sponsors! This week’s episode is sponsored l’ilui nishmas Hillel ben Yoel Yaakov, as well as my grandmother, Tzipporah bas Chaim Dov HaLevi. This week’s episode i...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Sukkot and Simchat Torah! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom Chelek Bet, on page kuf peh tet (189). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is anonymously sponsored for a refuah sheleimah for Sarah bas Tolsa and shalom for all of Klal Yisrael . Thank you so much to this week’s generous sponsor! If yo...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on the Asseres Yemei Teshuva and Yom Kippur.  If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom Chelek Bet, on page kuf lamed tet (139). You can find a pdf of the piece here .  This week’s episode is sponsored by Eli Waxman l'illy nishmas his father רפאל חיים עוזר ישראל בן הרב יוסף אליעזר ז׳ל. He was a truly loving father and B&quo...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Rosh Hashanah! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom Chelek Bet, on page kuf chaf gimmel (123). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is anonymously sponsored for a good year for all! Thank you so much to this week’s generous sponsor! If you would like to sponsor an episode of the podcast, please emai...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Rosh Hashanah and the essence of the shofar! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom Chelek Bet, on page kuf chaf heh (125). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is generously sponsored by Tikva Hecht l’iluy nishmas Harry & Jennie Hecht and Rabbi Shraga Phyvle & Gitel Rosensweig. Thank you so m...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on the month of Elul! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom on Devarim page reish nun aleph (251). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is sponsored by Eliora Habshush in honor of her engagement to Achiya and in gratitude to Hashem for her special journey to finding her zivug at the right time. Mazal to...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Parshat Shoftim! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom on Devarim page tzadi tet (99). You can find a pdf of the piece here . Sadly there is no sponsor for this week’s episode. I can’t stress enough that your sponsorships are what make this podcast happen! If you would like to sponsor an episode of the podcast, please ema...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on the month of Elul. We will see just how much power it has to change our lives in the upcoming year... if we take advantage of the opportunity! If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom on Devarim page reish lamed gimmel (233). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is generously sponsored in memory of Mord...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av.  If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom on Bamidbar page kuf tzadi vav (196). You can find a pdf of the piece here . This week’s episode is sponsored anonymously in the zechus of a refuah shelaima for Ben Tzion Chaim ben Shayna Necha. Thank you so much to this week's generous sponsor! I...

In this episode, we are learning the Nesivos Shalom on Bein HaMeitzarim, the Three Weeks.  If you want to follow along inside, it is in Nesivos Shalom on Bamidbar page kuf tzadi (190). You can find a pdf of the piece here . There is no sponsor for this week’s episode. I can’t stress enough that your sponsorships are what make this podcast happen. If you would like to sponsor an episode of the podc...

In this episode, we are learning about Parshat Balak! In it, Bilam says the famous line of mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkinotecha Yisrael , which Chazal say is the great blessing of having shuls and batei medrash . Chazal also tell us that of all the brachos of Bilam, this is the only one that was not overturned. What is so powerful about this bracha and these places? Why are they so integral to...

In this episode, we are learning about Parshat Chukat! Based on a poetic section of the parsha , Chazal teach us that those who rule over their yetzer harah should make an accounting of the world. Who are these people who rule over their yetzer harah ? What does it mean to make "an accounting of the world"? And what if I haven’t yet overcome my yeter harah? We’ll get into the depth of ho...

In this episode, we are learning about Parshat Shelach! In it we have chet hameraglim, the tragic sin of the spies and their negative report about the Land of Israel. Very simply, what went wrong? What was Moshe actually thinking when he sent the spies? What were the spies thinking when they came back with their negative report? And how is that meant to shape how we see the Land and relate to wars...

In this episode, we are learning about Parshat Behaaloscha! In it, the Torah tells us how the Mishkan would travel through the desert - that when the cloud would descend upon the Mishkan they would encamp, and when the cloud would rise up they would follow it. What is the meaning of this could? Why does it cover the Mishkan and why do we follow it? And what does that tell us about our inner Mishka...

In this episode we are learning about Shavuos! What is so special about this holy day? What more is happening beneath the surface than us simply receiving the Torah? How do we link into this chag and get the most out of it? We'll get into all that and more in this week's episode! If you want to follow along in the text, it is Nesiovs Shalom Chelek Bet page shin lamed daled (334). You can...

In this episode we are learning about Lag BaOmer! What is this mysterious day really about? Why do we light bonfires and dance? What is so unique and special about Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai that we celebrate his yurtzeit in this way? And what are  we meant to get out of Lag BaOmer? We'll get into all that and more in this week's episode! If you want to follow along in the text, it is Nesio...

In this episode we dive into the unique time of year of Sefiras HaOmer - the seven week period between Pesach and Shavuos! The Midrash tells us to make sure to take the Omer seriously, and that by keeping it, we will merit to inherit Eretz Yisrael. What is so special about the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer that the Midrash puts it on such a pedestal? And why does it assume we would not have given it p...

In this episode dive into the unique time of year of Sefiras HaOmer - the seven week period between Pesach and Shavuos! What is this time of the year really about in its depth? What transformation does God expect us to go through during this spiritually charged process, that seems to have 50 distinct stages to it? We'll get into all that and much more in this week's episode! If you want...

In this episode on the Pesach Haggadah we are going to discuss the arbah banim , the four sons or four children. It's easy to categorize the children in this way: the wise one, the evil on, the simpleton, and the one who cannot ask. But what is really going on with these  children? If we read their questions and answers closely, what are they struggling with on a deeper level? How can we unde...

In this first of two episodes on the Pesach Haggadah we are going to discuss the concept of matchil b'genut u'mesayeim b'shevach , that the Haggadah starts with us at our lowest. Why does story of the Haggadah have to begin this way? Why is this the state we need to be in at the time of the Exodus? And what does that tell us about when we are at our own personal lowest? We'll g...

In this episode we get into Pesach and the mitzvah of bedikas chametz , the days long search for chamtz in our homes. We put so much effort into searing every corner and crack of our house to make sure there isn't even a crumb of chametz on Pesach. In terms of our internal avodah, why is this so important to do? Why are we required to be so much more thorough when it comes to searching for ch...

In this episode we are going to get into Parshat Pekudei, the final Parsha in Sefer Shemot! After many weeks working to construct the Mishkan, Moshe finally put it up. But it takes seven days of him constructing it and breaking it down, multiple times per day, until God's presence finally rests on the Mishkan. What is the meaning of this process? And what does it mean for how we relate to our...

In this episode we are going to get into Parshat Parah, one of the special parshoyot we read leading into Pesach! Why do we read about the Parah Adumah, the purifying red heifer, this week? What is so powerful about this mysterious mitzvah ? And how does it in fact begin to prepare us for Pesach? We'll get into all of that and  much more in this episode!   If you want to follow along in the t...

*Link to my Parsha WhatsApp chat mentioned in this episode - click here to join . In this episode we are going to get into the meaning of the Gemara that says that a person is supposed to drink on Purim to the point of not being able to tell the difference between the cursedness of Haman and the blessedness of Mordechai. Why would this be something to strive for on such a holy day? And where are w...