Rav Shlomo Katz on the Parsha

Why is the evening prayer ( Maariv ) considered optional ( reshut ) in the Talmud, yet we treat it as obligatory? Rav Shlomo Katz explores the profound mystical origins of Maariv through the teachings of Rav Kook (Olat Reiya) and the student of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Rimanov . We learn that Maariv corresponds to the Third Temple—a reality that hasn't physically manifested yet, and therefore cann...

Rachel Imeinu is the master of timing. She knew when to be silent as her sister married her soulmate, but she also knew when to scream, "Give me children or I die!" In this emotional shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz navigates the tension between silence and protest, drawing on the Ramban (Nachmanides) and the Shelah HaKadosh . We explore why Yaakov got angry at Rachel—not from a lack of compassion, but to p...

What is the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God? In this session, Rav Shlomo Katz opens the Piaseczna Rebbe’s (The Aish Kodesh) commentary, Derech HaMelech , to explore Yaakov’s realization: "God was in this place, and I did not know." Rav Shlomo explains that we can go through life doing all the right Mitzvos, yet remain spiritually asleep to the intimacy ( Anochi ) of Hash...

Yaakov Avinu leaves the clarity of Be'er Sheva and heads toward the darkness of Charan. How does he survive the transition? Rav Shlomo Katz shares a powerful teaching from Rabbi Yehuda Leib Eiger (The Toras Emes) and the Izhbitzer Rebbe on the word Vayifga (and he encountered/hit). We learn that this wasn't a casual prayer, but a demand. Yaakov essentially said, "I am sleeping right here, and I am...

When looking for a soulmate, we often have a checklist of what we think is good for us. But what happens when the person we marry reveals a part of ourselves we never knew existed In this shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz explores the deepest mechanics of Zivugim (soulmates) through the lens of the Beit Yaakov (Rabbi Yaakov Leiner, son of the Izhbitzer Rebbe) . We delve into the difference between the "revea...

What does it mean to “conquer” Eretz Yisrael in our generation, when the real battlefield is often inside the neshama ? In this stirring shiur on Parshat Toldot, Rav Shlomo Katz learns a powerful Torah from the Bas Ayin (Rabbi Avraham Dov Ber of Avritch) , whose entire life was a yearning to breathe the air of Eretz Yisrael . Rav Shlomo frames this teaching in the weeks leading up to the Bas Ayin’...

In a generation obsessed with innovation and "the new," Yitzchak Avinu teaches us the profound power of consistency. Rav Shlomo Katz discusses why Sivan Rahav-Meir considers Yitzchak's redigging of his father's wells to be the ultimate remedy for our ADHD generation. Drawing deeply from Reb Nosson of Breslov (Likutei Halachos) , we explore the spiritual mechanics of digging wells—how breaking thro...

In this powerful shiur on Parshat Toldot, Rav Shlomo Katz explores the moment we truly become parents—not through plans or “getting it right,” but when our children pull something holy out of us that we didn’t even know was there. Rav Shlomo develops a core distinction in pnimiyus: kedushas ha’shoresh (קדושת השורש)—the intrinsic holiness a Jew is born with, and kedushas ha’avodah (קדושת העבודה)—th...

Yitzchak Avinu is the most mysterious of the Patriarchs, yet he reveals the deepest secrets of Tefillah (prayer). In this shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz asks the hard question: "Is my davening working?" We delve into Rav Kook's insight that prayer isn't about changing God's mind, but rather transforming our own identity so the decree no longer applies to us. Rav Shlomo shares a challenging teaching from t...

Who is the "real" you? The one who shows up to pray with fire, or the one distracted by the mundane world? In this deep session on Parshas Toldot, Rav Shlomo Katz addresses the internal struggle of "Two Nations" within us, drawing on the foundational teachings of the Baal HaTanya (The Alter Rebbe) . We explore the distinct spiritual roles of a father and mother based on the teachings of Reb Shlomo...

When Avraham made Eliezer swear to find a wife for Yitzchak, he established a precedent for how we commit to our spiritual mission. Rav Shlomo Katz explores the Talmudic concept of Modeh B'Miktzat (admitting to part of a claim) through the lens of the Lubavitcher Rebbe . Why do we struggle to be "all in" with our service of Hashem? This episode tackles the compartmentalization of our lives—admitti...

Why did Sarah Imeinu’s Shabbos candles, which miraculously burned from week to week, eventually go out? Based on a profound insight from the Lubavitcher Rebbe , Rav Shlomo Katz reframes the way we view spiritual consistency and the famous "Friday afternoon chaos." This shiur challenges the idea that religious life is about maintaining the status quo. Instead, we learn that Hashem removes yesterday...

What is the difference between a "God miracle" and an "Israel miracle"? In this uplifting session, Rav Shlomo Katz shares a classic teaching from Reb Shlomo Carlebach regarding Eliezer’s search for a wife for Yitzchak. While the Midrash tells us the water rose to greet Rivka—a sign of her holiness—Eliezer was looking for something deeper: a human being willing to create a miracle through their own...

Where was Yitzchak Avinu during the three years following the Akeidah? The Torah is silent, but his resurfacing at Beer Lachai Roi —the well of Hagar—reveals a profound secret about trauma, prayer, and the capacity to love. In this shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz explores the mystery of Yitzchak’s journey, drawing on insights from the Ramban , Rashi , and the Izhbitzer Rebbe . We delve into the contrast be...

What actually happens during a Divine Revelation? Based on a teaching from Reb Shlomo Carlebach (Jerusalem, 1988), Rav Shlomo Katz explains that Vayera isn't about God giving Avraham new rules, but rather a revelation of Lemaalah Min Hada'at —connection beyond knowledge. We explore why true intimacy requires no names, as names are only necessary when there are others to distinguish from. Rav Katz...

Parshat Vayera begins with the words, "And God appeared to him " ( Vayera Eilav ), omitting Avraham's name. In this deep mystical exploration, Rav Shlomo Katz teaches a piece from the Kedushas Levi (Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev) and Reb Shlomo Carlebach to explain the difference between a relationship based on "names" (definitions and boundaries) and a relationship of infinite oneness. We dis...

Why was Brit Milah (circumcision) the specific mitzvah chosen to bridge the lives of the Patriarchs with the rest of Jewish history? In this deep Halachic and spiritual exploration, Rav Shlomo Katz shares a teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe regarding the difference between the Mitzvos performed by the Avot (Forefathers) and the Mitzvos we perform after the Giving of the Torah. We explore the con...

What does it mean to be truly alive? In this profound session, Rav Shlomo Katz takes us through the Izhbitzer Rebbe's spiritual analysis of Avraham Avinu's journey. We move beyond the simple understanding of monotheism into the psychological and spiritual revolution Avraham sparked. Rav Shlomo discusses the concept of "real life", which is neither survival mode nor the pursuit of luxury, but rathe...

In this powerful shiur on Parshas Lech Lecha, Rav Shlomo Katz delves into the deepest mechanics of our relationship with Hashem, specifically through the lens of tests ( nisayon ). Drawing from a monumental teaching of the Sod Yesharim (Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin / Rebbe Yerucham Leiner of Radzin) and the Izhbitzer Rebbe (Mei HaShiloach) , Rav Shlomo explores the two fundamental types of love:...

Filmed in Breslov beside the Bug River and near the resting place of Reb Nosson Sternhartz , Rav Shlomo opens Parshat Noach through a powerful piece of Likutey Halachos —and through the fire that Reb Nosson begged for: “Breslov bo’er esh… haver osah belibi.” This shiur is built around a radical demand: treat yourself with the same compassion you’re commanded to show others. Reb Nosson teaches that...

Drawing on a piercing teaching from the Chozeh of Lublin, Rav Shlomo Katz explores one of the most unsettling descriptions of Noach: “Vayisha’er ach Noach” — that he remained the same. In the wake of the flood, Noach emerges unchanged. But is that praise… or critique? Through the lens of Chassidus and Reb Shlomo Carlebach, this shiur confronts a timeless and urgent question: what is the sign of tr...