The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed

In this amazing episode I interview Richard Green, CEO at the Clarion Project.  Richard began his career studying at the AISH HaTorah Yeshiva, under Rabbi Noah Weinberg.   Shortly after the 911 attacks, Rabbi Weinberg explained to Richard that while he has devoted his life to Jewish Outreach, there is an eminent threat to Jewish lives as a result of radical Islam.  While the world needs Jewish Out...

A common statement I have heard from fellow Jews is, “I don’t study Torah and keep the mitzvos but, I’m a good person and that’s what G-d really cares about.”   In this episode I have the witty, brilliant, and entertaining, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe join us to delve into and unravel this statement. Whether you are someone who has asked this same question or a Torah observant Jew, the insights he provides...

A common statement I have heard from fellow Jews is, “I don’t study Torah and keep the mitzvos but, I’m a good person and that’s what G-d really cares about.”   In this episode I have the witty, brilliant, and entertaining, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe join us to delve into and unravel this statement. Whether you are someone who has asked this same question or a Torah observant Jew, the insights he provides...

We are so fortunate to be Jews and have the Torah.  We know how the Almighty structured time in a circular path throughout the year.  We know how each moment contains unique spiritual energies and the methods or mitzvos for tapping into each one.   As a result, our circular path throughout the year is continually ascending higher.  I asked Rabbi Bucsko to join us on this episode to provide a macro...

We are so fortunate to be Jews and have the Torah.  We know how the Almighty structured time in a circular path throughout the year.  We know how each moment contains unique spiritual energies and the methods or mitzvos for tapping into each one.   As a result, our circular path throughout the year is continually ascending higher.  I asked Rabbi Bucsko to join us on this episode to provide a macro...

The Almighty created us with a desire to control. Void of Torah wisdom, many attempt to channel that desire to control, to the world around them. The reason this results in tremendous frustration is that the world around us, is Hashem’s world and one he controls. Through Torah we learn that the world He intended for us to channel our desire of control into, is that of our internal world. This is o...

Everyone who begins the journey towards Torah Observance share a similar experience with one another.   We all begin to encounter new challenges in life that we did not have before.   It seems so counterintuitive that it can lead to frustration.  The reality is that the new challenges in front of us are being orchestrated by G-d as a means to remove what is blocking us from becoming closer to Him....

Everyone who begins the journey towards Torah Observance share a similar experience with one another.   We all begin to encounter new challenges in life that we did not have before.   It seems so counterintuitive that it can lead to frustration.  The reality is that the new challenges in front of us are being orchestrated by G-d as a means to remove what is blocking us from becoming closer to Him....

Our claim as the Jewish people is that our origin began at Mt. Sinai when we received the Torah.   Many of us, when beginning our pursuit of Torah wisdom, often overlook an important question and that is, what is Torah?   The answer at first seems obvious until we contemplate it further.  Understanding the answer to this fundamental question, is something we need to thoroughly comprehend if we wan...

Our claim as the Jewish people is that our origin began at Mt. Sinai when we received the Torah.   Many of us, when beginning our pursuit of Torah wisdom, often overlook an important question and that is, what is Torah?   The answer at first seems obvious until we contemplate it further.  Understanding the answer to this fundamental question, is something we need to thoroughly comprehend if we wan...

Fulfilling the Torah is Simple but not Easy. In summary Torah is telling us the following: Our purpose in this world is to pursue ultimate pleasure. The ultimate pleasure we are pursuing is closeness to Hashem. The way we ascend closer to Hashem is through aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with Him. The way we learn how to align ourselves with Him is through His Torah. His ways are ways of...

The Almighty has orchestrated throughout history periods when the non-Jewish world opens up to the Jewish people.  His objective is to see whether we are now capable to go out into the world and be a light unto the other nations or whether we choose to take the path of assimilation.   While Chanukah is our example in time of how to succeed at this task, for the majority of history we have sadly fa...

The Almighty has orchestrated throughout history periods when the non-Jewish world opens up to the Jewish people.  His objective is to see whether we are now capable to go out into the world and be a light unto the other nations or whether we choose to take the path of assimilation.   While Chanukah is our example in time of how to succeed at this task, for the majority of history we have sadly fa...

What does String Theory and the Observer Effect in quantum mechanics have to do with a Jew saying a Bracha?  Tune into this episode as Rabbi Yaghobian reconciles the two and goes deep into the meaning and purpose to saying a Bracha before deriving pleasure from this world. Warning:  Potential side effects of listening to this episode may result in your mind being blown away, becoming more mindful...

Mt. Sinai was our wedding canopy where the Almighty, as our groom and we the Jewish people, as His bride, made an eternal commitment that we would be forever bound to one another.   Shavous is arriving soon.   It is our anniversary with the Almighty, where we renew our mutual commitment.   Hashem has just one request from us and that is that we leave our work behind and focus simply on one another...

The Almighty did not design us to compartmentalize our minds, where we apply facts and reason to draw conclusions with our secular life and then just rely on blind faith and the culture we grew up in, to draw conclusions on our Jewish life.   The purpose of the opportunity of our lifetime, is to avoid navigating the world on autopilot and instead live with congruency between our intellect and emot...

It is now the Counting of the Omer.    These 49 days between Pesach and Shavous create a bridge that allows one to leave their mental restrictions and move towards a more expanded consciousness.   In this episode, Rabbi Chaim Buscko breaks down for us how to tap into the spiritual energies now present.   By doing so, we will forge ourselves into vessels that will allow us to absorb the wisdom of T...

The weeks that lead up to Pesach/Passover, is the time to prepare ourselves to become a vessel to receive the influx of energy that G-d brings to the Jewish people.   This is the energy that will propel us to greater heights of spirituality and provides us the opportunity to unleash ourselves from limited thought and connect more to our infinite Creator.  In this amazing discussion with Rabbi Wohl...

Growing up secular, greatly limited my understanding of the capacity of mankind’s greatness. The secular world is so pre-occupied with making their heroes people who are talented musicians, actors, athletes, or businesspeople, but whose private life lacks much to be admired.  As Jews we have Tzadikim to look up to and admire and strive to emulate.   These are people that have truly optimized thems...

There is a concept in Torah that for many of us creates confusion, especially as we begin our exploration of Torah wisdom.  It is the subject of the Satan.  The reason for the confusion is that this is a similar term that we regularly hear used by the Christians.   However, while similar terms, definitionally they are totally opposing concepts.  The Christians believe that the Satan is a separate...

There is a concept in Torah that for many of us creates confusion, especially as we begin our exploration of Torah wisdom.  It is the subject of the Satan.  The reason for the confusion is that this is a similar term that we regularly hear used by the Christians.   However, while similar terms, definitionally they are totally opposing concepts.  The Christians believe that the Satan is a separate...

Why do we study Torah, Halacha and perform mitzvot?  The answer is that that is the Almighty’s prescription for continually increasing our Emunah.  This is the very purpose of our time in this world and one that is necessary, now more than ever, to prepare us for the times of Moshiach.  With the global pandemic gripping so many in a state of fear, I thought it was timely to bring on Rabbi Brody, t...

Our Sages teach us that the Torah is the Blueprint for Creation and that there are up to 6,000 years of creation before G-d’s revelation to the world.  Now is the year 5781 which means that we are living in the story of creation or in other words, we are living in the Torah.   In this episode we discuss the proofs, the psychological hurdles to overcome and the gravity of taking ownership to our pe...

A core concept that permeates all of creation is the aspect of masculinity and femininity, as it is fractal in nature.  To understand masculinity (giving) and femininity (receiving) and the receiving through giving, brings much greater insights into how we can develop harmonious relationships with one another and with G-d.   In this amazing episode I am joined with Rabbi Buscko, aka “The Average R...

A life centered around Torah is a life dedicated to perpetual transformation and with that comes struggles and challenges.  Nissim Black is American-Israeli rapper who has achieved international stardom through his beautiful and inspiring music.   His transformation to an Orthodox Jew and likewise the transformation of his music through this process is equally inspiring.   He is a Tzadik and a rol...