The Shmuz

The Sefer HaChinuch explains that the joy of leaving Mitzrayim wasn’t even the main event- the real excitement was receiving the Torah. That’s a striking thought. Freedom is incredible… so why was Torah even greater?  This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers...

As we journey towards Shavuos, Rabbi Shafier weaves together the events of Matan Torah with major concepts in Jewish thought. Tune in and discover why Torah is the spiritual nourishment for the world, what it means to be an am segula and how Moshe Rabbeinu could argue with the Ribbono Shel Olam. At the Foot of Har Sinai combines explanations taken from Chazal, Midrashim, Rishonim and Acheronim to...

Are you a slave to your appetite? Love pleasure a little too much? Or what about the opposite? Are you too afraid to enjoy any of the pleasures of this world, in case it turns you into a baal taiveh? In this week’s Shmuz on the Parsha, Rabbi Shafier shows you the golden middle way. Learn how to enjoy life without feeling guilty- on The Shmuz Podcast!   This podcast has been graciously sponsor...

Why would 24,000 talmidim of Rabbi Akiva — great men of Torah — be lost over something that seems so simple: a lack of respect? This powerful shiur uncovers what kavod really means — and why it is far more than just good manners. Through Chazal, real-life examples, and sharp insight, Rabbi Shafier reveals that respect is not optional; it is a foundational principle that shapes our relationships, o...

Shiurim on shmiras haloshon aren’t popular. Like exercise or keeping healthy, most think, “yep. I know this. Shouldn’t do it. Not sure I need to listen to a whole shiur about it…” Unfortunately, the parameters of lashon hara are not what you think. Just like eating treif or being mechalel Shabbos , it is one hundred percent forbidden. And it’s easy to see why- we all have stuff in our history that...

We have a mitzvah to remember Har Sinai, but to do that, we first need to understand what happened on that momentous day. At the Foot of Har Sinai brings the scene to life, capturing the majesty, awe, and unfolding of the events in a vivid and compelling way. While it’s difficult to fully grasp the magnitude of the miracles the Bnei Yisroel experienced, exploring them through the lens of our mesor...

In the fourth session of Living Through the Makos , Rabbi Shafier guides you through the final makos, describing how we were brought out of Mitzrayim and through the Yam Suf. Of course, you know that there were many overt miracles during the final stages of redemption. What do they teach you for your own outlook on life? When you learn about how Hashem manipulated the waters of the sea, taking car...

We like to think that if we witnessed one clear miracle, everything would fall into place; our emunah, our davening, our clarity. This shiur dismantles that assumption. Through a vivid, almost unsettling reconstruction of Mitzrayim from the Egyptian perspective, Rabbi Shafier exposes a deeper truth: belief is not driven by evidence, but by honesty. Even those who lived through open miracles found...

Most people assume that one open miracle would change everything. Rabbi Shafier dismantles that illusion. In this gripping shiur, he takes you into Mitzrayim not from the Jewish side, but from the Egyptian side, and asks a startling question: how could people live through blood, frogs, lice, darkness, and Krias Yam Suf and still refuse to believe? The answer is a penetrating look at free will, sel...

This week’s Shmuz is about Mitzrayim. It’s about what Mitzrayim looks like in your life right now. The places you feel stuck. The things you’ve just accepted as “this is who I am.” The parts of life that feel impossible to move past. Pesach comes and reminds you that’s not the full story. You’re not as limited as you think. Hashem took you out of Mitzrayim to show you that change is always possibl...

In parshas Vayikra, we learned how the cornerstone of all middos is humility. In this week’s Shmuz, Rabbi Shafier builds upon this fundamental principle by exploring the devastating influence of arrogance. We all agree that arrogance is ugly, but our mesorah goes further: arrogance will inevitably lead a person to forget Hashem. After all, when we’re so sure of our competence and independence, we...

In this compelling and eye-opening shiur, Rabbi Shafier uncovers the hidden forces shaping our decisions, revealing how even the greatest minds — like Moshe Rabbeinu — can be subtly influenced by something as small as a trace of laziness. Through vivid examples, sharp insights, and practical guidance, he shows how our thoughts are not passive but actively shape who we become, and how the “voice in...

The makos begin. The mitzrim are toyed with, antagonized and finally punished-exactly measure for measure. The world is shown that not only is there a Creator, there is also a Melech Hamishpat , a King who forgets nothing, and who punishes accordingly. In part three of Living Through the Makos , Rabbi Shafier draws on the Rishonim, Gemorah, Midrash Rabbah and Midrash Tanchumah to bring the eser ma...

This class uncovers the deeper meaning of leaving Mitzrayim: breaking out of the mental and spiritual patterns that keep us trapped. If you want to understand what it really means to leave your personal exile , this shiur will change the way you see the world around you.  This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please...

The word ‘vayikra’ is written in a sefer Torah with a small aleph. Moshe Rabbeinu was uncomfortable with the Torah recording that Hashem called out to him, and begged Hashem to alter the wording of the posuk. When Hashem refused, Moshe Rabbeinu wrote ‘vayikra’ with a small aleph instead. The Baal HaTurim comments that this is a sign of Moshe’s incredible level of humility. Yet, it begs the obvious...

What if the people who frustrate you the most are actually messages from Hashem? In this thought-provoking shiur, Rabbi Shafier explores the deep struggle between Yaakov and Esav and reveals a powerful perspective on criticism, conflict, and difficult relationships. Instead of seeing these moments as random or unfair, he shows how they may be carefully orchestrated opportunities for growth. If you...

Living Through the Makos continues with a detailed explanation on how Moshe ended up in Midian, his meeting with Tzipporah and his first encounter with the Ribbono Shel Olam at the Sneh . Rabbi Shafier gives a clear and articulate delivery of the events that subsequently unfold, shedding light on how Shevet Lev i managed to be excluded from the shibud . He also gives some poignant moments to conte...

In this remarkable Derech Hashem shiur, Rabbi Shafier explores not only the hidden mechanics of nevuah, ruach hakodesh, and how Hashem reveals knowledge to man, but also the staggering inner world of Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon HaKohen. What emerges is a portrait of greatness that is almost hard to comprehend: leaders so pure, so selfless, and so elevated that even the offer of ultimate spiritual ac...

Most people think one clear miracle would change everything. Rabbi Shafier shows why that’s not true. In this powerful shiur, he takes you back into Mitzrayim and asks a haunting question: how did the Egyptians watch open miracles, month after month, and still refuse to believe? The answer opens up something deeply uncomfortable about human nature, free will, and the stories people choose to tell...

What if the physical world is only the surface of something much bigger? In this powerful Derech Hashem shiur, Rabbi Shafier uncovers the spiritual forces that operate behind the scenes of creation: forces that ancient civilizations understood far better than we do today. Why did Pharaoh believe he could fight Hashem? And what does that reveal about the hidden power every Jew holds? Once you hear...

You know that contemplating the events of Yetzias Mitzrayim is central to your avodas Hashem. Recognizing that this house has a Master is the very purpose of your life in this world. It is therefore your holy obligation to learn as much as you can about Pesach and gain a detailed understanding of the events that transpired. In the first session of Living Through the Makos , Rabbi Shafier explains...

In this week’s parsha, we come to the making of the kiyor , fashioned from the mirrors of the Jewish women. Moshe Rabbeinu was initially reluctant to accept this offering, wary that something that was used for female beautification would be inappropriate in the Mishkan. Hashem replies that these mirrors are actually the most beloved. Why did Moshe think Hashem wouldn’t want the mirrors? What does...

Most mitzvah items like a shofar or tzit tzit are kadosh while you use them, but then get demoted once their time is up. But tefillin, mezuzah, and a Sefer Torah are different for one reason: Hashem’s Name is written inside. And in Torah, a “name” is an essence . Which raises a wild question: if Hashem is infinite and beyond definition… how can there be “Names” at all? This shiur shows why Hashem...

In today’s society, you are relentlessly bombarded with two fallacies: One, that money equals happiness and two, that your net worth should define your sense of self. The Torah rejects both of these ideas, and yet we see from this week’s parsha that attraction to money is something inherent in the briah . In this uncomfortably relevant Shmuz, Rabbi Shafier encourages you to take a long, hard look...

In the fourth session on Megillas Esther, Rabbi Shafier brings the conclusion of the Megillah dramatically to life. From Haman’s sudden demise to our own swift salvation, this class will explain the final perakim with additional insight and depth. Discover why Purim is considered to be greater than the kabbola at Har Sinai, how Haman’s unchecked arrogance inevitably led to his downfall and what fo...