The Shmuz

You’re a ma’amim. You believe in Hashem, you believe in His Torah. But you’d probably like to get better at trusting in Hashem, right? That’s why you listen to shiurim, that’s why you’re reading this page. You might wish that you could be like the Gedolim, instead of getting bent out of shape by every bill, scared by every news report, bothered by why so many things just don’t seem fair. If this d...

During the period of the Three Weeks we are urged to awaken ourselves to the horrifying and the heartbreaking. The moments of our existence as a People that bring us to tears and make us long for the geula. In this moving shmuz Rabbi Shafier encourages you to look at your greatness and your failings, including your own misconceptions of the nature of Hashem and the purpose of suffering.   Thi...

Remember when we had to watch a ton of Holocaust movies to feel any stirring of emotion on Tisha B’Av? Remember when we had to drag ourselves out of our pampered comfort zones to think about what it must have been like to suffer at the hands of the Romans? It wasn’t easy to imagine what a dangerous, frightening, unpredictable world meant. Is it still hard? I don’t think so. Even the sceptics agree...

Have you ever heard the three rules of criticism? Don’t do it Don’t do it Don’t do it Ok, everyone knows how it feels to be criticized. Everyone agrees that it’s damaging to our most precious relationships. Some people have lived under the shadow of criticism their whole life, and have the arduous task of trying to rebuild their self-esteem and confidence. So if it’s so incredibly obvious as to wh...

You’re a ma’amim. You believe in Hashem, you believe in His Torah. But you’d probably like to get better at trusting in Hashem, right? That’s why you listen to shiurim, that’s why you’re reading this page. You might wish that you could be like the Gedolim, instead of getting bent out of shape by every bill, scared by every news report, bothered by why so many things just don’t seem fair. If this d...

This Shmuz will bring home the relevance of The Three Weeks and how to bring Hashem into your life once more.   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 become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

You’re a ma’amim. You believe in Hashem, you believe in His Torah. But you’d probably like to get better at trusting in Hashem, right? That’s why you listen to shiurim, that’s why you’re reading this page. You might wish that you could be like the Gedolim, instead of getting bent out of shape by every bill, scared by every news report, bothered by why so many things just don’t seem fair. If this d...

In this week’s Parsha, Pinchas is given the bris shalom after defending the honor of Hashem. The Seforno explains that as a result of this gift, Pinchas was granted longevity, a natural consequence of living ‘at peace with himself’. Unfortunately, the feeling of contentment and inner calm is something that alludes most of us. Four hundred years after The Seforno’s commentary, modern medicine also...

Bitachon can’t be learned from a book. You can learn the theory, get a grip on the fundamentals of your hashkafa and think you know that you trust in Hashem. But until you are really tested, you have no idea whether our bitachon is real or not. Being naturally optimistic or anxious isn’t an indication of where you’re holding in bitachon-that’s nothing more than a reflection of your personality. To...

You’re a ma’amim. You believe in Hashem, you believe in His Torah. But you’d probably like to get better at trusting in Hashem, right? That’s why you listen to shiurim, that’s why you’re reading this page. You might wish that you could be like the Gedolim, instead of getting bent out of shape by every bill, scared by every news report, bothered by why so many things just don’t seem fair. If this d...

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 become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

We see in the Torah that tefillah is powerful. Through tefillah, Sara Imeinu was given a child , a miracle like techiyas hameisim. Yishmael cried out to Hashem and was saved in the desert, despite his sins. But what gives your davening its incredible power? In this week’s Shmuz, Rabbi Shafier clearly outlines three fundamental ways your tefillah can change everything. Can your prayers make a diffe...

Practical and hashkafic tips on gaining control of your finances 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 become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Is it enough to be smart in this world? We are all in danger of going through life just ‘spinning our wheels’, being ever so busy and yet failing in our potential. It’s a scary concept, and one that Rabbi Shafier addresses from a relatable perspective. In the second shiur of the second perek, Rabbi Shafier shows you how to live with more awareness and make the most of your years here.   This...

Do you believe in Hashem, but sometimes feel that He’s out to get you? Then you have emunah, but lack bitachon. You see, it’s not enough to simply recognize that Hashem runs the world. As frum Jews, we are also meant to internalize that Hashem is directly involved in our own lives and knows what is best for us. Too many of our problems in bitachon stem from thinking we know better than G-d. Too of...

We tend to think that our brain is our best friend- we rely on our thoughts to discern right from wrong, good from bad and truth from falsehood. So what happened with Korach? How could he be driven to stage such a catastrophic rebellion? The answer is that your brain is a handmaiden to your ego. It’s not always your friend. Listen to this Shmuz to protect yourself against making crazy decisions an...

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 become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Tested to the MAX!   The Shmuz on the Parsha is scarily relevant this week:   What to do when your bitachon is  tested to the max .   We’ve all got ‘stuff’ . Baggage. Nisyonos . Ballistic missiles ist We all need a Torah perspective to know how to respond to both major world events as well as the everyday traffic of life. Listen now!   This podcast has been graciously sponsored by J...

Getting along with people is an essential life skill. Satisfying human relations are key to thriving in the workplace, developing friendships, having a loving marriage and raising happy kids. Because people skills are so fundamental, this week's Shmuz offers something unique: a mini-course in social relations. With these basics under your belt, you’ll become more than just well-liked; you’ll be mo...

You know that you’re meant to serve Hashem out of joy and love. How can you do this if you don’t really feel it? What should you do when you know you should be grateful, but your life is plagued with difficulties and it’s hard to feel Hashem’s love? Join Rabbi Shafier as he tackles this question head-on in an incredibly encouraging and inspiring Shmuz.   This podcast has been graciously spons...

How fragile is your ego?  We are all familiar with people that have a hard time admitting they could be wrong. No matter the misdemeanor, never mind the evidence in front of them, they refuse to acknowledge the facts and stick to their story as if their very lives depend on it. Unfortunately, this quirk is not just limited to hardened criminals and pathological narcissists. Within all of us i...

The Chovos HaLevovos ( Shaar HaBitachon ) explains that one of the basics of our belief system is, “You can’t harm me; you can’t help me.” Everything is decreed by HASHEM. Every ounce of suffering, every event that is to befall a person is all decided, defined and directed by HASHEM Himself. No human being can inflict damage to me that wasn’t already decided by HASHEM. With this cognition comes a...

From the moment the Jewish People arrived at Har Sinai, it became a frightening and awe inspiring experience. Why did Hashem want to evoke fear into us? If this was to be the wedding between Klal Yisroel and the Ribbono Shel Olam, shouldn’t it have been music instead of thunder and lightning? Rabbi Shafier explains that the purpose of the fear was to drive home the message of responsibility. By ac...

Comparison and judgment are part of the human experience. Subconsciously or not, we are constantly asking ourselves, am I and my family acceptable in society? Where do I rank, compared with my peers? For some of us, our very sense of self is intrinsically linked to how we think others see us and where we think we’re holding in the competition of life. The problem is, we hardly ever pause to consid...

Throughout history all things change: except for anti-Semitism. Is there a Torah perspective that can explain why the Jewish nation is so tortured and oppressed? If we accept that Hashem is in control of everything, is there a reason why His nation, the Chosen People, are so downtrodden? Are there forces involved that control the very destiny of Klal Yisrael? In this previously recorded Shmuz Live...