The Shmuz

951

#190 My Rebbe

Mar 9, 2019

54:28

The Chofetz Chaim network consist of high schools, batei medrashim, kollels, kiruv centers, shuls, and rabbonim and teachers across the country from communities as diverse as Milwaukee, Rochester, Los Angeles, the Five Towns, Miami, Cherry Hill, Manalapan, and Yerushalayim - an empire of thousands of talmidim following in the mesorah given to them by their Rebbe. This Shmuz is both a personal tribute and a recognition of the great gaon, Reb Alter Hencoch Hanoch Lebowitz. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

952

#191 Combatting Robotic Judaism

Mar 9, 2019

48:19

We all have bitachon. We all know that HASHEM determines our fate and all the events that will befall us. The problem is that this concept remains so far removed that while we know it on one level, in our day to day lives, it's non-existent. So while we say we trust in HASHEM, we live our lives in contradiction to this. This Shmuz focuses on making our beliefs real and taking our bitachon from the potential to the actual See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

953

#192 HASHEM Really Cares

Mar 9, 2019

41:12

If we could imagine the most kindly, giving, loving person and the take each of those traits and multiply them by 10,000, we still wouldn't begin to illustrate the tremendous loving kindness that HASHEM has towards Creation. That being said, the only question is: why don't I feel it? Why isn't this something that is obvious to me? This Shmuz focuses us on our relationship to HASHEM and what it takes to realize that HASHEM really cares. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

954

#193 A Clash of Civilizations

Mar 9, 2019

53:24

On the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran Radio on Oct. 20, 2006, the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared: "[America] should understand that the message from the peoples of the region . . . is manifested in a single slogan: "Death to America!"While America's foreign policy is set on appeasement and understanding, Iran is within months of attaining nuclear arms capacity, and so the threats are no longer mere slogans. The West seems to be ignoring the reality that we are not witnessing a war being waged by country against country, but rather a clash of civilizations that threatens to engulf the globe. This is an essential Shmuz for putting some perspective on the volatile times we live in and making sense of a chaotic new world See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

955

#194 Tisha B'Av- What we can do to bring the Geulah

Mar 9, 2019

51:57

Tisha B'Av- What we can do to bring the Geulah See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

956

#195 - Stop Playing G-d!

Mar 9, 2019

44:00

I know exactly what it is that I need! I need to marry that woman; get that job; my child has to get into that class - and HASHEM just won't listen! I have tried to teach HASHEM. I have tried to speak to him. I even daven. But nothing helps. For some strange reason, HASHEM won't give me what I need. 85% of our Emunah problems come from just such thinking: assuming that I know exactly what it is that I need and then having questions on HASHEM when He doesn't deliver it. Part of being a mature, thinking person is recognizing that I am exactly that - a person made of flesh and blood, here for a few short years. I come into this world while things are in full swing. I leave before I have much of a chance to sort things out. Yet I have the arrogance to think that I truly get it, that I know what is best for me. This Shmuz introduces us to one of the most fundamental concepts in our serving HASHEM: recognizing that HASHEM cares more about me than I do, that He knows far better than I do what I need, and will do what is best for me five years from now, ten years from now, in this world, and in the World to Come. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

957

#196 - I'd be the first to Thank HASHEM if

Mar 9, 2019

38:00

The Chovos Ha'Levovos explains that one of the most powerful driving forces in our serving HASHEM should be a sense of appreciation. We should be filled with a powerful feeling that I am the recipient of much good; that I am constantly benefiting from all that HASHEM has bestowed upon me. The sense that I am constantly receiving should fill me with a recognition that nothing that I could do would ever pay back for what HASHEM has given me. Yet, often that isn't the sense that we feel-it seems far more common to feel "of course I would be the first to thank HASHEM if there were anything to thank him for-but my life stinks." This Shmuz focuses on a perspective change that allows us to enjoy the great wealth that we possess and our unaware of. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

958

#197 - Teshuvah Shmuz 5770 - Limiting Beliefs

Mar 9, 2019

59:29

1. To fear HASHEM 2. To go in all of His ways.3. To love HASHEM.4. To serve Him with all of you heart and your soul. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

959

#198 - Life Transforming Moments

Mar 9, 2019

48:52

Sir Winston Churchill is quoted as saying: Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened. The reality is that all of us have moments of truth: short lived burst of inspiration and clarity when we truly get it- when we fundamentally understand why we are here and what we are capable of. One of the great secrets of life is to capture those moments and use them to catapult our growth. This Shmuz introduces us to those often missed Life Transforming Moments and shows us the techniques to utilize them effectively. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

960

#199 - Lashon Harah- Mindless Chatter

Mar 9, 2019

44:35

Whether we are aware of it or not whether we admit it or not-- We all speak Lashon Harah. And herein lies one of the great mysteries: The Rambam defines Lashon Harah as words that hurt words that damage. Yet, we are nice people. We arent malicious or mean spirited, and we certainly wouldnt do something to intentionally hurt another person. Yet, we regularly speak, words that hurt words that damage the question is why? This Shmuz focuses us on the fact that one of the biggest causes of Lashon Harah is simply not recognizing the effect of our words, and the impact that they have on other people. And therefore the solution is simple: to recognize the gravity of the words that we speak, and almost effortlessly we can remove one of the greatest obstacles to our growth and functionally be much better people. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

961

#201 - Chanukah - The Power given to Man

Mar 9, 2019

49:18

Chanukah - The Power given to Man See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

962

#169 Anger Taming the Monster Within

Mar 9, 2019

44:38

We've all had that moment when we lost it and said something we shouldn't have said -- something we later regretted.The intriguing part is that when the heat of the moment has passed, not only do we feel badly about what was said, often, we can't understand what came over us? "It was like I was possessed or something". This Shmuz #169 Anger- Taming the Monster Within, deals with some of the mechanics of anger in the human, and by understanding why we get furious, we gain insight into what we can do about it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

963

#170 Sweet Revenge

Mar 9, 2019

41:57

The Rishonim tell us that nothing is sweeter then revenge. When a person feels he has been wronged, he waits - scheming and dreaming of ways to even up the score. If this is so instinctive a trait in the human, how can the Torah expect us to eliminate it? And even more significantly, revenge by definition is justified; I am only returning to him what he did to me. Why would the Torah demand that we avoid it? This Shmuz deals with a different perspective on revenge and offers us a vantage point for dealing with many life situations. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

964

#171 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Mar 9, 2019

43:47

We all have those moments in life: a demanding boss, difficult people, situations that spin out of control. Learning how to effectively deal with trying circumstances goes a long way towards a happy, successful life.If I am easygoing by nature, the secret to handling these situations is straightforward: follow my temperament. But what if that isn't my natural bent? What if I allow things to get to me? Or what if, over and over again, I just seem to lose it? This Shmuz offers a perspective on life that allow us to more easily deal with the trying moments that come our way. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

965

#172 Tisha B'Av 2000 Years Later - Where Are We?

Mar 9, 2019

53:14

For almost 2,000 years, the Jewish people have been driven from land to land across the globe. Exiled from our home with the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, we have been forced from continent to continent and country to country - tortured, oppressed, and banished. For a short while, we find haven in one country, only to be kicked out again and chased to the next place in a never-ending series of tragedies. This reality brings many questions: Why is the Jewish people so oppressed? Why is it that the other nations stand up to destroy us in every generation? Why is it that the one universal law of history is that everyone hates the Jew? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

966

#173 Children of HASHEM

Mar 9, 2019

40:32

Am I worthy to ask for even more than what I have been given? Why should HASHEM grant my requests? This Shmuz deals with our relationship with HASHEM, and helps us focus on some basic issues of davening and bitachon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

967

#174 The illusion of reality

Mar 9, 2019

42:46

The illusion of reality See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

968

#175 Rosh Hashana Prep - Yom Ha Din

Mar 9, 2019

36:33

"Dip the apple in the honey, have a good sweet new year." We teach our children that touching song, and that is what we all wish for: a good sweet year with bracha and hatzlacha in all that we do. But that often isn't the case. If we look back on previous years we see many things that were sweet, but also things that weren't. Some parts of our lives are downright bitter and we wish they'd never occurred. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

969

#176 A Diamond with a Flaw

Mar 9, 2019

44:33

The difference in value between a perfect diamond and an almost-perfect diamond can be a king's ransom. With the same cut, clarity, and color, a flawless ten-carat diamond might be worth two hundred dollars, while a diamond with a tiny flaw can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's right. The flawed diamond is worth more. Why? Because a completely flawless diamond is a fake. Real diamonds have imperfections. They may be small and almost unnoticeable, but they are flaws all the same. In fact, looking for imperfections is one of the methods professionals use to determine whether a diamond is a real gem or just cubic zirconium. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

970

#177 Being Grateful

Mar 9, 2019

39:22

This Shmuz deals with a basic concept in our becoming effective human beings: developing the trait of appreciation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

971

#178 To One Person You May Be the Whole World

Mar 9, 2019

43:31

While we may be aware of the influence that our thoughts and attitudes have on the way that we act, we rarely focus on the effect that we have on others. After all, who am I? Am I so important that I can really change other people? Do my actions really sway them? While this may be true for our relationship with most people, for each of us there are a few individuals on whom we have a profound influence. This Shmuz focuses on the concept that to the whole world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the whole world. By focusing on this, we come to a better understanding of the impact that we have on others and how we can use that opportunity for the best possible results. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

972

#179 The Commitments of a Jew

Mar 9, 2019

37:53

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

973

#180 Why We Want Mosiach Now

Mar 9, 2019

43:53

Since the time that we were young children, we were taught, "We want Moshiach now!" This concept is not the exclusive domain of fringe elements of Jewry; rather, it is a basic tenet of our religion. The Rambam counts it as one of the Thirteen Main Principles, and if one denies it, he is considered a heretic with no portion in the World to Come. And so, we daven for Moshiach. We sing songs about Moshiach. We wait for Moshiach. But do we understand why? Do we understand what it is that we're waiting for? This Shmuz focuses on what life will be like in the times of Moshiach, and why in fact we anxiously await his appearance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

974

#181 Emunah in Difficult Times

Mar 9, 2019

46:07

This Shmuz deals with the attitude and approach that we should have in these trying times. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

975

#182 Tolerating Evil: A Perspective on Recent Events

Mar 9, 2019

45:26

This Shmuz deals with the attitude and approach that we should have in light of recent events. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

976

#183 With Perfect Faith: Bitachon in Turbulent Times.

Mar 9, 2019

49:30

For those of us paying bills and trying to make ends meet, dealing with the uncertainty in the marketplace today has become a major issue. This Shmuz deals with the attitude and approach with which to view current events. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

977

#184- The Galus Mentality

Mar 9, 2019

42:53

He's got money." "They come from a well-to-do family." "He's a man of means." It is often difficult to sense the influence that society has upon our way of thinking until certain events transpire and bring them to light. The recent financial meltdown is one of those events. It's a chance to see how much we have adopted from outside influences. One of the negative values that we have picked up from the society we live in is rating people by their financial success, where money becomes the sole measure of "making it." It has gotten to the point that for many people, their self-worth is directly tied to their net worth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

978

#185 Responsibility

Mar 9, 2019

38:54

The adult is mature; the child is immature. The hallmark of the immature is to shirk responsibility; the characteristic of the mature is to take responsibility. While we understand that so much of being an effective human being is based on being responsible, the message that comes to us from society at large is "I'm not responsible," and "It's not my fault." It's almost counter-cultural to be responsible. This Shmuz focuses us on the role that responsibility plays in all of our relationships and its significance in allowing us to reach our potential. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

979

#152 - In G-d's Image

Mar 9, 2019

44:46

Shmuz Info Coming Soon... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

980

#153 - Marriage: A Work in Progress

Mar 9, 2019

1:01:41

Each one of us stands under the chuppah starry-eyed, knowing full well that we have found eternal love and bliss.Yet, something happens between that moment and real life. The reality is that getting married is easy, but staying married isn't . This Shmuz is Part I of a Marriage series that deals with the essential of creating long lasting Shalom Bayis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

981

#155 - Chanuka: Flexi-dox Judaism

Mar 9, 2019

51:24

Sorry, Shmuz info coming soon. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

982

#154 - PART II Marriage: A Work in Progress

Mar 9, 2019

57:48

Each one of us stands under the chuppah starry-eyed, knowing full well that we have found eternal love and bliss.Yet, something happens between that moment and real life. The reality is that getting married is easy, but staying married isn't . This Shmuz is Part II of a Marriage series that deals with the essential of creating long lasting Shalom Bayis. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

983

#156 - Get Out of Debt

Mar 9, 2019

58:50

Shmuz Info Coming Soon... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

984

#157 - Learning to Love Learning

Mar 9, 2019

49:05

Shmuz info coming soon...buts its a really good Shmuz! Be well everyone.-Yechiel See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

985

#158 -Me & My Big Mouth

Mar 9, 2019

44:10

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

986

#159 - 212 Degrees - Just One Degree Hotter

Mar 9, 2019

56:54

Info coming soon, iy"H. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

987

#160 - Purim: Sheep to the Slaughter and Concert Bans

Mar 9, 2019

56:40

When Adar enters we increase Joy. Yet how can we be happy when we live in such troubling times? From rockets falling daily on S'derot, to the brutal massacre of 8 of our Yeshiva Bochurim in Yeshivat Merkas HaRav -- It has been difficult to feel joy. In the midst of it all many are troubled by the recent ban by Gadolim on a concert in America. This Shmuz attempts to make sense of the events we are living through, and offers a perspective on our times. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

988

#161 - April 15th: The Test of Emunah

Mar 9, 2019

54:34

To most of us, April 15th is nothing more than a deadline for filing our personal taxes. But when a person begins thinking about life from a broader perspective, they come to recognize that April 15th is a great test -- It is a test of my beliefs in practice. Do I truly believe that HASHEM runs this world and not I? Do I truly believe that HASHEM determines how much money I am to make this year? Do I somehow believe that I will only get that amount if I bend the rules a bit?And the final test comes when I sign on the words:"Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return and accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, they are true, correct, and complete."Then I face the challenge: Do my actions fit my beliefs? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

989

#162 Learning to Care

Mar 9, 2019

48:02

Of course, he's a nice guy. Everyone is a nice guy. Yet how do you explain all of the pettiness and downright nasty things that people do to one another on an ongoing basis? This Shmuz focuses us on one of the most important functions in a human: learning to truly care about another human being and sharing his plight. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

990

#163 Only the Good Die Young

Mar 9, 2019

48:34

Is there an explanation for a woman in her mid-thirties, the mother of four children, to be struck down by cancer? Does it make sense that a forty-year-old should take a jump shot on a basketball court and die in mid-air? It seems that we are witnessing more and more young people dying. The question is: why? This Shmuz focusing on understanding the reason behind all human suffering. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

991

#164 I Hate Critic

Mar 9, 2019

34:14

Info coming soon.. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

992

#165 The Art Of

Mar 9, 2019

41:30

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

993

#168 - Emunah

Mar 9, 2019

49:56

The Rishonim tell us that the most assured way to come to belief in HASHEM is to look out at the world. When a person sees the beauty of the universe; the conformity of every part working together as a unit, everything so orderly and so reliable--the sun rising every morning exactly at the appointed time; the tides always pulling in the pre-described manner; the forces of nature all so seemingly untamed, yet always performing within a predictable, set pattern; all diverse parts conforming to a master plan--the world itself cries out: there is a Master to this house!Yet, many intelligent, educated individuals look at this very phenomenon, study it, discuss it- and don't see HASHEM. Quite the opposite they attribute it all to some lucky roll of some cosmic dice. All of this wisdom just evolved, the entire plan just happened. How can we reconcile the undeniable evidence of a creator with the reality that many, many people just deny it? And how does it affect our own belief system?This Shmuz explores some of the basics of Emunah, and brings us to a deeper understanding of what causes a person to believe or not believe. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

994

#166: Everybody is doing it

Mar 9, 2019

35:01

We live in times when society at large has lost its moral compass. Particularly in the United States, once a bastion of family values and morality, we now watch daily as new innovations in decadence and promiscuity pour forth. We can't open a newspaper without being exposed to a new depth of moral decay. Ideas, concepts, and images that wouldn't have been accepted in the most base of publications a generation ago are now common place in the most respected ones. We may be tempted to assume that this doesn't affect us. After all, we are different. We don't buy into the culture of the times. And while we may feel self-assured and secure in our position, the reality is that we are human, so it can't help but affect us. The question is: what can we do about it?This Shmuz explores the influence that society has upon us, and offers practical insights to deal with it. . See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

995

#167 - Sefiras Ha'Omer Countdown to Ka'balas Ha'Torah

Mar 9, 2019

36:26

We all know the importance of learning, and we certainly value it in our daily lives. Yet, somehow that sense of significance doesn't always translate into reality. there may be many days that we don't learn as much as we can, and if pushed to the wall, all of us would admit that we could be learning more. But we're not. Why is this? If we claim to truly value Torah, if we admit to its vitality in our lives, how is it that we just don't seem to be learning as much as we know we can. This explores the true motivations to learn and offers some insightful perspectives on increasing our involvement in learning Torah. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

996

#138 - The Potential and The Present

Mar 9, 2019

57:01

"Considering where I come from and what I've been through, I'm doing pretty well..." While this may be a comforting position to take, the question a person must ask themselves is: is this really all that I can be? What if I were to stop making excuses? What if I was to truly hold myself accountable to live up to my potential? What if I was to go full blast - how great could I be? This question is essential for growth, but it is also one of our greatest pitfalls. If we don't clearly see how much we are capable of, we cannot chart the course toward our potential. However, with a realistic view of where we are now and a clear understanding of what we could become might lead to depression. This Shmuz focuses us on maintaining a balance between the two views needed for steady growth: a clear understanding of where we are now and a vivid image of what we can be, even if we won't reach those levels for many, many years. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

997

#137 - Being Sensitive

Mar 9, 2019

45:17

Almost all of the people that we deal with are reasonable, well intentioned individuals. And so too, am I. Yet, in the course of life, there is conflict, hurtful words, vengeful acts And, in that rare moment of self honesty, I realize that everything that happens isn't the "other guys fault". I too, am to blame. There have been situations where I acted in a manner that was cold and callous. There have been times when I acted with cruelty and malice. The question is why? It's not that I am not a nice guy, I know I am. Yet there are times when that's not the way I act. The question is why would a nice, caring individual act in a manner very inconsistent with that image? And more significantly what can I do about it?This Shmuz focuses us on one of the keys to growing in all human relationships: learning to focus on the Inner Condition how people actually feel, and learning to ignore the Outer Condition the show that people put on to hide what is actually going on in their heart. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

998

#139 - The Power of Speech

Mar 9, 2019

51:57

We know that the Torah is very exacting in regards to Loshon Horah: there are 17 negative and 14 positive commandments concerning disparaging speech. In fact, the Rambam paskens like the Gemara, that the sin of Loshon Horah is worse than the sins of Idol worship; illicit relations, and bloodshed. The question is why? Of all of our activities why does the Torah see fit that this one should be dealt with so severely? What is so egregious, so horrific? After all its only words.. ..This Shmuz deals with the Torah's view of the power of the spoken word, and its effect on human relationships. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

999

#141 - Parenting Part IV - Sibling Rivalry

Mar 9, 2019

55:14

Since the time of Kain and Hevel, it seems a given that brothers fight. Even in the most refined home, where individuals are polite and respectful, siblings take liberties with each other that they wouldn't dare take with outsiders- it is almost as if an unwritten law permits the torture of siblings. What is even more surprising is that individuals we know, good people, who outside the home are so courteous and caring, act very differently when they are amongst their closest family -- What is even more shocking is when those "People", turn out to be you and I. The question is why? Why does the very closeness and attachment we share with family bring out contention, and what can we do about it? This Shmuz explores some of the forces that drive sibling rivalry, and offers strategies to deal with it, whether in the role of parents or sibling. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

1000

#140 - The Arabs and The Jews

Mar 9, 2019

58:29

The Palestinians have aspirations of political freedom as do every people. Their requests are merely of sovereignty and political rights-- and of course, once they have been granted these, they will live in harmony with their neighbors, recognizing Israel's right to peaceful coexistence. Or will they? An opened minded view of the current situation brings grave doubts to the true desires of the Arabs in general and the Palestinians in particular. This Shmuz focuses on some of the underlying causes of the Arab's attitude towards the Jews, and why Western Culture has such difficulty relating to the core issue. WARNING: If your worldview is shaped by CNN you will find this Shmuz disconcerting. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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

The Shmuz

More by Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier