The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed

What if the Torah isn’t just a guide to life—but the very blueprint that shapes reality itself? In this thought-provoking conversation, Rabbi Meisel unpacks the concept of Torah as the projector that casts the physical world like light onto a screen. From segulos and spiritual action to the power of tzaddikim and heartfelt tefillah, we explore how our inner world and Divine reality are deeply intertwined.Through stories, gematria, and deep Torah sources, Rabbi Meisel brings clarity to ideas often misunderstood—showing how true spiritual practice isn’t about bypassing growth, but engaging with Hashem’s world on its deepest terms.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.Listen to Rabbi Gershon Meisel  teachings at Reveal the Hidden by clicking here.

How do we distinguish between immutable Torah truths and areas open to interpretation? In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Pill, a Torah scholar and constitutional law professor, to explore the sacred yet complex process of halachic decision-making. We examine whether halacha is a divine system with fixed answers or a human endeavor grounded in humility, judgment, and tradition. From the Talmud to the Shulchan Aruch, we trace how halachic authority is defined and how differing practices are understood. Rabbi Pill brings clarity and reverence to this deep conversation, helping us better understand how halacha is built, sustained, and lived and where we draw the line between the immutable and the debatable.  Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.Explore The Art of Prayer – a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home or classroom by clicking here.

In this episode, I open up about a personal journey—why I’ve been quiet lately, the health challenges I’ve faced, and how pushing too hard led me into a cycle of burnout. I share what I’ve learned about the body, the soul, and the importance of listening to both.Then, I revisit one of the most impactful conversations I’ve had on the podcast: my 2020 discussion with Rabbi Bucsko on the fractal nature of masculinity and femininity. It’s a topic that remains deeply relevant—and often misunderstood.Rabbi Bucsko and I explore how these energies aren’t just about gender, but are fundamental forces that show up in every relationship and corner of existence. Drawing from Torah, Chazal, and even our own biology, we delve into how masculine energy initiates with boundless potential, and feminine energy receives, nurtures, and brings to life. This framework sheds light on everything from mitzvah obligations to marital roles, from spiritual growth to our relationship with Hashem Himself.This episode is for anyone who wants to understand Torah’s timeless wisdom on gender—not through the lens of modern politics, but through the clarity and depth that only Torah can provide.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.Explore The Art of Prayer – a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home or classroom by clicking here.

Our Siddur is replete with prayers for the coming of Moshiach. It is something that for millennium we have anticipated. After listening to Rabbi Yaghobian speak on this matter, I felt like a character from the 90’s movie Pulp Fiction; a woman who was overdosing from a heroin, only to be brought back to life via an adrenaline shot through her sternum into her heart.  Rabbi Yaghobian’s words were like that adrenaline shot, causing me to wake up and see, that the Era of Moshiach is no longer an idea for some distant future, but the reality we live in today, as we are now living in the Era of Moshiach.WARNING: Listening to this episode will create an insatiable desire to learn Torah, do mitzvos with intention, improve ones’ character traits and help out their fellow Jews by supporting Jewish Outreach organizations.

Being in a state of gratitude paves the way to experiencing joy and fostering a deep connection with Hashem.  While it is so simple to achieve, it is so easy to forget, as the Yetzer Hara wants us to focus our attention on what we feel we are lacking.   In this episode I share an experience that I like to reflect on regularly as it cemented into my mind the importance of being in a constant state of gratitude to our Creator.

Dive into the world of Hebrew names and discover their profound spiritual significance! Explore how these names serve as spiritual blueprints tied to identity and destiny. Unearth the historical origins of surnames and their connection to divine purpose. Delve into Kabbalistic teachings that link names to soulmates and lineage. Whether seeking a name or understanding your roots, find clarity and inspiration rooted in Torah wisdom. This discussion invites listeners to embrace their names with intention and appreciation.

In this episode, I sit down once again with my wife Elisheva to share her personal journey from addiction to recovery and ultimately to her Jewish conversion. We reflect on how both recovery and Torah observance require deep humility, surrender, and a constant effort to align our will with Hashem’s. Elisheva opens up about how her experience in the 12-step program helped prepare her for the life of halacha, and how she continues to navigate challenges like alcohol in Jewish life as a recovering addict. We also talk about the importance of community, how recovery has strengthened her Emunah, and the ongoing process of spiritual growth. Whether you're facing addiction or simply seeking to deepen your connection to Hashem, this conversation offers honest insights and encouragement.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

In this episode, I share a deep idea I’ve been working on for quite some time — the difference between the initial redemption from Egypt and the final redemption we are waiting for. Drawing from the teachings of the Baal HaSulam, I explain how the exodus freed us physically but left the deeper spiritual work incomplete. Our generation carries the unique task of completing that process by transforming our inner desires — from receiving for ourselves to receiving in order to give. I also share personal experiences, challenges, and insights that have helped me better understand my own role in this work, and how we can all approach our tefillos, struggles, and growth to help bring about the true and lasting redemption.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

In this episode, I’m joined by Rabbi Pill for a deep and wide-ranging conversation on the spiritual essence of Shavuos. We explore what it means to truly “receive the Torah again,” not as a memory of Sinai, but as a living, recurring revelation. We discuss how each Yom Tov expresses a unique divine will, and how Shavuos brings a reactivation of the same infinite light that first descended on Har Sinai.We delve into the soul of Torah itself, beyond mitzvos, beyond words—and the interplay between concealment and revelation that underlies all of creation. Along the way, we talk about exile and redemption, the evolving accessibility of Torah’s inner dimensions, and how moments of spiritual clarity can transform even the most mundane parts of our lives. This conversation is about reconnecting to the deeper reality that lies just beneath the surface, on Shavuos, and every day after.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

We all want to grow—to be more present in our learning, more focused in our davening, and more in control of our reactions. But the world is noisy. Our minds race, stress builds, and it’s easy to slip into living by default instead of with intention. In this episode, I sit down with Rabbi Aryeh Siegel, author of Kosher Calm, to explore how a Torah-aligned meditation practice can help us reclaim the space where free will lives and real growth begins.We talk about the need for inner quiet, how stress blocks our avodah, and why the Lubavitcher Rebbe urgently called for a kosher method of meditation decades ago. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed with life or longed for deeper presence in your avodas Hashem, this conversation offers clarity, wisdom, and practical tools to help you get there.For next steps to learn about Kosher Meditation go to https://koshercalm.org and order the book Kosher Calm: Meditation & Self-Help Tools For Health & Healing.Join the Conversation! Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.