The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed

In this episode, aided by the divine assistance of Hashem, I was able to realize my aspiration – one I previously discussed several episodes back – to recount moments when I perceived Hashem beyond the veil of nature. As I initially conveyed on an earlier podcast, drawing from the teachings of Rabbi Nachman, it is understood that the era of Moshiach will only manifest when we, the Jewish people, endeavor to inhabit this world with the mindset that His divine revelation is already here.

During the month of Elul, the culmination of our efforts since our initial inspiration during Pesach takes root in our new foundation, becoming the platform for our next ascent to even greater achievements. This phase of the year marks an intimate connection with Hashem, who is readily available to guide us towards realizing our untapped potential. In this segment, we revisit the locker room with Coach Bucsko, as he readies us for the upcoming month of Elul and equips us with the strategies for success.This episode is in the merit of Yehuda Engelman, an exemplar of how to embody the principle of loving your fellow Jew as oneself.

In this episode, I recount a remarkable series of recent events that have imparted profound lessons on leading a meaningful and abundant life. My aspiration is that through hearing this, you'll feel motivated to share your own narratives with others. Each of us possesses a unique story, and by sharing it, we can ignite inspiration in others to do the same. Our current era, leading up to the arrival of Moshiach, is characterized by a heightened sense of Hashem's presence being concealed in the world. However, armed with Torah wisdom and the mutual encouragement we offer, we have the potential to transform this concealment into the most magnificent revelation of His existence. This is the mission of our generation—the catalyst for ushering in Moshiach.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Rabbi Bucsko, who sheds light on the spiritual essence connected to the Jewish month of Av. Rabbi Bucsko guides us in reassessing our perception of Tisha B'Av, traditionally associated with mourning and sorrow, and helps us delve into a deeper understanding. He emphasizes that Av serves as a significant time for acknowledging the absence of God's presence in the world, a result of our own actions. This engaging discussion will make you see the importance of feeling the pain of being distant from Hashem, allowing us to connect with our souls and draw closer to Him. Listen in as we decode this complex concept and be ready to transform your perspective on forgiveness, and love.

Before my wife had her conversion roughly a year and a half ago, the Beis Din, had me go into the mikvah to have a conversion to remove all doubts.   My great, great grandmother was born a non-Jew and adopted by a Jewish family as an infant and we wanted to remove any uncertainty on whether she was properly converted.  For this conversion to remove all doubts to be effective, I had to contemplate that I was not a Jew and make the choice to remain a non-Jew or become a Jew.  This was one of the most profound and important days of my life.  In this episode I compare and contrast what those two paths look like and ask you the listener to contemplate being in a similar situation where you could choose.

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.

It is always such a great honor for me to be asked to sit at the TORCH Roundtable with the great Rabbi Nagel, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe and Rabbi Bucsko.  In this episode we discuss the upcoming holiday of Shavuos.  As always I learned so much from these incredible Rabbis and feel more prepped and excited to receive my Torah this Shavuos.   I highly recommend taking the time to listen in on this conversation as you will feel the same.

I have done many episodes on the subject of how to serve Hashem in the business world and other situations that pertain to my life experiences. However, I realized that we all have different situations that we find ourselves in. One situation that I thought was imperative to address is the situations our fellow Jews face serving in the military. I asked Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, the Rambo of Yiddishkeit, to join us and share Torah wisdom to our brothers and sister in the military and as you will hear, this is valuable information for all of us. This episode is dedicated in the merit of my nephew Shlomo Ben Dovid and all our fellow Jews serving in the military. May Hashem keep them all safe.

We are all now in the process of preparing ourselves through the Counting of the Omer so we can receive our Torah at Shavuos.  In this episode I asked my dear friend Scott Kammerman, the Spiritual Athlete, to join us and share his insights on what he has been learning and working on, to progress in his ongoing pursuit to grow in his service to the Almighty.   I not only learned a great deal but was sincerely inspired by my friend who approaches each day with the drive of an Olympic athlete and seeing his geometric growth over the years as a result.

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 Torah and catapult us to a higher level of closeness to our Creator.