As Tisha B'Av approaches, Rabbi Moshe Levi shares a powerful perspective on the connection between the sin of the Meraglim, sinas chinam, and the path to Geulah. Charlie and Rabbi Levi explore a surprising idea: perhaps emunah doesn't create great middos—perhaps great middos create real emunah.

The conversation explains why jealousy, arrogance, and self-centeredness leave less room for the Shechinah, while humility, kindness, and genuine concern for others allow Hashem's presence to fill our lives. Through practical examples—from honoring parents to overcoming envy—the episode reveals how everyday character development becomes the foundation for deeper faith.

Rather than waiting for Geulah to arrive, Rabbi Levi challenges each of us to bring more Shechinah into our own lives by becoming just one percent better every day.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone preparing for Tisha B'Av.

Sponsored by Zichron Naftali.

Charlie Harary dials Rabbi Moshe Levi to explore one of the most surprising teachings in the Gemara: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's final blessing to his students—'May your fear of Heaven be like your fear of people.' Rather than lowering the standard of fearing Hashem, Rabbi Levi reveals that this blessing provides a practical blueprint for spiritual growth.

The discussion challenges listeners to look honestly at their own lives. The discipline they show for work, the sacrifices they make for success, the patience they display in public, and the effort they invest to earn the approval of others all reveal a deeper truth: they are already capable of far more than they often believe. Those moments become evidence of what they can achieve in their Avodas Hashem.

Rabbi Levi explains why honest self-inspection is one of the greatest tools for growth, why accepting that we're 'not there yet' is a source of strength rather than shame, and why a true Rav challenges us instead of simply making us feel good. The conversation also reframes the yetzer hara, personal weaknesses, and even spiritual struggles as opportunities to uncover the potential Hashem has already placed within us.

00:00 Welcome to Dialing Bnei Brak
00:17 Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's Final Blessing
02:09 Why We Fear People More Than Hashem
03:36 Using Social Pressure as a Spiritual Tool
05:34 What Your Daily Habits Reveal About Your Potential
07:28 Become an Inspector of Your Own Actions
10:00 Why Constructive Mussar Is So Difficult to Accept
11:47 The Role of a Rav Who Truly Knows You
12:57 'Not There Yet'—A New Definition of Growth
17:13 Redirecting Your Strength Toward Hashem
19:15 The Hidden Meaning Behind a Deathbed Teaching
20:18 The Humility of the Greatest Torah Leaders
21:25 Learning to Fear Heaven Through Human Nature
22:10 Turning the Yetzer Hara Into a Growth Tool
23:30 Self-Worth Without Self-Deception
25:01 How Weaknesses Become Sources of Strength
27:34 What Work, Family, and Relationships Reveal About You
28:23 What Made the Tannaim Truly Great
32:34 Honest Effort vs. Excuses
34:15 The Torah's Perspective on 'Fake It Till You Make It'
34:50 Final Takeaways and Sponsor

Growth doesn't always begin with inspiration. Sometimes it begins with action.

During the Three Weeks, we're given a unique opportunity to become closer to Hashem—but many of us feel stuck. We want to grow, yet our emotions don't always cooperate.

In this episode, Charlie shares a powerful teaching from the Ramchal and Rabbi Levi about the Torah's version of 'fake it until you make it.' When your actions move before your feelings, you're not being a hypocrite—you’re building the person you want to become.

Discover:

Why 'fake it until you make it' is rooted in Torah

The difference between pretending for people and changing for Hashem

How outward actions reshape your inner world

Why humility—not perfection—is the key to spiritual growth

A practical mindset to help you grow during the Three Weeks and beyond

You don't have to wait until you feel ready. Sometimes the first step toward becoming someone new is acting like that person today.

In this episode, Charlie Harary explores a powerful teaching from Rabbi Levi that identifies gaavah (ego) as the root beneath both our fractured relationships with other people and our distance from Hashem. Rather than viewing arrogance as something obvious or extreme, this conversation uncovers the subtle ways self-focus shapes our decisions, our emotions, and our spiritual growth.

Through the examples of the Meraglim, Shaul HaMelech, and the practices of Tisha B'Av, you'll discover why the Three Weeks may be the greatest opportunity of the year for lasting personal transformation.

In a summer post-Shavuot reflection, the speaker recounts a call with Rabbi Levy about personal growth rooted in recognizing one’s Tzelem Elokim, which can become “numb” through aveirot, middot like gaavah, or simple unawareness. They contrast a Western “zero-to-one” identity—where worth depends on achievement and failure means being a failure—with a Torah paradigm of “infinity,” where success is following Hashem and being judged by clean, heartfelt effort (ratzon), not results, which belong to Hashem (“yaagata u’matzata”). Rabbi Levi teaches that making Hashem happy is linked to our happiness, that sincere striving is credited as action and creates “malachim” that help further mitzvot, and even mere existence can be a tikkun. The episode ends with homework: nightly rate one’s daily effort 1–100 and aim for 1% better tomorrow.

What is Shavuot really about?

In this episode, Charlie Harary shares a powerful conversation with Rabbi Levy in Bnei Brak exploring why Leil Shavuot may be the most important night of the year.

More than just learning Torah, Shavuot is about devekus, becoming attached to Hashem through Torah. The episode dives into why Shavuot is considered the “Rosh Hashanah” for Torah, how Torah impacts every area of life, and why effort and preparation matter more than perfection.

Topics include:

• Torah as connection, not just information

• How Shavuot affects parnassah, shidduchim, refuah, and spiritual growth

• The deeper meaning behind staying up all night

• Why preparation itself creates connection

• Practical guidance for men, women, and families

In a generation with more comfort, opportunity, wealth, and connection than ever before, why do so many people still feel insecure?

This episode explores a surprising and deeply uncomfortable idea: insecurity may not actually be the opposite of gaavah. It may be a subtle form of it.

Drawing from a conversation with Rabbi Levi in Bnei Brak, we unpack the difference between old school gaavah, the loud arrogance we all recognize, and the quieter version many of us struggle with today: building our identity around external validation.

Careers. Status. Money. Appearance. Intelligence. Even ruchnius.

Using the mashal of Jenga blocks, the episode explores what happens when we slowly replace our true identity, our neshama and connection to Hashem, with the fragile “paper towels” of social approval and comparison.

Topics discussed include:
• Why modern life can increase insecurity
• The connection between self esteem and gaavah
• How society teaches us to measure ourselves externally
• The difference between purpose and identity
• Why comparison quietly disconnects us from Hashem
• Recognizing subtle forms of gaavah during Sefirat HaOmer
• Rebuilding identity around the soul instead of validation

This is not an episode about feeling smaller.
It’s about remembering how much bigger we really are.