Rav Shlomo Katz

What happens when Elul doesn't go the way we planned?

We enter the month with plans, kabbalos, hopes for who we're going to become. Then suddenly, Selichos is almost here. Rosh Hashanah is around the corner. And somehow, we're still us.

In this shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David return to a mashal from the Ba’al Shem Tov about a fox, a group of animals, and their journey to face the lion they had rebelled against. The fox begins the journey armed with hundreds of brilliant parables to appease the king. But the closer he gets, the more he forgets, until finally, standing before the king, he has nothing left.

And that may be exactly the point.

What Hashem wants from us isn't another story about who we thought we'd become. It's for us to come. To show up honestly. To keep trying, to take on what we can, but ultimately to stand before the King without pretending that we've earned anything.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Opening & Dedications

03:31 Rav Weinberger & Returning to the Ba’al Shem Tov

07:08 The Ba’al Shem Tov’s Fox & Lion

14:01 What the Mashal Means for Elul

19:08 All the Plans We Make for Elul

22:29 When Elul Doesn’t Go According to Plan

24:30 “I’ll Start When Selichos Begins”

26:05 Then Comes Rosh Hashanah…

27:48 Come Before the King Anyway

30:09 Teshuvah Never Ends

31:21 Nothing Can Separate You From Hashem

34:25 How We Really Enter Selichos

36:14 Asking Hashem for a Matnas Chinam

39:30 Show Up Authentically

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

As Parshat Balak unfolds, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore one of the most uncomfortable questions in Judaism: what does it actually mean to be the "Chosen People"? Is chosenness about superiority, exclusivity, or something entirely different?

Drawing on the Even Shlomo, Rebbe Nachman, and a breathtaking reading of Balak's deepest desire, Rav Shlomo reveals that Balak's mistake wasn't simply hatred of the Jewish people. At his core, he longed for a world where everyone could be close to Hashem, but he misunderstood what that closeness truly meant.

Through the stories of Ruth HaMoaviah, Pinchas, Ger Tzedek Avraham Potocki, and Reb Tzadok HaKohen, this shiur uncovers the inner meaning of בינו לבין קונו—a deeply personal relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam that cannot be reduced to ritual alone.

Chosenness, Rav Shlomo explains, isn't about excluding others. It's about becoming so deeply connected to Hashem that your greatest joy is seeing the entire world draw close to Him as well.

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

00:00 Opening Nigun, Dedication, and Netanel's Birthday

05:06 Introducing Parshat Balak: The Seemingly Simple Portion

08:32 Balak vs. Bilaam: Why the Parsha Bears Balak's Name

13:16 Chosenness vs. Political Correctness

16:23 Balak's Jealousy and His Desire for Universal Closeness

19:16 The Miss America Analogy and the Meaning of Chosenness

23:19 Idol Worship vs. True Service of Hashem

27:02 Ger Tzedek Avraham Potocki's Final Reflection

28:43 Refining the Inner Self Takes a Lifetime

29:53 Why Pinchas Appears at the End of Parshat Balak

31:18 Pinchas: The Tikkun of Anger and Jealousy

33:05 The Personal Relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam

34:08 Beino L'Vein Kono: The Messianic Secret

36:23 Balak's Dream Fulfilled Through Ruth

38:12 You're Not Disappointing Your Ancestors

In this final class of the year exploring the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David tackle the ultimate goal: achieving true shalvat hanefesh (serenity) by anchoring our lives in Emet (Truth) and Emunah (Faith).

Rav Shlomo explores a profound paradox: true faith only begins where the human intellect ends. If we demand logical proofs for every challenge Hashem sends us, we limit our connection to the Divine.

Drawing on Rebbe Nachman and the Nesivos Shalom, this episode breaks down the three levels of faith—from the mind, to the heart, and finally to the limbs—and challenges us to stop asking God "Why" (Lama) and start asking "For What" (Lema).

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

CHAPTERS

00:00 Opening Thanks and Sponsor Acknowledgments

01:02 Purpose of Today's Lesson: Rebbe Nachman's Tachlis

02:06 Core Themes: Hitbodedut and Azamra

03:19 Anatomy of the Soul and Physiological Insight

04:56 World as Olam Deshika vs. Olam HaEmet

06:53 Holding Fast to Unshakable Truth

08:51 Truth as the Prerequisite for Genuine Faith

22:56 Bitul, Truth, and Eternal Emet

25:10 Lechatchila: A Humble Quest for Understanding

26:14 The Uncrackable Divine Code

32:12 Strong Faith Leads to Intellectual Insight

36:44 From "Why?" to "For What?"

40:10 Dveikut, Emunah, and the Rise of Sechel

45:35 The Limits of Understanding and the Gift of Faith

Can a Jewish leader take a massive risk in order to save the Jewish people? Or does Torah demand that we avoid relying on miracles?

In this final shiur of the season, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore one of the deepest and most sensitive questions in Jewish history: Was it permissible for Ben-Gurion to declare the State of Israel when the odds of survival seemed impossible?

Beginning with the story of Matityahu and the Maccabees, the shiur examines the Torah's approach to military risk, faith, and leadership. Why did some great rabbanim oppose Zionism? How should we understand those positions today? And how do Torah leaders balance military expertise with spiritual vision when making decisions that affect the lives of an entire nation?

Along the way, Rav Shlomo reflects on the divisions within Am Yisrael, the legacy of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, Oslo, Iran, and the ongoing challenge of building a Jewish future rooted in both faith and responsibility.

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro, Dedications, and a Grandfather's Yahrzeit

03:15 - Can a Military General Halachically Take Risks?

08:45 - The Spiritual Roots of Anti-Zionism and Finding True Unity

16:20 - Ben Gurion's 1948 Declaration: A Miracle or a Gamble?

24:00 - Stop Settling: Living "L'chatchila" vs. "Bedieved"

35:30 - Bombing Iran and the Modern Miracles We Take for Granted

43:15 - Dovid HaMelech's Council: Balancing Strategy and the Sanhedrin

52:00 - Bottom-Up Brotherhood: What God Really Wants to Hear

Who Shouldn't Serve in the Army?

Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David dive into the heart of the current debate surrounding the IDF draft and Torah study.

Seeking a "brand new light" to heal the divisiveness, the Shiur explores the historical precedents of Avraham and King Asa, who were both punished for taking Torah scholars out to war.

Rav Shlomo addresses the complex realities on both sides: the genuine fear of spiritual decline in the army, balanced against the ultimate mitzvah of saving lives (Pikuach Nefesh) and the reality that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) dwells in the army camp.

Exploring the nuanced rulings of Rav Moshe Feinstein and the successful model of Hesder yeshivas, this episode calls for a massive paradigm shift and a bottom-up spiritual awakening.

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro, Dedications, and a Grandfather's Story

04:15 - The Most Sensitive Sugia: The Draft and Torah Study

08:30 - Why Avraham and King Asa Were Punished for Drafting Scholars

15:00 - What if the Media Actually Interviewed the Yeshivas?

21:45 - The Greater War: Eradicating the Spirit of Hamas

28:20 - What Rav Moshe Feinstein Actually Wrote About Exemptions

35:00 - A Soldier's Perspective & The Hesder Yeshiva Model

41:15 - The Shechinah in the Army Camp and Pikuach Nefesh

#israeldraft #israeldraftingorthodox #israeldraftprotest #israelidraft #israelabanikandadraft #israelidraftdodgers #israelultraorthodoxdraft #israeldraftand

Are You Teaching Mitzvot But Forgetting The Soul?

In this final class of the year on the sefer Know Your Children, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David explore what it truly means to make Hashem the center of your home.

It doesn't mean walking around holding Tehillim all day. It means integrating a deep, spiritual purpose into the daily grind of parenting, from giving baths to feeding your kids dinner.

Rav Shlomo discusses the critical balance between teaching the actions of Halacha and cultivating the emotional regesh (vitality) behind those actions, warning against the dangers of raising "doers" without teaching them how to be "feelers"

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

#parenting #jewishwisdom #jewishparenting #raisingchildren

As Parshat Chukat opens with the mystery of the Parah Adumah, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David uncover a startling teaching hidden within its ashes.

Drawing from Reb Tzadok HaKohen, the Rambam, and Reb Shlomo Carlebach, this short but powerful shiur becomes a meditation on exile, redemption, and what it truly means to prepare for Mashiach.

Beginning with the Rambam's surprising prayer in the middle of Mishneh Torah, Rav Shlomo explores the deeper meaning of the Parah Adumah as a symbol of Am Yisrael itself: pure, whole, and sent "outside the camp" into centuries of galut. Yet the story does not end there. One day, the ashes will be gathered.

From the haunting image of the ashes of Majdanek to Avraham Avinu's first prayer in the Torah, a profound teaching emerges: before Mashiach comes, a Jew must be connected to both the dust of Eretz Yisrael and the ashes of the Six Million. Not one without the other.

----------------------

For more Shiurim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit:

https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community:

https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

#chukat #redheifer #redheiferupdate2025 #redheifersacrifice #redheiferjerusalem #redheiferupdate #redheiferprophecy #redheiferisrael #redheiferceremony #redheiferprophecyexplained #redheiferritual #redheiferashes #redheiferburned #redheifertempleupdate #redheiferandthethirdtemple #carlebach

The One Question the Rebbe Lived By

Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David explore a profound teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Parshas Chukas. When Miriam and Aharon passed away, the Jewish people temporarily lost their miraculous well of water and protective clouds of glory.

The Rebbe explains that Moshe Rabbeinu had to step out of his own spiritual comfort zone and rein himself in (tzimtzum) to provide exactly what the people needed.

Rav Shlomo connects this to the Rebbe's own life—a deeply private man who sacrificed a quiet existence because he placed the needs of the generation above his own nature.

This episode challenges us all to awaken the spark of Moshe within ourselves, step away from asking what we need for our own spiritual growth, and dedicate this Gimmel Tammuz to asking: "What does the Jewish people need right now, and how can I provide it?"

CHAPTERS

00:00 Opening Thanks and Sponsor Acknowledgment

01:50 The Rebbe's Teaching on Divine Goodness

04:24 Miriam, Aaron, and the Hidden Losses

05:36 When the Water Stopped Flowing

13:26 The Three Things Every Jew Needs

17:48 The Segulah of Water and Miriam's Gift

22:09 Why Every Jew Learns Torah Differently

24:05 Surface Learning vs. Deep Learning

26:31 Learning Styles and the Limits of Standardization

29:02 Rav Ginsburgh, Hanan Ben Ari, and Unexpected Guidance

30:38 Torah as Food, Clouds, and Water

33:37 From Tanya Back to Moshe Rabbeinu

41:43 The Rebbe on Reinforcing Yourself

48:54 What Does the Jewish People Need Right Now?

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

One of the most powerful sections in all of Tanach is not a battle.

It's the song that comes after it.

Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore Shirat Devorah and the extraordinary way Devorah HaNeviah speaks about those who came to help Am Yisrael in a time of war—and those who chose not to.

Why does Devorah bless Yael alongside Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah? Why are some tribes praised while others are sharply rebuked? And why does Chazal derive the laws of nidui and cherem from Devorah's response to those who stayed on the sidelines?

Moving beyond technical halachic discussions, this shiur asks a deeper question: What does the Torah expect from us when Jews are under attack?

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

CHAPTERS

00:00 Opening: Page 78 and the General Principle

01:33 Introducing Shirat Devorah and Its Context

03:25 Blessings to Tribes and Yael in the Song

05:07 Rashi on Women's Blessings and the Holy Mothers

07:44 Understanding Nidui – Excommunication Concept

08:54 Devorah's Rebuke to Non-Participating Tribes

11:57 Modern Parallel: Blessings vs Obligations

15:05 Halachic Details of Nidui and Cherem

20:56 Contemporary Solutions and Government Policies

23:29 Need for a Spiritual Revolution, Not Tactics

25:59 Women in the Tanks & Supreme Court Decision

28:03 Judicial Reform and Democracy Debate

30:10 Halachic Limits on Excommunication (Cherem)

32:27 Moses, Gad & Reuven: Refusal to Fight

35:16 Rambam on Running Away: Slashing the Shin

36:43 Universal Attack Overrides Political Divides

41:09 Gedolim's Vision: Torah-Based Army Leadership

In this special Rosh Chodesh Tammuz teaching, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore the deeper spiritual work of the month through the lens of Reuven, the tribe associated with Tammuz and the sense of sight.

Drawing from the teachings of Rav Yitzchak Ginsburgh, Rebbe Nachman, and Chassidus, Rav Shlomo uncovers a powerful challenge: when we look at another Jew, what do we actually see?

Why does Tammuz correspond to vision? Why were we given two eyes? And how can learning to see the good in others actually help awaken the good within them?

As we enter the weeks that eventually lead toward Tisha B'Av, Rav Shlomo offers a practical and uplifting path forward: using our right eye to see the greatness in others, and our left eye to honestly examine ourselves.

----------

For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

CHAPTERS

00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgments

01:02 Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Overview

09:05 Flip Camera Story and Symbolism

11:58 Why Two Ears? Seeking Balance

14:25 Right and Left Eye Teachings

17:10 Closing Call to Action for Tammuz