We're always thinking about who we are - good, bad, healthy, unhealthy, broken, whole - and how great we may or may not be able to become. Can we really succeed in every area of life, or are we meant to struggle with only partial success?

From where can we derive true wisdom about these questions?

Today's Hayom Yom points us in the direction of some answers.

A straightforward, logical approach to understanding what the Rebbe seems to have wanted from us when he said the famous sicha of Chof-Ches Nissan, 5751 - based entirely on the words of the sicha.

As described in the previous episode, I was BH the winner of the first ever Chassidus Applied essay contest, winning $10,000 with my essay entitled Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself, based on a maamar of the Mitteler Rebbe.

This episode is the recording of 22-year-old me presenting the essay at the JLI Sinai Scholars Symposium at the University of Pennsylvania that year.

You can read the actual essay here:

https://www.chassidusapplied.com/essay/getting-past-depression-by-getting-past-yourself/

I hope you find these explanations practical and transformative! Please consider sharing this content with someone who can use a boost out of feeling down and into lasting simcha.

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👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

Exactly ten years ago today, I was blessed with an unforgettable moment in my life. To celebrate this special anniversary, I share the behind-the-scenes story of how I won first place in the very first MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest, hosted by Rabbi Simon Jacobson and the Meaningful Life Center.

It’s not just a story about me winning. It’s a story about battling through emotional challenges through the guidance of Chassidus, and thereby learning how to help others do the same.

You’ll hear:

• The personal struggle I was going through that year in Yeshiva

• How I stumbled on a maamar that felt like it was written just for me

• The person who inspired me to write and really try to win

• The powerful reaction people have had to the essay over the years

• How the $10,000 prize was not just a nice luxury, but actually helped my continued growth as a Jew

• How this moment gave me the first public sign that I could share Chassidus in a way that really helps people

Resources Mentioned:
📄 Read the full essay: “Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself”
📺 Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s Chassidus Applied program

🎧 Coming soon: a bonus episode with the recording of 22-year-old me presenting the essay live at the JLI Sinai Scholars Symposium shortly after the essay contest.

Thank You for Listening!
If this episode inspired you, please share it with someone who’s working through their own challenges. May Hashem bless you with clarity, growth, and real simcha.

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👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

In this Q&A session with Chaplain Josh Goldstein's Daily Shaar HaBitachon study group, he and I explored how to apply the teachings of Shaar HaBitachon.

Most of the conversation centers on an honest and painful question submitted by a young father:

What does one do when they feel emotionally drained in a marriage that feels toxic, despite their best efforts?

While there is certainly room for divorce according to Torah, there is also room for exploring how the Torah's spiritual and psychological teachings can empower us to handle situations more peacefully and in turn be more effective at making them better.

What You’ll Learn:

I hope you enjoy the episode and that it helps you bring more hishtavus, bitachon, happiness, and success into your life!

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Link To Join Chaplain Josh's Daily Bitachon Group:http://chat.whatsapp.com/IRdLIsshtKSKulVqngONuI

If you found this conversation valuable, please forward it to a friend or loved one who might benefit from a Torah-aligned path to inner strength and healing.

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👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

In this special Purim episode of Success for Jewish Men, we explore one of the most life-changing shifts in perspective—seeing your life as part of a grander story about you and Hashem - and feeling that consistently, even when Hashem's Presence is hidden.

The Megillah is unique among the books of Tanach. Hashem’s name isn’t mentioned even once. To an outsider, it might not even seem like a story about Hashem at all. And yet, we read the Megillah knowing it’s a story of miracles, Hashgacha Pratis, and Hashem’s perfect orchestration.

The truth is, our lives are no different. We may not have prophetic narration explaining exactly how Hashem is involved, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t directing every single moment.

In this episode, we explore:
🔹 Why the Megillah is the perfect parallel to our own lives
🔹 How to shift from "Where is Hashem?" to "I see Hashem everywhere"
🔹 The Baal Shem Tov’s fundamental teaching on Hashgacha Pratis—how every single detail is divinely orchestrated
🔹 The long-term plan of history—how your life is part of Hashem’s ultimate story leading to Moshiach

We tend to look at life and ask why challenges are happening and where it's all going. The way the Purim story is written (with ruach hakodesh) emphasizes to us that Hashem has a plan, and even though that plan unfolds slowly over time, He is with us every step of the way.

Listen now to strengthen your awareness of Hashgacha Pratis, make real connection with Hashem a part of your daily life, and enter Purim with a deeper appreciation of its message.

Wishing you a Freilichen Purim—one filled with clarity, joy, and the recognition of Hashem’s presence in every detail of your life!

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👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

In this episode of Success for Jewish Men, we dive into a crucial but often misunderstood topic: the role of simcha (joy) in our lives—not as an optional extra, but as a necessity for our Avodas Hashem, our relationships, and our financial success.

Too often, we think happiness is something we’ll experience after we’ve solved our challenges—after our Parnassah is flowing, after our marriage is perfect, after we’ve "figured it all out." But the Alter Rebbe in Tanya flips this thinking on its head: Simcha isn’t the result of success—it’s the prerequisite.

Using the metaphor of a wrestling match, the Alter Rebbe teaches us that no matter how strong we are spiritually or mentally, if we come into the fight weighed down by sadness and worry, we will lose. To win in our inner battles, to step into our full potential, we need energy, enthusiasm, and readiness to do whatever it takes—which all come from Simcha.

This episode explores:
🔹 Why the Baal Shem Tov made simcha a central theme of Chassidus
🔹 How the "American" pursuit of happiness differs from the Tanya's perspective
🔹 A mindset shift that can unlock new possibilities in your parnassah, marriage, and spiritual life
🔹 The secret behind Simcha Poretz Geder—how true joy shatters limitations

If you’re ready to stop waiting for happiness and start using it as a tool for real success, this episode is a must-listen.

Listen now and start implementing these shifts today!

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👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

In this episode of Success for Jewish Men, we explore simple, powerful, yet often-overlooked lessons from the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin’s marriage — lessons that can truly transform our homes.

Their connection, their shared purpose, and their profound respect for each other give us a clear picture of what marriage can look like when the Nefesh HaBahamis isn't getting in the way. And while their level is far beyond what we even aspire to reach, that doesn't mean we can't learn from their greatness and grow in that direction. The shifts proposed in this episode can help you become a better husband, strengthen your marriage, and create a life with less struggle, more flow, and more success.

Give it a listen and be ready to implement what you learn!

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Thanks for listening to the podcast! For more from me, visit my website:

AryehGurewitz.com

In one of the final sichos the Rebbe edited so far, the Rebbe described how the day of the Rebbetzin's passing - 22 Shevat, 5748 (1988) - marked the beginning of the third segment of the Dor HaShevii (the generation of Chassidim tasked with finally bringing the Geulah).

What is the relevance of this information, and with what mindset should we approach the fact that we live in this unique time?

Find out in this Moshiach shiur. (Recorded 22 Shevat, 5778.)

In my recent conversation with Rabbi Josh Zebberman (see last podcast episode), we discussed the value of learning a hard part of a maamar and asking... "Who cares?!"

In this Moshiach shiur given way back in 2017, I had done exactly that, with regard to the beginning of the Rebbe's first maamar, Basi Legani 5711, where the Rebbe explains the meaning of ikar shechina.

This, and many other very deep and vitally important teachings of the Rebbe, are packed into this crash course on Moshiach.