Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Hachana L'Shabbos with Rav Shlomo Katz
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Shabbos That Lets You Begin Again | Shabbat Shuvah | 18 Sep 2026 | 00:43:56 | |
In this shiur on Shabbos Shuvah, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore why this Shabbos carries such a unique place within the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah. Beginning with the Magen Avraham, Mateh Moshe, and Mareh Yechezkel, Rav Shlomo traces the origins of the Shabbos Shuvah drasha and the deeper reason this Shabbos became a time for awakening people toward teshuvah. He then turns to Rav Tzadok and the Sefat Emet to understand why Shabbos itself is a time of return, clarity, and reconnection to the deepest point of who we are. Along the way, Rav Shlomo discusses Aseret Yemei Teshuvah as “days of wet cement,” the meaning of ruach shtus, the difference between our mistakes and our essential identity, and why Shabbat Shuvah gives us a unique opportunity to decide who we want to become while the year is still taking shape. ---------- CHAPTERS | |||
| Why Are We Still Stuttering? | Shabbos HaGadol | 27 Mar 2026 | 00:30:17 | |
There are moments in history when the greatest miracle isn’t what we do… but how clearly we can say why we’re doing it. On the original Shabbos HaGadol, Bnei Yisrael didn’t just take the korban Pesach. They were asked by the Egyptians what they were doing… and they answered בלי גמגום. No hesitation. No confusion. Total clarity. This wasn’t just bravery. This was a miracle. In this deeply timely Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore why Shabbos HaGadol is not named for the date, but for the day, and what that reveals about the כוח of Shabbos to transform who we are. From the teachings of the Ohev Yisrael, we learn that Shabbos is not just a day of rest. It’s the מקור הברכה, the place where a person becomes someone capable of דברים שלא חלמתי עליהם. And maybe the biggest avodah right now? To stop stuttering. To speak clearly, to our אויבים, to our children, and even to ourselves, about who we are and why we’re here. May this Shabbos give us the כח to live, to believe, and to speak… clearly. CHAPTERS | |||
| The "Good Old Days" Are Irrelevant | Shabbos Hachodesh | 13 Mar 2026 | 00:37:56 | |
In this Hachana L’Shabbos for Parshas Hachodesh, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David open up one of the deepest avodos of this season: hischadshus—not changing into someone else, but renewing yourself exactly from where you are right now. Drawing from the Chiddushei Harim, the Beis Avraham of Slonim, Reb Nosson, and Rebbe Nachman, this shiur is a call to stop waiting for the “right time,” the “better version” of yourself, or the return of the so-called “good old days.” The mitzvah of Hachodesh hazeh lachem was given דווקא in Mitzrayim to teach us that renewal begins in the mud, in the constriction, in the place where a person feels most stuck. Rav Shlomo explores the danger of becoming a matzevah—a fixed monument to your old self—and the holiness of small acts of mesirus nefesh that open the gates to real growth. From the symbolism of fish scales swimming against the current, to the challenge of not letting yesterday enslave today, this is a powerful preparation for entering Shabbos Hachodesh with courage, honesty, and hope. ---------- CHAPTERS | |||
| A Shabbos Zachor Above the Heavens | 27 Feb 2026 | 00:32:38 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David enter Shabbos Zachor in a moment unlike any other. There has never been a Shabbos Zachor like this one. Not in our lifetimes. Drawing from the Maggid of Mezeritch, Rav Biderman, the Ishbitzer Rebbes, and the holy Tiferes Shmuel, we explore Amalek’s true war — not against belief in God, but against belief in hashgacha pratis. Not “Does God exist?” but “Is He involved?” Amalek cools us off. He whispers: It’s all a coincidence. It’s all mitachas haShamayim. But the Torah commands us: Timcheh es zecher Amalek mitachas haShamayim. Wipe out the voice that says this world runs on its own. Through Moshe Rabbeinu lifting his hands, through the avodah of looking me’al haShamayim, we learn that the weapon against Amalek today is not panic, not argument, but strengthened emunah peshutah. Pure faith in a precise script. There is a script. You are not here by accident. This Shabbos Zachor, we choose to look up. CHAPTERS | |||
| Ultimate Trust in the One Above | 20 Feb 2026 | 00:52:22 | |
This week in Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David take us deeper into the “benching series” with a powerful focus on bitachon—what it really means to trust Hashem, and how that trust changes a person from the inside out. Starting from the words we sing and say so often—“Baruch HaGever asher yivtach baHashem”—we explore why the pasuk repeats itself, and how Chazal read that repetition as a map of ultimate trust: not just believing in Hashem, but letting Hashem become the only “support beam” you’re leaning on. Along the way we move through a sweeping set of sources—Midrash, Rav Pinchas of Koretz, the Maggid, Arugas HaBosem, Sfas Emes, and the Modzhitzer Rebbe—until we land on the real test Rav Shlomo keeps returning to: If your trust is real… does it make you more calm, more alive, and even more joyful—right now? Chapters | |||
| Acquiring Yirat Hashem | 06 Feb 2026 | 00:43:06 | |
What does it really mean to acquire Yirat Hashem without becoming anxious, rigid, or spiritually “small”? In this Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David zoom in on the words we often rush past near the end of bentching: “Yiru es Hashem kedoshav, ki ein machsor l’yire’av.” Rav Biederman brings a powerful teaching בשם בית אהרן מקרלין: if a person is truly chasing Yirat Shamayim, nothing is missing — spiritually and emotionally. From there we open Rav Kook’s Middot HaRa’ayah and discover a surprising definition: real Yirah doesn’t weaken you. It gives oz v’gevurah, fills life with purpose and big aspirations, and elevates your talents with the light of a holy fire. And we clarify the essential distinction between fear-based Yirah (sometimes necessary as a guardrail) and Yirat Romemut — a higher awe that comes with ahavah and an inner Eden. A practical, uplifting reframing of Yirat Hashem so your avodah leaves you feeling more alive, more courageous, and more connected. CHAPTERS | |||
| The Gates that Open During Bentching | 30 Jan 2026 | 00:41:37 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat Davud open a window into what really happens when we bentch. Drawing from the Baal Shem Tov, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, the Chofetz Chaim, and Rabbeinu Bachya, we discover that Birkat HaMazon is not just gratitude after a meal. It is an eis ratzon, a moment when gates open in Shamayim. When a mitzvah d’Oraita is fulfilled with presence and kavana, something shifts. A person is no longer standing in the same place. And once the gates are open, the question becomes: do we walk through them? We explore why Chazal placed the Harachaman tefillos specifically after bentching, how true satiation comes from blessing rather than food, and how a Jew is invited to pour their deepest bakashos into the words of Birkat HaMazon. This is a shiur about trust, dependence on Hashem, and learning to recognize when Heaven is quietly saying: now is the moment. May we learn to slow down, to stay present, and to walk fully through the gates that open before us. ---------- Chapters 00:00 Niggun of the Baal Shem Tov | |||
| The REAL Satiation of Food | 23 Jan 2026 | 00:36:29 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David step into a quiet but radical idea: food doesn’t truly satiate a Jew — blessing does. Beginning with niggun and moving into the inner meaning of Birchas HaMazon, we learn from Reb Shlomo of Karlin that “vesavata” doesn’t come from eating alone, but from uverachta. The real fullness is not physical; it’s spiritual. Through Chazal, Chassidus, and a powerful story carried through generations, this shiur reframes benching as the heart of Jewish life — our past, our survival, and our future. When blessing is said slowly, with presence and kavana, it becomes a source of sustenance, dignity, and quiet strength that no circumstance can take away. This is a preparation for Shabbos, and for living with inner satiation all week long. ---------- Chapters 00:00 Opening Niggun | |||
| The Calm that Follows Waking Up from Certain Dreams | 16 Jan 2026 | 00:43:52 | |
There’s a certain kind of dream that leaves you with a pounding heart… and then you wake up, and the room is quiet, and you realize: it wasn’t real. And in that quiet, in that calm, there’s a taste of what Dovid HaMelech calls “היינו כחולמים”. In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David open up a life-changing lens from the Beis Avraham of Slonim and Rav Biederman: the ultimate Redemption won’t only be that things get better moving forward. Part of the redemption is that we’ll be able to look back and see that even the darkest chapters were never random. Not “hakol tov (It's All Good).” Sometimes it’s not. But hakol letovah (It's All For The Good). And there’s a world of emunah inside that one small shift. We speak honestly about pain, and still we learn the avodah of holding on: to keep doing mitzvos, to keep praying, to keep singing… until the day comes when the heart can finally exhale and say: I thought it was the end… and it was part of the plan. May this Shabbos bring us that calm, the calm that follows waking up, and may it open the door to simcha shel mitzvah, even inside the mess. CHAPTERS 00:00 Opening Niggunim | |||
| Escorting the Queen | 09 Jan 2026 | 00:37:01 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore the avodah of Melave Malka not as a custom but as an act of love. Drawing from Shulchan Aruch, Gemara, the Rizhiner Rebbe, and the Shlah HaKadosh, we learn that escorting the Shabbos Queen is not about leftovers or convenience, but about honoring the Presence that filled our homes for twenty-five hours. Melave Malka stands as its own seudah—mutzav artza, v’rosho magia ha’shamayma—rooted in the weekday yet reaching Heaven. Through niggun, food, and consciousness, we discover how Motzei Shabbos becomes the bridge between holiness and ordinary life, and how angels ascend and descend with us each week. When we escort Shabbos with song, intention, and kavod, the light of Shabbos does not leave, it lingers. This shiur invites us to slow the goodbye, to sing the Queen out gently, and to begin the week with dignity, simcha, and blessing. — Join the WhatsApp community: Chapters / Timestamps 00:03 – Opening Niggun: “Esa Einai El Heharim” | |||
| Motzei Shabbos Folding | 02 Jan 2026 | 00:30:41 | |
Motzei Shabbos is often the most fragile moment of the week — when the light of Shabbos fades and old patterns rush back in. In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David learn a deceptively simple avodah that can transform the entire week ahead: folding. Drawing from the Be’er Mayim Chaim, we learn that folding the tallis on Motzei Shabbos isn’t just a custom. It’s a spiritual practice. Just as a tallis is folded again and again until it rests properly, so too real shalom bayis is built through repeated acts of humility and restraint. We explore:
May we merit to carry the kedusha of Shabbos into Motzei Shabbos, and to begin each week with menuchas hanefesh, shalva, and bracha. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| The Waves of Our Soul | 26 Dec 2025 | 00:40:20 | |
Waves are loud. Waves do big things. They rise higher and higher… and then they crash. And the chiddush is: that's exactly what Hashem praises. Not the person who “arrived,” but the person who keeps trying to rise מתוך געגועים והשתוקקות — even when it didn’t work yet. Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David learn the difference between “success” in the Western world (goal-oriented) and success in avodas Hashem: not that I made it.... but that I didn’t give up. And how real yearning (“כי זה כמה נכסוף נכספתי”) can’t just be in the head. It has to move you, even a little, into action… because davening is called avodah for a reason. Along the way, we connect:
May we merit a Shabbos of deeper waves, deeper hishtokekus, and to look at each other with those eyes that give a person strength to rise again, and this time: deeper, wiser, stronger. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| Do You Have Passion that Can’t Be Ignored? | 12 Dec 2025 | 00:33:44 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos we step back into the holy words of Yedid Nefesh and learn a line that is daring, almost chutzpadik, and yet it’s Torah-emes: “אל תתעלם” — Don’t ignore me. How can a Jew speak like that to the Ribbono Shel Olam? Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra learn that this isn’t entitlement — it’s relationship. Like a child speaking to a parent, when the longing is real and the yearning is true, a Jew has the right to say: Abba… please don’t hide. Please don’t turn away. We explore what it means to call ourselves “בן אהוב” — a beloved child — and why that only works if we can honestly say “נכספה”: I’ve actually longed for You. Not longing for “things to work out,” not longing for Hashem to serve me, but longing to be an eved Hashem, to live close, to want kedushah for real. Through Rav Biderman’s teaching, the “king’s palace” mashal, and a guarantee passed down through tzaddikim: passion is the ingredient that saves a person in this world, and even beyond. Not quick fixes. Not perfection. But an inner fire that keeps trying, keeps returning, keeps yearning. Together we explore: – The difference between wanting results and wanting Hashem May we be ambassadors of true passion — passion that leads to mindset, and mindset that leads to action. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| We Are Infinitely Stronger Than We Think We Are | 28 Nov 2025 | 00:45:53 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos we return to Yedid Nefesh and the words: “ירוץ עבדך כמו איל – May Your servant run like a deer.” Chazal tell us: “לעולם ירוץ אדם לדבר הלכה אפילו בשבת – a person should run to a dvar halacha even on Shabbos,” and yet the pasuk they bring says “אחרי ה’ ילכו – they will walk after Hashem.” So are we meant to walk… or to run? With the help of the Chidushei HaRim, the Sochatchover Rebbe, the Klausenberger Rebbe, and the Piaseczna, we learn that inside every Jew lives a world of hidden kochos that usually stay asleep. A frail man who can’t carry a sefer suddenly lifts stones heavier than his own body in the camps. A mother flips a car to save her children. A Yid standing in a tunnel during a siren somehow stays calm for his wife and baby. In moments of danger, we discover that what we thought was “my limit” was often just a story. The Torah of this shiur is simple and devastatingly hopeful: those kochos were always there. They’re not “emergency powers” Hashem hands us only in crisis; they are part of who we are, usually operating at a tiny percentage. The avodah is to live with the awareness of sha’as sakana — spiritual and emotional — without waiting for another October 7th, another breakdown at home, another fire to wake us up. Practically, we speak about:
We are infinitely stronger than we think we are. Every step we run toward what really matters brings the Ribbono Shel Olam immeasurable nachas and pulls the geulah closer – not just bimheira b’yameinu, but teikef u’miyad mamash. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| When Nothing Adds Up, Everything Opens Up | 21 Nov 2025 | 00:27:35 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David learn that there’s a difference between believing in Hashem and leaning on Hashem. It’s one thing to say “I have emunah.” It’s something else entirely to make the Ribbono shel Olam your mish’enet – the crutch you actually put your weight on when nothing in your life logically adds up. Through a piercing Midrash about a wanderer who calls himself “ben beiso shel melech” and the fiery Torah of the Piaseczna Rebbe from inside the Warsaw Ghetto, we hear that it’s not such a chochmah to believe when you can still see a plan. The avodah of a Yid is to say: “In my mind there is no way out. And still, Hineni – I lean on You.” That kind of bitachon, says the Rebbe, doesn’t block the shefa – it pulls the yeshuah closer. This week’s kabbalas Shabbos work is simple and radical: find one place where you’re done trying to force a natural solution, and instead of spiraling, whisper: “Hashem, You’re my mish’enet. I’m putting my weight on You here.” When nothing adds up, that’s often where the deepest opening begins. In memory of שלמה ליב בן רפאל גדליה Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| The Deepest Consolation One Can Have During Affliction | 14 Nov 2025 | 00:21:37 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos we linger in Mizmor L’David and reach the line that so many of us recite without understanding: שבטך ומשענתך המה ינחמוני “Shivtecha u’Mishantecha, hema yenachamuni.” How can a shevet (rod/whip) possibly console? Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevre of Shirat David learn that what feels like the blow often becomes the very mish’enet (staff) we lean on later. We hear a searing, hope-filled story from the recent wedding of Rachel Goldberg and Aminadav Rotenberg where 11 children who buried a parent danced to מלך ממית ומחיה ומצמיח ישועה “Melech meimis u’mechayeh… u’matzmiach yeshuah,” and we meet the Shatzer Rav’s teaching that even when the world goes dark, Hashem is still sprouting salvation from within it. Together we explore:
May we taste the nechama that comes when the Shepherd’s rod becomes our staff, and may new yeshuos quietly begin to sprout. — Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| Learning How to Cry Out When Things are Going Smooth | 31 Oct 2025 | 00:35:20 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David enter Mizmor L’David (Tehillim 23) through the eyes of Rav Tzadok HaKohen (ר׳ צדוק הכהן) and discover why David HaMelech shifts from לשון נסתר (speaking about Hashem)—“יַרְבִּיצֵנִי… יְנַהֲלֵנִי… יַנְחֵנִי”—to לשון נוכח (speaking to Hashem)—“כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי.” The teaching is piercing and tender: most of us turn to אַתָּה (You) only in the גֵּיא צַלְמָוֶת (valley of shadow), but the avodah is to live in אַתָּה even on the green pastures. We sing the נוסח (melody) for Mizmor L’David that Reb Shlomo Carlebach composed at his mother’s levayah, and we learn how תְּפִלָּה תָּמִיד (constant prayer) keeps us awake to the מְנַהֵג לַבִּירָה (One who runs the “castle,” i.e., the world)—so we don’t need painful wake-ups. From a Chassid who broke his hand yet whispered “בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא…”, to the line “עם ה׳—חוצים ים; בלא ה׳—אין עוברים מפתן (with Hashem you cross a sea; without Him you can’t cross a doorstep)”, we practice thanking, pleading, and noticing while the fridge is full and the house is calm.
---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| Has God Become Your Shepherd Yet? | 24 Oct 2025 | 00:38:55 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David enter the niggun of “ה׳ רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר” and ask a very simple, very brave question: am I still wrestling with life, or am I letting the Shepherd lead? Together we learn that Shalosh Seudos is an עת רצון to be led: to discover what we truly want, to cry for it, and to begin living it now. From the Slonimer and the mefarshim on Tehillim 23, and from the image of ra’aya meheimna (Moshe the “faithful shepherd”), we hear that leaders don’t just inspire. They plant אמונה until following Hashem becomes natural, not forced. We explore: Why “Hashem is my Shepherd” is not poetry but a posture: when He’s leading, what am I really lacking? The animal-market mashal: resisting the pull of the Shepherd bruises us; softening to His guidance brings calm and protection. Yaakov’s secret—“הָאֱ-לֹקִים הָרֹעֶה אֹתִי… עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה”: a lifetime of hard chapters without losing the Shepherd-consciousness. What true ביטול looks like (not becoming “gefilte-fish frum,” but awake, dignified surrender). Practice for this Shabbos: choose one place you’ve been fighting reality. During Shalosh Seudos, whisper: “Ribono Shel Olam, You are my Shepherd here too.” Then let your next small step follow, not drag. May we merit to feel guided, guarded, and gently gathered, so our bodies stop bracing, our hearts stop bruising, and Shabbos becomes the pasture of trust. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| The Shabbos Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot | 03 Oct 2025 | 00:31:00 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos — The Shabbos between Yom Kippur and Sukkot — we breathe in the freshness after Ne’ilah and learn how to land with gentleness. Join Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David in learning from the Slonimer Rebbe: this Shabbos holds two lights at once— יום השביעי that carries the love and cleansing of Yom Kippur, and תחילה למקראי קודש that calls out the joy of Sukkot. From Rav Kook we receive the avodah of these days: to re-educate our return to olam hazeh with קדושה—less סבלנות (gritting teeth) and more הַמתנה (patient waiting as a gift). Together we explore: May the Ribbono Shel Olam let our bodies be proud of our souls this week, as heaven and earth meet in patience, joy, and Shabbos-peace. ---------- Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| The Importance of a Real Third Meal | 26 Sep 2025 | 00:40:05 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos—The Importance of a Real Third Meal—we sing our way into the year with ונאמר לפניו שירה חדשה and remember that Torah itself is a song: learning must stay fresh—אסור להזדקן—ever new. Then we turn to the hidden jewel of Shabbos: Seudah Shlishit, the ne’ilah of every Shabbos. With the Bnei Yissaschar (in the name of R. Menachem Mendel of Rimanov), we learn that at late-afternoon רצון דרצונות the original will to create the world resurfaces—יש מאין energy enters the air. That’s why tefillah there can open gates “beyond nature.” The Chafetz Chaim’s story of a father crying Tehillim at Seudah Shlishit—and the shidduch that birthed the Ketzot HaChoshen—reminds us what one cracked-open heart can draw down. Practical avodah for this Shabbos Shuvah: May the Ribbono Shel Olam let this Seudah Shlishit lift us into a year of revealed mercy—where guf and neshamah, heaven and earth, meet in Shabbos-peace, and miracles above nature become our everyday path. ---------- For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com
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| The Last Shabbos of 5785 | 19 Sep 2025 | 00:34:14 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos—The Last Shabbos of 5785—Rav Shlomo Katz invites us to step out of autopilot and enter Shabbos as something utterly new. From the Baal Shem Tov’s teaching that on this Shabbos Hashem Himself blesses Tishrei—and through it the entire coming year—to the Shem MiShmuel and Avnei Nezer on “אם תשיב משבת רגלך”, we learn how to lay down our hergel (habit) and receive a heart that’s awake today—“היום אם בקולו תשמעו.” Together we explore: May the Ribbono Shel Olam bless our Tishrei, renew our strength, and grant a year where body and soul, heaven and earth, meet in Shabbos-peace—with חיות, dignity, and new song. ---------- 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 | |||
| Reviving the Living and the Dead | 14 Sep 2025 | 00:41:52 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos, we enter the quiet glow of Friday night and the tefillah of “מגן אבות בדברו—מחיה מתים במאמרו.” Together we sing Shomer Yisrael and ונאמר לפניו שירה חדשה, then learn how Shabbos revives what feels lifeless—sometimes not by miracles, but by a word, a smile, or real listening. Through the Beit Avraham of Slonim, the Shevet Musar, the Maharal, and Chazal’s line “טוב המלבין שיניים לחברו יותר ממשקהו חלב,” we discover that to revive the living often means to speak gently and to hear deeply. The Kotzker reminds us: techiyat hameitim for those already alive is the hardest, and holiest, work. Don’t wait for a “שינוי צורה”; offer chizuk before someone breaks. This Shabbos, our avodah is simple and brave: one word, one hug, one moment of real shemi’ah that gives a friend back their will to live. May the Ribbono shel Olam make us agents of life—מחיה מתים במאמרנו ובשמיעתנו—and may every Shabbos restore us with חיות, warmth, and new song. ---------- 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 | |||
| The Powerful Depth and Beauty of 'Kah Echsof' | 05 Sep 2025 | 00:37:45 | |
Rav Shlomo Katz explores the depth and beauty of this popular Shabbos niggun, composed by Rav Aharon Hakoen of Karlin zy"a Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t | |||
| Staying and Feeling Alive | 29 Aug 2025 | 00:40:23 | |
In this week’s Hachana L’Shabbos, Rav Shlomo Katz reminds us that Elul תשפ"ה is not a repeat of last year—it is brand new. Together we enter into the niggun of ונאמר לפניו שירה חדשה, the song of renewal, and the tefillot that prepare us for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Through the words of the Ibn Ezra and the teachings of Rav Biderman, the Shla Hakadosh, and the Ba'al Shem Tov, we learn that true life is found not only in feeling inspired, but in choosing to stay alive even through ניסיונות (challenges) that seem to make no sense. Torah and mitzvot done with חיות, with freshness and vitality, become our very source of life. May we merit not just to survive, but to feel renewed, uplifted, and alive every single Shabbos. | |||
| Kah Ribon – Hashem Inviting Us to Return to Our Beit Hamikdash | 04 Jul 2025 | 00:32:44 | |
Friends, in this powerful shiur, we journey deeply into the beautiful zemer, "Kah Ribon," exploring the heartfelt call from Hashem to rebuild the Beit Hamikdash within each of us. Together, we uncover profound teachings from Rav Birmann, the Belzer Rebbe, the Mei HaShiloach (Izhbitzer Rebbe), and other holy sources that illuminate how every act of holiness we choose shapes the Divine sanctuary in heaven. Imagine Hashem Himself longing for your next moment of kedushah, waiting with infinite love and patience for us to make space for Him in our hearts. Take this deep Torah, carry its sweetness and truth into your homes, and invite Hashem to your Shabbat table this week. | |||
| Kah Ribon Olam - L'mikdashech Tuv | 27 Jun 2025 | 00:21:36 | |
As we conclude the Kah Ribon series, Rav Shlomo Katz takes us deep into the hauntingly beautiful stanza למקדשך תוב ולקדש קדשים - exploring what it truly means to become a Mishkan, a sanctuary, for Hashem. Drawing from the Ohr HaChaim, the Ramchal, and the Akedat Yitzchak, this shiur uncovers the profound teaching that God's dwelling is not limited to a structure. It resides within the soul of every Jew. We revisit Shlomo HaMelech's dedication of the Beit HaMikdash and his hidden fear: that the external grandeur of the Mikdash might make us forget to build the inner sanctuary within. Are we making space inside ourselves for the Divine Presence? Can we let go of self-doubt long enough to believe that even our flesh and blood can be a holy dwelling place? This is a shiur for those who long for the Beit HaMikdash. Not just the one to descend from Heaven, but the one that is waiting to be built inside our own hearts. | |||
| Kah Ribon Olam - Ve'apek Yas Amech | 20 Jun 2025 | 00:42:59 | |
“I Know It’s You, Hashem.” Through tears, song, and Torah, Rav Shlomo invites us to see through the terrifying masks of exile, fear, and suffering, and to recognize that it’s all still our loving Father beneath the lion’s skin. Whether you’re afraid, confused, inspired, or just holding on — this shiur gives language and melody to the soul’s deepest plea. In this Shiur: - A chilling parable about a lion entering a Jewish home. - The deep Kabbalistic and emotional meaning of אריותא (lions) in the current moment. - Insights from the Modzitz Rebbe, Reb Shlomo of Zvhil, Rav Ginsburgh, and Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa. - What it means to cry out “למענך” — not for our sake, but for Yours, Hashem. | |||
| Kah Ribon - Looking For the Aleph in Everything | 06 Jun 2025 | 00:43:09 | |
What if every struggle, every detour, every moment in your life was really just a hidden encounter with God? In this week's shiur on Kah Ribon, Rav Shlomo Katz dives into the soul of the verse לו יחיה גבר שנין אלפין לא יעל גבורתך בחושבניה—uncovering a radical teaching from the Vorker Rebbe, the Magaleh Amukos, Rav Baruch of Mezhibuzh, and Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin. It's not just that Hashem’s might is beyond calculation. It's that when we choose to see the Aleph, the אלופו של עולם, the Master of the World, in every moment, even the harshest judgments melt away. This is the difference between exile and redemption. One small letter—Aleph. One shift in consciousness. The moment we live with Emunah that nothing is mikreh (random), we sweeten all judgments and begin to taste geulah. 🔹 Why חטא (sin) has a silent Aleph If you’re mevakesh emunah—if you’re even just seeking to believe—Hashem already begins to forgive. | |||
| Kah Ribon (2) - Hashem is the Shadchan | 30 May 2025 | 00:43:39 | |
| Kah Ribon Olam - The Song of Every Jew | 23 May 2025 | 00:35:17 | |
| Kol Mekadesh Shvi'i - Part 3 | 09 May 2025 | 00:35:02 | |
| The Glory of the Shabbos Candles | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:38:53 | |
Based on the teachings of R' Meilech Biderman, we get a glimpse into the mitzvah of lighting the Shabbos Candles being the gate opener that can really only be done by women. shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, torah, shlomo katz, shirat david, candles, zusha, biderman | |||
| The Test of the Shabbos Table | 12 Jan 2025 | 00:47:30 | |
Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman, we learn in this class what lies at stake at the Shabbos Table. torah, shlomo katz, shabbos, sabbath, shirat david, efrat, carlebach, biderman | |||
| The Penetrating Music of the Shabbos Table | 06 Dec 2024 | 00:46:09 | |
Based on Rav Biderman's teachings, we delve deep into the powerful moment when the niggun appears at the Shabbos table, and it;'s long lasting effect on the soul. sabbath, shabbat, shabbos, shlomo katz, rav biderman, chassidus, purim, shirat david | |||
| Tasting Gan Eden through the Learning on Shabbos | 25 Nov 2024 | 00:49:07 | |
Learning on Shabbos is a different world. torah, rav biderman, shabbos, sabbath, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat | |||
| Shabbos - Cholent Consciousness | 08 Nov 2024 | 00:37:50 | |
| The Depths of Shabbos Rosh Chodesh | 03 Nov 2024 | 00:29:37 | |
Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman shlit'a, we looked into what lied beneath the light that comes down when Rosh Chodesh falls out on shabbos torah, rosh chodesh, shabbos, shabbat, sabbath, rav biderman, shlomo katz, efrat, shirat david | |||
| Last Shabbos of the Year | 27 Sep 2024 | 00:31:15 | |
Rav Biderman points out what lies within the last Shabbos of the year shabbos, shabbat, sabbath, tora, shlomo katz, carlebach, jew, shirat david | |||
| Eating Fish on Shabbos | 20 Sep 2024 | 00:50:35 | |
Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman shli'ta, we learned the deeper meaning of eating fish on Shabbos and what consciousness it brings to the believing Jew. | |||
| Is my Shabbos for Shabbos | 13 Sep 2024 | 00:39:48 | |
Based on Rav Biderman's teachings, we learn the importance of making sure that everything we do for Shabbos is really for Shabbos, and not for ourselves. | |||
| Preparing for Shabbos - Running Away From Fire | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:33:58 | |
Rav Biderman teaches us how easy it is to convince ourselves that certain types of anger over kedusha may be holy. Nothing can be further from the truth, especially when it comes to preparing for Shabbos. | |||
| Shabbos is the Sign | 10 May 2024 | 00:37:11 | |
Every Friday night, we stand in shul, and sing the words 'ביני ובין בני ישראל אות היא לעולם'. shabbat, shabbos, torah, israel, efrat, shirat david, shlomo katz, biderman | |||
| Shabbos - No Shortchanging Ourselves | 15 Mar 2024 | 00:47:30 | |
Sometimes, all we need is one incredible footnote from Rav Biderman. torah, biderman, holy temple, beis hamikdash, israel, zionism, shlomo katz, efrat, shirat david, shabbat, shabbos | |||
| Shabbos - A Lasting State of Inner Calm | 08 Mar 2024 | 00:51:03 | |
Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman. biderman, sabbath, shabbos, shabbat, shlomo katz, torah, efrat, shirat david, chassidus, sfas emes | |||
| The Value of the Gift of Shabbos | 16 Feb 2024 | 00:45:43 | |
Based on Rav Biderman, we entered the world of understanding how valuable the precious gift of Shabbos truly is. | |||
| Havdala - The Essence of Yiddishkeit | 02 Feb 2024 | 00:34:54 | |
As Shabbos ends, the first words I say are that I'm not scared. I'm not scared of going into the week. I'm not afraid of facing the hiddenness, concealment, or darkness. Where does this confidence comes from? shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, isroel, yitro, baal shem tov, Reb Tzadok, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat | |||
| 3rd Meal of Shabbos - the Headquarters of Emunas Tzaddikim | 26 Jan 2024 | 00:47:11 | |
What is the concept of having Emunas Tzaddikim? shabbos, sabbath, chassidim, breslov, uman, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat | |||
| Bringing Pleasure to Myself vs. Brining Pleasure to Shabbos | 12 Jan 2024 | 00:23:45 | |
An island of Yishuv Hada'at, Simchat Halev and so much more is waiting or us on Shabbos. What do we do to make sure we take advantage of it? | |||
| David Hamelech's Presence at the Shabbos Table | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:47:15 | |
The Zemer Chai Hashem Uvaruch Tzuri contains within it a tremendous amount of strength and direction, guided by David Hamelech himself. | |||
| Shabbos - An Extra 5 Seconds with the Challah | 29 Dec 2023 | 00:48:51 | |
What did the double portion of Manna coming down on Friday bring to the world? What does it continue to bring to our lives? | |||