Explore every episode of the podcast Holidays- SoulWords

Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of Adam, the first human being. On Rosh Hashanah we are thus reminded that one person is an entire world. How do we translate this idea into inspiration and action for the New Year? Based on a Michtav Klali from 5723.

Why do we ask G-d on Yom Kippur to forgive us "for the sin we committed with the evil inclination"? Aren't all sins committed with the evil inclination? Chasidus explains that this means the specific sin of not properly channeling the energy of the evil inclination and using it as a force for good. Many […]

Rabbi Shais Taub share some of his favorite ideas from the Haggadah. Part 2 of 2.

Is Jewish identity collectivist or individualist? Are there no Jews without the Jewish people or no Jewish people without Jews? The first mitzvah performed by the Jewish people, the korban Pesach, holds the answer.

On the night when the Jewish people left Eygpt they were confined to their homes, as it says (Shemos 12:22) "No one shall leave the entrance of his house until morning." We can learn from this several important lessons applicable to current events.

This musical Lag B'Omer gathering with Rabbi Shais Taub and singer Eli Marcus took place in Morristown, NJ at the Rabbinical College of America's "Taste of Yeshiva" program for visiting college students. Among the subjects discussed were: the true definition of loving one's fellow and the lessons we can learn from the life of Rabbi […]

Lag B'Omer is the day of passing of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, author of the holy Zohar. As such, the day is fundamentally connected to the dissemination of the secrets of the Torah. Lag B'Omer is also "hod sheb'hod." What is the connection between the attribute of hod and the revelation of the inner dimension […]

Rabbi Taub leads a farbrengen in honor of Lag B'Omer at the Baal Shem Tov Library in Flatbush.

All Jewish holidays represent different aspects of the Jewish people's relationship with G-d while Shavuos represents the relationship itself. Why is Shavuos also called "Atzeres" which means "holding back"? Why are there no special mitzvos associated with Shavuos? Why are Pesach and Sukkos seven days while Shavuos is only one day? These questions are answered […]

The Babylonian Talmud says that the walls of Jerusalem were broken by the Babylonians on 9 Tammuz while the Jerusalem Talmud says it happened on 17 Tammuz. How do we reconcile these two accounts? What is the "Butterfly Effect" or the "Alternate Timeline Theory"? Is there a concept in Torah that historical events have the […]

Is your relationship with Hashem business or personal? As we head into the Shmita year it is important for each one of us to answer this question. Rabbi Shais Taub explains why.

Join Rabbi Shais Taub on the days leasing up to Yom Kippur as he delves into the unexpected impact of guilt on our spiritual journey. Contrary to popular belief, guilt can create a counterproductive "guilt cycle" that obstructs personal growth. Discover how to harness guilt effectively and make genuine life changes.

Massive oil-burning street lamps lit up the whole city of Jerusalem at night during the water-drawing celebration. But why were the wicks of these lamps made specifically from the old shorts and belts of the priestly garments? Based on a talk from the Rebbe on Sukkos 5714 we can answer this question by understanding how to joyously […]

What’s the difference whether we view Judaism as our cultural heritage or we view Judaism as G-d’s program for us how to live? A Midrash says that in the merit that Avraham told his guests, "recline yourselves under the tree," his descendants were given the mitzvah of sukkah. We know that shade from a tree […]

The Bnei Yisaschar explains how the 36 lights of the eight nights of Chanukah help us get ready for the revelation of spiritual light that will take place when Moshiach comes.

R' Tzadok HaKohen in his Resisei Layla describes the mystical meaning of the holiday of Chanukah. In this class, we learn sections of chapter 57 which explain why the story of Chanukah was never recorded as a book of the Jewish Bible but instead is a story that is told by the flames of the […]

The Four Cups Haggadah is a new Passover Haggadah full of spiritual insights for those in recovery. Rabbi Shais Taub, author of the Jewish recovery classic "G-d of Our Understanding" speaks with Rabbi Nechemia Schusterman about the background behind this new resource for the recovery community. #recovery#twelvesteps For more information or to order the Four […]

The Jewish people never managed to leave Egypt; they had to be removed by Hashem. From the story of the Exodus we can learn what it means to be stuck in a situation from which we cannot extricate ourselves and how to allow Hashem to do for us what we cannot.

Following an uplifting Shabbos in Crown Heights, a diverse groups of Jews from all over the world visited the Ohel, the resting place of the Rebbe. The day of their visit happened to be the holiday of Pesach Sheini which celebrates second chances. Rabbi Shais Taub explains to them the significance of their trip to […]

Exile is not normal and Tisha B'Av, as we know it, is not a day we should ever become comfortable with. Rabbi Shais Taub speaks live on Tisha B'Av from Beth Gavriel Bukharian Congregation in Forest Hills on the Chazaq Tisha B'Av marathon.

Prepare for Rosh Hashanah prayers with insights about some of the highlights of the services. Cantorial accompaniment provided by Chazan Mendy Herz.

Highlights from the Yom Kippur prayers are explained along with cantorial accompaniment from Chazan Mendy Herz.

Discover the deep meaning hidden behind this deceptively simple child's game. Find out how the Chanukah toy known as the dreidel contains within it symbolism about the nature of existence and the ultimate destiny of the Jewish people.

Various spiritual lessons that we can learn from trees, particularly the "seven species" associated with the Land of Israel.

Class in honor of the Jewish New Year for Trees delves into seven biblical trees and what we can learn from them. The Tree of Knowledge, the Tree of Life, the olive tree discovered by the dove after the flood, the grape vine brought by the spies, and the date palm and the cedar of […]

Listen to this class while you clean for Pesach and enhance your Seder. Rabbi Shais Taub shares short, mystical insights on passages from the Passover Haggadah that you can share with your friends and family.

On Rosh Hashanah, we all pray for a good, sweet, new year. But isn't this selfish? Why should we focus on our own needs rather than on how we can best serve Hashem? This is actually not a contradiction and the prayer of the Biblical Chana (Hannah), mother of the prophet Shmuel (Samuel), is the […]

Join Rabbi Shais Taub in this insightful pre-Yom Kippur talk as he explores "The Art of Self-Reflection." Understand why real Teshuva requires recognizing your own greatness, and how this is achievable through a profound relationship with a Tzaddik who sees your soul, even when you may not see it yourself.

Learn about the connection between the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Purim gathering in Brooklyn in 1953 and Stalin's sudden demise in Moscow. Rabbi Shais Taub meticulously maps out the historical timeline, providing compelling visual aids to illustrate the extraordinary sequence of events.

In honor of Tu b'Shevat, the New Year for Trees, we examine some of the spiritual lessons that we can learn from trees in general and the five species of fruits associated with the Land of Israel in specific.

How do we get the strength to go on when we cannot see G-d's plan for us? One of the lessons of the Purim holiday is how to respond when life makes no sense.

A deeper reading of the details of the Megillah—particularly those involving Haman's plot against the Jews—reveals an underlying truth about the unbreakable bond between Jews and G-d.

Matzah can only be made with dough that is able to become chametz. But why do we have to take such risks when making matzah? The answer to this question will lead us to understand the "high-risk" investment that Hashem has taken by implanting each one of us with an ego.

How are we to understand the Torah prohibition against the Jewish people returning to Egypt when many great Jews throughout the ages including the Rambam lived in Egypt? We offer several explanations according to halacha as well as the explanation of the Ari Zal according to kabbalah. What is the lesson for us?

Rabbi Shais Taub share some of his favorite ideas from the Haggadah. Part 1 of 2.

In honor of Lag b'Omer, study actual excerpts of the text of Zohar as illuminated by the teachings of the Rebbe. A livestream event from the SoulWords House.

Part 1 of High Holidays & the 12 Steps: spiritual prep for the Jewish New Year through the lens of recovery. In this Rosh Hashanah class, we explore surrender, vision, and beginning again—translating core 12-step ideas into practical avodah for the Days of Awe. Part 2: Yom Kippur. Part 3: Sukkos.

Part 2 of "High Holidays & the 12 Steps" looks at Yom Kippur and the mechanics of "at-one-ment." Getting rid of our character defects isn't just about cleaning house; it first requires a fundamental surrender to a Higher Power.

In Part 3 of "High Holidays & the 12 Steps," we explore the themes of joy and interconnectedness as embodied in Sukkos and Simchas Torah. Discover why these are considered the "highest holidays," representing the culmination of Rosh Hashanah's surrender and Yom Kippur's atonement, and how they relate to practicing spiritual principles in all aspects […]

Pesach is supposed to be a time of freedom—but for many parents raising sensitive or easily overwhelmed children, it can feel like anything but. In this webinar, Rabbi Shais Taub and Dr. Ilyssa Bass address the real challenges of preparing for Pesach with a “complex child”—kids who feel things more intensely, struggle with transitions, and […]