Hachana L'Shabbos

Why Are We Still Stuttering? | Shabbos HaGadol

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:14:25 -0700

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.
----------
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 niggun & reflection
02:54 Looking back at past Shabbos HaGadol
06:33 Why it’s called Shabbos HaGadol
14:08 Why the miracle is tied to Shabbos (not the date)
17:17 The Ohev Yisrael on timing & כוח
20:07 Shabbos HaGadol as a spiritual launchpad
22:48 The role of drashos & speaking clearly

The "Good Old Days" Are Irrelevant | Shabbos Hachodesh

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:13:37 -0700

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.

----------
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 encouragement for Shabbat preparation
01:44 Yahrtzeit reminder and linking to Chiddushei Harim
04:45 Renewal is in our hands – Chiddushei Harim quote
15:00 Reb Nosson on grabbing moments for spiritual growth
19:16 Small actions as the catalyst for true hischadshus
23:58 Aliyah as a Matzevah: Growing Beyond Past Selves
24:59 Finding the Middle Path Between Matzevah and Asherah
27:59 Avoiding the Mask: Don't Create a God of Yourself
29:48 Fish Scales as Symbols of Purity Against the Current
32:34 Rethinking Prime Years: Beyond Shana Aleph
35:54 Seizing the Moment for Mesirus Nefesh

A Shabbos Zachor Above the Heavens

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:46:19 -0800

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.
----------
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 Dedication, Sponsors, and Opening Niggun
04:44 Finishing the Current Sefer and Looking Ahead
11:57 Amalek’s Challenge: Hashgacha Pratis vs. Klalis
22:18 Shiva House Story and Final Reflections
27:45 Moshe on the Mountaintop Inspires Israel
29:16 Reb Shlomo’s Quick Glance in Jerusalem
30:24 Stuck in Mitachas Hashomayim – The Problem
31:54 Shabbat Blessing and Hope for Me'ala Hashomayim

Ultimate Trust in the One Above

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 01:04:03 -0800

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?
----------
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 Nigun and Chant
05:40 Yizkor and Yahrzeits Introduction
07:09 Benching Depth and the Table of Gold
11:38 Midrash on Trust and Godlikeness
16:52 Rav Biderman on Extreme Bitachon
25:24 Personal encounter with Reb Biderman and unique…
26:38 Observations on others’ perceived laziness and…
28:46 Three differing opinions on bitachon presented
40:53 Sfas Emes perspective on ultimate trust and…
43:52 Addressing Yossi’s question about “ani that doesn’t take”
45:44 Modzhitzer Rebbe’s insight on desperation vs genuine…
47:53 Rav Biderman on the purpose of bitachon
49:06 Trust Amid Despair and Lost Hope
50:20 Harder Than Arugas Habosem: True Trust
51:23 Why This Trust Is the Hardest

Acquiring Yirat Hashem

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:07:16 -0800

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.
----------
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 Nigun and Shabbat Greeting
01:43 Shabbat Welcome and Sponsorship
03:21 Benching Structure and the Rise Toward Mashiach
17:15 Exploring Kinyan Yirat Shamayim
19:26 Rav Kook on the Nature of Yirat Hashem
25:58 Distinguishing Fear from Awe in Yirat Hashem
27:12 Seeing Hashem Everywhere: a New View of Yirat Hashem
28:36 Fear (Eimah) Triggered by Seeing Hashem in Sin
30:58 Distinguishing Yirat Chet from Yirat Shamayim
36:49 Rambam vs. Ra’avad on Visualizing Kisse Hakavod
37:55 Rav Kook on Visualization for Higher Yirat Hashem
41:10 Yirat Romemut: Love and Inner Eden
42:18 Closing Blessing and Niggun for Yirat Romemut

The Gates that Open During Bentching

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:31:51 -0800

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
01:50 The Completeness of Torah: תורת השם תמימה
04:01 Blood Donation Example and Bentching Kavana
06:27 Ikar, Tefillah, and Dependence on Hashem
11:27 Harachaman After Birkat HaMazon
13:14 Minhag of Stopping at Yachasreinu
14:41 Benching Opens Gates to Heaven
36:48 Metzius and Davening Climax
38:24 Rabbi Chaya on Mitzvah Timing
40:46 Benching Series and Shabbos Focus

The REAL Satiation of Food

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:42:47 -0800

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
02:15 Shabbos as the Source of All Holiness
05:10 Birchas HaMazon as the Story of Am Yisrael
09:30 Why Benching Requires More Kavana Than Tefillah
14:05 Mitzvos With “Mazal” — and One Without
18:40 The Real Meaning of “Ve’Achalta Ve’Savata”
22:55 Reb Shlomo of Karlin on True Satiation
27:10 A Story of Survival Through Birchas HaMazon
34:20 What Sustains a Jew Through Everything
38:45 Bringing This Consciousness Into Shabbos

The Calm that Follows Waking Up from Certain Dreams

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:52:11 -0800

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.
----------
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 Niggunim
06:40 Comment on the Niggun MakSim
26:02 The Nuance of “Hakol Tov” vs “Hakol Letovah”
27:16 Rav Biederman’s Message on Meaningful Suffering
28:34 Everyday Labor as a Path to Shabbat Honor
35:51 Finding Joy Despite Pain: The Reason God Blesses Us
41:32 Choosing Halachic Paths: Haloch Yeilech vs Bo Yavo Berina

Escorting the Queen

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 01:01:23 -0800

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.

—
For more shiurim and music from Rav Shlomo Katz:
https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join the WhatsApp community:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

Chapters / Timestamps

00:03 – Opening Niggun: “Esa Einai El Heharim”
04:05 – A New Hanan Niggun: “Rachmana Libba Ba’ei”
09:23 – From Song to Torah
12:57 – What Is the Seuda of Motzei Shabbos?
14:19 – Shulchan Aruch: Escorting Shabbos with a Seuda
16:33 – Maharsha: Why Leftovers Don’t Count
22:16 – The Rizhiner Rebbe: The Ladder of Melave Malka
26:34 – Angels Ascending and Descending
29:16 – Escorting the Queen with Song
31:24 – Delaying the Goodbye: Tosefet Shabbos
33:00 – The Gra’s Rebbetzin and the Power of Melave Malka
36:10 – Closing Reflections and Practical Kabbalah

Motzei Shabbos Folding

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:40:52 -0800

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:

Why peace only enters a home after a person steps back from their “makom”
How letting go — especially when you’re right — creates true blessing
Why spilled wine, folded fabric, and Motzei Shabbos habits set the tone for the entire week
How v’tur doesn’t erase truth, but allows truth to be heard

May we merit to carry the kedusha of Shabbos into Motzei Shabbos, and to begin each week with menuchas hanefesh, shalva, and bracha.

----------
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 Waves of Our Soul

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 01:03:15 -0800

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:

The wave that falls… and comes back again.
Aharon HaKohen’s pain, and why Hashem says: your ratzon is greater than their korbanos.
The koach of ratzon in Chazal (even when the full “result” didn’t happen the way you dreamed).
Looking at another Yid with רחמים: maybe they didn’t “fall” — maybe they just came down from a wave.

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.

----------
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

Do You Have Passion that Can’t Be Ignored?

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:22:23 -0800

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
– “Don’t ignore me” — when that’s holy, and when it’s just ego
– Practical avodah: how to build real longing so your prayers becomes honest and alive

May we be ambassadors of true passion — passion that leads to mindset, and mindset that leads to action.

----------
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

We Are Infinitely Stronger Than We Think We Are

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 01:14:29 -0800

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:

Why “I’ll do whatever I can” is often a lie we tell ourselves, and how to start discovering what we actually can do.
How to feel the urgency of lanus min ha’aveirah – to run from aveirah and toward mitzvah – without needing a catastrophe.
Everyday examples of hidden strength: putting the phone away for five minutes, not snapping at our spouse or children, taking one small step toward kedushah even when we feel totally drained.

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.

----------
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

When Nothing Adds Up, Everything Opens Up

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:48:43 -0800

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
----------
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 Deepest Consolation One Can Have During Affliction

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:17:50 -0800

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:

Rod → Staff: training our eyes to notice how past “patches” became future supports.
When to speak, when to hold: why this isn’t a vort for a shivah house—it’s an inner avodah for Shalosh Seudos.
Practical kabbalah for this week: name one place you’re fighting reality and choose, just for seven days, to lean on it with emunah.

May we taste the nechama that comes when the Shepherd’s rod becomes our staff, and may new yeshuos quietly begin to sprout.

—
For more shiurim and music from Rav Shlomo Katz: https://ravshlomokatz.com

Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t

Learning How to Cry Out When Things are Going Smooth

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 01:15:24 -0700

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.

Takeaways:

Train your heart to say אַתָּה (You) in moments of plenty—set two daily “calm-time” tefillos of gratitude.
Add a quiet Mizmor L’Todah (מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה) before מִמַּעֲמַקִּים—praise before plea.
Place שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי (I have set Hashem before me) on your phone lockscreen; touch it before you touch your day.
When you notice success, speak out loud: “לֹא כֹחִי וְעֹצֶם יָדִי (not my own strength)”—and name one gift that clearly isn’t yours.

----------
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

Has God Become Your Shepherd Yet?

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 02:08:31 -0700

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.

----------
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 Shabbos Between Yom Kippur and Sukkot

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:23:15 -0700

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:
• Why this Shabbos can be the holiest of the year—where YK’s “בני, אל תמאס” meets Sukkot’s “זמן שמחתנו.”
• How to guard calm—כל מלאכתך עשויה—even while building the sukkah, chasing schach, and lists upon lists.
• A simple practice: welcome Shabbos with one conscious hamtanah—slow Kiddush, a softer niggun, or a whispered “thank You for letting me come back gently.”

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.

----------
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 Importance of a Real Third Meal

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 03:12:05 -0700

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:
• Make Seudah Shlishit real (wash, sing, Tehillim, a few words of chizuk).
• Guard the עת רצון: start Mincha earlier or plan a later Maariv so you’re not rushing.
• Aim your tefillah from the heart—especially for others and for Klal Yisrael.
• Choose one small “new note” in learning or song so Shabbos ends with חיות.

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

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

The Last Shabbos of 5785

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 01:04:02 -0700

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:
• Why each Shabbos is its own world—no “tashlumin next week,” only now.
• Shalom between guf and neshamah—how the candles, Kiddush, and even our eating can rise instead of weigh us down.
• The covered challahs: not a table custom, but a covenant of kavod habriyot—if we guard bread from shame, how much more a fellow Jew.
• Practical avodah for this Shabbos: pause before Kiddush and name one “new” you’re bringing; choose one act of pre-emptive chesed (don’t wait for a shinui tzurah); and let one song or smile lift a soul.

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 06:00:20 -0700

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'

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:54:22 -0700

Rav Shlomo Katz explores the depth and beauty of this popular Shabbos niggun, composed by Rav Aharon Hakoen of Karlin zy"a
----------
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

Staying and Feeling Alive

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 07:28:46 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:07:18 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 05:49:48 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:51:15 -0700

“I Know It’s You, Hashem.”
In one of the most heart-piercing shiurim of the year, Rav Shlomo dives into the stirring words of the Modzitz niggun:
“וְאַפֵּיק יַעַס עַמָּךְ מִגּוֹ גָּלוּתָא, עַמָּךְ דִּי בְּכֵי אֶת מִכְּלַל אוּמַיָּא”
“Take the wrath from Your people, Hashem… Your people who cry out from among the nations.”

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 04:17:14 -0700

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
🔹 The power of Shehakol in the face of death
🔹 How Yaakov Avinu saw only Alephs—even in Lavan and Eisav
🔹 The secret of turning גלות into גאולה
🔹 And what it means to live like Adam HaRishon—with everything created just for you

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 30 May 2025 07:20:24 -0700

Kah Ribon Olam - The Song of Every Jew

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 23 May 2025 02:54:58 -0700

Kol Mekadesh Shvi'i - Part 3

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 09 May 2025 04:22:09 -0700

The Glory of the Shabbos Candles

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:25:33 -0800

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:00:23 -0800

Based on the teachings of Rav Biderman, we learn in this class what lies at stake at the Shabbos Table.
It's much deeper than we think.

torah, shlomo katz, shabbos, sabbath, shirat david, efrat, carlebach, biderman

The Penetrating Music of the Shabbos Table

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 04:12:15 -0800

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 22:10:29 -0800

Learning on Shabbos is a different world.
Rav Biderman drives home this concept through some incredible teachings and stories of the tzaddikim.

torah, rav biderman, shabbos, sabbath, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Shabbos - Cholent Consciousness

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 02:03:43 -0800

Based on Rav Biderman's teachings, cholent plays a very important role in the life of a believing Jew.

chulent, cholent, shlomo katz, torah, biderman, shabbos, sabbath, shabbat

The Depths of Shabbos Rosh Chodesh

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 01:45:53 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 00:59:05 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 01:11:23 -0700

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.

shlomo katz, torah, efrat, shirat david, biderman

Is my Shabbos for Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 02:38:47 -0700

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.

shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, torah, shlomo katz, efrat

Preparing for Shabbos - Running Away From Fire

Rav Shlomo Katz — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 02:56:10 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 10 May 2024 00:15:08 -0700

Every Friday night, we stand in shul, and sing the words 'ביני ובין בני ישראל אות היא לעולם'.
What is the meaning of this אות, of this sign that we are referring to?

shabbat, shabbos, torah, israel, efrat, shirat david, shlomo katz, biderman

Shabbos - No Shortchanging Ourselves

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 03:31:28 -0700

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:32:46 -0800

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:08:43 -0800

Based on Rav Biderman, we entered the world of understanding how valuable the precious gift of Shabbos truly is.

Havdala - The Essence of Yiddishkeit

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 01:50:34 -0800

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 01:49:24 -0800

What is the concept of having Emunas Tzaddikim?
Why is Shaleshudes the time to invite this consciousness into our lives

shabbos, sabbath, chassidim, breslov, uman, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

Bringing Pleasure to Myself vs. Brining Pleasure to Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 01:34:27 -0800

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?

shabbos, shabbat, sabbath, shlomo katz, shirat david, efrat

David Hamelech's Presence at the Shabbos Table

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 05:39:52 -0800

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

Rav Shlomo Katz — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 02:33:50 -0800

What did the double portion of Manna coming down on Friday bring to the world? What does it continue to bring to our lives?

shabbat, shabbos, challah, shlomo katz, torah

The Opportunity of Shabbos Channukah

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:05:18 -0800

The real battle vs. Greece is more simple than we think.
December 8, 2023

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Gift and Test of the Shabbos Table

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:59:52 -0800

What is it that we are trying to do when approaching the Shabbos table?
December 1, 2023

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

A Bat (Bas) Ayin Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:57:51 -0800

On the yarzeit of Rebbe Avraham Dov of Avaritch, we learn about the greatest gift one receives when davening for it on Shabbos.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbat Shalom vs. Good Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:55:12 -0800

Why is Shabbat Shalom the key blessing for the day of rest?
Based on the teachings of R' Ya'akov Meir Shechter shlit'a.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Shabbos Today's Youth Seeks

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:51:53 -0800

Based on one of the shiva calls we made yesterday, we discovered what kind of a Shabbos table today's children are looking for.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Come Prepared to the Shabbos Table

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:48:06 -0800

Making sure that you have a short inspiring story for the Shabbos table may very well be the 'thing' that lights the spark in our children's hearts.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Possibility of the Shabbos Table's Song

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:44:49 -0800

It could be that all our children need for their hearts to open to Hashem is one good niggun at the Shabbos table.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - The Power and Danger of Music

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:39:15 -0800

Singing holy words needs holy melodies. What exactly defines holiness when it comes to music?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Kegavna's Invitation

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:36:51 -0800

Based on the teachings of R' Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we learn the piece of Zohar we say on Friday night.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - The Secret of Echad

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:30:35 -0800

What lies beneath the meaning of Hashem Echad?
What significance does the Echad have to do with Shabbos?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Maintaining the Whole World

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:24:45 -0800

If it wasn't for Shabbos, humankind would be under the assumption that it's possible to be separate forever.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Inside Story of Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:21:21 -0800

The Inside Story of Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbos

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Looking At Each Other With Shabbos Eyes

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:18:59 -0800

Understanding the deeper meaning behind the words:
ימין ושמאל תפרוצי
ואת ה׳ תעריצי
על יד איש בן פרצי
ונשמחה ונגילה

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Yamin U'smol Tifrotzi

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:16:46 -0800

The power and inner meaning of these three words

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Ba'al Shem Tov's Preparation for Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:13:17 -0800

Feeling chocked? Feeling swamped by the weekday?
Based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we studied the chapter of Tehilim one says before Mincha of Erev Shabbos.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - When You Are So Close, But Missing Everything

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:09:56 -0800

Everything about our Shabbos could be on. The davening, the learning, the food, and the shluff. But if my mouth isn't synced with the depths of Shabbos, I may lose out on all the light.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Cracking Through The Confusion of this World

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:08:31 -0800

The Hebrew word for world is עולם, which is connected to the world העלם, concealed, hidden. On Shabbos, I have an opportunity to break through this concealment. How so?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Ending Shabbos and Feeling 'This was Mamesh Shabbos'

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:06:03 -0800

Our speech is so telling. The words and tone that come out of our mouths create the atmosphere we live in. On Shabbos, this avoda is of utmost importance.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - The Reservoir of Love Defeats Amalek

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:59:53 -0800

Place the love you have in your heart, but just make sure to feel it.
How?
Shabbos.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Falling in Love with the One Above

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:57:06 -0800

Based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we learn how Shabbos provides for us the opportunity to sense Ahavat Hashem in the most applicable way.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - The Soul of the World

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:52:29 -0800

Our Erev Shabbos Chabura in Shirat David, finishing the 8th chapter in Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter's יום מחמדים

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Creating and Tasting Olam Haba

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:50:32 -0800

What enables my Shabbos to be blissful?
It's not only refraining from 'work' as we know it, but rather things that may be permissible, but standing the way of tasting your Olam Haba

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Hashem Created Me Because He Loves Me

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:48:15 -0800

On Shabbos I am reunited with Hashem's decision to create the world. That includes me, Hashem's decision to create me. Hashem chose to crate the world and to crate me because of his love and compassion. This is what's waiting for us when we tap into the menucha of Shabbos.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - The Renewal of all I Believe in

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:39:06 -0800

On Shabbos everything is being replugged into the charger. how exactly does this manifest?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Retreating To My Source

Rav Shlomo Katz — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:30:43 -0800

As much as I may filled with holy adrenaline and desires, there is a time I must rest. The question is, what is the point of that rest?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

What do I discover through the Menucha of Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:13:09 -0800

Menucha is not only to feel rested, it is to reconnect to the type of prophecy that exists within every one of us. How so? Join us in today's learning, based on the teachings of Rebbe Ya'akov Meir Shechter.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Rest Which Births Introspection

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:06:01 -0800

What type of rest do we yearn for when Shabbos comes?
Could this type of rest take place in the middle of the week?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - An Eternal 'No Worries Mate' World

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 23:00:59 -0800

Based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter, what type of work are we talking about during the week, and what type of rest are we talking about when it comes to Shabbos?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Tricky Mystery of the Shabbos Table

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:59:03 -0800

The Simcha at the Shabbos table doesn't always come easy. But when there is an opening for simcha and love, some of the greatest tikkunim can take place.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

One Real Shabbos and Freedom Appears

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:56:42 -0800

Why don't I scream out in agony and pain to Hashem on Shabbos? Because the place I reach through the simcha and kavod of Shabbos reaches even higher.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos Can Bring Much More Than I Think

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:47:29 -0800

Based on the teachings of R' Ya'akov Meir Shechter, the kappara which a real Shabbos Kodesh brings is something to pay more attention to.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Has G-d Become Greater To You Since Last Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:44:13 -0800

The tshuvah one can experience on Shabbos is from another world. To understand this, one needs to delve deeper into what the tshuvah of Shabbos is all about and how it differs from the rest of the week.

shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, shlomo katz, shirat david, rebbe nachman, breslov, human, efrat

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Oneg Shabbos - The Meaning of Shabbos Pleasure

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:42:35 -0800

A deeper look into the concept of Oneg Shabbos, the true pleasure and delight of what Shabbos brings to the world.

shabbos, sabbath, torah, yiddishkeit, breslov, tsh, oneg, ta anug

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos Kodesh - A Berdichever Angel Cheer

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:38:40 -0800

We never know what is waiting for us on the other side of a Nisayon. But if you listen closely, you can hear the Berdichever Angels cheering us on.

shabbos, sabbath, shabbat, mesirus nefesh, shirat david, shlomo katz, efrat, rebbe nachman

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Shabbos Between Yom Kippur and Succos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:32:14 -0800

With the help of Reb Tzadok, The Netivot shalom and Rav Kook, we delve into the gentle and beautiful Shabbos which is in between Yom Kippur and Succos.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

What happens if I don’t feel Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:31:30 -0800

Based on the teachings of R' Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we discuss what happens to the one who just doesn't feel Shabbos, and what happens to those that aren't aware they are supposed to be feeling anything int he first place.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Aligned With Shabbos All Week Long

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:30:46 -0800

How does one do whatever they can to stay away from falling into sadness?
We are always looking for intense methods for this, but sometimes, the mosr simple methods are most effective.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Being Careful of Desecrating and Not Enjoying Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:29:58 -0800

A wonderful approach to showing our children how precious Shabbos is.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - 40 Minus 1

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:29:07 -0800

An inner glimpse into the language used to describe the laws of Shabbos

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Making Every Single Moment Count

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:28:02 -0800

How does one take an honest look at the 25 hours of Shabbos?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Balanced Love & Joy

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:26:22 -0800

Once I am in tune with the bliss of every moment of Shabbos, every corner of the house and every corner of my soul become Shabbosdik.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

When I Sweeten Shabbos, My Whole Week Gets Sweeter

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:25:27 -0800

Shabbos is the root of creation. If I sweeten things in their root, the branches provide all the shades of sweetness and beauty the world longs for.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Shabbos - Is our Shul for Everyone

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:24:04 -0800

Thanks to a triggering comment in the middle of our learning, we refocused on the learning we have been doing, in a very significant way.

When Shabbos is Shabbos, I Come to Believe in Tshuva

Rav Shlomo Katz — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 22:23:12 -0800

Shabbos is a flow of Tshuvah. Since the concept of Tshuvah was created before creation of the world, Shabbos opens the gates for us to not be confined by time and space.

Shabbos - The One Day I Only See Echad

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:35:23 -0800

Based on the teachings of Reb Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we finished the chapter discussing how to bring Shabbos into our weekdays.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Pnimiyus of Not Wearing Tefilin on Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:34:28 -0800

Based on the teachings of R' Ya'akov Meir Shechter, we learned the deeper meaning of an אות. In that context, we discover an aspect of the pnimiyus of Tefilin.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Becoming a Walking piece of Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:33:05 -0800

How do I reach a place where my actual thoughts are naturally different on Shabbos?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

So Much Anger In The World, Yes, It's Right Before Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:31:45 -0800

Anger is the headquarters of impurity in this world. The closer we are to Shabbos, the more hectic and nerve-racking Fridays are. The closer we are to Yom Shekulo Shabbos, the more chaotic this world is.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Way My Children See Me Make a Bracha on Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:30:09 -0800

Not only are the unique moments which only take place on Shabbos special and exalted, but the things we do every day, like waking up, learning and saying brachas have the ability to bring down a great deal of holiness into our lives. Sometimes, it's actually those things that touch children the most.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

The Gan Eden Learning of Shabbos Morning

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:29:20 -0800

Why is the learning on Shabbos morning from another world?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

When the Kids are Bouncing off the Walls during Kiddush

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:27:46 -0800

The gates that are open during Kiddush are difficult to put into words, but what do you do when the last thing you feel around your shabbos table is calm and serenity of the moment?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Time to Get out of the Smallness

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:23:55 -0800

When we begin davening קבלת שבת, there is a very unique invitation for King David himself. time to open up the envelope.

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To donate to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Renewal of Creation is happening to me too

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:22:50 -0800

From the Ba'al Shem Tov to R' Eliyahu Lopian, from the Chasam Sofer to the Chafetz chaim - we learned about moments which take place right as shabbos comes in. What is it exactly that comes down then?

To sponsor a daily/weekly Shiur click here
To make a donation to the Shirat David Foundation click here
To subscribe to the mailing list click here

Hachana L'Shabbat Continuation

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:20:25 -0800

Based on the teachings of Reb Tzvi Meir Silverberg, we learn about the opportunity that is available to us each Friday afternoon.

Living from Shabbos to Shabbos

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:19:16 -0800

Based on the teachings of Reb Tzvi Meir Silberberg, we began to discuss how one sets his eyes on Shabbos, and the importance of lifting one's gaze toward the opportunities that come flowing down through a proper prep for shabbos.

Hachana for Shabbos Chabura - Introduction

Rav Shlomo Katz — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:17:36 -0800