The Shmuz

Life Lessons from Eisav HaRasha

In this compelling class with Rabbi Shafier, explore a startling midrashic insight: how Esav—a wicked man who rejected spirituality—excelled in honoring his parents to a

Toldos: Eisav's Busy Day

If you don’t appreciate it, you may as well not have it. Isn’t that a disturbing thought? Of course, appreciation is at the core of kibud av v’eim, a mitzvah that Eisav

The Shmuz on the Parsha: Toldos

By the age of fifteen, Eisav had already killed a man, lived with a married woman, denied the Torah and renounced mitzvos, techias hameisim and olam haba. Devoid of moral

Shmuz - 328 - Akeidas Yitzchak - Anatomy of a Nisayon

Akeidas Yitzchak. An event that continues to shape the Jewish People, giving us endless zechuyos and molding our collective character for all time. What sets the Akeidah

Chayei Sara: Finding Your Unique Tafkid

In this week’s Shmuz on the Parsha, Rabbi Shafier delves into the epic tafkid of Sara Imeinu. Despite her incredible, spiritual accomplishments, we learn that Sara Imei

The Shmuz on the Parsha: Anatomy of a Nisayon

You know what’s right. But in the middle of a nisayon, your reasons for making an exception can sound remarkably convincing. Discover three principles from Akeidas Yitzc

A Day in the Life of Avraham Avinu

Avraham Avinu was one of the wealthiest, most powerful and influential men of his generation. Yet at 99 years old, recovering from his bris milah and in considerable pain

The Shmuz #327 Acquiring Olam Haba the Easy Way

Avraham Avinu risked his life to rescue Lot, yet afterward he was terrified. Had the miraculous victory used up all his reward in Olam Haba? How could one of the greatest

Vayeira: Olam Chesed Yiboneh

The news is relentlessly, deliberately unnerving, and the steady drumbeat of divisive ideologies keeps pushing against Klal Yisroel, challenging our collective resilience

Shmuz - 326 - Noach: Ani Maamin V'Aino Maamin (Why do we keep making the same mistakes?)

You know you shouldn't lose your temper. You've promised yourself you won't do it again. And then, before you know it, you've done exactly the same thing. Why is it so d

For those working with young couples: How to assess a marriage

You're a kallah teacher...a new Rov...a LCSW...and someone comes to you with a marriage issue. What's your next move? In his latest high-impact webinar, Rabbi Shafier re

Lech Lecha: A Diamond With a Flaw

Imagine two diamonds. One is completely flawless. The other has a tiny imperfection. Which is worth more? The answer might surprise you. Rabbi Shafier shares a powerful

The Shmuz on the Parsha: Lech Lecha

The Courage to Be Imperfect How could Avraham Avinu fail a test and still be praised for passing it? Rabbi Shafier explores a fascinating contradiction in Parshas Lech L

Shmuz #325 The Moon Was Jealous

Can the moon really complain to Hashem? Can the earth make decisions? And what does any of this have to do with you? Rabbi Shafier takes us beyond the familiar stories of

The Shmuz on the Parsha Noach: The Dangerous Assumption Behind Every Argument

How did the Dor Haflaga go from complete unity to fighting so bitterly that they could no longer live together? The answer reveals a mistake we all make, often without ev

Parshas Noach: Don't Give Up

Noach spent 120 years building the Teivah and warning his generation about the coming Mabul. Yet Rashi tells us that even Noach didn't fully believe it would happen. How

Shmuz #6 It's Not Geneivah, It's Shtick (Parshas Bereishis)

Of course, we all consider ourselves ehrliche yidden. We’d never steal. But when it comes to the government… taxes… some people “mach shtick”. It’s not geneivah, it’s “sh

A Short Shmuz on Succos: Just Ask for Mercy

What happens when you don't have a good argument for why Hashem should say yes? Rabbi Shafier reveals one of the most powerful ideas behind tefillah: we don't always have

The Shmuz on Succos: Elusive Happiness

The Torah tells us to be happy on Yom Tov. But how can you be commanded to feel something? Rabbi Shafier reveals that the key to simchas Yom Tov isn't pretending to be ha

The Ushpizin: Breaking the Forces of Habit

Every night of Succos, we welcome the Ushpizin into our sukkah. But what can these great figures teach us about the way we live? Through a fascinating question about Yaak