Rebbe Nachman's Treasure of Peace and Truth with Rav Shlomo Katz

Rav Shlomo Katz
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Rebbe Nachman didn’t come to make us “more religious.” He came to make us more real. Rav Shlomo Katz opens the “treasure chest” of Rebbe Nachman’s Torah — teachings that heal the inner storm, settle the mind (yishuv hadaas), and draw down peace and truth into our homes, our relationships, and our own hearts.

Episodes

  1. 10. Rebbe Nachman's Surprising Definition of Peace

    3d ago

    10. Rebbe Nachman's Surprising Definition of Peace

    What is peace? Most people think shalom means agreement. Rebbe Nachman teaches something far more challenging—and far more transformative. Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David explore Rebbe Nachman's surprising definition of peace: not the absence of disagreement, but the ability to seek truth together with those who see the world differently than we do. Drawing from current events, personal stories, and foundational teachings from Likutey Moharan, this conversation examines why machloket distances us not only from one another, but from Hashem Himself.  Along the way, Rav Shlomo explores inner conflict, serenity of the soul, the dangers of ideological certainty, and why true shalom can only emerge when we stop fearing opposing perspectives. ---------- For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening Dedication and Announcements01:34 Defining Inner Peace vs External Conflict03:41 Personal Anecdote: New Shoes and Shtender08:06 Rebbe Nachman's Definition of Shalom09:52 Pursuing Truth (Emet) Over Vanity11:21 Money, Vanity, and Spiritual Decisiveness14:27 Scooter Braun Example on Charity20:25 Haredi Riot in Alon Shvut and Call for Dialogue24:25 Divine Assistance Needed to Choose Participation25:33 Machloket as Root of Distance from Hashem28:52 Why We Gather: Seeking Common Ground48:18 Inner Peace (Menuchas HaNefesh) and Its Spiritual Reward

    49 min
  2. 9. The Rebbe’s Validation Is Life Saving

    May 14

    9. The Rebbe’s Validation Is Life Saving

    There are moments when a person feels so far from Hashem that they begin to believe the distance itself is the truth. In this deeply personal shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David learn the Torah of what happens when a tzaddik refuses to let you define yourself by your falls, your confusion, or your sadness. Through the teachings of Rebbe Nachman and the light of Bamidbar, this episode explores composure, spiritual heaviness, self-perception, and the life-saving power of hearing that you still matter to Heaven exactly where you are.----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgements01:56 Introducing the Theme: Composure02:56 Causes of Losing Composure07:43 Feeling Distance in Service10:38 Words That Saved Lives13:18 Analogy of Train and Elevator15:12 Learning Struggles and Feeling Far17:57 Self-Perception and Spiritual Density21:42 Feeling Divine Neglect23:28 When the People Felt God Was Uninterested25:02 The Miraglim Report and the Birth of Tisha B'Av28:17 The Rebbe Calls for Great Spiritual Strength30:44 All Tzaddikim Face This Spiritual Crisis44:43 Tiny Spiritual Steps Yield Massive Heavenly Impact46:42 Sadness Is a Spiritual Sin According to the Rebbe48:17 Zohar Quote on True Sadness (Sitra Achra)49:26 Bamidbar Lessons: Torah for Life’s Mistakes50:36 Closing Remarks and Blessings for the Week

    51 min
  3. 8. The Critical Moments Before Hitbodedut

    May 7

    8. The Critical Moments Before Hitbodedut

    Before a Jew speaks to Hashem, something deeper has to happen first. In this powerful continuation of our learning on hitbodedut, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David explore the hidden avodah that comes before the words ever begin: silence, yishuv hadaas, longing, and preparing the heart to truly stand before the Ribbono Shel Olam. Drawing from Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson, this shiur opens up the inner world of hitbodedut — not as a technique, but as a lived relationship. What happens in those first quiet moments? Why is it so difficult to begin? How do we avoid turning authenticity into self-destruction? And what does it mean to receive words “like burning coals of fire” directly from Hashem? Along the way, Rav Shlomo speaks about weddings, Rav Ginsburgh, the challenge of presence, the danger of negative self-talk disguised as honesty, and the possibility of hearing Hashem’s voice through your own.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 CHAPTERS00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgment02:42 Importance of Yishuv HaDaas and Hisbodedus04:15 The 15-Minute Hisbodedus Challenge05:16 How to Begin Hisbodedus: Practical Steps07:11 Preparing the Mind Before Speaking09:20 The Need for Silence According to Rav Noson10:21 Rebbe’s Story of Waiting for the Frierdiker Rebbe11:22 Wedding Example: Staying Present in Sacred Moments13:08 Facing Opposition When Seeking Hisbodedus17:16 Heavy Nature of Hisbodedus and Required Silence19:51 Final Call: Daily Practice of Hisbodedus23:48 Need for More Time and Rachamei Shamayim26:52 Avoiding the Self-Perverted Authenticity Trap29:13 Distinguishing Shleppers from the Truly Seeking31:56 Approaching Hashem with Humility, Not Boasting34:23 From Soft Beginnings to Burning Coals of Words38:43 Hearing God’s Voice Through Hisbodedus42:48 Sefirat HaOmer: Tuning Ears for Divine Messages46:00 Source of the One-Hour Pre-Hitbodedut Practice47:29 Rebbe’s Vision of All-Day Hitbodedus48:50 Comparing Hitbodedut and Continuous Prayer49:59 Focusing on One Middah in Practice

    59 min
  4. 7. How to Approach Hitbodedut

    Apr 16

    7. How to Approach Hitbodedut

    In this deeply practical shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David open a doorway into one of Rebbe Nachman’s most essential teachings: hitbodedut. Drawing from the sefer Eshpoch Lefanav Sichi and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman, Rav Shlomo reframes what it means to “talk to Hashem.” Not as something formal, structured, or intimidating, but as something raw, human, and deeply personal. What does it actually mean to speak “as you would to a close friend”? Why do so many people feel resistance to hisbodedut? And how can just 15 minutes a day begin to bring real clarity, calm, and connection, even in a chaotic world? ----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgments02:14 Purpose of Hisbodedus and Tranquility07:27 Suggested 15-Minute Daily Practice09:52 Pouring Out the Heart Like a Friend16:41 Story of a Compassionate Friend in Tzfat18:38 Challenges and Resistance to Daily Hisbodedus24:01 Infinite Heart Talk vs. Structured Prayer25:26 Keeping Deep Heart Secrets from the Untrusted26:31 “Hashem Bored?” – The Prison Joke Analogy27:34 Reb Noson on Small Details Before the Divine30:34 Sitting Before Hashem: Pouring Out the Heart32:56 Childlike Vulnerability in Hisbodedus37:20 Yefaresh Sichaso: Interpreting the Inner Voice41:57 Practical 15-Minute Hisbodedus Commitment45:34 Outdoor Hisbodedus and Women’s Participation

    48 min
  5. 6. Rebbe Nachman's 254th Birthday

    Mar 19

    6. Rebbe Nachman's 254th Birthday

    On Rebbe Nachman’s 254th birthday, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David open a different kind of door. Not just into the teachings of the Rebbe, but into the mystery of what hiskashrus really means — what it means to feel that a tzaddik was sent into the world with your soul in mind. Through a deeply personal text from Rav Erez Moshe Doron, this shiur explores why connection to the tzaddik can sound so foreign from the outside, and yet feel like the most intimate truth in the world from the inside. What does it mean to say, “I am Rebbe Nachman’s”? Is that threatening? Is it liberating? Is it a surrender of self, or the first time a person truly begins to find their real self? Rav Shlomo weaves together the worlds of emunah, bittul, self-acceptance, loneliness, healing, and avodah, showing how the tzaddik does not come to replace a person’s relationship with Hashem, but to lead them toward the G-dly light within. This is a birthday shiur, but really it is a love letter: to the Rebbe, to the soul, and to the hope that no part of a person is beyond repair. And the practical takeaway is as clear as ever: if you want this Torah to enter the heart, begin with 15 minutes of hisbodedus a day.----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening Blessings and Sponsor Acknowledgments01:06 Rebbe Nachman's Birthday and Its Significance02:11 Birthday vs Yahrtzeit: Spiritual Meaning04:29 Neighborhood Group’s Struggle with Chassidus05:41 The Pasuk as Basis for Tzaddik Connection07:01 Experiencing Rebbe’s Guidance in Personal Anxiety08:07 Breslov’s Unique Stance on Tzaddik Relationship09:24 Personal Identification with Rebbe Nachman13:45 Self-Acceptance Through Kinyan Gamur20:40 Transformative Stories of Rebbe Nachman’s Influence24:40 Personal Transformation Through Hiskashrus25:43 Uniqueness of Breslov vs Other Chassidic Groups29:03 Need for Gedolim in Religious Zionist World30:36 Echad L'Echad Initiative to Elevate Yeshiva Leaders33:34 Writing a Hiskashrus Document at the Kotel43:36 Breslov Avoda and the Role of the Ovdim44:49 Eternal Love and Longing for the Rebbe47:54 Feeling Alone and Telling My Own Story51:28 Rebbe Nachman's Contrary Approach to Tzaddikim52:58 Desire to Cry Out in Loneliness53:58 Hope for Future Transformation55:19 Rebbe as Spiritual Psychologist57:02 Trusting the Rebbe Over Self58:09 Guided Towards Inner Light64:26 Practical Daily Hisbodedus Advice

    1h 5m
  6. 5. The Gift Hidden Inside This War

    Mar 12

    5. The Gift Hidden Inside This War

    There are moments in history that force a person to see life differently. This shiur was given in real time, in the middle of a war, with a missile siren interrupting the learning itself. And maybe that is exactly why this Torah had to be learned now. Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David turn to Rebbe Nachman’s teaching on yishuv hadaat — settling the mind — and ask a piercing question: what are the fears that truly threaten us, and what are the fears that only seem to control us?  In a moment when danger is real, the contrast becomes sharper. We begin to notice how much of our daily anxiety comes not from what can actually harm us, but from stories, panic, conditioning, and the body’s old memories. And yet, in the middle of all this, something else is being revealed: a hidden strength, a deep composure, a new kind of perspective. We see it in ourselves. We see it in our children. We see it in Am Yisrael. This is a shiur about war, trauma, fear, taavot, breath, choice, and the possibility of becoming more settled — not after the chaos ends, but right in the middle of it. Maybe one of the gifts that can emerge from this war is this: to finally recognize what deserves our fear… and what never did.----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening Dedication and Sponsor Acknowledgment02:38 Kids as a Generation of Ninjas03:40 Reacting to Sirens and Shelter Procedures10:43 Understanding Anxiety About Anxiety13:41 Personal Story of Imagined Threat15:31 Yetzer Hara Analogy and Facing Desires23:43 Mind-Body Disconnect and Rewiring25:24 Cold Plunges as Physical Barrier Breaking26:59 Scaredy-cat Fears and Nonsense Anxiety29:08 Irrational Fear Before the Mind Processes30:48 Siren Warnings and Trauma-induced Panic31:58 Distinguishing Fear from Desire to Control36:40 War-time Sirens and PTSD Reminders38:37 Jacob's Fear before Meeting Esau46:35 Exhaustion and the Call for Adaptation49:03 Distinguishing Healthy Fear from Motivating Taiva50:31 Moshe Rabbeinu, Nitzavim, and Overcoming Curses51:56 Rabbi Nachman's Teaching on Choice and Yishuv Hadaat

    55 min
  7. 4. Becoming a Master Accomplisher

    Feb 26

    4. Becoming a Master Accomplisher

    n a world where everyone feels overloaded, Rebbe Nachman gives a radically simple path to calm productivity: live inside “today.” In this shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David take us through Likutey Moharan 272 — the Torah of Hayom — and show how anxiety often comes from living in yesterday or tomorrow, while true accomplishment comes from being fully present right now. We explore why Rebbe Nachman says not only “don’t procrastinate your tasks,” but don’t procrastinate yourself — learning self-acceptance in the exact place you are today, without pressure, guilt, or harsh self-judgment. And we end with a powerful promise: when “burden” leaves your vocabulary, avodah becomes not just doable — it becomes oneg.---------- 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 CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction and Dedication of the Shiur 02:45 Lineage from Baal Shem Tov to Rebbe Nachman 04:29 Reb Nosson’s Prolific Writing and Persecution 07:01 Question of How One Accomplishes So Much 08:08 Modern Overwhelm and Anxiety in Our Generation 09:27 Favorite Teaching from Likutey Moharan 272 11:24 Focus on Today — “Hayom im b’kolo tishme’u” 20:02 Anxiety Manifested as Shortness of Breath 21:07 Avoid Procrastination — Start Tasks Today 24:05 Approachability of Reb Nosson vs Rebbe Nachman 26:09 Living Only for Today (Rebbe Nachman’s Way) 28:47 Contemporary Scholars on Rebbe Nachman’s Teaching 31:35 Do Not Procrastinate Yourself (Rav Yosefi) 38:40 From Burden to Pleasure in Daily Service 41:58 Reb Levi Yitzchak Bender and the “Tachnun Killer” 44:01 Avodah as Business Class — The Flight Analogy 46:05 Ignoring What Isn’t Before Us — Staying Focused 49:07 Connecting the Oslo Incident to Today’s Lesson 50:41 Repeating the Core Teaching in Hebrew 52:13 Transforming Burden into Motivation 53:52 Modern Echoes of the “Now” Concept 54:58 Holiness Linked to the Present 56:37 Living for Today, Not Tomorrow

    57 min
  8. 3. Is Emet Scary?

    Feb 19

    3. Is Emet Scary?

    Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David go deeper into the midah of Emet, and  ask the honest question: why does truth sometimes feel… scary? Rav Shlomo walks us through Rav Nosson’s powerful yesod: when a person “girds themselves for war” for truth, they’re already called victorious, even with the smallest movement forward. We talk about the yetzer hara’s trap of “all-or-nothing,” how tiny moments of אמת create eternal ניצחונות, and the difference between Emet and Emet La’amito — the truth that doesn’t crush you, but actually opens you up. And then the big revelation: the sitra achra can weaponize “truth” to drag a person into despair. Rav Nosson teaches us the real אמת לאמיתו: אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל — no matter where you’ve been, no matter how many times you’ve fallen, Hashem is not “there”… He is hineka — right here. If you’ve ever felt stuck, ashamed, overwhelmed, or “too far gone,” this shiur is a hug and a fire at the same time — calling you back to one simple thing: say one real word to Hashem… and let that word become your bridge.----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t Chapters00:00 Opening Greetings, Sponsors and Purpose02:04 Truth Leads to Tranquility and Inner Peace05:31 War of Truth: Always Victorious with Emes08:45 Yetzer Hara and the Challenge of Finishing Shas11:17 Small Light Movements Count as Victory15:05 Eternal Victory of a True Moment21:44 The Challenge of Growing Through Chassidus Study50:11 Feeling Hashem’s Presence: Low or Not?51:27 Complacent Frum: Missing True Emes53:16 She'afilu B'Sheol Tachtiyot – Hope in the Depths54:45 God’s Endless Chesed Despite Repeated Failure56:37 Ligadulaso Ein Cheker – Unlimited Greatness58:01 No Sin Too Great for God’s Welcome60:12 Next Week: Diving Deeper into Emes

    1 hr
  9. 2. How Does One Cross the Narrow Bridge?

    Feb 12

    2. How Does One Cross the Narrow Bridge?

    Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David take the most famous line in Breslov — “The whole world is a very narrow bridge” — and refuse to leave it as a slogan. Rav Shlomo asks the real question: How? How does a person actually cross the bridge without tipping into פחד… and without becoming anxious about their anxiety? Reb Nosson reveals something startling: the narrow bridge has a name. It’s called Emes. In this shiur we explore: Why the biggest מניעה isn’t your schedule — it’s meniat ha’moach (the mind’s endless chatter)The difference between “truth” as an idea, and truth as a lived conversation with HashemHow “gut feeling” can be holy… or can be קליפה — and how to clarify the differenceWhy Hashem’s “longing” is for one thing: dibburim shel emes — real words that come from where you actually areHow one honest word (“I’m confused,” “I’m scared,” “I’m stuck”) becomes a Mishkan, a place where Hashem can dwell — and illuminate the path----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgments01:01 Rav Yitzchak Breiter’s Striking Statement02:12 The Narrow Bridge Song and le-hispached04:14 Introducing Likutei Moharan and Reb Noson07:16 Truth (Emes) as the Bridge09:24 The Brain as the Main Obstacle12:03 Emes as Guiding Light14:04 Trusting Your Gut and Inner Truth15:57 Reb Noson on Emes as Holy Bridge18:32 Two Levels of Truth Explained21:32 Ensuring Our Speech is True (Emet)23:00 God’s Desire to Dwell Within Us25:34 Different Views on Emet and Personal Relationship28:40 Choosing Information Sources and the Filter of Truth31:16 Online Influence, Mashpia, and Modern Spirituality32:52 Emet, Intentions, and the Role of Hishtadlut33:52 Overthinking vs Internal Emet and the Inner Filter40:44 Seeking Truthful Speech at the Shabbat Table43:23 Finding Your Own Dibur Shel Emet in Crisis46:13 Hisbodedus, Listening to Hashem, and Practical Steps49:02 Seeing Openings Within Darkness55:07 Finding Calm Amidst Lingering Questions56:16 Internal Transformation of Truth (Emet)57:29 Keeping Spiritual Insights Private58:39 Examining the Anshei Emet Across Generations

    59 min
  10. 1. I’m Not the Only Crazy One

    Feb 5

    1. I’m Not the Only Crazy One

    Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David begin this new series with a spark from Uman — one of those moments you can’t fully explain, but you also can’t ignore. A return to Rebbe Nachman’s world, not as a “chassidishe vibe,” but as a remedy for our generation. Rav Shlomo shares why the older Breslover chassidim cried when asked, “Who is the Rebbe for you?”, and why Rebbe Nachman’s Torah speaks directly to anxiety, inner pressure, and the longing for yishuv hadaas. Then we learn Sichos HaRan 77:The world is filled with machlokes between nations, between neighbors, in the home, and even inside a person. And sometimes the most shocking place to feel the war… is when you’re finally alone. So why do we feel “meshuga”? Because we’re not one simple thing. We’re a whole world. Many “nations” inside, pulling in different directions. And the goal isn’t to deny it. The goal is to bring shalom into it. When you understand what’s happening inside you, you stop being ashamed of your complexity, and you finally get a direction for real avodah. ----------For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and Sponsor Acknowledgments 02:43 Documentary on Rebbe and Emotional Impact 03:49 Older Breslover Chassidim and Their Passion 05:22 Personal Introduction via Rav Chaim Kramer 06:25 Travel Challenges to Uman Amid Conflict 09:36 Interpreting the “Not Going Whole Way” Statement 11:53 Shvikas Hamochin – Letting Intellect Go 13:45 Reb Yitzchak Breiter’s Uman Pilgrimage Story 18:06 Breiter’s Letter and Promise of Truth Differentiation 20:34 Uman’s Fragrance Amid Harsh Conditions 22:50 Reflection on Vanity After Spiritual Experience 25:12 Hashem’s Remedy Through the Great-Grandson of the Baal Shem Tov 28:02 Different Types of Chavruta – From Rabbis to… 29:33 Introducing Sichot HaRan Ayin Zayin – The Teaching… 35:02 Those Who Avoid Conflict – Why We’re Dragged In 46:04 Alone Time, Hisbodedus, and the Nations Within Us 49:46 Embracing the Whole World Within Us 50:56 Prayer Alone Isn’t Sufficient 52:43 Machlokes with Others Triggers Inner Conflict 54:31 You’re Not the Only One Crazy 55:56 Raw Material for Hitbodedut 58:08 Can One Be a Pure Servant of Hashem?

    59 min
  • 10 Episodes

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Rebbe Nachman didn’t come to make us “more religious.” He came to make us more real. Rav Shlomo Katz opens the “treasure chest” of Rebbe Nachman’s Torah — teachings that heal the inner storm, settle the mind (yishuv hadaas), and draw down peace and truth into our homes, our relationships, and our own hearts.

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