Shabbos Malkesa - Appreciate and Enjoy Shabbos

Rabbi Ari Klapper
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Judaism

Transform your Shabbos from routine observance to divine encounter. Rabbi Ari Klapper explores mystical and philosophical teachings about Shabbos as the weekly manifestation of Hashem's kingship. Deep dive into Gemora analysis, Kabbalistic concepts, and practical spirituality. Learn what Shabbos is supposed to be and how to truly feel the Shechina. Graduate-level spiritual development for serious practitioners seeking authentic connection. Appreciate and Enjoy Shabbos.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep. 102 – POF 6: A Direct Connection

    If the gap between Hashem and us is so enormous — infinite vs. created, everything vs. nothing — how is any connection even possible? Rabbi Ari Klapper explores the sixth principle of faith: the words of the prophets are true. But first, he unpacks something extraordinary Chazal say: wherever you find Hashem's greatness, you find His humility right alongside it. That's not a contradiction — it's the same thing. Only something truly infinite can make itself small. A limited being that shrinks loses something. But Hashem's anivus, His capacity to hide Himself and give space to everything else, is itself the expression of His boundlessness. He hides so that we can exist. The tefillin story makes this tangible: the parashiyos of the tefillin have to be enclosed in black leather boxes — because the spiritual power inside them would otherwise be overwhelming. And Klal Yisrael before the Egel HaZahav could look directly at Hashem's presence; after, they couldn't even bear the reflected light on Moshe's face. Hashem makes Himself small enough that we can survive and receive from Him — and that protective concealment is what makes nevuah possible. A direct word from Hashem to a human being isn't just information transfer; it's the Infinite contracting itself into something a person can hold. Practical takeaway: when you feel far from Hashem, remember — He created the distance to protect you. Ask Him today: "Hashem, let me feel a little more of You." Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  2. Jul 30

    Ep. 101 – POF 5: Pray Only to Him

    Why would praying to an angel even be a mistake — if the angel is real and actually does things in this world? Rabbi Ari Klapper tackles the fifth principle of faith: we pray only to Hashem. He explains that Hashem genuinely does run the world through messengers — malachim, stars, and natural forces are all real shlichim that carry Hashem's shefa into creation. So why not pray to them? Because they're the mailman, not the sender. You might thank the mailman, but the package came from the One Who sent it. Avodah Zarah throughout history wasn't worship of nothing — people looked at the stars and saw real spiritual koichus flowing through them. They just made the mistake of stopping at the pipeline instead of tracing it back to the Source. The episode brings it home with Avraham Avinu: he looked in the stars and saw, according to natural channels, that he wouldn't have children. He turned to Hashem and said, essentially, "You've already decided this through the stars." And Hashem said: I can override the pipeline. I put the koichus in the stars, but I'm not limited by them. That's the point. All the spiritual channels, all the malachim, all the forces of nature — they're wires running from the power plant. You can see the electrical line outside your window, but that's not where the electricity comes from. Practical takeaway: today, when something good happens — something arrives, something works out — take five seconds to trace it back: "That came from Hashem." Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  3. Jul 23

    Ep. 100 – POF 4: Hashem is First and Last

    How can you even talk about "before" when there was nothing yet? Rabbi Ari Klapper takes on the fourth principle of faith — that Hashem was first and will be last — and shows why it's not just a statement of longevity but the deepest possible claim about existence. The universe had a beginning. Science itself says so. But something had to exist before the beginning — otherwise, where did the Big Bang come from? The only thing that could exist before existence is something that has no origin, no cause, no boundary at all. That's Hashem. He doesn't need something else to have created Him, because He is the one thing that was never created — He simply is, was, and always will be. The episode builds on the previous weeks: creation from nothing (Principle 1), Hashem's oneness (Principle 2), His incorporeality (Principle 3), and now His eternity — all flowing from the same source. If Hashem created everything, He was first. If He is unlimited and has no body to age or deteriorate, He is last. Shabbos — the day we stop and remember that Hashem made all of this — is our weekly touchstone to all four principles at once. You don't just rest on Shabbos. You stand in front of the One Who was here before anything else existed. Practical takeaway: this Shabbos, let one moment of your day be about simple presence — not doing, not planning — just existing in front of the One Who existed before everything. Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  4. Jul 16

    Ep. 99 – POF 2 & 3: Hashem is the Only True One

    Why must Hashem be exactly One — not two, not three? Rabbi Ari Klapper shows that this isn't just theology; it follows logically from what we already know about Hashem. If there were two divine beings, each would have to leave space for the other — and anything that needs to "leave space" is limited. Hashem, by definition, is completely unlimited. Therefore He can only be One. He illustrates this with the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim: thousands of students packed into almost no physical space — and the secret is that everyone looks outward, saying "that person needs space" instead of "I need space." The moment you're truly unlimited in giving, the clash disappears. Then he turns to the third principle: Hashem has no physical body. Why? Because a goof — a body — is by definition a kli, a vessel that contains and therefore limits. He runs through the progression: shot glass, cup, barrel, swimming pool, ocean — every one of them still limits, just at a different scale. Hashem can't be any of those things, because any form is a boundary and Hashem has none. Both principles — His oneness and His incorporeality — flow from the same root we encounter every Shabbos: Hashem created everything from absolute nothingness, which means nothing in existence can contain or limit Him. Practical takeaway: when you say "Shema Yisrael" tonight, pause one extra second on "Echad" and really mean it. Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  5. Jul 15

    Shalom Bayis Series 2 Trailer: The Essence of a Jewish Home

    What if everything you thought you knew about marriage is only the surface? Season 2 of Shalom Bayis for Men goes deeper than practical tips. Building on the timeless teachings of Rav Chaim Friedlander zt"l, we return to the very beginning — the way Hashem created man and woman — to uncover what a marriage is actually meant to be. Why were we created as one being and then split apart? Why is a husband and wife's connection built entirely on chesed? And why did Hashem make men and women so fundamentally different? Over eight episodes, we'll explore how a home is the training ground where a person learns to truly give, why a woman's emotional world is a gift and not a flaw, and how understanding your wife's nature is the foundation of real Shalom Bayis. This is a season about the roots — the ideas that make everything else make sense. Subscribe now so you don't miss Episode 1. The journey to a deeper marriage starts here. Get the show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/644HQbfnHosBd9vscuYxFy?si=cCPw4-r3SVel0nau3z895Q Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this series is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

    Shalom Bayis Series 2 Trailer: The Essence of a Jewish Home

  6. Jul 9

    Ep. 98 – Principle of Faith 1: Hashem Created and Runs the World

    What does Shabbos have to do with the 13 Principles of Faith? Rabbi Ari Klapper opens the final chapter of Shabbos Malkesa with a revelation: this last section of the sefer ties Shabbos to every single one of the Rambam's Yud Gimel Ikarim. He begins with the Chofetz Chaim (the author of the Mishnah Bruah), who writes that the pasuk "Remember the Shabbos day to make it holy — for in six days Hashem created the world" teaches us the first and most foundational principle: Hashem created everything from nothing, runs everything, and is therefore the Master of everything. We keep Shabbos as a weekly declaration of that truth. And the stakes couldn't be higher. Chazal teach that someone who guards Shabbos is as if he kept the entire Torah — because Shabbos is the root of our emunah. And someone who violates Shabbos, it's as if he denied Creation itself. This isn't about rules; it's about what Shabbos actually means. Every time you stop working, every time you make Kiddush, every time you let Shabbos be Shabbos — you're testifying that the world has a Creator who is still very much in charge. Practical takeaway: on Shabbos this week, take one quiet moment to say to yourself: "Hashem created the world. He is running it right now. I am His servant." Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  7. Jul 2

    Ep. 97 – Guard Shabbos, Guard Your Life

    What's the difference between "Zachor" and "Shamor" — and why does it matter for how you live? Rabbi Ari Klapper examines the two dimensions of Shabbos: Zachor, the active mitzvah to remember and sanctify Shabbos through things like Kiddush, and Shamor, the protective mitzvah of guarding against melacha. He then draws a striking contrast: most lavin in the Torah exist to prevent you from destroying yourself — murder, theft, and immorality all damage the soul of the one who commits them. But the Lav of Shabbos works differently. It isn't just about self-protection. It's about something even more essential: the unique power of Shabbos to actively add kedushah to who you are. To show just how serious an aveira is, the episode brings the din roide — the halacha that if someone is running to commit murder, you stop him at all costs, even by killing him. Why? Not just to save the victim, but because doing a terrible aveira destroys your own soul. And causing someone else to sin is worse than murder itself — you kill them in this world, but you hit them in the next. Guarding Shabbos isn't only about keeping rules; it's about protecting your inner life, the part of you that sin can actually damage. Practical takeaway: before Shabbos this week, identify one melacha-type distraction that leaks into your Shabbos, and make a plan in advance to close that door. Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

  8. Jun 25

    Ep. 96 – Shabbos, The Torah, and The Jewish People

    Why does the Torah use the word "Kala" — bride — when describing how Hashem gave it to Moshe? Rabbi Ari Klapper uncovers a stunning duality: just as Shabbos is called "Kala" because she receives from Hashem and belongs to Heaven, so too the Torah is described in the same feminine language. Both Shabbos and Torah are gifts from Above — not human creations, but direct expressions of Hashem's will and presence. He brings a remarkable idea: when Avraham Avinu kept the entire Torah before it was given, how did he know it? The Midrash says he learned it from his own kidneys — from deep inside himself. Because the soul of every Jew already carries a connection to Torah. Learning Torah isn't acquiring knowledge — it's listening to Hashem speak. From there, the episode lands on something profoundly practical: Torah is a mirror. You want to see Hashem? You want to know what Hashem looks like, what Hashem wants, how Hashem thinks? Open a sefer. Hashem built the Torah as a way for finite human beings to encounter the Infinite. And because "all its ways are peace," what you'll find is that everything Hashem does — even when it's hard to understand — is leading toward Shalom. Practical takeaway: next time you open a sefer, take five seconds before you begin and say quietly, "Hashem, talk to me." Hosted by Rabbi Ari Klapper and produced by Eli Podcast Productions, this episode is part of the Real Judaism series, available on RealJudaism.org. Don't forget to subscribe and share to stay connected with our daily lessons and timeless Torah insights!

See All (104)

About

Transform your Shabbos from routine observance to divine encounter. Rabbi Ari Klapper explores mystical and philosophical teachings about Shabbos as the weekly manifestation of Hashem's kingship. Deep dive into Gemora analysis, Kabbalistic concepts, and practical spirituality. Learn what Shabbos is supposed to be and how to truly feel the Shechina. Graduate-level spiritual development for serious practitioners seeking authentic connection. Appreciate and Enjoy Shabbos.

Information