Even Shlomo - Rav Shlomo Carlebach zt"l on the Weekly Parsha

What does it really mean to live above and beyond nature? And how much of what we consider impossible is simply the result of the limits we've placed on ourselves?In this week's Even Shlomo on the Parsha, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore a remarkable teaching from the Ruzhiner Rebbe, as shared by Reb Shlomo Carlebach, beginning with a subtle but profound difference between Noach and Avraham Avinu.Through beautiful Chassidic stories and some surprisingly practical examples, this shiur challenges us to reconsider what it means to serve Hashem, how we relate to others, and what might become possible when we learn to go beyond our own nature.For more Shiurim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_tChapters00:00 Birthday Blessings and Opening Nigun06:07 Beginning the Lech Lecha Teaching10:02 Why Noach Walked With God and Avraham Walked Before Him11:03 Elokim and Havayah: Nature and Beyond Nature14:18 My Encounter with the Lelover Rebbe on a Plane15:37 Why the Lelover Rebbe Wore a Fur Coat in Summer23:29 Noach vs. Avraham: Two Ways of Giving Tzedakah25:32 The Secret Generosity of a Wealthy Jew in Warsaw28:57 Going Beyond Nature by Opening Your Door30:31 Why Noach Didn't Challenge God's Decree32:14 Our Soldiers and the Power to Go Beyond Nature34:26 What Real Friendship Teaches Us About Going Beyond36:00 Avraham's Willingness to Enter the Furnace40:45 Going Beyond Our Natural Limits41:15 When Love Makes Us Forget Our Needs45:10 Be More Than You Think You Can Be46:15 The Power of Living Beyond Nature47:00 A Question About Techiyat HaMetim48:45 Rav Ginsburgh on Faith Beyond Statistics

When we think of Parshat Noach, we usually think of the mabul, the teivah, the rainbow, and the dove returning with an olive leaf. But there's something about that little olive leaf that opens up an entirely different world.This week in Even Shlomo, we're learning one of my favorite teachings from Reb Shlomo Carlebach. It's one of the most unexpected pieces I've ever learned, connecting Noach to some of the most significant moments in our history.And underneath this remarkable teaching is something so important for us to remember, especially when we find ourselves going through our own personal mabul.----------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

How is it possible that someone can know so much Torah, teach it beautifully, and still leave us feeling absolutely nothing? And then someone else, who barely knows anything, can share one word that stays with us for the rest of our lives?In this week's Even Shlomo on the Parsha, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David begin Bereishit with a remarkable teaching from Reb Efraim of Breslov, as brought down in Reb Shlomo Carlebach's Even Shlomo.Through Adam HaRishon, the Akeidah, and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson, we explore what it really means to receive the word of Hashem and give it over to another person.A deeply relevant learning for anyone who teaches Torah, raises children, or simply wants the Torah they're learning to become a living part of who they are.------------For more Shiurim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.comJoin Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_tChapters00:00 Opening Niggun and Gratitude01:59 Dedication and Welcome08:11 What Adam Blamed Chava For10:17 Reb Efraim's Remarkable Teaching11:41 What Was Adam's Real Sin?12:56 Why Prayer Is Called Work of the Heart17:08 How Avraham Transmitted God's Word to Yitzchak19:01 Why Torah Must Be Accompanied by Prayer24:36 Davening Over the Gift of Eretz Yisrael29:18 The Secret of La'avdah U'leshamrah30:53 How Adam Passed God's Command to Chava32:04 Why Some Torah Leaves Us Cold33:12 When One Word of Torah Changes Everything34:33 The Crisis in Jewish Education36:03 Choosing Teachers of the Tree of Life

As Parshat Balak unfolds, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore one of the most uncomfortable questions in Judaism: what does it actually mean to be the "Chosen People"? Is chosenness about superiority, exclusivity, or something entirely different?Drawing on the Even Shlomo, Rebbe Nachman, and a breathtaking reading of Balak's deepest desire, Rav Shlomo reveals that Balak's mistake wasn't simply hatred of the Jewish people. At his core, he longed for a world where everyone could be close to Hashem, but he misunderstood what that closeness truly meant.Through the stories of Ruth HaMoaviah, Pinchas, Ger Tzedek Avraham Potocki, and Reb Tzadok HaKohen, this shiur uncovers the inner meaning of בינו לבין קונו—a deeply personal relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam that cannot be reduced to ritual alone. Chosenness, Rav Shlomo explains, isn't about excluding others. It's about becoming so deeply connected to Hashem that your greatest joy is seeing the entire world draw close to Him as well.----------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_t00:00 Opening Nigun, Dedication, and Netanel's Birthday05:06 Introducing Parshat Balak: The Seemingly Simple Portion08:32 Balak vs. Bilaam: Why the Parsha Bears Balak's Name13:16 Chosenness vs. Political Correctness16:23 Balak's Jealousy and His Desire for Universal Closeness19:16 The Miss America Analogy and the Meaning of Chosenness23:19 Idol Worship vs. True Service of Hashem27:02 Ger Tzedek Avraham Potocki's Final Reflection28:43 Refining the Inner Self Takes a Lifetime29:53 Why Pinchas Appears at the End of Parshat Balak31:18 Pinchas: The Tikkun of Anger and Jealousy33:05 The Personal Relationship with the Ribbono Shel Olam34:08 Beino L'Vein Kono: The Messianic Secret36:23 Balak's Dream Fulfilled Through Ruth38:12 You're Not Disappointing Your Ancestors

As Parshat Chukat opens with the mystery of the Parah Adumah, Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David uncover a startling teaching hidden within its ashes. Drawing from  Reb Tzadok HaKohen, the Rambam, and Reb Shlomo Carlebach, this short but powerful shiur becomes a meditation on exile, redemption, and what it truly means to prepare for Mashiach.Beginning with the Rambam's surprising prayer in the middle of Mishneh Torah, Rav Shlomo explores the deeper meaning of the Parah Adumah as a symbol of Am Yisrael itself: pure, whole, and sent "outside the camp" into centuries of galut. Yet the story does not end there. One day, the ashes will be gathered.From the haunting image of the ashes of Majdanek to Avraham Avinu's first prayer in the Torah, a profound teaching emerges: before Mashiach comes, a Jew must be connected to both the dust of Eretz Yisrael and the ashes of the Six Million. Not one without the other.----------------------For more Shiurim 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