Restore My Soul (12): Why Spiritual Growth Feels Like Failing

Have you ever experienced a powerful "awakening"—a burst of inspiration to do Teshuvah, visit a Tzaddik, or finally fix a bad habit—only to have it vanish a week later?In this episode, Rav Lebish Hundert explores a revolutionary teaching from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov regarding the "New Yetzer Hara." We often mistake a loss of inspiration for a spiritual failure. Rebbe Nachman teaches the opposite: if you feel a new, heavier resistance, it is proof that you won the previous battle. You haven't fallen; you’ve just moved into a higher "weight class."In this shiur, we discuss:The Lying Enemy: How the Yetzer Hara hides your past victories to make you feel like you're standing in the exact same place as years ago.The Cherub vs. The Bull: The deep secret of Yechezkel’s vision—turning the harsh "bull" of judgment into the "cherub" of childlike freshness.High-Level Stumbling Blocks: Why even great souls face a Yetzer Hara that looks like a "Holy Angel," pushing us toward pride or impossible expectations.The "Energy Bunny" of the Soul: How to cultivate Hitkhadshut (Renewal) as a way of life, rather than just a one-time event.If you’re feeling like you’re "trudging through spiritual molasses," this episode is the "spinach" you need to get back in the ring.Recorded April 23, 2026