PODCAST · religion
The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed
by TORCH
Focused on practical spiritual growth, this podcast explores Jewish wisdom through real-life experience and thoughtful conversations, helping listeners build clarity, resilience, and deeper meaning in their lives.
Episodes
-
Farewell: The Question at the Beginning and the End
After seven seasons, The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed comes to a close. In this final episode, I reflect on how the podcast evolved, the community that grew around it, and the journey from discovering that Torah is true to learning what it means to actually live that truth. I also share the...
-
From the Archives: You Never Know Who Will Show Up in the Sukkah
What happens when Morgan Freeman, SpongeBob, Stephen Hawking, Jim Carrey, Optimus Prime, Denzel Washington, and Nicolas Cage walk into a sukkah with Torah questions? With a little help from AI, this special Sukkos Q&A brings together an unlikely group of guests to explore some surprisingly deep...
-
Tishrei: Returning our Harvest
Tishrei opens with an interesting pattern. Esav is associated with the sun, Yishmael with the moon, while Yaakov’s calendar requires both. Why does Jewish time refuse to choose one or the other, and what does that reveal about the work of the new year? This episode explores how Tishrei turns that...
-
Episode 17: The Yetzer Hara Firewall
Why do even people with deep faith, tremendous spiritual awareness, and sincere desire to do the right thing still fall prey to the Yetzer Hara? Rav Dessler identifies a subtle opening that can turn even a moment of uncertainty or distraction into something far more dangerous. In this episode of...
-
Episode 16: The Pursuit of Happiness
In this episode, Rabbi Michael Cohen and I explore Rav Dessler’s teaching on the opening chapter of Tehillim and discover a radically different way to approach happiness, ambition, struggle, and spiritual growth. You’ll learn how to pursue greater things without feeling deficient in the present,...
-
Spiritual Infrastructure: The Hidden System Behind Physical Reality
In this episode, I’m trying to give us a clearer map of the reality we actually live in so that Torah, mitzvos, prayer, and Hashem’s involvement in our lives become easier to understand as parts of one integrated system. My goal is to move beyond seeing the physical world as self-contained and...
-
Elul: Redirecting Energy to its Purpose
The different symbols and spiritual attributes of a Hebrew month usually offer multiple perspectives on a common theme. Elul is different. Its permutation of Hashem’s Name, letter, mazal, tribe, faculty, and bodily faculty unfold as a sequence, creating a practical step-by-step framework for...
-
The Serpent’s Method: The Corruption of Perception
In this episode, we examine how the serpent changed Chava’s perception until the forbidden began to appear beneficial. In doing so, we uncover the system the yetzer hara still uses within us: how it reframes a choice, shifts the question from truth to personal gain, and makes the wrong path…
more -
The Architecture of Creation: Introducing Stage Two of From Binah to Daas
In this episode, I introduce From Binah to Daas, Stage Two: The Architecture of Creation. The first stage focused on the internal architecture of the human being, how intellect, emotion, imagination, speech, and action can become aligned so that Torah moves from understanding into lived reality....
-
Av: The Hidden Harmony of Opposites
In this twelfth episode of The Power of the Hebrew Months, I explore how the month of Av can help us live with experiences that seem impossible to reconcile. Av teaches us how to remain connected to Hashem when compassion feels hidden, how to stop treating painful emotions as proof of spiritual...
-
Episode 15: Foundations and Roots
What if the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth isn't a lack of knowledge, but a weak foundation? In this episode, Rabbi Michael Cohen joins me as we explore Rav Dessler's profound meditation on the opening words of Mesillas Yesharim. Together, we discover how to build a life in which every…
more -
Investigative Reports from the Spiritual Realm with Rebbetzin Nomi Freeman
In this profound episode, we explore the ultimate purpose of life through the lens of Torah wisdom and the extraordinary stories of near-death experiences. Joined by Rebbetzin Nomi Freeman, we delve into the transformative insights shared by individuals who glimpsed the spiritual realm, aligning...
-
A Message from Hashem to You with Jake Turx
What if I told you that the Creator of the Universe wrote a letter to comfort you during these challenging times since October 7th? In this episode, we're joined by Jake Turx, senior White House correspondent and chief political correspondent for Ami magazine, and a political contributor at...
-
Tammuz: Rectifying Our Perception
In this episode of The Power of the Hebrew Months, Rabbi Pill and I explore the avodah of Tammuz: learning to perceive reality through the eyes of Torah. We discuss how the meaning we attach to life's events often shapes our experience more than the events themselves, and how many of our greatest...
-
The Korban System of Transformation
What was the Korban Chatas really designed to accomplish? Most people view the Chatas as a sin offering, but this episode explores a deeper possibility: that the Korban Chatas was actually a structured framework for personal transformation. Building upon themes from The Structured Path of…
more -
Episode 14: From Theory to Transformation
In this special installment of Strive for Truth, Rabbi Michael Cohen and I step back from our study of Rav Dessler's essays to explore how these profound ideas apply in everyday life. Why do so many people remain stuck despite sincere efforts to grow? How do the stories we tell ourselves, our...
-
Living in the Midbar
What if the wilderness wasn't merely a place, but a stage of life that every person must eventually pass through? In this episode of From Binah to Daas, I explore the Torah's concept of the Midbar as the space between who we were and who we are becoming. Drawing on the journeys of Adam HaRishon,...
-
Episode 13: Mistaking the Visible for the Real
In this episode of the Strive for Truth series, Rabbi Michael Cohen and I explore a powerful essay from Rav Dessler on Emunas Chachamim and the danger of mistaking surface-level events for the deeper reality behind them. We discuss how our personal biases distort not only how we see situations in...
-
The Ultimate Purpose of Sinai
In this episode I explore a deeply transformative idea from the writings of the Baal HaSulam regarding the true purpose of Torah and Matan Torah. We often measure spiritual success through knowledge, observance, or identity, but what if Torah was given to accomplish something far deeper within…
more -
Shiras HaYam - Dismantling the Illusion of Independent Power
In this episode in the “From Binah to Daas” Series, I explore Shiras HaYam not merely as a historical song sung after the splitting of the sea, but as a daily framework for dismantling the illusion that the systems, pressures, and powers we encounter in life operate independently from Hashem. By...
-
Sivan: The Secret of Unity Through Multiplicity
In this episode, Rabbi Shlomo Pill and I explore the deeper structure of the month of Sivan and why the Torah specifically had to be given during this time. This conversation provides a completely different lens through which to understand Torah — not as something detached from life, but as the...
-
Episode 12: Seeing Clearly Through an External Lens
In this episode of Strive for Truth, Rabbi Michael Cohen and I explore one of the most unsettling ideas we’ve discussed so far in Rav Dessler’s writings: that the greatest obstacle to truth is not simply bias or flawed reasoning, but the possibility that we are not even perceiving reality…
more -
The System of Tefillah with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe – Part 1
In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe and I explore one of the deepest questions in Judaism: what is tefillah actually doing? If Hashem already knows everything, why do we need to ask? Does prayer change reality, change us, or both? We discuss why tefillah was built into creation itself, why...
-
Laws and Narrative: Torah’s Dual Structure
Why does the Torah include both detailed laws and extended narratives? In this episode, we explore how the Torah is not just a system of instructions, but a complete process designed to transform us. The stories teach us how to interpret what’s happening in our lives and recognize Hashem’s role...
-
Episode 11: Progress without Purpose
In a world that feels more advanced than ever, why does everything also feel more unstable? In this episode, we learn from Rabbi Michael Cohen as we explore a powerful insight from Rav Dessler that challenges the assumption that progress leads to improvement, and instead reveals how our...
-
The Three Gates to Daas
Why do ideas that make perfect sense (Binah)… still fail to change how we live (Daas)? In this episode, we explore Baal HaSulam’s essay “Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two” to uncover the hidden patterns that keep truth stuck at the level of understanding (Binah)—and what it actually takes to…
more -
Episode 10: From Distortion to Transformation
In this episode, Rabbi Michael Cohen brings forward powerful teachings from Rav Dessler that reveals two of the greatest obstacles to personal growth: the bias that distorts how we see reality, and the resistance that keeps us from changing even after the truth becomes clear. You’ll gain a…
more -
Living Between Yaakov and Yisrael
We all experience the tension between knowing what’s right and actually living it. This episode introduces a powerful Torah framework—Yaakov and Yisrael—that helps you understand why that gap exists and how to work within it. You’ll walk away with a clearer way to relate to struggle, pressure…
more -
The System of Concealment and Disclosure
What do you do when everything that once “worked” suddenly stops? When you’ve seen clear hashgacha in your life… taken steps forward… grown in your commitment and observance… and then the clarity disappears? This episode tackles that experience head-on. You’ll gain a framework to understand why...
-
Iyar: Preparing Yourself to Receive
In this episode, Rabbi Pill and I explore the deeper meaning of the month of Iyar and what it teaches us about real growth after inspiration fades. We all experience moments of clarity and connection, but the real challenge is turning that into something lasting. Iyar is the bridge that shows us...
-
Exposing the Illusion of the System
This episode tackles a tension most people never resolve: you don’t control outcomes, yet you’re still responsible to fully engage in the process. If you internalize this properly, it can remove a tremendous amount of pressure, frustration, and confusion from your life. You’ll learn how to stay...
-
The Pesach Seder: Understanding the System of Redemption
This episode draws on a profound teaching from the Baal HaSulam and reveals how its framework for spiritual growth aligns with the deeper purpose of the Pesach Seder. While the essay itself does not explicitly discuss the Seder, it provides a clear system for moving from understanding to true...
-
Episode 9: Revealing Your True Self
In this conversation with Rabbi Cohen, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of why even intelligent, well-intentioned people often struggle to see the truth—and what to do about it. You’ll walk away with practical tools to recognize hidden biases, shift from a mindset of taking to giving, and…
more -
Nisan: Growth Through the Tension of Tohu and Tikkun
In this episode, I’m joined by Rabbi Pill for a powerful conversation as we explore how to stop fighting the tension in your life and start using it as a tool for real growth. By understanding the dynamic of Tohu and Tikkun, you’ll begin to see how moments of chaos, frustration, and breakdown are...
-
Episode 8: Recalibrating the Mind
In this episode of Strive for Truth, Rabbi Michael Cohen guides us through a powerful recalibration of how we think. Together, we explore how hidden biases quietly shape our decisions and how easily our minds distort reality without us even realizing it. By listening, you’ll begin to separate...
-
Episode 7: The Real Metric of a Successful Life
Most people measure their lives by income, achievement, influence, or knowledge. But what if the real metric of success is something far simpler and far more confronting? In this episode, you’ll gain a powerful lens to evaluate your day, your relationships, your ambition, and even your spiritual...
-
Adar: Concealment is Revelation
In this episode, Rabbi Pill and I explore how the month of Adar trains us to recognize Hashem specifically when nothing feels clear, inspiring, or “spiritual.” If you’ve ever felt your motivation cool off, your enthusiasm fade, or your mind start telling you that life is just coincidence and...
-
Episode 6: Two Paths, One Destination
In this episode, Rabbi Cohen and I, explore a powerful framework for understanding spiritual growth when effort feels slow, incentives disappear, or life stops following the system we thought we understood. If you’ve ever wondered why progress sometimes feels incremental and other times requires…
more -
Redeeming the Imagination through Shabbos with Rabbi Pill
Imagination is the most destructive power of the human mind—and also its greatest. In this episode, you’ll discover how Shabbos is Hashem’s system for redeeming the imagination, turning it from a source of anxiety, illusion, and control into a force for trust, clarity, and spiritual alignment. If...
-
Episode 5: Your Challenges Are Your Kiddush Hashem
In this episode, we explore how the very challenges you wish you didn’t have may actually be the place where your greatest purpose lives. Instead of asking why life feels unfair or uneven, this conversation reframes difficulty as something intentional, personal, and meaningful. Listening will…
more -
Episode 4: Activating Our Inherited Spiritual Strengths
In this episode, we explore how life’s challenges are not setbacks or punishments, but invitations to activate strengths already embedded within us. Together with Rabbi Michael Cohen, we examine Rav Dessler’s understanding of mercy, testing, and inherited spiritual capacity, and how these ideas…
more -
The Structured Path of Deveikus
In this episode, I give you a simple, repeatable roadmap for real deveikus, how to use your mind in the right order so you stop spiraling into anxiety, overthinking, and fantasy futures. You’ll learn how to recognize when your imagination is hijacking you, how to take the next clean step even…
more -
Episode 3: Operating Capital, Not Reward
In this episode, Rabbi Michael Cohen and I explore a radical idea from Rav Dessler that reframes how we think about success, reward, and mitzvah observance. This world is not where mitzvot are paid back. It is where we are provisioned. What looks like reward is often just operating capital...
-
Rabbi Akiva: Relentless Perseverance in Torah
In this episode of Sages of the Talmud, I’m joined by Morty Roth to explore the life of Rabbi Akiva, one of the most influential figures in Jewish history. My goal in this conversation is not to retell a familiar story, but to extract the lessons that matter for real life. We explore what it…
more -
Episode 2: Redefining Happiness
In this episode of Strive for Truth, I explore Rav Eliyahu Dessler’s opening teaching on happiness together with Rabbi Michael Cohen, challenging one of the most deeply held assumptions about what makes life fulfilling. Rather than offering techniques or motivation, this conversation helps...
-
Shevat: Growth Beneath the Surface
Just as the zodiac of Shevat, the D’li (bucket), has no value on its own and only matters when it is filled with water and carried to those who need it, this month invites us to quietly work on becoming clear, humble vessels for Hashem’s Torah in the world. In this episode of The Power of the...
-
Episode 1: Rebuilding the Inner Operating System
In this opening episode of Strive for Truth, I’m joined by Rabbi Michael Cohen to introduce the work of Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler and to explain why this text requires a fundamentally different kind of learning. Rather than approaching it as philosophy or behavior modification, we frame Strive for...
-
What This Podcast Is Really About: Six Seasons In
After six seasons of conversations, questions, and learning, this episode steps back to clarify what The Shema Podcast has always been about. Torah is not meant to be interesting information or cultural storytelling. It is instruction. Instruction for refining ourselves, moving from selfishness…
more -
Night Vision in the Darkness of Teves
Teves is not a month of spiritual absence but a test of perception, and this episode is about learning how to meet that test. I explore why Chanukkah intentionally flows into Teves, what “hidden light” really means — the concealment of clarity, not Hashem’s presence — and how meaning is lost when...
-
Forged in Exile: Babylon and the Birth of the Talmud
In this episode of The Sages of the Talmud, I’m joined by Morty Roth to step into the world where the Babylonian Talmud was formed. Before we profile individual sages, we zoom out and look at why the historical setting matters, how Jewish life in Babylonia developed after the destruction of the...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Focused on practical spiritual growth, this podcast explores Jewish wisdom through real-life experience and thoughtful conversations, helping listeners build clarity, resilience, and deeper meaning in their lives.
HOSTED BY
TORCH
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed have?
The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed currently has 266 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed about?
Focused on practical spiritual growth, this podcast explores Jewish wisdom through real-life experience and thoughtful conversations, helping listeners build clarity, resilience, and deeper meaning in their lives.
How often does The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed release new episodes?
The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed publishes regularly with 266 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed?
You can listen to The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed?
The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed is created and hosted by TORCH.
URL copied to clipboard!