PODCAST · religion
Weekly Torah Studies
by Kushi Schusterman
Introducing you to new planes in spirituality, society, and self-awareness - one week at a time through the Klein Jewish Academy at HarfordChabad.org
Episodes
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The Man G-d Praised
Why ordinary people sometimes need extraordinary words The Torah rarely praises its heroes, yet it pauses to praise Noah again and again. Strangely, the same Torah also lets us know that Noah was not a towering spiritual giant. Perhaps that’s precisely the point: sometimes a person becomes…
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One More Child
Why the Torah treats every birth as the creation of a world Bringing another child into the world comes with real costs—time, money, energy, and uncertainty. The Torah doesn’t ignore those concerns, and offers a radical perspective: every child is not just part of the world, but a world unto...
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The Unsung Hero of Sukkot
The Willow Is More than Just a Branch The willow may seem like the least impressive of the four species, but its role in the Sukkot ritual speaks volumes. Examine why the willow is chosen for a special mitzvah, and how it teaches us the importance of simple, unwavering faith as the foundation for...
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A Parent’s Love
Why G-d’s Forgiveness Doesn’t Mean We Can Stay the Same G-d’s forgiveness on Yom Kippur is not about erasing mistakes—it’s about a relationship. In this lesson, we dive deep into why G-d treats us like His beloved children, even when we fail. The love He shows on Yom Kippur isn’t just to absolve...
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The Power of Standing Still
Why the Paradox of Jewish Law Actually Sets Us Free Is it possible to hold steadfast to ancient truths while evolving within them? This lesson unpacks the paradox of Jewish law: how we are rooted in the unchanging, yet constantly urged to innovate. Learn how both principles come together to form...
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Gratitude in Two Acts
The Immediate Thank You and the Thoughtful Follow-Up Gratitude isn’t just a quick “thank you.” Explore how the mitzvah to thank G-d for the first fruits teaches us two layers of gratitude: the spontaneous initial thanks, and the deeper reflection that follows. Both layers are essential to fully...
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One Person. Seriously?
Annoying News for Anyone Hoping to Stay Spiritually Off the Grid Wish you could sit this one out and let the more “serious” people handle fixing the world? Not so fast. This class explores a Torah view where every individual action counts, and where even one mitzvah can tip the cosmic scales. Low...
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When Everyone’s Wrong
How to See the Good When Everyone Else Sees the Bad What happens when everyone agrees on something—especially when it’s a conviction? Shouldn’t that mean it’s right? Explore the Torah’s fascinating perspective on unanimous judgments and how they often point to a deeper truth. Sometimes, when...
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The Real Meaning of Tzedakah
Why Giving Shouldn’t Feel Like Earning Giving tzedakah during the High Holidays reminds us that we’re all recipients of G-d’s generosity. In this lesson, we’ll examine how tzedakah reflects a deeper truth: our actions only carry weight because G-d has chosen to give them meaning. And for that, we...
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The Night of Opportunity
The Magic of Evening Torah Study While most people use their evenings to relax or unwind, Jewish tradition teaches us to connect with G-d through Torah study at night. Discover how the quiet of the night can deepen your Torah study and transform your life.
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Memory Is Life
Forgetting Torah Is Like Losing a Part of Yourself Torah study isn’t just a learning experience—it’s the key to life itself. But what happens when we forget the teachings we’ve absorbed? Explore why Torah isn’t just information, it’s the breath of life—and how forgetting even one word can have...
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Building from the Rubble
The First Step to Rebuilding What’s Broken Sometimes, things fall apart to make room for something better. This class dives into how life’s most painful moments can be reframed as the start of something new. Harness the energy of breakdowns to fuel breakthroughs, and discover how to find purpose…
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Settling for More
How the Right Perspective Transforms Decisions The tribes of Gad and Reuven made a life-changing decision to settle outside of Israel. But was their choice driven by fear or a vision of greater possibilities? Explore how shifting our mindset can make the difference between a retreat and a new...
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From Rebellion to Redemption
How Korach’s Sons Crawled out of the Abyss–—and How You Can Too Korach’s sons fell into the abyss with the rebels but survived due to their repentance. Despite their initial involvement in the rebellion, their internal change and eventual redemption offer profound insights into the power of...
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The Strength to Overcome Impossible Tasks
When Faith Defies the Odds Jews in the Soviet Union risked everything to free the Rebbe. Despite impossible odds, their self-sacrifice led to an unexpected victory. What allowed them to succeed where logic said they couldn’t?
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The Leadership Dilemma
Power vs Influence What makes a great leader? Power or influence? In this class, we’ll explore the difference between Korach’s power grab and another episode that challenged Moses’s legacy of leadership. Discover why true leaders don’t just command; they inspire others to lead.
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From Honest Scouts to Sinister Spies
The Slippery Slope of Moral Erosion The spies didn’t wake up evil: they slipped there. What starts as a minor shift in intention can spiral into a full-blown moral disaster. This class exposes the subtle missteps that led them to betrayal and shows you how to catch the warning signs before it’s…
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Restrain or Transform?
Finding Balance between Holding Back and Growing Forward Should spiritual growth focus on restraining negativity, or actively cultivating goodness? Is there space for both, or must we choose? This discussion explores the balance between self-restraint and transformation in our spiritual journey.
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Sameness Is a Shame
Why King David’s “Songs” Missed the Music When life feels monotonous, it’s not the world that’s flat: it’s our angle. This class reveals how David’s “songs” teach us to find the living face hidden within life’s sameness.
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Chabad's Loud Truth
From Sinai’s Thunder to Boldness in the Streets Chabad’s loud, unapologetic approach to Jewish outreach might seem surprising—but it’s quite ancient: it mirrors the dramatic revelation at Mount Sinai. Thunder and lightning accompanied the Giving of the Torah, and Chabad’s visible presence in…
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When Questions Bring Blessing
Turning Curiosity into Faith We all ask “how” when faced with uncertainty. The Torah shows that some questions come from fear—and others from faith. This class explores how sincere curiosity and humble effort invite Divine blessing, even when we feel least worthy.
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Shabbos: More than Just a Day
How One Day of Rest Can Transform the Week Shabbos isn’t just a day of rest: it influences every part of our lives, extending its impact far beyond the twenty-five hours. Discover how the mindset and practices of Shabbos shape our entire week.
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Helping or Hustling?
The Fine Line between Advice and Agenda Ever given advice that seemed like it was for someone else, but . . . maybe you kind of benefited too? This class dives into the fine line between genuine help and self-serving agendas, showing you how to ensure your actions are truly for others—not just…
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The Art of Loving Rebuke
How to Correct Others without Hurting Them In a world full of flaws, it’s easy to point out others’ mistakes—but the Torah teaches us that rebuke must always come from a place of love. Discover how to correct others with compassion, ensuring your words heal rather than harm.
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Anchors in the Storm
The Strength Found in the Small Details It’s the little things that keep everything in place. This class explores how the pegs of the Tabernacle in the desert teach us that even the smallest details are essential to the bigger picture. Just like anchors in a storm, these overlooked elements…
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The Broken Vessel
Why Letting Go Opens the Door to G-d’s Wisdom We try to hold ourselves together, but the deepest truths come when we’re willing to break. This class explores what we gain when we stop clinging and start surrendering.
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Playing by Nature’s Rules Can Get You Killed
Why Fitting In Is the Riskiest Strategy The Jews in Persia thought they were safe—they had power, prestige, even a queen in the palace. Then came Haman. Purim teaches that our survival isn’t natural at all. Trusting politics and assimilation is choosing wolves; trusting G-d is choosing the Shepherd.
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The Argument That Never Ends
Judaism Is a Lot Less Dogmatic Than You Think If Torah were just a rigid rulebook, how could centuries of debate still rage about mitzvot observed since Sinai? Judaism thrives on the mystery, the questions, and the back-and-forth. Disagreement isn’t dysfunction—it’s discovery, and it’s what keeps...
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The Whole Half
A Half-Shekel Teaches Total Commitment We hesitate to go all in—with people, with places, and with commitments—because we’re not sure it’s safe. We’re always ready to move on. But some things call for everything we’ve got. This class looks at one ancient mitzvah that helps us know when to stop...
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Good without G-d? Not for Long
Morality without an Anchor Drifts Atheists can be moral, but when temptation hits, what keeps those morals in place? Judaism teaches that goodness without G-d is like a house without a foundation—it may look fine, but the first storm topples it. Faith doesn’t replace values; it makes them last.
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One Song, a Million Voices
A True Leader Can Make Us One Jews argue over food, politics, and prayer books. Yet, standing on the shores of the Red Sea, we sang one song in perfect unison. True unity isn’t about agreeing on everything; it’s about finding the leader and moment that brings our deepest oneness to the surface.
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Time: Humanity’s Last Frontier
Every Hour Is a Holy Hour; Every Second, Sacred You can sanctify a lulav, a shofar, even flour and water. But can you sanctify Tuesday at 3 p.m.? The first mitzvah given to the Jews was about shaping time itself. It’s
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Light at the End of the Tunnel
Spiritual Clarity Is Closer Than You Think In a world full of noise, true peace can feel elusive. But thanks to the teachings of Chasidus, we’re fortunate to live in a time when spiritual, moral, and Divine clarity is closer than ever. G-d’s revelations to Moses in Va’era show us the light that’s...
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Still Here, But Why?
Survival Explained—Or Not Empires collapse, yet Jews endure. Pascal pointed to us as proof of the Divine. This lesson goes further: survival without Torah is just inertia. What makes us the “Eternal Nation” is our bond with eternal truth, not just the fact that we’re still standing.
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Don’t Get Too Comfortable
Exile Is Never Home Jacob had everything he needed in Egypt—comfort, family, and freedom to live Jewishly. But he still begged to leave. This class challenges the illusion of exile as a resting place and calls us to yearn for something more.
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The Man Behind The Clothing
How to Stay Whole in a World That Won’t Sit Still Life demands constant reinvention, but your soul doesn’t need to change with your outfit. This class dives into the story of Yosef to uncover the secret to staying grounded and spiritually centered—even as the world pulls you in every direction.
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Loud and Lit
Fighting Back against Fitting In The Greeks didn’t try to kill us—they tried to make us just like them. This class explores Chanukah as a battle for identity and what it means to be visibly, unapologetically Jewish in a world that prefers you weren’t.
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Jewish Success Story
It’s Not You, It’s Him When things go right, we like to think we earned it. But the Torah teaches otherwise. This class reveals how all success is really G-d’s doing—and how recognizing that truth opens the flow for even greater blessing
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Will the Real You Please Rise?
Wrestling with Your Own Greatness Yaakov didn’t just fight an angel—he fought the part of himself that was scared to lead, scared to rise. This class explores how growth often means stepping into a version of yourself that feels too big, and why that’s exactly what G-d wants.
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Wherever You Go, There You Are
Finding G-d’s Purpose in Your Detours Life doesn’t always go according to plan—but what if that was the plan? Discover how Yaakov’s journey shows that every twist in the road is Divinely charted, and every challenge holds a spark waiting for you to uncover.
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Make It Yours
Finding Your Voice inside the Tradition Does following a tradition mean losing yourself? Not at all. This class unpacks how Judaism doesn’t ask you to silence your individuality—it invites you to channel it. Real authenticity isn’t about walking away from what you’ve inherited but about making it...
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Buy Local, Reach Global
Judaism Isn’t Just for Jews Avraham didn’t just raise a Jewish nation—he fathered nations. This class uncovers how Judaism was always meant to be a global force for good, and why even the Torah’s most private miracles were world events.
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Not My Thing? Not the Point
Stepping Out of Character When the Moment Demands It Avraham was the embodiment of kindness, so why did he confront G-d with harshness? Because when a soul is on a mission, comfort doesn’t matter. This class challenges us to rethink what real service looks like, and how far we’re willing to go…
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Just Do It
Obedience, Not Inspiration, Is the Heart of Judaism Judaism isn’t a system of values or a path to personal growth—it’s a relationship, and G-d defines the terms. Learn how Avraham’s first step wasn’t about what he believed or felt but about simply doing what G-d said.
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Don’t Walk into the Ark Alone
Giving Up on Others Is Never an Option When someone close to us is drifting from a spiritual or moral life, how far are we expected to go to help them? Through the Torah’s complex portrayal of Noach and a powerful debate in the Zohar, this class challenges us to think differently about...
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When The Smoke Rises
How Your Worst Moments Can Lift You Higher We all have parts of our story we’d rather leave behind. But on Yom Kippur, the Torah reveals something deeper: Even your lowest moments can become the source of your greatest growth. Discover the hidden message in the cloud of incense that rose in the...
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The Silent Connection
How the Sound of the Shofar Speaks Louder than Words Rosh Hashanah is more than a new year; it’s a wake-up call to reconnect with G-d. This class reveals how even a mitzvah done on autopilot can spark a profound connection.
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Motivated By Nature
When Doing the Right Thing Feels Like the Only Thing When Doing the Right Thing Feels Like the Only Thing You believe in Judaism—but sometimes it’s hard to follow through. This class explores a surprising Rashi, a mystical take on first fruits, and a powerful truth: You already have all the...
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Duty Calls
G-d Loves Brute Commitment This class explores how fulfilling mitzvot out of duty—without passion—still earns G-d’s favor and brings Divine blessing. Discover the power of simple, committed observance.
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Wholehearted
Choosing Trust over CertaintyWhat’s wrong with wanting to know what the future holds? This class explores the Torah’s directive to “be sincere with G-d”—to live with wholehearted trust rather than constant calculation.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Introducing you to new planes in spirituality, society, and self-awareness - one week at a time through the Klein Jewish Academy at HarfordChabad.org
HOSTED BY
Kushi Schusterman
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Weekly Torah Studies have?
Weekly Torah Studies currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Weekly Torah Studies about?
Introducing you to new planes in spirituality, society, and self-awareness - one week at a time through the Klein Jewish Academy at HarfordChabad.org
How often does Weekly Torah Studies release new episodes?
Weekly Torah Studies has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Weekly Torah Studies?
You can listen to Weekly Torah Studies 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 Weekly Torah Studies?
Weekly Torah Studies is created and hosted by Kushi Schusterman.
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