Mussar HaTorah

Shelach 5786 - The Comfortable Explanation

Rashi asks a simple question about Parshas Shelach: why does the Torah place the story of the spies immediately after Miriam's punishment? The answer unlocks something far deeper than the story of the meraglim — it opens a window into the way we all handle correction, consequence, and the uncomfortable work of honest self-examination. This week, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz helps us understand why midda knegged midda is really a message, who that message is truly meant for, and what it takes to actually receive it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Beha'aloscha 5786 - Lit From One Candle

What do a nation's craving for meat, a miraculous gift of prophecy, and the flame of a single candle have in common? In this episode on Parshas Beha'aloscha, we look past the surface complaint of Beni Yisroel and discover a profound design hidden within Hashem's response — one that reveals something fundamental about how Torah is meant to travel through the world. Rashi's candle metaphor is beautiful on its own, but Rav Shlomo Wolbe, zt"l, asks a question about it that most people never think to ask — and his answer changes the way we understand Torah learning, spiritual growth, and what it really means to have a rebbe. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Nasso 5786 - The Hidden Price of Almost Right

When the Nazir completes his vow, he has done everything right — every restriction honored, every day of commitment upheld. So why does the Torah require him to bring a sin offering? Rav Henoch Leibowitz, citing Rabbeinu Bachya, reveals a principle that cuts far deeper than the Nazir's particular situation: acting in a way that merely appears improper carries its own form of accountability. In this episode, we explore what that means for all of us in our daily lives — and why "technically permitted" may not be the full story for someone in the service of Hashem. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Shavous 5786 - Don't Lose Yourself

There is a single phrase in Megillas Rus that most readers pass right over — but the Midrash stops everything to examine it. When Rus describes her day in Boaz's field, she doesn't say what we'd expect. And that unexpected choice of words contains a profound teaching about tzedakah, self-worth, and what it takes to stay great when life makes you feel small. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Bamidbar 5786 - After Sinai

We all have moments of genuine inspiration — a powerful shiur, a meaningful Shabbos, a prayer that finally felt real. And then, a week later, nothing has changed. This isn't a modern problem. It's the central drama of Sefer Bamidbar. In this episode, we explore why the generation that stood at Sinai — the greatest spiritual moment in history — unraveled so quickly, what Hashem's response reveals about how lasting growth actually works, and what the contrast between Kalev and Yehoshua teaches us about the kind of influence that truly endures. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit notarabbi.substack.com [https://notarabbi.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]