Tu B'Shvat with Rav Shlomo Katz

Taking Prophecy for Granted

Tu B’Shvat is a quiet and hidden Yom Tov. And yet, it carries within it something enormous.  Rav Shlomo Katz and the chevra of Shirat David explore the inner meaning of Tu B’Shvat through the mitzvah of Bikkurim and the words of Rav Reuven Sasson.  Why does the Torah require a full retelling of Jewish history over a single piece of fruit? And why does the Torah choose something so ordinary — something annual, something we get used to — to teach us how to see our lives? From the danger of living in katnut to the power of seeing ourselves as part of a centuries-long chain, Rav Shlomo shows how Tu B’Shvat trains us not to take prophecy, redemption, or our own lives for granted. A reflection on fruit, history, Eretz Yisrael, and what it means to live inside a dream that is still unfolding. ---------- For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t Chapters 00:00 Opening gratitude and family blessings 03:30 Memorial dedications and community sponsorships 04:39 Introducing the Tu B'Shvat teaching piece 06:53 Why no Hallel or Tachanun today? 08:01 Growth of worldwide Tu B'Shvat celebrations 13:43 Personal story: father’s memoir and life reflection 17:25 Understanding fruit through the concept of shalshelet 23:29 Fig analogy: personal vs. national perspective 26:38 Historical Context of Parsha Bikurim 28:14 Dream of the Land and Tu B'Shevat Reminder 29:53 Conclusion of Mikra Bikurim and Joy 31:30 Hamotzi Blessing and the Labor of Bread 33:55 Kiddush Levana Connection and Firstborn Concept 36:55 Shabbaton Story: Joy of the Elderly Couple 38:28 Final Call: Never Take Anything for Granted

Don't Ignore Your Initial Inspiration

Why does the preparation for Purim begin specifically on Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for Trees?  In this deep and moving session, Rav Shlomo Katz explores the concept of "Hidden Growth." Just as the sap begins to rise in the tree while the winter is still cold and the branches look bare, our spiritual transformation begins in the dark, long before anyone else can see it. Rav Shlomo shares a classic teaching from Reb Shlomo Carlebach regarding the Jews at the splitting of the Red Sea, asking: When did the real change actually happen? We also delve into the life mission of Reb Nosson of Breslov, learning that the war against Amalek is actually a war against forgetting our "Root" and our initial inspiration.  Finally, Rav Shlomo shares a heart-wrenching story about a "Russian Paramedic" to explain why we often push away the very teachers who saved our lives, and why we must fight to reconnect to our basics.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more Shuirim and Music from Rav Shlomo Katz, visit: https://ravshlomokatz.com Join Rav Shlomo Katz's WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KHKOhhPaeHx5Kb74WL9L9a?mode=ems_copy_t