The $10K Essay - Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself

23. How High Can We Lift Ourselves Up? (Hayom Yom, 19 Iyar)

We're always thinking about who we are - good, bad, healthy, unhealthy, broken, whole - and how great we may or may not be able to become. Can we really succeed in every area of life, or are we meant to struggle with only partial success? From where can we derive true wisdom about these questions? Today's Hayom Yom points us in the direction of some answers.

IN-DEPTH: Chof-Ches Nissan - A Logical Approach

A straightforward, logical approach to understanding what the Rebbe seems to have wanted from us when he said the famous sicha of Chof-Ches Nissan, 5751 - based entirely on the words of the sicha.

The $10K Essay - Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself

As described in the previous episode, I was BH the winner of the first ever Chassidus Applied essay contest, winning $10,000 with my essay entitled Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself, based on a maamar of the Mitteler Rebbe. This episode is the recording of 22-year-old me presenting the essay at the JLI Sinai Scholars Symposium at the University of Pennsylvania that year. You can read the actual essay here: https://www.chassidusapplied.com/essay/getting-past-depression-by-getting-past-yourself/ [https://www.chassidusapplied.com/essay/getting-past-depression-by-getting-past-yourself/] I hope you find these explanations practical and transformative! Please consider sharing this content with someone who can use a boost out of feeling down and into lasting simcha. — 👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

22. My $10K-Winning Essay - Celebrating the 10-Year Anniversary of my Chassidus Applied Essay Contest Win

Exactly ten years ago today, I was blessed with an unforgettable moment in my life. To celebrate this special anniversary, I share the behind-the-scenes story of how I won first place in the very first MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest, hosted by Rabbi Simon Jacobson and the Meaningful Life Center. It’s not just a story about me winning. It’s a story about battling through emotional challenges through the guidance of Chassidus, and thereby learning how to help others do the same. You’ll hear: * The personal struggle I was going through that year in Yeshiva * How I stumbled on a maamar that felt like it was written just for me * The person who inspired me to write and really try to win * The powerful reaction people have had to the essay over the years * How the $10,000 prize was not just a nice luxury, but actually helped my continued growth as a Jew * How this moment gave me the first public sign that I could share Chassidus in a way that really helps people Resources Mentioned: 📄 Read the full essay: “Getting Past Depression by Getting Past Yourself” [https://www.chassidusapplied.com/essay/getting-past-depression-by-getting-past-yourself/] 📺 Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s Chassidus Applied program [https://www.chassidusapplied.com/] 🎧 Coming soon: a bonus episode with the recording of 22-year-old me presenting the essay live at the JLI Sinai Scholars Symposium shortly after the essay contest. Thank You for Listening! If this episode inspired you, please share it with someone who’s working through their own challenges. May Hashem bless you with clarity, growth, and real simcha. — 👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com

21. Seeing Hashem in Your Life - Learn How from the Megillah! (Purim)

In this special Purim episode of Success for Jewish Men, we explore one of the most life-changing shifts in perspective—seeing your life as part of a grander story about you and Hashem - and feeling that consistently, even when Hashem's Presence is hidden. The Megillah is unique among the books of Tanach. Hashem’s name isn’t mentioned even once. To an outsider, it might not even seem like a story about Hashem at all. And yet, we read the Megillah knowing it’s a story of miracles, Hashgacha Pratis, and Hashem’s perfect orchestration. The truth is, our lives are no different. We may not have prophetic narration explaining exactly how Hashem is involved, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t directing every single moment. In this episode, we explore: 🔹 Why the Megillah is the perfect parallel to our own lives 🔹 How to shift from "Where is Hashem?" to "I see Hashem everywhere" 🔹 The Baal Shem Tov’s fundamental teaching on Hashgacha Pratis—how every single detail is divinely orchestrated 🔹 The long-term plan of history—how your life is part of Hashem’s ultimate story leading to Moshiach We tend to look at life and ask why challenges are happening and where it's all going. The way the Purim story is written (with ruach hakodesh) emphasizes to us that Hashem has a plan, and even though that plan unfolds slowly over time, He is with us every step of the way. Listen now to strengthen your awareness of Hashgacha Pratis, make real connection with Hashem a part of your daily life, and enter Purim with a deeper appreciation of its message. Wishing you a Freilichen Purim—one filled with clarity, joy, and the recognition of Hashem’s presence in every detail of your life! — 👉 For more from me, visit AryehGurewitz.com