There are moments when a person feels so far from Hashem that they begin to believe the distance itself is the truth.

In this deeply personal shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David learn the Torah of what happens when a tzaddik refuses to let you define yourself by your falls, your confusion, or your sadness. Through the teachings of Rebbe Nachman and the light of Bamidbar, this episode explores composure, spiritual heaviness, self-perception, and the life-saving power of hearing that you still matter to Heaven exactly where you are.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Opening and Sponsor Acknowledgements
01:56 Introducing the Theme: Composure
02:56 Causes of Losing Composure
07:43 Feeling Distance in Service
10:38 Words That Saved Lives
13:18 Analogy of Train and Elevator
15:12 Learning Struggles and Feeling Far
17:57 Self-Perception and Spiritual Density
21:42 Feeling Divine Neglect
23:28 When the People Felt God Was Uninterested
25:02 The Miraglim Report and the Birth of Tisha B'Av
28:17 The Rebbe Calls for Great Spiritual Strength
30:44 All Tzaddikim Face This Spiritual Crisis
44:43 Tiny Spiritual Steps Yield Massive Heavenly Impact
46:42 Sadness Is a Spiritual Sin According to the Rebbe
48:17 Zohar Quote on True Sadness (Sitra Achra)
49:26 Bamidbar Lessons: Torah for Life’s Mistakes
50:36 Closing Remarks and Blessings for the Week

Before a Jew speaks to Hashem, something deeper has to happen first.

In this powerful continuation of our learning on hitbodedut, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David explore the hidden avodah that comes before the words ever begin: silence, yishuv hadaas, longing, and preparing the heart to truly stand before the Ribbono Shel Olam.

Drawing from Rebbe Nachman and Reb Noson, this shiur opens up the inner world of hitbodedut — not as a technique, but as a lived relationship. What happens in those first quiet moments? Why is it so difficult to begin? How do we avoid turning authenticity into self-destruction? And what does it mean to receive words “like burning coals of fire” directly from Hashem?

Along the way, Rav Shlomo speaks about weddings, Rav Ginsburgh, the challenge of presence, the danger of negative self-talk disguised as honesty, and the possibility of hearing Hashem’s voice through your own.
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 and Sponsor Acknowledgment
02:42 Importance of Yishuv HaDaas and Hisbodedus
04:15 The 15-Minute Hisbodedus Challenge
05:16 How to Begin Hisbodedus: Practical Steps
07:11 Preparing the Mind Before Speaking
09:20 The Need for Silence According to Rav Noson
10:21 Rebbe’s Story of Waiting for the Frierdiker Rebbe
11:22 Wedding Example: Staying Present in Sacred Moments
13:08 Facing Opposition When Seeking Hisbodedus
17:16 Heavy Nature of Hisbodedus and Required Silence
19:51 Final Call: Daily Practice of Hisbodedus
23:48 Need for More Time and Rachamei Shamayim
26:52 Avoiding the Self-Perverted Authenticity Trap
29:13 Distinguishing Shleppers from the Truly Seeking
31:56 Approaching Hashem with Humility, Not Boasting
34:23 From Soft Beginnings to Burning Coals of Words
38:43 Hearing God’s Voice Through Hisbodedus
42:48 Sefirat HaOmer: Tuning Ears for Divine Messages
46:00 Source of the One-Hour Pre-Hitbodedut Practice
47:29 Rebbe’s Vision of All-Day Hitbodedus
48:50 Comparing Hitbodedut and Continuous Prayer
49:59 Focusing on One Middah in Practice

In this deeply practical shiur, Rav Shlomo Katz and the women of Shirat David open a doorway into one of Rebbe Nachman’s most essential teachings: hitbodedut.

Drawing from the sefer Eshpoch Lefanav Sichi and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman, Rav Shlomo reframes what it means to “talk to Hashem.” Not as something formal, structured, or intimidating, but as something raw, human, and deeply personal.

What does it actually mean to speak “as you would to a close friend”? Why do so many people feel resistance to hisbodedut? And how can just 15 minutes a day begin to bring real clarity, calm, and connection, even in a chaotic world?

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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 and Sponsor Acknowledgments
02:14 Purpose of Hisbodedus and Tranquility
07:27 Suggested 15-Minute Daily Practice
09:52 Pouring Out the Heart Like a Friend
16:41 Story of a Compassionate Friend in Tzfat
18:38 Challenges and Resistance to Daily Hisbodedus
24:01 Infinite Heart Talk vs. Structured Prayer
25:26 Keeping Deep Heart Secrets from the Untrusted
26:31 “Hashem Bored?” – The Prison Joke Analogy
27:34 Reb Noson on Small Details Before the Divine
30:34 Sitting Before Hashem: Pouring Out the Heart
32:56 Childlike Vulnerability in Hisbodedus
37:20 Yefaresh Sichaso: Interpreting the Inner Voice
41:57 Practical 15-Minute Hisbodedus Commitment
45:34 Outdoor Hisbodedus and Women’s Participation