What does Rav Kook really think about nationalism? Is secular Zionism just an empty vessel—or part of the Divine plan? In this shiur, we explore Rav Kook’s bold and nuanced vision: how nationalism without Hashem becomes distorted and dangerous, but religion without a national container becomes self-absorbed and disconnected from reality. Rav Kook challenges both camps and offers a powerful third path—where body and soul, land and light, vessels and spirit come together. We also dive into how dis...
Jul 10, 2025•36 min
At the Nach Daily book launch, Shaya Sussman shared a personal and powerful message about failure, redemption, and the deep relevance of Navi in our lives. From failing through school—and even getting a 32 in Navi—to launching a sefer that brings Navi to life, Shaya reminded us that second chances aren’t the exception; they’re the rule. This is the story of Am Yisrael: We were in our land. We lost it. And now—against all odds—we’re back. Living in Eretz Yisrael today is living inside a promise f...
Jul 05, 2025•17 min
Hashem created the world with light and vessels—a delicate balance between spiritual ideals and the structures that hold them. But what happens when that balance is lost? In this shiur, we explore how Hashem’s pristine light descends into the mire and muck of this world—enclothed in form, even in darkness—not by accident, but by design. The vessel may look broken, the light may seem hidden, but the descent is purposeful. We unpack Rav Kook’s powerful warning: when nationalism is severed from its...
Jun 26, 2025•36 min
What do we do when life feels upside down—when nothing is k’seder, and the world within and around us feels like it's unraveling? In this experiential shiur, we explore Rebbe Nachman’s teaching in Likutei Moharan Tinyana 82 on the battle between k’seder (order) and shelo k’seder (disorder), and how that inner war mirrors the emotional and spiritual chaos so many of us feel today. We then turn to Likutei Halachos, Hilchos Tefillin, for a deep perspective on chizuk, patience, and the hidden redemp...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min
In this shiur, we explore Daniel Chapter 2—the vision of the great statue representing the empires of history, shattered by a humble stone—and ask: What does this prophecy teach us about today’s war, the role of Am Yisrael, and the unfolding of redemption in our time? Drawing on Rav Kook’s Orot HaMilchama, we dive into the spiritual psychology of war—not as chaos alone, but as a deep awakening of the soul. War shakes the world, but it also shakes us inwardly, revealing the cracks in false struct...
Jun 16, 2025•54 min
From the series: The Road Less Traveled – A Healing Journey Toward Eretz Yisrael and Ourselves In the wake of October 7th, something ancient stirred in the collective soul of Am Yisrael—fear, grief, longing, awakening. Galut and Geulah are no longer abstract ideas. They are personal. They are embodied. They live inside our nervous systems and conversations. In this first class, we explore how the physical exile of the Jewish people reflects a deeper spiritual and psychological exile—within ourse...
Jun 09, 2025•56 min
What happens when our highest spiritual ideals descend into the messiness of real life? In this shiur, we explore Rav Kook’s profound teaching on the tension between the soul of nationalism—its pure, redemptive vision—and the body that carries it: flawed systems, politics, and human limitation. Drawing from the opening of Zeronim: Nishmas HaLe'umiyut v’Gufah, we unpack the mystical process of light descending into vessels, the shattering of form, and the sacred work of re-integrating spirit into...
Jun 05, 2025•41 min
In this week’s Rav Kook shiur, we journeyed into a radically trusting approach to chinuch—one that sees the child not as a problem to be fixed, but as a soul already whole. Drawing from Zeronim, Orot HaKodesh (Chochmas HaKodesh II), and the War of Worldviews, we explored how manipulative parenting—even when masked as guidance—can distort the deeper mission of education: to honor the divine spark within each child. Rav Kook teaches that all of life, even secular wisdom, is rooted in kedusha, awai...
May 29, 2025•33 min
In this inspiring shiur, we explore Rav Kook’s fearless vision of chinuch—an education that uplifts, expands, and trusts the soul of every Jewish child. Rather than shrinking from the world in fear, Rav Kook teaches that we must raise broad souls who can face complexity with emunah, curiosity, and rooted strength. 🔹 Rav Kook (Shmoneh Kevatzim 2:126) writes that a truly expansive soul should study other religions and philosophies—not to assimilate, but to redeem the nitzotzos, the holy sparks wi...
May 22, 2025•37 min
In this shiur, we journey into Rav Kook’s powerful critique of a common religious impulse — the attempt to package Judaism into neat, rigid systems. Rav Kook challenges us to stop reducing Torah into something small and manageable, and instead open ourselves to the vast, living truth it holds. We spoke about the need for deep spiritual principles — like gravity — that are both specific and expansive, real enough to explain large swaths of reality while exposing what’s false. Unlike idol worship,...
May 11, 2025•40 min
In this class, we explore Milchemet HaDe’ot v’HaEmunot—the war of worldviews and faith—through the lens of Rav Kook’s bold critique. Rav Kook warns against reducing Yiddishkeit into narrow definitions or neat ideological boxes. He challenges leaders and educators who rely on negativity—tearing down opposing views—rather than offering a compelling, inner vision of faith. We discuss his call for a deeper, more inclusive emunah—one that holds the complexity, struggles, and questions of modern Jewis...
Apr 24, 2025•37 min
In this shiur, we explore Rav Kook’s profound vision of Geulah—not as a moment in history, but as an unending light that began in Mitzrayim and continues to illuminate the path toward the final redemption. We’ll dive into how the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim is not just about personal or national liberation, but about the elevation of all creation. Pesach reveals the deep truth that light is always present, even in darkness. Through the paradoxes of the Seder night—slavery and freedom, tears and j...
Apr 03, 2025•35 min
In this week's shiur, we explore the soul’s deep yearning for a faith that truly satisfies — a faith vast enough to hold the complexity of our modern world. Drawing from the teachings of Rav Kook, we discuss how Emunah isn’t about retreating from modernity, but about engaging with it from a place of depth and clarity. We also unpack Rav Kook’s powerful idea that even kefira (heresy) can be a necessary part of the spiritual process — a force that clears away outdated structures to make space for ...
Mar 27, 2025•37 min
Emunah isn’t just a concept—it’s a way of seeing reality from the highest place. In this shiur, we explore how darkness, pain, and even foreign ideologies are part of Hashem’s divine plan to reveal greater light. True emunah isn’t about blind faith, but about learning to perceive Hashem’s presence even in the most hidden places. Join us as we uncover how suffering and challenges are not obstacles to faith, but pathways to a deeper, more expansive connection with Hashem. If you found this shiur m...
Mar 20, 2025•36 min
What does Rav Kook’s *cherem* letter have to do with Purim? In this shiur, we explore how Rav Kook transformed personal attacks and opposition into spiritual elevation, embodying the deep Purim theme of revealing hidden light within darkness. Just as the tzaddik descends to elevate the sparks trapped in *klippos*, Rav Kook engaged even with *kefira* to extract holiness, mirroring his own life’s journey. Purim teaches us that history’s greatest denials of Hashem ultimately led to a renewed streng...
Mar 06, 2025•37 min
What happens when religion becomes detached from its source? Instead of being a path to connection, it can become a source of shame, distortion, and emptiness—mere ritual without soul. But Rav Kook teaches us that even this process has a divine purpose. Hashem allows for kefirah (spiritual crisis) so that we can ultimately discover a deeper, truer understanding of the Divine. In this shiur, we explore the paradox of faith—how religious struggle, doubt, and even trauma can lead to profound healin...
Feb 27, 2025•36 min
Too often, our understanding of God remains immature—shaped by childhood perceptions that no longer serve our spiritual growth. In this shiur on Rav Kook’s teachings, we explore how true spiritual alignment requires upgrading our vision of God, surrendering the ego, and allowing our soul’s natural connection to the Divine to flourish. When religion becomes disconnected from the soul, it turns into a hollow shell, leading to spiritual suffering and confusion. Rav Kook teaches that all suffering s...
Feb 20, 2025•42 min
In this shiur, we explore Rav Kook’s profound insights on healing, suffering, and the spiritual necessity of embracing the unknown. We discussed how the illusion of "knowing" God can lead us toward false certainty, which borders on idolatry (avoda zara) and heresy (kefira). True connection to Hashem requires a humble recognition that we cannot fully comprehend Him. This understanding calls us to accept the mystery of life and the struggle inherent in being human. Healing is not found in simple a...
Feb 06, 2025•40 min
n today’s shiur, we began exploring Rav Kook's profound teachings on suffering. At the core of human experience lies an existential tension—the deep inner contradiction of needing to understand God while being confronted with the impossibility of fully grasping the Infinite. Rav Kook teaches that all pain, trauma, and suffering emerge from this paradox. Together, we unpacked how this existential truth shapes our experience of life and how embracing the limits of understanding can lead to deeper ...
Feb 03, 2025•38 min
Tasting Redemption: Unlocking the Soul's Deepest Light In this inspiring shiur, we explore the transformative power of redemption and how we can begin to taste the light of the future Geula (redemption) in our lives today. Drawing from deep Torah wisdom, we uncover how the light of redemption emerges from the innermost point of our being and soul, leading us on a spiritual journey toward Daas, the ultimate wisdom of redemption. Discover how the process of Geula unfolds from within and illuminate...
Feb 03, 2025•36 min
In this shiur, we explore the incredible transformative power of mitzvot. Each mitzvah has the ability to bring Divine light into the world, illuminating and healing the individual, the nation, and the broader world. By engaging in mitzvot, we refine who we are and create a ripple effect of holiness and healing. We also reflect on the profound symbolism of the return of hostages, representing the Shechina in captivity. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of every single mitzvah—...
Feb 03, 2025•38 min
In today’s Rav Kook class, we explored the profound idea that every soul has a unique tikkun (purpose and rectification). We discussed the concept of Neshamos Olam HaTohu—souls born from chaos—and how the tzaddikim reveal that no soul is ever truly lost. These souls, often through their struggles, bring out the best in us and help us fulfill our own tikkun. We reflected on how the challenges in life, including the presence of children in our lives, are divinely orchestrated to guide us toward gr...
Feb 03, 2025•37 min
In this shiur, we delve into the powerful and chaotic nature of souls from Olam Hatohu—the World of Chaos—and their unique role in our generation as we prepare for the era of Moshiach. These souls, marked by their extraordinary chutzpah, embody a necessary disruption to bring about the ultimate redemption. Despite their resistance, their nekudah shel kedusha (spark of holiness) drives them to pave the way for a new world order of Moshiach. We also explore the connection between these souls and t...
Feb 03, 2025•38 min
In this episode, we explore the profound Kabbalistic teachings about the souls of the world of chaos (Tohu) and why they are considered higher than the souls of the world of order (Tikkun). Journey with us as we delve into the secrets of creation, the shattering of the vessels, and how these lofty souls, often the most broken, hold the greatest spiritual potential. Discover how this mystical concept aligns with the light of Chanukah, a time that illuminates the hidden sparks within chaos and rem...
Feb 03, 2025•38 min
In this shiur, we explore the profound healing that will take place at the end of days, as described by Rav Kook. Why do people turn away from wisdom and fail to see how mitzvot connect to Hashem? How is this a necessary step for the return of prophecy (Nevuah)? We delve into how current world events, particularly in Israel, point toward a deeper longing for the return of Nevuah and ultimate unity. This class reveals how both the details and the bigger picture of Judaism are intertwined, showing...
Feb 03, 2025•37 min
In this class, we explore begin "Chocham Adif Menavi" (the wisdom of a sage surpassing prophecy), the return of prophecy in our days, and the reversal of history as we approach redemption. We delve into the two distinct personality types—the creative visionary and the detail-oriented thinker—and how they shape our spiritual journeys. Additionally, we unpack the unique differences between Torah of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) and Torah of Chutz La’aretz (the Diaspora). This class is filled ...
Feb 03, 2025•39 min
This week’s class dives deeper into Rav Kook’s teachings on the paradox of the soul and its yearning for Hashem. Rav Kook offers the beginning of an answer: our longing itself becomes a vessel for Hashem’s light to illuminate within us. Through this divine light, we can move beyond seeing the world in duality and multiplicity. Instead, we begin to perceive the Oneness behind all of creation. Join us as we explore how our deepest spiritual struggles are not obstacles but pathways to greater conne...
Feb 03, 2025•35 min
This class explores the ultimate paradox faced by those who yearn for Hashem: the soul longs to be filled with the air of God, yet Hashem is beyond our understanding. This tension can leave us fumbling through mitzvos with feelings of dissatisfaction and pain. Part of the answer lies in cultivating a deeper, broader lens of Emunah—learning to fully appreciate how Hashem is revealed in everything, with no exceptions. Drawing on the teachings of Rav Kook, this class speaks directly to the holy sou...
Feb 03, 2025•40 min
In this class, we embark on the 'Zeronim' section of Rav Kook's Sefer Orot, a profound entryway into his spiritual vision. We explore how the soul's deepest yearning is to draw close to the Creator, delving into Rav Kook's unique insights on the soul's journey and its connection to the Divine. Join us as we open the door to Rav Kook's world, where spirituality and inner growth come alive. New Website: https://nachdaily.com/ Follow me on Instagram: @shaya_sussman_LCSW Personal Website: https://sh...
Feb 03, 2025•35 min
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May 21, 2023•30 min
