Published by Rabbi Shais Taub
Rabbi Shais Taub has delivered Torah lectures and classes to audiences on six continents. He writes a popular weekly column in Ami Magazine and is the author of the bestselling book, G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction as well as several groundbreaking works on Tanya including: the Tanya Map teaching tool, the Soul Maps curriculum, and the audio series Mapping the Tanya. He currently serves as scholar-in-residence at Chabad of the Five Towns in Cedarhurst, NY. His lectures and classes may be found on SoulWords.org.
Listen on Apple Podcasts1 hr 10 min
Just as recognizing the symptoms of an illness brings us halfway to the cure, understanding the stages that lead to exile enables us to begin bringing about redemption. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/e15f4f3... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g5YO... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 45 min
The cities of refuge teach that Torah provides a clear path to safety and that every Jew must become a living signpost, actively guiding others toward Torah even when the results of those efforts remain unseen. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Va'eschanan in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/d27b235... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HVC9... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 32 min
Just as Parshas Devarim marks the Jewish people's descent from the miraculous existence of the wilderness into ordinary life in the Land, Shabbos Chazon teaches that every descent into physicality is ultimately for the sake of a greater ascent and a more permanent dwelling place for Hashem. The extraordinary joy of Shabbos Chazon reflects the hidden reality that the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is itself part of the process that leads to the eternal redemption, where every apparent loss ultimately produces an even greater gain. Like a teacher who momentarily withdraws from a student in order to grasp an even deeper insight to share, Hashem's seeming concealment during exile is itself an expression of His deepest love, calling us to strengthen our yearning for Him until the final redemption. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Devarim in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/4c9ee50... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iT2g... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 36 min
The 42 wilderness journeys represent the continuous human obligation to treat yesterday's spiritual plateaus as today's limitations and to constantly move forward, whether climbing to higher spiritual rungs or breaking out of a low state with a single step.This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Matos-Masei in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/08c4f08... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13XsO... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 41 min
Sometimes leadership remains silent because a particular individual is destined to step forward and do something great, as Pinchas did. Moments of spiritual crisis demand that we leave our comfort zones and speak heartfelt words that awaken another Jew's soul without endless calculations, just as Pinchas acted without waiting for explicit sanction from the court. Just as each tribe received its portion of Eretz Yisroel randomly by lottery, every Jew is assigned a unique spiritual mission that is not based on what seems logically suited to them, but on Hashem's purpose for their soul. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Pinchas in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/4688075... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1skrM... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 4 min
The crouching stance of the lion in Bilaam's prophecy demonstrates that even when subjected to the physical constraints of exile, the Jewish people maintain an untamed, independent spiritual nature that is periodically reinforced by unmistakable, nature-shattering miracles. The deceptive spiritual authority claimed by the negative forces of Bilaam and Amalek is completely neutralized when a person internalizes a parallel matrix of active awe and love of Hashem. The psychological argument from Laban that one must temporarily disconnect from G-d and compromise spiritual values to achieve material career success is defeated by implementing a spiritual guardrail, which transforms mundane daily work into a holy ascent rooted in the absolute surrender of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Balak in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/1a12943... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AIlG... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 17 min
The three wilderness miracles correspond to three modes of spiritual influence—internalized growth, transcendent empowerment, and accessible transmission—and teach that every Jew carries a spark of Moshe, empowering us to take responsibility for the spiritual wellbeing of others. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Chukas in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/fd75526... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kOIk... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 24 min
The priestly gifts teach that holiness must receive the first and finest portions of our lives, and when we dedicate our best time, energy, and resources to Hashem rather than our leftovers, we create a vessel for both spiritual and material blessing. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Shlach in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/7b69fcf... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lKFG... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 29 min
True Jewish leadership, exemplified by Moshe and Yehoshua, means embracing and uplifting every Jew, even when doing so requires self-sacrifice. Tzitzis must be attached to a tallis because while the tzitzis represent the individual mitzvos, the tallis represents their transcendent source, teaching that we cannot fully grasp the true nature of the mitzvos and must therefore observe them in a way that transcends logic, thereby eliciting blessings from Hashem that transcend nature. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Shlach in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a71d528... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_e7J... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 40 min
The Menorah reflects both the diversity and unity of the Jewish people—many distinct paths joined in a single mission to radiate divine light and revealed love into the world. From the laws of the Menorah we learn that every Jew has a role in igniting the flame of other Jews, but the method must remain faithful to the Rebbe’s directive and rooted in the highest standards of Pnimiyus HaTorah. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Behaaloscha in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/18479c1... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NqEO... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
55 min
The Sotah serves as the archetype for understanding the soul’s relationship with Hashem: even when there is distance or straying, the bond itself remains unbroken, and through teshuvah the rupture can become the source of even deeper connection. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Naso in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/543b82a... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13l-D... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
2 hr 13 min
True oneness is achieved not by avoiding multiplicity, but by harmonizing seemingly opposite forces under a single, divine reality. Torah study possesses an intrinsic, boundless value that transcends practical application, serving as the ultimate unifier between a Jew and the Creator. Shavuos is a propitious time to establish unwavering resolutions in daily study cycles, specifically through the tracking of Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya. Giving the Torah in a desolate wilderness teaches that one must dive directly into intensive study immediately, rather than waiting for material or personal affairs to be perfectly organized. Pure obedience and physical action, such as marching on Tahalucha to share knowledge with others, allow a person to transcend the inherent limitations of intellect and emotion. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Shavuos in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE REITER FAMILY: Our community is heartbroken by the tragic passing of Devora Leah Reiter ע"ה, a 47-year-old mother of nine children who spent her life helping others. Please open your heart to this urgent cause. 100% goes directly to the family: https://charidy.com/reiterfamilyfund/.. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/12c2b1b... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V5Ov... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf...
1 hr 12 min
Live from the SoulWords House on Rosh Chodesh Sivan, Rabbi Shais Taub, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin, and Bruce Backman come together for a raw and wide-ranging conversation honoring the yahrzeit of Franz Kafka. Why does Kafka continue to speak so powerfully to the Jewish soul?What is the spiritual root of alienation?Why do sensitive souls often feel like strangers in the world?And what happens when Kafka’s writings are read through the lens of Torah and Chassidus? לעילוי נשמת אנשיל בן חנוך EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE REITER FAMILY: Our community is heartbroken by the tragic passing of Devora Leah Reiter ע"ה, a 47-year-old mother of nine children who spent her life helping others. Please open your heart to this urgent cause. 100% goes directly to the family: https://charidy.com/reiterfamilyfund/..
2 hr 7 min
Counting reveals the paradox that in holiness, quantity itself leads to quality. Even in a spiritual wilderness, we are meant to live a fully holy life—especially in the home and in the earliest stages of a child’s education. True Jewish unity means uniting around Torah and mitzvos. Ahavas Yisrael is described on three levels—by the Baal Shem Tov, the Maggid, and the Alter Rebbe—each revealing a deeper way to love another Jew. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Bechukosai in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/9387f91... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ov0v... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 2 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinf..
1 hr 57 min
Parshas Bechukosai contains a rebuke of seemingly harsh curses which are actually the loftiest Divine blessings in a hidden form; similarly, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, whose yahrzeit is Lag B’Omer, possesses the unique power through the inner dimension of Torah to decode this reality and reveal that hidden good as tangible, physical blessings in this world. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/cba2f56... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NWY2...https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EkFI... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
1 hr 59 min
Shmita teaches us that Torah is not about escaping the physical world, but sanctifying it so completely that even our engagement with nature becomes an act of transcendence. Har Sinai shows us that true greatness requires the paradox of standing tall with absolute confidence while remaining completely humble before Hashem. The deepest form of avodah is not serving Hashem for personal growth, reward, or even spiritual refinement—but simply because His will is your will. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Behar in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/838489c... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eUAn... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
3 hr 7 min
The month of Iyar is uniquely defined by the mitzvah of counting the Omer, which creates a state of total alignment where every day becomes equally holy. Spiritual growth moves through three phases—initial rescue from above (Nissan), active refinement of the animal soul’s passions (Iyar), and ultimate integration with the Divine (Sivan). The halachic nature of counting Sefira reveals that even if our current efforts feel limited, they possess the unique power to build the reality of the future redemption. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Emor in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/538877d... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eMXb... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
2 hr 3 min
Kedusha means living with a distinct Jewish identity in every aspect of life, transforming the mundane into a dwelling place for Hashem. True readiness for Moshiach comes from sanctifying even the permissible, reaching a deeper bittul that reveals the essence of the soul and of Hashem. Torah endures only when it is shared—helping others spiritually both sustains your own growth and fulfills your unique mission. In the “upside-down world,” those we uplift may be our greatest merit, revealing that every act of influence carries eternal reward. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Kedoshim in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/42cfa10... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D00N... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
24 min
The Torah’s command to “make a safeguard for My safeguards” teaches that protective boundaries are not additions to Torah but part of its design—provided they are kept with clarity, distinguishing between obligation and voluntary devotion in a world that requires such protection. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Parshas Acharei in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/8f21261... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m67S... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
1 hr 43 min
The order of the four questions highlights the importance of minhagim. The story of R' Elazar ben Azarya leads us to appreciate how past reincarnations can help us practically. The proximity of the chacham and rasha shows us the importance of bringing every Jew close. This class, taught by Rabbi Shais Taub, is based on Pesach in Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1. 📄 PDF of Sicha: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/8d8c854... 📄 PDF of Sicha in English by SIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qq__... 📖 Buy Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1 at Kehot: https://store.kehotonline.com/mobile/...
Bring this source into Mato to analyze its transferable patterns and turn them into an original show concept for your audience.
Create a show inspired by thisKeep the useful structure, then change the audience, point of view, and voice until the idea is unmistakably yours.
Open a creative brief