In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe and I explore one of the deepest questions in Judaism: what is tefillah actually doing? If Hashem already knows everything, why do we need to ask? Does prayer change reality, change us, or both? We discuss why tefillah was built into creation itself, why structured prayer matters, how hishtadlus and bitachon fit together, and what it means when tefillos seem unanswered. If you’ve ever struggled to connect to davening or wanted a deeper understanding of what Chazal believed tefillah truly is, this conversation will fundamentally reshape how you think about prayer.

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Why does the Torah include both detailed laws and extended narratives? In this episode, we explore how the Torah is not just a system of instructions, but a complete process designed to transform us. The stories teach us how to interpret what’s happening in our lives and recognize Hashem’s role within it, while the commandments train us to respond to that reality consistently. Without both, growth either doesn’t stick or never truly changes us. This episode reframes how we read the Torah and how we begin to move from simply understanding to actually living it.

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In a world that feels more advanced than ever, why does everything also feel more unstable? In this episode, we learn from Rabbi Michael Cohen as we explore a powerful insight from Rav Dessler that challenges the assumption that progress leads to improvement, and instead reveals how our intelligence, success, and achievements can either elevate us or quietly pull us off course. This conversation will help you think more clearly about your own life, not just what you’re building, but what it’s doing to you, and whether your efforts are aligning you with truth or simply amplifying what’s already inside. We also examine what it means to live in a generation that has rebuilt so much, while asking the deeper question of whether something more subtle still needs rebuilding within ourselves.

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Connect with Rabbi Michael Cohen

Reach out to Rabbi Michael Cohen to learn more about his one-on-one coaching work, where he applies the teachings of Strive for Truth to help individuals untangle inner confusion, clarify priorities, and live more grounded, self-expressed lives. To inquire or connect, email him at mailto:[email protected].

Why do ideas that make perfect sense (Binah)… still fail to change how we live (Daas)?

In this episode, we explore Baal HaSulam’s essay “Disclosing a Portion, Covering Two” to uncover the hidden patterns that keep truth stuck at the level of understanding (Binah)—and what it actually takes to move it into lived experience (Daas). Along the way, we also reveal how the yetzer hara subtly operates to block that transformation—not by rejecting truth, but by shaping how we receive it.

If you’ve ever felt the gap between what you know and how you respond under pressure, this will give you a clear framework to understand why that gap exists, how to work with it, and how real transformation actually happens.

This isn’t about learning more.
It’s about becoming different.

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In this episode, Rabbi Michael Cohen brings forward powerful teachings from Rav Dessler that reveals two of the greatest obstacles to personal growth: the bias that distorts how we see reality, and the resistance that keeps us from changing even after the truth becomes clear. You’ll gain a sharper awareness of how comfort, fear, and familiarity quietly shape your decisions, and walk away with a practical path for breaking old patterns and beginning real change.

Join the Conversation! 

Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

Connect with Rabbi Michael Cohen

Reach out to Rabbi Michael Cohen to learn more about his one-on-one coaching work, where he applies the teachings of Strive for Truth to help individuals untangle inner confusion, clarify priorities, and live more grounded, self-expressed lives. To inquire or connect, email him at [email protected].

We all experience the tension between knowing what’s right and actually living it. This episode introduces a powerful Torah framework—Yaakov and Yisrael—that helps you understand why that gap exists and how to work within it. You’ll walk away with a clearer way to relate to struggle, pressure, and uncertainty so they become part of your growth instead of something you’re trying to escape.

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Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

Explore The Art of Prayer

Download a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home by clicking here.

What do you do when everything that once “worked” suddenly stops?

When you’ve seen clear hashgacha in your life… taken steps forward… grown in your commitment and observance… and then the clarity disappears?

This episode tackles that experience head-on.

You’ll gain a framework to understand why emunah can feel inconsistent, why effort and results stop lining up, and what it actually means when Hashem feels hidden. More importantly, you’ll walk away with a way to stay grounded and aligned even when nothing seems to be working.

If you’ve ever felt like you were doing the right things but getting the wrong results, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and a deeper sense of purpose in the process.

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Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

In this episode, Rabbi Pill and I explore the deeper meaning of the month of Iyar and what it teaches us about real growth after inspiration fades.

We all experience moments of clarity and connection, but the real challenge is turning that into something lasting. Iyar is the bridge that shows us how to do that. It’s about taking what we were shown and building it into who we are through steady, consistent work.

This is what will help you understand that real growth isn’t about big moments. It’s about refining your character, developing humility, and becoming a proper vessel to receive something greater.

If you’ve ever felt inspired but didn’t know how to hold onto it, this episode gives you a clear path forward.

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Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

Do the Work of Iyar

Join Rabbi Shlomo Pill’s Daily Sefiras HaOmer WhatsApp group for concise daily guidance designed to help you move from inspiration to real inner change. Click  here to join. 

Get the Companion Guide: The Power of the Months

This free resource outlines the spiritual focus of each Hebrew month — including its mazal (zodiac sign), tribe, Hebrew letter, body part, and unique avodah. It also includes suggested actions you can take to align yourself with the energy of the time. Click here to download and keep this month-by-month guide as a tool for your own growth and reflection.

This episode tackles a tension most people never resolve: you don’t control outcomes, yet you’re still responsible to fully engage in the process.

If you internalize this properly, it can remove a tremendous amount of pressure, frustration, and confusion from your life. You’ll learn how to stay disciplined and active in your work, health, and responsibilities without tying your sense of control or self-worth to the results.

At a deeper level, this episode reframes the purpose of life itself: to expose the illusion of independent cause and effect—the klipa—and reveal Hashem as the true source behind everything. You’ll walk away with a practical framework for doing this in real time, through your actions, your mindset, and even your speech.

The result is a calmer, more focused inner world, stronger trust in Hashem, and a clearer understanding of how to live in reality while still fully participating in it.

This episode draws on a profound teaching from the Baal HaSulam and reveals how its framework for spiritual growth aligns with the deeper purpose of the Pesach Seder. While the essay itself does not explicitly discuss the Seder, it provides a clear system for moving from understanding to true knowing—offering listeners a practical way to bridge the gap between what they believe and how they actually live. By learning to recognize the structure through which Hashem operates, this episode equips you with a powerful lens to experience life with greater clarity, stability, and connection.

Join the Conversation! 

Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

Explore The Art of Prayer

Download a collection of beautifully designed blessings (brachos) including Modeh Ani, Asher Yatzar, Netilas Yadayim and more.  Free to download and perfect for your home by clicking here.

In this conversation with Rabbi Cohen, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of why even intelligent, well-intentioned people often struggle to see the truth—and what to do about it. You’ll walk away with practical tools to recognize hidden biases, shift from a mindset of taking to giving, and begin untangling the layers that distort your decisions, relationships, and sense of self. Most importantly, this episode will help you access the deeper clarity already within you, so you can make better choices, build stronger relationships, and live with greater alignment and purpose.

Join the Conversation! 

Be part of our growing community—join the Shema Podcast for the Perplexed WhatsApp group to share feedback, discuss episodes, and suggest future topics. Click here to sign up.

Connect with Rabbi Michael Cohen

Reach out to Rabbi Michael Cohen to learn more about his one-on-one coaching work, where he applies the teachings of Strive for Truth to help individuals untangle inner confusion, clarify priorities, and live more grounded, self-expressed lives. To inquire or connect, email him at mailto:[email protected].