From our home, to your home: Recent Episodes
Rabbi Shmuly and Goldie
Brighten your day and quarantine at home with a daily short from the home of Rabbi Shmuly & Goldie. Our daily podcast varies and includes Torah insights, inspiring stories, fun in the kitchen, kids book reads and more. You canwatch the video recording and connect on our communities facebook fb.com/ChabadGreaterGainesville
The unique opportunity that the current situation has created, that we are educating at home.
Learn about the importance of olives in Judaism and how to make a simple and delicious olive dip for your Shabbat table.
Join Goldie in the kitchen.
Why many have the custom to affirm their commitment to perform the mitzvah "to love your fellow as yourself" before they begin to pray?
A lesson on the importance of putting others first with Rabbi Shmuly.
A little history about the special day of Lag B'omer and how it is celebrated
Shared by Goldie.
The Rebbe Rashab was shown a number of paintings, one was of a beautiful farm with a bird sitting on the wheat stalks. What imperfection did a simple farmer notice that all the art experts overlooked? And what lesson did the Rebbe learn from the painting?
A lesson and story on the importance of flexibility with Rabbi Shmuly.
What do the laws of purity for the Priest and the Jewish Holidays have in common?
A lesson on the reality our words create from this weeks Torah Portion "Emor" with Rabbi Shmuly
How to respect the people we love, learning from the students of Rabbi Akivah.
A tribute to Irving Rosen OBM, who passed away this week.
The Miteler Rebbe was so engrossed in his learning, that he didn't hear the cry of his baby. His Father, the Alter Rebbe, heard the child and had some point words for his son.
A lesson on being attentive with Rabbi Shmuly
"Just enough but not too much", book read with Goldie.
"Who is rich? He who is content with their lot" Ethics of our Fathers.
The Torah commands the farmer in Israel not to eat from the fruit of the Tree for the first three years, then to sanctify the fruit of the fourth year and only in the fifth year to consume the fruit for regular use and profit.
A lesson on how to navigate the Prohibited, Holy, and Permissible elements in every area of life, from the Torah Portion on Acharei-Kedoshim with Rabbi Shmuly
Turning pain into joy, "You have turned my sackcloth into joy".
Insight into Psalm 30 with Rabbi Shmuly
To celebrate the fifth Chabad Rebbe's birthday, the Rebbe Maharash, a story on achieving greatness.
Don't Push the other down rather raise yourself higher, with Goldie
How should one respond when things don't go as planned? As we find ourselves in unforeseen circumstances, how should we respond?
Are we ever really stuck in our circumstances or are we always where we are meant to be. Two stories of the Rebbe OBM, told by Rabbi Shmuly.
One of our favorite kid's books, following the story of a young boy in the shtetil and his blanket that his Grandpa made for him. A beautiful message of making the best of our given curcumstances, including making "something from nothing" :).
A kids book read with Goldie.
The Sages teach us that Torah prescribed leprosy is brought upon someone who used his words to bring animosity and divisiveness to his community. As retribution, the individual is secluded in impurity with their leprosy outside the city. Why does the impurity begin only once the Koehn (Priest) whos inspects it declares it "impure"? Why once the leprosy is gone, the individual is pure only after the declaration of "pure" by the Kohen? Why does the Kohen and not a member of the courts do this inspection?
A lesson on the importance of what we choose to say with Rabbi Shmuly
Cholent is a traditional Shabbat dish, placed on a slow cooker before Shabbat begins (on Friday) and is enjoyed on Shabbat day (Saturday).
Learn all about the history of Cholent and how to make it with Goldie in the Kitchen.
My "Babby", Grandmother, Mrs. Rusya Sax obm, was a holocaust survivor. In this personal excerpt from her diary, she describes the courage and sacrifice she made to build a family and rebuild her life from the embers of the holocaust.
A tribute the six million Jews who we lost in the Holocaust with Rabbi Shmuly.
Rabbi Mendel Futerfas was imprisoned in the Soviet Union for his activism benefitting the Jewish Community and education of Judaism. While in prison he noticed the other inmates manage to successfully hide their playing cards from the constant inspections by the prison guard. How did they keep it hidden? What lesson did Rabbi Mendel learn from them?
A Chassidic story and lesson on looking within with Rabbi Shmuly
It's a rainy day and Bentzy is sad. And then Bentzy's mother gives him a great, big smile. And suddenly everything seems fine.
Follow how Bentzy's smile spreads in this kids book read with Goldie.
A kosher Animal chews it's cud and has split hooves. Kosher is a reflection on how we should engage with the world around us, so what lesson do the split hooves teach us? Why does the Talmud say one should sell the pillars of his home to buy shoes?
A lesson from the week Torah Portion (Shemini) on how to walk safely and engage with the world we live in, with Rabbi Shmuly.
The Jewish People were caught between the sea of reeds and the Egyptian army and heard the commandment from Moses to Go Forward, Nachshan ben Amindav didn't hesitant and jumped into the waters and then the waters split.
A reflection on the final days of Passover with Goldie
When Rabbi Herschel Tschortkover discovers that his pouch filled with gold coins for the needy in his community is missing, he travels to confront Moshe Anschel the one person he trusted with the pouches whereabouts. Moshe Anschel without hesitation gives Rabbi Herschel all the money he has and vows to pay back the rest. Rabbi Herschel later discovers that the house's caretaker stole the pouch and Moshe Anschel is innocent. Why did Moshe Anschel then pay back the money?
A story on lesson on going beyond the letter of the law to empathize with our fellow, told over by Rabbi Shmuly
"Had G-d brought us before Mount Sinai and not given us the Torah, Dayenu, it would have been enough" - Passover Haggadah. Wasn't the whole purpose of Mount Sinai to receive the Torah and the Ten Commandments? So what the does it mean Dayenu, it would have been enough just to have been brought to Mout Sinai?
A personal reflection from our Passover Seder with Goldie
In the Passover Haggadah as we begin the fifth step we say "Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat; whoever is in need, let him come". Why do we not say this before we begin the seder or at synagouge when we can invite guests to to join us?
A lesson from the Haggadah with Rabbi Shmuly
Passover is coming and the Little Red Hen is getting ready to make Passover Matzah, will her farm friends come to her aid?
A Passover kids book read with Goldie
When the Mitteler Rebbe, Dovber, was a young child, his family's home burnt down. Young Dovber turned to his crying mother and asked why are you crying, thank G-d the family is safe and the home can always be rebuilt?
A story of courage and lesson on the balance of holding onto the past, yet understanding that the future begins now.
Chasidic story and lesson with Rabbi Shmuly
11 Nissan is the Birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe obm, and is marked annually by the President of the United Stated as "Education and Sharing Day USA" honoring the Rebbe's commitment to moral education.
Goldie shares a personal tribute and some stories of the Rebbe.
"A continuous fire shall burn upon the altar; it shall not go out" Levitcus 6:6
In our inner temple the heart is in place of the alter, how can we keep our fire of passion burning?
A thought on the weeks Torah Portion (Tzav) with Rabbi Shmuly
Charoset is one of the six symbols on the seder plate and is made to resemble the mortar the Jews made while slaves in Egypt. Why then do we add sweet apples in the mix?
A lesson on personal freedom followed by a "Chunky Charoset" recipe with Goldie.
The first prayer of the day is Modeah Ani, traditionally recited right when we wake up before we get out of bed. Being grateful when we start our day will change the way we engage with the day ahead.
A prayer insight with Rabbi Shmuly
A Pass-Over thought to help us spiritually Pass Over the current situation and emerge with a stronger faith and better people.
Presented by Goldie
The Bal Shem Tov meets a water carrier and asks him how he's doing and he responds with how difficult things are. The next day the Bal Shem tov asks him the same question and gets a very uplifting response. What changed?
A Chassidic story and lesson with Rabbi Shmuly
Max is the youngest of four and is always the last one to get a turn, but there is one special night of the year when he comes first...
A fun Passover story for kids.