Episode
Elul 13 - A Real Relationship with Hashem (With the CHAZAQ Podcast)
- Published
- Aug 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2768
- Processing state
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- https://share.transistor.fm/s/2e50b6f3
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Summary
In this wide-ranging conversation with Chazak’s Torah Talks , Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe shares the personal journey that shaped his commitment to Torah growth and outreach. At fifteen, he left an ordinary American high-school environment to attend a demanding yeshiva in Israel, where even reading a page of Gemara initially felt overwhelming. Rather than retreat, he prayed for the ability to learn and resolved to fight for his growth. He also reflects on the influence of his grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, and the rabbis who guided him personally—teachers who demonstrated that greatness requires persistence, effort, and “no shortcuts.” The discussion then turns to Elul and the High Holiday journey. Rabbi Wolbe reframes yirah not simply as fear, but as the ability to see clearly, understand our lives, and place everything into proper perspective. On Rosh Hashanah, we sit at Hashem’s “boardroom table” without intermediaries and ask for another year. The forty days from Elul through Yom Kippur allow us to become a new creation, while Sukkot teaches us to step away from material comfort and establish Hashem—not possessions, money, or technology—as the center of our lives. Real spiritual growth, however, cannot be built on dramatic, unsustainable leaps. It begins with a direct and genuine relationship with Hashem, followed by one manageable step: understanding one line of prayer, improving one character trait, or creating a consistent connection with a rabbi. A person who wants guidance must actively pursue it rather than waiting for inspiration or mentorship to arrive conveniently. Finally, Rabbi Wolbe teaches that struggle is not evidence of failure—it is evidence that we are alive and growing. Hashem crafts each person’s challenges as opportunities for elevation. We are not mean…