Learn Torah with
Rabbi Odom Silverstein

5 Minute Nefesh HaChaim • 5 Minute Tanya • Bitachon • Parsha

410+ Shiurim Available

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Nefesh HaChaim Introduction

Shaar 1 · 3 min

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About these shiurim

The 5 minute Torah shiurim from Rabbi Odom Silverstein are short, daily audio lessons on three sefarim: Tanya, Nefesh HaChaim, and Bitachon. Each Tanya and Nefesh HaChaim shiur runs about 5 minutes and covers one perek (chapter) or section at a time. The Bitachon shiur runs about 7 minutes of chizuk (encouragement) drawn from the weekly Parsha and the Moadim (festivals). All of it is free.

The shiurim cover both Chassidic and Litvish learning. Tanya, also called Likkutei Amarim, was written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), the first Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, and is the foundational sefer of Chabad Chassidus. Nefesh HaChaim was written by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), the foremost student of the Vilna Gaon, and is a cornerstone of Lithuanian yeshiva hashkafa (outlook). It is one teacher learning through both traditions, a few minutes a day.

You can listen here or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JewishPodcasts.fm. Pick a sefer, start with today's shiur, and keep going from where you left off. If you have never opened these sefarim before, the short format gives you a way in without committing to an hour-long class.

Frequently asked questions

Can you learn Tanya in 5 minutes a day?

Yes. Each 5-minute Tanya shiur covers one perek (chapter) or part of a perek, with the main idea and takeaway explained in plain terms. The first section of Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, has 53 chapters, so at one short shiur most days you cover the core of the sefer in a few months. It is built for a commute or a coffee break.

What is the Tanya about?

Tanya, written in 1796 by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (the Alter Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch), teaches how an ordinary Jew serves Hashem. Its central idea is the two souls in every person, the Godly soul and the animal soul, and the Beinoni, the intermediate person who controls his thought, speech, and action even when he still feels the pull of the animal soul.

What is Nefesh HaChaim about?

Nefesh HaChaim, written by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), the foremost student of the Vilna Gaon, has four she'arim (gates). They cover man created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of G-d) and how his deeds affect the higher worlds, tefilla (prayer), kedusha (holiness) and the soul, and the supreme value of Torah study. It is a cornerstone of Litvish yeshiva thought.

What is bitachon?

Bitachon is trust and reliance on Hashem. The classic source is Chovos HaLevavos (Duties of the Heart), in its Shaar HaBitachon (Gate of Trust). The Bitachon shiurim here give about 7 minutes of chizuk (encouragement) each week, drawn from the weekly Parsha and the Moadim (festivals), so the trust is tied to what you are already learning that week.

Where can I listen to the shiurim?

You can listen on this site or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JewishPodcasts.fm. Search for the Rabbi Odom Silverstein 5 minute Torah shiurim on any of those apps. They are free, and you can play one on the way to work or while you fold laundry.

Do I need to know Hebrew to follow along?

No. The shiurim explain the ideas in clear English, and Hebrew and Yiddish terms are translated as they come up. A beginner with no background can start with the first Tanya shiur, and someone already learning in yeshiva can use the short format as a daily review.