Nefesh HaChaim

Rav Chaim Volozhiner's masterwork on the soul and Torah study

103 Shiurim

103 shiurim

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Nefesh HaChaim Introduction

Apr 28, 2023·3 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 1-2

Apr 30, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 2 Part 1

May 2, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim SHaar 1 Perek 2 Part 2

May 5, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 3

May 7, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 4 Part 1

May 9, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 4 Part 2

May 11, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 4 Part 3

May 14, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 5 Part 1

May 16, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 5 Part 2

May 18, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 5 Part 3

May 21, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaCHaim Shaar 1 Perek 5 Part 4

May 25, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 5 Part 5

May 28, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 6 Part 1

May 30, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 6 Part 2

Jun 2, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 6 Part 3

Jun 4, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 6 Part 4

Jun 6, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 6 Part 5

Jun 8, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 7

Jun 11, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 8

Jun 14, 2023·10 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 9

Jun 18, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 10

Jun 22, 2023·5 min

Nefesh haChaim Shaar 1 Perek 11

Jun 25, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 12 Part 1

Jun 27, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 12 Part 2

Jun 30, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaCHaim Shaar 1 Perek 12 Part 3

Jul 2, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaCHaim Shaar 1 Perek 13

Jul 4, 2023·5 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 14 Part 1

Jul 7, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 14 Part 2

Jul 9, 2023·6 min

Nefesh HaChaim Shaar 1 Perek 15

Jul 11, 2023·6 min

About 5 Minute Nefesh HaChaim

The 5 Minute Nefesh HaChaim shiur is a short, daily audio class on Nefesh HaChaim, the classic sefer written by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (Rav Chaim Volozhiner, 1749-1821), the foremost talmid of the Vilna Gaon. R' Odom Silverstein walks through the sefer one piece at a time, giving over the main idea of each section in about five minutes. The shiurim are free and run in order through all four she'arim (gates), reaching as far as Shaar 4, Perek 13.

Nefesh HaChaim is built around four she'arim. Shaar 1 explains how man was created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of Hashem) and how a person's deeds carry weight in the upper worlds. Shaar 2 turns to tefilla (prayer) and the divine Names. Shaar 3 deals with kedusha (holiness), the soul, and devekus (closeness to Hashem). Shaar 4 sets out the supreme value of Torah study, Torah lishmah (learning for its own sake). The sefer is a cornerstone of Litvish yeshiva hashkafa.

You can listen on the website and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JewishPodcasts.fm. Five minutes a day is enough to keep moving through a sefer that yeshiva talmidim usually meet only in full-length shiurim.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nefesh HaChaim about?

Nefesh HaChaim is a sefer by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), the leading talmid of the Vilna Gaon. It is organized into four she'arim (gates) that cover how a person's deeds affect the upper worlds, the meaning of tefilla and the divine Names, kedusha and the soul, and the supreme value of Torah study. It is a foundational text of Litvish yeshiva hashkafa.

Who wrote Nefesh HaChaim?

Nefesh HaChaim was written by Rav Chaim Volozhiner (Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, 1749-1821), the foremost disciple of the Vilna Gaon. The sefer records his approach to a Jew's place in creation, the meaning of tefilla, kedusha and the soul, and the central role of Torah lishmah. It is one of the cornerstone works of Lithuanian yeshiva thought.

What are the four she'arim of Nefesh HaChaim?

Nefesh HaChaim has four she'arim (gates). Shaar 1 covers man created b'tzelem Elokim and how human deeds affect the upper worlds. Shaar 2 covers tefilla (prayer) and the divine Names. Shaar 3 covers kedusha, the soul, and devekus (closeness to Hashem). Shaar 4 covers the supreme value of Torah study, Torah lishmah.

Can you learn Nefesh HaChaim in 5 minutes a day?

Yes. The 5 Minute Nefesh HaChaim shiur gives over one piece of the sefer in about five minutes, so you can work through it section by section at a steady daily pace. A full-length yeshiva shiur goes through every word; this daily class follows the structure and the main ideas of all four she'arim in order.

Where can I listen to the 5 Minute Nefesh HaChaim shiur?

You can listen on this site and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and JewishPodcasts.fm. Search for the Rabbi Odom Silverstein Podcast on any of those platforms. The shiurim are free, run about five minutes each, and go in order through the sefer as far as Shaar 4, Perek 13.

Is Nefesh HaChaim a Chassidic or a Litvish sefer?

Nefesh HaChaim is a Litvish (Lithuanian yeshiva) work. Rav Chaim Volozhiner was the foremost talmid of the Vilna Gaon, and the sefer is a cornerstone of Litvish hashkafa and mussar, especially its teaching on Torah lishmah. R' Odom Silverstein also teaches a separate 5 Minute Tanya series for those learning Chassidus.