A shiur on overcoming challenges and faith.
Know someone who would love this shiur?
What’s said in this shiur
The opening of this shiur, in Rabbi Zev Smith’s own words — taken from the captions, so names and Hebrew terms may be approximate.
Did you ever play a game that before you started, you won? That would be unfair. But there is one game that I tell you before you start, you won. And that's the very important game that's called: Life. The Gemara says in Masechta Yuma, When a person comes to that moment that he lives his life for, when he gives a דין וחשבון, people will have excuses. Ribono shel Olam, I couldn't learn Torah, I was too poor. The Ribono shel Olam says: Were you poorer than Hillel? Hillel lived in abject poverty, unfathomable poverty, and look how he succeeded. Hillel is מחייב the poor people. A person says: I was too rich, I was too busy. But R’ Elazar ben Charsom, a great Tanna, was much wealthier than you were, and look how he learned Torah. R’ Elazar ben Charsom is מחייב the עשירים. But the question is obvious. I'm not a Hillel, I’m not R’ Elazar ben Charsom. How could I be held accountable to do what I can't do? I don't have the greatness of a Hillel or R’ Elazar ben Charsom. But the answer to that is one of the most important, if not the most important Yesod of Hashkafah.
Jump to a moment
- 0:07Did you ever play a game that before you started, you won? That would be unfair.…
- 0:37and look how he succeeded. Hillel is מחייב the poor people. A person says: I was…
- 1:10Nobody is ever, ever given a challenge that they can't succeed. It would be terribly unfair…
- 1:44that he's always a little bigger than the Nisayon. That's what the Gemara is teaching us.…
- 2:16That means it was tested and it works. Every day we say: שעשה לי כל צרכי,…
- 2:47and he had a massive heart attack and he had to be taken to the hospital.…
- 3:19and sit back and enjoy the victory.…
Every second of this shiur plays inside Lehallel — a filtered YouTube library where each video was reviewed against one written standard before it could appear. No ads, no comments, no autoplay into anything unapproved.
Why is this here?
Before this shiur could appear, it was reviewed against one written standard — the same standard for every video in the library, no exceptions and no algorithm deciding on its own. It was reviewed on July 19, 2026. It is listed under Torah. If you believe something here does not belong, tell us — every challenge is read by a person.
Get the week’s best, by email
One email a week — a handful of approved shiurim and music. No account needed.
Know a family who would use this? Give a Lehallel membership.