Ep 365: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and guest Shlomie Rabin on hmTv

Ep. 365 – Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz & Cantor Shlomi Rabin
A Hanukkah & Yud Tes Kislev Special — Lighting the Inner and Outer World

In this heart-warming holiday episode, host Arnie Herz welcomes Cantor Shlomi Rabin back to Habits of a Whole Heart for a spirited exploration of two luminous celebrations — Yud Tes Kislev, the “New Year of Chassidus,” and Hanukkah, the festival of light.

Together, they unravel the spiritual drama behind the Alter Rebbe’s historic liberation, the heavenly “trial” over whether humanity was ready for the inner teachings of the soul, and why those teachings were ultimately released to ignite transformation from within.

Shlomi sings the haunting Chassidic melody Pada B’Shalom Nafshi and reflects on its message of partnership — we trust God, and God trusts us. From there, the conversation flows into Hanukkah rituals, the symbolism of the Shamash candle, why light grows one night at a time, and how Jewish practice turns metaphors into lived spiritual reality.

The episode dips into music, theology, laughter, jelly donuts, dreidels, and heartfelt reminders that service, joy, and inner light are renewable forces — the more we share, the more we shine.

This is an episode full of warmth, wisdom, and melody — a perfect listen for anyone seeking meaning, connection, or a little light in uncertain times.

Tune in, lift your heart, and pass the flame forward.
Happy Hanukkah — and happy Chassidus New Year.

Transcript

Ep. 365 – Habits of a Whole Heart
Host: Arnie Herz | Guest: Cantor Shlomi Rabin
hmTv | Humanity Matters Series

Arnie: Hi, my name is Arnie Herz, and welcome to Habits of a Whole Heart on the Humanity Matters series here on hmTv. Thank you for tuning in.

Last month I had Cantor Shlomi Rabin as my guest, and he spoke beautifully about music — how it calms us, centers us, and gives us a sense of wholeness. And as promised, he is back with us today for a very special holiday session about Hanukkah.

As you can see, we’ve got some Hanukkah props set up on the table, but before we get into Hanukkah, we’re starting with a different holiday — Yud Tes Kislev, often called the “Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus,” a deeply important day in Chassidic life.

So, Cantor Shlomi, thank you for being back with us — happy Hanukkah, and happy Chassidus New Year.

Shlomi: Thank you, Arnie. Always great to be back.

Arnie: So tell us — what is Yud Tes Kislev? What are we celebrating?

Shlomi: Yud Tes Kislev marks the day the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, was freed from prison after 53 days. He had been falsely accused of supporting the Ottoman Empire through the charity he sent to Jewish communities in Israel.

But that was just the physical story. Spiritually, it represented a pushback from on high — resistance to the Alter Rebbe’s effort to reveal and disseminate Chassidus widely to the masses. After a spiritual “trial” and guidance from his mentors, the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch — who appeared to him in the prison — he was released.

Not only did he continue spreading Chassidus, but he doubled down. The day marks the freedom to bring deep spiritual teachings into the world.

Arnie: You mentioned two big ideas — that there was a “trial on high,” and that there was resistance to revealing Hasidic teachings. Why was sharing this wisdom such a threat?

Shlomi: Great question. Chassidus wasn’t new — but its revelation to everyone was. The Alter Rebbe essentially opened the vault of Jewish mystical thought to the layperson.

The pushback was, “Why give the highest tools to everyone? Won’t they be diluted or misused?”

But the Alter Rebbe saw that the Jewish people desperately needed this spiritual nourishment — especially as we move closer to redemption. So he pushed forward — and today, Chassidic thought helps countless people understand their souls and their purpose.

Arnie: So just to translate this for listeners unfamiliar with Judaism — at its core, Judaism is about experiencing God within ourselves and in the world. Chassidus teaches the inner workings of the soul — powerful knowledge, almost like nuclear power. It can illuminate or destroy depending on how it’s used.

The debate in heaven was whether humanity was ready for this power. And in the end, it was decided that the world needed this inner light more than ever — dangers included. So it was revealed, and that’s what we commemorate. Does that sound fair?

Shlomi: Absolutely. The Alter Rebbe was the original renaissance man — he mastered law, mysticism, scholarship, and music. He even composed ten foundational melodies still cherished today.

Arnie: So the point of Chassidus is to awaken the divine soul — to know God in a way previously reserved for only the rarest mystics.

And as you mentioned earlier — that heavenly “trial” reflects something fundamental: what happens above manifests below. We pray because the source of change is higher than us.

Shlomi: Exactly.

Arnie: You mentioned melodies — and I know there’s a specific one connected to Yud Tes Kislev. Tell us about it.

Shlomi: The anthem of the day is “Pada B’Shalom Nafshi” — “My soul was redeemed in peace,” from Psalm 55.

The Alter Rebbe was reading this exact passage when he was informed of his release.

One of its verses says, “Cast your burden upon God, and He will sustain you.”

That ties directly into your podcast’s theme — we walk around believing we carry life alone. This passage tells us we have a partner — God. We can release some of that burden.

And the concluding phrase of the melody, “V’ani Eftach Bach” — “I trust in You” — is joyful and mutual: we trust God, and God trusts us.

(Shlomi sings excerpts from the melody.)

Arnie: Beautiful. Again, the message — this is a two-way relationship. Most of us walk around asking, “What do I need?” Real wholeness comes from asking, “Where am I needed?” That’s God saying, “Partner with Me.”

Now — it’s no coincidence that Yud Tes Kislev, the inner awakening of light, comes just days before Hanukkah — the physical expression of bringing light into darkness.

So let’s talk Hanukkah. Why do we need actual candles? And why do we increase them night by night?

Shlomi: First, a moment for the props — donuts, dreidel, and a menorah.

Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights — continuing the theme of illuminating darkness. The tall ninth candle is the shamash — the servant candle — which lights the others, because the ritual candles cannot be used for practical benefit.

There’s beautiful symbolism there — service is invisible, yet without it, nothing happens.

Arnie: Yes! The servant doesn’t count among the eight but is essential. When we serve others, we disappear into the role — yet become the most important element for transformation.

Shlomi: Exactly. When we give, we don’t diminish — we expand. The Rebbe understood this when he sent Chabad rabbis out into the world — serving others gives life back to the giver.

Same with flames — one candle can light infinite candles and lose nothing.

Arnie: And that leads to why we increase candles — we don’t start with eight and go down. We start with one and grow — because spirituality grows through expansion. First one, then two… until we crescendo at eight.

We carry all the light from previous nights — it compounds.

Shlomi: Yes — we follow Beit Hillel’s principle: increasing holiness. The more light we add, the more light exists in the world.

And every person has infinite capacity to shine — just like a candle can ignite countless others without losing its own flame.

Arnie: Beautiful. Now before we wrap up, every Jewish holiday has music — so please share a few Hanukkah songs with us.

Shlomi: Let’s do some classics:

Oh Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, come light the menorah…
(continues singing full song)

And of course — the dreidel song:

I had a little dreidel, I made it out of clay…

Arnie: Beautiful. And just a note — lighting the menorah isn’t symbolic. In Judaism, every act is spiritual reality. When we light candles, we literally draw divine light into ourselves and into the world.

There are blessings anyone can find on Chabad.org. And whenever possible, we place the menorah so its light radiates outward.

Shlomi: Can we end with the Dreidel Man theme?

Arnie: Yes, let’s do it!

(They sing the dreidel song playfully.)

Arnie: Shlomi, you’re the best. Thank you for bringing your joy, your wisdom, and your music. Happy Yud Tes Kislev, happy Chassidus New Year, and happy Hanukkah. May you continue to shine — for your family and for the world.

Shlomi: Thank you for having me. Happy Hanukkah!

Arnie: And thank you to everyone listening to Habits of a Whole Heart with Cantor Shlomi Rabin — our Hanukkah and Yud Tes Kislev special on hmTv’s Humanity Matters series.

Please subscribe, share this episode, and help us spread light and love.

Happy Hanukkah — and have a wonderful day.