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Rabbi Shlomo Nachman ben Ya'akov is the author and owner of AllFaith.com, LearnEmunah.com, and the shul site BeitEmunah.org. These sites offer hundreds of studies on diverse Jewish and Noahide topics along with live and recorded video presentations, humor, and much more. LearnEmunah.com was created on August 25, 2018 to house the most current writings and teachings of Rabbi Shlomo. AllFaith.com was created by the rabbi in 1997 as part of his studies into the world religions. That pursuit of understanding led him to earn an MA in World Religious Studies, an Interfaith Counseling degree, and various other achievements in the various religions and spiritualities he studied. Eventually his prayerful studies lead him to achieve the main two Jewish smicha (ordinations). Rabbi Shlomo is also a board member of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation.
Since 1969 Rabbi Shlomo Nachman has devoted most of his energies to diverse religious studies from around the world including Judaism, which, for the past many years, has been his only religious focus. The development and furtherance of emunah (active and complete faith in G-d alone) has always been the major focus of his life's work and personal practice. Through his voluminous writings and in-depth studies, often hands on, he has shared his understandings with many thousands of people. His teachings may be found on websites and various social media platforms, through personal appearances, radio, and public rallies, via live and recorded broadcasts and more. Rabbi Shlomo has worked diligently to encourage baalei teshuva and others in their return to and advancement in their religious faith in the G-d of Israel. It is his conviction that among all the shortages facing our troubled world today, none are as dire as the shortage of emunah. In agreement with the old adage, Rabbi Shlomo believes that, "with emunah all things are possible." His personal life is a testament to this as he occasionally shares.
Rabbi Shlomo's rabbinic smicha (or ordination) comes from ישיבה עבור כל היהודים על פי חוקי משה (Yeshiva Avur Kol HaYihudim Al Pe' Chukee Moshe). His rabbinic lineage passes through the Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760) directly, through the Maggid of Mezritch (1704-1772), and further to the great sage Rashi (1040-1105). He holds Yoreh Yoreh (i.e. the smicha to render halachic judgments on matters of religious law as it pertains to daily life and to serve as a congregational rabbi) as well as Yadin Yadin (i.e. the ordination to render halachic judgments on matters of religious law as it pertains to monetary and property disputes).
It is my sincere prayer that my humble efforts will help unite our people and bless those who wish to find their way. As my dear brother Shlomo Silverman recently noted to me, "We Jews are not so good at multiplication, but we are the masters of division!" This ought not be true, but it is.
Concerning Jewish disunity the former Jerusalem Chief Rabbi, Rav Kook, declared: "Since there are enough people practicing rejection, I choose to practice acceptance." This is the goal of learnemunah.com and AllFaith.com. As the Chofetz Chaim warned:
Our Sages state: "Jerusalem was destroyed only because its inhabitants limited their decisions to the [letter of the] law of Torah" (Bava Metzia 30b). This seems difficult, for Scripture records many sins of which that generation was guilty.
Our discussion sheds light on the matter. Had the people overlooked the wrong caused them, then HaShem would have forgiven them as well. However, they were absolutely unrelenting toward each other, demanding from one another whatever they could possibly extract according to the law -- and Heaven judged them accordingly
ENOUGH! We claim we want HaMashiach and the Third Temple now, and yet we continue doing the very things for which it was destroyed! Both the Orthodox and non-Orthodox are guilty of baseless hatred and division. We must understand that A Jew is a Jew! I hold this conviction close to my heart by the mercy of HaShem! Some Jews are religious, others are not. Some Jews are fanatics on both ends of the spectrum, most are not. Let us seek a love-based balance! Especially towards one another. We are a single tiny and ever vulnerable extended family. Let's stand together.
Personally, I am a traditional Sephardic Jew. Therefore I am categorized as Orthodox (although the Sephardim have no such divisions). I seek to observe the Way of the Baal Shem Tov, hence I am a "Chassid." As I am particularly attracted to the teachings of his great grandson, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, I am a "Breslov Chassid." In this way I seek to serve HaShem and my fellows as a simple Jew. I also embrace the wisdom expressed by many other sages, both current and past.
My Rabbinical lineage is as follows:Rebbe Yisroel Baal Shem Tov (1698-1760), founder of Chassidut to his disciple,
Here is a partial list of the Rabbinic blessings I received upon smicha:
Rebbe Dov Ber (1710-1772), the Maggid of Mezritch to his disciple,
Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717-1786), the Noam Elimelech to his disciple,
Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchak (1745-1815), the Chozeh of Lublin to his disciple,
Rebbe Moshe Teitelbaum of Ujhely (1759-1841), the Yismach Moshe to his son,
Rebbe Eluzer Nissan Teitelbaum of Drubitsch (1786-1854) to his son,
Rebbe Yekusiel Yehuda Teitelbaum of Sighet (1808-1883), the Yetev Lev to his son,
Rebbe Chananyah Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum of Sighet (1836-1904), the Kedushas Yom Tov to his eldest son,
Rebbe Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum of Sighet (1884-1926), the Atzei Chaim, to his youngest brother,
Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum (1887-1979), Satmar Rebbe to,
Rebbe Hayyim ben David (Joseph) Gelberman (1912 - 2010) the New Yorker Rebbe, to
Rebbe Aryel Nachman ben Chaim (the Ranbach), founder of Der Alte Weg Chassidut and the House of Seven Beggars, and co-Rosh of Yeshiva Avur Kol HaYihudim Al Pe' Chukee Moshe; he is a physical descendant of one of Rashi's daughters.
Rebbe Ancel Salamon, Head of the Beit Din of the Dominican Republic and co-Rosh of Yeshiva Avur Kol HaYihudim Al Pe' Chukee Moshe.. Smicha (Yoreh Yoreh, Yadin Yadin) was bestowed on me by R. Ancel Salamon and Aryel Nachman ben Chaim as Rabbi Shlomo Nachman ben Ya'akov.Please Note: LearnEmunah.com and AllFaith.com are completely independent of the various groups I associate with. Beit Emunah is an independent Sephardic based Breslov Shul and Keruv. The views expressed here are my own understandings and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else. Likewise, the views of the various groups I associate with do not always express mine. Please refrain from making assumptions about my beliefs and practices until you get to know me. If you have questions, ask me, don't assume. In many ways I'm not your average Chassid nor rabbi. Heck, I'm not even your average Jew! But then... few Jews really are when you get to know us! Our diversity is among our greatest strengths.
I am a committed Religious Zionist. I have the utmost respect for the work of late Rabbi Meir Kahana, but have no direct association with any of the groups that emerged from him. I have strong opinions concerning the politics of Israel, but am not active in the politics of Israel nor the US.
Without supporting the Nation and People of Israel one can not honestly claim to be loyal to our Holy Scriptures, Traditions, Religion, or People in my opinion. Far too many Jews today, even some rabbis (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox), are turning against Israel and thereby betraying the Hope of the Redemption. The Hope of Zion is the bedrock of Judaism and our people. That HOPE is solidly establish on Jewish control and governance of our Holy Land. Judaism and Zionism can not be separated. They are eternally one.
Of course, I'm not naive. The secular government of Israel today is far from perfect. The Israel that now exists is not the Israel that will be during the reign of HaMashiach ben David (may those days come soon and within our lifetimes). There are many things I wish were different there, HOWEVER I stand firmly and immovably with present day Israel, even as I beg HaShem to transform the Nation of the Jews into a truly Jewish Nation (to paraphrase Moshe Feiglin) as described by our holy prophets and teachers.
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