Transforming Shabbat: How The Parshah Shapes Our Homes & Hearts

When Rabbi Shlomo Landau joined Chazaq Torah Talks, he brought with him not just decades of scholarship, but a contagious passion for the transformative power of the weekly parshah. His message was simple yet profound: the Torah portion we read each week is not merely a cycle of familiar stories — it’s Hashem’s weekly message to us, a divine guide that can elevate our homes, deepen our Shabbos, and shape our spiritual lives if we let it.

Rabbi Landau’s own journey reflects a life devoted to Torah and impact. Born and raised in Cleveland, he learned at Telshe Yeshivah and later in Eretz Yisrael at Ponevezh, where he merited to learn under towering figures like Rav Shach zt"l. After marriage, he continued his learning in Brisk, receiving semichah and leadership training from renowned rabbanim. His career spanned teaching in yeshivot and high schools, founding vibrant kiruv communities like the one in East Brunswick, and now directing a global mentorship program with Olami — connecting professionals and students to Torah and each other.

Through all of these stages, one constant remained: the central role of the parshah in Jewish life. “I’ve been learning the parshah since I was three,” Rabbi Landau shared. “And every single year, it reveals something new. There’s always an insight I’ve never noticed before — a subtext, a detail, a message that speaks directly to where I am now.”

 

A Personal Guide To Life

Rabbi Landau described the parshah as far more than a series of ancient stories. “It’s the owner’s manual for life,” he explained. “Especially Sefer Bereishit — the stories of the avot and imahot are filled with lessons on relationships, resilience, emunah, and identity.” He encourages learners not just to skim the headlines of the week’s reading but to dive deeper — beyond the well-known narratives taught in childhood — and uncover the subtler, transformative messages within.

One powerful example is his own weekly shiur, “Practical Parshah Perspectives,” available on TorahAnytime, where he draws out one relevant theme from each parshah and connects it to everyday life. When discussing Parshat Noach, for instance, he explored honesty in business, linking the generation’s downfall to corruption and theft. “People write to me from around the world,” he shared. “They tell me that every Friday night they’re sharing a story from the shiur at their Shabbat table — and that it changes the tone of the whole meal.”

 

Making Shnayim Mikrah Doable

Many people feel intimidated by the mitzvah of shnayim mikrah ve’echad targum — reading the parshah twice with translation each week — but Rabbi Landau offered practical strategies to make it accessible. Instead of tackling the entire parshah in one sitting, he suggests breaking it into small daily portions: “Do one aliyah a day. Fifteen minutes is manageable, and by the end of the week, you’ve accomplished the whole parshah.”

Rabbi Landau also recommends pairing up with a chavrusah or using tools like the OU’s AllParsha app, which provides daily reminders and bite-sized portions. Beginners can start with an ArtScroll Chumash for easier understanding, gradually working up to deeper commentaries like the Nesivot Shalom. “Over time,” Rabbi Landau said, “you build confidence — and you’ll find yourself looking forward to it each week.”

 

Building The Shabbat Table

Perhaps the most impactful part of Rabbi Landau’s approach is how he uses the parshah to enrich his family’s Shabbat table. “Our children are our greatest investment,” he emphasized. “If we want them to love Shabbat, we need to prepare for it.”

In his home, divrei Torah are woven into conversation across all ages. With younger children, he keeps it simple and interactive: “I might ask my three-year-old, ‘How many tests did Hashem give Avraham?’ and let him share what he learned in school.” Older children are drawn into deeper discussions, like why Hashem tests us and how challenges build resilience. “Life doesn’t always go as planned,” Rabbi Landau noted. “Nisyonot aren’t meant to break us — they’re opportunities to grow.”

Storytelling plays a central role, too. He recommends sefarim like Rabbi David Ashear's Living Emunah or story collections by Rabbi Hanoch Teller and Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn, which captivate children and adults alike. Creative tools like the “What If?” series — halachic questions connected to the parshah — spark lively debates, while family “challenges” (like finding five consecutive words starting with aleph) keep kids engaged.

These techniques, Rabbi Landau explained, not only make the Shabbat meal more meaningful but also leave lasting impressions on guests — including secular families he’s hosted over the years. “When they see a four-year-old discussing Torah with confidence and joy, it opens hearts in ways nothing else can.”

 

Cherishing The Gift

As the conversation drew to a close, Rabbi Landau offered a heartfelt reminder: “We’re so busy living Jewish life that we sometimes forget to appreciate it. But think about it — if you’re not Jewish, you’ve never experienced a parshah, never eaten kugel, never known the beauty of Shabbat with family and divrei Torah.”

He urged listeners to pause and thank Hashem for this gift — to see the parshah not as an obligation but as an invitation to grow, connect, and celebrate who we are. “If we internalize that,” he said, “our joy deepens, our homes become holier, and our children feel it, too.”

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Rabbi Yaniv Meirov is the CEO of Chazaq and Rav of Congregation Charm Circle in Kew Gardens Hills. Since 2006, he has helped thousands of Jews reconnect with their faith through community events, lectures, and public school outreach, earning recognition from gedolim, elected officials, and community leaders for its impactful work. As Chazaq Torah Talks recently aired its 214th episode with Manny Behar, Rabbi Meirov continues to bring thoughtful, heartfelt conversations to the Jewish world—bridging tradition with today’s challenges, one episode at a time. The Rav can be reached for comment at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..