By Danit Shusterman
“I started listening to the It Is Taught podcast right from the beginning and I’ve been hooked ever since,” says Chani Miller.
“Sarede has a gift for breaking down deep concepts within Tanya and making them relatable and accessible to those who don’t have a background in Chasidus. She is clear and concise and will share other concepts that are connected to bring you a very rich teaching of the daily portion of the Tanya.”
After the passing of her grandfather a few years ago, Sarede Switzer wanted to do something in his memory. “My grandfather was a very spiritual person, so I thought that doing something related to the Tanya would be fitting,” she says.
With her unique talent in giving over deep Chassidic ideas, Sarede began writing up a summary of the daily Tanya and posting them on her Facebook page each day. After the overwhelmingly positive response, she soon turned it into a daily WhatsApp group which led to the inspiration to compile each day’s Tanya learning into a book.
While working on the logistics of the book, Sarede started a daily podcast of each day’s reading. Sharing the daily teachings would help Sarede in building up a following for when her book came out as well as help her along in the editing process.
“I’m one of those people who doesn’t make goals- I make habits,” she says. “I have made it a habit to work on my podcast for one and a half hours every day and Baruch Hashem, the feedback from the podcast has been incredible!”
The It Is Taught Podcast is not like any podcast out there. It is not just a regular Shiur. It is not just a text-based translation of the daily Tanya. In every episode, Sarede has made the daily Tanya applicable to our daily lives. Whether connecting it to current events, or a book she is reading or even great thinkers throughout history. Each episode has a theme and Sarede connects that theme to each of us on a very personal level.
“The goal is to make the Tanya really relatable and accessible to everybody, regardless of affiliation or background,” says Sarede.
Rivkie M, an avid listener of Sarede’s podcast shares, “I’m so in awe of how Sarede won’t shy away from the more complicated, esoteric parts of Tanya which I always skimmed through. I love all of her practical examples which makes everything so relatable.”
“This is how, I believe, the author, the Alter Rebbe, intended us to learn his work, as a real practical, personal instruction manual. Thank you so much for making these lessons available to the masses in such a down to earth and relatable way!” adds Josh Goldstein.
The It Is Taught Podcast will celebrate its completion of learning the entire Tanya on 19 Kislev and will begin anew for the coming year.
Join the Whatsapp group for daily lessons
Introduction to the It Is Taught Podcast:
In honor of Sarede’s maternal grandfather Avraham Yitzchok ben Binyomin HaKohen OBM The It Is Taught Podcast can be listened to on the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-is-taught-tanya-podcast/id1595589667
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7yexUrsqo6eXlaVKV0gxeF
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGGTknXIYx1DScUYJe2nupw/videos?view=0
Sarede Rachel Switzer is the founder and CEO of Bring the Gym to Me, a recruiting agency that matches up clients with fitness instructors and is an avid practitioner of yoga and contortion. She also hosts a daily podcast focusing on the daily Tanya portion, entitled It Is Taught as well co-author of a blog which provides comprehensive summaries of and explanations on the chapters of Sha’ar HaYichud by the Mittler Rebbe. Throughout the years, she has hosted a number of parties and events geared towards singles, from which a number of shidduchim have come about. Her latest shidduchim initiative is entitled, Splitting the Red Sea, whereby singles gather to network to expand their social circles and think of ideas of matches for one another. To contact Sarede, email [email protected]
So not surprised Sarede did this.
I saw it coming years ago when she made a blog summarizing the Mitteler Rebbe’s Shaar Hayichud in english.
https://shaarhayichudblog.wordpress.com/