Collected Archive of Shoemaker Reports
The Shoemaker Report is Rav Hoshea’s weekly Torah publication. Its focus is on internalizing and living Torah from the heart, not only from the head. The divrei Torah often take the parashah of the week as their point of entry and address central questions of inner avodah — including teshuvah, prayer (tefillah), emunah, bitachon, and related areas of spiritual and personal refinement.
The writing assumes seriousness from the reader and speaks from within Torah life, with meaning emerging organically from honest analysis of our holy Torah and the words of Chazal, rather than from short-lived inspiration or simplified conclusions.
What is the spiritual meaning of Parah Adumah? The cedar, hyssop, and crimson wool reveal how the red heifer teaches humility, holy boldness, attachment to the Tzaddik, and the power of Torah and tefillah to bring the highest divine light even to the lowest Jew.
Moshe sees himself like Bila’am – and Bila’am sees himself like Moshe. What looks like a paradox is the secret of humility: true shiflut, to see every person as greater than you. This is how Hashem acts as well – His greatness is revealed דווקא in His turning toward the lowly. This is an avodah that redefines what greatness is.
In Parashat Bo, the mitzvah of tefillin reveals a deep map of inner avodah. Drawing on Likutei Moharan 15, this essay explores how fallen fear (yirah) is elevated through self-judgment and humility into da’at, transforming fear into awe and opening the path to the hidden light of the Torah.
R' Yochanan said (Megillah 31a): כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא גְּבוּרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה מוֹצֵא עִנְוְותָנוּתוֹ (Every place where you find [mention of] the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, you find [mention of] His humility). That may sound rather surprising. After all, we tend to think
R' Abahu said (Berachot 34b): מָקוֹם שֶׁבַּעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה עוֹמְדִין צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים אֵינָם עוֹמְדִין שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב לָרָחוֹק בְּרֵישָׁא וַהֲדַר לַקָּרוֹב (In the place ba’alei teshuvah stand, complete tzaddikim cannot stand, as it says [Yeshayah 57:19], ‘Shalom, shalom to him who is far away and to him who is
All living things have within them a vital force motivating them to grow. We are no different. Children and adults alike, we all want to grow. And growth has many dimensions associated with it. Growth can refer to physical size, education, ability or skill, professional development, knowledge or wisdom, emotional
