2. Parenting in Vacated Space Part 1: Emulating Creation

Drawing from Rebbe Nachman and the Arizal, Rav Shlomo Katz explores the paradox at the heart of parenting: how closeness and distance must work together. Just as Hashem contracted His infinite light to create the chalal panui—the vacated space that allowed the world to exist—parents, too, must sometimes step back to let their children become who they are meant to be.

This shiur reveals how each child is an entirely new creation, born to bring a unique perception of Hashem into the world. Through stories, teachings, and personal reflections, Rav Shlomo shows how giving our children “space” isn’t neglect, but the deepest form of faith in their divine mission.