Author Archives: admin

Devarim – Middling East

In his speech to the Nation, Moshe revisits the episode of the Spies that occurred 39 years prior. When the nation was on the verge of entering the Land, Moshe commissioned 12 distinguished men to reconnoiter the Land and to share their findings with the nation. It was a debacle and a fiasco. As a result of the report, the nation abandoned hopes to enter the land. They became defeatist and lapsed in their faith. As a result, the nation was condemned to remain in the wilderness for 40 years. Now, when the nation is on the verge of entering the land once again, Moshe revisits this story. In his retelling, he reveals some startling details that completely upend our understanding of this pivotal event. In this Parsha Podcast we study and probe the shocking accusation that the nation made as a consequence of the Spies’ report.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Devarim – Man of Words (5781)

At the end of Moshe’s life, he gathers the entire nation for his parting message to the nation. The Midrash makes a remarkable contrast between Moshe’s beginning and end of his tenure: When God initially commanded Moshe to save his brethren from enslavement in Egypt, Moshe protested by saying that he is not a man of words. That was 40 years before our Parsha. Our Parsha begins, “these are the words that Moshe said….” The man who was not a man of words has become one. What does it mean to be a man of words? What is the nature of Moshe’s transformation and what can it teach us about leadership and influence?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Ashes of the Altar (#131)

The first activity performed in the Temple each day was the removal of the ashes from the previous day’s sacrifices. Before today’s sacrificial schedule can commence, the Altar must be cleared from the ashes of yesterday’s sacrifices.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Parshas Devarim (Rebroadcast)

5 weeks before his passing, Moses gives a three-parsha-long speech to the nation, which constitutes his last will and testament. He begins with a retrospective of the history of the nation over the past 40 years since the Exodus – subtly rebuking the nation, guiding them, admonishing them, ensuring that they don’t repeat their mistakes of yore.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Mattos & Masei – 49-Step Program

What did the nation do over the course of the 40 years in the wilderness? What was their objective? In our parsha we read that the nation stopped in 42 locations over the course of their 40-year sojourn. The Torah delineates the names of the 42 different venues where the nation encamped. What is the salience of such a detailed recounting of the nation’s sojourns? In this podcast, we explored this fascinating question. What we discover can serve as an illuminating light in our own journey in life.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Anger Suppression (6.6.22)

Anger is part of the human experience. When things agitate us, we get frustrated and have a tendency to lash out, to berate, to say things that we may regret. In this ethics podcast, we learn about the virtue of being slow to anger and how it can help supercharge our pursuit of wisdom.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Mattos & Masei – Talent Incubator (5781)

Our parsha contains the laws regarding a person who murders someone accidentally. We are told that the accidental murderer must flee to the city of refuge and remain there until the passing of the High Priest. Although we have neither a High Priest nor a Jewish court of laws that adjudicates as per the laws of the Torah, in this special Canada-recorded edition of the Parsha Podcast, we offer a novel and homiletic explanation of the entire subject of the city of refuge. It turns out that we all can benefit from this kind of experience.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

#76: Characteristics of King Messiah

King Messiah will spearhead the spiritual movement that will reverberate the world over. This King will bear a grand and lofty stature exceeding that of the greatest exemplars of our history. In this podcast we explore King Messiah further: what are the indicators of the real messiah? What are the means by which we can identify King Messiah? What are some other characteristics that we are told about Messiah that may give more shape and color to our understanding of this lofty individual? The answers will be illuminating and (perhaps) a bit surprising.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This TORAH 101 Podcast is dedicated in loving memory of Mansour Faridnia ben Aghajan. May his soul be elevated in Heaven.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Parshas Mattos & Masei (Rebroadcast)

This year, the Book of Numbers ends with a double parsha – Mattos and Masei. We learn about the laws of vows and oaths; the miraculous war with Midian; the unusual request of the tribes of Gad and Reuben; the Torah delineates the 42 different places that the Nation encamped for their 40 year sojourn; and we gain closure to the saga of the daughters of Tzelaphchad.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Pinchas – Sons of Anarchist

Korach’s rebellion claimed many victims: Some of the perpetrators were swallowed up in a miraculous sinkhole; some were consumed by a divine fire; and some were killed in a plague. In our Parsha, we discover that the sons of Korach did not die. Although they were participants in the rebellion initially, at the very last moment, they repented and were spared. In this Parsha Podcast we explore the fascinating story of the sons of Korach and discover a theme that appears in several other instances in our Parsha. At the risk of being overly presumptuous, I am confident that this podcast will prove to be both intriguing and deeply beneficial.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Pinchas – Eternal Promotion (5781)

Over the course of the 40 years since the Exodus, the Nation was lead by Moshe and Aaron, the King and High Priest respectively. In our Parsha, successors are designated for both posts. Due to his valiant heroism of the end of last week’s portion, Pinchas is promoted to being a kohein. He would go on to become the High Priest and the patriarch of a slew of High Priests. A successor is designated for Moshe as well when God chooses Joshua, Moshe’s trusted aide, to replace him. Upon careful analysis we see how the paths that these two took to their respective nominations could not be more different. Joshua and Pinchas had radically different, even opposing, paths to securing their promotions. It turns out that we too must seek an eternal promotion in our lives and we can select the Joshua method or the Pinchas method. Or both.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Exploring the Ohr Hachaim Torah Commentary with Rabbi Shmuly Botnick

The 18th century commentary on the Torah, Ohr HaChaim, is one of the most unique, ingenious, and sprawling works in the Jewish library. In this special podcast, released on the 280th yartzeit of the author of Ohr HaChaim, Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, Rabbi Shmuly Botnick shares with us a sampling of ideas curated from the Ohr HaChaim commentary on the Torah to help us get a sense of the beauty and brilliance of this classic Torah commentary.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101