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Accepting the Torah: Ruth, Sinai, and the Heart of Shavuos

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Nasso – Princely Pendulum (5781)

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The Princes of the Tribes make several notable contributions at the inauguration of the Tabernacle: They contribute 12 oxen and 6 covered wagons to aid the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and each Prince donates a tribute of 21 animals, a silver basin and bowl brimming with flour and oil, and a gold ladle full of incense. Why were these 12 men chosen to serve as princes of the tribes? What happened to these people after the events of our Parsha? In this special edition of The Parsha Podcast, we trace the story of the Princes from their heroic beginning to their absolutely shocking end, following the surprising twists and turns along the way.

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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!

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Shavuos Roundtable with the TORCH Podcasters

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Shavuos is the Festival that marks the day of the giving of the Torah. More than 3300 years ago, our nation coalesced around Mount Sinai and we experienced some thing that no other nation has ever experienced: the Almighty spoke to us as a nation and we lived to tell the tale. We heard the 10 Commandments from God and from Moshe and our nation was forever transformed. Every year we relive the Sinai revelation during the Festival of Shavuos. To help prepare for this momentous day, I gathered together with my TORCH colleagues in the glorious TORCH Centre to chat about the upcoming festival and how to make the most of it.

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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!

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Parshas Nasso (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 59:07 — 27.1MB)

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In the longest parsha in the Torah by verses, we continue to read about the Levite families and their responsibilities, we learn about the three tiers of the Nation’s encampment, the laws of a suspected adulteress, the laws of the Nazir, the Priestly blessings, and we read a very wordy account of the gifts of the tribal leaders during the weeks following the Tabernacle’s inauguration.

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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!

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Bamidbar – Common Census

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 59:16 — 27.1MB)

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The United States Constitution mandates that a nationwide census is conducted every decade. Other nations also conduct censuses. Censuses are common. Our parsha begins with a nation-wide census, the third census since the Exodus. But this census was highly uncommon. It was conducted completely differently than the way that any other census is done. When we probe the matter deeply we discover something absolutely profound. At the risk of over-promising, I highly recommend that you listen very intently to this parsha podcast. It will change your life.

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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!

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Bamidbar – Flag-Bearers (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 52:39 — 24.1MB)

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At first glance, Parshas Bamidbar seems like a snoozefest: it’s very technical, counting the people, assigning the tribes to their encampments, counting the Levites separately, designating the responsibilities of the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and its vessels. But upon further examination, our Parsha guides us with the instructions of how to become great, how to achieve distinction, prominence, and stature, and how to be uplifted.

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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!

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Misappropriation of the Sacred (#127, 447)

Podcast (mitzvah): Download (Duration: 18:53 — 8.6MB)

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Misappropriating Temple property is a very bad idea. The sacrifices, the animals, the vessels, the property, the money used for update and maintenance – all items that are included in the temple coffers cannot be misused.

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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!

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Parshas Bamidbar (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 56:48 — 26.0MB)

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We kickstart the Book of Numbers with a census of the twelve tribes of Israel – not including the tribe of Levi who is counted independently – conducted by Moses, Aaron, and the most distinguished leaders of said tribes. Subsequently, we read about the banners of the tribes and their assigned encampments, the transference of the sanctity of the firstborn to the Levites, and the designated role of each of the Levite families.

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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!

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Behar Bechukosai – Hostage Letter

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:01:54 — 28.3MB)

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Our Parsha contains some of the most difficult portions in the Torah, the Admonition. Our nation is told of the consequences of failing to adhere to the rules of God. The consequences are fierce and harsh. When this section is read in the synagogue, it is done quickly and in an undertone to prevent the congregation from lapsing into depression. But the Admonition ends on a comforting note: God promises to remember the covenant that He forged with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notwithstanding our intransigent behavior and our betrayal of God, He pledges to ensure that we endure come what may. This podcast orients around a fascinating peculiarity in this comforting note. We discover the unique role that Jacob plays in our history, the difference between his Jacob and Israel personas, and his connection with Elijah, the heralder of redemption.

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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!

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Pleasure (6.6.18)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 35:59 — 16.5MB)

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Pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain are hardwired impulses . We all want to feel good and to avoid feeling bad. Perhaps surprisingly, the Torah fully embraces this principle. The reason why we were created, we are told, is so that we can become receptacles of pleasure. Our only disagreement with other philosophies is regarding the nature of said pleasure. In this Ethics Podcast episode we explore the subject of pursuit of pleasure, both spiritual and physical.

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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!

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Parsha: Behar & Bechukosai – Divine Nudge (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 39:47 — 18.2MB)

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Two years ago, our nation underwent an unprecedented calamity. At our people’s largest annual festival, the celebration of Lag ba’Omer in Meron, a crowd crush resulted in the death of 45 of our brethren. How do we respond to such a tragedy? What is the way to process such a disaster. In this Parsha Podcast we look to this week’s double parsha of Behar and Bechukosai for guidance.

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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!

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

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