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Vayechi – Jacob’s Strength (5784)

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Parshas Vayechi marks the final installment of the book of Genesis. The family of Israel, the sons of Jacob, are all together in Egypt, where they settle and flourish. A lot happened to this family up to this point, and the setting for the next epoch of their story, and of Jewish history, is ready. In this parsha podcast, we address two elements from the Parsha: Jacobs decision to promote Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, and Jacob’s superlative self-control.

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Loving God (6.6.30)

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The requirement to love God is featured prominently in our religion. The Shema – the pledge of allegiance of our faith – contains the mitzvah to love God right after the first sentence of accepting his dominion. This is one of the six constant mitzvos. What is love and for God? How do we love God? And how does this facilitate the acquisition of Torah? In this very enjoyable ethics podcast, we answer these important questions.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Mar 12, 2024

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DONATE to TORCH: 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 Vayechi (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 52:31 — 24.0MB)

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Parshas Vayechi is the final portion of the Book of Genesis. Jacob is about to die and he tends to his affairs: He assures that he will not be buried in Egypt and will instead be interred in the Cave of Machpelah, he blesses Joseph and his sons, and he blesses/rebukes his twelve sons.

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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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Beloved (6.6.30 Intro)

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Torah was not given to angels. Torah was given to humans. One way to expand our ability to acquire Torah is by enhancing our humanity. The more human we are, the more we are a worthy receptacle of Torah. But what does it mean to be a human?

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Mar 5, 2024

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DONATE to TORCH: 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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Vayigash – Beacon in the Darkness

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 55:52 — 25.6MB)

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Parshas Vayigash is bittersweet. The sweetness is obvious. After 22 years of anguish and melancholy, Jacob is informed that Joseph is alive and is a king in Egypt. Our Parsha is a story of reunion and reclamation. But it’s also bitter: Jacob and his family travel to Egypt, a morass that will be very difficult to extricate themselves from. The nation will be in Egypt for hundreds of years and eventually be enslaved and oppressed severely. Only the Exodus will extricate the nation from the tentacles of Egypt. In this Parsha podcast, we examine several counterintuitive elements of the descent into darkness. We discover that sometimes the most brilliant light can only emerge amidst the darkness. If not for nighttime, we wouldn’t know of the existence of the stars.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas Moshe Ben David Shalom, our friend Moshe Peter Loth, who passed away a few weeks ago. May his Soul be elevated in Heaven.

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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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Sense of Mission (6.6.29)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 30:10 — 13.8MB)

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We love Torah. Torah study is our national pastime and obsession. It is enjoyable; it is fun; it is interesting — but to acquire it – we have to now that it is imperative: It is as indispensable as water, oxygen and bread.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Feb 4, 2024

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DONATE to TORCH: 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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Vayigash – Come-to-Joseph Moment (5784)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 57:09 — 26.2MB)

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Our parsha is one of unexpected reunions. After 20 plus years of separation, Joseph reunited with his brothers and his father. In this Parsha Podcast we focus on two elements of the reunification: firstly, we ponder the interesting question of whether or not Jacob actually bowed down to Joseph as foretold in the dream. Then, we explore a fascinating and frightening Midrashic comment on the lessons from the brothers’ shocking revelation that the viceroy of Egypt is none other than Joseph.

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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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Making Fences (6.6.28)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 29:52 — 13.7MB)

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Humans are fallible. We are imperfect, yet we are tasked with being the stewards and the guardians of the perfect. We hold the Almighty’s Torah in our hands. We are tasked with perpetuating it from generation to generation and with rendering rulings in line with the will of God. The only way that we can stand up to the sacred task is if we make fences.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Nov 14, 2023

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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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Kingmakers: How Judah and Joseph Earned the Throne

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Our nation has two houses of monarchy: Joseph and Judah. Joseph was, of course, king of Egypt. David, king of Israel, descended from the tribe of Judah. Following David, all legitimate kings of our people descended from the Davidic line from the tribe of Judah. Our nation is yearning for Messiah. Our sages tell us the Messiah comes in two flavors: Messiah Ben-Joseph from the tribe of Joseph and Messiah Ben-David from the tribe of Judah. Where did these two tribes earn the throne? In this interesting and sharp podcast, we explore a fascinating set of verses in the Psalms that we recite during the Hallel, and learn a fantastic secret about what it takes to be a king and the power that comes with the monarchy.

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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 Vayigash (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 55:25 — 25.4MB)

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Twenty two years have passed since Jacob and Joseph were separated. Ever since Joseph was torn away from him, Jacob was bereft of prophecy and inconsolable. In Parshas Vayigash this long saga comes to an end and Jacob is finally reunited with his long-lost son.

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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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NEW TORCH Mailing Address POBox:

TORCH
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Joyous With Your Lot (6.6.27)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 24:57 — 11.4MB)

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There is an unequal distribution of talents, gifts, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Everyone is different. Everyone is their own world. This applies both in the spiritual domain and in the material/physical domain. A believer who understands that the Almighty gives everyone exactly what they need must be joyous with their lot. Your lot is exactly what the Almighty apportioned to you to fulfill your mission in life. It is also way number 27 to wisdom.

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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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