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Worldliness (6.6.16)

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The central conflict of our lives orients around our relationship with the physical world in which we currently inhabit: the Torah teaches us that the objective of life is to optimize for the benefit and betterment of the soul, and to prepare for Olam Haba. The Yetzer Hara is engineered to make us believe that improving our standing in this world is what we should strive for. What is the correct balance? How much should we be invested in our standing in this world, and how much should we focus on our pursuit of eternity? In way to wisdom #15, we discover the answer.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Apr 16, 2023

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Parshas Vayeitzei (Rebroadcast)

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Parshas Vayeitzei follows Jacob as he is fleeing from his murderous brother Esau and travels to Charan to the house of Laban, his wily and deceptive uncle, and marries multiple wives and fathers 12 children.

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48 Ways to Wisdom: Mishnah (6:6:15)

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The oral Torah is vast, comprehensive, and multi-layered. One of its layers is known as Mishnah. What is Mishnah, how was it organized and codified, and why does it prepare us for wisdom? In this Ethics Podcast we learn all about Mishnah and it’s indispensability and power.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Mar 28, 2023

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Toldos – Infertile Crescent

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Why were the patriarchs and matriarchs infertile? Why did Isaac favor Esau? Why did Isaac require delicacies to bless Esau? Why does the Torah offer an extended narrative of Isaac and wells – digging wells, wrestling with wells that got plugged up, quarreling over wells, naming cities after wells? Why does anti-Semitism exist? These are some of the questions addressed in this very interesting and provocative Parsha podcast. Join us as we go backstage in Parshas Toldos.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmat Yehuda Ben Yehhaskel Tabibian who passed away recently. 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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48 Ways to Wisdom: Scripture (6:6:14)

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Our works of Scripture are all prophetic, each written with varying degrees of prophecy. When we study Scripture we are encountering the word of God. But what is the objective of the study of Scripture? Why does Scripture pave the way to wisdom? In this Ethics Podcast we discover what Scripture is, how it ought to be studied, and why it primes us for wisdom.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Mar 21, 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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Toldos – Smoking Camels (5784)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 59:12 — 27.1MB)

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Two very different boys are born in this week’s Parsha. Esau, the older one, is ruddy and hairy and looking for trouble. Jacob, the younger one, is wholesome and righteous. The beginning of our Parsha describe the unusual events surrounding the conception and birth of these two boys. When we read it on a superficial level, it does not immediately resonate. What is the deeper messages behind the birthing narrative? In this very special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we explore the prayer of Isaac and Rebecca that led to her conceiving, the two fabrics that Esau is compared to, and the recurring theme of camels in the narrative surrounding this family. This is a podcast that you will enjoy and remember.

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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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Wrestling with Innate, Unchangeable flaws: The Keturah Method

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Our character traits fall into three categories:

The ones that are easily changeable with minimal effort.
The ones that can be changed, but it requires much more intense and concerted effort because they are much more deeply rooted.
The character flaws that are not changeable; they are hardwired and fixed in place.

What do we do about those unchangeable flaws? Is there a method to maneuver around them? Are we supposed to come to terms with them? Are we condemned to suffer as a result of them? Our pursuit is perfection. And perfection is even possible notwithstanding very unpleasant and very unchangeable flaws. One method was pioneered by a brilliant and righteous woman named Keturah.

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48 Ways to Wisdom #13: Equilibrium (6:6:13)

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Humans are not monolithic. Each one of us is unique and have a unique take on every life situation. The truth is even more granular: even within a single person, there is not uniformity. We are all internally conflicted, sometimes thinking like this and sometimes like that, sometimes feeling like this and sometimes feeling like that, etc. It doesn’t have to be like that. There is a way to reach equilibrium.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Mar 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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Parshas Toldos (Rebroadcast)

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In Parshas Toldos we meet twin boys that are polar opposites: Esau, beloved by his father Isaac, is a man of the fields; while Jacob is loved by his mother Rebecca and prefers to dwell in the tents of scholarship. These two children will spawn nations and ideals that diverged from each other even before they were born.

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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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48 Ways to Wisdom #12: Engaging Students (6:6:12)

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One of the most rewarding things a person can do is to teach others. But beyond the feeling of gratification that comes with teaching, When you are able to educate and enlighten other people with your knowledge, you learn a lot from the process. Teaching others is a fantastic way to study yourself.

This Ethics Podcast was originally released on the Ethics Podcast on Feb 21, 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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Chayei Sarah – Age of the Matriarchs

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Sarah lived a relatively long life. She passed away at the age of 127 after learning about the Binding of Isaac. Our Parsha begins with her passing, eulogy, and burial in the Cave of the Patriarchs. Just as when the sun sets in one area, it automatically rises in some other place, with the passing of Sarah came the rise of a comparably bright light: Rebecca. In this edition of the Parsha podcast, we explore the legacy of Sarah, the age of Rebecca at her marriage, and examine the founding families of our people.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas David Gedaliah ben Efraim, the unforgettable David Genecov, of blessed memory, whose third yartzeit was today. 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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