Category Archives: Inspiration

Nine Reasons why the Oral Torah was not Codified for 1500 Years

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3300 years ago, over a period of 40 years, Moses gave the Jewish nation the Torah that he received from God. It consisted of a Written Torah and an Oral Torah together. For 1500 years the Oral Torah was maintained as such; faithfully and accurately transmitted exclusively orally from generation to generation. Beginning with the publication of the mishna in the end of the Second Century, the Sages began applying it to writing. Ultimately, most areas of Oral Torah were written down and formalized in canon. Why was the Torah given in this dual format and not simply written down entirely? In this lecture we present nine answers to that question.

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Core Beliefs of Judaism with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe – Torah Part 20

A Biographical Sketch and A Character Analysis of Jacob and his Wives

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Jacob is termed in Jewish literature as the “choicest of the forefathers”. What were his defining character traits? What were the dominant episodes and themes of his life? What does his journey teach us about Jewish history? We answer these questions and ponder the qualities of his illustrious wives and their collective eternal legacies in this final podcast on the three families of forebears of the Jewish people.

A Biographical Sketch and A Character Analysis of Isaac and Rebecca

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The Torah is scant on details regarding the lives of Isaac and Rebecca. Their story does not include a great many anecdotes of their challenges nor does it highlight their accomplishments and greatness. To the contrary, the Torah seems to harshly criticise Isaac as in when it is said that he preferred Esau because he made him food. What is the meaning of the Torah’s portrayal of Isaac and Rebecca and what indeed are their lasting legacies?

Inspiration to Perspiration: Simple Instructions to Change the World

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Every person who has ever changed the world, from the great Sage Rabbi Akiva to Travis Kalanick the founder of UBER, has been guided by two core life skills. These two learnable qualities are the underpinnings of every transformational change and improvement that humanity achieved. They are what separates the people who are inspired to change and actually implement grand ideas from the common folk who do not influence the world for the better. What are these qualities and how do we harness their power? In this podcast, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe outlines the process and methodologies needed for any change and issues a clarion call for pursuit of greatness.

A Biographical Sketch and A Character Analysis of Abraham and Sarah

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Abraham and Sarah are the biological, theological and ideological forebears of our nation. The story of their lives and accomplishments is the story of the Jewish people and, more broadly, the story of human progress and morality throughout history. What propelled them to greatness? What methods did they employ to disseminate their message? What is their eternal legacies? Join Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe as we ponder the story of these intellectual, spiritual and behavioral giants, and draw from it lessons for living.

Three Avenues to Eternity

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Performance of Mitzvahs earns a person a portion in Olam Haba. How does that work? In this podcast we examine various Jewish sources that establish the three distinct ways someone can achieve Olam Haba via mitzvahs.

Overwhelming Evidence to the Divinity of the Torah and its Ramifications

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The reality of the Torah being divine and immutable can be agitating and frankly a bit terrifying. As the word of God, every word of the Torah is true and obligatory, and that may trigger cognitive dissonance if we do not behave in a way that reflects that reality. It is vital to recognize that only two possibilities exist: the Torah as a divine document or the product of humans. While the Torah being true can be frightening, the alternative is implausible, even more terrifying and, in a sense, exceedingly cruel. In this podcast we continue our exploration of the subject by looking at the Torah’s Revelation narrative and several select predictions.

Core Beliefs of Judaism with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe – Torah Part 16

Spiritual Shortcuts to Greatness: How to Change the World in One Hour

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The Talmud records three episodes where individuals acquired Olam Haba in one instant. In these stories we learn a formula for accomplishing the work of a lifetime in one day. Let us be prepared to seize the once in a lifetime opportunities to dramatically transform our world with one act of selfless dedication and commitment!

This photograph is my grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, teaching Chumash to girls in the school that he founded for refugees in Lidingö, Sweden.

The Golden Ticket Revisited: How Mitzvahs Make Eternal Legacies

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A fundamental core belief of our nation is that observance of mitzvahs bring a person to Olam Haba – imprecisely translated as the afterlife. How exactly does that work?