Category Archives: Ethics of the Fathers

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Purpose of Creation (6:11)

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With endless praise to the Almighty for all goodness that he has done for us, we hereby present the final episode of the Ethics podcast. We began this project 7 years ago and now, thanks to the boundless help from the Almighty, we have finally finished this grand initiative May the Almighty continue to give us strength and resolve to study His holy Torah and may we be worthy of absorbing its timeless lessons.

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This Ethics podcast, the final Ethics podcast of our Ethics podcast series, is dedicated by an anonymous dear friend and supporter of the Ethics podcast and of TORCH, in recognition of my hard work and in the merit of the hostages still held captive in Gaza. May our Torah study serve as a merit for them. May they be protected and saved and rejoin their families really soon.

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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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God’s Cherished Possessions (6:10)

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God owns everything. He created everything and owns it all. But there are some things that God cherishes above others. Our Mishnah describes five cherished possessions of God. These five are uniquely beloved by Him. They are what He “acquired.”

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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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Place of Torah (6.9)

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There are only three rules of real estate: location, location, location. When it comes to choosing a place to live, the same principle applies. But what determines a good location? In this very interesting Mishnah we learn about the absolute imperative of living in a place of Torah.

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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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Double-Edged Swords (6.8)

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Not everything that we covet in life necessarily redounds to our benefit. There are great many things that are double-edge swords: they can be used for good; they can accelerate our ascent to righteousness, and they can be absolutely destructive and lead us towards a death spiral of decadence. Proceed with caution.

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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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The Life-Giving Property of Torah (6:7)

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The thing that we crave more than anything else is life. We all want life. We all flee from curtailing of – or danger to – our life. How do we indeed get life? In this wonderful Mishnah we learn how Torah bestows life – both here and in the afterlife – upon those who do it. What does the Mishnah mean when it says life? How exactly does Torah serve as a life-giving tool here and there? In this fascinating Ethics podcast, we learn the answers.

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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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Proper Attribution (6.6.48)

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When we hear something beautiful, something genius, something powerful, we may be tempted to pass it off as our own. In the final installment of the 48 ways to wisdom we learn about the imperative of proper attribution: saying something in the name of its originator.

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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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Systematic Studying (6.6.47)

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The penultimate way to wisdom offered by our sages instructs us to be systematic in our studies. What exactly does this mean? In this very special Ethics Podcast, we offer three different interpretations. Listen carefully if you want to give a boost to your studies and your connection with your Creator.

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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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Sharpening Teachers (6.6.46)

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Teachers are usually pretty talented. They’re usually gifted, knowledgeable, intelligent, and well-studied. In way to wisdom # 46 we learn how a student should strive to make their teacher even sharper and wiser. By upgrading our teachers, we ourselves become wiser along the way.

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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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Studying with Intentionality (6.6.44-45)

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What are our intentions when we study? What are we trying to achieve? If we are studying the Almighty’s Torah simply as an exercise in theoretical, abstract learning, we are missing the essence of Torah. In these two ways to wisdom, we learned about the imperative to study with intentionality and the different types of motivation for Torah study. We can upgrade our wisdom simply by tweaking the goal of our studies.

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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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Active Listening (6.6.43)

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Listening is a lost art. To truly listen and consider the other person’s position is becoming increasingly rarer. We get consumed with our own ideas and perspectives; someone else’s opposing position will not be granted true consideration. But listening – and listening actively and attentively – is critical if we are desirous of learning and absorbing the Almighty’s Torah.

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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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Asking and Answering (6.6.42)

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Questions are arguably the most potent tool by which to open up a complex subject. Asking questions on a given matter; asking many, diverse questions, analyzing and probing the issue from all angles, helps open portals of understanding that can deepen your appreciation and your perception of the matter. Our Sages were masters of the art of the question. If we want to deepen our connection with the Almighty’s Torah, it is imperative that we learn to ask sharp questions and to keep them on point.

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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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