Category Archives: Parsha

Tazria – Torah In A Box (5782)

The bulk of our Parsha deals with the inapplicable laws of purity and impurity, but we also told about a Mitzvah that is very much applicable today: circumcision. When a baby boy is 8 days old, they are circumcised and thereby entered into the Covenant of Abraham. What is the meaning behind this Mitzvah? Why, in fact, are we altering the product given to us by God? In this Very special edition of the Parsha Podcast, I share what I said (two years ago) at the Bris (circumcision ceremony) of my son, Yisrael Meir Wolbe. For the exquisite insight segment, I am joined by my daughter, Miriam, who shared the saga of her lost camera and the lessons that she learned. This is a very Wolbe-family-centric episode, but I’m convinced that you will enjoy it.

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Parshas Tazria (Rebroadcast)

A very large percentage of Torah is dedicated to the laws of purity and impurity. Parshas Tazria deals exclusively with these laws, first with respect to the impurity of a new mother, and second with the impurity of tzaraas a skin disease that comes as a result of sin. What is purity and impurity and how can we make these difficult concepts more relevant to modern life.

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Shemini – Spiritual Cholesterol

Kosher food is good for you. Non-kosher food is bad. That much we learned in our parsha. But why? Why is kosher food good? In this exquisite podcast, we Go deep and deeper in trying to understand. We discover how non kosher food serves as a form of spiritual cholesterol that creates blockages imperiling our spiritual life.

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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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Shemini – Aaron’s Credentials (5782)

In our Parsha Aaron is promoted to become the high priest. Previously, Moshe served as high priest in an interim role, henceforth Aaron and his descendants will serve as the nation’s emissaries before God. Why was Aaron chosen? What were his qualifications? What were the events in his life that rendered him worthy of such a lofty role? In this very special episode, we examine our Sages’ very interesting teachings on Aaron’s qualifications. We learn how Aaron was initially diffident – he was bashful and hesitant to assume the role. But Moshe nudged him forward and showed him how he was particularly suited to be the high priest. What we discover is a counterintuitive lesson about who is best qualified to lead the masses.

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Parshas Shemini (Rebroadcast)

After months of preparation and building, and a week of inauguration, the nation was anticipating the climax of the Tabernacle experience: When God finally rested His Presence upon the people’s handiwork. On the eighth day the Tabernacle was erected for good, and a Heavenly fire consumed the various sacrifices offered upon the Altar and the nation experienced the euphoria and intense trepidation of having God in their midst. But a second divine fire marred the joy when Aaron’s two sons were consumed for bringing a foreign and improper offering.

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Tzav – Runaway Brain

The subject matter of Parshas Tzav is – like Parshas Vayikra – sacrifices. Before today you may have thought that sacrifices are a boring snooze fest. In this Parsha Podcast your perception of Parshas Tzav and sacrifices will be permanently transformed. In the podcast we share three deep and powerful insights: How to sheath the brain; the three unexpected times for transcendental growth; and how marriage qualifies as liberation from incarceration.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor of a newly engaged couple: My sister in law Tova Florans and Manny Thaler. May you build a beautiful Jewish home together.

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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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Tzav – Ready, Steady, Fire! (5782)

A lot of things are needed for the Temple and the Tabernacle to function properly. There are all kinds of prerequisites, protocols, procedures, and rituals that must be followed. One of the most surprising ones is the requirement to always have a fire atop the altar. Although the fire is needed for the processing of sacrifices, there is a requirement to continuously have a fire ready even when there are no sacrifices to process. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we explore the question of why? Why is it necessary to always have a fire atop the altar, even when there are no sacrifices to elevate.

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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 Tzav (Rebroadcast)

In continuation of the themes of last week, Parshas Tzav details the procedures of processing many of the sacrifices enumerated in Parshas Vayikra, teaches us about new sacrifices, and we read about the seven days of inauguration of the Tabernacle.

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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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Vayikra – Cainitis and Abelitis

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas Amy Bas Shlomo Zalman. May her soul be elevated in Heaven

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Sacrifices. Who is excited?? We embark on the Book of Leviticus with a bang. We learn three marvelous lessons from our Parsha: The subtle summons of God; how to remedy a bad case of Cainitis and Abelitis; and the Secret of the Shelamim.

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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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Vayikra – From Each According to His Ability (5782) + TORCH Campaign

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Our Parsha deals exclusively with sacrifices. Since the destruction of the Temple nearly 2,000 years ago, our nation has not offered a single sacrifice. In this podcast we show how, notwithstanding the inapplicability of sacrifices today, there are wonderful lessons to learn from every part of the Torah. The one we learn today is both terrifying and reassuring.

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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 Vayikra (Rebroadcast) + TORCH Annual Fundraising Drive

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In Parshas Vayikra, the first Torah section in The Book of Leviticus, we learn about the processes and procedures of many different varieties of sacrifices: There are three different types of elevation offerings; three types of peace-offerings; six types of meal-offerings; and numerous sin and guilt offerings. Our exploration of the parsha begins with a survey of several of the classic explanations for the notion of animal sacrifices in general.

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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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Pekudei – Autopilot Disengaged

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The narrative of the Tabernacle spans many chapters at the end of the book of Exodus. The nation is told to build a sanctuary for God in which He will dwell. The Torah uncharacteristically repeats many aspects of this narrative. In this very special Parsha podcast, we go deep and deeper to understand the general theory of the Tabernacle, how all the parts dovetail together, and how this is all related to us. Along the way. We explore many fundamental concepts in Jewish life and philosophy.

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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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