Category Archives: Parsha

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayigash – Fruitful Famine (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 38:04 — 17.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

In Parshas Vayigash, the Joseph trilogy comes to a close. The saga that began when Joseph was 17 ends when Jacob is reunited with his favorite son, now viceroy of Egypt. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we offer three interesting observations: On Yocheved’s border-crossing birth, on Jacob’s second bargain with Esau, and on why the years of famine were worth it.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Parshas Vayigash (Rebroadcast)

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

Subscribe: RSS

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.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Mikeitz – Growing Pains & Paining Grows

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:03:29 — 29.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Joseph took a very unusual path to primacy: his brothers thought he was a good for nothing, and sold him as a slave. He was sold to Egypt, accused of a crime he did not commit, and thrown into prison for years. In a flash, he was elevated from prison and appointed as viceroy of Egypt. When his brothers came for food, they did not recognize that the viceroy was in fact Joseph. How do we understand the dissonance between what Joseph became and how the brothers viewed him? What is the secret of Joseph’s unusual ascent to greatness? In this very special Parsha Podcast, we present an answer that resolves the mystery of Joseph, and a host of other questions on his story.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in the merit of Daniel Aaron (HaCohen) ben Deborah. Young Daniel injured himself a couple of days ago. Thank God, he is doing well, but we are dedicating the Parsha Podcast in his merit. May he have a complete recovery with no lingering effects, and may he experience only blessing and goodness and bestow much joy and pride to his family, community, entire nation, and of course, his Creator.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Mikeitz – Talent Evaluation (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 46:11 — 21.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Joseph is one of the most impressive figures in Jewish history. His accomplishments are vast: His holiness under spiritually treacherous conditions are legendary, his faith in God remained unwavering, he is the paragon of seeing God’s Handiwork in the bad deeds of others. His accomplishments extend beyond the spiritual: At the age of 30 he undertook perhaps the most ambitious project in history: Organizing and stockpiling enough food to feed the entire world for 7 years. How is that for a Five Year Plan? Its astonishing to think about what goes into that, and Joseph pulls it off flawlessly. Joseph is the epitome of a wunderkind. Yet his brothers are blind to Joseph’s talent. In this podcast we explore the question of how Joseph’s brothers failed to recognize his prodigious abilities.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayeishev – If You Hear Something, Do Something

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:09:48 — 32.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

One of the most shocking events in the whole Torah occurs in our Parsha: Joseph’s brothers sell him as a slave to a caravan of traveling Ishmaelites. Two of his brothers helped ensure that he wasn’t killed. Reuben argued that he should be cast into a pit and not to slaughtered outright, and Judah urged them to sell him as a slave and not allow him to languish in the waterless pit. Why did Reuben and Judah, out of all the brothers, stand up to save Joseph? When we examine the sources, we make some interesting discoveries.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in the merit of the complete, total, and speedy recovery of David Pinchas ben Reuven, who is experiencing some health troubles. May he merit a Refuah Shleimah

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayeishev – The Holy Hologram (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 50:47 — 23.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Joseph is one of the greatest heroes of Jewish history. His greatest deed was when he resisted temptation and rebuffed the seductions of his master, Potiphar’s, wife. Our Sages tell us that thanks to this valorous deed, Joseph became the viceroy of Egypt and merited to sustain the entire world! The Midrash tells us that the Splitting of the Sea was due to Joseph’s gallantry. How did Joseph muster up the courage to resist the Yetzer Hara’s onslaught? The Talmud gives a very interesting answer.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Parshas Vayeishev (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:06:01 — 30.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Parshas Vayeishev contains two intersecting, seemingly scandalous, storylines, that after all the dust has settled we can see are harbingers of the Messiah and Redemption: Joseph is hated by his brothers, and is eventually sold by them as a slave after they nearly killed him. By Parsha end, Joseph is languishing in an Egyptian prison after being falsely accused of attempted rape. Judah is also humbled in this week’s Parsha, after cohabiting with his daughter in law who masqueraded as a prostitute. In the moment, these scandals brought shame; but ultimately we can see the Divine Hand manipulating events to effectuate the salvation of the Jewish family and people.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayishlach – Forefathers and Fouruncles

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:06:15 — 30.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The story of the Forefathers is well known. The Fouruncles, less so. Intertwined in the story of our nation’s progenitors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Genesis, is the story of our nation’s uncles, namely Lot, Ishmael, Laban, and Esau. These Fouruncles capture a large share of the narrative of Genesis. Why does the Torah expend so much attention to the Fouruncles? What is the avuncular message that we can draw from the repeated run-ins that the Forefathers have with the Fouruncles? In this interesting episode, we both invent a new word (Fouruncles) and discover a pattern that accompanied our Forefathers’ ascent to greatness, one that can be hugely beneficial for us too in our pursuit of greatness.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TORCH Podcast testimonials

I am trying to assemble some testimonials to showcase the impact that the podcasts have on the listeners. I am asking everyone to send in a short audio or video clip, where they share how the podcasts impacted them. Would you be so kind as to send me a clip? Send me a Whatsapp or email it to me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayishlach – Unrequited Love (5781)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 55:19 — 25.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

This a unique edition of The Parsha Podcast that you dont want to miss. Instead of the usual one big idea that we typically cover in a Parsha podcast, in this version there are FIVE groundbreaking insights that can change your life. We learn about a remarkable staff and its powers, about the pliability of sunshine hours, about the kabbalistic result of Dina’s encounter with Shechem, about the Torah’s view on prayer, and about the mysterious origin of Amaleik. This episode is a dandy.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Parshas Vayishlach (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:00:57 — 27.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

After successfully escaping the clutches of his deceptive father in law, Laban, Jacob heads back west to the Land of Canaan, and back to his family. The journey back home was a lot more tumultuous and chaotic than anticipated.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

Vayeitzei – Holy Sheeple

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:04:09 — 29.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A large section of our Parsha contains intricate descriptions of Jacob as a shepherd. Initially, he worked for Laban as a shepherd for 7 years for the rights to marry Laban’s younger daughter Rachel. When the 7 years concluded, Laban swindled him, giving Leah instead, only ceding Rachel after Jacob agreed to work as a shepherd for an additional 7 years. After 14 years, Jacob’s tenure as a shepherd continued: for six more years, Jacob served as Laban shepherd in exchange for pay, with all spotted and speckled sheep born to the flock being acquired by Jacob, and all monochromatic sheep remaining Laban’s.

What is the salience of the Torah’s protracted descriptions of Jacob as a shepherd? Why did Jacob seek the speckled and spotted sheep specifically and not the monochromatic sheep? Why does the Torah spend so much time discussing Jacob the shepherd? In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast we dive deep into the meaning and mystery of the sheep of Laban.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas Dayan Chanoch Ehrentreu, the head of the Bet Din in London and one of the most impactful and influential Rabbis in Europe over the last half century, who passed away last week. His passing is a huge loss for the Jewish communities of Europe and all the people who were fortunate enough to know him and have a relationship with him. May his Soul be elevated in Heaven.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

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!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts