Category Archives: Parsha

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Terumah – Out of the Woods

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:11:13 — 32.6MB)

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During the Sinai revelation, the nation achieved the peak human experience. The entire people—men, women, and children—experienced God face-to-face (as it were) on the highest level of prophecy. But then it ended. The prophecy ended, the mountain was restored to its pre-Revelation state, and Moshe alone ascended the mountain. Sinai was not supposed to be a one-and-done; it was perpetuated with the Tabernacle. “Build me a tabernacle,” God said, “and I will dwell in your midst.” If we simply follow the precise instructions, the presence of God will be amongst us.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor of Joelle Hannah Khorsandi, daughter of my dear friend Parham Khorsandi whose bat mitzvah is this week. We wish her a hearty Mazal Tov from the entire Parsha Podcast family.

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Terumah – Cherub-Picking (5784)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 57:27 — 26.3MB)

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The Tabernacle was a portable Temple in which the presence of God dwelled. Our Parsha begins with the fundraising effort to be conducted in the Wilderness where the nation was asked to donate the required materials for the construction of the Tabernacle, it’s vessels, and the vestments of the high priest. In this enjoyable Parsha podcast we go deep and deeper on three different parts of the Parsha: we discuss the unusual ordering of the materials needed for the tabernacle; we probe the apparently conflicting definitions of cherubs; and we take a fascinating look at the unusual creature – the tachash – whose skin was used to create the upper curtain of the Tabernacle.

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Parshas Terumah (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 52:28 — 24.0MB)

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One of the fundamental principles of Jewish philosophy is the idea of “Kedushah”, holiness. Holiness, according to the Jewish definition, is when the physical and spiritual worlds meet. In no location in the world is holiness more present than the Temple, and its predecessor, the “Mishkan”, the Tabernacle. In this week’s parsha we read about the instructions to raise the materials and to construct the Tabernacle and most of its vessels.

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Mishpatim – Two Halves of One Soul

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At the risk of being presumptuous, I can safely say that most members of the Parsha podcast community have never owned any slaves. I imagine that most of us never even had a servant. We certainly never employed a Jewish bondsman for six years. The law that opens our Parsha doesn’t seem to be very relevant to us today. But the first law that follows the Sinai Revelation is extremely pertinent to us. In fact, when you are finished listening to this Parsha podcast, you may credibly argue that this law – and the secrets it contains – is the most relevant and pertinent and powerful message of them all.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated by Sylvan Garfunkel in loving memory of both of his grandmothers Eve Goldmann צערלא בת יעקב and Tema Schwitzer טעמא בת דוד הלוי both of whose yahrtzeits are this week, the 21st and 27th of Shevat. May their souls 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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Mishpatim – Blind Determination (5786)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:00:41 — 27.8MB)

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Immediately after the Sinai Revelation, the Torah begins telling us many of the laws. In this Parsha podcast we focus on two of the laws: the famous verse of “an eye for an eye”, and the requirement to aid your enemy when his donkey is struggling under its load. As is our mandate in year 8 of the Parsha Podcast, we go deep and deeper beneath the surface, trying to find insights and secrets beyond the text.

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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 Mishpatim (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 59:05 — 27.0MB)

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Parshas Mishpatim marks a stark change in the rhythm and pace of the Torah narrative. The preceding 17 Parshas contained a total of 41 mitzvos; this week we begin learning the Torah laws en masse. In this single parsha alone we have 53 mitzvos (only three parshas have more mitzvos). Beyond the varied laws, this parsha contains a prophetic promise and guidance regarding the conquest of Canaan, and the completion of the Sinai narrative that began in last week’s parsha.

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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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Yisro – Beauty and the Priest

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:05:11 — 29.8MB)

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Parshas Yisro is a tale of two narratives. It begins with the dramatic arrival of Jethro, father-in-law of Moshe. He heard about all the miracles that the Almighty performed for the nation during the Exodus and decided to join the nation. The Parsha details his arrival together with Moshe’s wife and their two sons, the great honor lavished upon him by Moshe, and his definitive pronouncement that no pagan deity matches Almighty God. The next day, Jethro offered Moshe astute advice to institute a hierarchical, tiered system of judges, which Moshe adopted before Jethro departed back to his homeland. The second part details the most consequential and pivotal event in all of human history: The Sinai revelation, it’s run up and aftermath. At first glance, these narratives do not seem to be connected. But at the Parsha Podcast we never subsist with first glances. We go backstage.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory of David Ben David, the father of our dear friend Elise Kardos. May his soul be elevated in Heaven

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Parsha Podcast Jingle link – https://media.blubrry.com/rabbiwolbe/ins.blubrry.com/rabbiwolbe/pp_jingle.mp3

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Yisro – Splitting the Heaven (5784)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 55:18 — 25.3MB)

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The arrival of Jethro, the preparation for Sinai, and the nature of the Sinai revelation – these are some of the subjects featured in our parsha. In this very special and atypically extemporaneous Parsha podcast, we offer four interesting ideas: one on the unique route that Jethro took to the truth; one on the particular form of pleasure that Torah bestows upon those who learn it; a supremely clever idea on the boundaries placed around Mount Sinai; and a fascinating observation on the splitting of the sea and the splitting of the heavens.

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Parshas Yisro (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:05:33 — 30.0MB)

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The most significant event in all of human history is the Revelation at Sinai, which occurs in Parshas Yisro. Prior to that monumental experience and the conveyance of the Ten Commandments, Moshe’s father in law, Jethro, arrived at the camp and makes an important suggestion for improving the efficiency of the judicial process.

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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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Beshalach – Horse and Rider

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:06:40 — 30.5MB)

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The nation emerged from Egypt triumphantly. Pharaoh was talking a big game. “Who is God that I should listen to him? I’m not going to release the Israelites!” But he was humbled before God one plague at a time. With the death of the firstborn at the stroke of midnight, Pharaoh buckled. He begged, he coaxed, he urged, he pleaded with the Israelites to leave. The coast is now clear. The enemies are behind us. Certainly, the entire nation expected smooth sailing. But Egypt reared its ugly head once again. The entire Parsha is a series of challenges that arose in the aftermath of the Exodus. Twice the nation was stranded without water, their food supply ran out as well, and they were attacked and ambushed by the nation of Amaleik. In this very special Parsha Podcast, we go backstage and learn several profound lessons about the nature and mechanism of transformative change, the process by which bitter is rendered sweet, and the unique and counterintuitive way that we can have cosmic influence.

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This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas Baruch Yochanan Ben Reb Ephraim Fischel, Dr. Bertram John Newman, dedicated by the Newman, Shapiro, Grossman, and Yudelson families. 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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Beshalach – Bones to Pick (5784)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 57:55 — 26.5MB)

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The Exodus is finally here. After 210 years in Egypt – enslaved, tormented, and oppressed – the nation is leaving with great pomp and ceremony. There is an apparently curious factoid about the Exodus: in the third verse of our Parsha, the Torah tells us that Moshe secured the bones of Joseph, and transported them with the nation. What is the significance of the bones of Joseph? Why was it so important to bring these bones of Joseph with the people? In this Parsha podcast we go deep and deeper on the fascinating subplot of the bones of Joseph.

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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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