Category Archives: Podcasts

Parshas Vayikra

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 52:40 — 24.1MB)

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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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The Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor and in appreciation of Ahava Leibtag, a dear friend and supporter of TORCH.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Contact:
Websites: Personal: RabbiWolbe.com; TORCH: Torchweb.org
Twitter: Personal: @RabbiWolbe; TORCH: @TORCHWEB
Facebook: Personal: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe; TORCH: TORCH Centre
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – A Podcast About Jewish Philosophy: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
The Jewish History Podcast – The podcast telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly podcast of analyzing and Exploring the Parsha: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
TORAH 101 – A Podcast about the Divinity of Torah and the relationship between the Written and Oral Torah: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
Eternal Ethics – The Pirkei Avos Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher.
The Mitzvah Podcast – Surveying the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah: Apple Podcasts

Not Taking God’s Name in Vain or Falsely (#30, 227)

Podcast (mitzvah): Download (Duration: 31:13 — 14.3MB)

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The Third of the Ten Commandments is the prohibition against taking God’s Name in vain. What is wrong with swearing needlessly and why is it considered such a severe sin?

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This Mitzvah Podcast is sponsored by Pascale Sharpe in honor of her husband Martyn and children Hazel and Daniel, and in appreciation of the TORCH rabbis’ dedication to spreading Torah to the Houston Community and beyond.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

A Conversation About Kosher with Rabbi Nosson Dubin

Podcast: Download (Duration: 52:54 — 24.2MB)

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The Jewish community of Houston, TX is fortunate to have Rabbi Nosson Dubin, a true expert on all things kosher, as its Rabbinic Administrator for the Houston Kashrus Association, the agency tasked with overseeing kosher establishments and furthering kosher options in Houston. Beyond his local role in the Houston Kashrus scene, Rabbi Dubin is also the founder of the Kosher Institute of America, an innovative online Kashrus education organization that pioneered a comprehensive course that promises kosher mastery in 8 hours which is available on their website kosherinstitute.com.

I sat down with Rabbi Dubin for a unique and wide-ranging conversation on many matters relating to kosher in America, including an argument on the importance of kosher; how we are living in the golden era of kosher availability; we went on a virtual walk-through of a grocery section as a kosher consumer, we explored the behind the scenes of a modern Kashrus agency, and we talked about the revolutionary Kosher Institute of America course that will teach you everything you need to know about the laws of kosher.

Listeners who are interested in purchasing the course from the kosherinstitute.com can use the code TORCH15 to save 15% on the cost. We also are offering scholarships to anyone who wants to buy the course and needs financial assistance. Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com to apply.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Not making, bowing, or worshipping foreign gods (#27-29)

Podcast (mitzvah): Download (Duration: 16:53 — 7.7MB)

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Beyond believing in idols, the Ten Commandments instruct us to not construct, prostrate, or worship any idols. When we examine some of the pagan idols of yore we find out just how kooky and outlandish some of their practices were.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Ep. 64: The Era of the Judges (Part Two: Gideon and Yiftach)

Podcast (history): Download (Duration: 52:10 — 23.9MB)

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We pick up the story of the Judges after the miraculous destruction of the enemies of Israel – Yavin and his star general Sisera were vanquished, peace reigned for forty years, but as we have seen previously, the period of the Judges is marked by ebbs and flows: When the Jews are behaving as they should they are unmolested by foreign enemies; when they sin and adopt the idolatrous ways of their Canaanite neighbors, subjugation is swift and brutal.

NEW! The Mitzvah Podcast – by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe. Link to podcast on iPhone – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mitzvah-podcast-by-rabbi-yaakov-wolbe/id1446819937

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The Jewish History Podcast is sponsored in honor of my dear friends, and stalwart supporters of TORCH, Peter and Becky Botvin.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Parshas Pekudei

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 35:48 — 16.4MB)

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The final parsha in the Book of Exodus wraps up the account of the construction of the Tabernacle, and its vessels and vestments. Again and again we read the refrain that everything was done precisely how God commanded Moses.

NEW! The Mitzvah Podcast – by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe. Link to podcast on iPhone – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mitzvah-podcast-by-rabbi-yaakov-wolbe/id1446819937

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The Parsha Podcast is sponsored by Dan Kullman in honor of his dear brother, David Kullman, and his lovely family.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Not believing in foreign gods (#26)

Podcast (mitzvah): Download (Duration: 25:32 — 11.7MB)

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The second of the Ten Commandments is really four distinct mitzvos related to idolatry. The first one is a prohibition against believing in foreign gods, a miztvah upon which all of Torah hinges.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Parshas Vayakhel

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:02:19 — 28.5MB)

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After the Torah delineates the instructions to assemble the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle in Parshas Terumah and the creation of the vestments of the high priest in Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Vayakhel outlines the implementation those plans: The massive fundraising efforts, and the actual building of the Tabernacle and its vessels under the auspices of Bezalel.

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The Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor of my dear friend David Fleischmann who is going to celebrate his wedding next week. May the Almighty shower you and your Kallah Miriam with blessing, prosperity, joy, harmony, and peace.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Alcohol in Moderation (3:14)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 58:39 — 26.8MB)

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What are we living for? How ought we allocate our time? In this striking teaching we learn the difference between the faciliatatory and things which are end goals.

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This Eternal Ethics podcast is dedicated in honor of dear friends and loyal podcast listeners, Jared and Britney Dubin. Thank you for your friendship!

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Belief in God (#25)

Podcast (mitzvah): Download (Duration: 22:47 — 10.4MB)

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The first of the Ten Commandments instructs us to believe in God who extracted us from the land of Egypt. Though some commentators argue that faith is a prerequisite for mitzvos and therefore cannot be included in the tally, there are still actions that can deepen faith that constitute a standalone mitzvah.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Contact:
Websites: Personal: RabbiWolbe.com; TORCH: Torchweb.org
Twitter: Personal: @RabbiWolbe; TORCH: @TORCHWEB
Facebook: Personal: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe; TORCH: TORCH Centre
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – A Podcast About Jewish Philosophy: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
The Jewish History Podcast – The podcast telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly podcast of analyzing and Exploring the Parsha: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
TORAH 101 – A Podcast about the Divinity of Torah and the relationship between the Written and Oral Torah: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher;
Eternal Ethics – The Pirkei Avos Podcast by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe: Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher.

The Shema: Condensing Jewish Philosophy into Six Words (Or Three Paragraphs)

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:01:11 — 28.0MB)

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The Shema prayer is arguably the most well-known prayer of them all. It is the first words that we teach our children, and the last ones uttered by a Jew in their tenure in this world. A Jewish life is bookended by recitations of the Shema. Yet it seems to me that while people are familiar with the Shema, they are somewhat uninformed of its vast powers and deep meanings. In this podcast, we explore a novel way to understand the overall message of the Shema, and the critical importance that bears on our life as Jews.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Parshas Ki Sisa

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:07:31 — 30.9MB)

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This week’s parsha contains several instructions related to the Tabernacle, but the majority of the parsha is dedicated to arguably the most shocking and troubling episode in the whole Torah, the Golden Calf. Forty days after the nation reached the pinnacle of human accomplishment – a national revelation at Sinai – the same nation commited what seems on the surface to be idolatry.

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This podcast is sponsored in the merit of the speedy and total recovery of דבורה בת לייב וצקית. May she have a refuah sheleimah

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!