Category Archives: Podcasts

Ep. 42: Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Part Two: The Mussar Ideology)

Podcast (history): Download (Duration: 48:30 — 26.1MB)

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The burgeoning yeshiva movement today, and indeed the fact that yeshivos did not go extinct a century ago, is due to Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, known the world over as the Alter of Slabodka, more than any one person. He was the first to combine two of the greatest movements of the 19th century into one, formidable, potent, and unstoppable force, when he opened the first Mussar yeshiva, thereby marrying the modern yeshiva framework of Volozhin with the powerful Mussar movement of Reb Yisrael Salanter. This is part two which will focus primarily on his pedagogical methodologies and how he succeeded in molding such illustrious disciples.

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This podcast is Is sponsored by Josh Blackman in honor of his parents, Iris Hershenson and Jaimie Blackman

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Godly Intellect (1:4)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 38:09 — 21.5MB)

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In the fourth mishna of Pirkei Avos, our sages offer three steps to accessing Torah. In our deconstruction of this teaching we learn about the nature of Torah and the unusual ways that we access it.

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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:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Toldos – Intrauterine Cosmic Struggle (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:11:02 — 36.5MB)

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Telling the story of this week’s parsha while gleaning insights and lessons from it. The topics discussed in this episode:

Praying As Response to Infertility – [0:00]
God Answers Isaac’s Prayer – [4:52]
Jacob and Esau intrauterine Struggling; Esau Pining for Idolatry; The Cosmic Struggle between the Two Worlds – [10:16]
Jacob Seizing the Ankle of Esau and their Childhood; Isaac’s Love of Esau – [30:06]
The Sale of the Birthright – [37:56]
Isaac in the Prism of Abraham – [47:22]
Jacob Usurping the Blessings – [56:30]

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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:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Chayei Sarah – The Best Kind of Kindness

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 17:33 — 9.7MB)

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In Parshas Chayei Sarah, Eliezer devises a test to determine the suitability of a prospective spouse for Isaac that teaches us about marital compatibility and about a special kind of kindness.

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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:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Ep. 41: Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Part One: The Slabodka Revolution)

Podcast (history): Download (Duration: 51:30 — 27.9MB)

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Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, known the world over as the Alter of Slabodka, was and is the greatest builder of Torah of the last several centuries. The burgeoning yeshiva movement today, and indeed the fact that yeshivos did not go extinct a century ago, is due to him more than any one person. He was the first to combine two of the greatest movements of the 19th century into one, formidable, potent, and unstoppable force, when he opened the first Mussar yeshiva, thereby marrying the modern yeshiva framework of Volozhin with the powerful Mussar movement of Reb Yisrael Salanter. This is part one which will focus primarily on the path that he took to building his eponymous yeshiva in Slabodka.

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This podcast is dedicated in honor of Jeffrey and Beth Yarus.

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Dating, Courtship, and Spousal Selection: A Comprehensive Torah Attitude

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:08:51 — 35.8MB)

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Chapter 24 of Genesis contains a comprehensive narrative of the courtship and marriage of Isaac and Rebecca. Traditionally, this chapter served as the comprehensive guide of the Torah’s attitude of how to select a suitable spouse. In this podcast, we quickly run through the story and find relevant and insightful tips on how to find the right one, and how to avoid common pitfalls

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Fostering Lasting Relationships (1:3)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 58:15 — 30.7MB)

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In following the previous mishna which distilled the life objectives to three tenets, Pirkei Avos proceeds to delve into each one individually. In perhaps the most difficult mishna of the book, Antigonus lays out how to fulfill “Avodah” properly. In this teaching we read a take on altruism and how to create deep, meaningful and lasting relationships.

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Chayei Sarah – Unselfish Spouses (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:08:38 — 35.7MB)

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Telling the story of this week’s parsha while gleaning insights and lessons from it. The topics discussed in this episode:

The Death, Bereavment and  Burial of Sarah – [0:00]
The Cave of the Machpelah – [14:23]
Eliezer’s Oath, Eligibility Test for a prospective Spouse for Isaac– [23:26]
Eliezer’s Encounter with Lavan and Rebecca’s family and the Corruptive Forces of Bias – [39:11]
The Shelf Life of Inspiration – [54:56]
Isaac and Rebecca’s Marriage and Love – [58:37]
The Death and Burial of Abraham – [1:05:11]

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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:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Vayeira – Finishing the Job

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 19:33 — 10.6MB)

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The most difficult test of Abraham’s Ten Tests was the commandment to sacrifice Isaac for God. Rashi comments that had Abraham failed in his test, the other nine would be rendered non substantive. Why does Abraham need to be perfect for his tests to have value and what lessons can we draw from this teaching?

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This podcast was sponsored by Dan Kullman in honor of his wife, Shawna, his daughter Elsie, and his classmates at Temple Beth Torah

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:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Three-Pronged Purpose (1.2)

Podcast (pirkeiavos): Download (Duration: 50:44 — 27.8MB)

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The second Mishna in Pirkei Avos features a powerful teaching from one of the pivotal and legendary characters in Jewish History. Shimon HaTzadik (Simeon the Righteous), the Kohen Gadol who succeeded Ezra, enlightens us by teaching us that the world stands on three things, Torah, worship of God, and loving-kindness. What are these three things and what does it mean that the world stands upon them?

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

 

Vayeira – Reconciling Kindness and Child-Sacrifice (Rebroadcast)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 1:20:04 — 42.4MB)

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Telling the story of this week’s parsha while gleaning insights and lessons from it. The topics discussed in this episode:

Kindness Superseding Prophecy – [0:00]
Deconstructing Abraham’s Kindness with the Three Strangers – [9:57]
Abraham’s Intercession on Behalf of Sodom – [25:23]
Abraham’s Unsuccessful Kindnesses: How Kindness and Faith are Correlated and How Lot’s Kindness differed from Abraham’s – [34:48]
Sodom’s Perversion and Lot’s Warped Kindness – [41:56]
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and its Aftermath, the Pillar of Salt and Lot’s Merit– [51:47]
Birth of Isaac, Banishment of Ishmael and Binding of Isaac – [1:02:39]
Understanding the Binding of Isaac and Abraham’s Apparent Cruelty – [1:08:22]

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.

Lech Lecha – The Essence of Bris Milah (Circumcision)

Podcast (parsha): Download (Duration: 22:06 — 12.4MB)

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The mitzvah of Bris Milah (circumcision) is unique of several fronts. It is the first mitzvah given to Abraham and the first done to a Jewish child; it is the mark of the Jewish fraternity; and the Talmud declares that is emblematic of all the mitzvos combined. What is the meaning behind this enigmatic mitzvah?

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

Contact:

Website: RabbiWolbe.com;
Twitter: @RabbiWolbe;
Facebook: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe;
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Please SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW all my podcasts on iTunes, Android, and Stitcher:

Podcasts Links:

This Jewish Life – In-Depth Analysis into Critical Torah Topics: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Jewish History Podcast – Telling the Remarkable story of the Jewish Peoples: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

The Parsha Podcast – A Weekly Analysis and Exploration of the Parshas: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

TORAH 101 – An Intellectual’s Introduction to Torah: iOS, Android, Stitcher;

Eternal Ethics – Drawing Powerful Lessons from Pirkei Avos: iOS, Android, Stitcher.