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A universally accepted principle of Judaism is that the Almighty gives reward for observance of Torah and mitzvos and punishment for their nonobservance. What exactly that reward and punishment consist of is a great unknown to most. In this first of three podcasts on the subject we investigate some puzzling sources regarding Olam Haba – the next world. What is this world all about? Why is it worthy of being the venue for reward? Why ought we yearn to be included in the fraternity of the righteous who merit access to that world?

OlamHabaSourceSheets

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Previously (see HERE) we have elaborated on the 1500 years of uninterrupted conveyance of the Oral Torah in its entirety from one generation to the next. Towards the end of the second century of the common era a fateful decision was made to commit the Jewish Law, known as Mishna, to writing. This began a multi-century undertaking, in a certain respect is still ongoing, to write down all of Oral Torah. What prompted this reversal of tradition? What unique conditions were present at that time that enabled these projects to fruition? How did the architects of these monumental and magisterial works infuse the written Oral Torah with the same flavor that was present prior when the Oral Torah was yet unwritten?

Core Beliefs of Judaism with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe – Torah Part 22

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In this podcast we explore several contemporary halachic dilemmas relation to business competition and disclosures. What are the parameters of opening a business establishment in an area or industry that will cripple or eliminate competitors? How much of the defects in a product or service must a seller disclose? Can someone deceive potential employers by dyeing their hair to appear younger when interviewing for a position?

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“Against your will you are formed; against your will you are born; against your will you live; against your will you die; and against your will you are destined to give an accounting and a reckoning before the King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed is He” (Pirkei Avot 4:22). This Mishnah outlines the five junctures in our lives. We are formed and placed in utero; then we are born into the world; then we live our life; then we die; and finally we are resurrected to give an accounting for our actions. All these happen against our and only because the Almighty mandates it. During four of these five junctures we cannot make choices that affect our life and legacy. Only during our lifetime, when we have free choice to determine our destiny, can we do anything to improve or regress. By examining the transformations that occur during each of these five points in time we gain a greater understanding of our essential makeup and the purpose of the middle juncture – life. 

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:19:49 — 36.5MB)

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The Second Temple was destroyed 1,946 years ago by Titius and the Romans. Yet the Temple never left our collective consciousness. We invoke it in our prayers, mourn its destruction and hope and yearn for its return. Why do we need a Temple and what is the meaning behind sacrifices?

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A fundamental principle of our religion is that the Torah that we have today is the same as the Torah given by God to Moses. Is this a dogmatic belief a leap of faith? How can we be assured that there was no corruption of the Oral Torah over the 1500 years that it was studied and transmitted without being formally written down? Is there a possibility that errors and deviations happened along the way? How is the transmission of the Oral Torah different than the game of broken telephone where the message gets progressively distorted the more people it has to filter through? In this lecture we outline rational approaches that make the necessary acceptance of the accurate transmission of the Oral Torah reasonable and logical.

Core Beliefs of Judaism with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe – Torah Part 21