Category Archives: Podcasts

Chukas – Inglorious Origins

The red cow is the Torah’s most mysterious mitzvah. We are told to take a completely red cow and slaughter it, and burn it’s body together with a concoction of other ingredients, the ashes of which become the potion to purify people who have come into contact with dead people. If that doesn’t make sense to you, I can hereby comfort you that you are not alone. Aside from Moshe, no human in history has ever fully grasped this mitzvah. Although we are precluded from fully understanding this mitzvah, the Midrash reveals to us the mechanism at play in this process. What is reveals it quite stunning and very broadly applicable to us.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

#45: The Immutability of Torah

In Principle #8 of the 13 Principles of faith, we learned that the Torah is divine. In our exploration of that Principle, we probed many aspects of the idea of the Divinity of Torah, ranging from the history of Torah, to the components of Torah, to Oral Torah, to Rabbinic law, and culminating with the imperative of Torah study. The study of Principle #8 was the subject of the last 17 episodes of the TORAH 101 podcast. In this episode, we cover Principle #9, namely that the Torah is immutable and unchangeable, in one session. What does this mean? How do we reconcile a fixed and immutable Torah with the vast corpus of rabbinic law and edicts? What are the scriptural and logical proofs that the Torah was given only once? And we also explore the ramifications of this principle vis-à-vis other religions that claim otherwise.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Parshas Chukas (Rebroadcast)

In this week’s parsha, we read about a highly unusual mitzvah: The Red Heifer, when an entirely red cow is burned together with a motley concoction of ingredients, and the resultant ashes are used to sprinkle on people that came into contact with dead people in order to purify them from their spiritual contamination. We also learn about the passing of Miriam and Aaron, and the multiple battles that the nation participated in on the Eastern bank of the Jordan, and we puzzle over the sin that condemned Moses and Aaron to die before entering the Land.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Korach – Demoted For Good

Korach was a very talented man with a sterling pedigree. He was wise and clever and even had a degree of prophetic clairvoyance. Yet he blundered egregiously by launching a revolt on Moshe and Aaron. When we study what triggered this rebellion we find that Korach has a seemingly legitimate grievance. He believed – and honest assessors of the situation would agree – that he was mistreated by not being promoted to a post that he deserved. Why indeed was Korach passed over for this promotion? How should Korach have processed this insult? What is the proper way to respond to such slights? In this exceptional podcast episode, we share a potentially life-changing approach to this subject.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Concentric Realms of Holiness (5:7)

For 800+ years our nation had a Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was a special place. It contained the vessels described in Scripture, it was the site of annual, national pilgrimages, it is where the high priest did the Yom Kippur service each year, it was the epicenter of the nation and it’s rebuilding has been the national yearning of our people for the last 1950 years. The Mishnah tells us that the Temple was grounds for ever-present, ongoing miracles. 10 miracles to be precise. Why was the Temple the place where miracles happened? What is the lesson for us who have never seen the temple? In this Ethics podcast we ponder the essence of the Temple, what it stood for, and how it’s miracles pertain to us.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Parshas Korach (Rebroadcast)

In this week’s parsha, Moshe and Aaron’s first cousin, a man named Korach, launches a rebellion claiming that Moshe is guilty of nepotism in appointing his brother as High Priest. What ensued should give one serious pause before engaging in any similar sort of divisive activities.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Shelach – Daydreams, Nightmares, and Reveries

The final five verses of our Parsha contain the third paragraph of the Shema. In it, we are instructed to place tzitzis strings wrapped with a string of blue techeiles wool on the corner of our garments. Why? “And you shall see them and remember all the mitzvos of Hashem and you shall do them, and you will not deviate after your hearts and eyes.” By gazing at the tzitzis we will do al the mitzvos and avoid sinning. That is a very bold claim. How does looking at the tzitzis remind us of all the mitzvos of God and inspire us to do them? How does it save us from sinning? Why is this particular mitzvah featured as a the culmination of the parsha that deals primarily with the ill-fated reconnaissance mission of the 12 spies sent by Moshe to reconnoiter the Land? In this sweeping and creative podcast we share some secrets that will radically rearrange your worldview. This is not the easiest podcast to follow, absorb, and digest, but it may be the most beneficial one that you’ve listened to yet.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Faith and Fear (5:6)

Fear of God and Faith in God are both laudable qualities worthy of great people. Both, of course, are mitzvos as well. Which one is loftier? At first glance, fear of God can only be built upon an edifice of faith and thus it would be a loftier level. But when we examine the issue critically, we find something very surprising.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Majority Rules (#76, 78)

We have a Heavenly Torah, but it is up to us fallible humans to adjudicate it. What do we do when there is uncertainty? How do we resolve doubts? The Torah provides us with several tools at our disposal for us to do just that. In this podcast, we examine two mitzvos related to the concept of majority rules.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Parshas Shelach (Rebroadcast)

The Jewish people were on the cusp of entering the Land of Canaan, and made a prudent, but ultimately tragic, decision: To send a contingent of scouts to reconnoiter the Land, to examine its vulnerabilities and weaknesses in order to best plan the conquest. Unfortunately, the report of the scouts sent the nation into a tailspin and caused them to remain in the Wilderness for 40 years.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

Behaaloscha – Kindle Fire

Aaron the High Priest held a critical leadership role in the nation. A partial list of his jobs: he offered sacrifices, he did the Yom Kippur services which included the annual trip to the Holy of Holies, and he blessed the people. But there was one job that he was excluded for: When the princes of the tribes brought their respective tributes to mark the Tabernacle’s inauguration, Aaron and his tribe were not included. Understandably, Aaron was disappointed, but God comforted him: Yours responsibility is greater than theirs, because you kindle the Menorah each evening. Why was the Menorah service the best one to mollify Aaron? In this seminal podcast episode, we suggest a new approach that shines the light on Aaron’s greatness and his sacrifice.

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

This Parsha Podcast is sponsored by Coby Caplan and his father Danny on the occasion of Coby’s Bar Mitzvah parsha and in the merit of his grandmother Yona bat Esther’s complete and total recovery from her illness. On behalf of the entire Parsha Podcast family, we wish Coby a hearty happy birthday and thank the entire Caplan family for their generosity and we pray for Yona Bat Esther’s complete and total and speedy recovery.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101

#44: Torah Study: The Soul’s Panacea

Why is our nation so obsessed with Torah? Why do we make such an emphasis on it? What benefits do we as individuals and does society at large accrue with Torah study? In this sweeping episode we explore this fundamental question. We begin with the big picture by outlining some of the critical benefits that the world receives when we study Torah and proceed to share what we as individuals gain with Torah study. There is no way to listen to this podcast and not emerge with a renewed appreciation for Torah study and an urge to sit down and study.

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

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!

Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments

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

DONATE Crypto to TORCH

Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site

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

TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover

Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.

or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform

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

SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter

rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter

SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts

The Parsha Podcast

The Jewish History Podcast

The Mitzvah Podcast 

This Jewish Life

The Ethics Podcast

TORAH 101