Category Archives: Podcasts

Vayechi – Anti-Oxidance

Immediately prior to his passing, Jacob gathered his sons with the intention of revealing to them what will happen at the end of days. With his 12 sons coalesced around him, Jacob was forced to pivot: the Almighty withdrew His Shechinah from him, and he was no longer able to be able to convey to them what would happen at the end of days. Instead, he began saying other things. Going through his sons one at a time, he highlighted their qualities, flaws, and destinies. When Jacob concluded these deathbed blessings, he passed. In this podcast we explore the nature of these blessings and the profound and indispensable lessons that they provide for us.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

Vayechi – The Five Stages of Transformation (5781)

The Book of Genesis is replete with interesting stories. We follow the narrative about Adam and Noah and their families, Abraham and his odyssey and trials, Isaac and his family’s challenges and triumphs, and of course Jacob and Joseph and their stories capture our imagination and curiosity. “Torah” means instruction. As part of the Torah, Genesis must be instructive. Where are the instructions of Genesis? Stories are great, but what are the lessons? In this Parsha Podcast we suggest several answers to this important question.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

The Secret of the Month of Teves with Rabbi Shmuly Botnick

The Month of Teves doesn’t have many memorable days. The only days of note are the last couple of days of Chanukah, and the fast of the 10th of Teves, which commemorates The siege of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, an event which culminated in the destruction of the First Temple and the end of the First Commonwealth. But as we have come to learn, the Jewish months are laden with secrets and mysteries. To help us decrypt and unravel the mysteries of Teves, we once again invited the legendary Rabbi Shmuly Botnick to make sense of this month and to reveal its mysteries. In keeping with his past performance, he did not disappoint.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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 Vayechi (Rebroadcast)

Parshas Vayechi is the final portion of the Book of Genesis. Jacob is about to die and he tends to his affairs: He assures that he will not be buried in Egypt and will instead be interred in the Cave of Machpelah, he blesses Joseph and his sons, and he blesses/rebukes his twelve sons.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

Vayigash – Definition of Life

Jacob relocates in our Parsha. Leaving Canaan once again, Jacob gathers his family and the possessions that he had acquired in Canaan and descends to Egypt to reunite with Joseph. In this Parsha Podcast we discover an unusual curiosity about Jacob’s dealings with his brother Esau. Over the course of their lifetimes, they made two transactions. The nature of these transactions and their timing presents a fascinating study.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

Vayigash – Fruitful Famine (5781)

In Parshas Vayigash, the Joseph trilogy comes to a close. The saga that began when Joseph was 17 ends when Jacob is reunited with his favorite son, now viceroy of Egypt. In this special edition of the Parsha Podcast, we offer three interesting observations: On Yocheved’s border-crossing birth, on Jacob’s second bargain with Esau, and on why the years of famine were worth it.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

#64: Messiah: A General Introduction

Our nation has been anticipating and longing for the Messiah, Moshiach (משיח) in Hebrew, for millennia. We are awaiting his arrival, which can come any day. The Messianic era is a utopian world that we yearn for. But what exactly is the Messiah? What are the qualifications to be Messiah? What is the Messianic era all about? In this podcast episode we embark on a thorough and rigorous study of the subject of Moshiach. Believing in it and anticipating it constitutes the 12th of the 13 principles of Faith as codified by Rambam. We hope, with the help of the Almighty, to cover this subject extensively and comprehensively. In this episode we begin by studying Rambam’s own words, both in his commentary to Mishnah and in his Mishneh Torah.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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 Vayigash (Rebroadcast)

Twenty two years have passed since Jacob and Joseph were separated. Ever since Joseph was torn away from him, Jacob was bereft of prophecy and inconsolable. In Parshas Vayigash this long saga comes to an end and Jacob is finally reunited with his long-lost son.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

Mikeitz – Growing Pains & Paining Grows

Joseph took a very unusual path to primacy: his brothers thought he was a good for nothing, and sold him as a slave. He was sold to Egypt, accused of a crime he did not commit, and thrown into prison for years. In a flash, he was elevated from prison and appointed as viceroy of Egypt. When his brothers came for food, they did not recognize that the viceroy was in fact Joseph. How do we understand the dissonance between what Joseph became and how the brothers viewed him? What is the secret of Joseph’s unusual ascent to greatness? In this very special Parsha Podcast, we present an answer that resolves the mystery of Joseph, and a host of other questions on his story.

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

This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in the merit of Daniel Aaron (HaCohen) ben Deborah. Young Daniel injured himself a couple of days ago. Thank God, he is doing well, but we are dedicating the Parsha Podcast in his merit. May he have a complete recovery with no lingering effects, and may he experience only blessing and goodness and bestow much joy and pride to his family, community, entire nation, and of course, his Creator.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

48 Ways to Wisdom – #9: Purity (6:6:9)

Our sages tell us that one of the ways to acquire wisdom is with purity. What exactly is purity and why would it be a means through which we can acquire wisdom? In this Ethics Podcast we explore the subject of purity with profound depth.

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

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!

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

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

Mikeitz – Talent Evaluation (5781)

Joseph is one of the most impressive figures in Jewish history. His accomplishments are vast: His holiness under spiritually treacherous conditions are legendary, his faith in God remained unwavering, he is the paragon of seeing God’s Handiwork in the bad deeds of others. His accomplishments extend beyond the spiritual: At the age of 30 he undertook perhaps the most ambitious project in history: Organizing and stockpiling enough food to feed the entire world for 7 years. How is that for a Five Year Plan? Its astonishing to think about what goes into that, and Joseph pulls it off flawlessly. Joseph is the epitome of a wunderkind. Yet his brothers are blind to Joseph’s talent. In this podcast we explore the question of how Joseph’s brothers failed to recognize his prodigious abilities.

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

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!

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

Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com

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

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

Mincha Offering (#116)

The second category of sacrifices featured in Leviticus is actually not one that deals with animal sacrifice. Meal offerings are brought from flour and oil. Not including meal offerings that accompanied animal sacrifices, there are 12 different types of meal offerings.

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

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!

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

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