Popular Shows by TORCH הרב אריה וולבה
21655 episodes
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Name
Release Date
Duration
10401
Parshas Tazria (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Tazria (Rebroadcast)
Mar 27, 2022
50:27
A very large percentage of Torah is dedicated to the laws of purity and impurity. Parshas Tazria deals exclusively with these laws, first with respect to the impurity of a new mother, and second with the impurity of tzaraas a skin disease that comes as a result of sin. What is purity and impurity and […]
10402
Tazria – Torah In A Box
Tazria – Torah In A Box
Mar 30, 2022
1:00:21
The bulk of our Parsha deals with the inapplicable laws of purity and impurity, but we also told about a Mitzvah that is very much applicable today: circumcision. When a baby boy is 8 days old, they are circumcised and thereby entered into the Covenant of Abraham. What is the meaning behind this Mitzvah? Why, […]
10403
Parshas Metzora (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Metzora (Rebroadcast)
Apr 3, 2022
51:14
A metzora is someone who is stricken with the tangible illness of tzaraas caused by a variety of sins, most notably the sin of lashon hara, evil talk and slander. Last week we read about two varieties of this illness: when it strikes a person’s garment or body; the bulk of our parsha orients around […]
10404
Metzora – 21st Century Prophecy
Metzora – 21st Century Prophecy
Apr 6, 2022
1:11:21
How involved is God in the day-to-day lives of humanity? What is the nature of divine communication to humanity? The central subject of our Parsha offers a fascinating window into this question. In antiquity – when our people were very close to the Almighty and very elevated spiritually – every sin would register as a […]
10405
Pesach Special with Akiva and Yehoshua Wolbe
Pesach Special with Akiva and Yehoshua Wolbe
Apr 12, 2022
47:01
This upcoming Shabbos coincides with the first day of Pesach. Consequently, there is no new Parsha this week. But there will still be a new Parsha Podcast. My dear friend Dan Kullman, host of the Shema Podcast interviewed my two oldest sons, Akiva and Yehoshua, about Pesach, it’s history, lessons, and ceremonies. He graciously agreed […]
10406
When God Positions Man: A Yahrzeit Tribute to Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe
When God Positions Man: A Yahrzeit Tribute to Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe
Apr 20, 2022
37:46
This Pesach marks the 17th yahrzeit of my grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe. Because this week is Pesach and does not feature a new Parsha, I recorded a special tribute to my grandfather of righteous memory. May we all be inspired to emulate his ways and may his Soul be elevated in Heaven. – – – […]
10407
Parshas Acharei (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Acharei (Rebroadcast)
Apr 24, 2022
1:03:09
The three chapters of our parsha cover three general categories. First we read about the Yom Kippur sacrifices and procedures; then we learn about the prohibitions against consumption of blood among other ritualistic and sacrificial laws; and the final chapter is oriented around the many prohibited sexual relationships. – – – – – – – […]
10408
Acharei Mos – A Consequential Life
Acharei Mos – A Consequential Life
Apr 27, 2022
57:31
The verse in our Parsha makes a big promise: if you adhere to the Mitzvos and statutes and laws of the Torah you will be granted life. Life is what we all so deeply covet. Torah and Mitzvos are the ways to get it. But it doesn’t seem to bear out in the real world. […]
10409
Parshas Kedoshim (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Kedoshim (Rebroadcast)
May 1, 2022
57:03
This week’s parsha has the highest mitzvah density of any parsha: In its 64 verses we learn 51 separate mitzvos covering many different areas of Jewish practice, including arguably the most famous mitzvah in the whole Torah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10410
Kedoshim – The Superhuman Imperative
Kedoshim – The Superhuman Imperative
May 4, 2022
51:01
Our Parsha begins with an unusual ceremony: Moshe gathers the entire Jewish Nation, men, women, and children, to convey to them the mitzvos of our Parsha. Unlike the rest of the Torah where the nation is conveyed the Law in shifts, in this week’s Parsha everyone has to be together. When we examine the reasons […]
10411
Parshas Emor (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Emor (Rebroadcast)
May 8, 2022
1:03:18
Parshas Emor contains a staggering 56 mitzvos, nearly all of them relating to either to the Kohanim, the priests, or to the Festivals, and the parsha ends with a very unusual episode that happened at Sinai. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10412
Emor – Spiritual Fingerprint
Emor – Spiritual Fingerprint
May 10, 2022
1:04:20
The Kohanic family is the most prestigious and sanctified family in our nation. Direct descendants of the legendary Aaron, this family was consecrated as the priests of our nation. They oversee the temple and its operations, they do the service of the Temple, they process the sacrifices – they are the spiritual leaders of our […]
10413
Parshas Behar (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Behar (Rebroadcast)
May 15, 2022
58:55
At Mount Sinai, the Almighty instructed Moshe to convey a series of laws to the Jewish people. The first is the mitzvah of Shemittah, the prohibition of engaging in any agricultural work every seven years. What is the lesson inherent in this mitzvah and what are the consequences of transgressing it? – – – – […]
10414
Behar – The Jubilant 50’s
Behar – The Jubilant 50’s
May 18, 2022
1:07:09
Being a farmer in antiquity was a hard job. Without any mechanized tools and plows, farming demanded a great deal of sweat and toil. But what choice did you have? If you want to feed your family, you need to work the land. Then comes the Shemitah. Every 7th year, the farmers in the Land […]
10415
Parshas Bechukosai (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Bechukosai (Rebroadcast)
May 22, 2022
51:23
In two chapters in the Torah (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28) we read about the positive consequences of obeying the Torah and heeding its laws; and the terrible, painful consequences of disobeying the Law. Though reading this week’s Torah portion is scary and a tad depressing, the truth is that this framework is the secret to […]
10416
Bechukosai – Self-Assembly Kit
Bechukosai – Self-Assembly Kit
May 25, 2022
53:53
Why was our soul sent to this world? What was lacking for it in Heaven? That is not an easy question to answer. There are other hard questions to ponder: why are we so obsessed with Torah? How is Torah beneficial for mankind? In this superb episode of the Parsha Podcast, we discover a higher […]
10417
Parshas Bamidbar (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Bamidbar (Rebroadcast)
May 29, 2022
56:48
We kickstart the Book of Numbers with a census of the twelve tribes of Israel – not including the tribe of Levi who is counted independently – conducted by Moses, Aaron, and the most distinguished leaders of said tribes. Subsequently, we read about the banners of the tribes and their assigned encampments, the transference of […]
10418
Bamidbar – Autopsy of Giants
Bamidbar – Autopsy of Giants
May 31, 2022
55:08
Our Parsha recounts – for the third time hitherto in the Torah – the episode of the untimely death of Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadav and Avihu. These two young priests were destined for greatness. Moshe believed that they were in fact greater than him and Aaron. Yet they brought an unauthorized sacrifice and died […]
10419
Ruth: The Enduring Lesson of Shavuos
Ruth: The Enduring Lesson of Shavuos
Jun 2, 2022
1:01:46
The Book of Ruth – and its eponymous heroine – are true enigmas. The Book contains no new laws and its story, while inspirational and poignant, bears no easily discernible connection to the Festival of Shavuos, when it is read. The Book’s protagonist, Ruth, has a decidedly checkered pedigree, yet becomes the matriarch of the […]
10420
Parshas Nasso (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Nasso (Rebroadcast)
Jun 7, 2022
59:07
In the longest parsha in the Torah by verses, we continue to read about the Levite families and their responsibilities, we learn about the three tiers of the Nation’s encampment, the laws of a suspected adulteress, the laws of the Nazir, the Priestly blessings, and we read a very wordy account of the gifts of […]
10421
Nasso – The Fourth Crown
Nasso – The Fourth Crown
Jun 9, 2022
1:01:10
Our Parsha contains the interesting law of the Nazir. A Nazir is someone who has accepted upon themselves a vow to abstain from wine, haircuts, and contact with the dead for a given period, typically 30 days. The details of this law are featured in our partial and elaborated upon in appropriately named book of […]
10422
Parshas Behaaloscha (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Behaaloscha (Rebroadcast)
Jun 12, 2022
59:29
The Jewish nation has been encamped at Mount Sinai for nearly a year; in this week’s parsha they finally depart from the Mountain of God, and sadly leave gleefully as a child escaping school. This kick starts a series of missteps that carry harsh consequences. – – – – – – – – – – […]
10423
Behaaloscha – Follow the Cloud
Behaaloscha – Follow the Cloud
Jun 16, 2022
59:07
Traveling in the wilderness was not simple. The nation was guided by the clouds of Glory. When the clouds of Glory would depart from a top of the Tabernacle, that signaled it was time to go and the nation decamped and began to move. Where to? No one knew ahead of time. Wherever the cloud […]
10424
Parshas Shelach (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Shelach (Rebroadcast)
Jun 19, 2022
57:32
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 […]
10425
Shelach – Enter Via the Window
Shelach – Enter Via the Window
Jun 23, 2022
1:03:22
One of the most unfortunate events in our history is chronicled in this week’s Parsha. The nation was on the doorstep of entering the Land of Canaan and actualizing the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In an effort to not to rely on Divine miracles, Moshe commissioned 12 righteous men to reconnoiter the […]
10426
Parshas Korach (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Korach (Rebroadcast)
Jun 26, 2022
58:24
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. – – – – – – – – – […]
10427
Korach – Debating Back to Sinai
Korach – Debating Back to Sinai
Jun 28, 2022
46:06
Debate and disagreement are part of the human condition. We are all unique and we all see the world differently. It should come as no shock, therefore, that disagreements exist between different people. Our nation has made debate into a favorite pastime – just visit any Yeshiva and you will see what I mean. But […]
10428
Parshas Chukas (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Chukas (Rebroadcast)
Jul 3, 2022
1:00:57
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 […]
10429
Chukas – Between a Rock and a Watery Place
Chukas – Between a Rock and a Watery Place
Jul 6, 2022
53:22
Parshas Chukas contains some of the most interesting and iconic sections of the Torah. It begins with the mysterious red cow, a blush bovine whose burnt ashes are part of the cleansing cocktail needed to purify the impure. Afterwards, we read about the death of Miriam and its aftermath, including the cessation of the well […]
10430
Parshas Balak (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Balak (Rebroadcast)
Jul 10, 2022
1:00:57
After the Jewish nation trounced the mighty kingdoms of Sichon and Og in last week’s parsha, the comparatively smaller and weaker kingdom of Moab resorted to unconventional warfare to attack the nation by hiring the prophet of the nations, a wily and devious character named Bilaam, to curse the Jews. It did not work out […]
10431
Balak – A Single Point
Balak – A Single Point
Jul 14, 2022
53:32
Our nation has no shortage of enemies. This is not new. Even in antiquity, our nation was always a target. Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, try to smothered the Jewish Nation in its infancy. I’m this week’s Parsha, to fearsome, shadowy figures try to do the same. Balak, king of Moab, commissions Bilaam, master sorcerer and prophet, […]
10432
Parshas Pinchas (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Pinchas (Rebroadcast)
Jul 17, 2022
51:44
Pinchas was a man of action, a zealot who avenged God’s vengeance and was handsomely rewarded for it. In this parsha we read about his reward, Moses’ succession plan, the methods through which the Land will be divided, and another census is done. – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10433
Pinchas – Staying Hungry
Pinchas – Staying Hungry
Jul 19, 2022
42:17
Although a paternal grandson of Aaron the Kohein, Pinchas was not initially – prior to his heroic act of martyrdom – a Kohein. The law stated that only Aaron and his sons were to be anointed as Kohanim. All sons born to Kohanim subsequently were to be Kohanim, but Pinchas who was alive at the […]
10434
Parshas Mattos & Masei (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Mattos & Masei (Rebroadcast)
Jul 24, 2022
1:00:55
This year, the Book of Numbers ends with a double parsha – Mattos and Masei. We learn about the laws of vows and oaths; the miraculous war with Midian; the unusual request of the tribes of Gad and Reuben; the Torah delineates the 42 different places that the Nation encamped for their 40 year sojourn; […]
10435
Mattos & Masei – Contrarian Guide
Mattos & Masei – Contrarian Guide
Jul 28, 2022
51:50
This week we conclude the Book of Numbers with a double-Parsha, the sole double-Parsha of this calendar year. Of the myriad of interesting subjects found in our Parsha is the long and detailed negotiations between Moshe and the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These tribes sought to permanently settle on the East Bank of the […]
10436
Parshas Devarim (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Devarim (Rebroadcast)
Jul 31, 2022
49:44
5 weeks before his passing, Moses gives a three-parsha-long speech to the nation, which constitutes his last will and testament. He begins with a retrospective of the history of the nation over the past 40 years since the Exodus – subtly rebuking the nation, guiding them, admonishing them, ensuring that they don’t repeat their mistakes […]
10437
Devarim – Human Fallibility and What to Do About it
Devarim – Human Fallibility and What to Do About it
Aug 3, 2022
50:39
Parshas Devarim begins the Book of Deuteronomy, the final installment of the Pentateuch. Moshe is destined to pass and he gathers the nation to prepare them for the day after. How will the nation endure after they lose the greatest leader the world has ever known? How will their survive and flourish after Moshe is […]
10438
Parshas Va’eschanan (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Va’eschanan (Rebroadcast)
Aug 8, 2022
1:04:11
This week’s parsha continues Moshe’s monologue to the nation in the weeks preceding his passing. He begins by recounting his repeated efforts in trying to convince God to rescind His decree that Moshe not enter the Land; Moshe then begins the retelling of the Torah; and we read many warnings and predictions about proper behavior […]
10439
Vaeschanan – Linked to Sinai
Vaeschanan – Linked to Sinai
Aug 10, 2022
55:24
Although he was the paradigmatic leader of all time, Moshe was barred from crossing the Jordan River and entering the Land. Joshua his student was to succeed him and lead the Nation into the Promised Land. Why was Moshe not allowed to enter? For the sin of striking the rock instead of speaking to it. […]
10440
Parshas Eikev (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Eikev (Rebroadcast)
Aug 14, 2022
59:14
We pick up where we left off last week amid Moshe’s speech to the nation before his passing, and as in the previous few weeks, Parshas Eikev is jam packed with insights and timeless lessons. Moshe pivots between looking back on the conduct of the nation in the preceding 40 years and admonishing them for […]
10441
Eikev – Well-Heeled
Eikev – Well-Heeled
Aug 18, 2022
1:05:32
If the Almighty promises to give you a blessing, your ears should perk up. If God promises to give you abundance, health, prosperity, fertility, security, and all manner of blessing, your question should be – what must I do to be deserving of this? Our Parsha begins with such a promise. In the event that […]
10442
Parshas Reeh (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Reeh (Rebroadcast)
Aug 21, 2022
1:00:30
This week’s parsha marks a transition in the Book of Deuteronomy: it is no longer primarily about admonishment and rebuke and warnings, instead we read a bevy of mitzvos – some repetitions and some new ones that have hitherto not been mentioned. – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10443
Reeh – Steak Your Claim to Eternity
Reeh – Steak Your Claim to Eternity
Aug 26, 2022
55:43
The criminal treated most severely under Torah law is the Meisis, a personal tries to entice others to do idolatry. Attempting to persuade people to repudiate God is more severe than any other crime in Torah law. This discovery is the basis of a stunning observation followed by a critical call to action. And this […]
10444
Parshas Shoftim (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Shoftim (Rebroadcast)
Aug 28, 2022
1:00:20
This week we learn the laws governing all kinds of leaders: The parsha begins by detailing the laws of judges, the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court, and what happens to rebellious judges; we read about the unique laws related to kings; there are more laws pertaining to the Kohanim; and we find the […]
10445
Shoftim – Hill To Die On
Shoftim – Hill To Die On
Aug 30, 2022
50:07
Our Parsha contains the instructions for how to conduct war. We are told that we must extend peace overtures before launching an attack, we are told about the special nature of the Canaanite wars, and we are prohibited from felling fruit-bearing trees in order to make siege works. This podcast discusses the very unusual way […]
10446
Parshas Ki Seitzei (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Ki Seitzei (Rebroadcast)
Sep 4, 2022
1:01:03
In the parsha that contains the most mitzvos of any of the 54 Torah sections (a staggering 74 mitzvos), we read about the wayward and rebellious son, the requirement to build a fence around your roof to prevent tragedy, two episodes that we are mandated to remember, and many, many more interesting and insightful mitzvos. […]
10447
Ki Seitzei – The Payoff Pitch
Ki Seitzei – The Payoff Pitch
Sep 7, 2022
43:18
What is the nature of the conflict of life? How, indeed, are we suspended between good and bad, between mitzvos and sin, between the evil and good inclinations? The Almighty designed the world based upon the principle of free will, meaning that we all have the choice of how to live our lives and what […]
10448
Parshas Ki Savo (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Ki Savo (Rebroadcast)
Sep 11, 2022
55:33
As the Book of Deuteronomy draws to its conclusion, the narrative makes a transition: Moshe finishes conveying the mitzvos to the nation, and sets up his final parting message to the people. First, he commands the nation to perform several elaborate ceremonies on the very first day that they cross the Jordan River; then he […]
10449
Ki Savo – Clinging to Gold
Ki Savo – Clinging to Gold
Sep 14, 2022
55:13
On the surface, Bikkurim appears to be an ordinary, tithe-like Mitzvah. When the first fruits of a season’s crop begin to sprout, you designate them as Bikkurim, and eventually bring them to Jerusalem with much pomp and ceremony. Upon closer examination, this mitzvah is associated with all kinds of surprising people: When we bring the […]
10450
Parshas Nitzavim (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Nitzavim (Rebroadcast)
Sep 18, 2022
52:07
On the final day of Moshe’s life, he gathered the entire nation – men, women, children, and according to the Talmud, all souls of future Jews – to pass them through a final covenant with God. The parsha also contains the prophetic predictions of the Messianic times, and it ends with a simple, binary choice: […]
10451
Nitzavim – The Penitent Manifesto
Nitzavim – The Penitent Manifesto
Sep 21, 2022
1:04:26
Repentance is one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. When we blunder; when we err; when we create distance and barriers between us and God, we are afforded the ability to rectify and restore our previous pristine state. But repentance, at first glance, seems nightmarishly hard. To change demands an admission that we are flawed; […]
10452
The Rosh Hashana Torah Reading – Day One (Rebroadcast)
The Rosh Hashana Torah Reading – Day One (Rebroadcast)
Sep 25, 2022
59:55
The Torah readings for the two days of Rosh Hashana were not arbitrarily chosen. There are very good reasons why on the first day of Rosh Hashana we read Genesis chapter 21, which tells of the conception and birth of Isaac, and the banishment of Ishmael, his brush with death, and his salvation. In this […]
10453
The Rosh Hashana Torah Reading – Day Two (Rebroadcast)
The Rosh Hashana Torah Reading – Day Two (Rebroadcast)
Sep 25, 2022
54:36
On the second day of Rosh Hashana, we read the Torah section of Genesis chapter 22 that tells the very famous and quite troubling episode of the Binding of Isaac. Abraham – the same Abraham who railed against the ways of child sacrifice of the pagans – is instructed by God to take Isaac – the same Isaac […]
10454
Parshas Vayeilech (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayeilech (Rebroadcast)
Sep 28, 2022
50:41
Moshe is 120 years old to the day. He was born on the seventh of Adar and now it is the seven of Adar 120 years later. Today is his last day before his passing and he is taking leave from the nation and handing over the reins to Joshua. – – – – – […]
10455
Vayeilech – Career Capstone
Vayeilech – Career Capstone
Sep 30, 2022
49:49
On the last day of Moshe’s life, he accomplished a lot. He wrote 13 copies of the Torah, one per tribe and one to be permanently stationed in or near the Ark, he spoke words of comfort to the people, and he formally passed the baton of leadership of the nation to his disciple and […]
10456
Jonah: Studying the Yom Kippur Reading on a Deeper Level (Rebroadcast)
Jonah: Studying the Yom Kippur Reading on a Deeper Level (Rebroadcast)
Oct 2, 2022
2:05:32
On Yom Kippur afternoon, we read the 48-verse Book of Jonah, which tells of a renegade prophet, Jonah, who defies the directive of God and refuses to castigate the people of Nineveh and instead escapes from God to Tarshish – with mixed results. A simple reading of the story reveals a tale of repentance, both of […]
10457
Parshas Haazinu (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Haazinu (Rebroadcast)
Oct 6, 2022
58:16
Still in the final day of Moshe’s life, he conveys to the nation a 43-verse Song predicting the contours of Jewish history, both past, present, and future. The patterns are familiar to the readers of Deuteronomy and even casual observers and students of Jewish history: The nation is recipients of tremendous divine goodness, yet they […]
10458
Haazinu – Torrential Torah
Haazinu – Torrential Torah
Oct 6, 2022
47:04
The Song of Haazinu, the third of three Songs on the Torah, tells the story of the Jewish people, past, present, and future. It speaks of high points and nadirs, this world and the next, devastation and reclamation. In this podcast we examined the Song’s beginning. Moshe compares his words and his speech to rain, […]
10459
Parshas Vezos Haberacha (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vezos Haberacha (Rebroadcast)
Oct 9, 2022
51:22
The final parsha of the Torah details the blessings that Moshe conveyed to the tribes of Israel immediately prior to his passing, and the Torah ends with the description of the death, burial, and eulogy of Moshe. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10460
Vezos Haberacha – An Offer You Can Refuse
Vezos Haberacha – An Offer You Can Refuse
Oct 14, 2022
48:08
The final Parsha of the Torah contains the blessing of Moshe to the nation, his death, burial, and eulogy. Rashi tells us that his blessing began with a recounting of the offer of the Torah to the Nations and to Israel. Before the Sinai Revelation, God offered the Torah to every other Nation, and they […]
10461
Parshas Bereishis (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Bereishis (Rebroadcast)
Oct 16, 2022
1:12:33
With praise and appreciation to the Almighty, we begin year 7 of the Parsha Podcast. This year, we will reupload the Parsha Rebroadcast episode which covers the entire Parsha each Sunday, re-release the 5th cycles episode from 5781 each Tuesday, and we will, please God, record and release a new weekly episode each Thursday. Thank […]
10462
Bereishis – You are Adam (5781)
Bereishis – You are Adam (5781)
Oct 19, 2022
43:05
As we begin year 7 of the Parsha Podcast, we are excited and overjoyed to share the plan for this year, with the help of the Almighty: each Sunday, we will release the rebroadcast episode that covers the entire Parsha in about an hour. On Tuesday, we will re-release the corresponding episode from the 5th […]
10463
Bereishis – Cain’s Discovery
Bereishis – Cain’s Discovery
Oct 20, 2022
49:49
Welcome to Year Seven (!) of The Parsha Podcast. Each week will feature, with the help of the Almighty, three episodes, two ones from previous years and a new one: On Sunday, the Parsha Rebroadcast that covers the whole Parsha in about an hour will be released. On Tuesday, we will release the episode from […]
10464
Parshas Noach (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Noach (Rebroadcast)
Oct 23, 2022
56:55
In this week’s parsha: Noah and his family build an Ark as a refuge from an extinction-level Flood brought by God to destroy the world’s sinners. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making […]
10465
Noach – Spiritual Adaptation (5781)
Noach – Spiritual Adaptation (5781)
Oct 25, 2022
45:23
Noah is arguably the most enigmatic figure in the Torah. The Torah is lavish in his praise: He was a prophet who found favor in Hashem’s eyes and selected to survive the Flood and repopulate the world afterwards. Noach is also the only person that the Torah characterized as a Tzadik. Yet Rashi and the […]
10466
Noach – The Flood and The Fish
Noach – The Flood and The Fish
Oct 27, 2022
1:02:00
Please take the short one-question Parsha Podcast Survey https://forms.gle/LkCDUJhCYCnnYasS6 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The Flood was a disaster for all the Earth’s inhabitants, humans and animals alike. With the exception of Noah and his family and the […]
10467
Parshas Lech Lecha (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Lech Lecha (Rebroadcast)
Oct 30, 2022
1:02:06
In this week’s parsha, Abraham is instructed to move to Israel, is given divine promises that he will be the father of many nations; his children will be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of the heaven, a son Ishmael is born, and he is commanded to circumcise his foreskin […]
10468
Lech Lecha – Go West, Young Man (5781)
Lech Lecha – Go West, Young Man (5781)
Nov 1, 2022
50:44
Abraham is the Torah’s first protagonist. The entirety of this parsha and the subsequent one are following the forefather of our nation. Why does the Torah spend so much time telling the story of this ancient figure? In this life-changing episode, we study Abraham’s odyssey to find the precise guidelines to fulfill our latent potential. […]
10469
Lech Lecha – A Lot of Testing
Lech Lecha – A Lot of Testing
Nov 3, 2022
58:32
Abraham was the most consequential human in all of history. He began the process of fixing the world and humanity. Amid a cesspool of idolatry, Abraham emerged as a beacon of faith. When the entire world had forgotten about its Creator, Abraham restored faith in God to the world. Our Parsha follows Abraham in his […]
10470
Parshas Vayeira (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayeira (Rebroadcast)
Nov 6, 2022
1:07:14
This week’s parsha features several iconic episodes: Abraham was visited by God as he was recuperating from his circumcision, and concurrently engaged in superlative kindness with three angels masquerading as pagan travelers; Abraham was informed that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed and was unsuccessful in interceding on their behalf; […]
10471
Vayeira – Abraham’s Three Protégés (5781)
Vayeira – Abraham’s Three Protégés (5781)
Nov 8, 2022
44:10
Abraham was the most influential person in human history. He changed the tides of history, he popularized Monotheism in the world, he is the father of many nations, and fittingly his story is told at considerable length in the Torah. In this very special edition of the Parsha Podcast we study his relationship and interactions […]
10472
Vayeira – The Struggle Is Real
Vayeira – The Struggle Is Real
Nov 10, 2022
57:38
How do we respond when we are faced with challenges? What are we supposed to think when the path before us seems unsteady and laden with dangers? Our Parsha contains some of the most memorable and iconic stories of the whole Torah. It begins with the single greatest documented episode of hospitality, and it ends […]
10473
Parshas Chayei Sara (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Chayei Sara (Rebroadcast)
Nov 13, 2022
56:23
Some of the highlights of this week’s parsha: Immediately after the Binding of Isaac, Sarah passed away at the age of 127, and soon afterward Abraham had to procure a burial spot for her. In addition, Abraham sent his trusted confidante, Eliezer, to his hometown to find a spouse for Isaac. – – – – […]
10474
Chayei Sarah – Portal to Paradise (5781)
Chayei Sarah – Portal to Paradise (5781)
Nov 15, 2022
39:58
The Torah dedicates an unusually large amount of verses in the beginning of this week’s parsha to describe a real estate transaction between Abraham and a gentleman named Ephron. Sarah has passed and Abraham seeks to buy Ephron’s cave to inter her in. Initially, Ephron acts with supposed generosity and offers it to Abraham for […]
10475
Chayei Sarah – Eulogizing A Giant
Chayei Sarah – Eulogizing A Giant
Nov 17, 2022
46:31
This Parsha Podcast is dedicated in loving memory and leilui nishmas my dear friend and study partner David Gedaliah ben Efraim, Dr. David Genecov obm. Dr. Genecov was a dear personal friend, a weekly study partner of mine, a stalwart supporter of TORCH, and a dedicated listener of the Parsha Podcast and all the other […]
10476
Parshas Toldos (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Toldos (Rebroadcast)
Nov 20, 2022
1:06:32
In Parshas Toldos we meet twin boys that are polar opposites: Esau, beloved by his father Isaac, is a man of the fields; while Jacob is loved by his mother Rebecca and prefers to dwell in the tents of scholarship. These two children will spawn nations and ideals that diverged from each other even before […]
10477
Toldos – Esav’s Fatal Flaw (5781)
Toldos – Esav’s Fatal Flaw (5781)
Nov 22, 2022
38:18
Jacob’s twin brother Esav is one of the worst villains in Jewish history. He seems to be an unending litany of bad character. Our parsha ends with Esav dead set on committing fratricide by actually murdering his own brother. Esav is just one bad apple. But is it possible that things could have ended up […]
10478
Toldos – Twin Powers
Toldos – Twin Powers
Nov 24, 2022
59:42
Our Parsha features two very different twins. After decades of infertility, Isaac and Rebecca are blessed with twins, identical twins the Sages emphasize, who could not be more different: Jacob dwelled in the tents of Torah, eventually becoming the third and final Patriarch of our nation, and Esav was a man of the field, a trapper, a […]
10479
Parshas Vayeitzei (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayeitzei (Rebroadcast)
Nov 27, 2022
1:03:08
Parshas Vayeitzei follows Jacob as he is fleeing from his murderous brother Esau and travels to Charan to the house of Laban, his wily and deceptive uncle, and marries multiple wives and fathers 12 children. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10480
Vayeitzei – Laban’s Potion (5781)
Vayeitzei – Laban’s Potion (5781)
Nov 29, 2022
41:23
As the father of all four of Jacob’s wives, Laban is in effect the father in law of the Jewish people. If we examine Laban’s story, he seems to have both qualities and shortcomings. He is constantly invoking God, he seems to be gracious and hospitable. But he also had a dark side. He is greedy […]
10481
Vayeitzei – Holy Sheeple
Vayeitzei – Holy Sheeple
Dec 1, 2022
1:04:09
A large section of our Parsha contains intricate descriptions of Jacob as a shepherd. Initially, he worked for Laban as a shepherd for 7 years for the rights to marry Laban’s younger daughter Rachel. When the 7 years concluded, Laban swindled him, giving Leah instead, only ceding Rachel after Jacob agreed to work as a […]
10482
Parshas Vayishlach (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayishlach (Rebroadcast)
Dec 4, 2022
1:00:57
After successfully escaping the clutches of his deceptive father in law, Laban, Jacob heads back west to the Land of Canaan, and back to his family. The journey back home was a lot more tumultuous and chaotic than anticipated. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
10483
Vayishlach – Unrequited Love (5781)
Vayishlach – Unrequited Love (5781)
Dec 6, 2022
55:19
This a unique edition of The Parsha Podcast that you dont want to miss. Instead of the usual one big idea that we typically cover in a Parsha podcast, in this version there are FIVE groundbreaking insights that can change your life. We learn about a remarkable staff and its powers, about the pliability of […]
10484
Vayishlach – Forefathers and Fouruncles
Vayishlach – Forefathers and Fouruncles
Dec 8, 2022
1:06:15
The story of the Forefathers is well known. The Fouruncles, less so. Intertwined in the story of our nation’s progenitors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Genesis, is the story of our nation’s uncles, namely Lot, Ishmael, Laban, and Esau. These Fouruncles capture a large share of the narrative of Genesis. Why does the Torah expend […]
10485
Parshas Vayeishev (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayeishev (Rebroadcast)
Dec 11, 2022
1:06:01
Parshas Vayeishev contains two intersecting, seemingly scandalous, storylines, that after all the dust has settled we can see are harbingers of the Messiah and Redemption: Joseph is hated by his brothers, and is eventually sold by them as a slave after they nearly killed him. By Parsha end, Joseph is languishing in an Egyptian prison […]
10486
Vayeishev – The Holy Hologram (5781)
Vayeishev – The Holy Hologram (5781)
Dec 13, 2022
50:47
Joseph is one of the greatest heroes of Jewish history. His greatest deed was when he resisted temptation and rebuffed the seductions of his master, Potiphar’s, wife. Our Sages tell us that thanks to this valorous deed, Joseph became the viceroy of Egypt and merited to sustain the entire world! The Midrash tells us that […]
10487
Vayeishev – If You Hear Something, Do Something
Vayeishev – If You Hear Something, Do Something
Dec 15, 2022
1:09:48
One of the most shocking events in the whole Torah occurs in our Parsha: Joseph’s brothers sell him as a slave to a caravan of traveling Ishmaelites. Two of his brothers helped ensure that he wasn’t killed. Reuben argued that he should be cast into a pit and not to slaughtered outright, and Judah urged […]
10488
Parshas Mikeitz (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Mikeitz (Rebroadcast)
Dec 18, 2022
1:05:03
Parshas Mikeitz continues the narrative of Joseph in Egypt. We pick up his story two years after his failed attempt at earning a reprieve via his cellmate, Pharaoh’s butler, who was about to be reinstated to his post as Pharaoh’s side. Joseph is languishing in a dungeon for a crime he did not commit; after being […]
10489
Mikeitz – Talent Evaluation (5781)
Mikeitz – Talent Evaluation (5781)
Dec 20, 2022
46:11
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 […]
10490
Mikeitz – Growing Pains & Paining Grows
Mikeitz – Growing Pains & Paining Grows
Dec 22, 2022
1:03:29
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 […]
10491
Parshas Vayigash (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayigash (Rebroadcast)
Dec 25, 2022
55:25
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. – – – – – – – – – – […]
10492
Vayigash – Fruitful Famine (5781)
Vayigash – Fruitful Famine (5781)
Dec 27, 2022
38:04
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 […]
10493
Vayigash – Definition of Life
Vayigash – Definition of Life
Dec 29, 2022
1:03:21
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 […]
10494
Parshas Vayechi (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Vayechi (Rebroadcast)
Jan 1, 2023
52:31
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. – […]
10495
Vayechi – The Five Stages of Transformation (5781)
Vayechi – The Five Stages of Transformation (5781)
Jan 3, 2023
39:14
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, […]
10496
Eruvin 11
Eruvin 11
Aug 20, 2020
33:07
Limitations of Tzuras Hapesach
10497
Chazara Eruvin 11
Chazara Eruvin 11
Aug 21, 2020
17:49
Four pegs and a vine
10498
Chazara Eruvin 11
Chazara Eruvin 11
Aug 21, 2020
17:49
Four pegs and a vine
10499
Eruvin 12
Eruvin 12
Aug 21, 2020
40:36
Chatzer vs. Mavoi
10500
Eruvin 12
Eruvin 12
Aug 21, 2020
40:36
Chatzer vs. Mavoi