The Parsha Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

551

Shelach – Despising Limitations

Jun 15, 2023

53:30

The nation was on the cusp of entering the Land. After about a year at Sinai, the nation was ready to conquer Canaan. The invasion and war of conquest was imminent. Then catastrophe struck. Moshe sent 12 spies to reconnoiter the Land and report the back with their findings. Their report completely deflated the spirit […]

552

Shelach – Daydreams, Nightmares, and Reveries (5781)

Jun 13, 2023

42:36

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, […]

553

Parshas Shelach (Rebroadcast)

Jun 11, 2023

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 […]

554

Behaaloscha – Bad Old Days

Jun 8, 2023

1:12:05

After a year at Sinai, the nation is finally on the move. Following the precise protocol of disassembly and decampment, the nation marches off from Sinai. Destination: Land of Canaan. At least that was the plan. More about that next week. In this week’s podcast we explore the events surrounding the Nation’s journey from Sinai. […]

555

Behaaloscha – Kindle Fire (5781)

Jun 6, 2023

33:31

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 […]

556

Parshas Behaaloscha (Rebroadcast)

Jun 4, 2023

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. – – – – – – – – – – […]

557

Nasso – Nazirs Anonymous

Jun 1, 2023

1:02:06

The Nazir is someone who accepts a vow, typically for 30 days, to abstain from wine, to not cut their hair, and to not come into contact with the dead. This Nazir is holy. They are close to God. They are like a high priest. They are likely to reach prophecy. But there are some […]

558

*Shavuos Special* – Accepting the Torah: Ruth, Sinai, and the Heart of Shavuos

May 24, 2023

1:05:53

The Sinai Revelation is the most significant event in all of human history: God revealed Himself to the entire Jewish people, He spoke to them, He gave them the Torah, and they lived. This day is revisited every single year on the festival of Shavuos. Our objective on this day is to renew our vows […]

559

Nasso – Princely Pendulum (5781)

May 23, 2023

43:09

The Princes of the Tribes make several notable contributions at the inauguration of the Tabernacle: They contribute 12 oxen and 6 covered wagons to aid the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and each Prince donates a tribute of 21 animals, a silver basin and bowl brimming with flour and oil, and a gold […]

560

Parshas Nasso (Rebroadcast)

May 21, 2023

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 […]

561

Bamidbar – Common Census

May 18, 2023

59:16

The United States Constitution mandates that a nationwide census is conducted every decade. Other nations also conduct censuses. Censuses are common. Our parsha begins with a nation-wide census, the third census since the Exodus. But this census was highly uncommon. It was conducted completely differently than the way that any other census is done. When […]

562

Bamidbar – Flag-Bearers (5781)

May 16, 2023

52:39

At first glance, Parshas Bamidbar seems like a snoozefest: it’s very technical, counting the people, assigning the tribes to their encampments, counting the Levites separately, designating the responsibilities of the Levites in the transportation of the Tabernacle and its vessels. But upon further examination, our Parsha guides us with the instructions of how to become […]

563

Parshas Bamidbar (Rebroadcast)

May 14, 2023

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 […]

564

Behar Bechukosai – Hostage Letter

May 11, 2023

1:01:54

Our Parsha contains some of the most difficult portions in the Torah, the Admonition. Our nation is told of the consequences of failing to adhere to the rules of God. The consequences are fierce and harsh. When this section is read in the synagogue, it is done quickly and in an undertone to prevent the […]

565

Parsha: Behar & Bechukosai – Divine Nudge (5781)

May 9, 2023

39:47

Two years ago, our nation underwent an unprecedented calamity. At our people’s largest annual festival, the celebration of Lag ba’Omer in Meron, a crowd crush resulted in the death of 45 of our brethren. How do we respond to such a tragedy? What is the way to process such a disaster. In this Parsha Podcast […]

566

Parshas Behar & Bechukosai (Rebroadcast)

May 7, 2023

1:38:04

This week’s double-Parsha closes out the Book of Leviticus. Parshas Behar begins at Mount Sinai, where 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. In two chapters in the Torah (Leviticus […]

567

Emor – Snowball’s Chance in Heaven

May 4, 2023

57:28

The story of the first person to ever be executed in a Jewish court of law is featured at the end of this week’s Parsha. An unnamed man, the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man, blasphemed and was executed. When we ponder the story we discover all sorts of interesting tidbits. The […]

568

Emor – Sense of Belonging (5781)

May 2, 2023

38:13

Our parsha contains the first recorded instance of capital punishment in Jewish history. A disgruntled man, the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man blasphemed and was executed as a result. What is the significance of this story? Why do we have the narrative about the blasphemer in middle of the Book of […]

569

Parshas Emor (Rebroadcast)

Apr 30, 2023

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. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

570

Acharei Mos/Kedoshim – It’s a Small World

Apr 27, 2023

55:11

Our double Parsha contains many different mitzvos. In this podcast we study a set of mitzvos and a very interesting dispute about their nature. We discover a valuable and profound insight that can help us develop and cultivate our potential. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

571

Acharei Mos/Kedoshim – Challenge Accepted (5781)

Apr 25, 2023

45:00

Our Nation has always had bad neighbors. The Midrash in our Parsha states that the Egyptians and the Canaanites, both nations that our people lived in close proximity to, are the most morally deficient of all the world’s nations. Moreover, the specific areas in those lands where the Jews resided contained that worst offenders of […]

572

Parshas Acharei & Kedoshim (Rebroadcast)

Apr 23, 2023

1:47:50

This week’s double-parsha contains a smorgasbord of mitzvos. The three chapters of Parshas Acharei cover three general categories. First we read about the Yom Kippur sacrifices and procedures; then we learn about the prohibitions against the consumption of blood among other ritualistic and sacrificial laws, and the final chapter is oriented around the many prohibited […]

573

Tazria Metzora – Heaven on the Cheap

Apr 20, 2023

59:44

This week’s double Parsha contains some of the most intricate and complex laws in the Torah, the laws of purity and impurity. This subject remains an enigmatic mystery for us, in fact, even in Talmudic times it was arcane. That said, there is always something that we can glean from every part of Torah. In […]

574

Tazria/Metzora – Blessings in Disguises (5781)

Apr 18, 2023

43:16

Tzaraas, the spiritual leprosy whose laws are detailed in our Parsha, appeared in three different areas: the befell sinners’ skin, clothing, and house. How common was Tzaraas of the house? The Talmud reveals that it actually never happened even once and it will never happen in the future. If it never happened, why does the Torah delineate […]

575

Parshas Tazria & Metzora (Rebroadcast)

Apr 16, 2023

1:14:40

A very large percentage of Torah is dedicated to the laws of purity and impurity. This week’s double Parshas of Tazria and Metzora largely deal with these laws. One variant of impurity that is discussed in both parshas is that of a metzora, A metzora is someone who is stricken with the tangible illness of tzaraas […]

576

Shemini – Fires, Foreign and Domestic

Apr 11, 2023

1:02:53

Nadav and Avihu were the crown princes of the Jewish nation. These two sons were slated to succeed Moshe and Aaron. Moshe declared, without hyperbole, that his two nephews, Nadav and Avihu, were greater than he and Aaron. These two sons of Aaron were without peer. Yet they acted in an inexplicable manner: On the […]

577

Shemini – Find Your Breach (5781)

Apr 4, 2023

38:40

The 8th day of the Tabernacle’s Inauguration was supposed to be a day of total, exuberant jubilation. The laborious months of preparation were complete, and now God will dwell in our midst. Moshe washes, clothes, and anoints his brother, Aaron and Aaron’s four sons, and a Heavenly fire descends and consumes Aaron’s sacrifices from atop […]

578

Parshas Shemini (Rebroadcast)

Apr 2, 2023

53:51

After months of preparation and building, and a week of inauguration, the nation was anticipating the climax of the Tabernacle experience: When God finally rested His Presence upon the people’s handiwork. On the eighth day the Tabernacle was erected for good, and a Heavenly fire consumed the various sacrifices offered upon the Altar and the […]

579

Tzav – Pure-Bread

Mar 30, 2023

1:04:26

On the first day of a Kohein’s tenure doing service in the Temple, they bring a once-in-a-lifetime offering: a meal-offering that is almost identical to the daily meal-offering offered by the High Priest. This offering is classified by the Torah as the offering of Aaron and his sons. When we analyze this unique meal offering, […]

580

Tzav – Ashes, Ashes, We all Rise Up (5781)

Mar 28, 2023

41:09

The beginning of our parsha details the intricate processing of the Olah offerings. The animal is slaughtered, its blood is sprinkled on the Altar walls, it is divided into parts, the parts are elevated to the top of the altar and placed on the fire to burn the whole night. The next morning, a Kohein is selected […]

581

Parshas Tzav (Rebroadcast)

Mar 26, 2023

58:43

In continuation of the themes of last week, Parshas Tzav details the procedures of processing many of the sacrifices enumerated in Parshas Vayikra, teaches us about new sacrifices, and we read about the seven days of inauguration of the Tabernacle. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

582

Vayikra: Five-Course Meal Offering with Rabbi Dovid Biron

Mar 23, 2023

47:45

We begin the Book of Leviticus with a Parsha Podcast treat: I invited my friend and study partner Rabbi Dovid Biron to guest host this week’s episode. He did not disappoint. In this podcast we learn about the meal offering, how it differs from ordinary sacrifices, and the powerful and life changing lessons that it […]

583

Vayikra – Vicarious Sacrifice (5781)

Mar 21, 2023

43:28

Sacrifices sound like a cheat code: You sin and you rebelled against God and your soul gets tarnished. By the strict letter of the law, sin ought to be an executable offense. But God has mercy: Bring a sacrifice and slaughter the animal and you will be expiated. Instead of you dying, the animal will […]

584

Parshas Vayikra (Rebroadcast)

Mar 19, 2023

52:10

In Parshas Vayikra, the first Torah section in The Book of Leviticus, we learn about the processes and procedures of many different varieties of sacrifices: There are three different types of elevation offerings; three types of peace-offerings; six types of meal-offerings; and numerous sin and guilt offerings. Our exploration of the parsha begins with a […]

585

Vayakhel Pekudei – Laver of Love

Mar 16, 2023

43:01

Our double Parsha delineates the implementation phases of the building of the Tabernacle. All the materials are assembled, all the artisans are ready, and the building begins. In this podcast we focus on the construction of one of the vessels of the Tabernacle, the Laver, a copper basin that housed water. Our sages reveal some […]

586

Vayakhel Pekudei – On Giants’ Shoulders feat. Akiva Wolbe (5781)

Mar 14, 2023

27:27

Bezalel was the architect of the most consequential building project of all time. He was tasked with the responsibility of building the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, the dwelling place for God on this earth. What special skills did Bezalel have that primed him to undertake this ambitious project? Why was Bezalel chosen for this task? When […]

587

Parshas Vayakhel & Pekudei (Rebroadcast)

Mar 12, 2023

1:10:06

After the Torah delineates the instructions to assemble the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle in Parshas Terumah and the creation of the vestments of the high priest in Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Vayakhel outlines the implementation those plans: The massive fundraising efforts, and the actual building of the Tabernacle and its vessels under the […]

588

Ki Sisa – Aaron’s Calculus

Mar 9, 2023

54:49

The most calamitous, catastrophic, disastrous event in Jewish history – and arguably the most devastating event in all of human history – happens in our Parsha. A mere 40 days after the exultant, euphoric, transcendental Revelation at Sinai, the nation stoops to a very low nadir: they make a golden calf and begin to worship […]

589

Ki Sisa – Hold Your Fire (5781)

Mar 7, 2023

46:11

Our nation commits the most grievous sin of our history in this week’s parsha. A mere 40 days after we experienced the national revelation at Sinai, the nation made the Golden Calf and began to worship it. How did such a catastrophe happen? When we examine the sin very carefully we find a pattern that […]

590

Parshas Ki Sisa (Rebroadcast)

Mar 5, 2023

1:05:49

This week’s parsha contains several instructions related to the Tabernacle, but the majority of the parsha is dedicated to arguably the most shocking and troubling episode in the whole Torah, the Golden Calf. Forty days after the nation reached the pinnacle of human accomplishment – a national revelation at Sinai – the same nation committed what […]

591

Tetzaveh – The Choshen People

Mar 2, 2023

53:17

The High Priest was bedecked with garments of royalty. Our Parsha details the 8 special garments (vestments) of Splendor and Glory that the Kohen Gadol wore, and the Talmud delineates the various forms of atonement that each garment bestowed upon the nation. In this podcast we focus on the Breastplate, the Choshen, and assembling the various […]

592

Tetzaveh – The Great Collaboration (5781)

Feb 28, 2023

35:09

Besides being brothers, Moshe and Aaron were both leaders of the Jewish people: Moshe was the king and Aaron was the high priest. These brothers had different, but complimentary, skills and characteristics, that were each independently necessary for the nation. In this special edition of The Parsha Podcast, we do a very deep dive into […]

593

Parshas Tetzaveh (Rebroadcast)

Feb 26, 2023

56:25

In a natural continuation to Parshas Terumah, in Parshas Tetzaveh we learn about the instructions to build the Tabernacle. Whereas last week the focus was on the edifice itself and its vessels, this week we will orient primarily on the special garments that the priests wore in the Tabernacle, and of course subsequently in the […]

594

Terumah – Etched in Stone

Feb 23, 2023

58:25

Please support the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation is DOUBLED. Our organization, TORCH, runs one annual fundraiser, and it is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. We need your support – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Of the various materials […]

595

Terumah – 3 Points Behind the Ark (5781)

Feb 21, 2023

38:00

In the epicenter of the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant. This golden vessel was the receptacle of the Tablets, both the First Tablets which Moshe shattered at the foot of Mount Sinai in the aftermath of the sin of the Golden Calf, and the Second Tablets which endured. […]

596

Parshas Terumah (Rebroadcast)

Feb 19, 2023

52:28

One of the fundamental principles of Jewish philosophy is the idea of “Kedushah”, holiness. Holiness, according to the Jewish definition, is when the physical and spiritual worlds meet. In no location in the world is holiness more present than the Temple, and its predecessor, the “Mishkan”, the Tabernacle. In this week’s parsha we read about […]

597

Mishpatim – System of Sinai

Feb 16, 2023

49:32

The Parsha that follows the Revelation at Sinai contains an apparently motley potpourri of subjects: it begins with a wide variety of mitzvos of all types, presented in rapid fire succession. The Parsha concludes with two apparently unrelated subjects: it foretells of the conquest of Canaan and the conditions by which we will acquire it, […]

598

The Secret of Parshas Shekalim With Rabbi Shmuly Botnick

Feb 14, 2023

59:52

Please support the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation is DOUBLED. Our organization, TORCH, runs one annual fundraiser, and it is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. We need your support – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This week […]

599

Mishpatim – Crowning Achievement (5781)

Feb 14, 2023

48:12

The end of our Parsha revisits the Sinai Revelation of Parsha Yisro and recounts some of the preparations for the Ten Commandments. In the negotiations and deliberations in the runup to Sinai, the Nation declares that they will do and they will listen to all the commandments. This statement, we will do and we will […]

600

Parshas Mishpatim (Rebroadcast)

Feb 12, 2023

59:05

Parshas Mishpatim marks a stark change in the rhythm and pace of the Torah narrative. The preceding 17 Parshas contained a total of 41 mitzvos; this week we begin learning the Torah laws en masse. In this single parsha alone we have 53 mitzvos (only three parshas have more mitzvos). Beyond the varied laws, this […]

The Parsha Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

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