The Parsha Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

751

Vayikra – Vicarious Sacrifice

Mar 17, 2021

1:05:01

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 […]

752

Vayakhel Pekudei – On Giants’ Shoulders feat. Akiva Wolbe

Mar 10, 2021

26:47

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 […]

753

Parshas Vayakhel & Pekudei (Rebroadcast)

Mar 7, 2021

1:11:14

Last chance to Support the TORCH Fundraiser Please support The Parsha Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be DOUBLED Show your support for TORCH and the Parsha Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

754

TORCH Fundraiser: A Conversation with our Board President, Dan Kullman

Mar 4, 2021

24:30

Please support The TORCH Podcasts and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED Show your support for TORCH and the TORCH Podcasts and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

755

Ki Sisa – Hold Your Fire + TORCH Fundraiser

Mar 3, 2021

54:49

Please support The Parsha Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED Show your support for TORCH and the Parsha Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

756

Parshas Ki Sisa (Rebroadcast) + Annual TORCH Fundraiser

Mar 1, 2021

1:16:10

Please support The Parsha Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED Show your support for TORCH and the Parsha Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

757

Tetzaveh – The Great Collaboration

Feb 24, 2021

36:00

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 […]

758

Esther on an Allegorical Level

Feb 22, 2021

1:37:51

On Purim we read the Book of Esther, which tells the story of the Purim miracle. The Persian king Achashverosh conspires with his Amalekite viceroy Haman to eradicate the entire Jewish nation, but God refused to allow their plans to unfold. Queen Esther, together with her relative Mordechai, spearhead the effort to turn the plan on […]

759

Terumah – 3 Points Behind the Ark

Feb 18, 2021

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. […]

760

Mishpatim – Crowning Achievement

Feb 11, 2021

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 […]

761

Yisro – Jethro’s Epiphany

Feb 2, 2021

39:48

The protagonist of our parsha, Jethro, underwent a long and fruitful spiritual journey. When the journey began, Jethro was a idolater who worshipped every pagan deity in the world. At its conclusion, Jethro was give great distinction as a believer in God and a purveyor of His Torah. What went into that transformation? What is […]

762

Beshalach – Bread of Angels

Jan 28, 2021

33:53

Parshas Beshalach is arguable the most action-packed Parsha in the Torah. It starts with the Jews hightailing out of Egypt – only to have Pharaoh follow in hot pursuit, and it ends with the nation’s first war. In between these two bookends, there are all kinds of interesting things that happen. In this special podcast […]

763

Bo – The Ember of Abraham

Jan 20, 2021

44:00

The Jewish nation was in the dumps. They had spent hundreds of years in Egypt, and the possibility of ever leaving and reconstituting as an independent nation, the dream of Abraham, was long abandoned. But something dramatic happened. The Almighty unleashes Ten Plagues on Egypt and with the Death of the Firstborn, the Egyptians usher […]

764

Vaeira – Pharaoh’s Education

Jan 14, 2021

44:33

The Jewish people undergo a stunning transformation in our Parsha: It begins with the nation walling in misery; when Moshe offers a plan for salvation, they cannot even hear his comforting message. Yet very quickly they merit a miraculous Exodus, and only fifty days later they experience national prophecy at Sinai. How did this happen? […]

765

Shemos – Grooming Greatness

Jan 7, 2021

49:52

Moses is the greatest leader of our history and the archetype of a great, transformative leader. Why was he chosen for the role? What was his training to become the leader he became? What are the Torah’s guidelines for leaders and people of influence. In this podcast we examine the Torah’s retelling of the protracted […]

766

Vayechi – The Five Stages of Transformation

Dec 30, 2020

42:21

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, […]

767

Vayigash – Fruitful Famine

Dec 23, 2020

39:22

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 […]

768

Mikeitz – Talent Evaluation

Dec 16, 2020

47:18

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 […]

769

Vayeishev – The Holy Hologram

Dec 10, 2020

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 […]

770

Vayishlach – Unrequited Love

Dec 3, 2020

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 […]

771

Vayeitzei – Laban’s Potion

Nov 26, 2020

42:01

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 […]

772

Toldos – Esau’s Fatal Flaw

Nov 18, 2020

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 […]

773

Chayei Sarah – Portal to Paradise

Nov 12, 2020

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 […]

774

Vayeira – Abraham’s Three Protégés

Nov 4, 2020

45:53

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 […]

775

Lech Lecha – Go West, Young Man

Oct 29, 2020

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. […]

776

Noach – Spiritual Adaptation

Oct 22, 2020

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 […]

777

Bereishis – You are Adam (Includes New Segment: A&Q)

Oct 15, 2020

38:53

Welcome to YEAR FIVE of The Parsha Podcast. It is such a momentous day! It is a total pleasure to begin studying the weekly parsha with the best audience in the podcast universe. In this episode, we debuted a new segment called, “Answers and Questions”, “A&Q”. Thank you for downloading and please share with a […]

778

Vezos HaBeracha – Betrothed to Torah

Oct 8, 2020

32:29

What is the most important verse that we need to convey to our children? Perhaps that is a difficult question for us to speculate upon. Thankfully, the Talmud gives a definitive answer: In an interesting citation in Sukkah 42a, we are told that the fourth verse of our Parsha, together with the first verse of […]

779

Ha’azinu – Shattering The 6 Biggest Myths about Yom Kippur

Sep 24, 2020

43:47

The Shabbos before Yom Kippur, when we read the penultimate parsha, Parshas Ha’azinu, is known as “Shabbos Shuva”, the Shabbos of Repentance. On this day, we are urged to get into the spirit of repentance ahead of Yom Kippur, the day of repentance. But Yom Kippur – and repentance in general – seem challenging to […]

780

Rosh Hashana Reading (2nd day – Genesis Chapter 22: The Binding of Isaac)

Sep 14, 2020

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 […]

781

Rosh Hashana Reading (1st day – Genesis Chapter 21)

Sep 13, 2020

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 […]

782

Nitzavim – Spiritual Interdependence

Sep 10, 2020

30:51

The Jewish nation is unlike every other nation. We are the “Chosen People”. We are “The Nation of God”. What does it mean to be the nation of God? In this podcast we discover that the Jewish people are bound together in the deepest fashion. Each one of us has a portion of our Soul […]

783

Thanks a Million!

Sep 9, 2020

32:31

Of all the episodes that I have recorded over the years, this will be perhaps the most unique one. For one, it will be released simultaneously on all 6 channels that I am fortunate enough to host: The Parsha Podcast, The Jewish History Podcast, The Mitzvah Podcast , This Jewish Life, The Ethics Podcast, and […]

784

Ki Savo – Tiers of Paradise

Sep 3, 2020

43:49

Perhaps the most intriguing question of all is” What actually happens after we die? Everyone is curious to know the answer to that question. In this unique Parsha Podcast we venture a peek into a Kabbalistic take on that question. The format is also quite interesting. The Torah is multidimensional, meaning that each verse and […]

785

Ki Seitzei – Roadmap to Victory

Aug 28, 2020

34:54

The Yetzer Hara is described in Jewish Literature as a skillful and dangerous enemy that we must make war with. And unless we devise a comprehensive strategy, our enemy will triumph. How does a winning battle plan look like? In this unique Parsha Podcast we lay out the three distinct steps needed to achieve total victory. […]

786

Shoftim – Kosher Bribery

Aug 20, 2020

36:04

A judge must remain impartial to be able to judge correctly. If he receives a bribe, even if it is non-monetary or intangible, he is disqualified from overseeing that case. The Talmud elaborates on this concept and explains the psychology behind how bribes manipulate. In this episode we show how this powerful force can be […]

787

Re’eh – Influencing People

Aug 14, 2020

40:16

A wise woman once said: “Judaism is terrible at marketing.” It seems like we are doing a terrible job at influencing others to adopt Torah. It is not only Gentiles that we are not a great job of attracting – and perhaps that is by design – it is also our fellow Jews, our brethren, […]

788

The Essence of Tisha B’Av

Jul 22, 2020

31:30

Tisha B’Av (The Ninth of Av) is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. On this day, the Spies returned from scouting the Land and spooked the Nation with their evil report prompting the Nation to needlessly bewail their fate the entire night. As retribution, God pledged: “You cried on this night for no reason, […]

789

Pinchas – Consistency is Key

Jul 8, 2020

25:39

When the Temple was extant, first thing each morning a Tamid sacrifice was offered, and an afternoon Tamid offering was the last sacrifice of the day. The Midrash reveals to us quite surprisingly that the essence of Torah is encapsulated in the Tamid sacrifices. What is so special about this sacrifice that makes it worthy of that distinction? Please email […]

790

Chukas & Balak – Second Chances

Jul 2, 2020

29:12

Over the course of the Nation’s 40 year sojourn in the Wilderness they tested God 10 times. But God believes in second chances, and gave them an opportunity to rectify their misdeeds. This principle applies on a national and individual level. We are all given second chances, but we must listen to those messages and […]

791

Parshas Chukas & Balak (Rebroadcast)

Jun 28, 2020

2:01:51

In Parshas Chukas, 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 […]

792

Korach – The Legendary Malcontents

Jun 25, 2020

31:53

Dathan and Abiram appear in Scripture for the first time in this week’s parsha as conspirators in Korach’s insurrection, but according to the Midrash this is not nearly their first rebellion against Moshe and Aaron. In fact, since Moshe was a young lad, Dathan and Abiram were thorns at his side, resisting him at every […]

793

Shelach – Benefiting from Blunders

Jun 19, 2020

33:36

Mistakes are endemic to the human condition. We all make mistakes. Even the titans of our history like Moshe, Aaron, and Joshua made mistakes. In this hastily prepared podcast we speculate that mistakes are not incidental to greatness but are absolutely pivotal. Without mistakes there can be no greatness. Please email me at [email protected] with […]

794

Behaaloscha – The Eyes of the People

Jun 12, 2020

30:34

Our parsha contains an unusual sequence: The nation is about to leave Sinai, and Moshe makes a prolonged, and unsuccessful, appeal to his father in law, Jethro, to remain with him. Then there is the strange episode of the backwards-facing NUNs. Then the nation commits two grievous sin back to back. Moshe then tells God […]

795

Nasso – How to Find Your Life-Mission

Jun 3, 2020

37:06

A central tenet of Jewish philosophy is that every individual is unique – a world onto their own – and is entrusted by God with a unique, tailored mission. That principle is found several times in our parsha. But how do we discover what our mission is? In the past, that question would be addressed […]

796

Bamidbar and Shavuos: The Indispensability of each Jew

May 21, 2020

56:24

Parshas Bamidbar is the Torah portion that we read immediately prior to Shavuos, the Festival of the Giving of the Torah, each year. In this special episode, we offer a mind-bending idea to ponder the connection between Shavuos and Parshas Bamidbar. To aid with visualizing the contents of this unique episode, please download the accompanying […]

797

Emor – The Addiction Challenge

May 7, 2020

30:43

Among the many laws found in our parsha, are the laws governing the Festivals and holidays. Given that we are currently in middle of the Counting of the Omer period spanning from Pesach to Shavuos, in this special episode we presented various ways to maximize this period. We also made a specific challenge to the […]

798

Spiritual Opportunism: A Special Shiur for Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe’s Yahrtzeit

Apr 12, 2020

26:14

It has been 15 years since my illustrious grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe, passed away, on the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach 2005. In this special shiur to mark his yahrtzeit, we speculate the ways that he became great and take a very valuable lesson on how to become great ourselves during this coronavirus pandemic. […]

799

Special Pesach Episode – The Seder Night: How to Maximize the Year’s Most Powerful Night

Apr 6, 2020

59:35

The first night of Pesach – the second night as well is the Diaspora – is arguably the most important nights of the year. On this night we were redeemed from Egypt, this is the night of the Exodus, this is the night of the death of the firstborn; tonight we became a nation. This […]

800

Tzav – Essential Oxygen

Apr 3, 2020

34:27

Among the many sacrifices discussed in the Book of Leviticus, the Korban Todah, the Thanksgiving Sacrifice stands out. The Midrash teaches us that in the future, all sacrifices will cease, with the exception of the Thanksgiving sacrifice. Similarly, all prayers will be discontinued, but the thanksgiving prayer will endure. What is so unique about giving […]

The Parsha Podcast · Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

The Parsha Podcast Â - הרב יעקב וולבה

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