This Jewish Life

Shiurim

• The Ten Commandments of Parenting for Contemporary Parents

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Parenting is the most rewarding – and difficult – job we will ever have. Thankfully the Torah teaches us how to be effective parents. Listen and learn the top ten critical elements of successful pedagogy. ——- This podcast was recorded live

• An Invitation to The Afterlife (4:21-2)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We all recognize that we will eventually die. Each of us know that there will come a point in time where our body and Soul separate and go their own way. The body will return to its origin, the dust, and the Soul will return to its Heavenly

• Tikkun Olam in Jewish Thought and Literature

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Tikkun Olam in Jewish Thought and Literature by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Jewish Jurisprudence

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Learn about some of the fine details about how courts are constructed, how evidence is presented in Jewish courts, and the incredible efforts that the Torah demands from us to ensure that a just verdict is reached.

• Resurrection of the Dead in Jewish Thought and Literature

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Resurrection of the Dead in Jewish Thought and Literature by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Transcendent Power of a Unified Front

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  It is not exactly clear what the participants in the Tower of Babel wanted. We know they wanted to ascend to heaven and to make a name for themselves, but what precisely they wanted is more of a mystery. The Midrash talks about it, the Talm

• Kingdom of Heaven in Exile: A Novel Rosh Hashanah Framework

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Rosh Hashanah marks the day of the creation of Adam on Day Six of Genesis. The creation of Adam facilitated the coronation of God as King. Because Adam was endowed with the choice to accept or reject God, his decision to submit himself to G

• The Three Atheists: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to The Three Atheists: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Plagues, Epidemics, and Quarantines in Jewish Philosophy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We are living in extraordinary times and facing unprecedented challenges: The coronavirus is upending everyday life in a way that we have never seen in our lifetime. People are scared, people are quarantined, markets are plummeting, schools

• Q&A: Angels and Feminism

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A discussion that began by examining what exactly an angel is gracefully meandered into a different topic.

• Messiah, Resurrection and Olam Haba: Judaism’s End Game

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Messiah, Resurrection and Olam Haba: Judaism’s End Game by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Humble Man with a Mind of a Thousand Men

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  There is a fine line between arrogance and a keen understanding of the brutal facts; between humility and delusion. Did Moses – the humblest of men – know that he was the Jewish greatest prophet? Is the smartest guy in the room allowed to k

• What is Olam Haba: Exploring the Enigmatic Sources

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A universally accepted principle of Judaism is that the Almighty gives reward for observance of Torah and mitzvos and punishment for their nonobservance. What exactly that reward and punishment consist of is a great unknown to most. In this

• Nation of the Book: The 17 Reasons why Jews Study Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  This presentation was originally entitled: “The Ten Reasons Why Jews Study Torah”, but further research discovered more. The Torah has been the portable homeland of the Jewish people. Torah study has always been our national pastime. Why ar

• A History of the Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  No mission is as critical to the success of humanity as the mission that began at the Mount Sinai and continues to this very day of transmitting the Torah from generation to generation accurately. After all, the Torah is what differentiates

• Shema: Achieving Supremacy Over the Angels

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Angels are way loftier than us, right? They’re totally spiritual, they cannot possibly sin, they are messengers of God. We, on the other hand, are mortal, fallible, pitiful humans. That’s not necessarily the case. Our Sages tell us that the

• Vaad: Seder Part 4

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Vaad: Seder Part 4 by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Prayer: Understanding the Craft of Emunah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  ANNUAL APPEAL: We are right now running our annual campaign at giveTORCH.com . If you enjoy the podcasts and want to support our work – please go to giveTORCH.com and donate to the cause. SHOW NOTES: Prayer is a comprehensive part of the Je

• How to Raise Good Children

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  It is incumbent upon parents to raise their children well, but how exactly do you do that? Babies are not born clutching parenting manuals. This is especially problematic for us Jews. We must raise our children to be upstanding, productive,

• Hesped (Eulogy) on the Gadol Hador (Greatest of the Generation), Rav Ahron Leib Shteinman zt”l

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  This week, the Gadol Hador, Rav Ahron Leib Shteinman zt”l, passed away at the age of 104. In this eulogy, we try to capture a brief portrait of this remarkable and inspirational leader. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please con

• On Death and Dying: The Jewish View

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Death is the destiny of mankind. Since Adam and Eve made the regrettable decision to consume from the Tree of Knowledge, Good and Evil, man has been condemned to die. But what exactly is death? How does the experience differ from person to

• Unmasking the Purim Story

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Please support the TORCH Podcasts by donating to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org This is our only annual fundraiser. Every donation is DOUBLED! Support the TORCH Podcasts by visiting giveTORCH.org right now and making a generous dona

• The Ten Wonders of Repentance

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  God showered humanity with endless gifts: the ability to see, to hear, to walk, to taste, to think, to make choices, to become closer to Him. The list is very long. One of the greatest gifts that God gave humanity is the ability to repent.

• Charity and Tithing: The Jewish Perspective on Compounding Wealth

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Charity and Tithing: The Jewish Perspective on Compounding Wealth by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Divorce Vaccine – Second Dose: The Essence of an Amazing Marriage & TORCH Fundraiser (giveTORCH.org)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Please support The This Jewish Life Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED! Show your support for TORCH and The This Jewish Life Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org –

• The Shabbat Prayers, Meaning and Structure

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to The Shabbat Prayers, Meaning and Structure by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Faith Fundamentals

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Exodus was not one-and-done. It remains an ever-present, indispensable part of our religion. We are commanded to recall the Exodus every single day. There are many festivals and days of note dedicated to remembering and reliving the Exo

• The Three-Day-Exodus: How a Productive Long Weekend Leads to a Lifetime of Freedom

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Exodus was for keeps. Although Pharaoh regretted his decision to allow the Israelites to leave and chased them down, setting up a stand-off at the Sea of Reeds, once the sea split for the Israelites and crashed down upon the Egyptians,

• The Afterlife in Jewish Thought, Tradition and Literature

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We find many references scattered throughout Jewish writings regarding Olam Haba, the next world. What exactly this place is, why we ought to strive to get there and how we go about achieving that goal are matters of immense intrigue and im

• Pesach: A Primer

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Pesach marks the foundational event of our nation’s history. The Exodus that happened on the days of Pesach is the rationale of the Jewish holidays nad festivals, including the weekly Shabbos, and is invoked in many mitzvos. In this podcast

• Life, Death and Suicide: A Jewish Perspective in the Face of Tragedy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Life, Death and Suicide: A Jewish Perspective in the Face of Tragedy by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Divorce Vaccine – First Dose: How to Select the Right Spouse

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  What do you are about to hear is a vaccine against divorce. This first dose is intended for single people, who have not yet decided who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. If you are already married, you’ve made your choice and

• What God Wants

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Torah is an instruction manual from God. The word Torah, in fact, means instruction. The Torah contains many details; in fact, there is no conceivable situation that the Torah does not provide guidance for. But what is the ultimate goal

• Why are Jews so obsessed with Torah study?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  For more than three millennia now the Jews have remained steadfastly dedicated to Torah study. Even during times when 99% of their non-Jewish neighbors were illiterate, every man, woman and child in the Jewish community was able to read and

• Man In The Arena: Three Ways To Understand The Judgment of Rosh Hashana

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In addition to the many other themes and motifs of the day, Rosh Hashana is called the Day of Judgment. The Mishnah tells us that on Rosh Hashana every human has an individual audience with the Almighty in the same way that a shepherd count

• Enveloped by God: Understanding the Festival of Sukkos

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Festival of Sukkos has many moving parts: There is the mitzvah to dwell in a Sukkah for seven days; we are commanded to shake the Four Species on Sukkos; and there is a fascination with the Seventy Nations of the world and their ultimat

• Why We Study Torah Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Why We Study Torah Part 1 by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The malleability of Halacha and the integrity of it’s transmitters

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Is Halacha immutable? Does Halacha adapt to modernity? Did the executioners of the Law have the integrity to stay true and not bend in the face of controversy?

• The Alchemy of Yom Kippur

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Yom Kippur is the greatest day of the year. The name of book of Talmud that orients around Yom Kippur is Yoma , meaning “Day.” This is The Day when everything changes. On this day, the Almighty is close to us. On this day, He extends purifi

• Gateway to Eternity: Resurrection of the Dead as Reunification of Body and Soul, and as Reinvention of the Body/Soul Paradigm

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A central tenet of Jewish philosophy is the belief in the resurrection of the dead. Death is not final; the dead will yet walk the land. The details of resurrection are a bit trickier. What is the nature of this life? Is it merely an undoin

• Alei Shur Vaad: Emunah Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Alei Shur Vaad: Emunah Part 1 by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Purity, Spiritual Contamination and Leprosy: Understanding Tazria and Metzora

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  *Congregation Beth Yeshurun 4/23/2015

• Rosh Hashana: Customs, Rituals, Ceremonies, and Practices

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The two days of Rosh Hashana are two of the most important days in the year. These festival days are celebratory and joyous, but are also dedicated to prayer, to introspection, and repentance. Rosh Hashana is a time when we try to strike a

• JC in The Talmud: What ancient Jewish sources say and don’t say about the Christian Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to JC in The Talmud: What ancient Jewish sources say and don’t say about the Christian Messiah by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Four Misconceptions Jews have about Judaism

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Sheets with holes, shaved heads, arranges marriages and tattooed Jews excluded from Jewish cemeteries are but some of the misconceptions Jews have about Judaism. In this discussion, Rabbi Wolbe outlines and disproves the following four core

• The Eight Wonders of Repentance

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Our Sages enumerates a list of seven things that preceded the world. Included in this list is repentance. Why was it necessary to create repentance before the creation of the world? In this podcast we speculate an answer: repentance is a su

• The Joy of Sukkos

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The festival of Sukkos is called “the time of our joy.” The entire festival is associated with joy. Sitting in the Sukkah is joyous, shaking the Lulav is joyous, the traditional celebratory festivities are known as the “Joy of the Drawing.”

• We Have Been Blessed With a Baby Boy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  With deep appreciation to the Almighty for all the goodness that He has bestowed upon us, I’m happy to share that my wife, Chaya, and I were blessed with a beautiful baby boy on Monday, March 14. Thank God, both Mom and baby are doing fabul

• Q&A: Jewish Stance on Homosexuality

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Q&A: Jewish Stance on Homosexuality by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Three Loves: The Torah’s Timeless Guidance to Obtaining, Maintaining and Deepening our Relationships

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to The Three Loves: The Torah’s Timeless Guidance to Obtaining, Maintaining and Deepening our Relationships by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• A Conversation About Kosher with Rabbi Nosson Dubin

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Jewish community of Houston, TX is fortunate to have Rabbi Nosson Dubin, a true expert on all things kosher, as its Rabbinic Administrator for the Houston Kashrus Association, the agency tasked with overseeing kosher establishments and

• Forgiving the unrepentant: How to overlook the misdeeds of others

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Forgiving the unrepentant: How to overlook the misdeeds of others by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Breakneck through the Bible – Spouse Selection (Genesis Chapters 24-25)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Spousal selection is a perplexing and vexing part of life for most people; at least if the rates of failure in marriage are indeed what they are reported to be. The average person does not now where to start, what to do, what to look out fo

• Simple Reasons to Believe

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  What is your elevator pitch for the existence of God? That is a question that was posed to dozens of successful and accomplished people. They were asked to write a short, concise, elevator-trip-length essays on why they believed. These essa

• The History of Israel Part 1: Abraham to the Downfall of the Kingdom of Israel

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to The History of Israel Part 1: Abraham to the Downfall of the Kingdom of Israel by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The First Elul

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We have a begun hallowed days of Elul. In one month, we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah. We will all be judged. We will blow the shofar. We will pray for a good year. Ten days later, the holy day of Yom Kippur. We will fast for 25 hours: no fo

• When Bad Things Happen To Good People: Jewish Perspectives On Pain, Suffering and Tragedy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Jews are not strangers to suffering. Jewish History is most easily described as an endless litany of expulsion, dispersion, exile, antisemitism, pogrom, Inquisition, Holocaust, blood libels, Autos-da-fé, ghettoization and ceaseless economic

• Judges, Prophets, Monarchs, Sovereignty, Secession, Downfall and Reclamation: The Waxing and Waning Story of Utopia and Maelstrom from Joshua to Ezra

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Jewish Bible consists of 24 books. All 613 mitzvot are instructed in the first five books collectively known as the Torah. The very end of the Torah tells the story of the death of Moses on the doorstep of Israel. The next section of th

• When and How to Prepare for the Afterlife

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Sooner or later, we all are required to drink from the bitter portion of death. As a result of the sin of Adam, death is the fate of all mankind. But what happens afterwards? What happens in the afterlife? In that, we are all different. The

• The Shema Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to The Shema Part 1 by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.