This Jewish Life

Shiurim

• Guard The Matzos: A Yahrzeit Tribute to Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Matzah is a tricky food. It is made with the same ingredients as bread ; the only difference is the speed of how they are processed. The Torah tells us that we must guard the matzos to prevent them from turning into chametz. Our sages tell

• Exodus: Redemption as Everlasting Inspiration

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Exodus: Redemption as Everlasting Inspiration by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Who Will Live and Who Will Die: Why Jews Are Obsessed With Death

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Who Will Live and Who Will Die: Why Jews Are Obsessed With Death by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Chanukah: A Primer

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  About 2,200 years ago, the Jewish Nation faced an existential threat: The Assyrian Greek Empire led by Antiochus and his Hellenist henchmen undertook a concerted campaign to systematically eradicate the Jewish religion. They sought to make

• Reflections of Genesis: How the Forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Built the Spiritual Profile of Our Nation

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The narratives of Genesis mustn’t be read and understood as important stories or historical context; The Torah in it’s entirety is instructive. The manner in which the Forefathers are presented in the Torah and the content of those narrativ

• Till Death do us part: Can we still have committed relationships

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  “שמח תשמח רעים האהובים כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם” This statement, part of the Sheva Brachos (Seven Blessings), is recited under the Chuppah ( wedding canopy) of traditional Jewish marriages. Translated into English, we pray: “Gladden the lov

• Conflicted Man: How Esau Sought Sin in Utero and what it means for our Pursuit of Righteousness

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We attempt to unravel a famous philosophical paradox: The Talmud teaches that a child only receives a yetzer ra at birth, yet Esav was pining for idolatry while in utero. How does that work and what does it mean for our pursuit of righteous

• The Ills of Envy and its Remedy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Envy is a deadly sin, and it’s almost entirely unavoidable. Our Sages that “Envy extracts a person from the world.” It causes a person to be severed from the world. But there is so much cause for envy wherever we turn. In every area of life

• Bar Mitzvah and Beyond (Jewish Life Cycles Part 2)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Click HERE for part 1 We continue our exploration of the themes and insights of the progression of a Jewish life.

• Patience: The Gateway to Greatness

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Striving for character development and ethical refinement are included in the demands that the Almighty expects from every Jew. The very first step on the path to total character perfection is acquiring and refining our capacity to have pat

• The Glorious Clouds of Sukkos

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Over the course of the Festival of Sukkos (sometimes spelled “Sukkot”, sometimes “Succos”, rivaled only by the nightmare of trying to find the definitive spelling of Chanukah – Hannukah, Hanukkah), we must dwell in a temporary structure, a

• What happens after you die?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Tune in and listen to the definitive Jewish answer to life’s most compelling question: what really happens after you die. One of the few topics where it is hard to speak from experience, Rabbi Wolbe culls from various sources and Jewish tra

• The Secret Passover Opportunity you Mustn’t Pass-Over

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  This special pre-Pesach podcast is dedicated in loving memory of Meir Ben Shmuel Chananya . May his soul be elevated in heaven. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The festival of Passover commemorates a very ancient event that happ

• The Secret of Parshas Shekalim With Rabbi Shmuly Botnick

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  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 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

• The Jewish Year

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The deeper meaning and insight into the various holidays and festivals in the Jewish calendar.

• Three Paths to Eternity: How Mitzvahs Bring us to Olam Haba

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Jewish sources are unanimous: by observing the mitzvahs a Jew merit entry to Olam Haba. Less clear is how exactly that works. In this podcast we explore the three different approaches outlined in various sources in Jewish writings. ——– Webs

• How we Navigated Having a Child on Shabbos and a Framework for Raising Children Well

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  This past Shabbos, my wife and I were blessed with a newborn baby girl. As Shabbos-observant Jews, this raised some interesting halachic dilemmas. In the first part of this podcast I tell the story of how we navigated the various problems,

• On Parenting in Difficult Times with the PodParents

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Few sequels live up to the high standards set by the original. Podfather Part 2 is an exception to the rule. In this special episode covering a variety of parenting subjects, we hear from both PodParents. My father and my mother – Avi and F

• The Pesach Seder: How to Maximize the Year’s Most Powerful Night

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  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 firs

• Ammunition Against Adversaries: Nine Tactics to Combat the Yetzer Ra

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We have previously established in the podcast titled Know Your Enemy that the Yetzer Ra (evil inclination) created illusionary, fake pleasures. This allows for many unexpected methods in combatting it. In this podcast, we outline nine diffe

• The Three Transcendentals: How Shabbos, The Sun and using the Restroom Provide Insight into Another World

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  שלשה מעין עוה”ב, אלו הן: שבת, שמש, ותשמיש. תשמיש דמאי, אילימא תשמיש התטה, הא מכחש כחיש, אלא תשמיש נקבים (ברכות דף נז:) The Talmud does not dispense secrets like gumballs. Therefore the Aggadic secrets of the Talmud are masked in parables, f

• A potpourri of end of life medical issues in Jewish Law

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  What does Judaism say about organ donations, DNRs and euthanasia?

• Reflections of Genesis Part 3: Jacob

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  *TORCH Breakneck through the Bible, BJC Houston 4/28/2015

• Vaad: Seder Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

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

• A Journey through the Jewish Calendar in Thought and Practice Part 2

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Join Rabbi Wolbe and his trustful comrades as they attempt to unlock the wonderful meaning and insight of the Jewish calendar. This presentation will succeed in shattering the childish and simplistic understandings of the Jewish holidays th

• Purim: A Primer

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Purim is a holiday marking the salvation of the Jews in Persia from the genocidal plans of Haman and his cohorts. Every 14th and 15th day of Adar, Jews worldwide read the Book of Esther which tells the story, give gifts to the poor and to t

• God and Man: The Balancing Act of Faith and Personal Responsibility

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  As Jews we believe that God is not only the Creator of the Universe, but also is constantly sustaining the world with spiritual and physical nourishment and individually supervising all humans. The extent of how involved God is with us in t

• On the Front Lines in Gaza with Yoshi Rosenbluth

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  My dear friend and long time podcast listener Yoshi Rosenbluth spent a month in Gaza as a fighter in the IDF. In this very special podcast, he tells us what things are like on the ground from a soldier’s perspective. If you want an insider’

• The Hundred Years’ War: Winning our Lifelong Battle with our Yetzer Ra

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Man’s lifelong struggle with their Yetzer Ra is the premier challenge that a person faces in their life. What are the best strategies and tactics to assure victory? In this podcast we examine several telling Talmudic passages that create a

• Jewish Life Cycles: From Bar Mitzvah to Grave

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Jewish Perspective: Puberty > Coming of age > Adolescence > Dating and Courtship > Marriage > Divorce > Parenting > Mid-life crisis > Dying like a Jew > Jewish Burial > תחית המתים (Resuscitation of the dead).

• Jews in Israel: The Complete History From Bible to Bibi

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Jews in Israel: The Complete History From Bible to Bibi by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• The Three Weeks: A Primer (Rebroadcast)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  For the three weeks spanning from the fast of the 17th of Tammuz until the fast of Tisha B’av (9th of Av), the Jewish nation practices collective mourning. This mourning is the result of a collection of calamitous things that has happened t

• Laver of Love

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Laver was one of the vessels in the Tabernacle. It was a copper basin that housed water that was emitted from spouts. The priests would wash their hands and feet before entering the Tabernacle and before doing any service in the Taberna

• High Holiday: The Themes, Meanings, Liturgies and Rituals of Rosh Hashana

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to High Holiday: The Themes, Meanings, Liturgies and Rituals of Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Proofs of Divinity of Torah Part 7

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In this 7th and final episode of our examination of the evidence to try and determine if the Torah is indeed the unadulterated word of God, we explore the interrelationship of the Written and Oral Torah and ask if such cohesion and precisio

• Maimonides on Reward and Punishment Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Rambam on גן עדן, משיח, תחיית המתים, ועוה”ב. Definitions and perspectives.

• Rungs to Righteousness: Bridging our Invisible and Tangible Realities

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Talmud teaches that all mitzvos share a common objective – the acquisition of faith. Why is faith so difficult to achieve and how do mitzvos engender faith?

• Tips and Tricks to Secure a Positive Judgment on Yom Kippur

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Yom Kippur is the end of the annual judgment. On Yom Kippur, the verdict written on Rosh Hashana gets sealed. Until that deadline, however, we can effectuate our judgment. The verdict can be rewritten and amended; the bad decrees can be ann

• Ladders to Heaven

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Is the objective of Torah to constrict us or to allow us to flower? Are we ultimately supposed to curb our uniqueness, our individuality, or are we supposed to find ways to have our uniqueness sprout forth and blossom? One may argue that th

• God, Faith and Emunah Part 5

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

• The Emunah Migration

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The sources are in agreement that cognitive and intellectual faith alone is insufficient. To properly fulfill his requirements, man must find a way to have the Emunah penetrate into his behavior and perspective. Why is this so critical and

• Emunah in the Prism of the Afterlife

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In previous episodes we have established that Emunah is the core objective of life. In this episode we explore some of the Jewish perspectives on the matter. We delve into our role in this world, our inhibitors to greatness, and what we hav

• The Singular Day of Yom Kippur

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The holiest day of the year is upon us. The day of Yom Kippur is unmatched and unrivaled by any other. It is a day of elevation. It is a day of purification. It is a day to be cleansed of all of our sins. It is a day to move past all of our

• What are angels: Lessons in relationships

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Can we really learn real life lessons in our relationships from angels. Indeed we can, and Rabbi Wolbe shows us how.

• Free Will: An Exploration of Fundamental Concepts

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Free Will is a fundamental concept in our philosophy. People are endowed by God with the ability to determine the direction that they take in life. People are allowed to choose a path of righteousness or wickedness. There is a certain modic

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

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  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

• On the Religious & Political Tension in the State of Israel

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Ever since the founding of the Jewish state tension between the political and societal elements in Israel and the religious implications of a Jewish state have existed. In truth, the Zionist dream was hotly divisive across a very broad spec

• The Great Loophole (Repentance)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Teshuva (Repentance) can be an intimidating and daunting task. Entire volumes are filled with its components and nuances. In this podcast we shine light on a different aspect of Teshuva: Its easy, eminently achievable, and all the factors a

• The Four Kinds and how Chessed (Kindness) is the Premier Catalyst for Greatness

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The trait of Kindness is the recipe for happy and harmonious marriages, the key to great leadership and the principal principle of a man of faith. All these are contingent on Kindness. Find out why.

• The Dina Dilemma

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Not all twins are identical in every way. Jacob and Esau were as different from each other as two humans can possibly get. When Rebecca got wind of Esau’s plans to murder Jacob, she sent himm away. After being apart from his twin for more t

• Confronting Mortality (How to Preparing for the Afterlife Part 2)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Death and the afterlife are foreign, and often terrifying, subjects. Naturally, most of us tend to try to avoid thinking about it too much. This is exactly what allows the evil inclination to deceive and mislead us. It’s an important subjec

• On Altruistic Kidney Donations with Rabbi Moshe Gewirtz

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Kidneys serve many vital functions. Their primary function is to filter the blood from any toxins or contaminants. Thankfully, the Almighty sends (most of) us to this world with two working kidneys. We have a bit of nephrological redundancy

• Spiritual Shortcuts

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Three fascinating and enlightening stories from the Talmud shed light on the two roadmaps to spiritual growth: the typical slow and steady grind, and the expedited way. Are you going to dip your toe in the pool or are you gonna take the plu

• The Transmission of the Oral Torah without Mistakes

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A fundamental principle of our religion is that the Torah that we have today is the same as the Torah given by God to Moses. Is this a dogmatic belief a leap of faith? How can we be assured that there was no corruption of the Oral Torah ove

• Pesach Roundtable at the TORCH Centre

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Festival of Pesach is upon us. For seven days we will eat Matzah and avoid any traces of chometz. We will gather together with our families around the Seder table and recount the story of the Exodus, retelling and reliving the founding

• Agency, Urgency, Insurgency: Six Powerful Pointers on Self-Development

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  There is a widespread custom to study Pirkei Avos, the Mishnaic Book of the Ethics of our Fathers, between the festivals of Pesach and Shavuot. As we prepare for the reenactment of the Sinai Revelation and the giving of the Torah, we prime

• Why Jews Don’t believe in Jesus

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  All Jews know that we do not believe in Jesus, but not many know why. In this episode, Rabbi Wolbe outlines the reasons why Jew do not believe in Jesus, have not done so in the past and will not in the future.

• Core Beliefs of Judaism Part 8

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

• Rashi: A Biographical Sketch of The Consummate Teacher of Israel

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Listen to Rashi: A Biographical Sketch of The Consummate Teacher of Israel by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.

• Core Beliefs of Judaism Part 4

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe