TORAH 101

Shiurim

• #23: The Parameters of Divine Providence

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A central tenet of Jewish theology is that the same Creator who created the Heavens and the Earth also supervises His creation on an ongoing basis. Moreover, that supervision, that oversight is personal and down to the most minute detail. A

• #101: Third Order of Mishnah (Women)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  A great corpus of Torah law governs the relationships between men and women. The Second Order of Mishnah contains books on the initiation of marriage, on marital responsibilities, on the annulment of marriage via divorce, on the suspected a

• #109: The Sanctuary of the Heart

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The more important someone is the greater the impact of their actions. The maneuver of a general changes the course of a campaign; a mistake of the general can imperil the entire army; a brilliant stroke of the general can achieve unexpecte

• #43: Torah Fusion

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Torah study in not just another discipline; it’s a relationship. Our Sages compare the relationship of the Jew to Torah as that of a husband and wife. It’s deep, intimate, and special. Just as husband and wife can unite to create something

• #105: Post-Mishnaic Development of Oral Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Mishnah was at the end of the canonization of the Oral Torah. The Tosefta, the Sifra and Sifri soon followed. 300 years after Rabbi Judah the Prince canonized the Mishnah, the Babylonian Talmud was canonized. In this penultimate episode

• #80: Resurrection: An Introduction

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We stridently disagree with the oft-repeated statement: “You only live once.” #YOLO is a sentiment that violates our beliefs. A central principle of our religion is the concept of resurrection. Death is not permanent. The dead will rise aga

• #78: Preparing for Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Messiah is something that we anticipate and yearn for and await, but it is also something that we must prepare for. The consequences of being unprepared for Messiah are grave. How can we prepare for Messiah? What, specifically, do the sourc

• #68: The Persona of King Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Messiah will not be an ordinary person. He will be a towering figure who’s impact reverberates the world over. In this podcast we study what our Sages tell us about who Messiah is and what his stature will be, and talk about the wide-rangin

• #95: Venues of Reward and Punishment

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Spiritual pleasure is vastly, infinitely greater than physical pleasures, and are completely imperceivable by bodies. Only if you work assiduously to develop a sensory connection with your soul, can you begin to taste it. The ultimate venue

• Thanks a Million!

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  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 Podc

• #91: The Purpose of Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Why did God give us such a precious and holy and profound Torah? Wouldn’t it be enough to give us some simple rules to live by? Why is our nation chosen above all other nations? Shouldn’t all humans be the same? These are some very advanced

• #21: Torah and Science: Can they be Reconciled?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  There are many areas where Torah and the consensus of modern scientists seem to irreconcilably differ. The Torah indicates that the first man, Adam, lived around 6,000 years ago, and the universe is roughly that age. The consensus of the sc

• #4: The Cognitive Dissonance to the Veracity of the Torah and why Sinai Denial is on Shakier Intellectual Grounds than Holocaust Denial

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We face internal resistance to the notion of a God-given Torah because that can create a divide between our beliefs and behaviors. How do we respond to the tumult caused by this revelation? ——- This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Ce

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

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  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 – – – – – – – – – – –

• #26: Moses: The Greatest Man

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Seventh Principle of Faith orients around the greatest man and the greatest prophet of them all, Moses. Moses towered above all members of the human species, and indeed over angels too. As a result of his supreme stature, Moses became t

• #100: Second Order of Mishnah (Festivals)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Jewish calendar is studded with days of great importance. Each week we relive Genesis by celebrating the holy Shabbos. At half-year intervals are the mega festivals of Sukkos and Pesach (Passover). There’s also Shavuos, Rosh Hashanah, a

• #66: The Mechanisms of Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The sources depicting Messiah and the Messianic Era paint a very different picture of the world than the one we are accustomed to. Knowledge of God will be universal, on that day God will be One and His Name will be One. The pursuit of know

• #42: Torah Study: Our National Pastime

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  For the Jewish people. Torah is not just a corpus of law, of an accounting of our past, or even the ancient heritage of our people. Torah and an obsession with Torah study have been the defining characteristics of our nation since its incep

• #14: Faith vs. Emunah: Understanding the Difference between Intellectual and Instinctual Belief in God

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Thirteen Principles of Faith are the foundations of our religion. Just as the foundation of a structure is indispensable for ensuring the integrity of the building; these principles are necessary prerequisites for Jewish faith. But just

• #65: The Objective of Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The subject of the Messiah is notoriously confusing. What is Messiah? How will Messiah change our lives? What will be different in the Messianic era? The answers to these questions are not ubiquitously known. In this podcast we proceed in o

• #29: The Comprehensiveness of Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Please support TORCH and The TORAH 101 Podcast TODAY during our only annual fundraiser giveTORCH.org Support the TORAH 101 Podcast – https://www.charidy.com/torch/101 EVERY DONATION IS QUADRUPLED Today, TORCH needs your help!! Today YOU can

• #76: Characteristics of King Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  King Messiah will spearhead the spiritual movement that will reverberate the world over. This King will bear a grand and lofty stature exceeding that of the greatest exemplars of our history. In this podcast we explore King Messiah further:

• #81: Supernatural Resurrection

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The subject of resurrection was hotly debated in times of yore. The Talmud records a series of debates between great rabbis and their Roman contemporaries about the this subject. When we probe the matter more deeply, we discover that the Ro

• #58: Post-Mortem Judgment and Cleansing

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Death is a inescapable part of human life. It was not always like that. Prior to Adam’s sin in the Garden, man was destined to live forever. As a result of his consumption from the Tree of Knowledge Good and Evil, Adam condemned humanity to

• #71: The Inevitability of Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The sources all agree: Messiah is not a possibility that we can potentially achieve; it is an inevitability. It will definitely happen. Under no circumstances will Messiah and not come before the year 6,000 since Adam. The inevitability of

• #6: Incontrovertible Evidence to the Divinity of the Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We explore the intricate interrelationship between written and oral Torah and determine that the creation of such a labyrinthine tapestry is beyond the capacity to man. ——– This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Centre in Houston, TX.

• #20: Creation Ex Nihilo and the Age of the Universe Question

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In the Fourth of the Thirteen Principles of Faith, Rambam codifies the distinction between God and everything else and the manner through which God effectuated Creation Ex Nihilo. In doing so, Rambam departs from the positions of Plato and

• #48: How Pedigree and Past Lives Determine Circumstances

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  How exactly does the Almighty determine what are the circumstances that people are placed in in this world? That is an impossible question for humans to answer with exactitude. Unless the Almighty reveals the answer via one of His prophets,

• #83: The Nature of the Preliminary Resurrection

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In our pursuit of understanding of the subject of resurrection, many questions remain. In the previous episode we talked about the two types of resurrection, there is still a lack of clarity in the similarities and the differences between t

• #28: The Divine Torah: An Expanded Definition

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Eighth Principle, that the Torah is Divine, is the central principle upon which all the Thirteen Principles lean. Our entire religion hinges upon the fact that the Almighty gave us His Torah. But what exactly does that mean? In this pod

• #102: Fourth Order of Mishnah (Damages)

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Human interactions can often times get messy. There are myriads of circumstances that require courts and judgements. The Fourth Order of Mishnah contains the books of law and judgement and, surprisingly, the authoritative work on ethics: Ch

• #77: False and Unrealized Messiahs

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Our Nation has been yearning for Messiah for a very long time. And for good cause: Messiah is associated with wonderful things. Messiah is the state of the world when the mission that Abraham began gets actualized. Messiah is when the knowl

• #108: The Power of Pre-Sin Adam

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Adam was created in the image of God. He was given vast influence over God’s creations. What is the mechanism of this power? What is the mechanism of Adam’s ability to influence God’s creations? How is Adam able to move worlds? The answer g

• #17: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People: An Introduction to Jewish Theodicy

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Our nation is no stranger to suffering. Jewish history is a litany of pogroms, holocausts, expulsions, blood libels, and all manners of persecution and oppression. We believe that the Almighty is in full control of everything that transpire

• #37: What is Aggadah?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Talmud is comprised of two general formats: The Halachic portions (known in Talmudic parlance as, “ shemaytza “), and the non-Halachic portions which are called “Aggadah”, or “Aggadata” or “Hagada”. These two parts of the Talmud cannot

• #49: Free Will and Divine Foreknowledge

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  We hold two beliefs that seem to be mutually exclusive. The 10th principle of the 13 principles of faith declares that God knows everything – including the thoughts, deeds, and speech of people – even before it happens. There is nothing tha

• #56: The Unique Markers of a Jewish Soul

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Our nation purports to be the chosen people. What does that mean? Why were we chosen? What were we chosen for? The notion of being a chosen people is a very interesting and mysterious idea. In this special podcast, we focus on an element of

• #54: The Origin of the Soul

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Soul is perhaps the loftiest creation of God. Our Sages tell us that the Soul is even loftier than Angels. What does that mean? What is the nature of the relationship of the Soul to its Creator? What are the properties of the Soul? In t

• #85: The Point of Resurrection

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  What is the point of resurrection? This question has dual meanings: what is the goal of resurrection and what is the point from which resurrection begins? In this very important podcast we answer both questions. What we learn greatly enhanc

• #10: Codifying the Oral Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  At the end of the second century of the common era a fateful decision was made to commit the Jewish Law, known as Mishna, to writing. What prompted this dramatic change? What are the unique methodologies employed in this project? Contact: W

• #111: Reflecting Cherubs

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Cherubs made many appearances in the Tabernacle and the Temple. Hewn onto the Cover of the Ark of f the Covenant were two golden cherubs facing each other. But there were more cherubs. Of the Tabernacle’s multiple fabric covers was one call

• #39: What is Kabbalah?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Kabbalah, the hidden, mystical parts of the Torah, is arguably the most misunderstood area of Torah. It is a subject rife with misconceptions and misinterpretations; it is also a subject that is bursting with charlatans seeking to take adva

• #41: Immanent Proofs for the Divinity of the Torah + TORCH Fundraiser

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Please support TORAH 101 Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED Show your support for TORCH and TORAH 101 Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – –

• #11: Lost in Transmission: What Happens When Errors Occur in Oral Torah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Jewish nation is entrusted with the task of preserving and perpetuating the Torah mistake-free. We have previously seen the vast ordinances in place to prevent errors. Yet humans are fallible and mistakes happen. What happens if/when th

• #33: Torah in the Second Temple Era

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Second Temple Era was an eventful time for the Jewish People and the perpetuation of Torah. Over the course of the Second Commonwealth our nation was blessed with great legends, such as Ezra, Shimon Ben Shetach, and Hillel, but the Nati

• #19: The Incorporeality of God

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Third Principle of the Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith states that God is incorporeal: He has no body, nor does He behave in a bodily way, and all indications in Scripture and other Torah literature to the contrary must be understoo

• #62: The Experience of the Afterlife

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  What is Olam Haba like? Our sages describe this future world as the world of ultimate reward. Paradise in the Afterlife is a very wonderful and pleasurable experience, but even Paradise is not the ultimate reward. That is reserved for Olam

• #69: The Miracles of Messiah

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Messiah is not an isolated, discrete, transformation that occurs in a vacuum. Messiah is the ultimate redemption. Our nation has experienced redemption before. The pattern of exile and redemption has been constant feature of our nation’s hi

• #24: Prophecy: An Introduction

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of Faith can be divided into three general concepts: God, Torah, and Reward and Punishment. The first five principles oriented around the Jewish understanding of God. The four Principles from six through nine re

• #93: Ultimate Reward and Punishment: Rambam’s Magisterial Essay Part 1

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In his commentary to Mishnah, Rambam (Maimonides) offers a fascinating overview of the subjects of the Afterlife, Resurrection, Messiah, Paradise, and Olam Haba (the world to come). This is arguably the single greatest essay on these exotic

• #36: What is Talmud?

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Talmud, or how it is often called, “Gemara”, is an ancient set of books written as commentary and elaboration of Mishnah. Despite being 1500 years old, the Talmud is still studied today by millions of people worldwide. In this podcast w

• #64: Messiah: A General Introduction

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  Our nation has been anticipating and longing for the Messiah, Moshiach (משיח) in Hebrew, for millennia. We are awaiting his arrival, which can come any day. The Messianic era is a utopian world that we yearn for. But what exactly is the Mes

• Special: An Interview About My New Book, Upon A Ten-Stringed Harp

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  In conjunction with our annual fundraiser this week at giveTORCH.org (every donation is tripled), we are releasing a special interview conducted by the TORCH Board President, Dan Kullman, about my new book, Upon A Ten-Stringed Harp. Please

• #75: Indications of the Messianic Era

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The world will undergo immense changes in the times of Messiah. Those changes will be so transformative and so comprehensive that our current world and our current values are scarcely similar to those of the world of Messiah. When Messiah w

• #18: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People: Three Torah Perspectives on this Vexing Problem

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The question of theodicy is one that all people of faith grapple with. The Talmud records multiple conversations between Moses and the Almighty on this subject, and even the ministering angels, and Adam before his Sin weighed in on it. It i

• #15: The Singularity of God

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The Second Principle of Jewish Faith declares that God is One. But not like one of a pair; and not like one of a group; and not like one person that can be divided into many [smaller] units; and not like a thing which is numerically one but

• #52: What Happens After You Die: An Eschatological Timeline

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The question of what happens after we die is simultaneously fascinating and terrifying. Death is a future that we all share, and we are all curious about what it will be like, but thinking about it is scary and unsettling. In our exploratio

• #107: Created in the Image of God

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  “And God made man in His image. In the image of God (Elokim) He made him.” The majority of the secrets of the Kabbalistic esoterica are hidden in these cryptic words, but the magisterial work, Nefesh HaChaim, authored by Rabbi Chaim of Volo

• #12: The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith: God as Creator and Sustainer

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The clearest, most universally accepted articulation of the Principles of Jewish Belief are the Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of Faith. This list of Thirteen Principles were codified in his commentary on Mishnah in the introduction to Chapte

• #84: Rambam’s Epistle of Resurrection

  Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

  The great medieval sage my Maimonides – Rambam – has been guiding us throughout our studies of the 13th principles of faith. This transcendental scholar, who’s magisterial writings are authoritatively accepted amongst the entirety of the Je