Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Listen to Torah shiurim and browse series by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe.
Shiurim
- Chessed (Kindness): The catalyst for greatness
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Listen to Chessed (Kindness): The catalyst for greatness by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.
- Living a Torah Life (Alei Shur Introduction to The First Gate)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Torah is not supposed to be a detached, academic study. The Almighty gave us a Torah as the authoritative guide for living the most elevated and rich life possible. The Creator of all of created existence endowed humanity with with the guid
- Torah Misappropriation (4:7)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Our nation is blessed to be privy to the Almighty’s Torah. Those who immerse themselves in the Torah’s vast seas are the choicest and most admirable people of our nation. What benefits do they deserve? Is it OK for them to cash in on their
- The Three Loves & A Guaranteed Formula To Love And Happiness
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
What if there was a repeatable and formulaic method to achieving happiness? What if there was a systematic step-by-step instruction manual to acquiring, sustaining and deepening our relationships? Indeed, the manual for living – the Torah –
- #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
- Parshas Shelach
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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 p
- The Core Theme of Rosh Hashana
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Rosh Hashana is the anniversary of the creation of man. It is also the Day of Judgement. What are the various elements and themes of the day and how do they interrelate? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please consider making a d
- Shelach – Daydreams, Nightmares, and Reveries
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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 rem
- Parshas Pekudei
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The final parsha in the Book of Exodus wraps up the account of the construction of the Tabernacle, and its vessels and vestments. Again and again we read the refrain that everything was done precisely how God commanded Moses. NEW! The Mitzv
- Moses and Rabbi Akiva on Suffering and Tragedy
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The experience of pain and suffering is ubiquitous across all spectrum of human life. All of us, in some capacity, experience difficulties and challenges. Any measure of human suffering creates a dilemma for believers in a just God: How can
- Yisro – Spiritual Metamorphosis
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Moshe’s father in law Yisro is arguably the most unusual character in the Torah. His arrival comes at a very crucial time – sandwiched between the major founding events of our nation – and his contribution is somewhat marginal, yet he is gi
- Emor – Snowball’s Chance in Heaven (5783)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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 stor
- The Torah as a Divine Document: An Analysis of Higher Bible Criticism and why the Authorship of the Torah Matters
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
This is the first lecture that revolves around the question of who wrote the Torah and how can we prove our conclusions. In the first session we clarify what the traditional belief is regarding the authorship of the Written and Oral Torah a
- Bechukosai – Impractical Torah?
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Torah is absolutely vast. It is a veritable ocean. And we are privileged to be able to study it and immerse ourselves in it. Those of us who have had the great privilege of studying in Yeshiva know that there’s nothing as delightful and as
- Chukas – Bold and Boulder
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
When the nation needed water, they found it in a most unexpected place: Moshe struck a rock and it began to spew forth enough water for the entire nation. Why was there water inside the rock? Why when Jacob needed water, he removed the rock
- Shemittah (#84, 112, 326-9)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Torah tells us that the land must lay fallow every 7th year. For an entire year, all the farmers in Israel must cease operations. Moreover, they must relinquish ownership on the land. Just as Shabbos on a weekly schedule, the Shemittah
- Parshas Terumah
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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 t
- Vayeitzei – Manipulating Willpower
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
In our parsha, Jacob and his wives are faced with a very difficult test, and the Torah describes a very unique approach that they used when confronting the dilemma. In this podcast, we will deconstruct their methodology and draw from it a v
- Misappropriation of the Sacred (#127, 447)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Misappropriating Temple property is a very bad idea. The sacrifices, the animals, the vessels, the property, the money used for update and maintenance – all items that are included in the temple coffers cannot be misused. – – – – – – – – –
- Chayei Sarah – Buried Alive (5784)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Sarah died at the age of 127. Abraham negotiated with the Hittites for the purchase of a burial plot, the Cave of Machpelah. The objective of the purchase of the Cave of Machpelah was to bury the dead. These three facts are featured at the
- Parshas Beshalach
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Parshas Beshalach may be the most action-packed parsha in the Torah. After the Exodus, God directed the people to not take the shortest route to the Land in order to facilitate the great miracle of the Splitting of the Sea and the final des
- Vayeira – Abraham’s Failures?
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
A casual reading of our parsha would give the impression that Abraham fails at everything he tries: He tries to feed guests, yet we find out that they are angels who need no food; He tries valiantly to save Sodom and Gomorrah, yet God overt
- Ten Days of Repentance: A Primer
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Yom Kippur marks the final day of the Ten Days of Repentance. On this day all our efforts are focused on repenting and earning atonement for all our sins and getting sealed into the Book of Life for the upcoming year. In this podcast we ana
- Vayishlach – Not Reddy to Change (5782)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Parshas Vayishlach is an action-packed parsha. After a tension-filled 20 years with Laban, Jacob has to dodge bullets for another parsha. Esau wants to kill him. The angel tries to strike at him the entire night. His daughter Dina is kidnap
- Ep. 51: The History of the Sanhedrin (Part One: From Moshe until the Destruction of the Second Temple)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Sanhedrin, the highest halachic authority in the Land comprised of the 71 greatest scholars in the Jewish world, was the Supreme Court of the Jewish Nation. It was founded by Moshe about a year after the Revelation at Sinai and continue
- Vayikra – Vicarious Sacrifice (5781)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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
- Bereishis – Cain’s Discovery
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Welcome to Year Seven (!) of The Parsha Podcast. Each week will feature, with the help of the Almighty, three episodes, two ones from previous years and a new one: On Sunday, the Parsha Rebroadcast that covers the whole Parsha in about an h
- Re’eh – Look at Me (5781)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Moshe begins our parsha by presenting the Nation with a choice: See, I have placed before you today blessing and curse. And he continues to state that the blessing is the steadfast observance of the commandments of the Almighty, while the c
- Shemini – Find Your Breach (5781)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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, Aa
- The Sukkah and The Lulav
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The two mitzvos of the Festival of Sukkos (Sukkot) are the shaking of the Lulav and the Four Species and the dwelling in the Sukkah. What is the deeper meaning behind these mitzvos? In this special pre-Festival episode, we examine the two m
- Is Judaism still Relevant?
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Rabbi Wolbe outlines the three reasons why Judaism is exceedingly important.
- Great Visionaries: How Moses and Abraham Inspired Generations of Great Jewish Leaders
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Listen to Great Visionaries: How Moses and Abraham Inspired Generations of Great Jewish Leaders by Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, from This Jewish Life.
- 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
- Biblical Longevity
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
We all want to live long. But how long is a long life? Centenarians are still rare. Global life expectancy is around 70 years old. In healthier, richer countries, maybe 80. But when you open up Scripture, you find ages an order of magnitude
- #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
- Vanquishing the Villain Part 3: The Shema and The Powers of Contemplation of Death
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
We are told by our Sages that reciting the Shema and contemplating our own demise are powerful tools to defeat the powers of the Yetzer ra. How does this all work? Contact: Website: RabbiWolbe.com; Twitter: @RabbiWolbe; Facebook: Rabbi Yaak
- Avoiding Bad Neighbors (1:7)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
In the previous mishna we are instructed how to choose positive influences, in this one we are warned of the perils of bad friends and bad neighbors. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making
- Man, Judaism and the Pursuit of Pleasure Part 5
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
In the finale of the series we seek the greatest pleasure of them all.
- Emor – Simulated Martyrdom (5784)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Humans have a very important role to play in God’s world. The Almighty created a world in which He is obfuscated. It is possible to live a whole life without acknowledging the one, singular reality of existence: God. The world was designed
- Bo – Climactic Exodus (Rebroadcast)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Ten Plagues reach their crescendo in Parshas Bo. After Pharaoh’s repeated intransigence, he undergoes a series of humbling miraculous plagues that prompt him to evict the Jews from his land. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – P
- Emor – Matching Man and Mission
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Priests are the noblest amongst us, direct descendants of Aaron, the legendary first priest. They have a very important role to play amongst their people. They have a special blessing that they can bestow upon the people, and they can p
- Purim: Toasting your Troubles
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Purim contains arguably Judaism’s strangest custom. On the day that we celebrate our nation’s triumph over Haman and his evil plot, we are required to drink and become so drunk that we forget about Haman’s treachery. What is the meaning beh
- Bereishis – Duality of Man
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Parshas Bereishis is the first Parsha and also the most difficult one to understand. From beginning to end, our Parsha is a riddle and a mystery. In this year’s podcasts we attempt to read the story behind the story, get the inside scoop, t
- Tackling Temptation: Can we possibly succeed against life’s most formidable foe?
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
In this class Rabbi Wolbe sets out to demystify and unlock the secrets of one of mankind’s greatest challenges and struggles: temptation. Culling from an array of ancient Judaic texts we will begin with defining, demarcating and delineating
- Parshas Ki Savo (Rebroadcast)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
As the Book of Deuteronomy draws to its conclusion, the narrative makes a transition: Moshe finishes conveying the mitzvos to the nation, and sets up his final parting message to the people. First, he commands the nation to perform several
- #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
- The Secret of the Haggadah with Rabbi Shmuly Botnick
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Pesach Haggadah guides us through the Seder night and the story of the Exodus. But as is always true in our religion, there are secrets and mysteries lurking beneath the surface. To plumb the esoteric depths of the Haggadah we invited b
- Holy Matrimony and Unholy Dalliances (#61, 552, 557-8, 570)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Marriage is the centerpiece of the Jewish family. But what happens when people want to take shortcuts, and fulfill their carnal desires without the hassle of marriage? Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments T
- Shoftim – Crisper Genes (5783)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The nation is on the doorstep of Canaan. In our Parsha, the people are instructed in how they must treat the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. It’s not pleasant. The people are told that they must engage in total war against these nations.
- Terumah – The Ark of Torah
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
This parsha kickstart several Torah sections outlining the structure and the vessels of the mishkan , the Tabernacle. The Talmud brings these ideas closer to our understanding by linking the vessels of the Tabernacle to the greatest arenas
- Parshas Bo (Rebroadcast)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
After the first seven Plagues of Egypt related in last week’s parsha, Pharaoh and his people were still unwilling to release the Children of Israel. In Parshas Bo, the miracles and wonders of the Almighty intensified, culminating in the Dea
- Shemini – Spiritual Cholesterol
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Kosher food is good for you. Non-kosher food is bad. That much we learned in our parsha. But why? Why is kosher food good? In this exquisite podcast, we Go deep and deeper in trying to understand. We discover how non kosher food serves as a
- #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
- Nocturnal Opportunities (3:5)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Rabbi Chananya ben Chakhinai says: One who stays awake at night, and one who wanders on a road alone, and turns his heart to idleness, behold he is liable with his life. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consid
- #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:
- Moderation (6:6:17)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Our resources are finite. We must engage in trade-offs, deciding what pursuits to prioritize over others. This, of course, is all well known. But it’s more complicated: by design, we feel drawn to seek out and pursue goals that are potentia
- Lag BaOmer and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Lag BaOmer is the day that marks the Yahrtzeit/Hillula of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the great Sages of the Mishnaic Era. In celebration and recognition of Rabbi Shimon’s accomplishments and stature, the custom is to make it a mini-hol
- Noach – The Flood and The Fish (5783)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
The Flood was a disaster for all the Earth’s inhabitants, humans and animals alike. With the exception of Noah and his family and the animals safely housed in the Ark, all the land-based animals died in the Flood. But not the fish. The fish
- Vayechi – Brotherly Love: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Family is everything. If you are fortunate enough to have siblings, parents, and children you know that there are bonds of kinship and brotherhood (and sisterhood, of course) between family members are strong and often unbreakable. This is
- Behaaloscha – Kindle Fire (5781)
Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
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 ther