Monthly Archives: March 2019

Mitzvah: Refraining from Work on Shabbos (#32, 85, 114)

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The Torah warns us no less than twelve times not to work on Shabbos. What constitutes work and why are its laws so comprehensive and draconian?

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Contact:
Websites: Personal: RabbiWolbe.com; TORCH: Torchweb.orgTwitter: Personal: @RabbiWolbe; TORCH: @TORCHWEB
Facebook: Personal: Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe; TORCH: TORCH Centre
Email: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com.

Parsha: Parshas Shemini

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After months of preparation and building, and a week of inauguration, the nation was anticipating the climax of the Tabernacle experience: When God finally rested His Presence upon the people’s handiwork. On the eighth day the Tabernacle was erected for good, and a Heavenly fire consumed the various sacrifices offered upon the Altar and the nation experienced the euphoria and intense trepidation of having God in their midst. But a second divine fire marred the joy when Aaron’s two sons were consumed for bringing a foreign and improper offering.

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The Parsha Podcast is dedicated by my dear friend Mike Fisher, in loving memory of his mother Doris, Breindl bat Yosef v’ Miriam. May her soul be elevated in Heaven!

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Mitzvah: Heralding the Shabbos (#31)

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Shabbos is a mitzvah that is equal to all 613 mitzvos combined. It is a the fountain of blessing; the epicenter of the week; it is vitally important for the Jewish soul. Therefore we are commanded to remember it and acknowledge it in attention-catching ways at its commencement and conclusion.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Parsha: Parshas Tzav

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In continuation of the themes of last week, Parshas Tzav details the procedures of processing many of the sacrifices enumerated in Parshas Vayikra, teaches us about new sacrifices, and we read about the seven days of inauguration of the Tabernacle.

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The Parsha Podcast is dedicated in merit of the speedy recovery of Amy bat Devorah, a dear friend and supporter of TORCH.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Jewish Life: Purim: A Primer

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The festival of Purim commemorates the story of salvation that our nation experienced in Persia more than two thousand years ago. Haman the heir of Amaleik schemed a plot to eradicate the entire Jewish people in one randomly selected day, the 13th day of Adar. But the Almighty would have none of it. In His kindness He orchestrated a series of events, told to us in the Book of Esther, that foiled Haman’s plot and led to our nation’s spiritual renaissance, the effects of which still reverberate today. In this podcast we retell the Purim story and delve into its themes to make our observance of the holiday ever more meaningful.

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This podcast is sponsored in loving memory of Walter Heller, beloved father of my dear personal friend and TORCH supporter, Stephen Heller.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

TORAH 101: The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith: God as Creator and Sustainer

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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 Chapter 10 of the book of Sanhedrin; they were also added into Jewish Liturgy in the Ani Maamin and Yigdal prayers. Though the canonization of these 13 Principles were initially contested, they have not been for many, many centuries, and therefore we can say that the universal Principles of Faith are these thirteen. In this first episode on the Principles of Jewish Faith we briefly outline the structure of the 13 Principles and dig into the First Principle – the belief in God.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Parsha: Parshas Vayikra

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In Parshas Vayikra, the first Torah section in The Book of Leviticus, we learn about the processes and procedures of many different varieties of sacrifices: There are three different types of elevation offerings; three types of peace-offerings; six types of meal-offerings; and numerous sin and guilt offerings. Our exploration of the parsha begins with a survey of several of the classic explanations for the notion of animal sacrifices in general.

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The Parsha Podcast is dedicated in honor and in appreciation of Ahava Leibtag, a dear friend and supporter of TORCH.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Mitzvah: Not Taking God’s Name in Vain or Falsely (#30, 227)

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The Third of the Ten Commandments is the prohibition against taking God’s Name in vain. What is wrong with swearing needlessly and why is it considered such a severe sin?

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This Mitzvah Podcast is sponsored by Pascale Sharpe in honor of her husband Martyn and children Hazel and Daniel, and in appreciation of the TORCH rabbis’ dedication to spreading Torah to the Houston Community and beyond.

Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Jewish Life: A Conversation About Kosher with Rabbi Nosson Dubin

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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 furthering kosher options in Houston. Beyond his local role in the Houston Kashrus scene, Rabbi Dubin is also the founder of the Kosher Institute of America, an innovative online Kashrus education organization that pioneered a comprehensive course that promises kosher mastery in 8 hours which is available on their website k osherinstitute.com.

I sat down with Rabbi Dubin for a unique and wide-ranging conversation on many matters relating to kosher in America, including an argument on the importance of kosher; how we are living in the golden era of kosher availability; we went on a virtual walk-through of a grocery section as a kosher consumer, we explored the behind the scenes of a modern Kashrus agency, and we talked about the revolutionary Kosher Institute of America course that will teach you everything you need to know about the laws of kosher.

Listeners who are interested in purchasing the course from the k osherinstitute.com can use the code TORCH15 to save 15% on the cost. We also are offering scholarships to anyone who wants to buy the course and needs financial assistance. Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com to apply.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Mitzvah: Not making, bowing, or worshipping foreign gods (#27-29)

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Beyond believing in idols, the Ten Commandments instruct us to not construct, prostrate, or worship any idols. When we examine some of the pagan idols of yore we find out just how kooky and outlandish some of their practices were.

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Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!

Jewish Podcast

A Project of TORCH

Monthly Archives: March 2019

Mitzvah: Refraining from Work on Shabbos (#32, 85, 114)

Parsha: Parshas Shemini

Mitzvah: Heralding the Shabbos (#31)

Parsha: Parshas Tzav

Jewish Life: Purim: A Primer

TORAH 101: The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith: God as Creator and Sustainer

Parsha: Parshas Vayikra

Mitzvah: Not Taking God’s Name in Vain or Falsely (#30, 227)

Jewish Life: A Conversation About Kosher with Rabbi Nosson Dubin

Mitzvah: Not making, bowing, or worshipping foreign gods (#27-29)