Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Rabbi Elazar Ben Aruch was the most promising student of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai. Unfortunately, his potential was not actualized, and in fact he forgot his Torah. In this autobiographical Mishnah, he shares with us the reason why his greatness did not pan out.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Mistakes are endemic to the human condition. We all make mistakes. Even the titans of our history like Moshe, Aaron, and Joshua made mistakes. In this hastily prepared podcast we speculate that mistakes are not incidental to greatness but are absolutely pivotal. Without mistakes there can be no greatness.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
In our most ideal state, the Jewish Nation is described as “A Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.” We are all Kings! The Talmud teaches that in Olam Haba, all the righteous who merit an invitation will be adorned with a resplendent crown atop their heads, and be basking in the pleasure of God. In this Mishnah we discover the nature of those crowns.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Our parsha contains an unusual sequence: The nation is about to leave Sinai, and Moshe makes a prolonged, and unsuccessful, appeal to his father in law, Jethro, to remain with him. Then there is the strange episode of the backwards-facing NUNs. Then the nation commits two grievous sin back to back. Moshe then tells God that he can bear the nation no longer he needs lieutenants, And finally, God tells him to appoint 70 elders to help him lead the people. In this podcast, we ask a series of questions on this sequence, and share a powerful insight into how people change and the threats they will face.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Accidents happen. Generally speaking, the Torah overlooks things that happen unintentionally. If someone accidentally sins, the Almighty forgives him. Yet the Mishnah teaches that an accident in Torah study is tantamount to a willful, negligent blunder. Why are matters of Torah treated so harshly?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
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?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
A central tenet of Jewish philosophy is that every individual is unique – a world onto their own – and is entrusted by God with a unique, tailored mission. That principle is found several times in our parsha. But how do we discover what our mission is? In the past, that question would be addressed to prophets. In our non-prophet world, finding our life-mission is much tougher. But our parsha gives us some pointers in that quest too.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Parshas Bamidbar is the Torah portion that we read immediately prior to Shavuos, the Festival of the Giving of the Torah, each year. In this special episode, we offer a mind-bending idea to ponder the connection between Shavuos and Parshas Bamidbar.
To aid with visualizing the contents of this unique episode, please download the accompanying slideshow and follow along.
Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments
TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover
Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
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!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
The Sages of yore were absolute Torah giants, of course, but many also balanced their scholastic responsibilities with earning a livelihood. Our particular Mishnah is the brainchild of Rabbi Yochanan HaSandler, Rabbi Yochanan the Shoemaker. In this pithy teaching, he differentiates between assemblies convened for the sake of Heaven and those bound for failure.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
What are the consequences of out behavior? What difference does it make if someone does a mitzvah or a sin? In this landmark teaching in Pirkei Avos we learn that our actions truly matter. We have the opportunity to make breaking news in Heaven. What Heavenly Headline will we write?
Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments