The Ethics Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

How to be a Peacemaker (1:11-12)

One of the great legendary figures in Jewish history, Hillel, instructs us to follow the ways of Aaron: To love peace and to pursue it, and to love people and bring them

The Two Elements of Leadership (1:10)

In the tenth Mishna, the leader of the Jews Shemayah, a descendent of the Assyrian king Sanchereb, teaches us about the work, leadership and politicians. This Ethics Podc

Ethical Judicial Conduct (1:8-1:9)

In the Second Century before the Common Era, the Jewish world was in an upheaval due largely to various splinter sects, such as the Sadducees and Boethusians, causing int

Avoiding Bad Neighbors (1:7)

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. This Ethics Podcast

Selecting Mentors (1:6)

In the 6th mishna of Pirkei Avos, we learn about the importance of having good mentors and friends, and the prerequisites to make such relationships work. This Ethics Pod

Excessive Schmoozing with Women (1:5)

In the fifth mishna we learn about the proper ways to interact with others, especially those less fortunate, in a pious and peril-free manner. This Ethics Podcast was ori

Godly Intellect (1:4)

In the fourth mishna of Pirkei Avos, our sages offer three steps to accessing Torah. In our deconstruction of this teaching we learn about the nature of Torah and the unu

Fostering Lasting Relationships (1:3)

In following the previous mishna which distilled the life objectives to three tenets, Pirkei Avos proceeds to delve into each one individually. In perhaps the most diffic

Three-Pronged Purpose (1.2)

The second Mishna in Pirkei Avos features a powerful teaching from one of the pivotal and legendary characters in Jewish History. Shimon HaTzadik (Simeon the Righteous),

Elul Initiative: The Book of Ethics (1.1)

The first mishna of Pirkei Avos begins with attributing the first 900 years of the line of transmission of the Torah from Moshe at Sinai until the Men of the Great Assemb

Purpose of Creation (6:11)

With endless praise to the Almighty for all goodness that he has done for us, we hereby present the final episode of the Ethics podcast. We began this project in 2017 and

God’s Cherished Possessions (6:10)

God owns everything. He created everything and owns it all. But there are some things that God cherishes above others. Our Mishnah describes five cherished possessions of

Place of Torah (6.9)

There are only three rules of real estate: location, location, location. When it comes to choosing a place to live, the same principle applies. But what determines a good

Double-Edged Swords (6.8)

Not everything that we covet in life necessarily redounds to our benefit. There are great many things that are double-edge swords: they can be used for good; they can acc

The Life-Giving Property of Torah (6:7)

The thing that we crave more than anything else is life. We all want life. We all flee from curtailing of – or danger to – our life. How do we indeed get life? In this wo

Proper Attribution (6.6.48)

When we hear something beautiful, something genius, something powerful, we may be tempted to pass it off as our own. In the final installment of the 48 ways to wisdom we

Systematic Studying (6.6.47)

The penultimate way to wisdom offered by our sages instructs us to be systematic in our studies. What exactly does this mean? In this very special Ethics Podcast, we offe

Sharpening Teachers (6.6.46)

Teachers are usually pretty talented. They’re usually gifted, knowledgeable, intelligent, and well-studied. In way to wisdom # 46 we learn how a student should strive to

Studying with Intentionality (6.6.44-45)

What are our intentions when we study? What are we trying to achieve? If we are studying the Almighty’s Torah simply as an exercise in theoretical, abstract learning, we

Active Listening (6.6.43)

Listening is a lost art. To truly listen and consider the other person’s position is becoming increasingly rarer. We get consumed with our own ideas and perspectives; som