The Parsha Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Parshas Haazinu (Rebroadcast)

Still in the final day of Moshe’s life, he conveys to the nation a 43-verse Song predicting the contours of Jewish history, both past, present, and future. The patterns a

The Binding of Isaac (Second Day of Rosh Hashana Torah Reading)

On the second day of Rosh Hashana, we read the Torah section of Genesis chapter 22 that tells the very famous and quite troubling episode of the Binding of Isaac. Abraham

The Origin of Isaac (First Day of Rosh Hashana Torah Reading)

The Torah readings for the two days of Rosh Hashana were not arbitrarily chosen. There are very good reasons why on the first day of Rosh Hashana we read Genesis chapter

Nitzavim & Vayeilech – Mavericks vs. Heat

The entire book of Devarim occurs over the span of 36 days, the final 36 days of Moshe’s life. The final four Parshas are an account of the last day of Moshe’s life. As h

Nitzavim Vayeilech – Like Clockwork (5784)

We are not machines. We are humans. And that’s messy. We have all sorts of struggles doing the right thing. We are influenced by a myriad of impulses, inclinations, and p

Parshas Nitzavim & Vayeilech (Rebroadcast)

On the final day of Moshe’s life, he gathered the entire nation – men, women, children, and according to the Talmud, all souls of future Jews – to pass them through a fin

Ki Savo – The Joystick

Sadness and hopelessness are modern societal epidemics. Notwithstanding the fact that our time has seen more material abundance than ever before, the share of Americans,

Ki Savo – Gaze from Heaven (5784)

Blessings and curses. That is the dominant theme of our Parsha. We read the admonition of Deuteronomy – 98 bone-chilling curses that will befall our people in the event t

Parshas Ki Savo (Rebroadcast)

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 me

Ki Seitzei – Moabite the Hand that Fed You

Our number one goal in life is to achieve perfection. Perfection of character, perfection of behavior, profession of speech, profession of thought, perfection in every po

Ki Seitzei – Conscience Cleanser (5784)

Of the motley potpourri of subjects featured in Parshas Ki Seitzei are several fascinating mitzvos that we address in this week’s Parsha podcast. We begin with a fascinat

Parshas Ki Seitzei (Rebroadcast)

In the parsha that contains the most mitzvos of any of the 54 Torah sections (a staggering 74 mitzvos), we read about the wayward and rebellious son, the requirement to b

Shoftim – Selfless, Fearless, Flawless, Scholars

Our Parsha features laws relating to all types of leaders: Judges must not corrupt judgment, must not accept bribery, must hearken to the rulings of the Grand Sanhedrin,

Shoftim – Government-in-Exile (5784)

In this Parsha Podcast we share two fascinating and deep insights from our Parsha. The first relates to the method by which capital punishment must be meted out. The seco

Parshas Shoftim (Rebroadcast)

This week we learn the laws governing all kinds of leaders: The parsha begins by detailing the laws of judges, the jurisdiction of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court, and w

Reeh – Root Force

Idolatry is anathema. Idolatry in the Holy Land is totally intolerable. Multiple times in the book of Devarim, we are exhorted to thoroughly and utterly destroy any remna

Reeh – Idle Tree, Idle Warship, and Falls Profits (5784)

The Torah spends a lot of time cautioning us against idolatry. As the nation is about to cross over the Jordan and enter Canaan, they are repeatedly warned to not fall pr

Parshas Reeh (Rebroadcast)

This week’s parsha marks a transition in the Book of Deuteronomy: it is no longer primarily about admonishment and rebuke and warnings, instead we read a bevy of mitzvos

Eikev – Hidden Mechanisms

Several themes seem to be repeating themselves again and again throughout the Book of Devarim. For example, the nation is repeatedly encouraged to not be fearful of the f

Eikev – Shock and Awe (5784)

Flashy achievements make the news. Great triumphs, awesome deeds, transcendent moments grab our attention and seize our imagination. Humdrum acts fail to stir excitement.