This Jewish Life - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Wrestling with Innate, Unchangeable flaws: The Keturah Method

Our character traits fall into three categories: The ones that are easily changeable with minimal effort. The ones that can be changed, but it requires much more intense and concerted effort because they are much more deeply rooted. The character flaws that are not changeable; they are hardwired and fixed in place. What do we do about those unchangeable flaws? Is there a method to maneuver around them? Are we supposed to come to terms with them? Are we condemned to suffer as a result of them? Our pursuit is perfection. And perfection is even possible notwithstanding very unpleasant and very unchangeable flaws. One method was pioneered by a brilliant and righteous woman named Keturah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

Living a Torah Life (Alei Shur Introduction to The First Gate)

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 guidance for how to live a most meaningful and uplifting life. The First Gate of Alei Shur is dedicated to living a life of Torah and the Introduction to The First Gate will infuse us with deep desire to learn about how to live a Torah life. We also get a glimpse of some of the structure of the Work and how its four Gates act as a  ladder of ascent. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

The Walled Garden of Torah (Alei Shur Introduction)

A thick wall separates the world of Torah from the world outside of it. Those who are outside have no concept of the wondrous nature of that world. Even people who are Torah observant – who are Orthodox – can be totally ignorant of this most magnificent world. Even someone who is privileged to be enumerated amongst students of a Yeshiva, may be ignorant of the true world of Torah. That is how the book Alei Shur, authored by my saintly grandfather Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe begins. There’s a magnificent, majestic, marvelous world of Torah, but it is guarded by a thick wall. The words “Alei Shur” (עלי שור) mean “atop the rampart.” In this book, the Magnum Opus a of my grandfather’s extremely voluminous literary output, offers the readers a tour on top of the ramparts of that thick wall. With the first reading of the book, readers are only asked to tread upon the ramparts and examine every part of this wonderful world. With a second reading of the book, the reader is encouraged to head down from the ramparts and to find a portal to enter into this wonderful world themselves. In this podcast we study the introduction of this fantastic book. Learning this introduction will certainly whet our appetites to be included in this tour on top of the ramparts. If you would be interested in a stand-alone podcast on Alei Shur, please email me and let me know. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

The Singular Day of Yom Kippur

The holiest day of the year is upon us. The day of Yom Kippur is unmatched and unrivaled by any other. It is a day of elevation. It is a day of purification. It is a day to be cleansed of all of our sins. It is a day to move past all of our trauma. On this day God pledges to forgive us from for all of our sins. But some of us have a hard time connecting with this awesome day. Some of us wish that we can leapfrog this day and move on to the festival of Sukkos. Why do we have such a hard time with this day, and what is there to do about it? In this really superb podcast, we learn about the secrets of this awesome day, and what is actually we need to do so that we merit to partake in its vast, awesome power. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

Jonah: The Yom Kippur Reading on an Allegorical Level

On Yom Kippur afternoon, we read the 48-verse Book of Jonah, which tells of a renegade prophet, Jonah, who defies the directive of God and refuses to castigate the people of Nineveh and instead escapes from God to Tarshish – with mixed results. A simple reading of the story reveals a tale of repentance, both of the protagonist, Jonah, and of the people of Nineveh. But our Sages let us in on a secret that the Book of Jonah contains a  hidden, kabbalistic story embedded beneath the story – which also teaches us powerful, topical messages for the Day of Atonement. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101