The Parsha Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe
Religion & Spirituality
About
Join Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe for a parsha by parsha journey through the entire Torah. Every week we will outline of the parsha, delve into its major themes and draw valuable and interesting insights from it.
Episodes
- Behaaloscha – Honeymoon Phases (5784)
After nearly a year at Sinai, the nation is on the move: in perfect formation, each tribe perfectly positioned and oriented, the nation finally departed the site of the Sinai Revelation. Following the cloud, the nation traveled. In this ve…
- Parshas Behaaloscha (Rebroadcast)
The Jewish nation has been encamped at Mount Sinai for nearly a year; in this week’s parsha they finally depart from the Mountain of God, and sadly leave gleefully as a child escaping school. This kick starts a series of missteps that carr…
- Nasso – Four Paces
The longest Parsha in the Torah (Nasso) contains a seemingly unconnected string of subjects. It begins by detailing the responsibilities of adult working-age Levites from three Levite families, followed by a census of those Levites. In the…
- Nasso – Gordian Knot (5784)
Parshas Nasso is the longest Parsha in the Torah by verses. In this very special Parsha podcast we explore three different elements of the Parsha: We offer a deep examination of the banishment of the various impure people from the camp; a…
- Parshas Nasso (Rebroadcast)
In the longest parsha in the Torah by verses, we continue to read about the Levite families and their responsibilities, we learn about the three tiers of the Nation’s encampment, the laws of a suspected adulteress, the laws of the Nazir, t…
- Bamidbar – Honorary Levites
The podcast episode "Bamidbar – Honorary Levites" discusses the Book of Numbers, highlighting its censuses and the segregation of Levites. It reveals two modes of Divine Service: the Israelite mode and the Levite mode, suggesting non-Levit…
- Bamidbar – Legion of God (5784)
This episode of The Parsha Podcast, titled "Bamidbar – Legion of God (5784)", delves into the seemingly bland and technical aspects of Parshas Bamidbar, including the census and tribal arrangements. The podcast aims to uncover deeper, impa…
- Parshas Bamidbar (Rebroadcast)
The Parsha Podcast discusses Parshas Bamidbar, recounting the census of the twelve tribes of Israel, the tribal banners and encampments, and the roles and responsibilities assigned to the Levite families.
- Behar Bechukosai – The Seven Secrets
This episode of The Parsha Podcast with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe explores the mitzvot of Shemittah and the Jubilee year. It examines the reasoning behind ceasing work in the fields every seventh and fiftieth year, their connection to the Torah
- Behar – Intractable Land (5784)
The Parsha Podcast episode "Behar – Intractable Land (5784)" examines the unique status of the Land of Israel and its laws, with a particular focus on the mitzvah of Shemitah. The discussion explores what this reveals about the land and th…
- Parshas Behar & Bechukosai (Rebroadcast)
This week’s double-Parsha closes out the Book of Leviticus. Parshas Behar begins at Mount Sinai, where the Almighty instructed Moshe to convey a series of laws to the Jewish people. The first is the mitzvah of Shemittah, the prohibition of…
- Emor – Matching Man and Mission
The Priests are the noblest amongst us, direct descendants of Aaron, the legendary first priest. They have a very important role to play amongst their people. They have a special blessing that they can bestow upon the people, and they can…
- Emor – Simulated Martyrdom (5784)
Humans have a very important role to play in God’s world. The Almighty created a world in which He is obfuscated. It is possible to live a whole life without acknowledging the one, singular reality of existence: God. The world was designed…
- Parshas Emor (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Emor contains a staggering 56 mitzvos, nearly all of them relating to either to the Kohanim, the priests, or to the Festivals, and the parsha ends with a very unusual episode that happened at Sinai. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –…
- Acharei Mos/Kedoshim – Acting the Goat
Yom Kippur is a different day than every other day of the year. It is the holiest day, the day of atonement, a day of fasting and prayer and repentance. When the Temple was extant, the Nations’ attention was oriented around the high priest…
- Acharei Mos – Fleshy Onesie (5784)
The first verse of our Parsha revisits a tragic event from the past. The Torah tells us that after the death of Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu, Moshe was instructed to command Aaron about the prohibition against entering the Holy of Holies u…
- Parshas Acharei & Kedoshim (Rebroadcast)
This week’s double-parsha contains a smorgasbord of mitzvos. The three chapters of Parshas Acharei cover three general categories. First we read about the Yom Kippur sacrifices and procedures; then we learn about the prohibitions against t…
- Tazria Metzora – Better Animals of our Nature
The subject of purity and impurity is not the most exciting one. The hallmark of these subjects is their intricacies and complexities, but our parsha has nothing but the laws of purity and impurity. It talks about impurity spawned by child…
- Tazria Metzora – Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaires (5784)
Like much of Leviticus hitherto, tzaraas – the skin malady that is a physical manifestation of a spiritual flaw – is a concept distant from our consciousness. The Torah tells us that when a person commits one of several sins, they can be s…
- Parshas Tazria & Metzora (Rebroadcast)
A very large percentage of Torah is dedicated to the laws of purity and impurity. This week’s double Parshas of Tazria and Metzora largely deal with these laws. One variant of impurity that is discussed in both parshas is that of a metzora…
- Shemini – A Time For Boldness
The 2026 annual TORCH fundraiser is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is doubled at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is matched at giveTORCH.org Please support TORCH and the Parsha Podcast with a generous contribution rig…
- Shemini – Spiritual Cholesterol (5784)
The 2026 annual TORCH fundraiser is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is doubled at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is matched at giveTORCH.org Please support TORCH and the Parsha Podcast with a generous contribution rig…
- Parshas Shemini (Rebroadcast)
The 2026 annual TORCH fundraiser is happening right now at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is doubled at giveTORCH.org . Every donation is matched at giveTORCH.org Please support TORCH and the Parsha Podcast with a generous contribution rig…
- Tzav – Protocols of the Offerings of Zion
This Parsha podcast is dedicated in the merit of a speedy recovery of Yosef Shraga Halevi Ben Esther. May he have a Refuah Sheleima. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – The final service performed in the Tabernacle and Temple each…
- Tzav – Runaway Brain (5784)
The subject matter of Parshas Tzav is – like Parshas Vayikra – sacrifices. Before today you may have thought that sacrifices are a boring snooze fest. In this Parsha Podcast your perception of Parshas Tzav and sacrifices will be permanentl…
- Parshas Tzav (Rebroadcast)
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 Ta…
- Vayikra – Push-Ups and Drawdowns
The concept of sacrifices is quite foreign to us. It’s been nearly 2,000 years since our nation merited to bring a sacrifice in God’s Temple. We hope and pray and yearn for the rebuilding of the temple and the resumption of sacrifices. But…
- Vayikra – Cainitis and Abelitis (5784)
Sacrifices. Who is excited?? We embark on the Book of Leviticus with a bang. We learn three marvelous lessons from our Parsha: The subtle summons of God; how to remedy a bad case of Cainitis and Abelitis; and the Secret of the Shelamim. –…
- Parshas Vayikra (Rebroadcast)
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-offer…
- Vayakhel Pekudei – Golden Talents
The latter half of the Book of Exodus is almost exclusively oriented around the Tabernacle. In this week’s double Parsha, the nation executes the plans given to Moshe. It begins with a fundraising drive. The nation is offer the opportunity…
- Vayakhel: The Third Path (5784)
There are three ways to achieve transcendental greatness: There is the path of intense practice and training in your desired field of excellence; there is the path of Bezalel who was endowed with supernatural abilities and preordained to g…
- Parshas Vayakhel & Pekudei (Rebroadcast)
After the Torah delineates the instructions to assemble the materials for the construction of the Tabernacle in Parshas Terumah and the creation of the vestments of the high priest in Parshas Tetzaveh, Parshas Vayakhel outlines the impleme…
- Ki Sisa – Magic Thermos
A nuclear bomb detonates in this week’s Parsha. The Nation selected by God to fulfill the most consequential role in the world, the Nation recently released from bondage with miracle signs and wonders, the Nation being fed a steady diet of…
- Ki Sisa – Augmenting Shabbos (5784)
The final instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle are conveyed at the beginning of this week’s parsha. After Moshe is told to appoint Bezalel as the head overseer of this enormous project, the Torah cautions us against construc…
- Parshas Ki Sisa (Rebroadcast)
This week’s parsha contains several instructions related to the Tabernacle, but the majority of the parsha is dedicated to arguably the most shocking and troubling episode in the whole Torah, the Golden Calf. Forty days after the nation re…
- Tetzaveh – On His Majesty’s Service
Performing service in the Tabernacle was the domain of the cherished few only. Only Aaron, his four sons, and their subsequent children were eligible. Why couldn’t everyone serve as a priest? That’s a question for modern egalitarian sensib…
- Tetzaveh – The Golden Bovine (5784)
This week’s Parsha is dedicated to the priestly class: It begins with the oil that the High Priest kindles; it describes in great detail the special vestments that the priests wore; and it proceeds in outlining the process of inauguration…
- Parshas Tetzaveh (Rebroadcast)
In a natural continuation to Parshas Terumah, in Parshas Tetzaveh we learn about the instructions to build the Tabernacle. Whereas last week the focus was on the edifice itself and its vessels, this week we will orient primarily on the spe…
- Terumah – Out of the Woods
During the Sinai revelation, the nation achieved the peak human experience. The entire people—men, women, and children—experienced God face-to-face (as it were) on the highest level of prophecy. But then it ended. The prophecy ended, the m…
- Terumah – Cherub-Picking (5784)
The Tabernacle was a portable Temple in which the presence of God dwelled. Our Parsha begins with the fundraising effort to be conducted in the Wilderness where the nation was asked to donate the required materials for the construction of…
- Parshas Terumah (Rebroadcast)
One of the fundamental principles of Jewish philosophy is the idea of “Kedushah”, holiness. Holiness, according to the Jewish definition, is when the physical and spiritual worlds meet. In no location in the world is holiness more present…
- Mishpatim – Two Halves of One Soul
At the risk of being presumptuous, I can safely say that most members of the Parsha podcast community have never owned any slaves. I imagine that most of us never even had a servant. We certainly never employed a Jewish bondsman for six ye…
- Mishpatim – Blind Determination (5786)
Immediately after the Sinai Revelation, the Torah begins telling us many of the laws. In this Parsha podcast we focus on two of the laws: the famous verse of “an eye for an eye”, and the requirement to aid your enemy when his donkey is str…
- Parshas Mishpatim (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Mishpatim marks a stark change in the rhythm and pace of the Torah narrative. The preceding 17 Parshas contained a total of 41 mitzvos; this week we begin learning the Torah laws en masse. In this single parsha alone we have 53 mit…
- Yisro – Beauty and the Priest
Parshas Yisro is a tale of two narratives. It begins with the dramatic arrival of Jethro, father-in-law of Moshe. He heard about all the miracles that the Almighty performed for the nation during the Exodus and decided to join the nation.…
- Yisro – Splitting the Heaven (5784)
The arrival of Jethro, the preparation for Sinai, and the nature of the Sinai revelation – these are some of the subjects featured in our parsha. In this very special and atypically extemporaneous Parsha podcast, we offer four interesting…
- Parshas Yisro (Rebroadcast)
The most significant event in all of human history is the Revelation at Sinai, which occurs in Parshas Yisro. Prior to that monumental experience and the conveyance of the Ten Commandments, Moshe’s father in law, Jethro, arrived at the cam…
- Beshalach – Horse and Rider
The nation emerged from Egypt triumphantly. Pharaoh was talking a big game. “Who is God that I should listen to him? I’m not going to release the Israelites!” But he was humbled before God one plague at a time. With the death of the firstb…
- Beshalach – Bones to Pick (5784)
The Exodus is finally here. After 210 years in Egypt – enslaved, tormented, and oppressed – the nation is leaving with great pomp and ceremony. There is an apparently curious factoid about the Exodus: in the third verse of our Parsha, the…
- Parshas Beshalach (Rebroadcast)
Parshas Beshalach may be the most action-packed parsha in the Torah. After the Exodus, God directed the people to not take the shortest route to the Land in order to facilitate the great miracle of the Splitting of the Sea and the final de…