Podcasts about Aramaic

Shadi Khalloul, founder and chairman of the Israeli Christian Aramean Association, is one of Israel's most compelling voices for coexistence, minority rights, and Christian identity in the Middle East. A veteran IDF paratrooper and commander, Khalloul has become a leading advocate for recognizing and empowering Israel's Aramean Christian community, bridging a deep cultural and historical gap that often goes unheard in global media. Khalloul has dedicated his public life to building bridges between Jews and Christians, between Israel and the West, and between faith and national identity. His story resonates with audiences across political and religious lines: a proud Israeli Christian and veteran IDF paratrooper who risked his life for his country, yet also challenges the world to see Israel through the eyes of its indigenous Christian community. As founder of the Israeli Christian Aramean Association, Khalloul was instrumental in the 2014 decision by Israel's Interior Ministry to officially recognize the Aramean Christian nationality, restoring an identity suppressed for centuries. He has since championed education, language revival, and military integration for young Aramean Christians, emphasizing shared service and civic participation as pathways to belonging. His leadership has inspired a new generation of Middle Eastern Christians to embrace their heritage with pride. Khalloul also leads efforts to revive the Aramaic language, the language of Jesus Christ, through community schools, cultural initiatives, and international outreach programs. From promoting Christian enlistment in the IDF to representing Israel's minorities in global interfaith dialogues, Khalloul continues to champion Christian identity and mutual respect in the Middle East. Support his work at http://www.aramaic-center.com/?lang=enHit subscribe and never miss a show!

QUOTES FOR REFLECTIONParagraph One: The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of Himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will, for His own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him, and withal most just and terrible in His judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty. Paragraph Two: God, having all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things, and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases; in His sight all things are open and manifest, His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain; He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them. Paragraph Three: In this divine and infinite Being there are three subsistences, the Father, the Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, of one substance, power, and eternity, each having the whole divine essence, yet the essence undivided: the Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son; all infinite, without beginning, therefore but one God, who is not to be divided in nature and being, but distinguished by several peculiar relative properties and personal relations; which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on Him.~“Of God and the Holy Trinity” in the 1689 Second London ConfessionSERMON PASSAGEDeuteronomy 6 (ESV) 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Jeremiah 32 (ESV) 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.' John 1 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 14 (ESV) 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”John 17 (ESV) 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. John 20 (ESV) 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Most assume that the difference between Greek literature and the Semitic Scrolls, written in Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Qurʾanic Arabic, lies in narrative. It does not. Narrative is the veil, a carrier wave for what remains unseen. Everything hinges on lexicography. The decisive divide is grammatical.Greek “meaning” is a conceptually “built” construct, grounded in philosophical abstraction and analytic inference. Semitic function emerges from triliteral consonantal roots that test, constrain, and judge the observer. Greek vocabulary operates within a narrow conceptual field, like a teenager wearing a VR headset, viewing an AI paradise while sitting in a garbage heap. Semitic vocabulary operates within an open functional field. The same teenager with the headset removed, discovering he sits in an open field among living, breathing things, where biblical roots carry behavioral consequences.This becomes immediately visible in Luke 8:47. The single Greek verb λανθάνω (lanthano) activates a constellation of six distinct Hebrew roots:ע־ל־ם (ʿayin-lamed-mem, hiddenness)מ־ע־ל (mem-ʿayin-lamed, covert breach)צ־פ־ן (ṣade-fe-nun, stashing, treasuring)ע־ד־ר (ʿayin-dalet-resh, missing from the count)כ־ח־ד (kaf-ḥet-dalet, concealment from the king)ר־א־ה (resh-ʾalef-he, divine seeing)That Scripture draws on such a wide Semitic field to express “not escaping notice” shows how seriously the biblical tradition treats hiddenness and uncovering. Each root contributes a different functional angle: what is hidden to humans, what is hidden in betrayal, what is hidden as hoarded, what is missing from the tally, what is concealed from authority, and what is seen by God. The phenomenon is not Greek versus Hebrew. Multiple Semitic operations of judgment underwrite a single functional moment in Luke. This density is lexical, not narrative, let alone speculative. It reflects how the Semitic system encodes the living, breathing reality around us.Across the Abrahamic scrolls, these triliteral roots operate like living tissue. They replicate, invert, intensify, and map action to consequence. Hidden sin is traceable in Hebrew because ע־ל־ם (ʿayin-lamed-mem) is not a metaphor but a function. It moves. The Qurʾan does the same with خ-ف-ي (khāʾ-fāʾ-yāʾ) and غ-ف-ل (ghayn-fāʾ-lām). Luke's Greek lexicon operates because a biological Hebrew bone structure undergirds the scroll. Without that structural field, no instance of λανθάνω (lanthano) conveys, or is able to convey, the full weight of divine accounting. However, once the field is “seen” Scripturally, “with the ears,” the semantics are relentless. The Pauline scales (not scales of measurement) fall off. (Acts 9:18)Only a Hellenist, in our time a Westerner, is fooled by what they can see, or worse, by what they imagine they can explain. A true Semite has ears to hear. Through hearing, the blind learn to see, and the deaf and the mute are healed.The unseen, الغيب (al-ghayb) and נֶעֱלָם (neʿlam), is not mysticism. It is judgment. It is the Lord's test. Hiddenness is God's domain. Covering belongs to God; uncovering belongs to God; the scales of measurement, المِيزَان (al-mīzān) belong to God; the tally belongs to God. The Qurʾan repeats the decree of Luke, that the Lord is not unaware of what you do. Previously, Ecclesiastes insisted the same. Every hidden deed is brought into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 12:14) Luke and Matthew proclaimed that what is concealed will be shouted openly. (Matthew 10:26; Luke 12:2) This mechanism is not literary ornamentation. It is the biological operating system of the Abrahamic scrolls, coded in living, breathing triliteral grammar.The problem for the now dominant West is that Greek thought presupposes that meaning originates in the human mind. The human city becomes the center, the planted earth becomes a concretized static, or idolized center, human proportion becomes the measure, and vision, human sight, becomes epistemology. Once vision governs understanding, enlightenment becomes darkness, because the logos of the human being projects its categories outward.Scripture dismantles this, not because the Greeks lacked intelligence, but because the entire Greek system assumes the human observer as the reference point.Scripture forbids this. Every consonant is intentional. Greek has letters that should not exist because they collapse two sounds into a single symbol. To the Semitic ear, as Fr. Paul Tarazi explains, “psi, xi, and the Greek chi” expose that Greek writing is constructed, not found. The Greek alphabet was designed, not discovered. It is man-made. It does not correspond to what is heard in nature. The living and moving, breathing triliteral system prevents human projection by preventing morphological collapse. The scriptural lexicon forces the hearer to receive what is written in creation. In Scripture, projection is stripped away and reality is conveyed as inscribed. The effect is destabilizing. Idols disappear. The hearer is confronted by what is found, confronted by reality.God is not mocked.Hearing is the anchor. The Greek philosophical tradition debates whether vision originates in the eye or in the object, a question already speculative. Scripture never entertains such speculation. Hearing is unilateral. The hearer does not hear the self. The hearer receives. Scripture is heard, not inferred, not theorized, not constructed, not “built”. The Qurʾan operates the same way. قَرَأَ (qaraʾ, to recite), أَذَان (adhān, the call), أُذْن (udhn, ear, instrument of hearing). Sound poured into another's ear. Scripture is submission through hearing what is found unbound by the logos of man. Cosmology heard, not seen, let alone imagined. Functional. Simple, not simplistic.All of us are shaped by whatever language we hear in our environment from the time we are born, and Scripture is the only speech that shatters that formation, continually scattering us out of our own projection, the palaces and temples we build in our mind, into the hearing of the biblical God who speaks in the wilderness. It cannot and must not be “about” narrative. It must function as the living words themselves, the breathing lexicon of God. He must control our literal vocabulary.Scripture is heard, not built.It is found, not fashioned by man's logos.Western thought resists this simplicity because the God of Abraham leaves no hiding place for Greek temples. No hiding place for sin.This week, I discuss Luke 8:47-48. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The Talmud (Ta'anit 21a) teaches the life-attitude of “Gam Zu L'Tovah” – this too is for the good – through the unforgettable figure of Nachum Ish Gamzu, a tzaddik who was blind, without hands or legs, and covered in boils, yet insisted that even his own horrific suffering was for the best because he once delayed helping a starving man and accepted the punishment as atonement. When the Jews sent him to Caesar with a chest of jewels, thieves replaced it with dirt overnight; instead of despairing, Nachum declared “Gam zu l'tovah.” Elijah the Prophet then appeared, convinced Caesar the dirt was Abraham's miraculous earth that turns into swords and arrows, Rome conquered an invincible city, and Nachum returned loaded with even greater treasures – proving that when a person genuinely sees every event as coming from a loving God, even apparent disasters become the vehicle for open miracles.The deeper message is that we live in two dimensions at once: the visible, physical world of cause-and-effect, and the hidden spiritual layer that ultimately controls everything. Money can disappear in a moment, empires rise and fall, health comes and goes – it's all a wheel (galgal chozer). Torah study, Shabbat, and the unwavering declaration “Gam zu l'tovah” are the spiritual coating that protects us and turns even pain, loss, or a chest full of dirt into the greatest blessing. When we live with that faith, like Nachum Ish Gamzu and like the Jewish people protected on all six sides in the desert, Heaven rearranges reality itself so that everything – truly everything – becomes for the good. Gam zu l'tovah!_____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 24, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 28, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Resilience, #Acceptance, #Gamzu, #Torah, #NachumIshGamzu, #Faith, #Adversities, #Success, #Shabbos, #Impermanence, #Misfortune, #Disconnect, #Tranquility, #Peace, #Meaning ★ Support this podcast ★

The Talmud (Ta'anit 21a) teaches the life-attitude of “Gam Zu L'Tovah” – this too is for the good – through the unforgettable figure of Nachum Ish Gamzu, a tzaddik who was blind, without hands or legs, and covered in boils, yet insisted that even his own horrific suffering was for the best because he once delayed helping a starving man and accepted the punishment as atonement. When the Jews sent him to Caesar with a chest of jewels, thieves replaced it with dirt overnight; instead of despairing, Nachum declared “Gam zu l'tovah.” Elijah the Prophet then appeared, convinced Caesar the dirt was Abraham's miraculous earth that turns into swords and arrows, Rome conquered an invincible city, and Nachum returned loaded with even greater treasures – proving that when a person genuinely sees every event as coming from a loving God, even apparent disasters become the vehicle for open miracles.The deeper message is that we live in two dimensions at once: the visible, physical world of cause-and-effect, and the hidden spiritual layer that ultimately controls everything. Money can disappear in a moment, empires rise and fall, health comes and goes – it's all a wheel (galgal chozer). Torah study, Shabbat, and the unwavering declaration “Gam zu l'tovah” are the spiritual coating that protects us and turns even pain, loss, or a chest full of dirt into the greatest blessing. When we live with that faith, like Nachum Ish Gamzu and like the Jewish people protected on all six sides in the desert, Heaven rearranges reality itself so that everything – truly everything – becomes for the good. Gam zu l'tovah!_____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 24, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 28, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Resilience, #Acceptance, #Gamzu, #Torah, #NachumIshGamzu, #Faith, #Adversities, #Success, #Shabbos, #Impermanence, #Misfortune, #Disconnect, #Tranquility, #Peace, #Meaning ★ Support this podcast ★

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. John 5

Christians talk about serving a lot: serving at church, serving at an organization or event, serving our families and neighbors…but what does Scripture have to say? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Caleb Romberger as we jump back to the Old Testament and look at the Hebrew words עָבַד (ʿāvad) and שָׁרַת (šārat) and the Aramaic word פְּלַח (pelach) and what they tell us about godly service.

Ready to discover how reviving a lost language can reshape the whole Middle East? Ta Shma (come and hear) Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz are joined by Shadi Khalloul—IDF paratrooper veteran, founder of the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association, and one of the world's most passionate advocates for reviving the Aramaic language. Together, they explore Parshat Vayetzei and the hidden "Rosetta Stone" moment in Genesis 31, where Jacob and Laban name the same monument in Hebrew and Aramaic. Key Takeaways Aramaic is the Hidden Backbone of Jewish Life Aramaic Once United the Ancient World—And Can Still Bridge Communities Today Israel's Aramean Christians Are a Forgotten but Loyal Minority whose story will surprise and inspire you Timestamps [00:00:00] Opening: Jewish prayers written in Aramaic & introduction to Shadi Kaul [00:01:03] Shadi's unique role: soldier, educator, reviver of Aramaic culture [00:02:12] Shadi's background: identity, community history, and connection to Israel [00:03:47] Serving in the IDF and discovering his Aramaic purpose in the U.S. [00:05:32] Founding the Israeli Christian Aramaic Association & education initiatives [00:07:14] Plans for Aramaic towns, schools, and coexistence programs [00:09:22] Daily language reality: Arabic spoken, Aramaic preserved in prayer [00:11:48] Parallels with Jewish language revival and historical connections [00:14:27] Shadi's family displaced in 1948 and the ongoing struggle for recognition [00:32:41] Aramaic as the ancient international language—the "first internet" Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/691050 Israeli Christian Aramaic Association - http://www.aramaic-center.com/?lang=en A History of the First World Language - https://a.co/d/fjHe9C1 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/  

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Brachot 60b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe teaches the foundational mindset for confronting life's challenges: “Kol mah d'avid Rachmana l'tav avid”—everything the Merciful One does is for the best. Drawing from Rabbi Akiva's journey, he arrives in a town seeking lodging but is refused everywhere; he sleeps in a field with his rooster (alarm clock), donkey (transport), and lamp (for Torah study). A wind extinguishes the lamp, a cat eats the rooster, and a lion devours the donkey. Each time, Rabbi Akiva declares, “Everything Hashem does is for the best.” That night, an army raids the town—had the lamp glowed, the donkey brayed, or the rooster crowed, Rabbi Akiva would have been captured. By morning, the town is in ruins, but he is safe. Rabbi Wolbe explains we cannot see Hashem's “face” (the future plan), only the “back” (how events tie together in hindsight). Like Moshe seeing the knot of tefillin, we eventually recognize divine orchestration.Rabbi Wolbe connects this to modern resilience, citing released hostages who, after 900+ days in tunnels, immediately sought lulav, tefillin, and prayer—one hostage heard his mother's radio interview through a sleeping guard's device, a miraculous sign he wasn't forgotten. Another refused conversion despite torture, emerging prouder in his Judaism. Rabbi Wolbe urges embracing identity openly (kippah, tzitzit) and taking personal growth steps—no “all or nothing.” He contrasts 365 prohibitive mitzvot (fulfilled by not doing—e.g., avoiding slander fulfills 17) with 248 performative mitzvot (proactive—e.g., delighting in Shabbos with fine wine and meat, which Hashem repays). Quality matters: light Hanukkah candles with passion, use olive oil for dignity, build a sukkah with love. Find your “spark” mitzvah (like one Houstonite who builds sukkot for free) and spread that flame. Prayer should be heartfelt but concise before God (“Let your words be few”), avoiding complaints while pouring out privately._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 17, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 21, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Perseverance, #RabbiAkiva, #Adversity, #Trust, #Prayer, #Mitzvahs, #Shabbos, #Holiness, #Passion, #Enthusiasm, #SpiritualJourney, #JewishContent, #Commandments, #Hashem, #God, #Faith ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Brachot 60b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe teaches the foundational mindset for confronting life's challenges: “Kol mah d'avid Rachmana l'tav avid”—everything the Merciful One does is for the best. Drawing from Rabbi Akiva's journey, he arrives in a town seeking lodging but is refused everywhere; he sleeps in a field with his rooster (alarm clock), donkey (transport), and lamp (for Torah study). A wind extinguishes the lamp, a cat eats the rooster, and a lion devours the donkey. Each time, Rabbi Akiva declares, “Everything Hashem does is for the best.” That night, an army raids the town—had the lamp glowed, the donkey brayed, or the rooster crowed, Rabbi Akiva would have been captured. By morning, the town is in ruins, but he is safe. Rabbi Wolbe explains we cannot see Hashem's “face” (the future plan), only the “back” (how events tie together in hindsight). Like Moshe seeing the knot of tefillin, we eventually recognize divine orchestration.Rabbi Wolbe connects this to modern resilience, citing released hostages who, after 900+ days in tunnels, immediately sought lulav, tefillin, and prayer—one hostage heard his mother's radio interview through a sleeping guard's device, a miraculous sign he wasn't forgotten. Another refused conversion despite torture, emerging prouder in his Judaism. Rabbi Wolbe urges embracing identity openly (kippah, tzitzit) and taking personal growth steps—no “all or nothing.” He contrasts 365 prohibitive mitzvot (fulfilled by not doing—e.g., avoiding slander fulfills 17) with 248 performative mitzvot (proactive—e.g., delighting in Shabbos with fine wine and meat, which Hashem repays). Quality matters: light Hanukkah candles with passion, use olive oil for dignity, build a sukkah with love. Find your “spark” mitzvah (like one Houstonite who builds sukkot for free) and spread that flame. Prayer should be heartfelt but concise before God (“Let your words be few”), avoiding complaints while pouring out privately._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 17, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 21, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Perseverance, #RabbiAkiva, #Adversity, #Trust, #Prayer, #Mitzvahs, #Shabbos, #Holiness, #Passion, #Enthusiasm, #SpiritualJourney, #JewishContent, #Commandments, #Hashem, #God, #Faith ★ Support this podcast ★

In this incredible conversation, we had the honor of sitting down with Aletheia Sophia — a 2/5 Emotional Manifesting Generator, mystic, author, and global teacher known for her work in Sacred Body Awakening. Together, we journey into the heart of the Mary Magdalene lineage, the sacred feminine mysteries, water as a living intelligence, embodiment, and the ancient Gnostic traditions. Aletheia shares her story of being called to France, where she followed synchronicities, cave guardians, dragon lines, and mysterious guides into a lifetime of initiatory discovery. She speaks about Mary Magdalene's true teachings, her connection to water and resurrection, the forgotten power of tears, and the original feminine-led early Christian movements before suppression reshaped the narrative.   We also explore the veil, the bridal chamber, Aramaic transmissions, and the mystical pathways of remembrance awakening across the planet today. This episode is a woven tapestry of story, myth, embodiment, and cosmic insight that will leave you with a renewed sense of wonder, trust, and empowerment on your own sacred path.   Key Takeaways: How Mary Magdalene's true teachings are centered around embodiment, resurrection power, and alliance with nature. How Mary Magdalene's lineage is rooted in communion with the land — including caves, springs, and dragon lines — creating a living relationship still accessible to modern seekers. Why water is understood as a veil between worlds and a transmitter of ancient memory, carrying cosmic intelligence and feminine codes. Why tears are a spiritual technology and how they hold quantum potency for anointing rituals. Why the Aramaic Lord's Prayer functions as a vibrational technology that leads directly into the sacred heart space. Why a resurgence of Mary Magdalene and feminine wisdom is unfolding today, and how this movement reflects cosmic timing within a larger awakening reconnecting humanity to mystical feminine teachings.   Connect with Aletheia Sophia: aletheiapistissophia.com lescontes.eu Instagram: @aletheia.pistis.sophia DayLuna: ENTER OUR NOVEMBER SCHOLARSHIP GIVEAWAY! Join Your Human Design Besties in November 2025 for a chance to win a full scholarship for ALL DayLuna Human Design Courses! The Giveaway ends on November 30th, and the winner will be chosen on December 8th! 64 Gates & Gene Keys Mastery Course FREE Transits & The Harmonic Gate Mini-Course FREE Human Design Readings 101 Masterclass Book a Reading With Us Here! EXPLORE LUNYA Use code: DAYLUNA for 15% off Human Design Chart Software: BodygraphChart.com Use code: DAYLUNA for 50% off your first 12 months! Get our book: Your Human Design! Online Human Design Reader Training Digital Products & Video Courses daylunalife.com Instagram: @‌d.a.y.l.u.n.a  

Conflict happens. It is a part of all human relationships. Thriving marriages, booming businesses, and close friendships all experience conflict. Churches aren't any different.In Acts 6:1–7, we see the first recorded church conflict. And no—it wasn't about the color of the carpet or whether deviled eggs are appropriate for a church fellowship meal.So what happened?The church had been generously giving to meet needs, including providing food for widows. But a problem arose: the Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, while the Aramaic-speaking widows were receiving their food. What seems like a simple oversight that could easily be remedied began to grow into a much larger issue.How did the early church respond? And what can we learn from their example about handling conflict within the body of Christ?

#52 The Allegory Story (The Parable of the Sheep and Goats—Aramaic Style)

“Here is your King.” With those words, Pilate meant to mock. John wants us to wake up. We walk through John 19 to see how the crown of thorns, the purple robe, and that trilingual inscription turn a scene of humiliation into a coronation. The crowd's cry—“We have no king but Caesar”—isn't just ancient history; it's a mirror. We love Jesus the miracle worker, but do we follow Jesus the King when his commands cut against comfort, pride, and preference?We explore why the cross functions as a throne and why “It is finished” announces more than relief—it declares a real transaction where the debt of sin is paid in full. Aramaic, Latin, and Greek broadcast his kingship across religion, government, and culture, confronting the modern urge to compartmentalize faith. If Jesus rules reality, he must rule our calendar, our bank account, our relationships, and even the hidden habits we excuse. Gratitude without obedience is admiration without allegiance.You'll hear a candid story about rescue at sea that spotlights the difference between being saved by someone and being ruled by someone. From there, we get practical: four steps for moving from selective surrender to a life shaped by the King—identify what you've held back, confess with honesty, submit control instead of relying on willpower, and practice steady obedience that forms new desires over time. Perfection isn't the standard; surrender is. If he is not King of all, he is not our King at all.If this message challenged you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show. What's one area you'll surrender to Jesus this week?

He was a Galilean, the son of Alphaeus, and was originally named Levi. He was a tax-collector (an occupation despised by the Jews of Palestine) until he met the Lord, who said to him, "Follow me." From that day he was one of the disciples.   After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostle was appointed to bring the Gospel to his fellow Jews, for whom, according to the Church's tradition, he wrote down the Gospel for the first time, in the Aramaic language, eight years after the Ascension. Some years later, this book was translated into Greek by St James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. No copy in the original language has survived.   Later, St Matthew traveled to Parthia and the city of Hierapolis (on the Euphrates river) to proclaim the Gospel to the pagans there. One tradition holds that he reposed in peace in that region at a great age. Another tradition holds that he was martyred by a king of that region, who later repented and was baptized, taking the name Matthew. The king then cast down the idols and established the Christian faith in his realm.   When St Matthew is portrayed in icons, the likeness of a man is shown with him, one of the four living creatures spoken of in the first chapter of Ezekiel. St Irenaeus writes that the man symbolizes Christ's Incarnation.

He was a Galilean, the son of Alphaeus, and was originally named Levi. He was a tax-collector (an occupation despised by the Jews of Palestine) until he met the Lord, who said to him, "Follow me." From that day he was one of the disciples.   After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostle was appointed to bring the Gospel to his fellow Jews, for whom, according to the Church's tradition, he wrote down the Gospel for the first time, in the Aramaic language, eight years after the Ascension. Some years later, this book was translated into Greek by St James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. No copy in the original language has survived.   Later, St Matthew traveled to Parthia and the city of Hierapolis (on the Euphrates river) to proclaim the Gospel to the pagans there. One tradition holds that he reposed in peace in that region at a great age. Another tradition holds that he was martyred by a king of that region, who later repented and was baptized, taking the name Matthew. The king then cast down the idols and established the Christian faith in his realm.   When St Matthew is portrayed in icons, the likeness of a man is shown with him, one of the four living creatures spoken of in the first chapter of Ezekiel. St Irenaeus writes that the man symbolizes Christ's Incarnation.

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Bava Metzia 85a, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into the profound theme of suffering, mercy, and redemption through the stories of Rebbe (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) and Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon. Rebbe, inspired by Rabbi Elazar's preserved body due to accepted suffering, voluntarily endured 13 years of excruciating illness—six of tzmirta (a beet-based treatment for urinary stones) and seven of tzfarna (thrush)—to attain spiritual merit. Despite his stableman's wealth and the deafening noise of feeding animals to mask Rebbe's cries, seafarers heard his agony. Yet Rabbi Elazar's suffering was deemed superior: it “came through love and left through love,” while Rebbe's stemmed from a specific incident. A calf, led to slaughter, sought refuge in Rebbe's garment and wept; Rebbe dismissed it, saying, “Go, for this you were created.” Heaven responded: no mercy shown, no mercy received. Thirteen years later, Rebbe's maid swept baby weasels; he intervened, citing Psalm 145:9—“His mercy is upon all His works”—and Heaven declared, “Since he shows mercy, We will show mercy.” His afflictions vanished.The Gemara contrasts their merits: during Rabbi Elazar's years in the attic, no one died prematurely; during Rebbe's 13 rainless years, the earth stayed saturated—radish holes brimmed with water—proving the tzaddikim's pain sustains the world. Rabbi Wolbe highlights the mystical power of 13 (love, unity, the 13 Attributes of Mercy, Torah hermeneutics), noting Rebbe's 13-year ordeal mirrored this divine framework. Posthumously, Rebbe sought Rabbi Elazar's son—a stunningly handsome youth prostituted by harlots—and entrusted him to his uncle for Torah study. Though the boy initially resisted, he grew into a sage; Rebbe applied Proverbs 11:30—“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life”—to both teacher and student. Burial dramas underscored merit: Rabbi Elazar joined his father Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the cave (earned by shared suffering), but his son was barred by a serpent—Heaven clarified it was due to lacking cave-endured pain, not lesser righteousness._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 3, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 14, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Suffering, #Mercy, #Redemption, #Compassion, #Kindness, #Healing, #Sage, #Mystical, #Inclusivity, #Torah, #JewishSoul, #Roots, #Ignorance, #Enlightenment, #Responsibility, #Teaching, #Learning, #Shabbos ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast on Bava Metzia 85a, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe delves into the profound theme of suffering, mercy, and redemption through the stories of Rebbe (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) and Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon. Rebbe, inspired by Rabbi Elazar's preserved body due to accepted suffering, voluntarily endured 13 years of excruciating illness—six of tzmirta (a beet-based treatment for urinary stones) and seven of tzfarna (thrush)—to attain spiritual merit. Despite his stableman's wealth and the deafening noise of feeding animals to mask Rebbe's cries, seafarers heard his agony. Yet Rabbi Elazar's suffering was deemed superior: it “came through love and left through love,” while Rebbe's stemmed from a specific incident. A calf, led to slaughter, sought refuge in Rebbe's garment and wept; Rebbe dismissed it, saying, “Go, for this you were created.” Heaven responded: no mercy shown, no mercy received. Thirteen years later, Rebbe's maid swept baby weasels; he intervened, citing Psalm 145:9—“His mercy is upon all His works”—and Heaven declared, “Since he shows mercy, We will show mercy.” His afflictions vanished.The Gemara contrasts their merits: during Rabbi Elazar's years in the attic, no one died prematurely; during Rebbe's 13 rainless years, the earth stayed saturated—radish holes brimmed with water—proving the tzaddikim's pain sustains the world. Rabbi Wolbe highlights the mystical power of 13 (love, unity, the 13 Attributes of Mercy, Torah hermeneutics), noting Rebbe's 13-year ordeal mirrored this divine framework. Posthumously, Rebbe sought Rabbi Elazar's son—a stunningly handsome youth prostituted by harlots—and entrusted him to his uncle for Torah study. Though the boy initially resisted, he grew into a sage; Rebbe applied Proverbs 11:30—“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life”—to both teacher and student. Burial dramas underscored merit: Rabbi Elazar joined his father Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the cave (earned by shared suffering), but his son was barred by a serpent—Heaven clarified it was due to lacking cave-endured pain, not lesser righteousness._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on October 3, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 14, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Suffering, #Mercy, #Redemption, #Compassion, #Kindness, #Healing, #Sage, #Mystical, #Inclusivity, #Torah, #JewishSoul, #Roots, #Ignorance, #Enlightenment, #Responsibility, #Teaching, #Learning, #Shabbos ★ Support this podcast ★

Are you waiting to be “blessed” someday, or activelybuilding the life you want now? Michelle revisits the Beatitudes through an Aramaic lens and reframes “blessed” as an invitation to act: get up, move, build. Heaven-on-earth isn't later; it's what we co-create today. You'll learn:Why “blessed” is active, not passiveQuestions to align what you're building with who you areHow small, consistent action compounds into meaningA mindset shift from surviving to thriving… right nowJoin tonight's open Zoom on crafting high-quality content(details below). Michelle@GrowBy1.comwww.GrowBy1.com/IntuitiveReadingTopic: Open Q & A MCLT Content NightTime: Nov 11, 2025 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom MeetingMeeting ID: 849 7710 8307Passcode: Content

#51 The Allegory Story (You Are The Sower—taken from Jesus' Parable of the Sower—Aramaic Style)

The Kaddish prayer, recited numerous times in each Jewish prayer service, but only in the synagogue, is a mourner's prayer on one of tis forms, even though death is not mentioned in the prayer. This podcast will help explain the specific importance of this prayer, its meaning, why it is in the Aramaic language and not in Hebrew, and  why only recited in a community setting.

The Kaddish prayer, recited numerous times in each Jewish prayer service, but only in the synagogue, is a mourner's prayer on one of tis forms, even though death is not mentioned in the prayer. This podcast will help explain the specific importance of this prayer, its meaning, why it is in the Aramaic language and not in Hebrew, and  why only recited in a community setting.

St. Luke 8: 41-56 Drawing on St. Nikolai Velimirović's image of divine grace as electricity, this homily on the raising of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:41–56) invites us to become  living conduits through whom God's uncreated energy continually flows. Christ's tender command, "Talitha koum," reveals the greater reality that in Him even death is but sleep, for the fire of His love transforms all who see with eyes full of light into partakers of His eternal life. Homily on Jairus' Daughter  St. Luke 8:41–56 Glory to Jesus Christ! It is a blessing to be with you this morning. I have really appreciated your hospitality throughout this weekend. In his homily on this beautiful event in the history of our salvation, St Nikolai Velimirović compares our Lord to electricity—or perhaps to magnetism, and to light. What he is describing is what we in the West call grace. The idea is that the Lord's uncreated energy – His spiritual electricity - is continually available; and those who allow themselves to be connected to Him become receptacles and conduits of that spiritual electricity—of that grace, of that beautiful light.  We see this especially at Pascha, when the priest sings "Come receive the light," and one candle lights another, and the flame spreads from person to person. Magnetism is a similar image: not only does it attract, but it also bestows magnetism in a lesser degree to some of the objects it touches. This a lovely and apt metaphor—though, as St Nikolai warns, don't take it too far or you'll end up spouting heresy– for instance, a screwdriver that has received magnetism from a magnetic source retains the magnetism even after the source is removed.  As we discussed yesterday, anything that is removed from the Source of Divine Energy loses its spiritual life.  Going back to the metaphor of electricity, our hope is not to become a sort of battery that receives grace and then stores it separate from its source; rather, our hope is to increasingly become pure conduits of divine energy through whom it continually flows.  Switching metaphors again, Jesus Christ describes this as living water in the Gospel according to St. John when He says; If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (St. John 7:37; also St. John 4:14) The grace that we share as Christians is flowing to and through us from its source, and that source is God. There is another lesson here.  St. Nikolai points out that there were many people in the crowd that day, but only one was healed. Let me develop a point from yesterday's talk.  You may remember my sharing that the scripture about the newly healed blind man seeing "trees walking" as a metaphor for our need to work on seeing the world as it really is.      A related scriptural metaphor from Christ Himself has to do with the "eye of darkness;"    "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (St. Matthew 6:22-23). In part, these are eyes that fail to see the Lord even when He is present among us. Imagine that He turned to you and healed you after you had endured fourteen years of suffering. How would you respond? Lord willing, you would respond with thanksgiving and joy; a thanksgiving and joy that never fades. But the eye of darkness might quickly slip from thankfulness and joy back into bitterness and think or say: "Where have you been these fourteen years?" Do you see the trap? Do you see how such a response, such an attitude, misses the whole point of God's work among us — it's kind of like saying to Christ the God-man when He appears in His glory to bring us into His Kingdom; "O Lord, I thought you'd be taller." The eye of darkness is a terrible thing. For those who see truly, the world is permeated with the grace of God.  Let us strive increasingly to the world with these eyes of light. Another lesson the Fathers draw from this story is that the healing itself wasn't even the main point. Do you remember the plot line we are following in the Gospel lesson? A ruler of the synagogue—a leader of the Jews—comes to Christ and begs: "My daughter lies dying. Please come to our house." As the Lord goes with him, the crowd presses in around Him. And even along the way, miracles happen. This is a lesson we need to learn: with the Lord, there is no such thing as "along the way." His grace is always active. Every moment with Him is transformed in Him and by Him.  For the Christian, every moment of grace is an experience of eternal glory… and that moments lead in time to the next which is similarly transformed and transformative. For the Christian, after such an encounter, there is no darkness left to return to, only life in Christ so full that we can say with St Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)  When we are connected to Him in this way, His grace—like living water, or electricity, or magnetism, or light—flows through us and straightening our connections with the world around us. This is what St Seraphim of Sarov meant when he said, "Acquire the Holy Spirit, and thousands around you will be saved."   And this is the same things that we celebrate in the life of St. Nektarios, whose memory we celebrate today, when we proclaim this verse at Orthros: "Since thou drunkest the nectar of life eternal, thou gushest, O Nektarios, streams of healings. Again, there is no such thing as being merely "on the way"; rather, all of life is "along the Way"—in Christ, growing in Him forever.  Every moment is an opportunity to grow and share in this, the great Mystery of the Sacrament of our salvation. Now, about this man—Jairus. Jairus had great power in his community and a relationship with God through the Law. Yet here he found himself powerless in the face of death. Everyone who tries to find salvation through secular power or the Law alone eventually meets that same limit. At that time, the Jews were deeply divided over what death meant and whether there was truly a resurrection. So this became a teaching moment for the Lord. The other Gospels describe how the mourners had gathered, the flutes were playing lamentations, and the house was filled with grief. A twelve-year-old girl—the only child of a leader in the community—had died. And Jairus, for all his authority, was utterly powerless. To make the moment even more striking, Jesus said something that caused the people to laugh Him to scorn: "She is not dead, but sleeping."  He said this precisely so that they would affirm—beyond any doubt—that she was truly dead: the body cold, the breath gone. And then, having confirmed the reality of death, He revealed the greater reality of life. He went in, took her by the hand with such tenderness; this pointed out most clearly in the version shared by St. Mark, in which he is recorded as having said in Aramaic, "Talitha koum"—literally, "Little lamb, arise." (Mark 5:41) "Talitha" is a term of affection, something like "little lambkin." And she arose and He told her parents to give her something to eat. All those who had mocked Him now faced undeniable evidence of a miracle. They could not rationalize it away or pretend they were mistaken. They had declared her dead—and now she was alive. There was only one explanation: the life-giving power of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him is life, and in Him there can be no death. (John 1:4; John 11:25) Now, here is a more difficult lesson.  Some steak for us to chew on.  Jesus did not spend His earthly ministry going to every grieving parent to restore every child. I'm sure that's hard for you to hear—it's hard for me, too. But He did not come simply to prolong life in this world; He came to transfigure it. What good would it be to restore someone to this mortal life, only for them to die again after a few years? Instead, He performed this miracle so that we would know that when He says, "I go to prepare a [better] place for you," that He has the power to fulfill that promise. (John 14:2-3) There will be times—there have already been times—when we are the ones saying, "She is dead." But the Church uses a different language: "fallen asleep" and "in blessed repose." These are not naive phrases. They are reminders that for the Christian, death is but a rest before the age to come. (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14) And honestly, we long for that age, don't we? Life in this world can be exhausting —wars, suffering, the loss of children, — all the griefs that weigh us down. But as we sing in our funeral service; in the age to come, there will be "no sighing, no sorrow, no sickness, but life everlasting"  This is the time, quoting both the funeral and Revelation, "God will wipe away every tear." If I may change metaphors one last time: our God, who was earlier described as electricity, is also called a consuming fire. (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29) Those of us raised in the South have heard preachers use that image as a warning. But for the Christian—for the ones who live in Christ so completely that it is no longer they who live but Christ who lives in them (Galatians 2:20)—that fire is not torment but glory. It is the radiant warmth of divine love. For those purified by grace, the fire of God becomes the very source of joy and life. So when you find yourself saying, "Our beloved, our little lamb, is dead," remember this: our Lord, who loves our beloved even more than we do, holds her hand and says, just as He did in today's Gospel, "My dearest one, arise." That is the future that awaits all who have given their lives to Him. May we be strengthened by this as we grow in Him. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John 19:1-6a; 16-19; 28-30: "Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, "See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold the man!" When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." After this, Jesus, knowing all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thrust." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on the hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit."

In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with Father Benedict Kiely, founder of Nasarean.org and one of the world's leading voices on the persecution of Christians.We discuss the genocide unfolding in Nigeria, where thousands of Christians are being murdered each year by Islamist militias while Western governments and media look away. Father Kiely exposes how the massacre of Christians is dismissed as “climate change” violence, a lie repeated by politicians and journalists unwilling to name Islamist extremism.From ISIS's resurgence across Africa and the Middle East to the silent persecution of Christians in Iraq under Iranian-backed militias, Kiely lays bare a pattern of denial stretching from Abuja to Washington. He explains how Christianity faces extinction in its ancient homelands, the failure of the West's moral leadership, and why Europe's collapse of faith has left it powerless to confront evil.We also explore stories of hope, the revival of Christianity in post-communist Albania, the endurance of believers speaking Aramaic in Iraq, and why, despite centuries of persecution, faith refuses to die.All this: Nigeria's genocide, Islamist expansion, the silence of the West, and the rebirth of Christianity where it was once crushed.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:18 Father Benedict Keeley's Role and Media Coverage02:54 Genocide in Nigeria and Media Bias08:41 Islamist Extremism Across Africa26:42 Situation in Syria and the Role of Al-Qaeda33:04 Christian Persecution in Sudan 40:08 Christian Persecution in Europe and the Role of the Media1:04:06 Challenges Faced by Christians in the UK1:11:59 Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Aramaic, the word for fasting is ܨܘܡܐ (ṣomā), from the root ܨܡ (ṣam), meaning to abstain, to hold oneself back, or to stand still. But in the Semitic worldview, this word carries far more than the physical act of skipping meals it represents a deep spiritual meaning of surrender. www.twinsbiblicalacademy.com 

In this Friday Thinking Talmudist episode on Talmud Bava Metzia 84b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon, a sage whose body remained undecayed in his attic for 18–22 years after death due to his unparalleled righteousness—his vessel solely for Torah and mitzvot, not worldly indulgence. The Talmud recounts how his absence as community marshal prevented women from receiving halachic rulings on purity, halting procreation, echoing stories like Rav Moshe Feinstein's eight-year childless period without a mikvah. Rebbe Elazar's wife observed blood when hairs fell and a worm from his ear, which he explained in a dream as minor punishment for once failing to protest slander against Torah scholars, teaching the grave obligation to defend the righteous and halt lashon hara—worse for the listener who enables its spread than the speaker.The narrative highlights Rebbe Elazar's posthumous miracles: a heavenly voice from the attic resolved disputes, interpreted as divine inspiration guiding just settlements; his unburied body protected the city from wild animals; and a serpent guarded his father's cave until burial. Parallels include the Gaon of Vilna's perfectly preserved body and the Chafetz Chaim's gravesite preventing miscarriages, underscoring burial's sanctity over cremation, which denies body-soul reunion at resurrection. Rabbi Wolbe passionately advocates for tahara (purification rites) by the Chevra Kadisha as a profound mitzvah, preparing the deceased for heavenly judgment, and recommends Rabbi Doron Kornbluth's book Cremation or Burial? for spiritual and environmental insights.Ultimately, the Gemara contrasts Rebbe Elazar's humility and self-imposed suffering to spare Jewish pain with Rebbe Shimon ben Gamaliel's self-description as a "lion son of a fox," proving true anavah (humility) among greats like the Bnei Beteira and Yonatan ben Shaul. Rabbi Wolbe ties this to defending Torah scholars amid Israel's yeshiva draft debates—spiritual pillars merit protection like Pharaoh exempted learners—urging pride in Judaism as Rosh Hashanah approaches, crowning Hashem as eternal King with majesty far surpassing earthly royalty._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 19, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 7, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #RebElazer, #Jewishvalues, #righteousness, #burial, #slander, #LashonHara, #negativespeech, #ChafetzChaim, #humility, #Jewishidentity, #pride, #Jewishburialprocess, #divineprotection, #IDF, #Torah, #RabbiYochanan, #evileye, #Teshuvah, #Hillel, #Shabbos ★ Support this podcast ★

In this second episode on understanding Kaddish from the Prayer Podcast series, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the ancient prayer's origins, composed in Aramaic by the Men of the Great Assembly during the Babylonian exile. Kaddish serves to bring "Hashem awareness" into the lower worlds, bypassing angelic interference since angels don't understand Aramaic. Originally just a half-Kaddish recited seven times daily by the prayer leader, it has expanded to include versions for mourners, siyum completions, and gravesides. The core purpose is Kiddush Hashem—sanctifying God's name—ranging from ultimate martyrdom (like Rebbe Akiva or Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman) to everyday acts of prioritizing God's will over personal desires, such as reciting Kaddish or making Kiddush on Shabbos.Kaddish acts as a spiritual elevator between the four kabbalistic worlds: Asiyah (action, morning blessings), Yetzirah (formation, Pesukei Dezimra), Beriah (creation, Shema blessings), and Atzilus (emanation, Amidah). It solidifies God's presence in each world before transitioning, with no Kaddish between Beriah and Atzilus to avoid interrupting redemption and prayer. Responding with full intent to "Amen, Yehei Shemei Rabba" can nullify heavenly decrees by restoring sanctity removed through sin. The prayer's structure magnifies God's name across all worlds, with congregational responses affirming redemption, peace, and Mashiach's arrival. Numerical symbolism abounds: four opening words reflect God's four-letter name, 10 words spell it out further, and 28 letters/words equal "koach" (strength), emphasizing empowerment through praise.Ultimately, Kaddish empowers every individual to achieve greatness by bringing godliness into daily life, congregations, and the world. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes retraining ourselves to respond with focus, turning routine recitations into acts of profound devotion. The episode concludes with a teaser for next week's dive into Pesukei Dezimra, the verses of praise that "prune" spiritual blockages._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #41) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on November 4, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 7, 2025_____________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!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #JewishPrayer, #Hashem, #RabbiAkiva, #Sanctification, #DivineCloseness ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Friday Thinking Talmudist episode on Talmud Bava Metzia 84b, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Rebbe Elazar ben Rebbe Shimon, a sage whose body remained undecayed in his attic for 18–22 years after death due to his unparalleled righteousness—his vessel solely for Torah and mitzvot, not worldly indulgence. The Talmud recounts how his absence as community marshal prevented women from receiving halachic rulings on purity, halting procreation, echoing stories like Rav Moshe Feinstein's eight-year childless period without a mikvah. Rebbe Elazar's wife observed blood when hairs fell and a worm from his ear, which he explained in a dream as minor punishment for once failing to protest slander against Torah scholars, teaching the grave obligation to defend the righteous and halt lashon hara—worse for the listener who enables its spread than the speaker.The narrative highlights Rebbe Elazar's posthumous miracles: a heavenly voice from the attic resolved disputes, interpreted as divine inspiration guiding just settlements; his unburied body protected the city from wild animals; and a serpent guarded his father's cave until burial. Parallels include the Gaon of Vilna's perfectly preserved body and the Chafetz Chaim's gravesite preventing miscarriages, underscoring burial's sanctity over cremation, which denies body-soul reunion at resurrection. Rabbi Wolbe passionately advocates for tahara (purification rites) by the Chevra Kadisha as a profound mitzvah, preparing the deceased for heavenly judgment, and recommends Rabbi Doron Kornbluth's book Cremation or Burial? for spiritual and environmental insights.Ultimately, the Gemara contrasts Rebbe Elazar's humility and self-imposed suffering to spare Jewish pain with Rebbe Shimon ben Gamaliel's self-description as a "lion son of a fox," proving true anavah (humility) among greats like the Bnei Beteira and Yonatan ben Shaul. Rabbi Wolbe ties this to defending Torah scholars amid Israel's yeshiva draft debates—spiritual pillars merit protection like Pharaoh exempted learners—urging pride in Judaism as Rosh Hashanah approaches, crowning Hashem as eternal King with majesty far surpassing earthly royalty._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 19, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 7, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content._____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #RebElazer, #Jewishvalues, #righteousness, #burial, #slander, #LashonHara, #negativespeech, #ChafetzChaim, #humility, #Jewishidentity, #pride, #Jewishburialprocess, #divineprotection, #IDF, #Torah, #RabbiYochanan, #evileye, #Teshuvah, #Hillel, #Shabbos ★ Support this podcast ★

In this second episode on understanding Kaddish from the Prayer Podcast series, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the ancient prayer's origins, composed in Aramaic by the Men of the Great Assembly during the Babylonian exile. Kaddish serves to bring "Hashem awareness" into the lower worlds, bypassing angelic interference since angels don't understand Aramaic. Originally just a half-Kaddish recited seven times daily by the prayer leader, it has expanded to include versions for mourners, siyum completions, and gravesides. The core purpose is Kiddush Hashem—sanctifying God's name—ranging from ultimate martyrdom (like Rebbe Akiva or Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman) to everyday acts of prioritizing God's will over personal desires, such as reciting Kaddish or making Kiddush on Shabbos.Kaddish acts as a spiritual elevator between the four kabbalistic worlds: Asiyah (action, morning blessings), Yetzirah (formation, Pesukei Dezimra), Beriah (creation, Shema blessings), and Atzilus (emanation, Amidah). It solidifies God's presence in each world before transitioning, with no Kaddish between Beriah and Atzilus to avoid interrupting redemption and prayer. Responding with full intent to "Amen, Yehei Shemei Rabba" can nullify heavenly decrees by restoring sanctity removed through sin. The prayer's structure magnifies God's name across all worlds, with congregational responses affirming redemption, peace, and Mashiach's arrival. Numerical symbolism abounds: four opening words reflect God's four-letter name, 10 words spell it out further, and 28 letters/words equal "koach" (strength), emphasizing empowerment through praise.Ultimately, Kaddish empowers every individual to achieve greatness by bringing godliness into daily life, congregations, and the world. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes retraining ourselves to respond with focus, turning routine recitations into acts of profound devotion. The episode concludes with a teaser for next week's dive into Pesukei Dezimra, the verses of praise that "prune" spiritual blockages._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #41) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on November 4, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on November 7, 2025_____________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!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #JewishPrayer, #Hashem, #RabbiAkiva, #Sanctification, #DivineCloseness ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion of Tractate Bava Metzia 84b, focusing on Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon's emotional and spiritual struggle after executing a guilty laundryman (referenced from a prior episode, likely tied to the “vinegar, son of wine” incident). The episode explores themes of guilt, divine justice, Torah study, and the efficacy of prayer, connecting them to personal anecdotes and broader Jewish responsibilities. Key points include:Rabbi Elazar's Guilt and Suffering: Rabbi Elazar, a marshal who executed a disrespectful laundryman (justified by the man's capital offense), feels lingering guilt despite following the law. Like a police officer experiencing PTSD after a justified shooting, Rabbi Elazar cannot rely on his reasoning to absolve himself and accepts physical suffering as atonement. He suffers a severe illness, losing blood and pus nightly, but recovers after his wife prepares 60 types of fig-based food (lifta). He converses with his afflictions, inviting them at night but dismissing them in the morning to avoid disrupting Torah study, showing his dedication despite pain (0:26–3:32).Wife's Reaction and Wealth: His wife, frustrated by his self-imposed suffering and believing he squandered her father's wealth, leaves for her father's house. Sixty sailors then bring Rabbi Elazar 60 slaves with 60 money bags, preparing 60 types of lifta, restoring his wealth. He tells his daughter to inform her mother that “ours is greater than theirs,” citing Proverbs 31:14 (from Eishet Chayil) to affirm that Torah brings sustenance from afar. His wife's absence allows him to return to the study hall (3:32–6:45).Rabbinic Rulings and Validation: In the study hall, Rabbi Elazar examines 60 blood samples from women checking for ritual purity (tahar) during their seven clean days post-menstruation. He declares all samples pure, enabling marital resumption after mikvah. Other rabbis question the statistical likelihood of all 60 being pure, suggesting an error. Rabbi Elazar prays that if his rulings are correct, the women will conceive boys (who cannot become niddah); if incorrect, at least one girl (who can become niddah) will be born. All 60 babies are boys, named after him, validating his rulings and demonstrating divine confirmation (7:07–14:21).Transmission of Halacha: Rabbi Wolbe explains the expertise required to identify impure blood, a skill transmitted from Moshe at Sinai through generations of rabbis, including himself, underscoring the mesorah (oral tradition). This parallels other halachic details (e.g., temple offerings) requiring precise training, like distinguishing colors of blood (8:39–11:27).Prayer's Efficacy: Addressing his daughter's question, Rabbi Wolbe shares a personal story of praying at the Western Wall for a son to fulfill Pidyon HaBen (redeeming the firstborn), which was granted, and accepting Hashem's choice of a daughter for his second child. He clarifies that Hashem answers all prayers, but not always as requested, citing “Ein Tfilason Chozeres Reikam” (no prayer returns empty). Answers may be “no” or “wait,” tailored to what's best, as seen in Rabbi Elazar's answered prayer (15:04–17:08).Broader Lessons: The episode emphasizes human sensitivity in upholding justice (Rabbi Elazar's guilt), the transformative power of Torah study despite physical suffering, and the communal responsibility to trust expert rabbinic rulings. Rabbi Wolbe connects this to the upcoming holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, post-October 8, 2025), urging listeners to carry forward spiritual growth and good deeds._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 31, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content. _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Justice, #Law, #Morality, #Guilt, #Redemption, #TorahStudy, #Faith, #Patience, #Prayer ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion of Tractate Bava Metzia 84b, focusing on Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Shimon's emotional and spiritual struggle after executing a guilty laundryman (referenced from a prior episode, likely tied to the “vinegar, son of wine” incident). The episode explores themes of guilt, divine justice, Torah study, and the efficacy of prayer, connecting them to personal anecdotes and broader Jewish responsibilities. Key points include:Rabbi Elazar's Guilt and Suffering: Rabbi Elazar, a marshal who executed a disrespectful laundryman (justified by the man's capital offense), feels lingering guilt despite following the law. Like a police officer experiencing PTSD after a justified shooting, Rabbi Elazar cannot rely on his reasoning to absolve himself and accepts physical suffering as atonement. He suffers a severe illness, losing blood and pus nightly, but recovers after his wife prepares 60 types of fig-based food (lifta). He converses with his afflictions, inviting them at night but dismissing them in the morning to avoid disrupting Torah study, showing his dedication despite pain (0:26–3:32).Wife's Reaction and Wealth: His wife, frustrated by his self-imposed suffering and believing he squandered her father's wealth, leaves for her father's house. Sixty sailors then bring Rabbi Elazar 60 slaves with 60 money bags, preparing 60 types of lifta, restoring his wealth. He tells his daughter to inform her mother that “ours is greater than theirs,” citing Proverbs 31:14 (from Eishet Chayil) to affirm that Torah brings sustenance from afar. His wife's absence allows him to return to the study hall (3:32–6:45).Rabbinic Rulings and Validation: In the study hall, Rabbi Elazar examines 60 blood samples from women checking for ritual purity (tahar) during their seven clean days post-menstruation. He declares all samples pure, enabling marital resumption after mikvah. Other rabbis question the statistical likelihood of all 60 being pure, suggesting an error. Rabbi Elazar prays that if his rulings are correct, the women will conceive boys (who cannot become niddah); if incorrect, at least one girl (who can become niddah) will be born. All 60 babies are boys, named after him, validating his rulings and demonstrating divine confirmation (7:07–14:21).Transmission of Halacha: Rabbi Wolbe explains the expertise required to identify impure blood, a skill transmitted from Moshe at Sinai through generations of rabbis, including himself, underscoring the mesorah (oral tradition). This parallels other halachic details (e.g., temple offerings) requiring precise training, like distinguishing colors of blood (8:39–11:27).Prayer's Efficacy: Addressing his daughter's question, Rabbi Wolbe shares a personal story of praying at the Western Wall for a son to fulfill Pidyon HaBen (redeeming the firstborn), which was granted, and accepting Hashem's choice of a daughter for his second child. He clarifies that Hashem answers all prayers, but not always as requested, citing “Ein Tfilason Chozeres Reikam” (no prayer returns empty). Answers may be “no” or “wait,” tailored to what's best, as seen in Rabbi Elazar's answered prayer (15:04–17:08).Broader Lessons: The episode emphasizes human sensitivity in upholding justice (Rabbi Elazar's guilt), the transformative power of Torah study despite physical suffering, and the communal responsibility to trust expert rabbinic rulings. Rabbi Wolbe connects this to the upcoming holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, post-October 8, 2025), urging listeners to carry forward spiritual growth and good deeds._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 31, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Justice, #Law, #Morality, #Guilt, #Redemption, #TorahStudy, #Faith, #Patience, #Prayer ★ Support this podcast ★

In this Prayer Podcast episode, Rabbi Wolbe explores Kaddish's wisdom, recited after the Korbanot section in morning prayers and at all transition points. He outlines five types (Half (Chatzi), Full (Shaleim), Mourner's (Yasom), Rabbi's/Siyum and Burial), their purposes (e.g., sanctifying Hashem's name, elevating souls), and Aramaic origins (e.g., angel-proof, elevative). Talmudic stories (e.g., Rabbi Yossi and Elijah) illustrate Kaddish's mercy-evoking power, recited seven times daily (Psalms 119:164). It bridges spiritual worlds, counters evil, and requires a minyan (10 adults) as a davar shebekedusha, Holy Endeavor. Customs like standing vary (Ashkenaz vs. Sephardic), but unity is key. The episode previews Pesukei D'Zimra._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #40) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on October 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 30, 2025_____________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!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #Faith, #DivineProvidence, #GlorifyingGod, #Unity ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Prayer Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the profound wisdom behind Kaddish, a central prayer recited in the morning service after the korbanot (offerings) section. He outlines its five types, origins, and spiritual significance, emphasizing its role in sanctifying Hashem's name and bridging spiritual worlds. Recorded around October 2025 (post-Sukkot, aligned with Parshas Noach), the lecture connects Kaddish to daily prayers, mourning, and Torah study, highlighting its Aramaic composition and Talmudic stories.Five Types of Kaddish: Rabbi Wolbe details the variations using a handout (available via Google Drive link): (1) Chatzi Kaddish (half Kaddish)—a punctuation between prayer sections; (2) Full Kaddish (Kaddish Shalem)—post-Amidah, requesting peace; (3) Mourner's Kaddish—elevates the deceased by proclaiming Hashem's oneness; (4) Rabbi's Kaddish (Kaddish de Rabbanan)—after rabbinic study, blessing scholars (includes Siyum Kaddish for completing a tractate); (5) Burial Kaddish—graveside, unique in mentioning resurrection. Kaddish means “holy” or “sanctified,” declaring belief in Hashem's oneness and providence (Ezekiel 38:23: “V'hitgadilti v'hitkadishti”), making Hashem known globally (0:21–4:06).Purpose and Transition Role: Kaddish sanctifies Hashem's name publicly, not just for the deceased but as a moment of truth prompting reflection on life's fleeting nature. It bridges the four spiritual worlds in prayer (e.g., after offerings, before Pesukei D'Zimra), and between life and death in mourning. Recited seven times daily (three morning—Shacharis, two afternoon—Mincha, two evening—Ma'ariv, per Psalms 119:164), it evokes divine mercy and counters evil forces (klipot, per Zohar) (4:06–6:15, 20:05–21:56).Aramaic Language: Three reasons: (1) Angels don't understand Aramaic, allowing uninterrupted elevation and removal of spiritual barriers; (2) Post-First Temple sages composed it in Aramaic for accessibility during exile as it was the common language; (3) Zohar teaches reciting in a secular language elevates it, as all languages (post-Babel, Genesis 11) should glorify Hashem, countering division (7:40–14:49).Talmudic Story (Berachos 3a): Rabbi Yossi enters Jerusalem's ruins to pray; Elijah teaches: avoid ruins for danger, pray on roads, use short prayers while traveling. Elijah reveals a heavenly voice lamenting the Temple's destruction, renewed thrice daily, but softened when Jews recite Amen Yehei Shemei Rabba in Kaddish, evoking Hashem's sorrow for exiling His children. This highlights Kaddish's power to evoke divine mercy and elevate prayers (7:40–13:24).Spiritual Power: The phrase Yehei Shemei Rabba is to be recited with all our strength (28 letters, koach—strength) as it forgives sins, including idolatry, when said with full intent (e.g., screaming or focused concentration). During the Ten Days of Repentance, an extra word adjusts to maintain 28 letters (mi kol). Kaddish is a davar shebekedusha (holy matter), requiring a minyan (10 adults, per Abraham's Sodom negotiation (Genesis 18), as Hashem dwells with 10. Instituted by the Men of the Great Assembly post-Temple, it sources Ezekiel (38:23) for restoring Hashem's name. It's recited at Siyum or Torah study to sanctify Hashem publicly, not just personally (13:24–23:48).Customs and Variations: Stand during Kaddish in Ashkenaz (honoring sanctification); sit in Sephardic. Follow the congregation to avoid standing out. Rabbi Wolbe previews Pesukei D'Zimra and notes Kaddish's shofar-like power to break barriers before Rosh Hashanah (post-October 8, 2025) (28:01–29:15)._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #40) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on October 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 30, 2025_____________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!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #Faith, #DivineProvidence, #GlorifyingGod, #Unity ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Bava Metzia 84a, focusing on the profound relationship between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish, their transformative encounter, and the tragic fallout of their dispute. The episode delves into themes of Torah's transformative power, respect for teachers, self-sufficiency, and the Jewish people's global mission. Key points include:Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish's Encounter: Rabbi Yochanan, swimming in the Jordan River, is pursued by Reish Lakish, a highway robber. Rabbi Wolbe digresses to note the Jordan's flow from the sweet Sea of Galilee (a “giver”) to the bitter Dead Sea (a “taker”), symbolizing the sweetness of giving. Rabbi Yochanan praises Reish Lakish's strength, suggesting he redirect it to Torah study, while Reish Lakish retorts that Rabbi Yochanan's beauty suits women. Rabbi Yochanan offers his sister in marriage if Reish Lakish repents, leading to his transformation. Reish Lakish weakens physically upon accepting Torah, as Torah shifts focus from physical to spiritual pursuits, consuming one's energy (6:11–9:54).Torah's Transformative Power: Rabbi Wolbe explains that Torah is not just a subject but a “sam hachaim” (elixir of life), weakening physical desires to strengthen spiritual ones. Reish Lakish's sudden weakness reflects Torah's overwhelming influence, countering the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination), which distracts from study (e.g., causing sleepiness or daydreaming, per Psalms 20). This underscores the incompatibility of material and spiritual pursuits, critiquing modern attempts to “have it all” (e.g., 2008 mortgage crisis).Their Dispute and Tragedy: Years later, as scholars, they debate when a vessel becomes susceptible to tumah (ritual impurity): Rabbi Yochanan says when metals are fused; Reish Lakish says when polished. Rabbi Yochanan's comment, “A thief knows the tools of thievery,” is meant constructively but offends Reish Lakish, who retorts, “How have you benefited me?” Rabbi Yochanan responds that he brought him under the Divine Presence. Reish Lakish's disrespect causes divine retribution, leading to his illness and death. Rabbi Yochanan's sister pleads for mercy, but he cites verses (Jeremiah 49:11) to prioritize divine justice, as Reish Lakish's contempt endangered their bond and the nation's spiritual integrity (29:34–32:14).Rabbi Yochanan's Grief: Rabbi Yochanan is heartbroken, grieving Reish Lakish's loss. A new student, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedas, merely affirms Rabbi Yochanan's teachings, unlike Reish Lakish's challenging 24 questions and answers, which clarified Torah through debate. Rabbi Yochanan's anguish drives him to madness, and the rabbis pray for his death, as his bond with Reish Lakish was central to his existence (50:30–54:38)._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 5, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 24, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Yochanan, #ReishLakish, #BavaMitzia, #mentorship, #parenting, #marriage, #authority, #respect, #leadership, #reverence ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Bava Metzia 84a, focusing on the profound relationship between Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish, their transformative encounter, and the tragic fallout of their dispute. The episode delves into themes of Torah's transformative power, respect for teachers, self-sufficiency, and the Jewish people's global mission. Key points include:Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish's Encounter: Rabbi Yochanan, swimming in the Jordan River, is pursued by Reish Lakish, a highway robber. Rabbi Wolbe digresses to note the Jordan's flow from the sweet Sea of Galilee (a “giver”) to the bitter Dead Sea (a “taker”), symbolizing the sweetness of giving. Rabbi Yochanan praises Reish Lakish's strength, suggesting he redirect it to Torah study, while Reish Lakish retorts that Rabbi Yochanan's beauty suits women. Rabbi Yochanan offers his sister in marriage if Reish Lakish repents, leading to his transformation. Reish Lakish weakens physically upon accepting Torah, as Torah shifts focus from physical to spiritual pursuits, consuming one's energy (6:11–9:54).Torah's Transformative Power: Rabbi Wolbe explains that Torah is not just a subject but a “sam hachaim” (elixir of life), weakening physical desires to strengthen spiritual ones. Reish Lakish's sudden weakness reflects Torah's overwhelming influence, countering the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination), which distracts from study (e.g., causing sleepiness or daydreaming, per Psalms 20). This underscores the incompatibility of material and spiritual pursuits, critiquing modern attempts to “have it all” (e.g., 2008 mortgage crisis).Their Dispute and Tragedy: Years later, as scholars, they debate when a vessel becomes susceptible to tumah (ritual impurity): Rabbi Yochanan says when metals are fused; Reish Lakish says when polished. Rabbi Yochanan's comment, “A thief knows the tools of thievery,” is meant constructively but offends Reish Lakish, who retorts, “How have you benefited me?” Rabbi Yochanan responds that he brought him under the Divine Presence. Reish Lakish's disrespect causes divine retribution, leading to his illness and death. Rabbi Yochanan's sister pleads for mercy, but he cites verses (Jeremiah 49:11) to prioritize divine justice, as Reish Lakish's contempt endangered their bond and the nation's spiritual integrity (29:34–32:14).Rabbi Yochanan's Grief: Rabbi Yochanan is heartbroken, grieving Reish Lakish's loss. A new student, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedas, merely affirms Rabbi Yochanan's teachings, unlike Reish Lakish's challenging 24 questions and answers, which clarified Torah through debate. Rabbi Yochanan's anguish drives him to madness, and the rabbis pray for his death, as his bond with Reish Lakish was central to his existence (50:30–54:38)._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on September 5, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 24, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Yochanan, #ReishLakish, #BavaMitzia, #mentorship, #parenting, #marriage, #authority, #respect, #leadership, #reverence ★ Support this podcast ★

John 19 tells of Jesus' crucifixion. The crucifixion followed the Lord's brutal treatment at the hands of Pilate's soldiers including the thrusting of a crown of thorns upon his head and the putting of a purple robe on him to mock our Master. How apt is it that in his dying he would remove the curse brought by Adam upon the earth; and his crucifying would be like the ram caught by his horns in Genesis 22. When Pilate hears the Jewish leaders' claim that Jesus is the Son of God Pilate's fear intensifies and he seeks for Jesus' release. Jesus makes it crystal clear to Pilate that Pilate is without power against Jesus and the greater sin lay with the Jewish rulers. These envious men clamour even more that Pilate must cooperate with their designs. If not Caesar would hear of it. Pilate caves in under pressure and allows Jesus to be led away for crucifixion. "We have no king but Caesar", they cry and forty years later their 'king' - Caesar - came and destroyed Jerusalem because of their blood guiltiness. The crucifixion occurs in the place of the skull - Golgotha (the location where David buried Goliath's skull, as we are told in 1 Samuel 17). Our Lord is crucified between two thieves - most likely these were Barabbas' men. In the three languages operating in Judea at the time - Aramaic, Greek and Latin - is inscribed over his cross i.e. stake "Jesus ofNazareth, king of the Jews". The Jews protest Pilate's writing: but Pilate, no doubt, glories in this small victory over the Jews and his inscription remains. The soldiers divide his clothes between them and they cast lots for his vesture in fulfilment of Psalm 22:18. The beloved women in his life eventually come near to the stake to see his death. And at this time Jesus commits his mother into the care of his beloved Apostle, John. Our Master dies with his final words being a citation from Psalm 31:5 - the quotation possibly being completed when Jesus emerges from his tomb three days later. Jesus' side is pierced by a Roman spear and out comes blood and water indicating that he has died from a broken heart. Unlike the thieves crucified with Christ not a bone of him is broken - he is the Passover Lamb of Exodus 12 and the subject of the prophecy in Psalm 34:20-22. And the Scripture in Revelation 1:7 will seem to be true when Jesus comes into his kingdom. Jesus' body is secured from Pilate by Joseph of Arimathea. Our Lord's body is placed by Joseph and Nicodemus in a new and unused garden tomb owned by the rich man, Joseph in fulfilment of Isiah 53:9.

The DILEMMA with legalism Legalism is a slow torture, a suffocation of the spirit. It is just enough religion to keep you, but not enough to nourish you. So you starve. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.- Galatians 5:1 The DANGER with mysticism Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.-Colossians 2:18-19Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world -Hebrews 1:1-2 The DIFFICULTY with asceticism If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.-Colossians 2:20-23“There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal that lives within us…and that is the indwelling of Christ. Ascetic religion is godless for those that practice it essentially worship themselves.” -Alexander Mclaren The DELIVERANCE with ChristAnd you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.-Colossians 2:13-15 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.-John 5:2-9 --------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Baba Metzia 84a, focusing on a Talmudic discussion about Rabbi Yochanan's exceptional beauty and its spiritual implications. The episode delves into the concept of the evil eye, the influence of parental thoughts on conception, and the responsibility to use one's gifts thoughtfully. Key points include:Rabbi Yochanan's Beauty: Rabbi Yochanan claims to be the last of Jerusalem's beautiful people, described vividly: a silver goblet filled with pomegranate seeds, crowned with roses, and placed between sun and shade reflects a fraction of his radiance. The Talmud questions this, noting Rav Kahana's beauty resembled Rav Avohu's, which resembled Yaakov's, which resembled Adam's. Rabbi Yochanan's distinction was his beardless face, enhancing his radiant appearance.Mikvah Practice: Rabbi Yochanan sat at the women's mikvah entrance so that women, emerging from ritual immersion, would see him and retain his image, influencing their conception to produce beautiful, Torah-learned children. This mirrors Yaakov's use of streaked rods to influence sheep traits. Rabbi Wolbe defends this as a responsible use of his gift, not arrogance, citing his grandfather's teaching that knowing and using one's virtues is an obligation, akin to knowing one's wealth to give charity.Evil Eye Concerns: The sages question if Rabbi Yochanan feared the evil eye from displaying his beauty. He responds that, as a descendant of Yosef, he is immune, per Genesis 49:22 (“Yosef is a charming son, above the eye”) and 49:24 (likening Yosef's progeny to fish, hidden from the evil eye). Rabbi Wolbe explains the evil eye's real impact: flaunting wealth or beauty can cause jealousy, stress, or harm in others, affecting their relationships or finances.Practical Lessons: Rabbi Wolbe shares anecdotes to illustrate avoiding the evil eye: his father's choice of a modest Toyota Camry over a Lincoln Town Car to avoid neighbors' jealousy, and leaving a broken blinker light to deter envy. He recounts Marvy Finger's mentor, a wealthy man flying coach to avoid wasteful display, emphasizing humility and consideration for others' feelings.Broader Message: The episode underscores the responsibility to use God-given gifts (beauty, wealth) for positive impact while avoiding harm through jealousy. Rabbi Yochanan's actions aimed to inspire righteousness, not pride. Rabbi Wolbe urges mindfulness of how one's actions affect others, promoting sensitivity in a world prone to envy and comparison.The episode concludes with a blessing for a wonderful Shabbos and a call to share Torah content._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on August 29, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 17, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Beauty, #Yochanan, #Gemara, #Radiant, #Responsibility, #Humility, #Mentor, #Practicality, #Luxury, #Mindfulness ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores Tractate Baba Metzia 84a, focusing on a Talmudic discussion about Rabbi Yochanan's exceptional beauty and its spiritual implications. The episode delves into the concept of the evil eye, the influence of parental thoughts on conception, and the responsibility to use one's gifts thoughtfully. Key points include:Rabbi Yochanan's Beauty: Rabbi Yochanan claims to be the last of Jerusalem's beautiful people, described vividly: a silver goblet filled with pomegranate seeds, crowned with roses, and placed between sun and shade reflects a fraction of his radiance. The Talmud questions this, noting Rav Kahana's beauty resembled Rav Avohu's, which resembled Yaakov's, which resembled Adam's. Rabbi Yochanan's distinction was his beardless face, enhancing his radiant appearance.Mikvah Practice: Rabbi Yochanan sat at the women's mikvah entrance so that women, emerging from ritual immersion, would see him and retain his image, influencing their conception to produce beautiful, Torah-learned children. This mirrors Yaakov's use of streaked rods to influence sheep traits. Rabbi Wolbe defends this as a responsible use of his gift, not arrogance, citing his grandfather's teaching that knowing and using one's virtues is an obligation, akin to knowing one's wealth to give charity.Evil Eye Concerns: The sages question if Rabbi Yochanan feared the evil eye from displaying his beauty. He responds that, as a descendant of Yosef, he is immune, per Genesis 49:22 (“Yosef is a charming son, above the eye”) and 49:24 (likening Yosef's progeny to fish, hidden from the evil eye). Rabbi Wolbe explains the evil eye's real impact: flaunting wealth or beauty can cause jealousy, stress, or harm in others, affecting their relationships or finances.Practical Lessons: Rabbi Wolbe shares anecdotes to illustrate avoiding the evil eye: his father's choice of a modest Toyota Camry over a Lincoln Town Car to avoid neighbors' jealousy, and leaving a broken blinker light to deter envy. He recounts Marvy Finger's mentor, a wealthy man flying coach to avoid wasteful display, emphasizing humility and consideration for others' feelings.Broader Message: The episode underscores the responsibility to use God-given gifts (beauty, wealth) for positive impact while avoiding harm through jealousy. Rabbi Yochanan's actions aimed to inspire righteousness, not pride. Rabbi Wolbe urges mindfulness of how one's actions affect others, promoting sensitivity in a world prone to envy and comparison.The episode concludes with a blessing for a wonderful Shabbos and a call to share Torah content._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on August 29, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 17, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Beauty, #Yochanan, #Gemara, #Radiant, #Responsibility, #Humility, #Mentor, #Practicality, #Luxury, #Mindfulness ★ Support this podcast ★

Oliver is a Wisdom Keeper, Writer, Storyteller, Teacher and Sacred Site Guide. Currently deepening his connection to the Land and Mysteries of Ancient Wales whilst writing his first book. He is on a soul mission to bring back lost Mystery School Wisdom and Initiations from the Druids, Gnostics and a lost Celtic Christianity. Oliver is also a scholar specializing in the life and story of ‘Joseph of Arimathea'; who was an Uncle, mentor to Yeshua, guardian and protector to Mary Magdalene and Mother Mary.He is a passionate teacher for the ancient language of Aramaic spoken by Yeshua and the Essenes. Oliver has over ten years of experience in holding land based retreats all over the world, specializing in the unification of the Gnostic and Druidic Mysteries of Avalon (Glastonbury) and Cymru (Wales). He has the rare ability to take you on an adventure uniting the worlds of Spiritual Initiation, Historical Knowledge and the Wisdom of Nature. Guiding individuals and groups through sacred journeys. Oliver weaves together sacred stories, ceremonies and teachings long forgotten from the Gnostics and Druids. Helping you remember and reconnect to the ancestral magic of the land and the stories of its holy history.This episode covers the the following topics:Celtic ChristianityJoseph of ArimatheaAramaic languageMary MagdaleneMother MaryPilgrimage GnosticismVisit Oliver's website: https://www.thegnosticdruid.com/Oliver's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ My Law of Positivism Healing Oracle Card Deck:https://www.lawofpositivism.com/healingoracle.htmlMy book The Law of Positivism – Live a life of higher vibrations, love and gratitude:https://www.lawofpositivism.com/book.html My readings and healing sessions:https://www.lawofpositivism.com/offerings.htmlVisit Law of Positivism:https://www.instagram.com/lawofpositivism/Website: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawofpositivism/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lawofpositivismTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lawofpositivism 

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe discusses a passage from Tractate Baba Metzia 83b, focusing on an aggadic narrative about Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and a Talmudic exposition of Psalms 104:20. The episode explores themes of divine justice, human sensitivity, and the role of punishment in Jewish law, using a story about Rabbi Elazar's tenure as a marshal arresting thieves. Key points include:Talmudic Exposition (Psalms 104:20): Rabbi Yosef (or a braisa) interprets “You make darkness, and it is night, in it every forest beast stirs” as this world being like night, where the wicked roam like beasts without immediate retribution. The righteous receive punishment in this world to preserve their reward in the “day” of the world to come, where clarity prevails. This world is for action (mitzvahs), as one cannot perform deeds like charity after death.Rabbi Elazar's Story: Rabbi Elazar, appointed by the king to arrest thieves, is questioned by Rabbi Yeshua ben Korcha for handing over Jews to execution, earning the rebuke “vinegar, son of wine” (implying he's a lesser version of his father, Rabbi Shimon). Elazar defends himself, claiming he removes “thorns from the vineyard” (evil from Israel), but is told the vineyard's owner (God) should handle it. He advises the marshal to identify thieves by observing who drinks and dozes at the fourth hour (10 AM), ruling out scholars, laborers, or quiet craftsmen. Appointed to enforce this method, Elazar arrests a disrespectful laundryman who calls him “vinegar, son of wine.” The laundryman is executed, causing Elazar distress, but it's revealed he deserved it for a capital offense (cohabitating with a betrothed woman on Yom Kippur). Elazar's relief is confirmed when his surgically removed fat doesn't rot, symbolizing his righteousness (Psalms 16:9).Sensitivity in Punishment: Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes the sages' sensitivity, even when enforcing justice. Elazar's remorse, despite the laundryman's guilt, reflects this, as does a surgical test to confirm his integrity. Rabbi Wolbe contrasts this with modern prosecutors' lack of introspection, urging sensitivity even when enforcing laws (e.g., deporting illegal immigrants). He shares his grandfather's teaching against hasty punishment, especially with children, advocating apologies and reflection to avoid harm, as punishment should be a last resort.Additional Narrative: The Talmud digresses to discuss Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yishmael's obesity, addressing a noblewoman's claim that their size prevented them from having children. Their responses defend their ability, showing concern for their children's legitimacy, not personal pride. The Talmud compares sages' physical attributes humorously, emphasizing their humanity.Broader Message: The episode underscores that divine justice operates providentially (e.g., the laundryman's execution), but human enforcers must act with sensitivity, reflecting on potential errors. Rabbi Wolbe connects this to parenting and societal laws, advocating a balance between the letter and spirit of the law, and highlights that this world's “night” is for action, not just punishment.The episode concludes with a preview of next week's discussion on Baba Metzia 84a about the beauty of Jerusalem's people and a call to share Torah content._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on July 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 10, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Metaphor, #Darkness, #Light, #Righteous, #Wicked, #Leadership, #Sensitivity, #Criticism, #MoralJudgment, #Accountability, #Respect, #Authority ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Thinking Talmudist Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe discusses a passage from Tractate Baba Metzia 83b, focusing on an aggadic narrative about Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, and a Talmudic exposition of Psalms 104:20. The episode explores themes of divine justice, human sensitivity, and the role of punishment in Jewish law, using a story about Rabbi Elazar's tenure as a marshal arresting thieves. Key points include:Talmudic Exposition (Psalms 104:20): Rabbi Yosef (or a braisa) interprets “You make darkness, and it is night, in it every forest beast stirs” as this world being like night, where the wicked roam like beasts without immediate retribution. The righteous receive punishment in this world to preserve their reward in the “day” of the world to come, where clarity prevails. This world is for action (mitzvahs), as one cannot perform deeds like charity after death.Rabbi Elazar's Story: Rabbi Elazar, appointed by the king to arrest thieves, is questioned by Rabbi Yeshua ben Korcha for handing over Jews to execution, earning the rebuke “vinegar, son of wine” (implying he's a lesser version of his father, Rabbi Shimon). Elazar defends himself, claiming he removes “thorns from the vineyard” (evil from Israel), but is told the vineyard's owner (God) should handle it. He advises the marshal to identify thieves by observing who drinks and dozes at the fourth hour (10 AM), ruling out scholars, laborers, or quiet craftsmen. Appointed to enforce this method, Elazar arrests a disrespectful laundryman who calls him “vinegar, son of wine.” The laundryman is executed, causing Elazar distress, but it's revealed he deserved it for a capital offense (cohabitating with a betrothed woman on Yom Kippur). Elazar's relief is confirmed when his surgically removed fat doesn't rot, symbolizing his righteousness (Psalms 16:9).Sensitivity in Punishment: Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes the sages' sensitivity, even when enforcing justice. Elazar's remorse, despite the laundryman's guilt, reflects this, as does a surgical test to confirm his integrity. Rabbi Wolbe contrasts this with modern prosecutors' lack of introspection, urging sensitivity even when enforcing laws (e.g., deporting illegal immigrants). He shares his grandfather's teaching against hasty punishment, especially with children, advocating apologies and reflection to avoid harm, as punishment should be a last resort.Additional Narrative: The Talmud digresses to discuss Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yishmael's obesity, addressing a noblewoman's claim that their size prevented them from having children. Their responses defend their ability, showing concern for their children's legitimacy, not personal pride. The Talmud compares sages' physical attributes humorously, emphasizing their humanity.Broader Message: The episode underscores that divine justice operates providentially (e.g., the laundryman's execution), but human enforcers must act with sensitivity, reflecting on potential errors. Rabbi Wolbe connects this to parenting and societal laws, advocating a balance between the letter and spirit of the law, and highlights that this world's “night” is for action, not just punishment.The episode concludes with a preview of next week's discussion on Baba Metzia 84a about the beauty of Jerusalem's people and a call to share Torah content._____________The Thinking Talmudist Podcast shares select teachings of Talmud in a fresh, insightful and meaningful way. Many claim that they cannot learn Talmud because it is in ancient Aramaic or the concepts are too difficult. Well, no more excuses. In this podcast you will experience the refreshing and eye-opening teachings while gaining an amazing appreciation for the divine wisdom of the Torah and the depths of the Talmud._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by David & Susan MarbinRecorded at TORCH Meyerland in the Levin Family Studios to a live audience on July 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 10, 2025_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinking-talmudist-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1648951154Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0cZ7q9bGYSBYSPQfJvwgzmShare your questions at aw@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback, please email: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Talmud, #Metaphor, #Darkness, #Light, #Righteous, #Wicked, #Leadership, #Sensitivity, #Criticism, #MoralJudgment, #Accountability, #Respect, #Authority ★ Support this podcast ★