Podcasts about Flattery

In Days 195–196 of Orchot Tzaddikim, The Ways of the Righteous, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the Gate of Fear of Heaven by developing the idea that the human being is a microcosm of the entire world. Just as creation contains trees, herbs, fruits, waters, rivers, stones, mountains, winds, and countless other systems, the human body contains parallel structures and functions. The author uses these comparisons to awaken awe at the complexity and wisdom Hashem embedded within us.The lesson moves through a series of physical parallels: the digestive system is compared to the depths of the earth, arteries to rivers, bones to the foundations of the world, kidneys and bodily ducts to waterways, and the various fluids of the body to the different waters found throughout creation. The message is not merely anatomical. It is that the human body itself reflects a larger Divine pattern and should inspire a deeper appreciation of the Creator.Day 196 expands the comparison further. The Orchot Tzaddikim parallels hot and cold winds with human breath, thunder with the human voice, lightning with the brightness of the face, mountains with the body's joints and structures, stones with teeth and bones, soil with flesh and skin, vegetation with human hair, and even the zodiac with the spinal column and its attached structures. The author also describes ancient forms of wisdom through which sages were said to discern future events from natural signs, bodily features, vegetation, and other aspects of creation.Rabbi Wolbe concludes by emphasizing the wonder of the human body. The same wisdom Hashem placed throughout the cosmos is, in miniature, embedded within each person. The point is not to become distracted by speculative worlds beyond us, but to recognize the extraordinary miracle already present within our own bodies. The more carefully we contemplate ourselves, the more opportunities we have to develop Yirat Shamayim—awareness, reverence, and awe of Hashem._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 31, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim,  #HumanBody, #Creation, #Microcosm, #Wonder, #BodyAndSoul, #MiraclesEverywhere  ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 194 of Orchot Tzaddikim, The Ways of the Righteous, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the Gate of Fear of Heaven with a fascinating comparison between the human being and the universe itself. If mankind reflects Hashem in a tiny and limited way, then the structure of the human body can likewise be understood as a miniature reflection of the greater world.The Orchot Tzaddikim draws parallels between the heavens and the human body: the skull resembles the heavenly firmament; the palate creates divisions within the body just as the firmament separates the waters; and the life-giving soul resides within and directs the body. Just as the universe is governed by the One Creator, the many organs and systems of the human body are unified and directed by one life-force.The author continues this imagery by comparing the seven openings of the head—two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and the mouth—to the heavenly luminaries and planets. The larger message is that the human being is a remarkable microcosm of Hashem's creation. The more carefully we contemplate ourselves and the world around us, the more opportunities we have to recognize the wisdom embedded throughout creation.Rabbi Wolbe then turns from anatomy to character. Just as the animal kingdom contains gentle creatures as well as predators, human beings can develop very different qualities. Some live peacefully and compassionately, while others behave like predatory animals—using their strength to hurt or take advantage of others.The crucial difference is that we can choose. Hashem created the abilities and forces within creation, but human beings decide how those powers will be expressed. We can use what Hashem has given us constructively or destructively. Fear of Heaven therefore means not merely marveling at creation, but recognizing our responsibility within it and consciously choosing what kind of person we wish to become._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 28, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim,  #HumanBody, #Creation ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 193 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues exploring the remarkable ways human beings reflect, on a limited scale, qualities Hashem placed into creation. Just as Hashem distinguishes between good and evil, human beings possess the capacity to discern between them. And just as Hashem created and formed the world, mankind has been endowed with extraordinary creative abilities—to build, plant, develop, transform, and accomplish.But human potential does not mean effortless success. Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that there are no shortcuts. Greatness requires hard work, Torah study, understanding the ways of Hashem, and ultimately Hashem's assistance. The extraordinary capacities placed within us are possibilities that must be cultivated.The lesson also draws a fascinating parallel between Hashem and the neshamah: neither can be perceived with our physical eyes. We cannot see a soul entering the body at birth or departing at death, yet its reality defines human life. Similarly, the inner thoughts of another person remain hidden from us, while Hashem knows what lies within every heart.Rabbi Wolbe then explains the purpose of the Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Hara. Human beings were deliberately placed into a world of competing impulses so that our choices would have meaning. Our capacity to build or destroy, plant or uproot, accumulate or relinquish, exercise power or restraint creates the arena in which free will operates. The challenge is not to live without an evil inclination, but to strengthen the Yetzer Tov sufficiently to govern it.The lesson concludes with the essential balance between Divine judgment and Divine mercy. Rabbi Wolbe discusses Rashi's teaching on the opening of the Torah: creation is introduced with the Divine name Elohim, associated with judgment. Yet a world operating through strict judgment alone could not endure. Human beings need the possibility of making mistakes, repenting, growing, and trying again. Hashem therefore allows mercy to accompany judgment.Our greatness is found precisely within this system. We possess tremendous potential, but we also possess competing desires and the ability to fail. The person who repeatedly chooses the Yetzer Tov over the Yetzer Hara transforms that struggle into spiritual greatness. Such a person, Rabbi Wolbe concludes, is truly fortunate—and fortunate is the mother who brought such a person into the world._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 19, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 192 of The Ways of the Righteous (Orchot Tzaddikim), in the Gate of Fear of Heaven, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the extraordinary greatness and potential Hashem placed within every human being. Humanity is unique among creation because we possess a neshamah capable of attaining wisdom, penetrating profound ideas, and recognizing both the physical world and the spiritual reality behind it.Rabbi Wolbe compares the Torah to life's owner's manual. A table, computer, or even a door comes with instructions explaining how it should be assembled and used. Life is infinitely more complicated, so Hashem gave us His instructions as well. The Torah teaches us how to approach marriage, raise children, develop ourselves, and understand the purpose for which we were created. If we want to know how to maximize life, we need to study the manual provided by its Creator.The lesson compares our relationship with Hashem to a king who brings trusted servants into his innermost chambers, reveals his treasures and secrets, and entrusts them with tremendous responsibility. The very fact that the king shares so much with them demonstrates how highly he regards them. Similarly, Hashem allows humanity to discover the extraordinary wisdom embedded throughout creation and gives us dominion over the physical world. This should awaken us to both our greatness and our responsibility.Rabbi Wolbe then offers a fascinating explanation for humanity's seemingly endless ambition. Our sages teach that one who has one hundred wants two hundred, and one who has two hundred wants four hundred. The soul originates from a lofty spiritual realm and naturally yearns to rise higher. But when that tremendous drive becomes redirected through the physical body, the desire for spiritual greatness can become a pursuit of bigger houses, greater wealth, higher positions, nicer possessions, and more honor.The goal, therefore, isn't to eliminate our drive for greatness—it is to redirect it upward. The closer we become to Hashem through Torah and mitzvot, the more we uncover the enormous spiritual potential already within us. Rabbi Wolbe concludes that human beings are capable of far more than we imagine. By fulfilling Hashem's will, we become increasingly connected to Him and can transform the soul's endless desire for "more" into an endless pursuit of wisdom, holiness, and closeness to God._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 18, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 191 of The Ways of the Righteous (Gate of Fear of Heaven), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains that while human beings are given dominion over creation, that authority carries responsibility. Animals were created to serve mankind—not because they are unimportant, but because humanity possesses something infinitely greater: an eternal soul. We are commanded to treat animals with compassion and even feed them before ourselves, yet our unique role is to elevate creation through our relationship with Hashem.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes the extraordinary greatness of the neshamah. Before birth, the soul exists in a realm of perfect spiritual clarity, but at birth it becomes enclosed within a physical body. The crying of a newborn symbolizes the soul's transition from unlimited closeness to Hashem into a world of confusion and physical limitations. Throughout life, the soul longs to return to that closeness, while the body constantly seeks physical gratification. Our task is to allow the soul—not the body—to direct our choices.Using the metaphor of a rider and a horse, Rabbi Wolbe teaches that the neshamah must hold the reins while the body serves merely as its vehicle. The body is necessary to perform mitzvot and acts of kindness, but it must remain subordinate to the soul's higher purpose. When the soul guides the body, every physical action becomes elevated into something eternal.The lesson also explores why Judaism teaches the future resurrection of the dead. Both the soul and the body contribute to a life of righteousness: the soul inspires holiness, while the body performs the mitzvot. Therefore, both ultimately share in the eternal reward when they are reunited in the World to Come.Finally, Rabbi Wolbe explains that the vast universe—the sun, moon, stars, and all of creation—exists not for the temporary body but for the eternal soul. Every aspect of creation is designed to inspire us to recognize Hashem's greatness and draw closer to Him. The purpose of enjoying this world is not indulgence but elevation: to use every blessing Hashem gives us as a means of strengthening our relationship with Him._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 14, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 190 of The Ways of the Righteous (Gate of Fear of Heaven), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues exploring the three dimensions of the human soul: the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. While animals possess the drives of the nefesh and ruach, only human beings are endowed with the neshamah—the uniquely Divine intellect that enables us to discern truth from falsehood, develop wisdom, and elevate ourselves spiritually. Unlike the physical body, the wisdom acquired by the neshamah accompanies a person beyond this world.The central message of the lesson is that our lives are shaped by whichever part of ourselves we choose to nourish. Rabbi Wolbe compares the neshamah to a vacuum cleaner that is constantly searching to be filled. If we fail to satisfy it with holiness, Torah, mitzvot, and acts of kindness, it will desperately seek fulfillment elsewhere through material pursuits that can never truly satisfy. Wealth, pleasure, fame, and possessions may entertain the body, but only closeness to Hashem nourishes the soul.Rabbi Wolbe also explains that although the neshamah originates in the intellect, its goal is to transform the heart. The heart is the source of both positive and negative inclinations, and every person chooses which side to strengthen. By allowing the mind and the neshamah to guide the heart, a person redirects powerful emotions and desires toward holiness rather than selfish gratification. The same passion that can drive destructive behavior can also become the engine for tremendous righteousness.Finally, the lesson teaches that wisdom is the key to understanding both the physical and spiritual worlds. Torah enables a person to distinguish between what merely appears attractive and what genuinely brings eternal value. Every advancement, talent, and technology can be used either for holiness or for destruction. The responsibility lies with us to allow our neshamah to lead our choices so that, when we ultimately stand before Hashem, we can answer that we invested our lives in what truly mattered._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 13, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In this lesson from the Gate of Fear of Heaven (Shaar Yirat Shamayim), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the deeper structure of the human soul through the concepts of nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. Drawing from the teachings of Orchot Tzaddikim, he explains that the nefesh is associated with physical desire, the ruach with emotion, honor, and ego, and the neshamah with the intellect and our highest spiritual aspirations. These three forces operate simultaneously within every person, creating the lifelong struggle between immediate physical gratification and the soul's desire for closeness to Hashem.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that reality extends far beyond what our physical eyes can perceive. Spiritual causes and consequences may exist even when they are hidden from us. Through a story involving a businessman who sought guidance from a Kabbalistic sage, he illustrates the Torah perspective that our spiritual choices can influence aspects of life in ways that are not visible on the surface. The broader lesson is that Judaism asks us to look beyond the purely material world and recognize that our actions affect both the physical and spiritual dimensions of existence.The lesson then focuses on the central battle between intellect and emotion. The heart may crave what feels pleasurable in the moment, even when the mind knows that the choice is harmful. Rabbi Wolbe uses the example of someone warned by a doctor to avoid unhealthy food who nevertheless places himself in a tempting environment and gradually rationalizes giving in. Spiritual maturity requires training the mind to govern the heart rather than allowing emotions and impulses to dictate our choices.Rabbi Wolbe concludes by describing life as an ongoing contest between the physical forces that pursue pleasure, wealth, honor, and comfort and the neshamah that continually asks a deeper question: What will bring me closer to Hashem? Whichever side we strengthen becomes more powerful. When physical desires dominate, spiritual sensitivity weakens. When the neshamah leads, humility, wisdom, and closeness to God flourish. The struggle itself is the purpose of life—and every choice gives us another opportunity to allow the highest part of ourselves to lead._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 23, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 12, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #Nefesh, #Ruach, #Neshamah, #JewishSoul, #MindOverEmotion, #YetzerHara, #SelfControl, #InnerBattle, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In this lesson from the Gate of Fear of Heaven (Shaar Yirat Shamayim), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the powerful parable of the royal soul. The human neshamah is compared to the daughter of a king—pure, precious, and lofty—yet placed inside a physical body filled with earthly desires. The body wants comfort, food, pleasure, materialism, and immediate gratification, while the soul longs for holiness and closeness to Hashem. This tension between body and soul is not a defect in creation; it is the very arena in which human greatness is achieved.Rabbi Wolbe explains that our mission is not to reject the physical world, but to elevate it. Physical experiences can become extraordinarily holy when directed properly. He illustrates this through marriage and intimacy: what the outside world may treat as merely physical can, within the sanctity of a Jewish marriage, become one of the holiest expressions of Divine service. Torah awakens the soul to remember its royalty and teaches us not to “sell ourselves cheaply” by living beneath our spiritual dignity.The lesson then turns to the unique privilege and responsibility of the Jewish people. Hashem gave us Torah and mitzvos as the means through which we recognize His greatness, develop Yirat Shamayim, and draw closer to Him. Looking at the heavens, the earth, the sun, moon, and stars can awaken awareness of the Creator—but Torah gives that awareness clarity and direction. Through learning and mitzvah observance, we begin to understand not only that Hashem exists, but what He wants from us.Rabbi Wolbe concludes by describing Yirat Shamayim as Hashem's greatest treasure. Gold, silver, possessions, and worldly success cannot compare to the clarity of knowing our relationship with God. The more we invest in Torah, mitzvos, and Hashem's wisdom, the more we awaken the royal soul within and recognize how privileged we are to live in a personal relationship with the Creator._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 16, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 11, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #SpiritualGrowth, #Faith, #AweOfGod, #RelationshipWithHashem, #LoveOfHashem, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

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In this lesson from the Gate of Fear of Heaven (Shaar Yirat Shamayim), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains that while the highest form of serving Hashem is motivated purely by love and reverence, the Torah recognizes that people often begin with simpler motivations. Children—and even adults who are spiritually immature—are naturally driven by rewards and consequences. Therefore, the Torah itself promises blessings for obedience and warns of punishment for disobedience. These incentives are not the ultimate goal but educational tools that gradually lead a person toward serving Hashem for His sake alone. Eventually, "mitoch shelo lishmah ba lishmah"—doing the right thing for imperfect reasons can develop into doing it for the right reasons.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that spiritual growth mirrors human development. Just as a young child can be motivated by candy far more than by promises of future wealth or royalty, people initially respond to what they immediately understand and value. As wisdom matures, motivations mature as well. A person should never remain spiritually childish but should strive to seek truth simply because it is true and to fulfill Hashem's will because it is Hashem's will.The centerpiece of the lesson is the moving parable of the kidnapped prince. A young prince is stolen from the royal palace and raised in a simple village, completely unaware of his noble identity. Only after someone reveals his true lineage does he begin to appreciate who he really is. When royal messengers finally arrive with the king's garments and escort him back to the palace, his identity is fully awakened. Rabbi Wolbe explains that this prince represents every Jewish soul. Our neshamah originates beneath Hashem's Heavenly Throne, yet it is placed into a physical body that easily forgets its true greatness. Torah and mitzvot remind us who we really are and awaken us to our royal spiritual identity.The lesson concludes with a profound reminder: our soul is infinitely greater than our body. The body may be ordinary and earthly, but the soul is a Divine spark breathed into us by Hashem Himself. Developing Yirat Shamayim means living according to that higher identity, remembering our royal origin, and allowing the soul—not the body—to guide our choices._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 16, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 5, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #SpiritualGrowth, #Faith, #AweOfGod, #RelationshipWithHashem, #LoveOfHashem, #LiveWithPurpose ★ Support this podcast ★

In this opening lesson of the 28th and final gate of Orchot Tzaddikim—the Gate of Fear of Heaven (Shaar Yirat Shamayim)—Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains that the Torah's concept of "fear" does not primarily mean terror or anxiety. Rather, yirah means awe, awareness, perspective, and clarity. True fear of Heaven is living with a constant awareness of Hashem's greatness and recognizing our personal relationship with Him. The Torah repeatedly teaches that this awareness is the foundation of Jewish life and the greatest treasure a person can possess.Rabbi Wolbe then demonstrates that Torah is not the ultimate goal—it is the pathway that leads to Yirat Shamayim. Torah study without developing a deeper awareness of Hashem is compared to possessing the keys to the inner rooms of a house while lacking the key to the front door. Likewise, the purpose of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai was not simply to acquire knowledge, but to establish an everlasting relationship with Hashem. Every mitzvah reconnects us to that covenant and strengthens that bond.The lesson concludes by describing three levels of fear. The lowest level is serving Hashem because of concern for what other people think. A higher level is serving Hashem out of fear of punishment. The highest and purest level is serving Hashem solely because He is Hashem—out of love, awe, gratitude, and a sincere desire to fulfill His will. Rabbi Wolbe closes by encouraging us to recognize the countless gifts Hashem grants us every moment—from the ability to breathe and see to the privilege of living each day—which naturally inspires profound gratitude and authentic Yirat Shamayim._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 16, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 5, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #FearOfHeaven, #YiratShamayim, #SpiritualGrowth, #Faith, #AweOfGod, #RelationshipWithHashem, #LoveOfHashem, #LiveWithPurpose, ★ Support this podcast ★

In this lesson from the Gate of Torah (Shaar HaTorah), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe teaches that true Torah study begins with mastering the fundamentals before chasing complexity. A student who rushes into intricate analyses without first understanding the simple flow of the Talmud misses the very foundation upon which Torah is built. Every word of the Talmud is rooted in the Mishnah, and every Mishnah is rooted in the Written Torah. The deeper insights become meaningful only after the basic structure is firmly established.Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes that Torah is meant to be lived, not merely admired. Every learning session should conclude with the question: How does this change my life today? Quoting the Ramban's famous letter, he encourages listeners to transform every Torah lesson into practical action. Torah is not an academic discipline reserved for intellectual exercise—it is Hashem's guidebook for everyday living, shaping our choices, character, and relationship with the Creator.The lesson then contrasts Torah study with every other profession. In the business world, people are rewarded for results, but in Torah, Hashem rewards sincere effort. Even when understanding is incomplete, every moment spent striving to comprehend Hashem's wisdom carries eternal value. Rabbi Wolbe illustrates this with the analogy of a plumber who is paid only for a successful repair, while a Torah student is rewarded for every honest attempt to learn, regardless of the outcome.Finally, Rabbi Wolbe highlights one of the defining features of authentic Torah learning: respectful disagreement in pursuit of truth. The debates of Hillel and Shammai, the passionate discussions of the sages, and the give-and-take of every study partnership all teach that Torah grows through listening, questioning, and refining ideas—not through ego or victory. The goal is never to prove oneself right, but to discover the truth of Hashem's Torah. He concludes with a powerful reminder that Torah is not simply another subject to study—it is the very life force of the Jewish people, nourishing the soul just as food nourishes the body._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on February 9, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on August 4, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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.orgv_____________Keywords:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #GateOfTorah, #TalmudTorah, #TorahStudy, #CrownOfTorah, #JewishLearning, #DailyTorah, #TorahLife, #EffortMatters, #NeverStopLearning, #LearningEveryDay, #ChooseTorah, #TorahFirst ★ Support this podcast ★

Text me your comments or questions!Flattery sounds like honor until you notice where it's trying to take you. We dig into Proverbs 2 and use it as a spiritual lens to expose Jezebel style patterns that show up as manipulation, sensual seduction, and control, especially in church leadership and close relationships. The goal is not paranoia or people-hunting. It's discernment that protects purity, restores healthy authority, and keeps us aligned with the fear of the Lord. We talk about why many people don't realize they're under influence, how secret-sharing and time-consuming “meetings” can become emotional adultery, and why covenant matters so much when you're judging fruit. We also wrestle with a hard warning from the text: her house leads down to death. Not just dramatic failure, but spiritual death that slowly drains worship, joy, and boldness until a church starts living to please people instead of God. From there, we focus on control as a core thread, tracing it through biblical patterns like Moses leaving Pharaoh's house and Elijah being sent into hiding by the brook. Sometimes what feels like delay is actually protection. We close by challenging false prophecy and confusion in the information age, naming the danger of voices that “redefine” what God already established, and we end in prayer for covering under God's shadow. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs clarity, and leave a review so more people can find these teachings. What warning sign stood out to you most?Support the showYou can support the ministry of FaithFire here.For text alerts when we go live or release future podcasts, text FAITHFIRE to 55498.

This headline formula works for every customer...confident or not! This week, Nate breaks down a single copywriting structure he's tested across every brand he's worked with: "Our [product] is [adjective] and [adjective], just like the [customers] who use it." Sounds simple. The psychology behind it pretty complex though! We dig into why this format hits differently, how it flatters the buyer who already sees themselves that way, and motivates the one who wants to. Plus: how to pick the adjectives that actually do the heavy lifting, why customer reviews are the starting point (not the finish line), and how the winning words from a headline test should be dictating your next photo shoot. Timestamps 00:00 Intro — Q4 is closer than you think 01:00 The headline format Nate's used with every brand 02:00 Sara's first reaction to Nate's watch copy 03:00 The full formula breakdown with examples 04:00 Why it works for both confident and insecure buyers 05:00 Picking adjectives that aren't "good," "great," or "best" 06:00 Using Claude + a thesaurus to find rich descriptors 07:30 Flattery as a copy strategy (done right) 08:30 Rugged vs. polished — how headline tests changed their photo shoots 10:00 How winning adjectives should inform your entire funnel 11:00 Homework: write your own versions and test them

How can we live a life that pleases God? We imitate people all the time, so let's imitate God. Pastor Micah Hayes continues our series, “Ephesians: One in Christ,” preaching from Ephesians 5:1-14. Notes in this sermon: Walk in love Walk in light Visit www.bluevalleychurch.org for more information about Blue Valley Church in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas.

How can we live a life that pleases God? We imitate people all the time, so let's imitate God. Zach Wiggins, Director of Student Ministries at the Antioch Campus, continues our series, “Ephesians: One in Christ,” preaching from Ephesians 5:1-14. Notes in this sermon: Walk in love Walk in light Visit www.bluevalleychurch.org for more information about Blue Valley Church in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas.

By directly quoting from the Book of Enoch, Jude shows how judgment will take place for those who have crept into the church and denied Jesus Christ. We worship a just God. Those who have come to hurt the church do so because they hate God. Their punishment is inevitable. Jude 14-16

Daniel 11:21-36

Rebecca found pic's of her fiancées ex and now she cant get over it! Is she a replacement?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adeline Atlas 11 X Published AUTHOR Digital Twin: Create Your AI Clone: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/digital-twin⁠⁠⁠⁠SOS: School of Soul Vault: Full Access ALL SERIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/joinus-202f0461-ba1e-4ff8-8111-9dee8c726340⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/soulrenovation/⁠⁠⁠⁠Soul Renovation - BooksSoul Game - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/vay2xdcp⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Play: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2eh584jf⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Play: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ad4msf3⁠⁠⁠⁠Digital Soul: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3hk29s9x⁠⁠⁠⁠Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://tiny.cc/ihrs001⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde5fnf4⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rabbit Hole: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3swnmxfj⁠⁠⁠⁠Destiny Swapping: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/35dzpvss⁠⁠⁠⁠Spanish Editions: Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/ytec7cvc⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3jv4fc5n⁠⁠⁠⁠

EMUL-8 is a fascinating programming language. It's described in just one paper from 1977. It's a mix of features from APL, LISP, ALGOL, and SNOBOL. And, I think, it's a wonderful window into how counterculture and home computing collided.

Title: Better Things Concerning YouSpeaker: Pastor Colin TanDate: 7th June 2026Location: Singapore, Singapore Summary:"We are confident of better things concerning you" — that phrase from Hebrews 6:9 sets the tone for this episode, which takes a direct look at what it actually means to grow up spiritually. The episode opens in Hebrews 6, where Paul urges believers to move beyond the basics of salvation and press toward maturity. The point is not about performing better, but about developing a faith that is genuine, active, and oriented toward others rather than self. Three vivid examples from Scripture bring this to life. David facing Goliath shows what it looks like to act from real faith when everyone around you is paralysed by fear and unbelief. David's response to Absalom's rebellion demonstrates something harder still: trusting God completely when betrayal comes from your own family, and choosing not to take revenge when you easily could. These are not feel-good stories. They are practical pictures of what it looks like to lead rather than bleed, and to see the bigger picture when others have lost the plot. The episode closes by working through James 3 and Proverbs 26-27, with a sharp look at how the tongue reveals the condition of the heart. It also draws on Acts 15 and 16 to show how Paul knew which battles were worth fighting and which ones to let go. Maturity is not about being right in every argument. It is about caring enough for people to speak the truth, keep your eyes on what really matters, and trust God with the rest. Key Points: Salvation is the foundation, not the finish line. God calls every believer to press on toward genuine spiritual maturity Real faith is visible in how you live and respond, not just in what you say you believe Spiritual maturity means seeing the bigger picture, choosing the right battles, and not letting emotions or offences cloud your vision The heart is revealed by the tongue. Flattery and manipulation are signs of spiritual immaturity, while honest and caring speech reflects a heart aligned with God Trusting God with outcomes, even painful ones, is central to the kind of faith David demonstrated throughout his life Reference Scriptures: Hebrews 6:1-12 1 Samuel 17:28-29, 33 (David and Goliath) 2 Samuel 15:25-26 (David trusts God during Absalom's rebellion) 2 Samuel 16:5-9 (Shimei curses David) 2 Samuel 19:9-13 (David's return to Jerusalem) Joshua 5:13-15 (commander of the Lord's army) James 2:18 (faith shown by works) James 3:5-6 (the tongue as fire) Proverbs 26:23-28 (flattery and deceit) Proverbs 27:5-6 (open rebuke) Acts 15:7-12 (Jerusalem Council) Acts 16:1-5 (Paul and Timothy) 2 Corinthians 5:12-14 (the love of Christ compels us) Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting https://podcastrevival.com The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit https://therevivalfellowship.com © 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adeline Atlas 11 X Published AUTHOR Digital Twin: Create Your AI Clone: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/digital-twin⁠⁠⁠⁠SOS: School of Soul Vault: Full Access ALL SERIES⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.soulreno.com/joinus-202f0461-ba1e-4ff8-8111-9dee8c726340⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/soulrenovation/⁠⁠⁠⁠Soul Renovation - BooksSoul Game - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/vay2xdcp⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Play: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2eh584jf⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Play: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/2ad4msf3⁠⁠⁠⁠Digital Soul: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3hk29s9x⁠⁠⁠⁠Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://tiny.cc/ihrs001⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/bde5fnf4⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rabbit Hole: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3swnmxfj⁠⁠⁠⁠Destiny Swapping: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/35dzpvss⁠⁠⁠⁠Spanish Editions: Every Word: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/ytec7cvc⁠⁠⁠⁠Drain Me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/3jv4fc5n⁠⁠⁠

Episode 69 of the Hollow Bunny Leadership Podcast features former police chiefs Kristen Ziman and Sylvia Moir diving into the complicated relationship between leadership, influence, and authenticity through the lens of Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer's book The Power Playbook. The conversation explores everything from executive presence and personal branding to networking and mentorship, while also challenging some of Pfeffer's more controversial ideas about flattery, image, and apologies in leadership. Throughout the episode, Kristen and Sylvia wrestle with the tension between perception and substance, ultimately arguing that strong leadership is built on credibility, self-awareness, and the willingness to own mistakes while continuing to grow.

Is copying the ultimate compliment? This Hour Has 22 Minutes's Chris Wilson makes a good impression with his pro-plagiarism argument, but Sean Cullen says there's nothing worse than a cheap imitation of the real thing. Next, we're asking if everybody needs therapy. Nikki Payne claims we could all use some time on the counselling couch, but Ashwyn Singh refuses to talk it out.Featuring: Chris Wilson, Sean Cullen, Nikki Payne, and Ashwyn Singh.

【欢迎订阅】 每天早上5:30，准时更新。 【阅读原文】 标题：The Pageantry and Flattery of Donald Trump's Visit to ChinaThe President yielded potential deals for airplanes and soybeans but no apparent agreement on Iran.正文： In 1972, when Richard Nixon became the first American President to visit China, he was preoccupied with more than making diplomatic history. He wanted to ease his way out of an unpopular war in Vietnam and to burnish his image with scenes of statesmanship. As his aides plotted TV coverage that might impres audiences at home, they suggested that the First Lady emerge from Air Force One wearing a bright-red overcoat, to stand out against the drabness of Beijing.知识点：preoccupied /priˈɒkjupaɪd/ 形容词，源自动词 occupy，源自拉丁语 occupare（意为 “占领、占据”），前缀 pre- 表 “提前、预先”，词根 oc-（加强）+ cup-（抓住、占有）本义为 “全神贯注的、心事重重的”，外刊政治语境核心义为 **（领导人）被某件事完全占据心智，其他事务被边缘化，带有 “被国内私利主导” 的贬义色彩 **核心搭配：be preoccupied with re-election（一心想着连任）、be preoccupied with domestic crises（满脑子都是国内危机）、preoccupied with personal legacy（执念于个人政治遗产）・She was too preoccupied with her thesis to answer my phone calls. 她太专注于写论文，没接我的电话。・Nixon was preoccupied with ending the Vietnam War and winning re-election when he planned his visit to China. 尼克松在策划访华时，满脑子都是结束越南战争和赢得连任。获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！ 【节目介绍】 《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。 所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。 【适合谁听】 1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者 2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者 3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者 4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等） 【你将获得】 1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景 2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法 3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

Read OnlineSome Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Mark 12:13–14Just prior to today's Gospel, the chief priests, scribes, and elders confronted Jesus in the Temple area while He taught, challenging His authority to drive out the moneychangers and merchants. Though they withdrew out of fear of opposition from the crowds, they sent the Pharisees and Herodians to trap Him (cf. Mark 11:27–33). The alliance of these five groups, who were often opposed to one another—especially the Pharisees and the Herodians—well illustrates the old adage: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to oral traditions derived from the Mosaic Law. They frequently clashed with the chief priests and elders, who focused on Temple worship and ceremonial rites.The Herodians were despised by both the Pharisees and the other leaders for their support of Herod and Roman occupation. Their allegiance to Rome enabled them to maintain political influence under Herod's rule. Despite their usual animosity, these groups united in their shared opposition to Jesus. His ongoing influence among the people, His teachings that exposed their hypocrisy, and His actions in the Temple all threatened their authority and control.Though all five of these groups are less than inspirational, we can learn from them. They depict fallen human tendencies—such as pride, fear, and self-interest—that we all struggle with. First, true unity only comes from aligning ourselves with God and His Truth, which fosters humility, charity, and a desire to seek God's will above our own interests. By contrast, the “unity” shared by this coalition of factions was grounded in malice. Hatred can so blind us that we turn from our core values and seek ways to fuel our resentment. This is precisely what these normally divided groups did: Their mutual hatred for Jesus and fear of losing influence over the community drove them to unite in a shared mission of opposition—something we, too, can fall into if we let malice guide us.In today's Gospel, we can also learn from the questioning of the Pharisees and Herodians. They begin with flattery, which is always deceptive and manipulative. Their insincere praise was not meant to honor Jesus but to disarm Him and lure Him into their trap. Perhaps they failed to recall the wisdom found in Proverbs: “Those who speak flattery to their neighbor cast a net at their feet” (29:5) or “Charm is deceptive…” (31:30). Flattery not only deceives others but often ensnares those who use it, leading them into sin, as seen in today's Gospel.Second, the question they ask is a carefully constructed trap. If Jesus said, “Yes, it is lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar,” the Pharisees could accuse Him of disregarding Jewish law and collaborating with Roman oppressors. If He said, “No,” the Herodians could report Him to Herod as a revolutionary opposing Roman authority. Their malice was cunning, but Jesus' wisdom transcends theirs, and He escapes their trap. His response not only avoids their deceit but also exposes their hypocrisy, turning their malicious scheme into an opportunity to teach eternal truths.Reflect today on these fallen human tendencies vividly illustrated by these five groups who were aligned in their opposition to our Lord. When you look at your own “alliances,” what is it that unites you? Shared hate and resentment? A common fear or opposition to something? Bonds formed over shared negativity or resentment are fleeting and destructive. True and lasting unity is found only in aligning ourselves with the Truth of the Word of God, striving together for holiness, and building relationships grounded in Christ. Reflect on whether your relationships draw you closer to Christ or distract you from Him, and seek to realign them with His Truth.Lord of all Wisdom, at times I form bonds, like the Pharisees and Herodians, that are grounded in sin and negative emotions rather than in Your charity and truth. Free me, I pray, from these oppressive sins, and make me honest, pure of heart, and a seeker of the unity found only in You. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: The Tribute Money By Leopold LayerSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

May 27, 2026, 5pm: Nicolle Wallace on Trump's cabinet meeting this week. For more, follow us on Instagram @deadlinewh For more from Nicolle, follow and download her podcast, “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's a huge difference between flattery and a sincere compliment. Flattery is a form of manipulation where someone showers praise or attention on a person in order to ingratiate themselves or gratify the person's vanity (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary). It's the motive that's wrong. I say something positive to gain a person's trust so I can influence them or protect myself. I assume all of us find ourselves doing this on occasion. For the most part we're not even conscious we are doing it until we hear it coming out of our mouths. And flattery doesn't necessarily require lying. Everything I have said about a person may be true. What makes it flattery is why I said it. The very same words could be said with a different motive and be a sincere compliment. As we read Paul's letter to believers in Rome, we might ask if he is flattering them so they'll welcome him when he arrives, or is he complimenting them in order to encourage them in their service of the Lord? One doesn't have to read far in Paul's letters to discover he is quite willing to confront and correct when it's needed (1Co 11:17-22; Gal 3:1,3). There's simply nothing in him that's falsely manipulative. Strongly authoritative at times, yes, but manipulative, no. Yet the same man who will bluntly speak truth is also willing to compliment, and he does it well. Even though his words aren't directed to us personally, we find it encouraging and healing just to listen to such heartfelt approval. He has a grace each of us would do well to learn because we are surrounded by people who desperately need to be complimented. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series.  Also check out our website at lifelessonspublishing.com for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.  And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Revelation at no charge, we are still giving this book out as well!     

From Bill Maher: Live From Oklahoma https://www.comedydynamics.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In episode 2046, Jack and guest co-host Jacquis Neal are joined by comedian, Alex Falcone, to discuss… Ukraine Is Proposing That Part Of The Donbas Region Be Named "Donnyland" To Appeal To Trump, People Who Used A Bear Suit For Insurance Fraud Are Sentenced To Jail In California. FBI To Lead Distraction-- Uh... "Investigation" Into Missing/Dead Scientists and more! ‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Proposes Naming Part of the Donbas in Trump’s Honor. Art of the praise: Why flattering Trump is now the go-to diplomatic move NATO's Rutte Likens Trump to a 'daddy' in Israel-Iran Conflict Japanese PM promises golden age in relations with US during Trump visit I don’t regret gifting Nobel prize to Trump: Venezuela’s Machado South Korea awards Trump gold crown amid deal to unlock $350bn trade talks Leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan Sign Peace Pledge at White House Humans Who Used a Bear Suit to Defraud Car Insurers Are Sentenced to Jail Department of Insurance - Operation Bear Claw Footage The ‘Missing-Scientist’ Story Is Unbelievably Dumb Evidence uncovered in New Mexico may help solve at least one disappearance linked to missing scientists At least 10 scientists tied to sensitive US research have died or disappeared in recent years, sparking federal investigation 11th dead scientist linked to UFOs emerges in recent string of disappearances, deaths: 'NOT NORMAL' 11 Scientists Are Dead or Missing. It Was Only a Matter of Time Before Conspiracy Theories Hit the White House. Watch: Rogan Encapsulates Why Missing Scientists Are No Conspiracy Theory... PSFC showcases technologies applicable to both fusion and geothermal energy during representative’s visit 11th scientist death emerges in string of missing, dead officials with access to US secrets Alabama anti-gravity researcher found dead; 11th scientist to die or vanish since 2023 Who Is Amy Eskridge? Scientist’s Death Queried Amid US Expert Mysteries Amy Eskridge’s father denies her death is suspicious amid scientist probe Shooter who killed Brown students and MIT professor planned attack for months, says DOJ Brown shooting suspect: gruelling academic climate may have taken mental toll, say ex-classmates LISTEN: Coffin Nails by MF DOOMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Michael explore the tension between artificial and authentic in the age of AI. Opening with mortality and fatherhood, they spiral through technology's disconnecting effects, the nature of reality, and what it means to live meaningfully. Key themes include AI's impact on art and relationships, the sexualization of culture, the failure of modern education, and predictions about cultural revival. Cheers y'all

In this compelling solo episode, Jesse Schwamb unpacks one of Scripture's most famous—and misunderstood—passages: Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees and Herodians over paying taxes to Caesar. Far from being a simple political soundbite, Matthew 22:15-22 reveals Jesus' brilliant wisdom in dismantling false dilemmas and redirecting our focus to identity rather than ideology. Through careful exegesis, Jesse demonstrates how Christ's response cuts through political posturing to address the deeper question: Whose image do we bear? This episode serves as both a masterclass in biblical interpretation and a timely reminder that our ultimate allegiance belongs not to any earthly authority, but to the God whose image we carry. Perfect preparation for the podcast's upcoming journey through the parables of Jesus. Key Takeaways Jesus Cannot Be Cornered: The Pharisees and Herodians crafted what seemed like an inescapable trap, but Jesus transcends false dilemmas by reframing the question entirely, demonstrating His divine wisdom and authority. The Imago Dei Is Central: By asking "Whose image is this?" about the coin, Jesus points to the deeper question: Whose image is on you? We bear God's image, making our primary obligation to Him, not Caesar. Civil Authority Is Real but Bounded: Jesus affirms legitimate temporal authority ("render to Caesar") while establishing that all such authority is derivative and limited by God's ultimate sovereignty. Hypocrisy Is Exposed by Action: The Pharisees' immediate production of a Roman coin revealed they were already participants in the system they questioned, undermining their supposed concern for Jewish law. Amazement ≠ Transformation: The opponents "marveled" and left, demonstrating that intellectual defeat or astonishment at Jesus' teaching is not equivalent to spiritual conversion or surrender. Identity Precedes Politics: Before asking what we owe the government, we must ask what we owe God—the answer being ourselves, as those created in His image. The Breath of Divine Life: Our creation bears special intimacy—God breathed life into humanity, making us doubly unique as both image-bearers and recipients of His divine breath, foreshadowing spiritual regeneration. In-Depth Analysis The Imago Dei Is Central Jesus' response to the tax question brilliantly redirects attention from political obligation to theological identity. When He asks "Whose image is this?" about the denarius, He's employing the Greek word eikon—the same term used in the Septuagint translation of Genesis 1:27 for humanity being made in God's image. This isn't coincidental wordplay; it's deliberate theological teaching. The profound truth here is that while Caesar's image on a coin establishes his claim to that piece of metal, God's image stamped on humanity establishes His total claim on us. We are not our own; we were bought with a price far greater than any taxation. The coin metaphor works because it's a physical representation of ownership and authority—but our bodies and souls are the true "coinage" that belongs to God. This reframes every political question as ultimately subordinate to our identity as image-bearers, reminding us that our primary citizenship, allegiance, and obligation is heavenly, not earthly. Civil Authority Is Real but Bounded Jesus' statement "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" has often been misinterpreted as establishing a complete separation between sacred and secular realms. However, Reformed theology—particularly Calvin's interpretation—understands this passage as establishing legitimate but limited civil authority within God's sovereignty. Caesar's authority is real and should be respected; Christians are called to submit to governing authorities as Paul argues in Romans 13. However, this authority is derivative, not ultimate. Caesar operates within a sphere that God ordains and limits. There is no zone of existence that belongs exclusively to Caesar, outside God's jurisdiction. The state has legitimate claims on our obedience, our taxes, and our civic participation—but never on our worship, our ultimate allegiance, or our conscience when it contradicts God's law. This creates a framework for Christian citizenship that takes earthly government seriously while never granting it the totalizing authority that belongs to God alone. Amazement ≠ Transformation The conclusion of this encounter is sobering: the Pharisees and Herodians were "amazed" but unchanged. They marveled at Jesus' wisdom, were intellectually outmaneuvered, and had nothing more to say—yet they walked away to plot His crucifixion. This demonstrates a crucial truth for evangelism and apologetics: winning an argument is not the same as winning a soul. Intellectual defeat can coexist with spiritual hardness. Someone can acknowledge the brilliance of Jesus' teaching, be unable to counter His logic, and still refuse to surrender their life to Him. This reminds us that conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit, not merely the result of superior argumentation. Our task is faithful witness and clarity in presenting truth, but we must pray for the Spirit to do what only He can do—soften hearts, open eyes, and bring dead souls to life. Astonishment at Jesus must give way to submission to Jesus. Memorable Quotes "You can never corner Jesus. Of course, you can never catch him off guard. And while those seem like very just trite and straightforward explanations of who he is and what his character is like as the son of God, we should not go away from them too quickly because what we find here is the wisdom and the brilliance of God in providing teaching to cut to the hearts of what is actually in the question." "Caesar can have his coin, but he cannot have you. Not in any ultimate sense. You and I, loved ones, we belong to God." "Being out argued is not the same as being transformed. You can leave someone with nothing to say and still not reach the heart." Full Episode Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: So here's the trap. If Jesus says yes, pay the tax, he completely alienates the crowd of Jewish pilgrims who are beginning to believe that he might be the Messiah who will liberate Israel from Rome if he says. No, do not pay it. He could obviously be reported to the Roman authorities as a seditious rebel. Either answer loses. There's really no good way out of this. At least on the face. Either answer costs him something, his popularity or his freedom, and this is what we call a false dilemma. The Pharisees think that they've got him cornered. But here's the thing, loved ones they haven't. You can never corner Jesus. Of course, you can never catch him off guard. And while those seem like very just trite and straightforward explanations of who he is and what his character is like as the son of God, we should not. Go away from them too quickly because what we find here is the wisdom and the brilliance of God in providing teaching to cut to the hearts of what is actually in the question. And Jesus doesn't play this game. Welcome to episode 487 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for all those with the Imago Day. Hey, brothers and sisters, so let's talk taxes. Now you should know that the Reform Brotherhood is not that kind of podcast, but I suspect that you had one of two responses when you heard that topic. Either it piqued your interest or you thought, I'm just totally gonna skip this episode, and I get that. That's a polarizing topic. It's in part why I said it at the top, but I want us to chat a little bit today about a passage of the scripture where Jesus himself brings up taxes, but not in that way. In fact, he demonstrates some exceptional teaching, showing the wisdom of God in a very difficult and complex circumstance. And so we're gonna spend just a little bit of time hanging out in Matthew 22.  [00:02:17] Why Matthew 22 [00:02:17] Jesse Schwamb: Now, why are we doing this? Why this on this episode? Well, we're about to continue on the podcast, our inexorable march through all of the parables of Jesus as we go into the summer months. It's parable, summer loved ones, which I realize sounds like a horrible name for like a low budget drama. But in this case, Tony and I are about to reem embark or pick up our journey in the parables of Jesus. And what we find in Matthew 22 is this little exchange. It happens. And it actually is in the midst of a bunch of parables that are happening. It's in some ways a response to the parables that Jesus is bringing forward. And also, I just love this passage so much, and since we're doing one more solo episode, before we, we reunite and the band comes back together and we start talking about parables. I thought this is a great way for us to, again, consider the teachings of Jesus. In light of everything that he's saying and teaching in these really lovely stories. And so we find ourselves to think right in Matthew 22, which is a great place to be. So come hang out with me there. Grab a Bible, go stop your car right now and pull up on your phone the Matthew 22 so you can read along with me because this is something fantastic. It's one of the most famous passages actually in the gospels. And also at the same time, it's one of the most misused texts in the history of political theology. Because people on every side of almost every date about this topic, especially taxes since they're mentioned here, have reached for this passage, like it's some kind of Swiss Army knife. So I think the best thing that we can do. Our conversation right now is, let's slow down a little bit. Let's chill out. Let's get easy. Let's read it carefully and figure out what Jesus was actually doing here because it is, I promise you, far more interesting than just like a soundbite about taxes and the way that I beta you. At the top of this episode by saying, let's talk about taxes. [00:04:09] Setting the Scene [00:04:09] Jesse Schwamb: Now, before we get to this particular passage, here's a bit of scene setting, which I think is really important before we get to verse 15, which is where we're gonna pick up. Jesus has entered Jerusalem in the triumphal procession. He's cleansed the temple. He's cursed a fig tree, and he delivered three withering parables aimed directly at the religious establishment. We've got the parable of the two sons. The parable of the Wicked Tenants, the parable of the wedding banquet, which by the way, we're gonna get to all those bad boys. They will all have their own episodes because they're all brilliant and exceptional in each their own way, and they deserve for us to sit in them a little bit. But by the time we reach chapter 22, verse 15, I think at this point the Pharisees have heard enough. They are not stoked about the fact that Jesus is coming after them and coming in hot. And so the response is, let's set a trap. Let's now go back on the offensive. Let's give Jesus a test in front of everybody. So he's gonna be pinned down with something very difficult to explain or to answer. And so that's exactly where we find Matthew writing in 22 verse 15.  [00:05:15] Reading the Passage [00:05:15] Jesse Schwamb: Here's where we pick it up. Matthew writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Then the Pharisees went and took counsel together about how they might trap Jesus in what he said, and they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians saying, teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth and deferred a no one for you are not partial to any. Therefore, tell us what do you think? Is it lawful to give a tax to Caesar or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness said, why are you testing me? You hypocrites, show me the coin used for the tax. And they brought him a denarius and he said to them, whose likeness in inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar's. Then he said to them, therefore rendered Caesar, the things that are Caesar's and to God, the things that are god's. And hearing this, they marveled and leaving him, they went away. What an incredible passage. I love this so much in part because we're about to see here this wisdom in the teaching of God through Jesus. It's both spicy. It comes with almost like a clenched fist. It strikes back, but it gets to the root of something that wasn't even part of the original question and unentangle the trap to such a degree that the end result is that. Everybody is left speechless and they just have to walk away.  [00:06:41] Enemies Unite [00:06:41] Jesse Schwamb: And it starts with this idea that the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. Matthew actually uses this interesting word here, this idea of they took counsel together. It's a formal deliberate scheme. In other words, they definitely talked about this. It's premeditated, it's not impulsive. It's a confrontation with design. And the Pharisees are doing opposition research. They want to. Trap him, tangle him up. The Greek is to snare or to trap in a net. So they're hunting. They're trying to snipe Jesus, and they're going to send in this least likely combination of collaborators, collaborators, to do this whole thing. It's worth noting here. These groups that we have in the passage, the Pharisees and the Herodians, these guys were natural enemies. The Pharisees were Jewish priests or purists who despised Roman rule, and the Herodians were political pragmatists who basically owed their power to Rome. And so these guys, you can imagine, they agreed on almost nothing except that Jesus needed to be stopped. And when your enemies join forces to come after you. I guess you know, you've been effective. We might think about the own, own, our own times in which we live and the kind of polarized way our societies tend to be bending and tilting right now. And to think what would it take for everybody to come together, unite on common hatred or disagreement about some kind of third element or party? What would it take for that to happen? And so here, there is. The sense in which both the Pharisees and the pros for all of their dislike toward each other, for all their philosophical and religious disagreements, for all of their political conniving against each other, they are completely united in this purpose. And they easily come together to say, Jesus, we must deal with, and it requires all of us, let us come together and reason against him finding a way that we can consolidate our effort and power to such a degree that we leverage one another to entrap him. So there's something here where I think they're demonstrating what the Psalms say that God, when the nation's rage against God, he laughs. He holds 'em in derision. And here's a perfect example of that. In a microcosmic kind of way, we find these two groups who really should never be with one another, finding common ground and unity to try to defeat. Jesus.  [00:08:56] Flattery as a Trap [00:08:56] Jesse Schwamb: And so this delegation arrives and here is their approach to Jesus. They say, teacher, we know that you are true and you teach the way of God truthfully, and you don't care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances. This is some kind of magnificent flattery, and it actually, it's almost entirely true, which just makes this so ironic. There's a confession among the Herodians and the Pharisees, even as I tried to undermine Jesus, you know, that's what makes this so dangerous. They say you don't care about anyone's opinion. You're not swayed by appearances. They're essentially saying you can't be pressured. You'll answer honestly no matter what. And in saying so, they're trying to pressure Jesus, of course, into answering honestly. But it's like a rhetorical judo move. The compliment is the trap spring mechanism. Calvin, in this passage, likes to know that they address Jesus as teacher to feign respect while concealing this animosity, this ho hostility that they have towards him. They want him to be relaxed. Flattered off guard as if it's possible to take the son of God off guard, but notice what they're actually confessing in that flattery. Jesus is truthful. He teaches God's way accurately. He's not a respecter of persons. Every word they speak in false praise is true testimony about who he is, which makes their hypocrisy all the more damning. And this is the thing, for as much as anybody wants to try to blaspheme Jesus for as much as anybody wants to come at him with one particularly. Facet of his character. For instance, he's a good teacher or he seems to teach peace and love and truth and that, and that's it. They compliment him while at the same time confessing themselves short of the true confession of who he is. And so it's ironic to me that these guys. Who in their hearts are holding all of this malice toward Jesus. Say, well, you're not a respecter of persons because you th see things as they are and not merely as they appear to be, while all the time thinking that they're truthfully concealing the fact that they hate him and yet are flattering them with his, flattering him with their tongues. The absurdity of this is absolutely insane. And so I think if you're in this moment, you have to be appreciating. This sense of what is building here? How is Jesus going to respond? The trap has been set. They've tried to flatter him, and of course he's not buying it. But they start with this question. All of that's a set up to say here is like the real punchline. Tell us then, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?  [00:11:36] The False Dilemma [00:11:36] Jesse Schwamb: Now, if you're like me, quite honestly, you might wish that Jesus answered this question differently. This is the trap, the trap. Snapshots on this single question or so they think, I mean, I, I truly believe they think they're being really smart here, that they've come to terms with maybe lots of ideas. I don't know what they did. Whatever the equivalent of using chat GPT was, they said, how can we entrap Jesus? They all got together. They devised a plan. I'm sure they had. Some kind of whiteboard where they're brainstorming ideas and some came up and said, no, that's not gonna work. And others came. I imagine they settled on this because they thought there was no way outta this. And in some ways it's actually a really brilliantly engineered dilemma. The tax in question here is the kenzos. This was the Roman poll tax. A denarius per head paid directly to Rome, and it was incredibly and deeply controversial. Some Jews viewed paying it as completely an act of collaboration with an occupying pagan power, and the zealots called it outright sin, and the HEROs thought it was perfectly fine. So here's the trap. If Jesus says yes, pay the tax, he completely alienates the crowd of Jewish pilgrims who are beginning to believe that he might be the Messiah who will liberate Israel from Rome if he says. No, do not pay it. He could obviously be reported to the Roman authorities as a seditious rebel. Either answer loses. There's really no good way out of this. At least on the face. Either answer costs him something, his popularity or his freedom, and this is what we call a false dilemma. The Pharisees think that they've got him cornered. But here's the thing, loved ones they haven't. You can never corner Jesus. Of course, you can never catch him off guard. And while those seem like very just trite and straightforward explanations of who he is and what his character is like as the son of God, we should not. Go away from them too quickly because what we find here is the wisdom and the brilliance of God in providing teaching to cut to the hearts of what is actually in the question. And Jesus doesn't play this game.  [00:13:40] Coin and Hypocrisy [00:13:40] Jesse Schwamb: Jesus aware of the malice says, why? Put me to the test. You hypocrites, show me the coin for the tax. He doesn't even pretend to take the question at face value. He immediately identifies what's happening. This is a test and you all are hypocrites. Now, for me, I think if you are in the seats or standing in the shoes or the sandals, I suppose, of the Herodians or the Pharisees. I would be like, if I were on the side, I would be like, pull up, pull up, get out, get out. He's onto us just just with Jesus directly coming at them and labeling them as hypocrites. I think that itself undoes all of this. They've been exposed from the very beginning and Jesus doesn't mess around. It's like him coming into the temple to cleanse the temple, and it's as if in his left hand, he has mercy in his right hand. He has that cord that whip. And the word that Matthew uses here for hypocrites is one that Jesus deploys with like surgical precision throughout his this gospel. A hypocrite is someone performing virtue they do not possess. And right away he identifies it. These men are performing concern for Jewish law while actually serving their own political agenda. And I love that the son of God in power does not put up with that at all. And then, and I think this is. Absolutely delightful. Jesus asked them for a coin of all the things he could have said or done. Here's where there is like a little bit of a kind of a parable feel to this. He asked for the physical object, the thing that they're talking about. He asks, and interestingly, he doesn't have one. He's the guest of Pilgrim, the one without a Roman Denarius in his pocket. But, and here's what's interesting. Loved ones, they produce one immediately for him, which means the people who are asking whether it's lawful to use Roman currency are already using Roman currency. Jesus hasn't even answered yet, and hypocrisy is already self-evident. I think that's a considerable fact. The, the instance that they're able to produce the coin promptly, I don't think is a minor detail. It implicates them. They're already participants in the Roman economic system, which. I would say it's not necessarily a bad thing. Their question about whether it's lawful to pay taxes to Caesar is somewhat undermined though by the fact that they're carrying Caesar's money in the temple precincts. In other words, the whole thing just smells a setup. And even Jesus asking for the coin is showing them and others around them that not is he onto them. Not only does he see through them, but he is undermining the complete argument that they're making, showing that the question that they need to have answered is actually not about taxes at all. It's about something much deeper he's about to answer or bring forward the question, rather, whose image is on you. [00:16:29] Whose Image [00:16:29] Jesse Schwamb: And he starts by holding up the coin and saying, whose image is on this? So they bring him a denarius and Jesus says to them, whose likeness and inscription. Is this now the denarius of Tiberius Caesar bore his portrait in the inscription. The inscription, generally historians say, said something like Tiberius Caesar, son of the Divine Augustus, and it was a claim of divinity stamped into everyday commerce. This is why so much of the Jews found it so offensive to participate because it felt as if in every transaction you were affirming in some way the divine authority of Caesar. It was a claim that was stamped on the coin and therefore represented in every kind of transaction that took place throughout the lamb. Every time a Roman coin changed hands, Rome's imperial theology was in some ways quietly proclaimed, and Jesus holds it up and he asks this obvious question. Whose face is on this thing, and the Greek word for likeness here, whose likeness is, this is the word for image. This is the word the SubT uses in Genesis one. When God makes humanity in his image, in the Imago day, Jesus is about to build an argument that depends on this resonance, whether his questioners hear it or not. Whose image is on the coin and whose image is on you. Those are two very different questions with two very different answers. And of course, they lead to this incredibly famous reply, one that's known by most people, but I think not understood by many. So they said, Caesar's Caesar's image is on this coin.  [00:18:12] Render to God [00:18:12] Jesse Schwamb: So Jesus says to them, therefore. Render to Caesar, the things that are Caesars and to God, the things that are God. I think of almost all the places in the scriptures. This might be Jesus at his most dazzling. I say that partly. Subjectively, because I'm captivated by this whole encounter. I'm captivated and drawn in by the son of God and his teaching here. I'm captivated by his ability to see through what's happening here, and I'm captivated by the truth that he delivers. But I think I'm not alone because objectively, when we get to the end of this, we find everybody else marveling. Notice that Jesus doesn't choose between the two horns of this dilemma. He reframes the entire question. He blows up the entire premise because even here, the choice of language is so incredible. The word render means to give back what is owed, to return, what belongs to someone. Sometimes we hear this as give, give to Caesars. What is Caesars? Just give it to him. This seems like a, a secular question you're asking me. So keep this secular nonsense out of what is this sacred life? But instead it's not just give it's give back, render as in this was already his to begin with. So give Caesar back. What has Caesar's image on it? The coin bears his image. The coin belongs to his realm, fine. But when that, but then comes this, this second half, this glorious truth, that's far better, and this is where the weight falls. Give to God, what has God's image on it. And what of course, bears the image of God, you and I, every human being made in the mago de bears the divine image. Caesar can have his coin, but he cannot have you. Not in any ultimate sense. You and I loved ones. We belong to God. And of course, from a reform perspective, this is the bedrock of what we mean when we speak of the Lordship of Christ over all of life. There's no zone of existence that is only Caesar's. Caesar operates within a sphere that God ordains and limits. The state has legitimate authority. Paul's gonna argue that in Romans 13, but the authority is derivative. It's not ultimate Caesar's domain is real, but bounded God's domain is total and unbounded. And so that's why. Calvin insists that Jesus never divides life neatly into sacred and secular. Rather, he is establishing that all of life is lived before God, and within that totality, there are legitimate temporal authorities to whom we owe appropriate submission. The coin goes to Caesar, but the person. The image bearer of God is owed entirely to the Lord.  [00:20:50] Imago Dei and New Life [00:20:50] Jesse Schwamb: I was thinking, again, reading through Genesis, just how beautiful the CR creation narrative is when it comes to mankind, that God is ex ne hill speaking things into existence. He's showing his great command over all things. The spirit hovering over the waters from the beginning. And here's God in this Trinitarian act, bringing into the existence, all the things that you and I know, all the things which are familiar to us that we still marvel at, but are part and parcel peace wise of the world in which we live. And I sometimes forget that when it comes to that day, when God creates man, that he forms him and then he takes a breath and he breathes. The specialty of that type of creation that you and I are derivative and contingent beings, but we're way separate than all of creation because God has breathed his very breath of life into us. And in that way, it's not just that he set us up and said, let me design mankind to be like me, which he does. Let us make mankind in our own image that Trinity says in the scriptures, but also that consummation of life. Comes from the very breadth of God himself. And in that way we find that human beings are doubly special. I would say that one, that God has formed us to be like him to exhibit many of his qualities, but two, that life itself didn't come just from merely speaking, but there's an intimacy. More or less loved ones. He put his lips on ours and breathed into us so that we might be alive. And of course, the scripture itself tells us that the second life, the abundant life, salvation itself is very much like that. In the same way, Jesus didn't come to make bad people good. It came to make dead people alive. And so we need that breath of life again. And when we are surrendered to him, when he comes and arrests our hearts, when he does that incredible surgery of cutting us and removing that heart of stone and replacing it, one with flesh, we are made alive in Christ so that we gain more in Jesus than what we lost in Adam. [00:22:50] Amazed Not Changed [00:22:50] Jesse Schwamb: So what is everybody's response when Jesus explains all of this? Well, I love what the scripture says when they heard it. They marveled and they left him and went away. They marveled the Greek here is, is the word actually for enthusiasm. They were amazed and astonished. It's not actually polite appreciation. This is like draw drop of people who came to spring a trap and watched it spring BRAC on them. There was no follow up question. I love this, don't you? That this is so complete, so succinct, so confronting, so condemning, so damning that they had nothing, they, they left. Imagine maybe they looked at each other with that look of like, does anybody else have anything else they wanna say? 'cause if not, I just want to get outta here right now and notice what Matthew doesn't say. He doesn't say that they repented, he doesn't say that they believed they were astonished. And they left. They walked away. And this is one of those sobering realities of the gospels. Jesus could silence his opponents without converting them. Intellectual defeat is not the same thing as spiritual surrender. The Pharisees went away to a pla to a. Construct a plan essentially of crucifixion of how to kill him. And being out argued is not the same as being transformed. I think for us in evangelism and apologetics, it's a good reminder that winning the argument is not the goal. Clarity is a gift and faithful witness matters, but conversion is the work of the spirit. You can leave someone with nothing to say and still not reach the heart, and this should move us to pray accordingly. So I'm amazed by this teaching because it draws us back to this understanding that what the Pharisees meant to use for entrapment to in the temporal space. To divide Jesus, to make him basically say something that he did not want to say, to put him in a place he did not want to be. Instead, he uses the convey the greatest message of all, and that is we are God's children. And ironically, the ones who are professing to be God's children had missed the point altogether because what they really needed to ask was, whose image is on you? And as a result of that, what ought you to render that is to give back to God, and that is ourselves.  [00:25:00] Takeaways and Application [00:25:00] Jesse Schwamb: So here's some things I would say that we can take away from Matthew 22. A few things I think worth holding onto as you and I go about our weeks first, Jesus can't be cornered. And I, I understand that that's like obvious to say, but don't you love that about the God man? Like every intent to trap him. In this chapter and throughout the gospels now and forevermore results in his opponents looking worse than when they started. And this is how we know that we can trust Jesus, that we can trust his power, that he is for us, that his enemies will ultimately be subdued, that they will be humiliated and made low, that he is the one who cannot be caught in his words because his words are truth. I love that the scripture just tells us the truth about reality, and so we come back to it time and time again because we find it both. Warm, comfortable blankets in which we might cuddle up as it were and find ourselves comforted by God. But also it does have a sharp edge that like a knife cuts against us sometimes to remind us that we serve a holy God and that we are sinful people. It never shrinks away from the truth when that hard edge of the law must be brandished against us, and it also at the same time, never ceases to apply the bomb of the gospel to our lives where we need healing and restoration and comfort. Here's the second thing in my mind, this question, this big question, is it lawful? And what a question by the way, right? Like, you know, you could couch this in lots of different ways. Should we pay taxes? That's kind of how we think about it. But this idea of like, no, no, no. Is it lawful? Which law are we talking about? The law of God or the law of the land Even that is left for this kind of subjective reasoning to entrap. This was a question though about politics. And Jesus answered with a question about identity. I love that. Whose image is this? That is always the deeper question in my mind. And before you ask what you owe the government, we ought to ask what do we owe God? And remember that you yourself are what you owe him because you bear his image. So we start from this place where we don't get it twisted like we do in Romans one, when we're outside of God. That is, we don't wanna change the truth of God for Allah here. We need to remember that Presuppositional, all that we are, all that we have, all that we've been given, all of this is God's. And so in that contingent sense, we are merely pouring back to him that which is already due, his name and his praise. And so that's the place where we start. Third, I think there is a legitimate but bounded role for civil authority in Christian understanding of the world. That's something Tony and I have talked about before. You can go back into the Reform Brotherhood catalog, which by the way exists in reform brotherhood.com. You can find all of the 400 deficits back there. There's a search function, so you can just type in a word and at this point I'm guaranteed some episode will come up. We've talked about this before. How we're not theocrats, we're we're pilgrims. Who hold our earthly citizenship loosely and our heavenly citizenship with everything that we've got. So there is a role in our land for civil authority. Paul, again will argue this very cogently in Romans 13. At the same time, we don't wanna get it twisted. We don't want to have too much focus on that. And too little focus on the fact that our heavenly citizenship is what truly defines us because of who we are. And finally. Amazement is not enough. The Pharisees were amazed and walked away unchanged. We can't just be impressed by Jesus. We must be His. And to remind you, even I think as we engage in the parables that are ahead of us and the teaching that is behind us here in this episode, that it's not just to marvel and say, wow, isn't Jesus. Good because he is, and he is really great with his teaching. He's really great at perceiving all of this. But more than that, he's Lord and Savior of all. He's guiding us not into just like better rhetoric and how to defeat like Pulic argumentation. He's drawing us into the very heart of God, into love for him and for service for one another. And it starts with who we are and how much of our society right now. Has gotten all of this confused such that a lot of our problems is because we do not realize who we are. We are trying to change who we are, change the rules of who God has made us to be, and in this way we shipwreck our lives. And so Jesus calls us back with this simple question, whose image is this? And in that question, our loved ones, I would encourage you all to meditate, to metabolize it, to set yourselves to it. Because the task of answering that question is the task of understanding who God is and who we are in light of who God is. So there you go. Uh, just a little bit of teaching from Jesus that I think is so helpful for us, especially as we move into more parables that he's about to expand. As we go through, I don't know how many that we have left, but there's a lot of 'em, so you're gonna want to continue to hang out with us, I think, because we're gonna go through these, talk about them, process them together, pull in some exegetical chops at the same time, make sure that we're trying to apply these things, because that's the whole point here. There's so much here. I think that could be said. But I'm gonna leave the application to you. So take your time meditating and thinking through this lovely teaching.  [00:30:08] Join the Community [00:30:08] Jesse Schwamb: If you wanna come hang out and do some of this together, which, why would you not wanna do that? We are super fun people. That's what everybody says. Come and join us in the Telegram chat. You've heard me say before, telegram is just a messaging app, and we have a small corner of that app that's a private group of listeners from all around the world who are just hanging out together. We're talking about the episodes, we're talking about life together. We're sharing prayer requests. We're. Tasting things and recording videos of how delicious or not those things are. So if you're curious now about how you can join, it's super easy. Just go to any browser and type in t me slash reform brotherhood, t me slash reform brotherhood. One more time. Everybody in the back. It's t. It's in telegram.me back slash reform brotherhood and then you'll find a link which will take you right to the place where we are all conversing together.  [00:31:00] Closing Blessing [00:31:00] Jesse Schwamb: So that's it on this episode. Come hang out. We're about to jump back into the parables. The band will be back together. It's everything that you wanted and more and, and I hope that you'll come and hang out again. But until you do, you should definitely honor everyone and love the brotherhood. 

The New Yorker contributing writer Ruth Marcus joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss Pam Bondi's removal from her post as Attorney General. They examine the series of missteps and failures that led to her firing—from her continued mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files to her inability to effectively carry out Donald Trump's efforts to target his political enemies. They also explore the long-term damage Bondi has done to the Department of Justice, and whether her ouster—alongside Kristi Noem's dismissal as Secretary of Homeland Security—signals a new era of shakeups within the Trump Administration.This week's reading: “Pam Bondi's Legacy of Flattery and Destruction,” by Ruth Marcus “A U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Is Here, but Trump's Stone Age Mentality Endures,” by Ishaan Tharoor “Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?,” by Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz “How the Internet Fringe Infiltrated Republican Politics,” by Antonia Hitchens “The Forest Service—a Force Across Rural America—‘Reorganizes' Under Trump,” by Bill McKibben The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine's writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this episode, Shanda shares a personal (and relatable!) story from a fitting room that sparked a deeper spiritual question: Do we really want to see ourselves as we are, or as we wish we were? Just like mirrors with different lighting can change how we look, we often try to "adjust the lighting" in our spiritual lives—surrounding ourselves with messages, influences, and even interpretations of Scripture that make us feel better rather than show us the truth. But God's Word doesn't flatter. It reveals. Drawing from the book of James, we explore how Scripture acts as a mirror, exposing what's really in our hearts. And while that reflection can be uncomfortable, it's also the very thing God uses to transform us into the image of Christ. In this episode, we'll talk about: What the mirror of God's Word actually reveals about us How others can faithfully hold up that mirror in our lives Why criticism, honesty, and godly advice, though painful, are necessary for growth So the question is: Will you choose the mirror that flatters you…or the one that transforms you?   Find Shanda www.shandafulbright.com Instagram & Facebook: @shandafulbright Email: hello@shandafulbright.com Free Resources: https://shandafulbright.com/links YouTube: http://bit.ly/ShandaYT2021 Store: www.Shandafulbright.com/shop  

00:00 Intro01:17 Trump to Visit China in May; Taiwan Says Arms on Track02:34 China Calls for Peace; Trump Says Iran Talks Going Well04:04 Walk Away Strategy Puts Pressure on Beijing05:10 Flattery and Force Shape China Strategy06:32 China's Shadow War Tactics Raise Alarm07:41 Alliances Raise Risks for China on Taiwan09:15 Khamenei Killing Signals New US Global Posture10:23 Mass Protests Continue in China10:32 1000+ Residents in Wuhan Protest Against Parking Fees10:51 Residents Protest Crematorium Construction11:10Christian Lawyer Forced to Surrender License11:35 Business Owner Protests Government Seizure of Assets11:51 China's Answer to Fertilizer Crisis: Sorry, Can't Help14:19 Lawmakers Probe Beijing Threats to U.S. Small Businesses17:43 Chinese Nationals Face Fentanyl Precursor Charges18:20 3 Charged With Trying to Smuggle AI Tech to China18:54 Washington, Silicon Valley Unite on China AI Threat20:09 NASA to Spend $20B on a Moon Base21:41 China Listings in U.S. Drop Sharply as Rules Tighten

Proverbs 28:24–25. Flattery and accessories to the crime, choose the blessing, when to assert yourself.

Proverbs 28:24–25. Flattery and accessories to the crime, choose the blessing, when to assert yourself.

In this quick but powerful shiur on Vayakhel-Pekudei, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe shares an insight from Rabbi Yaakov Nagel (Senior Rabbi of Heimish of Houston) about the unique double-sided drapes (Yeri'ot) in the Mishkan. While most embroidery (Ma'asei Choshev) was identical on both sides, one special curtain at the entrance to the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) featured a completely different image on the inner side—yet no human ever saw it. The Kohen Gadol entered once a year, performed the Yom Kippur service, and exited backward, never turning to view the inner curtain. So why invest in an unseen design?Rabbi Wolbe explains: It teaches that Hashem's perspective often differs radically from ours. We may undervalue a mitzvah (thinking it's "small") or ourselves (feeling unworthy or limited), but Hashem sees infinite worth. A simple act—holding back lashon hara, a quiet prayer, a moment of restraint—may earn unimaginable reward in heaven. Conversely, we sometimes overestimate our deeds. The hidden curtain reminds us: some mitzvot and personal potentials are visible only to Hashem, whose valuation transcends human sight. This applies especially to parenting: parents must reflect children's true greatness and potential (like the mirrors of last week's shiur), seeing beyond their self-doubt to ignite confidence and growth—just as Hashem sees our hidden light._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 17, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 18, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Honor, #BadInfluence, #IntentionalLiving, #PositiveEnvironment, #DeleteTheApp, #ShalomBayit ★ Support this podcast ★

Please support TORCH at GiveTORCH.net. Thank you for your partnership in expanding our Jewish programming!In this quick but powerful shiur on Vayakhel-Pekudei, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe shares an insight from Rabbi Yaakov Nagel (Senior Rabbi of Heimish of Houston) about the unique double-sided drapes (Yeri'ot) in the Mishkan. While most embroidery (Ma'asei Choshev) was identical on both sides, one special curtain at the entrance to the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) featured a completely different image on the inner side—yet no human ever saw it. The Kohen Gadol entered once a year, performed the Yom Kippur service, and exited backward, never turning to view the inner curtain. So why invest in an unseen design?Rabbi Wolbe explains: It teaches that Hashem's perspective often differs radically from ours. We may undervalue a mitzvah (thinking it's "small") or ourselves (feeling unworthy or limited), but Hashem sees infinite worth. A simple act—holding back lashon hara, a quiet prayer, a moment of restraint—may earn unimaginable reward in heaven. Conversely, we sometimes overestimate our deeds. The hidden curtain reminds us: some mitzvot and personal potentials are visible only to Hashem, whose valuation transcends human sight. This applies especially to parenting: parents must reflect children's true greatness and potential (like the mirrors of last week's shiur), seeing beyond their self-doubt to ignite confidence and growth—just as Hashem sees our hidden light._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 17, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 18, 2026_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Honor, #BadInfluence, #IntentionalLiving, #PositiveEnvironment, #DeleteTheApp, #ShalomBayit ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 134 (p. 753, final section of the Gate of Flattery), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe concludes the chapter with practical safeguards against Chanufah (flattery). To escape its snare, one must flee honor (Kavod) entirely—those unconcerned with status never need to flatter for gain. Avoid deriving benefit from others, as most flattery stems from expecting reciprocity (e.g., fake compliments for favors, business, or social access). Rabbi Wolbe shares his personal rejection of a book teaching manipulative "networking" flattery, emphasizing genuine relationships over disingenuous gain.Flattery corrupts mitzvot (e.g., leading services for praise instead of L'shem Shamayim) and risks spiritual downfall through negative environments. One must intentionally surround oneself with the righteous and wise (Proverbs: "He who walks with wise men will be wise"), distancing from sinners, mockers, or corrupt cultures—even if it means solitude, caves, or desert isolation (as in Lamentations). In our generation of pervasive media, apps, social influence, and celebrity values (e.g., Golden Globes), be deliberate: delete harmful apps, limit exposure, choose uplifting company, and protect children from bad influences. The chapter's core lesson: intentionality in Avodat Hashem—curate environments for growth, reject flattery's traps, and prioritize purity over benefit._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on January 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 16, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Honor, #BadInfluence, #IntentionalLiving, #PositiveEnvironment, #DeleteTheApp, #ShalomBayit ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 133 (p. 751 in the Treasure for Life edition), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the Gate of Flattery (Sha'ar HaChanufah), focusing on its dangers in leadership and relationships. A righteous man tests two suitors for his daughter by staging a quarrel and asking their judgment: one flatters to win favor, the other honestly rebukes—the honest one is chosen, as flattery corrupts trust. Leaders (Parnas/community head, Dayan/judge, Gabbai Tzedakah/charity distributor) must never flatter, lest the community follows evil paths, litigants feel silenced, or charity goes undeservedly—flattery undermines justice and reproof.The worst flattery is enabling sin (e.g., encouraging transgressions like illicit relations or fraud by normalizing them—"it's not a big deal, join me"). Positive examples include flattering a wife for Shalom Bayit (genuine compliments to build harmony) and Yiravam ben Nevat's merit for rebuking Shlomo (without flattery) on the Milo construction. Rabbi Wolbe stresses: do good deeds purely L'shem Shamayim (for Heaven's sake), not to impress; distance from flattery entirely; and rebuke wisely when possible—flattery validates evil, closes Teshuvah doors, and corrupts society._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on January 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 15, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Praising, #Rebuke, #LashonHara, #StandUpForTruth, #Ramchal, #ZealForTorah ★ Support this podcast ★

In Day 132 of the Mussar Masterclass (p. 746 in the Orchot Tzadikim, Gate of Flattery), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores permitted and forbidden forms of flattery (Chanufah). He begins with the positive: one should "flatter" one's wife to preserve shalom bayit—genuinely compliment her cooking, appearance, and character (not lying, but finding and highlighting her unique beauty and goodness, as every person has redeemable qualities viewed through the right lens). This extends to rabbis flattering students to encourage Torah learning, acceptance of rebuke, and mitzvah observance; creditors to ease pressure; and anyone influenceable toward good—using pleasant, positive words to open hearts rather than harsh confrontation, which often fails in our generation.The episode contrasts this with forbidden flattery: validating the wicked (even for personal gain), excessive courtesy that implies approval, or building false trust to later exploit (genevat da'at – stealing the mind, e.g., pretending interest as a customer for air conditioning). Flattery closes doors of teshuvah by reinforcing evil without shame, brings divine wrath, blocks prayers, and perverts justice (e.g., lawyers overly friendly with judges). Rabbi Wolbe stresses strategic positivity (e.g., spotlighting a troubled student's strengths like tree-climbing to rebuild self-worth) while warning against neutrality toward sin—stand for Hashem's honor, distance from mockers of Torah, and avoid environments that normalize negativity._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on January 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 11, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Praising, #Rebuke, #LashonHara, #StandUpForTruth, #Ramchal, #ZealForTorah ★ Support this podcast ★

In this continuation of the Gate of Flattery (Sha'ar HaChanufah), Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe examines the seventh component: the sin of abstaining from rebuke (tochacha) when one knows the community or individuals are "stiff-necked" (k'shei oref) and unlikely to listen. While it's a mitzvah not to reprove a mocker who will hate you (per Proverbs), one must not assume failure without trying—perhaps the words will penetrate and inspire change. Even righteous people were punished in the Temple's destruction for not rebuking when possible. Silence can imply agreement, especially when hearing lashon hara, profanity, or mockery of Torah/mitzvot; one should speak wisely or zealously defend Hashem's honor (as in Ramchal's Mesilat Yesharim, Ch. 19), showing love for God by hating His enemies and subduing evil influence.Rabbi Wolbe stresses strategic rebuke—knowing the person (e.g., parents sometimes achieve more by silent example than words), avoiding unnecessary hatred, and recognizing when flattery or excessive courtesy to the wicked is forbidden (except out of real fear for safety). He cites Mordechai's refusal to bow to Haman as exemplary: as leader, he could not validate evil, even for peace. Neutrality or honor toward the wicked (e.g., praising them or being overly cordial) validates sin and risks personal corruption through constant exposure. The episode urges vigilance in environments, friendships, and leadership roles—stand up for truth, defend God's honor, and avoid isolation in negative circles._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Peter & Becky BotvinRecorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on January 12, 2026, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on March 10, 2026_____________This series on Orchos Tzadikim/Ways of the Righteous is produced in partnership with Hachzek.Join the revolution of daily Mussar study at hachzek.com.We are using the Treasure of Life edition of the Orchos Tzadikkim (Published by Feldheim)_____________Listen, Subscribe & Share: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jewish-inspiration-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1476610783Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r0KfjMzmCNQbiNaZBCSU7) to stay inspired! Share 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:Our Mission is Connecting Jews & Judaism. Help us spread Judaism globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org.Your support makes a HUGE difference!_____________Listen MoreOther podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Hey Rabbi! Podcast: https://heyrabbi.transistor.fm/episodesPrayer 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:#JewishInspiration, #Mussar, #MasterClass, #Flattery, #Chanufa, #Praising, #Rebuke, #LashonHara, #StandUpForTruth, #Ramchal, #ZealForTorah ★ Support this podcast ★

In a surprise meeting, Zohran Mamdani met with Trump in the Oval Office and left having secured the release of a Columbia University student who had been detained by ICE and brought New York City one step closer to a massive federal investment in public housing. We recap a bit of the State of the Union and also discuss Candace Owens' new “shocking” documentary on Erika Kirk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

Send a textGossip. Lying. Flattery. Crass words. Most of us recognize that sins of speech quietly undermine our pursuit of holiness. In this episode, I sit down with Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., to discuss his book Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech and the path toward verbal virtue.Drawing from Thomistic wisdom and pastoral experience, Fr. Gregory explains why speech is ordered toward communion with God and others, why seemingly “small” faults like exaggeration and gossip are spiritually dangerous, and how cultivating habits of truth-telling, correction, humor, prayer, and restraint can transform our relationships. If you've ever struggled with frustration, careless words, or discouragement in trying to change, this conversation offers both clarity and hope.About Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., is a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Joseph and a well-known preacher and teacher. He serves as an instructor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, and is a frequent contributor to the Thomistic Institute.Learn more about Fr. Gregory:Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph: https://opeast.org/ Thomistic Institute: https://thomisticinstitute.org/

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We get to speak to clinical psychologist, author, and speaker Juli Slattery about all things sex. She brings a wealth of knowledge to this subject and will help you wherever you're at! Don't miss this episode!