Podcasts about Torah

Welcome to the Covenant & Conversation series, Rabbi Sacks' commentary pieces on the weekly Torah portion, exploring ideas and sharing inspiration from the Torah readings of the week. This audio on Matot-Masei was recorded by Rabbi Sacks in 2014. Follow along here: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/matot/conflict-resolution/ This week's featured essay on Matot-Masei is available here: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/matot/the-prophetic-voice/ Read and download the written essay, and all translations. For intergenerational discussion on the weekly Parsha and Haftara, a new FAMILY EDITION is now also available: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-family-edition/matot/the-prophetic-voice/ ___________________ For more articles, videos, and other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.RabbiSacks.org and follow @RabbiSacks. The Rabbi Sacks Legacy continues to share weekly inspiration from Rabbi Sacks. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.

B"H Love your neighbor as yourself” isn't always easy. The Torah teaches us that to truly love others, we first have to deal with the feelings of anger or resentment we're holding inside. Instead of bottling it up, we're taught to communicate openly and constructively — to address the behavior without attacking the person. This kind of honest conversation can open the door to understanding, healing, and even deeper connection. ❤ ➡ Have you ever experienced a relationship grow stronger after a hard but honest conversation? To watch Torah Thoughts in video format, click HERE Subscribe to the Torah Thoughts BLOG for exclusive written content! Please like, share and subscribe wherever you find this!

What did the nation do over the course of the 40 years in the wilderness? What was their objective? In our parsha we read that the nation stopped in 42 locations over the course of their 40-year sojourn. The Torah delineates the names of the 42 different venues where the nation encamped. What is the […]

Do glazed earthenware vessels absorb, and if so, to what extent? Can they be kashered? Meriemar appears to issue contradictory rulings regarding this topic, particularly vessels that contained wine of idol worshippers versus the kashering of vessels for Pesach. How is this contradiction resolved? Rabbi Akiva was asked three questions, one of which pertained to clay jugs previously owned by non-Jews. Unable to provide answers on the spot, he went to the beit midrash, where he ultimately discovered the correct rulings. The jugs can be used after twelve months of not having been used for wine.  Grape seeds, grape peels, and fish stew (morayis) mentioned in the Mishna are discussed in detail, along with the halachic issues they raise. Different sages mention items that can be used after twelve months without undergoing any kashering process.  Why are cheeses from Onaiki forbidden? Reish Lakish proposes an explanation, but his answer is challenged based on a seemingly contradictory statement he made in a different context. The resolution of this difficulty involves a clarification of his original statement.  Feces from an ox that gored and was sentenced to be stoned are not forbidden, even though the ox itself is. However, feces from an animal that was used for idol worship are forbidden. The distinction between these two cases is clarified through logical reasoning and supported by verses from the Torah. Rava adds that our Mishna can also serve as a textual basis for these rulings.

A rabbi from Israel, who describes himself as someone with deep emunah, shared a powerful personal experience in which that very emunah was severely tested. Part of this rabbi's life's work involves printing rare and precious Torah manuscripts authored by great rabbis of previous generations. Years ago, he was working on a manuscript by a certain Rabbi Laniado, who had an exceptionally accurate version of Rashi's commentary. During his research, the rabbi discovered that a location in Italy claimed to possess the most accurate text of Rashi in the world—a manuscript dated just eighteen years after Rashi's passing. Determined to see it, he arranged a trip to Italy, though he didn't know anyone there and assumed access to the manuscript would be difficult. After making a few calls, he managed to get in touch with someone involved with the collection, who said he would do his best to help. He also found a local contact willing to pick him up from the central bus station and drive him to the various sites. With these arrangements in place, the rabbi booked a flight and packed his attaché case with fifteen years' worth of research, along with his laptop computer. Upon arriving, he called the man who was supposed to meet him—only to be told that the man had completely forgotten and was currently three hours away. The man gave him directions to his house and said he would meet him there later. He warned the rabbi to be extremely careful in the train station, as there were professional thieves in the area who could easily steal his belongings if he wasn't vigilant. The rabbi cautiously proceeded down the steps toward the train. But moments later, he realized his attaché case was gone. He panicked. He began running through the station, frantically searching. He had been so careful, yet his most precious items—his research, documents, and computer—had somehow been stolen. After searching in vain, he sat down and broke into tears. That case held over fifteen years of Torah work, valued at well over a quarter of a million dollars. And just like that, it was gone. Even in the pain, he accepted that this too must be from Hashem. But he turned to Hashem and pleaded, "I accept this wholeheartedly—just please, let me see the good in it." He continued on to the man's house, though he felt there wasn't much point anymore. Still, he decided to make the most of it and try to explore whatever manuscripts he could. Word quickly spread about the theft of the rabbi's manuscripts. The very next day, the man hosting him received a phone call from someone urgently requesting a meeting. They went to meet him—and to their astonishment, he was holding what appeared to be all the stolen manuscripts. The man explained that he had been browsing in a pawn shop when he saw a collection of manuscripts being sold at a suspiciously low price. He guessed that these must have been stolen and bought them all on the spot. The rabbi looked through the documents. Everything was there, completely intact—except for his laptop computer. This was an unbelievable Yeshua. Locals said that in the past thirty years, they had never heard of anyone recovering their stolen belongings after a robbery in that area. The rabbi's story quickly became well-known. Suddenly, doors began opening for him. He was granted full access to any manuscript he wished to see. Wealthy Italian philanthropists, inspired by his story, began donating generously to his work. In fact, the rabbi told me that a large portion of his support until today still comes from those very individuals in Italy. What he had originally seen as a disaster—losing his most valuable Torah manuscripts—turned out to be the greatest blessing. It connected him with the very people and resources he needed most, in a way he never could have arranged on his own. He had thought that losing those manuscripts could not possibly be good. But Hashem showed him otherwise. With a full heart, he thanked Hashem for the heavenly help and for orchestrating such a miraculous turn of events. Everything that happens is always for the best—even when we cannot begin to imagine how. We must be patient and trust in Hashem.

News and commentary for Tuesday, 22 July, 2025.

Do glazed earthenware vessels absorb, and if so, to what extent? Can they be kashered? Meriemar appears to issue contradictory rulings regarding this topic, particularly vessels that contained wine of idol worshippers versus the kashering of vessels for Pesach. How is this contradiction resolved? Rabbi Akiva was asked three questions, one of which pertained to clay jugs previously owned by non-Jews. Unable to provide answers on the spot, he went to the beit midrash, where he ultimately discovered the correct rulings. The jugs can be used after twelve months of not having been used for wine.  Grape seeds, grape peels, and fish stew (morayis) mentioned in the Mishna are discussed in detail, along with the halachic issues they raise. Different sages mention items that can be used after twelve months without undergoing any kashering process.  Why are cheeses from Onaiki forbidden? Reish Lakish proposes an explanation, but his answer is challenged based on a seemingly contradictory statement he made in a different context. The resolution of this difficulty involves a clarification of his original statement.  Feces from an ox that gored and was sentenced to be stoned are not forbidden, even though the ox itself is. However, feces from an animal that was used for idol worship are forbidden. The distinction between these two cases is clarified through logical reasoning and supported by verses from the Torah. Rava adds that our Mishna can also serve as a textual basis for these rulings.

Episode generously dedicated by Anonymous lrefuah shelaima דנה דניאלה בת סוניה and for the safety of Eretz Yisroel and Jewish People everywhere.

This Halacha was developed from multiple transcriptions of Rabbi Eli Mansour's lectures in the "Beki'im BaHalacha" series. The original audio recordings for this Halacha were delivered on the following dates and can be accessed here: 06-24-25 Audio File ; 06-25-25 Audio File ; 06-26-25 Audio File ; 06-29-25 Audio File The Three Weeks , spanning from Shiba Asar BeTammuz (the 17th of Tammuz) through Tisha B'Av , is a time designated for national mourning over the tragedies that befell Am Yisrael throughout history—most notably the destruction of both Bateh Mikdash. Our Sages instituted a number of customs and halachot during this period to reduce our joy and help us internalize the gravity of the losses. While the Nine Days and week of Tisha B'Av carry stricter restrictions, even from the start of the Three Weeks, there are behaviors and activities that should be avoided due to their association with excessive joy, lightheartedness, or distraction from mourning. Entertainment and Recreational Outings The Rambam writes (Hilchot Ta'aniyot 5:1) that the proper response to communal suffering is to reflect and act—not to carry on with business as usual. For this reason, it is customary to avoid outings and events that are designed purely for fun or celebration . This includes: Attending concerts, comedy shows, musical performances, or theater productions Going to amusement parks, carnivals, bowling alleys, or arcades Group activities or trips organized for entertainment and leisure Recreational barbecues, parties, or similar festive gatherings The She'elat Ya'abets and Ben Ish Hai (Parashat Devarim) both emphasize avoiding such joyous outings during this period. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Iggerot Moshe, O.C. vol. 3, siman 87) also addressed recreational gatherings and ruled that they should be avoided even when music is not involved. Sports and Physical Activity Recreational sports are another category of concern. While physical activity for health is permitted, engaging in sports for fun—especially if competitive and emotionally charged—should be avoided. Casual jogging or gym workouts for health reasons are permitted . Joining in competitive team sports, tournaments, or pickup games, especially those that attract crowds or bring heightened excitement, are discouraged . Swimming for fitness may be permitted during the Three Weeks, but not during the Nine Days. The Mishna Berura (O.C. 551:16) cites that joyous activity should be limited even during the early part of the Three Weeks, especially when it mimics festivity. Poskim such as Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky extend this to include sporting events with celebratory atmospheres. Shopping for Enjoyment During the Three Weeks, one should refrain from shopping for enjoyment , even if no Beracha Shehechiyanu would be required. This includes: Buying new clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, or electronics Making home décor upgrades or indulging in hobby-related purchases Shopping sprees or window-shopping done for leisure Essential purchases (like school supplies or items urgently needed) are permitted. If one finds a limited-time deal or discount that will not be available later, they may buy the item during the Three Weeks but should wait to use it until afterward , if possible. This is ruled by Rav Moshe Feinstein and others (Iggerot Moshe, O.C. vol. 3, siman 80). Travel and Leisure Trips The Three Weeks are also considered a time of danger (see Shulchan Aruch O.C. 551:18), and for this reason, many refrain from leisure travel or long road trips. Rav Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Da'at 1:37) writes that unless there is a real need, vacation trips should be postponed until after Tisha B'Av. This includes: Cruises, resort stays, or beach vacations National parks or nature sightseeing trips Visiting distant relatives for enjoyment rather than necessity However, if the travel is required for business, medical needs, family obligations, or other pressing reasons, it is permitted—though one should still avoid turning it into a joyous excursion. Maintaining the Right Tone Some mistakenly believe that the Three Weeks require sadness or depression. On the contrary, the Torah teaches that a Jew must always serve Hashem with joy (Devarim 28:47). But during periods of national mourning, the tone of that joy must be subdued and introspective. The Gemara in Ta'anit 30b teaches, "Mi'shenichnas Av, mema'atin b'simha"—as the month of Av begins, we reduce our joy. We do not eliminate joy, but we avoid external expressions of frivolity and celebration. This balance is echoed by the Aruch HaShulchan (O.C. 551:23) , who writes that one's behavior during these days should reflect a seriousness and awareness of our national losses, even if one continues to smile, work, and engage with others normally. Summary During the Three Weeks, one should avoid: Concerts, shows, amusement parks, and festive outings Competitive or recreational sports done for fun Unnecessary shopping for non-essential or luxury items Travel taken for leisure or vacation Parties and gatherings unrelated to Misvot This helps us remain focused on the deeper meaning of this period—a time to reflect, mourn, and yearn for the rebuilding of the Bet HaMikdash.

Years ago, many of us realized we had an identity crisis in our faith. Our lives were turned upside down. However, I would like to submit that some have moved from one identity crisis, to another. This message is a love letter to the Torah Movements, but it also means being honest and vulnerable about some things.Read transcript

The Rage and Age of Gog and Magog Let's start with our familiar text: Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad. May my beloved come into his garden And eat its choice fruits!” (So 4:16) This call to “Awake, O North” is thought to encompass three distinct calls recorded in 1. Jeremiah 31:7-8 (exiles of Israel), 2. Isaiah 41:25 (Messiah) 3. Gog and Magog (Ezek 38:2) Why are all three being called to "Awake" simultaneously? To awake in Scripture can have a few connotations. The contextual explanation is that there has been a period of inactivity, and the prophetic call is to arouse each group to action. Messiah will begin to gather the exiles who have aroused from a period of spiritual apathy, and simultaneously, Gog and Magog will awaken in that generation to create the chaos and darkness necessary to awaken Israel from spiritual "sleep." Because the gematria of Gog and Magog is 70 [Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel Vav-Mem-Gimmel-Vav-Gimmel, 3+6+3+6+40+3+6+3], they are thought to represent the symbolic 70 nations of the world, which will gather against both 1. Adonai and 2. Israel. Various commentaries make oblique references to Gog and Magog, but it will not be understood fully until the day arrives. Some say it is the descendants of Amalek among the nations. Amalek, from which King Agag arose, is the murderous spirit of Edom, or Rome, the fourth beast, headed by Babylon. In that sense, Gog (chief person) and Magog (his nation, people) has arisen in every generation to provoke the Holy One and people who trust in Him and obey Him. The Scriptures cited below reiterate that Gog and Magog are not a single ruler and nation, but a wicked remnant embedded among all nations. In some generations, they will rise up with enough strength and cunning to marshal huge numbers of the population to join their murderous schemes. The pre-millennial war will bring Israel to repentance, and Adonai Himself will destroy Gog and Magog with confusion, thunder, hail, blood, and lightning (Ezek 38-39). In other words, an amalgam of Egypt and Assyria's judgments. Psalm Two is traditionally associated with Gog of Magog: Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,“Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” (Ps 2:1-6) The commentators note that in this attack of Gog, it revisits an important precedent in Babel: at the tower of Bavel, the united conspirators agreed to attack Heaven itself. As a result, YHVH confused them, and the 70 languages of the nations were born. This is the traditional location of Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. Amalek in the Torah portion Balak is referred to "first of the nations," in other words, the first to openly rebel against Heaven itself by attacking Israel in the wilderness; this "first" attack was also the first direct attack against Heaven since the "nation of mankind" attempted to penetrate it rebelliously at the Tower of Bavel. At the final attack of Gog from Magog, the nations will once again undertake to assemble and attack YHVH and Messiah DIRECTLY, thinking the Holy City Jerusalem has a “Patron” who will defend it. They believe this was the wicked Amalekite Haman's fallacy, attacking the Jews first instead of their God. Something will cause them to believe they have the wherewithal to wage war directly against YHVH and King Messiah. What do Gog and Magog have to do with the third “awakening” of the winds?

Love and Torah – what's love got to do with it? This study series is based on the “Two Great Commands” – love Yahweh and love your neighbor. In this episode, Rabbi Steve Berkson takes us to the book of Psalms, starting in Psalm 11. He points out the contrast between two types of people – those who are called “the wrong”, and “the upright”. Yahweh loves those who pursue righteousness, doing what He has determined is right, and He hates those who know to do right, but don't. Then, moving to Psalm 33, Rabbi Berkson shows us how Yahweh, because of His great love, created everything by the word of His mouth, His Torah. If that was not enough, He takes from His creation a group of humans and calls them His inheritance – those who love Him enough to walk in all of His ways. From there, Rabbi Berkson leads us into the 119th Psalm that was written by the man who was called the man after Yah's own heart. You can see this by the way King David wrote about the Torah of Yah and how he loved it and Him. Rabbi Berkson once again dissects the words in these passages so that you will have a deeper understanding of what Yah expects of you, so that you can do it and receive the blessings. To learn more about MTOI, visit our website, https://mtoi.org. https://www.facebook.com/mtoiworldwide https://www.instagram.com/mtoi_worldwide https://www.tiktok.com/@mtoi_worldwide You can contact MTOI by emailing us at admin@mtoi.org or calling 423-250-3020. Join us for Shabbat Services and Torah Study LIVE, streamed on our website, mtoi.org, YouTube, and Rumble every Saturday at 1:15 p.m. and every Friday for Torah Study Live Stream at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.

News and commentary for Monday, 21 July, 2025. Finally, the topic is TREASON. And it's about time.

Tanya Applied: Episode 220: Chapter 26.05: Joy in Suffering Reveals the Deeper Good of the Concealed WorldA journey into the deepest teachings of the Torah and their application to our personal, emotional and psychological lives.The Tanya Applied radio show is broadcast every Saturday night, 10–10:30PM ET onWSNR 620 AM – Metro NY areaWJPR 1640 AM — Highland Park and Edison, NJOnline: www.talklinenetwork.comBy phone: Listen Line: 641-741-0389Many of us may be familiar with some of the central ideas in Tanya – including the battle of the two souls; what defines man and makes us tick; how we can control our temptations; how we can become more loving; what we can do to curb and harness our vices, like anger, jealousy, and depression; the formula for growth; how we can develop a healthy relationship with G-d; and why we are here. In this 30-minute program, you will learn how these ideas can be applied to your life today. You will discover secrets to a successful life that will transform you and your relationships.Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the best-selling author of Toward a Meaningful Life, and he is the creator of the acclaimed and popular MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, which has empowered and transformed hundreds of thousands through Torah and Chassidus.Now, Rabbi Jacobson brings his vast scholarship and years of experience to Tanya. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this exhilarating journey into your psyche and soul. You will come away with life-changing practical guidance and direction, addressing all the issues and challenges you face in life.For more info: www.chassidusapplied.com/tanyaMusic by Zalman Goldstein • www.ChabadMusic.coms of the Torah and their application to our personal, emotional and psychological lives.A journey into the deepest teachings of the Torah and their application to our personal, emotional and psychological lives.The Tanya Applied radio show is broadcast every Saturday night, 10–10:30PM ET onWSNR 620 AM – Metro NY areaWJPR 1640 AM — Highland Park and Edison, NJOnline: www.talklinenetwork.comBy phone: Listen Line: 641-741-0389Many of us may be familiar with some of the central ideas in Tanya – including the battle of the two souls; what defines man and makes us tick; how we can control our temptations; how we can become more loving; what we can do to curb and harness our vices, like anger, jealousy, and depression; the formula for growth; how we can develop a healthy relationship with G-d; and why we are here. In this 30-minute program, you will learn how these ideas can be applied to your life today. You will discover secrets to a successful life that will transform you and your relationships.Rabbi Simon Jacobson is the best-selling author of Toward a Meaningful Life, and he is the creator of the acclaimed and popular MyLife: Chassidus Applied series, which has empowered and transformed hundreds of thousands through Torah and Chassidus.Now, Rabbi Jacobson brings his vast scholarship and years of experience to Tanya. Please join Rabbi Simon Jacobson for this exhilarating journey into your psyche and soul. You will come away with life-changing practical guidance and direction, addressing all the issues and challenges you face in life.For more info: www.chassidusapplied.com/tanyaMusic by Zalman Goldstein • www.ChabadMusic.coms of the Torah and their application to our personal, emotional and psychological lives.

Parshat Pinchas:  Asking For A Blessing  -  English only.  In today's Torah portion, The Almighty told Moses that he would die and not enter the promised land. Moses then asked God to choose a capable leader for the children of Israel. What lesson can we learn from this passage?  July 19, 2025.

While Human & Holy is on a season break, we're bringing back this conversation with Chayale Tzukernik, where we explore the role our thoughts play in the way we view the world. Chayale speaks about bridging the gap between her intellectual understanding of an idea and its practical implications in her life. We discuss questioning our natural thought processes in order to guide them towards a more objective truth, and how to practically reframe our experiences in order to align them with a more G-dly perspective of the world.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.* * * * * * *TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Introduction: Struggling with judgmental thoughts01:10 – Season break announcement 01:42 – Meet Chayale Tzukernik 03:05 – Why thought is central in Chassidus04:38 – The transformative power of thought06:45 – Internal vs. external harmony through intentional thinking08:10 – Reframing control: from force to gentle inner teaching10:00 – Bridging the gap between knowing and living Torah ideas12:03 – Making Torah personal: internalizing Hashem's love13:44 – Choosing thoughts vs. controlling them15:40 – Thoughts as clutter: does it spark joy?17:32 – From default judgment to G-dly perception19:00 – Questioning our own perceptions: trusting Hashem's view over ours21:20 – Releasing attachment to negative thoughts22:20 – Reframing fear through divine perspective24:30 – Parenting and fear: letting go of control26:07 – Moving self out of the center, putting G-d in His place27:50 – Thinking good 28:40 – The case for conscious thought selection30:20 – Judging others: from coercion to spiritual re-alignment33:10 – Practical steps to retrain your thoughts35:10 – Replacing old narratives with Torah truth36:45 – Personalizing Torah ideas to real relationships38:30 – Applying Chassidus to judgment in daily life40:00 – Looking for evidence of the soul in others41:30 – Final thoughts: transformation through gentle redirection42:55 – Outro: Season 6 returns Sept 7

This year, the Book of Numbers ends with a double parsha – Mattos and Masei. We learn about the laws of vows and oaths; the miraculous war with Midian; the unusual request of the tribes of Gad and Reuben; the Torah delineates the 42 different places that the Nation encamped for their 40 year sojourn; […]

What defines Jewish belonging—land, Torah, or loyalty? In this episode, Parshat Matot-Masei sparks a rich conversation between Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash about the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and Menashe who ask to settle east of the Jordan River. They explore Moshe's sharp challenge to their request, the shifting language from “ahuzah” (holding) to “nachalah” (inheritance), and what it means to belong to the Jewish people. The discussion expands to contemporary dilemmas of collective responsibility—from Israel-Diaspora relations to the burden of reserve duty in today's IDF.

In this conversation with Nir Menussi, I found myself reflecting on how much of my life has been about trying to reconcile two worlds: the depth of Torah and the pull of everything outside it. We spoke about the lived application of Kabbalistic ideas, and it hit a familiar nerve. For a long time, I believed I had to choose one world or the other.Growing up, the message was clear. Everything outside of Judaism was unholy. The books, the music, the teachings. All of it. So when I started finding meaning beyond the boundaries I'd been given, I assumed it meant I had to leave Judaism behind.For me, real healing began when I stopped separating the two.We talked about Carl Jung and how voices outside our tradition can still stir something deeply Jewish. I've experienced that firsthand. Truth showing up in places I never expected. When the conversation turned to psychedelics, it got even more personal. I've seen them used as an escape hatch, a way to dodge pain. But I've also seen what happens when there's real intention and the courage to integrate the experience afterward. The visions aren't the healing. The healing is what comes after, when the lights are off and you're left facing yourself.We covered a lot. The sparks Kabbalah says are hidden in all things. How sometimes the least likely path becomes the most revealing. Nir and I didn't align on everything. Jung felt more mutual than psychedelics. But we found shared ground in the ongoing search for G-d's voice, speaking through all parts of life.I hope you enjoy the conversation. And if Nir's work resonates, check out his books and his podcast. I've been listening regularly, and I'm learning a lot.See you on the other side,Eli

Join Gabe Rutledge and the rest of DMF as we explore Torah portion Pinchas and try to understand the mystery of the 70 bulls of Sukkot. For more information, visit www.dothanmessianicfellowship.com 

Sermon by Pastor Tom,"Jacob the God-Wrestler"

Torah Class - Parshat Matot-Masei: Responsibility Starts at the TopHow did the High Priest become responsible for an unintentional killing, and what can this teach us about the responsibility spiritual leadership bear for the people?

Jewish Faith & Jewish Facts with Rabbi Steven Garten. Aired: July 20, 2025 on CHRI Radio 99.1FM in Ottawa, Canada. For questions, email Rabbi Garten at rabbishg@templeisraelottawa.com For more CHRI shows, visit chri.ca

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky Shlita

This week's annual cycle Torah reading is parsha "Pinchas," Numbers 25:10-30:1) and it contains what is sometimes perhaps one of the most perplexing stories in the Torah, that of the cohen or priest Pinchas, who runs through two open idolators with a spear, and is awarded the eternal "Covenant of Peace (Shalom)" by YHVH Himself for the effort. The Erev Shabbat reading: https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SSM-7-18-25-Pinchas-teaching-podcast-xxx.mp3 The Sabbath Day midrash is all about the 'apparent' contradiction. Actually, contradictions, plural: How can a man be given that eternal Covenant of Shalom for what some might call "murder"? And, given the context, and history, this is also a man who is often thought to be a "type and shadow" of the then-coming Messiah Himself. Can Pinchas somehow be a role model? And what are the parameters, the indications, for anyone else to do anything of the sort? No wonder it's been called "problematic." And yet the story is undeniable. The connections to the prophet Eliyahu, or Elijah, who was also notably "zealous" (the Hebrew word is the same, as Mark points out) for YHVH are dramatic, and referenced in both the haftorah selection, and even Paul's commentary in Romans 11. And Eliyahu, too, had a hand in the deaths of SO many pagan "priests of Baal." How do we connect these dots? "Pinchas: Yahuah's Covenant of Peace - at the Point of a Spear" https://hebrewnationonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WT-CooH-7-19-25-Pinchas-Covenant-of-Peace-at-the-Point-of-a-Spear-podcast-xxx.mp3 The combined two-part reading and Sabbath midrash:

Host Mark Call takes a look back at some of the major events and incredible acts of self-immolation during still another of the most explosive weeks of the new administration, ending Saturday, 10 July, 2025. And still no real sign of the truly different kinds of 180's necessary to "repair the breach."

Podcast description   -- Opening song - "Let There Be Love" by Noah Aronson; performed by Temple Israel Cantorial Soloist Happie Hoffman Find sermons, music, conversations between clergy and special guests, and select Temple Israel University (TIU) classes – easily accessible to you through our podcast, Torah to the People. Learn more about Temple Israel-Memphis at timemphis.org.

Sabbath Lounge explores the recent devastating Texas floods and the tragic, often unexplainable loss of life. Why do bad things happen to good people? This age-old question echoes through the Book of Job, a powerful biblical account of suffering, endurance, and faith. In this episode, we discuss: The recent floods in Texas The emotional and spiritual impact of tragedy Biblical wisdom from the Book of Job Trusting Yah in the midst of chaos Read our latest blog post on the Rainmaker CEO and divine sovereignty in weather events: https://sabbathlounge.podbean.com/e/the-rainmaker-ceo-weather-warfare   Like, follow, share, and subscribe for more Torah-centered insights.   Subscribe to Sabbath Lounge and stay connected as we unpack current events through a Scriptural lens. #TexasFloods #BookOfJob #WhyDoBadThingsHappen #SabbathLounge #BiblicalPerspective #TorahStudy #EndTimes #RainmakerCEO   At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge  

Tarot is known to be a practice of reading, of uncovering important meaning behind the symbols each card evokes. But what if there's an even deeper, secret connection to not just our lives as a whole, but our lives as Jews? For data scientist and author Stav Appel, happening upon a 17th century forgotten tarot deck took him on a journey through Torah and time.Appel's Deck and accompanying Booklet, analyzing the Noblet Tarot's connections to Jewish tradition, are available for preorder through our friends at Ayin Press -- order it here!-------------------------------------Access full shownotes for this episode via this link. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation -- support Judaism Unbound by clicking here!

Parshas Pinchas: When Fire Waits Our Parsha begins with Pinchas receiving the Kehunah for a bold act others condemned. Yet G-d delays His reward. Why? The Torah separates action from affirmation to reveal a powerful truth: zealotry is only sacred when it brings peace. The Rebbe explains that even holy fire must wait until the noise clears and clarity returns.

Scribes were the scholars of the Torah.  They taught The Law; they were expected to know The Law.  What they did was very much like what lawyers do today.  Knowing what they did, and how they were regarded, tells us much of what they were like when Jesus encountered them.

In the final episode of the Gate of Generosity series (Day 98, Orchos Tzaddikim, page 578, Treasure for Life edition) on the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe emphasizes the importance of using wealth generously to acquire mitzvahs, such as purchasing a costly Esrog, as exemplified by Rabban Gamliel, to demonstrate devotion to Hashem. He compares this to investing in relationships by bringing home small gifts, like flowers, to nurture love and connection, urging listeners to prioritize mitzvahs over material luxuries like car upgrades, and to beautify mitzvahs with items like a fine menorah or Shabbos food to express love for God.Rabbi Wolbe encourages generosity beyond money, such as lending books or household items through gemachs (free loan societies), even if they return damaged, as this is part of the mitzvah. He stresses sharing Torah wisdom as the highest form of generosity, citing Rabbi Noah Weinberg's teaching to “teach what you know,” as it guides others toward eternal life. While warning against squandering wealth on personal desires, he advocates giving to the poor with the best intentions, promising divine rewards unseen by any eye, concluding the Gate of Generosity with a call to support Torch's global Torah outreach.Recorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 10, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on July 18, 2025_____________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!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Generosity, #Giving, #Rambam, #Empathy, #Kindness, #Charity ★ Support this podcast ★

LISTEN!!!

Just Say Thank You

In the final episode of the Gate of Generosity series (Day 98, Orchos Tzaddikim, page 578, Treasure for Life edition) on the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe emphasizes the importance of using wealth generously to acquire mitzvahs, such as purchasing a costly Esrog, as exemplified by Rabban Gamliel, to demonstrate devotion to Hashem. He compares this to investing in relationships by bringing home small gifts, like flowers, to nurture love and connection, urging listeners to prioritize mitzvahs over material luxuries like car upgrades, and to beautify mitzvahs with items like a fine menorah or Shabbos food to express love for God.Rabbi Wolbe encourages generosity beyond money, such as lending books or household items through gemachs (free loan societies), even if they return damaged, as this is part of the mitzvah. He stresses sharing Torah wisdom as the highest form of generosity, citing Rabbi Noah Weinberg's teaching to “teach what you know,” as it guides others toward eternal life. While warning against squandering wealth on personal desires, he advocates giving to the poor with the best intentions, promising divine rewards unseen by any eye, concluding the Gate of Generosity with a call to support Torch's global Torah outreach.Recorded at TORCH Centre in the Levin Family Studios (B) to a live audience on March 10, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on July 18, 2025_____________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!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Generosity, #Giving, #Rambam, #Empathy, #Kindness, #Charity ★ Support this podcast ★

 In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe discusses Parshas Pinchas, focusing on the story of Pinchas's zealous act against Zimri and Cosbi, who publicly defied God's will by engaging in illicit relations, as described in Numbers 25. Rabbi Wolbe highlights the danger of blurring moral lines, as Zimri attempted by bringing a Moabite woman into the Jewish community, comparing it to Rebecca's relief upon learning her conflicting womb movements were due to twins with distinct destinies, not a single confused child. He emphasizes that clarity in commitment to Torah and mitzvahs is crucial, drawing parallels to Haman's and Amalek's attempts to assimilate and confuse the Jewish people, urging listeners to avoid compromise in spiritual matters and to define their stance firmly on the side of holiness and light.Rabbi Wolbe encourages small, intentional steps toward observance without compromising core commitments, using examples like health goals to illustrate the importance of mental resolve even if actions lag. He stresses the need for wisdom to distinguish between holy and unholy, as recited in Havdalah and Talmudic prayers, to avoid confusion. A story of a newly observant Jew publicly affirming their identity as a religious Jew underscores how verbalizing commitment clarifies one's path. Rabbi Wolbe concludes by urging listeners to manifest their spiritual goals through clear identification with Torah values, fostering a deeper connection to God and a purposeful Shabbos._____________This episode (Ep 7.38) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Pinchas is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on July 16, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on July 18, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@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: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Pinchas, #SpiritualGrowth, #Commitment, #Torah, #Mitzvot ★ Support this podcast ★

David Justice and Mark Call discuss the major events of the week, just how badly the Trump Administration has been damaged, and what may thus matter next.

News and commentary for Thursday, 17 July, 2025.

In just over a week, the incompetence and perfidy surrounding the botched "Epstein Hoax" has become as big a threat to the new administration as another assassination attempt. But it smells more like suicide. Host Mark Call suggests that the latest "Trump 180" is in fact so jarring that it's almost plausible to believe the man who ran so effectively for President on a platform antithetical to what has been happening lately is some type of body double, or AI replacement. And whatever the Truth might be, it sure looks like something big has come apart at the seams. There are vital considerations at play now: "From Complacency to Disillusionment - in less than 6 Months"

 In this episode of the Parsha Review Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe discusses Parshas Pinchas, focusing on the story of Pinchas's zealous act against Zimri and Cosbi, who publicly defied God's will by engaging in illicit relations, as described in Numbers 25. Rabbi Wolbe highlights the danger of blurring moral lines, as Zimri attempted by bringing a Moabite woman into the Jewish community, comparing it to Rebecca's relief upon learning her conflicting womb movements were due to twins with distinct destinies, not a single confused child. He emphasizes that clarity in commitment to Torah and mitzvahs is crucial, drawing parallels to Haman's and Amalek's attempts to assimilate and confuse the Jewish people, urging listeners to avoid compromise in spiritual matters and to define their stance firmly on the side of holiness and light.Rabbi Wolbe encourages small, intentional steps toward observance without compromising core commitments, using examples like health goals to illustrate the importance of mental resolve even if actions lag. He stresses the need for wisdom to distinguish between holy and unholy, as recited in Havdalah and Talmudic prayers, to avoid confusion. A story of a newly observant Jew publicly affirming their identity as a religious Jew underscores how verbalizing commitment clarifies one's path. Rabbi Wolbe concludes by urging listeners to manifest their spiritual goals through clear identification with Torah values, fostering a deeper connection to God and a purposeful Shabbos._____________This episode (Ep 7.38) of the Parsha Review Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe on Parshas Pinchas is dedicated in honor of our Holy Soldiers in the Battlefield and our Torah Scholars in the Study Halls who are fighting for the safety of our nation!Download & Print the Parsha Review Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ncaRyoH5iJmGGoMZs9y82Hz2ofViVouv?usp=sharingRecorded at TORCH Studios (C) to an online TORCHzoom.com audience on July 16, 2025, in Passaic, New Jersey.Released as Podcast on July 18, 2025_____________Subscribe: Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parsha-review-podcast-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1651930083)Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/22lv1kXJob5ZNLaAl6CHTQ) to stay inspired! Share your questions at awolbe@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: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#Torah, #Parsha, #Numbers, #Pinchas, #SpiritualGrowth, #Commitment, #Torah, #Mitzvot ★ Support this podcast ★

What if the Torah isn't just a set of divine rules, but the actual software that runs our universe? Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky's revolutionary 8-minute discourse from 5779 (2018-2019) offers a perspective that transforms our understanding of reality itself.Starting with a famous dispute between Talmudic sages Rava and Abaye about prohibited actions, Rabbi Lopiansky reveals a profound truth: when the Torah forbids something, it's not merely establishing a moral boundary—it's defining the parameters of reality itself. Just as computer hardware functions according to its programming, our physical world operates according to the spiritual principles embedded within it. God consulted Torah before creation, designing trees because blessings needed to exist, and parents because honoring them needed to be possible.This insight changes everything about how we view transgression. When we violate Torah principles, we're not just breaking rules—we're attempting to operate outside the architecture of creation. It's like a player in Candyland moving their piece off the board entirely; such a player isn't advancing in the game but has removed themselves from it completely. Similarly, those who seek success through dishonest means aren't finding clever loopholes—they're stepping outside the fundamental structure that governs lasting achievement.The story of Tzlafchad's daughters exemplifies this principle perfectly. These women didn't merely demand land rights; they presented a coherent halachic argument that worked within the framework of Torah's reality. God affirmed their claim not by changing rules but by acknowledging their correct navigation of spiritual truth.This teaching resonates through every aspect of life, particularly in business ethics. Any gain achieved by violating Torah principles cannot endure because it lacks foundation in authentic reality. As Rabbi Lopiansky notes, "The roosters eventually come home to roost." What seems like getting ahead through cutting corners is exiting the game entirely.Next time you face ethical decisions, remember: the spiritual realm isn't less real than the physical—it's the most authentic level of reality. When we align our choices with Torah, we're not just being obedient; we're harmonizing with the deepest structures of creation itself.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

"Daily" shiurim on the Torah of Rav Kook taught by R. Marcus Rubenstein Tues-Fri at 11am.

Being Jewish podcast host Jonah Platt—best known for playing Fiyero in Broadway's Wicked—joins People of the Pod to discuss his journey into Jewish advocacy after October 7. He reflects on his Jewish upbringing, challenges media misrepresentations of Israel, and shares how his podcast fosters inclusive and honest conversations about Jewish identity. Platt also previews The Mensch, an upcoming film he's producing to tell Jewish stories with heart and nuance. Recorded live at AJC Global Forum 2025. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Dinah Project's Quest to Hold Hamas Accountable Journalist Matti Friedman Exposes Media Bias Against Israel John Spencer's Key Takeaways After the 12-Day War: Air Supremacy, Intelligence, and Deterrence Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman:   Jonah Platt: is an award winning director of theater and improv comedy, an accomplished musician, singer and award winning vocal arranger. He has been on the Broadway stage, including one year as the heartthrob Fiyero in Wicked and he's producing his first feature film, a comedy called The Mensch. He also hosts his own podcast, Being Jewish with Jonah Platt:, a series of candid conversations and reflections that explore the many facets of Jewish identity.  Jonah is with us now on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2025. Jonah, welcome to People of the Pod. Jonah Platt:   Thank you so much for having me, happy to be here.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So tell us about your podcast. How is being Jewish with Jonah Platt: different from Jewish with anyone else? Jonah Platt:   That's a great question. I think it's different for a number of ways. I think one key difference is that I'm really trying to appeal to everybody, not just Jews and not just one type of Jews. I really wanted it to be a very inclusive show and, thank God, the feedback I've gotten, my audience is very diverse. It appeals to, you know, I hear from the ultra orthodox. I hear from people who found out they were Jewish a month ago. I hear from Republicans, I hear from Democrats. I hear from non Jews, Muslims, Christians, people all over the world. So I think that's special and different, especially in these echo-chambery, polarized times online, I'm trying to really reach out of that and create a space where the one thing we all have in common, everybody who listens, is that we're all well-meaning, good-hearted, curious people who want to understand more about our fellow man and each other.  I also try to really call balls and strikes as I see them, regardless of where they're coming from. So if I see, let's call it bad behavior, on the left, I'll call it out. If I see bad behavior on the right, I'll call it out. If I see bad behavior from Israel, I'll call it out. In the same breath that I'll say, I love Israel, it's the greatest place.  I think that's really unfortunately rare. I think people have a very hard time remembering that we are very capable of holding two truths at once, and it doesn't diminish your position by acknowledging fault where you see it. In fact, I feel it strengthens your position, because it makes you more trustworthy. And it's sort of like an iron sharpens iron thing, where, because I'm considering things from all angles, either I'm going to change my mind because I found something I didn't consider. That's going to be better for me and put me on firmer ground.  Or it's going to reinforce what I thought, because now I have another thing I can even speak to about it and say, Well, I was right, because even this I checked out, and that was wrong. So either way, you're in a stronger position. And I feel that that level of sort of, you know, equanimity is sorely lacking online, for sure.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Our podcasts have had some guests in common. We've had Dara Horn, Sarah Hurwitz, you said you're getting ready to have Bruce Pearl. We've had Coach Pearl on our show. You've also had conversations with Stuart Weitzman, a legendary shoe designer, in an episode titled Jews and Shoes. I love that. Can you share some other memorable nuggets from the conversations you've had over the last six months? Jonah Platt:   I had my dad on the show, and I learned things about him that I had never heard about his childhood, growing up, the way his parents raised him. The way that social justice and understanding the conflict and sort of brokenness in the world was something that my grandparents really tried to teach them very actively, and some of it I had been aware of, but not every little specific story he told. And that was really special for me. And my siblings, after hearing it, were like, We're so glad you did this so that we could see Dad and learn about him in this way. So that was really special.  There have been so many. Isaac Saul is a guy I had early on. He runs a newsletter, a news newsletter called Tangle Media that shows what the left is saying about an issue with the right is saying about an issue, and then his take. And a nugget that I took away from him is that on Shabbat, his way of keeping Shabbat is that he doesn't go on social media or read the news on Shabbat. And I took that from him, so now I do that too.  I thought that was genius. It's hard for me. I'm trying to even start using my phone period less on Shabbat, but definitely I hold myself to it, except when I'm on the road, like I am right now. When I'm at home, no social media from Friday night to Saturday night, and it's fantastic.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   It sounds delightful. Jonah Platt:   It is delightful. I highly recommend it to everybody. It's an easy one.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So what about your upbringing? You said you learned a lot about your father's upbringing. What was your Jewish upbringing? Jonah Platt:   Yeah, I have been very blessed to have a really strong, warm, lovely, Jewish upbringing. It's something that was always intrinsic to my family. It's not something that I sort of learned at Hebrew school. And no knock on people whose experience that is, but it's, you know, I never remember a time not feeling Jewish. Because it was so important to my parents and important to their families. And you know, part of the reason they're a good match for each other is because their values are the same.  I went to Jewish Day School, the same one my kids now go to, which is pretty cool. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Oh, that's lovely. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. And I went to Jewish sleepaway camp at Camp Ramah  in California. But for me, really, you know, when I get asked this question, like, my key Jewish word is family. And growing up, every holiday we spent with some part of my very large, amazing family. What's interesting is, in my city where I grew up, Los Angeles, I didn't have any grandparents, I didn't have any aunts or uncles or any first cousins. But I feel like I was with them all the time, because every holiday, someone was traveling to somebody, and we were being together. And all of my childhood memories of Jewish holidays are with my cousins and my aunts and my uncles and my grandparents. Because it was just so important to our family. And that's just an amazing foundation for being Jewish or anything else, if that's your foundation, that's really gonna stay with you. And my upbringing, like we kept kosher in my house, meat and milk plates. We would eat meat out but no pork, no shellfish, no milk and meat, any of that. And while I don't ascribe to all those things now, I'm grateful that I got sort of the literacy in that.  In my Jewish Day School we had to wrap tefillin every morning. And while I don't do that now, I'm glad that I know how to do that, and I know what that looks like, and I know what that means, even if I resisted it very strongly at the time as a 13 year old, being like what I gotta wrap this up every day. But I'm grateful now to have that literacy. And I've always been very surprised to see in my life that often when I'm in a room with people, I'm the most observant in the room or the most Jewish literate in the room, which was never the case in my life.  I have family members who are much more observant than me, orthodox. I know plenty of Orthodox people, whatever. But in today's world, I'm very grateful for the upbringing I had where, I'll be on an experience. I actually just got back from one in Poland. I went on a trip with all moderate Muslims from around the North Africa, Middle East, and Asia, with an organization called Sharaka. We had Shabbat dinner just this past Friday at the JCC in Krakow, and I did the Shabbat kiddush for everybody, which is so meaningful and, like, I'm so grateful that I know it, that I can play that role in that, in special situations like that.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you've been doing a lot of traveling. Jonah Platt:  Yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I saw your reflection on your visit to Baku, Azerbaijan. The largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. And you went with the Jewish Federation's National Young leadership cabinet. Jonah Platt:   Shout out to my chevre. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And you posted this reflection based on your experience there, asking the question, how much freedom is too much? So can you walk our listeners through that and how you answered that question? Jonah Platt:   Yes. So to be fair, I make very clear I don't have the answer to that question definitively, I just wanted to give people food for thought, and what I hoped would happen has happened where I've been getting a lot of people who disagree with me and have other angles at which they want to look and answer this question, which I welcome and have given me a lot to think about.  But basically, what I observed in Azerbaijan was a place that's a little bit authoritative. You know, they don't have full freedom of the press. Political opposition is, you know, quieted, but there's no crime anywhere. They have a strong police presence on the streets. There are security cameras everywhere, and people like their lives there and don't want to mess with it.  And so it just got me thinking, you know, they're an extremely tolerant society. It's sort of something they pride themselves on, and always have. It's a Muslim majority country, but it is secular. They are not a Muslim official country. They're one of only really two countries in the world that are like that, the other being Albania. And they live together in beautiful peace and harmony with a sense of goodwill, with a sense of national pride, and it got me thinking, you know, look at any scenario in our lives. Look at the place you work, look at the preschool classroom that your kid is in.  There are certain rules and restrictions that allow for more freedom, in a sense, because you feel safe and taken care of and our worst instincts are not given space to be expressed. So that is what brought the question of, how much freedom is too much. And really, the other way of putting that is, how much freedom would you be willing to give up if it meant you lived in a place with no crime, where people get along with their neighbors, where there's a sense of being a part of something bigger than yourself. I think all three of which are heavily lacking in America right now that is so polarized, where hateful rhetoric is not only, pervasive, but almost welcomed, and gets more clicks and more likes and more watches. It's an interesting thing to think about.  And I heard from people being like, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this question. I don't know the answer, but it's really interesting. I have people say, you're out of your mind. It's a slippery slope. The second you give an inch, like it's all going downhill. And there are arguments to be made there.  But I can't help but feel like, if we did the due diligence, I'm sure there is something, if we keep the focus really narrow, even if it's like, a specific sentence that can't be said, like, you can't say: the Holocaust was a great thing. Let's say we make that illegal to say, like, how does that hurt anybody? If that's you're not allowed to say those exact words in that exact sequence, you know. So I think if it's gonna be a slippery slope, to me, is not quite a good enough argument for Well, let's go down the road and see if we can come up with something. And then if we decide it's a slippery slope and we get there, maybe we don't do it, but maybe there is something we can come to that if we eliminate that one little thing you're not allowed to say, maybe that will benefit us. Maybe if we make certain things a little bit more restrictive, it'll benefit us. And I likened it to Shabbat saying, you know, on Shabbat, we have all these restrictions. If you're keeping Shabbat, that's what makes Shabbat special, is all the things you're not allowed to do, and because you're not given the quote, unquote, freedom to do those things, you actually give yourself more freedom to be as you are, and to enjoy what's really good about life, which is, you know, the people around you and and having gratitude. So it's just something interesting to think about.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   It's an interesting perspective. I am a big fan of free speech. Jonah Platt:   As are most people. It's the hill many people will die on. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Educated free speech, though, right? That's where the tension is, right? And in a democracy you have to push for education and try to make sure that, you know, people are well informed, so that they don't say stupid things, but they are going to say stupid things and I like that freedom. Did you ever foresee becoming a Jewish advocate? Jonah Platt:   No. I . . . well, that's a little disingenuous. I would say, you know, in 2021 when there was violence between Israel and Gaza in the spring over this Sheik Jarrah neighborhood. That's when I first started using what little platform I had through my entertainment career to start speaking very, you know, small things, but about Israel and about Jewish life, just organically, because I am, at the time, certainly much more well educated, even now, than I was then.  But I was more tuned in than the average person, let's say, and I felt like I could provide some value. I could help bring some clarity to what was a really confusing situation at that time, like, very hard to decipher. And I could just sense what people were thinking and feeling. I'm well, tapped into the Jewish world. I speak to Jews all over the place. My, as I said, my family's everywhere. So already I know Jews all over the country, and I felt like I could bring some value. And so it started very slowly. It was a trickle, and then it started to turn up a little bit, a little bit more, a little bit more. I went on a trip to Israel in April of 2023. It's actually the two year anniversary today of that trip, with the Tel Aviv Institute, run by a guy named Hen Mazzig, who I'm sure, you know, well, I'm sure he's been on the show, yeah.  And that was, like, sort of the next step for me, where I was surrounded by other people speaking about things online, some about Jewish stuff, some not. Just seeing these young, diverse people using their platforms in whatever way, that was inspiring to me. I was like, I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna start using this more.  And then October 7 happened, and I couldn't pull myself away from it. It's just where I wanted to be. It's what I wanted to be spending my time and energy doing. It felt way too important. The stakes felt way too high, to be doing anything else. It's crazy to me that anybody could do anything else but be focusing on that. And now here we are. So I mean, in a way, could I have seen it? No. But have I sort of, looking back on it, been leaning this way? Kinda. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Do you think it would've you would've turned toward advocacy if people hadn't been misinformed or confused about Israel? Or do you think that you would've really been more focused on entertainment.  Jonah Platt:   Yeah, I think probably. I mean, if we lived in some upside down, amazing world where everybody was getting everything right, and, you know, there'd be not so much for me to do. The only hesitation is, like, as I said, a lot of my content tries to be, you know, celebratory about Jewish identity. I think actually, I would still be talking because I've observed, you know, divisions and misunderstandings within the Jewish community that have bothered me, and so some of the things I've talked about have been about that, about like, hey, Jews, cut it out. Like, be nice to each other. You're getting this wrong.  So I think that would still have been there, and something that I would have been passionate about speaking out on. Inclusivity is just so important to me, but definitely would be a lot lower stakes and a little more relaxed if everybody was on the same universe in regards to Israel. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You were relatively recently in Washington, DC. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   For the White House Correspondents Dinner. I was confused, because he just said he was in Krakow, so maybe I was wrong. Jonah Platt:   I flew direct from Krakow to DC, got off the plane, went to the hotel where the dinner was, changed it to my tux, and went downstairs for the dinner.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Wow. Jonah Platt:   Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Are you tired? Jonah Platt:   No, actually, it's amazing. I'll give a shout out. There's a Jewish businessman, a guy named Andrew Herr, who I was in a program with through Federation called CLI in LA, has started a company called Fly Kit. This is a major shout out to Fly Kit that you download the app, you plug in your trip, they send you supplements, and the app tells you when to take them, when to eat, when to nap, when to have coffee, in an attempt to help orient yourself towards the time zone you need to be on. And I have found it very useful on my international trips, and I'm not going to travel without it again. Yeah. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Wow. White House Correspondents dinner. You posted some really thoughtful words about the work of journalists, which I truly appreciated. But what do American journalists get wrong about Israel and the Jewish connection to Israel?  Jonah Platt:   The same thing that everybody who gets things wrong are getting wrong. I mean, we're human beings, so we're fallible, and just because you're a journalist doesn't make you immune to propaganda, because propaganda is a powerful tool. If it didn't work, people wouldn't be using it. I mean, I was just looking at a post today from our friend Hen Mazzig about all the different ways the BBC is getting things horribly, horribly wrong. I think part of it is there's ill intent. I mean, there is malice. For certain people, where they have an agenda. And unfortunately, you know, however much integrity journalists have, there is a news media environment where we've made it okay to have agenda-driven news where it's just not objective. And somehow it's okay for these publications that we've long trusted to have a story they want to tell. I don't know why that's acceptable. It's a business, and I guess maybe if that, if the dollars are there, it's reinforcing itself. But reporters get wrong so much. I'd say the fundamental misunderstanding that journalists as human beings get wrong, that everybody gets wrong, is that Jews are not a group of rich, white Europeans with a common religion. That's like the number one misunderstanding about Jews. Because most people either don't know Jews at all on planet Earth. They've never met one. They know nothing about it except what they see on the news or in a film, or the Jews that they know happen to maybe be white, rich, European ancestry people, and so they assume that's everybody. When, of course, that's completely false, and erases the majority of Jews from planet Earth. So I think we're missing that, and then we're also missing what Israel means to the Jewish people is deeply misunderstood and very purposefully erased.  Part of what's tricky about all of this is that the people way behind the curtain, the terrorists, the real I hate Israel people agenda. They're the ones who plant these seeds. But they're like 5% of the noise. They're secret. They're in the back. And then everybody else, without realizing it, is picking up these things. And so the vast majority of people are, let's say, erasing Jewish connection to Israel without almost even realizing they're doing it because they have been fed this, because propaganda is a powerful tool, and they believe it to be true what they've been told.  And literally, don't realize what they're doing. And if they were in a calm environment and somebody was able to explain to them, Hey, here's what you're doing, here's what you're missing, I think, I don't know, 75% of people would be like, holy crap. I've been getting this wrong. I had no idea. Maybe even higher than 75% they really don't know. And that's super dangerous. And I think the media and journalism is playing a major role in that. Sometimes things get, you know, retracted and apologized for. But the damage is done, especially when it comes to social media. If you put out, Israel just bombed this hospital and killed a bunch of doctors, and then the next day you're like, Oops, sorry, that was wrong. Nobody cares. All they saw was Israel bombed a bunch of doctors and that seed's already been planted. So it's been a major issue the info war, while you know, obviously not the same stakes as a real life and death physical war has been as important a piece of this overall war as anything. And I wouldn't say it's going great. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Did it come up at all at the Correspondent's Dinner, or more of a celebration? Jonah Platt:   No, thank God. Yeah. It was more of a celebration. It was more of just sort of it was cool, because there was no host this year, there was no comedian, there was no president, he didn't come. So it was really like being in the clubhouse with the journalists, and you could sense they were sort of happy about it. Was like, just like a family reunion, kind of a vibe, like, it's just our people. We're all on the same page. We're the people who care about getting it right. We care about journalistic integrity. We're here to support each other. It was really nice. I mean, I liked being sort of a fly on the wall of this other group that I had not really been amongst before, and seeing them in their element in this like industry party, which was cool.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Okay, so we talked about journalists. What about your colleagues in the entertainment industry? Are you facing backlash from them, either out of malice or ignorance?  Jonah Platt:   I'm not facing any backlash from anybody of importance if I'm not getting an opportunity, or someone's written me off or something. I don't know that, you know, I have no idea if I'm now on somebody's list of I'm never gonna work with that guy. I don't know. I don't imagine I am. If I am, it says way more about that person than it does about me, because my approach, as we've discussed, is to try to be really inclusive and honest and, like, objective. And if I get something wrong, I'll delete it, or I'll say I got it wrong. I try to be very transparent and really open that, like I'm trying my best to get things right and to be fair.  And if you have a problem with that. You know, you've got a problem. I don't have a problem. So I wouldn't say any backlash. In fact, I mean, I get a lot of support, and a lot of, you know, appreciation from people in the industry who either are also speaking out or maybe too afraid to, and are glad that other people are doing it, which I have thoughts about too, but you know, when people are afraid to speak out about the stuff because of the things they're going to lose. Like, to a person, maybe you lose stuff, but like, you gain so many more other people and opportunities, people who were just sort of had no idea that you were on the same team and were waiting for you to say something, and they're like, Oh my God, you're in this with me too. Great, let's do something together, or whatever it is. So I've gotten, it's been much more positive than negative in terms of people I actually care about. I mean, I've gotten fans of entertainment who have nasty things to say about me, but not colleagues or industry peers.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you would declare yourself a proud Zionist. Jonah Platt:   Yes. Manya Brachear Pashman:   But you wrote a column in The Forward recently over Passover saying, let's retire the word Zionist. Why?  Jonah Platt:   Yes. I recently wrote an op-ed and actually talked about on my pod as well about why I feel we should retire the word Zionism. Not that I think we actually are. It's pretty well in use. But my main reasoning was, that the way we all understand Zionism, those of us who actually know what it is, unlike a lot of people –is the belief that Jews should have self determination, sovereignty in some piece of the land to which they are indigenous. We have that. We've had it for almost 80 years. I don't know why we need to keep using a word that frames it as aspirational, that like, I believe we should have this thing. We already have it.  And I feel by sort of leaving that sentence without a period, we're sort of suggesting that non-existence is somehow on the table. Like, if I just protest enough, Israel's going to stop existing. I want to slam that door closed. I don't think we need to be the, I believe that Israel should exist people anymore. I think we should be the I love Israel people, or I support Israel people. I'm an Israel patriot. I'm a lover of Israel, whatever the phrase may be. To me, the idea that we should continue to sort of play by their framework of leaving that situation on the table, is it only hurts us, and I just don't think we need it. Manya Brachear Pashman:   It lets others define it, in their own terms.  Jonah Platt:   Yeah, we're playing, sort of by the rules of the other people's game. And I know, you know, I heard when I put that out, especially from Israelis, who it to them, it sort of means patriot, and they feel a lot of great pride with it, which I totally understand. But the sort of more universal understanding of what that word is, and certainly of what the Movement was, was about that aspirational creation of a land, that a land's been created. Not only has it been created, it's, you know, survived through numerous wars, it's stronger than ever. You know, third-most NASDAQ companies in the world. We need to just start talking about it from like, yeah, we're here. We're not going anywhere, kind of a place. And not, a we should exist, kind of a place. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So it's funny, you said, we all know what Zionism is. And I grinned a little bit, because there are so many different definitions of Zionism. I mean, also, Zionism was a very inclusive progressive ideology packaged in there, right, that nobody talks about because it's just kind of not, we just don't talk about it anymore.  So what else about the conversation needs to change? How do we move forward in a productive, constructive way when it comes to teaching about Jewish identity and securing the existence of Israel? Jonah Platt:   In a way, those two things are related, and in a way they're not. You can have a conversation about Jewish identity without necessarily going deep down the Israel hole. But it is critical that people understand how central a connection to Israel is, to Jewish identity. And people are allowed to believe whatever they want. And you can be someone who says, Well, you know, Israel is not important to me, and that's okay, that's you, but you have to at least be clear eyed that that is an extreme and fringe position. That is not a mainstream thing. And you're going to be met with mistrust and confusion and anger and a sense of betrayal, if that's your position.  So I think we need to be clear eyed about that and be able to have that conversation. And I think if we can get to the place where we can acknowledge that in each other. Like, dude, have your belief. I don't agree with it. I think it's crazy. Like, you gotta at least know that we all think you're crazy having that idea. And if they can get to the base, we're like, yeah, I understand that, but I'm gonna believe what I'm gonna believe, then we can have conversations and, like, then we can talk. I think the, I need to change your mind conversation, it doesn't usually work. It has to be really gently done. And I'm speaking this as much from failure as I am from success. As much as we try, sometimes our emotions come to the fore of these conversations, and that's–it's not gonna happen. You know, on my pod, I've talked about something called, I call the four C's of difficult conversation. And I recently, like, tried to have a conversation. I did not adhere to my four C's, and it did not go well. And so I didn't take my own advice. You have to come, like, legitimately ready to be curious to the other person's point of view, wanting to hear what they have to say. You know, honoring their truth, even if it is something that hurts you deeply or that you abhor. You can say that, but you have to say it from a place of respect and honoring. If you want it to go somewhere. If you just want to like, let somebody have it, go ahead, let somebody have it, but you're definitely not going to be building towards anything that. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So before I let you go, can you tell us a little bit about The Mensch? Jonah Platt:   Yeah, sure. So the Mensch is one of a couple of Jewish entertainment projects I'm now involved with in the last year, which, you know, I went from sort of zero to now three. The Mensch is a really unique film that's in development now. We're gonna be shooting this summer that I'm a producer on. And it's the story of a 30 something female rabbi in New Mexico who, life just isn't where she thought it would be. She's not connecting with her congregation. She's not as far along as she thought things would be. Her synagogue is failing, and there's an antisemitic event at her synagogue, and the synagogue gets shut down. And she's at the center of it. Two weeks later, the synagogue's reopening. She's coming back to work, and as part of this reopening to try to bring some some life and some juzz to the proceedings, one of the congregants from the synagogue, the most eccentric one, who's sort of a pariah, who's being played by Jennifer Goodwin, who's a fantastic actress and Jewish advocate, donates her family's priceless Holocaust-era Torah to the synagogue, and the rabbi gets tasked with going to pick it up and bring it. As things often happen for this rabbi, like a bunch of stuff goes wrong. Long story short, she ends up on a bus with the Torah in a bag, like a sports duffel bag, and gets into an altercation with somebody who has the same tattoo as the perpetrator of the event at her synagogue, and unbeknownst to the two of them, they have the same sports duffel bag, and they accidentally swap them. So she shows up at the synagogue with Jennifer Goodwin, they're opening it up, expecting to see a Torah, and it's full of bricks of cocaine. And the ceremony is the next day, and they have less than 24 hours to track down this torah through the seedy, drug-dealing, white nationalist underbelly of the city. And, you know, drama and hilarity ensue. And there's lots of sort of fun, a magic realism to some of the proceedings that give it like a biblical tableau, kind of sense. There's wandering in the desert and a burning cactus and things of that nature.  So it's just, it's really unique, and what drew me to it is what I'm looking for in any sort of Jewish project that I'm supporting, whether as a viewer or behind the scenes, is a contemporary story that's not about Jews dying in the Holocaust. That is a story of people just being people, and those people are Jewish. And so the things that they think about, the way they live, maybe their jobs, even in this case, are Jewish ones. But it's not like a story of the Jews in that sense. The only touch point the majority of the world has for Jews is the news and TV and film. And so if that's how people are gonna learn about us, we need to take that seriously and make sure they're learning who we really are, which is regular people, just like you, dealing with the same kind of problems, the same relationships, and just doing that through a little bit of a Jewish lens. So the movie is entertaining and unique and totally fun, but it also just happens to be about Jews and rabbis. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And so possible, spoiler alert, does the White Nationalist end up being the Mensch in the end? Jonah Platt:   No, no, the white nationalist is not the mensch. They're the villain.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   I thought maybe there was a conversion moment in this film. Jonah Platt:   No conversion. But sort of, one of the themes you take away is, anybody can be a mensch. You don't necessarily need to be the best rabbi in the world to be a mensch. We're all fallible, flawed human beings. And what's important is that we try to do good and we try to do the right thing, and usually that's enough. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, I thought that kind of twist would be… Jonah Platt:   I'll take it up with the writer.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Jonah, you are truly a mensch for joining us on the sidelines here today. Jonah Platt:   Thank you. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Safe travels, wherever you're headed next.  Jonah Platt:   Thank you very much. Happy to be with you.   

Parnassah is from Shamayim. The pasuk says, Birkat Hashem hee ta'ashir — it is the blessing of Hashem that gives a person his wealth. We are taught by the society around us that the more hours we work, the more money we'll make. But it's not true. Rather, the more blessing we have from Hashem, the more money we'll make. Yes, we have to make a reasonable hishtadlut, but we must never forget that our main purpose in this world is avodat Hashem , which includes learning Torah, praying with a minyan , doing mitzvot, doing chesed for others, and having enough time for our families. A person who knows his purpose will wake up early, go to shul to learn and pray, make an honest hishtadlut to earn parnassah, and then come home with joy, show his wife a happy face, sit with his children, and then go back out to learn more at night. The greatest way to get blessing from Hashem is to follow His will. A person can do a minimal hishtadlut and earn a lot, and another can do a lot of hishtadlut and earn a little. The parnassah does not depend on the hishtadlut. It depends only on Hashem. A man from Israel said he learns the entire morning in a kollel , and runs a small grocery store in the afternoon. With a lot of heavenly help, this is enough to support his family. During a nationwide shortage of milk, his store was suffering. People would ask if he had milk, worried about their own supply, but he never had enough. Another store owner told him that every morning he travels to a big supermarket in another neighborhood, buys a bunch of milk bags, and sells them at no profit in his store, just so that he has milk for his customers. Several other grocery store owners gave him the same advice. They said, if you want to keep your customers, you must have enough milk for them. He was thinking about following their advice, but that would mean he would miss most of his morning kollel . So he decided he didn't want to miss, but he would still make a hishtadlut. He called the dairy company to make an order. They didn't answer. But a few hours later, after their office was already closed, they called him back, saying they just got in a shipment of 50 bags of milk, and saw his number on the screen, and decided to give it to him. The next day, an even greater surprise occurred — the supplier, on his own initiative, delivered 150 more bags of milk to his store. His customers were extremely happy, and he didn't even have to miss one minute of learning. This is a blessing from Hashem. Another man told me he received a completely unexpected phone call recently on a Sunday, from a supplier in Brazil. They said his order was ready early, and if he wanted to pay for half of it up front, they would ship the goods the very next day. Although he didn't need the merchandise so early, for some reason, he decided to say yes. Three days later, there was an announcement that Brazil was going to be hit with a 50% tariff. This order was this man's biggest order he ever had. Now it is going to arrive before the tariff goes into effect. If it would have shipped at the time it was supposed to, it would have come after the tariff would start. Instead of making the most profit he ever made, he would have been stuck with merchandise that his customer would no longer want. In all of his years in business, his goods were never ready early, and he never got a phone call from a supplier on a Sunday. Hashem, who is in charge of his parnassah, said he would make money, and He pulled the strings to make this happen. The man also told me that a friend of his sells cheap sweatshirts with hoods — no different than the millions of others that are already out there in the market. But for some inexplicable reason, someone put his sweatshirt on a very popular platform, and all of a sudden, everyone wants his. There is no rhyme or reason. It is because Hashem decided to bless him, and that is how He did it. Our main job is avodat Hashem , and let us leave Hashem in charge of parnassah.

We recommend listening to the teaching, Repentance (It's more than just saying sorry) | Part 8, before listening to this episode.Afterburn: also known in the fitness world as the “afterburn effect.” Simply put, the more intense the exercise, the more oxygen your body consumes afterward. This effect could occur spiritually after Rabbi Berkson's intense teachings each week. This Afterburn Q&A session allows your mind and soul to consume more understanding (oxygen).Some of the topics covered are:• Intro• What did the magician see that made him want to buy in?• I popped my cork! • My wife and I have never been closer• My parents never apologized for anything!• Unchecked bitterness will expand• Possessed by an emotion?• Looking for clarity? • Addressing my struggles to connect with the community • They laid hands on them…? • Bitterness connection to idolatry? (Deut 29:16-20)• I made it about me • Am I not surrendering everything?• Is being filled with the Holy Spirit practicing Torah observance?• What's your motive? • I told you so - not a good reaction?• Receiving the Holy SpiritSubscribe to take advantage of new content every week.To learn more about MTOI, visit our website, https://mtoi.org.https://www.facebook.com/mtoiworldwide https://www.instagram.com/mtoi_worldwidehttps://www.tiktok.com/@mtoi_worldwide You can contact MTOI by emailing us at admin@mtoi.org or calling 423-250-3020. Join us for Shabbat Services and Torah Study LIVE, streamed on our website, mtoi.org, YouTube, and Rumble every Saturday at 1:15 p.m. and every Friday for Torah Study Live Stream at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.

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Does Hashem really need us? Yes—but only because He set it up that way. Rabbi Stark is currently giving the daily Hachzek mussar shiur. To access click the link below: WhatsApp Chat Free Sefer Hachzek App (Apple) Hachzek App (Google)

Jihadi Syrian Soldiers shave the facial hair of sheiks solely to humiliate them before committing murder and atrocities against the Druzim. Sound familiar? Think back 75 years. Like the Nazis, they gleefully filmed and disseminated their carnage! The Torah has something to say 'zealotry' and what divides the good and holy from that which is ugly and inhumane. Pull Up a Chair 17JULY2025 - PODCAST

Rabbi Shai Held returns with a new cast of guest for another season of Answers WithHeld, the podcast where we confront big questions with bold thinking and honest searching.Every week, Rabbi Shai Held invites a leading thinker or teacher to explore one powerful Jewish idea or the life and legacy of a great Jewish thinker: Can We Really Judge Everyone Favorably? Is Torah Study the Highest Value? Is There Choice in Accepting the Torah? No pressure.  Together, we wrestle with timeless questions, uncover new insights, and model what it means to take Torah and Jewish thought seriously. 

Welcome to the Covenant & Conversation series, Rabbi Sacks' commentary pieces on the weekly Torah portion, exploring ideas and sharing inspiration from the Torah readings of the week. This audio on Parshat Pinchas was recorded by Rabbi Sacks in 2015. Follow along here: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/pinchas/elijah-and-the-still-small-voice/ This year's featured essay on Pinchas is available here: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/pinchas/the-zealot/ Read and download the written essay, and all translations. For intergenerational discussion on the weekly Parsha and Haftara, a new FAMILY EDITION is now also available: https://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-family-edition/pinchas/the-zealot/ ___________________ For more articles, videos, and other material from Rabbi Sacks, please visit www.RabbiSacks.org and follow @RabbiSacks. The Rabbi Sacks Legacy continues to share weekly inspiration from Rabbi Sacks. With thanks to the Schimmel Family for their generous sponsorship of Covenant & Conversation, dedicated in loving memory of Harry (Chaim) Schimmel.