This Jewish Life - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

With deep appreciation to the Almighty for all the goodness that He has bestowed upon us, I’m happy to share that my wife, Chaya, and I were blessed with a beautiful baby boy on Monday, March 14. Thank God, both Mom and baby are doing fabulous! In this special edition of the podcast, I share the idea that I said on Friday night at the Shalom Zachor of the new baby. May we share many simchos together and may we only hear good news from each other and from the rest of our brethren! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE Crypto to TORCH Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

On Purim we read the Book of Esther, which tells the story of the Purim miracle. The Persian king Achashverosh conspires with his Amalekite viceroy Haman to eradicate the entire Jewish nation, but God refused to allow their plans to unfold. Queen Esther, together with her relative Mordechai, spearhead the effort to turn the plan on it’s head: Instead of Haman killing Mordechai and the Jews; the Jews were given free rein to destroy their enemies. Every year we commemorate this miracle on the holiday of Purim. But the story goes deeper. Every part of Torah can be understood on multiple dimensions. The Gaon of Vilna wrote a masterful commentary explaining the Book on an allegorical level, in which the characters and the storylines symbolize the various conflicts of our lives. What emerges is a stunning portrayal of central components of Jewish philosophy that also contains very incisive lessons for Purim itself. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

Purim is a tantalizing festival. We get the dress up in costumes, read about close brush with destruction that our nation endured many centuries ago, and to drink alcohol guiltlessly. It’s a great party (certainly for extroverts). But what’s the deeper secret behind the day? What did Haman actually try to do to our nation? What was the banquet of Achashveirosh – the event that kickstarted the Purim saga – trying to accomplish? In this very special edition of the podcast, I am joined with my esteemed brother-in-law, Rabbi Shmuly Botnick, to learn about the Kabbalistic conflict of the day. Buckle up, sharpen your brain, and listen carefully: you are about to be treated with something very special. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

The festival of Purim commemorates the story of salvation that our nation experienced in Persia more than two thousand years ago. Haman the heir of Amaleik schemed a plot to eradicate the entire Jewish people in one randomly selected day, the 13th day of Adar. But the Almighty would have none of it. In His kindness He orchestrated a series of events, told to us in the Book of Esther, that foiled Haman’s plot and led to our nation’s spiritual renaissance, the effects of which still reverberate today. In this podcast we retell the Purim story and delve into its themes to make our observance of the holiday ever more meaningful. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

In conjunction with our annual fundraiser this week at giveTORCH.org (every donation is tripled), we are releasing a special interview conducted by the TORCH Board President, Dan Kullman, about my new book, Upon A Ten-Stringed Harp. Please consider contributing to our annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org.

Please support The This Jewish Life Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED! Show your support for TORCH and The This Jewish Life Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Adam and Eve did not exactly have an idyllic marriage. Eve gave Adam to eat from the forbidden fruit; Adam through Eve under the bus when confronted by God. It seems that this marital union had some fundamental flaws. Yet our Sages, and truthfully the Torah itself, portray their marriage as the one we should emulate. Why are Adam and Eve considered to be an ideal match? In the second dose of our divorce vaccine series, we explore what lies at the core of an amazing marriage. The marriage of Adam and Eve had its shortcomings, but it can teach us about what marriage ought to look like. Needless to say, the hollow version of marriage featured in Hollywood and popular culture is, unsurprisingly, monstrously off-target. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please support The This Jewish Life Podcast and the annual TORCH fundraiser at giveTORCH.org Every donation will be TRIPLED! Show your support for TORCH and The This Jewish Life Podcast and donate to the annual fundraiser at giveTORCH.org  

The fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Shevat – known as Tu B’Shevat – is the New Year for trees and fruits. All the fruits that sprout before this cutoff are associated with the previous year’s yield and the ones that come afterwards are attributed to the new year’s. If that was all that we knew about this day it would be a pretty anemic day. But the Kabbalists revealed that is a very powerful and propitious day with deep, mystical meanings. In this special episode we plumb the depths of this day and discover its power and the potential. I must admit that coming into this project I knew very little about Tu B’Shevat. This was a truly eye-opening subject that I am sure will rivet the audience as it did me. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

Every year, Chanukah falls out during the weeks in which we read about Joseph and his exploits in Egypt. Our Sages tell us that there is a deep connection between Joseph’s and the Maccabean heroism. Many connections have been proposed, and in this podcast I suggest a new approach to understanding how Joseph precisely embodies the story, the lesson, and the transformation of Chanukah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE Crypto to TORCH Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

About 2,200 years ago, the Jewish Nation faced an existential threat: The Assyrian Greek Empire led by Antiochus and his Hellenist henchmen undertook a concerted campaign to systematically eradicate the Jewish religion. They sought to make the Jews forget the Torah and depart from the mitzvos; they defiled the Temple; they harassed the Jewish daughters; and they banned the observance of many mitzvos on pain of death. But the Almighty did not forsake His people. He stood up for them in their time of sorrow; He waged their wars; He judged the judgment; He avenged their vengeance, and aided the Jews to total victory over their Greek overlords. To remember that miracle, and the miracle of the oil that lasted 8x its intended length, the Sages established the 8-day holiday of Chanukah. In this podcast we survey the history, laws, and customs of Chanukah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE Crypto to TORCH Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101

How do you prepare for your day of death? Is that an important question? One can argue that living is much more important than dying. Death, this line of reasoning argues, is something that happens on its own and not something that we need to concern ourselves with. In this podcast, we present a completely different perspective. Calling from many sources in Jewish literature, we present the day of death as the actualization of an entire lifetime. Not only is the day of death an important day, it is the most important day of a person’s life. It is a day and a moment that determines everything! We also present a series of life-changing insights for how to prepare for our audience with the Almighty. Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended for children or young adults. The target audience is anyone older than 35. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! Please email me at rabbiwolbe@gmail.com with any questions or comments – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE Crypto to TORCH Click on this link to access the TORCH Coinbase donation site – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover Please visit our website torchweb.org to get your FREE TORCH Shabbat Light Switch Cover. or CLICK this LINK to access the form directly https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6A90DO9YIzUXxlHH3EEy5dz_H5mlch-N3GZdqtG9saMlYsA/viewform – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletter rabbiwolbe.com/newsletter SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s Podcasts The Parsha Podcast The Jewish History Podcast The Mitzvah Podcast  This Jewish Life The Ethics Podcast TORAH 101