All Episodes
Displaying episodes 1 - 30 of 581 in total
Parsha: Kedoshim - Loving the Unlovable
Some people are easy to love. They are good people. They have a good character. They are righteous and noble and pleasant. People like that are very lovable. But there...
Ethics: Loving Rebuke (6.6.34)
No one likes criticism. To receive criticism is painful. To be told what we did wrong stings. We bristle at the notion that we are flawed and imperfect. The mere knowl...
Parsha: Kedoshim - The Superhuman Imperative (5782)
Our Parsha begins with an unusual ceremony: Moshe gathers the entire Jewish Nation, men, women, and children, to convey to them the mitzvos of our Parsha. Unlike the r...
Parshas Kedoshim (Rebroadcast)
This week’s parsha has the highest mitzvah density of any parsha: In its 64 verses we learn 51 separate mitzvos covering many different areas of Jewish practice, inclu...
Parsha: Acharei Mos - Fleshy Onesie
The first verse of our Parsha revisits a tragic event from the past. The Torah tells us that after the death of Aaron's sons Nadav and Avihu, Moshe was instructed to c...
Parsha: Acharei Mos - A Consequential Life (5782)
The verse in our Parsha makes a big promise: if you adhere to the Mitzvos and statutes and laws of the Torah you will be granted life. Life is what we all so deeply co...
Parshas Acharei (Rebroadcast)
The three chapters of our parsha cover three general categories. First we read about the Yom Kippur sacrifices and procedures; then we learn about the prohibitions aga...
Parsha: Metzora - Barbarians at the Gate
The Metzora (one stricken with tzaraas) is unwelcome in polite society. Even impolite society doesn't want anything to do with him. They must leave the camp. They must...
Parsha: Metzora - 21st Century Prophecy (5782)
How involved is God in the day-to-day lives of humanity? What is the nature of divine communication to humanity? The central subject of our Parsha offers a fascinating...
Ethics: Loving Straightness (6.6.33)
Straightness is a virtue. Straightness means to be proper and upstanding in all of your conduct. It means doing what's proper and just and good. It also references thi...
Parshas Metzora (Rebroadcast)
A metzora is someone who is stricken with the tangible illness of tzaraas caused by a variety of sins, most notably the sin of lashon hara, evil talk and slander. Last...
Parsha: Tazria - Temporarily Embarrassed Millionaires
Like much of Leviticus hitherto, tzaraas - the skin malady that is a physical manifestation of a spiritual flaw - is a concept distant from our consciousness. The Tora...
Parsha: Tazria - Torah In A Box (5782)
The bulk of our Parsha deals with the inapplicable laws of purity and impurity, but we also told about a Mitzvah that is very much applicable today: circumcision. When...
Parshas Tazria (Rebroadcast)
A very large percentage of Torah is dedicated to the laws of purity and impurity. Parshas Tazria deals exclusively with these laws, first with respect to the impurity ...
Parsha: Shemini - Spiritual Cholesterol
Kosher food is good for you. Non-kosher food is bad. That much we learned in our parsha. But why? Why is kosher food good? In this exquisite podcast, we Go deep and de...
On Elevator Pitches for God with Bruce Licht and Ron Kardos
Many (most?) people believe in God. Believers accept the reality that the world, the universe, finite existence is the handiwork of an infinite God. Why do people beli...
Parsha: Shemini - Aaron's Credentials (5782)
In our Parsha Aaron is promoted to become the high priest. Previously, Moshe served as high priest in an interim role, henceforth Aaron and his descendants will serve ...
Ethics: Loving Charities (6.6.32)
Charity is a big element of religious life. Our Sages tell us that the mitzvah of charity equals all the mitzvos of the Torah combined. But monetary charity is only on...
Parshas Shemini (Rebroadcast)
After months of preparation and building, and a week of inauguration, the nation was anticipating the climax of the Tabernacle experience: When God finally rested His ...
Parsha: Tzav - Runaway Brain
The subject matter of Parshas Tzav is - like Parshas Vayikra - sacrifices. Before today you may have thought that sacrifices are a boring snooze fest. In this Parsha P...
Parsha: Tzav - Ready, Steady, Fire! (5782)
A lot of things are needed for the Temple and the Tabernacle to function properly. There are all kinds of prerequisites, protocols, procedures, and rituals that must b...
Parshas Tzav (Rebroadcast)
In continuation of the themes of last week, Parshas Tzav details the procedures of processing many of the sacrifices enumerated in Parshas Vayikra, teaches us about ne...
Mitzvah: Forbidden Fats (#147) + Annual Fundraising Drive
TORCH Fundraiser — support the Mitzvah PodcastOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a mat...
The Purim Story (Rebroadcast)
TORCH Annual Fundraiser Our organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a matching campaign and eve...
The Profound Purim Secret with Rabbi Shmuly Botnick
TORCH Fundraiser — support the This Jewish Life PodcastOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This...
Parsha: Vayikra - Cainitis and Abelitis
TORCH FundraiserOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a matching campaign and every donat...
TORAH 101: The Nature of the Ultimate Resurrection + TORCH Campaign
TORCH Fundraiser — support the TORAH 101 PodcastOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a m...
Ethics: Loving Humanity (6.6.31) + TORCH Fundraiser
TORCH Fundraiser — support the Ethics PodcastOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a matc...
Parsha: Vayikra - From Each According to His Ability (5782) + TORCH Campaign
TORCH FundraiserOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a matching campaign and every donat...
Parshas Vayikra (Rebroadcast) + TORCH Annual Fundraising Drive
TORCH FundraiserOur organization, TORCH, does only one fundraiser a year, and that is happening right now at giveTORCH.org. This is a matching campaign and every donat...