The Parsha Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Some of the highlights of this week’s parsha: Immediately after the Binding of Isaac, Sarah passed away at the age of 127, and soon afterward Abraham had to procure a burial spot for her. In addition, Abraham sent his trusted confidante, Eliezer, to his hometown to find a spouse for Isaac. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Abraham was the paragon of faith. He was also the paragon of kindness and hospitality. When he was 99 years old and only three days removed from a very painful and debilitating circumcision surgery, Abraham launched into a frenzied act of superlative hospitality to three travelers (who later turned out to be angels). These twin attributes worked synergistically. Abraham used his hospitality to advance his lifelong mission of disseminating the Name of God in the world and publicizing the Name of God to all. The Parsha is studded with other iconic episodes and narratives: Abraham’s intercession on behalf of the sinners of Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot’s kindness in Sodom and Gomorrah; the overturning of those cities and the rendering of Mrs. Lot into a pillar of salt; Lot’s incestuous tryst with his daughters spawning the forbearer of Messiah; the birth and maturation of Isaac; the banishment of Ishmael; and of course, the Binding of Isaac. In this edition of the Parsha podcast, we study the Parsha and then take a tour backstage.  – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This Parsha Podcast is sponsored by Steve Horak in honor of his wife becoming a doctor – Dr Elena Silberman Scott, and in honor of his niece Emily Silberman becoming bat mitzvah, and in honor of his granddaughter Levy Schwartz Messing‘s first birthday.  – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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 the second day of Rosh Hashanah each year we read chapter 22 of Genesis, the Binding of Isaac episode. Abraham is instructed to take his beloved son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice atop Mount Moriah. Abraham does as told, only to be stopped at the very last moment. In this very special Parsha podcast episode, we explore three dimensions of this iconic event. We try to go deep and deeper as is our mandate. We begin by addressing the three times that people are described as walking together; we proceed by suggesting a new approach to the call of the angel, “Abraham, Abraham;” and we end with the curious overlap between Abraham’s Binding of Isaac and Adam’s banishment from the Garden. This is an episode that you will really enjoy. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

This week’s parsha features several iconic episodes: Abraham was visited by God as he was recuperating from his circumcision, and concurrently engaged in superlative kindness with three angels masquerading as pagan travelers; Abraham was informed that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed and was unsuccessful in interceding on their behalf; and we also read the two Torah sections that are read on the two days of Rosh Hashana: The episode of the birth of Isaac and the subsequent banishment of Ishmael, and the story of the Binding of Isaac. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Our nation has three forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and four foremothers, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. The Book of Genesis principally orients around these people. The the narratives of a Adam and Noah are but pitstops along the way until the Torah focuses squarely on Abraham and his descendants. What is the role of a patriarch and a matriarch? What is significant about that designation? What is the relevance of the stories of these people to our lives? What is instructive about these about the episodes of the Patriots and matriarchs in the Torah (the Torah must always be instructive)? In this magical podcast, we journey backstage into the story and the concept of our illustrious forefathers and foremothers. The lessons that we learn prove to be quite instructive indeed. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Join us for an exquisite Parsha Podcast as we go deep and deeper into Lech Lecha. The deep idea relates to Lot’s fateful decision to choose to move to the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. We then go deeper and explore the allegorical dimensions of the breakup between Abraham and Lot. Finally, we go even deeper and explore the secret and the mystery of the circumcision. If you seek Parsha Podcast that will educate and entertain, this one is for you. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Discover the transformative journey of Abraham as he's called to leave his homeland and embrace faith without a clear destination. Explore God's grand promises of legacy, including descendants as numerous as the stars. Delve into Abraham's moral dilemmas in Egypt and his riches, alongside the struggles with his nephew Lot. Uncover the significance of circumcision and the covenant that solidifies Abraham's connection to the divine, setting the stage for future generations. All this, while reinforcing the importance of hospitality and marital respect.

Noah’s year in the ark was no vacation. It was filled with relentless labor, unbearable noise, and a foul stench. The podcast delves into why he endured such hardship and what it signifies about selfless kindness. It also critiques Noah for not praying for humanity's salvation, contrasting him with Abraham and Moses. Intriguingly, the discussion reveals deeper insights into the flood as a purification process, and how the burden of leadership affected Noah's spiritual status.

We started this week’s Parsha Podcast by talking about the Tower of Babel episode. We gleaned from that story something absolutely transformational and deep. We then proceeded to talk about the unusual contribution that Noah gave to the people of his generation. In that second segment, we also derived something very profound. Deeper. The podcast ended with a third segment related to the sin that doomed the generation and to the precise dimensions of the Ark. The deepest of them all. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

In this week’s parsha: Noah and his family build an Ark as a refuge from an extinction-level Flood brought by God to destroy the world’s sinners. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Email me with questions, comments, and feedback: rabbiwolbe@gmail.com – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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