The Jewish History Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Mar 9

The Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Hakohen Kagan, was one of the most renowned and influential Jews of modern times. He did not serve in any official capacity, and his influence reverberated the world over. His personal piety was legendary. He was a saint, a veritable angel walking amongst men. His literary contributions altered the landscape of Jewish life. The modern sensitivity to all to all forms of Lashon Hara can be attributed to him. His monumental Mishnah Berurah systematized and clarified and organized practical Jewish law. His many other writings were vitally important to help the Jews of his time, and their impact and influence continues until this day. This is the story of the life, piety, and works of the Chofetz Chaim. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Feb 3

The Ark of the Covenant was the holiest and most iconic vessels of the Tabernacle, and subsequently the Temple. It was placed in the Holy of Holies and visited only once a year by the holiest person, the High Priest, on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. Inside the Ark were the Tablets of Testimony upon which God inscribed the Ten Commandments. The Ark had a long and storied history. At some point, the Ark was hidden away. For the last 2,500 years, its whereabouts have been mostly unknown. In this Jewish History podcast, can we tell the rich story of the Ark and share what we know about its current whereabouts. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Mar 21, 2024

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 every donation will be DOUBLED. Please support the Jewish History Podcast right now at giveTORCH.org The website for the Fundraiser is giveTORCH.org Click and donate to support the Jewish History Podcast in 2024 We need your help! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Purim is a holiday celebrated by Jews worldwide on the 14th day of the month of Adar, and in Jerusalem and walled cities on the fifteenth day of Adar. It commemorates the story of the salvation of the Jewish nation from the genocidal plans of Haman and Achashveirosh in Persia. How did the Jews end up living under the Persians in the middle of the Middle East? How did the nation that entered and conquered Israel/Judea under Joshua end up in Persia? In this podcast we will tell the backstory of the Purim story and the actual Purim miracle as told in the Book of Esther and the related sources in classical Jewish Literature , embellished by discoveries in archaeology. It begins with King Achashverosh, the Persian king who ruled from Hodu until Cush (India until Ethiopia), making a massive feast for all the ministers and noblemen of Persia and Media that lasted for 180 days. Soon afterwards Achashverosh partners with the wicked Haman to annihilate the entire Jewish nation. Spoiler alert: Things don’t go as Haman planned. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Mar 13, 2024

Straddling the Mediterranean Sea is a very special sliver of land: The land of Israel. The land of Canaan; Palestine; The Holy Land – there are a lot of names that this land is called by. This is the land to which Abraham was instructed to go to. This is the land that the Jewish slaves of Egypt coveted. This is the land flowing with milk and honey. This is the land that Joshua conquered and settled. From here the Jewish people were expelled, and to here the Jewish people returned. But there are other peoples who claim this land as their own. The Arabs claim it as Islamic land. With the actualization of a Zionist vision, the Jewish people returned to their historic homeland and found lots of Arabs there. This created lots of tension, which escalated into horrific violence. The Israeli/Arab conflict — the Israeli/Palestinian conflict — has raged for more than a century. Is this a solvable problem? Would the solution be granting a state to both the Jews and the Arabs? Is the two state solution a viable resolution to this ancient and seemingly intractable problem? It’s been tried many times before, but it is doomed to fail unless something completely unexpected happens. In part 2 of our series on the Two-State-Solution, we explore the many varied attempts to finally resolve the Israel/Palestine conflict . It does not seem to be a viable solution, but that doesn’t mean that people won’t try. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Mar 11, 2024

Is a two-state solution a viable way to finally resolve the Israel Palestine conflict? Many in the international community believe that it is the only solution. After the horrific massacres of October 7th, 2023, the international community is once again amplifying the call for a two-state solution. Instead of punishing the Arabs for their violent acts of terrorism and unspeakable brutality, the international community took this opportunity to pressure Israel to make concessions and to take steps towards granting the Palestinians their own, independent state. Is this something which can ever happen? What do the Arabs really want? Do they want to live in harmony and peace with their Jewish neighbors? Is there any evidence that they willing to accept the existence and legitimacy of the state of Israel? From everything we know and from everything that history tells us, the answer is a resounding no. Allowing the Palestinians to have a state on Israel’s borders would be a bloody catastrophe waiting to happen. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Dec 18, 2023

The Balfour Declaration was a pivotal shift in the prospects of the Zionist dream. For the first time, a major world power declared their intent – in a binding governmental commitment – to work towards the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Political Zionism achieved a major strategic victory, but actualizing this plan would be far from easy. The Jews were outnumbered by Arabs in the land, and the Arabs were not too keen on having a Jewish presence, much less a Jewish state, in the Holy Land. The 1920s saw an escalation of Arab violence towards the Jews in Palestine. The Jews dedicated themselves towards building the land – building out the infrastructure, drain the swamps, establishing institutions – and the Arabs sought to undermine any Zionist progress, often resorting to horrific violence. In this Jewish history podcast, we tell the story of Jews and Arabs under the British mandate in the 1920s. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Dec 8, 2023

The holiday of Chanukah commemorates the triumph of the Maccabean Revolt over the oppressive regime of Antiochus IV and the Seleucid Empire. In this podcast we tell the story of this miraculous victory of the weak over the mighty; the few over the many; the pure over the impure; and the righteous over the wicked. NOTE: This Podcast was originally recorded in 2017. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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

Nov 22, 2023

The Jewish people are at war. Our brethren in Israel are in midst of a fierce war in Gaza against the terrorist organization Hamas. The objectives of the campaign are the complete elimination of Hamas leadership and infrastructure, and the safe return of the more than 200 hostages captured by the terrorists on the brutal attacks of October 7th, 2023. Ever since the war began, one soldier was rescued, four hostages were returned, and two hostages were found dead in Gaza. As of the time of this recording, Israel and Hamas were on the cusp of finalizing a hostage exchange deal. In this sprawling episode of the Jewish History Podcast, we explore the history and the laws governing hostage rescues and ransoms. What is the Jewish way? How have our antecedents addressed this tragic and unfortunate circumstance? What value do we place on the rescue and ransom of hostages? What are some of the political, military, and security considerations of prisoner swaps? As we pray for the success of our troops and the hostage efforts in Gaza, we look back at the fascinating and often tragic story of hostages in our history. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This Jewish History Podcast is dedicated by Eddie & Lottie Setton in honor of their children Ralph & Michael who are studying in Israel and their love of Jewish History. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 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