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The Parsha Podcast with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe was started in 2016 with the goal of making the weekly Parsha accessible and useful. Every Sunday, the Parsha Podcast will feature an hour-long podcast outlining the story, narratives and major themes of that week’s Parsha and offer a selection of valuable and interesting insights from it. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, two more episodes that focuses on one idea, theme, or comment on the Parsha will be released. Please send comments or questions to rabb ...
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Tyson rethinks his position on imperialism and Moyer explores the powerful coconut-themed memetic potential of Kamala Harris. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@…
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This week we conclude the Book of Numbers with a double-Parsha, the sole double-Parsha of this calendar year. Of the myriad of interesting subjects found in our Parsha is the long and detailed negotiations between Moshe and the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These tribes sought to permanently settle on the East Bank of the Jordan and not on its Western …
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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; and we gain closure to the saga of the daughters…
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Pinchas, Aaron’s grandson, did a valorous and zealous act of bravery when he skewered the prince of the tribe of Shimon and stopped the plague from wiping out the entire nation. What motivated Pinchas’ behavior? What attributes were at play during his act of zealotry? This question is answered in a comment in Rashi in our Parsha. We learn how quali…
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Although a paternal grandson of Aaron the Kohein, Pinchas was not initially – prior to his heroic act of martyrdom – a Kohein. The law stated that only Aaron and his sons were to be anointed as Kohanim. All sons born to Kohanim subsequently were to be Kohanim, but Pinchas who was alive at the time of anointing of Aaron and his sons was excluded fro…
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Pinchas was a man of action, a zealot who avenged God’s vengeance and was handsomely rewarded for it. In this parsha we read about his reward, Moses’ succession plan, the methods through which the Land will be divided, and another census is done. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by…
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In every generation there are malevolent forces seeking to destroy the Jewish people. They have never been successful, nor will they ever be. The Almighty always protects our people and ensures our continuity. Most of the time we are completely unaware of the mortal dangers that the Almighty thwarted on our behalf. The canonical example of this phe…
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The boys dive into the surreal events that took place yesterday and examine Trump's journey these past 9 years. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@contrarianpodc…
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Our nation has no shortage of enemies. This is not new. Even in antiquity, our nation was always a target. Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, try to smothered the Jewish Nation in its infancy. I’m this week’s Parsha, to fearsome, shadowy figures try to do the same. Balak, king of Moab, commissions Bilaam, master sorcerer and prophet, to curse and decima…
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After the Jewish nation trounced the mighty kingdoms of Sichon and Og in last week’s parsha, the comparatively smaller and weaker kingdom of Moab resorted to unconventional warfare to attack the nation by hiring the prophet of the nations, a wily and devious character named Bilaam, to curse the Jews. It did not work out as planned. – – – – – – – – …
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Two giants passed away in this week’s Parsha: Moshe two elder siblings, his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron – two of the great leaders and benefactors of the nation – both die in Parshas Chukas. In this special Parsha podcast we share two profound insights relating to the death, mourning, and aftermath of these two deaths. We discuss the extrac…
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The boys tackle the conspiracy behind the Hawk Tuah girl but along the way are forced to wrestle with the dark forces that expose the Hawk Tuah within themselves Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Link…
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Parshas Chukas contains some of the most interesting and iconic sections of the Torah. It begins with the mysterious red cow, a blush bovine whose burnt ashes are part of the cleansing cocktail needed to purify the impure. Afterwards, we read about the death of Miriam and its aftermath, including the cessation of the well of Miriam, an event that p…
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In this week’s parsha, we read about a highly unusual mitzvah: The Red Heifer, when an entirely red cow is burned together with a motley concoction of ingredients, and the resultant ashes are used to sprinkle on people that came into contact with dead people in order to purify them from their spiritual contamination. We also learn about the passing…
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We all have weaknesses. Nations, as well, have witnesses. When the Almighty sought to give the Torah to the Jewish people at Sinai, He first offered it to all the nations. When they asked what was included in it, God revealed to them how the Torah disallowed that particular weakness that that particular Nation had. What is the Jewish weakness? What…
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Debate and disagreement are part of the human condition. We are all unique and we all see the world differently. It should come as no shock, therefore, that disagreements exist between different people. Our nation has made debate into a favorite pastime – just visit any Yeshiva and you will see what I mean. But why must we debate? And what are the …
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Sleepy Joe fumbles the bag big time on the debate stage and the lads are here to break down the collapse of the campaign in excruciating detail. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https:…
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In this week’s parsha, Moshe and Aaron’s first cousin, a man named Korach, launches a rebellion claiming that Moshe is guilty of nepotism in appointing his brother as High Priest. What ensued should give one serious pause before engaging in any similar sort of divisive activities. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please …
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Prior to initiating the war of conquest of the land of Canaan, the nation did the prudent thing: they undertook a reconnaissance mission to scout out the enemy defenses. Moshe selected 12 righteous men, one from each tribe, to traverse the land and inspect it from the inside. The result was a catastrophic disaster: the scouts brought a devastating …
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One of the most unfortunate events in our history is chronicled in this week’s Parsha. The nation was on the doorstep of entering the Land of Canaan and actualizing the promise made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In an effort to not to rely on Divine miracles, Moshe commissioned 12 righteous men to reconnoiter the Land. The report that they returned…
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The Jewish people were on the cusp of entering the Land of Canaan, and made a prudent, but ultimately tragic, decision: To send a contingent of scouts to reconnoiter the Land, to examine its vulnerabilities and weaknesses in order to best plan the conquest. Unfortunately, the report of the scouts sent the nation into a tailspin and caused them to r…
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After nearly a year at Sinai, the nation is on the move: in perfect formation, each tribe perfectly positioned and oriented, the nation finally departed the site of the Sinai Revelation. Following the cloud, the nation traveled. In this very special Parsha podcast, we go deep and deeper in trying to plumb the depths of the Torah to the best of our …
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Our brains are fried and there's no going back so throw on some Billie Eilish and order some Taco Bell while we wait for the end. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.c…
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Traveling in the wilderness was not simple. The nation was guided by the clouds of Glory. When the clouds of Glory would depart from a top of the Tabernacle, that signaled it was time to go and the nation decamped and began to move. Where to? No one knew ahead of time. Wherever the cloud settled, that is where the next encampment was. When we exami…
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The Jewish nation has been encamped at Mount Sinai for nearly a year; in this week’s parsha they finally depart from the Mountain of God, and sadly leave gleefully as a child escaping school. This kick starts a series of missteps that carry harsh consequences. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting t…
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Parshas Nasso is the longest Parsha in the Torah by verses. In this very special Parsha podcast we explore three different elements of the Parsha: We offer a deep examination of the banishment of the various impure people from the camp; a profound approach to the system of change featured in the Nazir; and a sharp analysis of Moshe’s role in constr…
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Our Parsha contains the interesting law of the Nazir. A Nazir is someone who has accepted upon themselves a vow to abstain from wine, haircuts, and contact with the dead for a given period, typically 30 days. The details of this law are featured in our partial and elaborated upon in appropriately named book of Talmud, the book of “Nazir.” What is t…
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The lads have arrived in Transylvania and are on a mission to figure out a way to hook up with the Vampire Queen. On their journey to the Queen's bedchamber, they also uncover some shocking truths about Brad Pitt's family. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.co…
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In the longest parsha in the Torah by verses, we continue to read about the Levite families and their responsibilities, we learn about the three tiers of the Nation’s encampment, the laws of a suspected adulteress, the laws of the Nazir, the Priestly blessings, and we read a very wordy account of the gifts of the tribal leaders during the weeks fol…
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The boys use the corpse of the Star Wars franchise and the flopping of Furiosa to uncover an ancient prophecy that could spell doom for Hollywood Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https…
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At first glance, the subject matter of Parshas Bamidbar is quite bland and technical. It talks of a census, and the orientation of the tribes in the camp, and the various responsibilities of the different levite families. These are not typically subjects that grab our attention. But we are trained to go deeper and deeper beneath the surface and to …
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Our Parsha recounts – for the third time hitherto in the Torah – the episode of the untimely death of Aaron’s two eldest sons, Nadav and Avihu. These two young priests were destined for greatness. Moshe believed that they were in fact greater than him and Aaron. Yet they brought an unauthorized sacrifice and died in a Divine conflagration on the sa…
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We kickstart the Book of Numbers with a census of the twelve tribes of Israel – not including the tribe of Levi who is counted independently – conducted by Moses, Aaron, and the most distinguished leaders of said tribes. Subsequently, we read about the banners of the tribes and their assigned encampments, the transference of the sanctity of the fir…
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Torah is absolutely vast. It is a veritable ocean. And we are privileged to be able to study it and immerse ourselves in it. Those of us who have had the great privilege of studying in Yeshiva know that there’s nothing as delightful and as wonderful as the intensive study of Torah. But how practical is the material? How much of what we study can we…
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Why was our soul sent to this world? What was lacking for it in Heaven? That is not an easy question to answer. There are other hard questions to ponder: why are we so obsessed with Torah? How is Torah beneficial for mankind? In this superb episode of the Parsha Podcast, we discover a higher level of living and a higher level of Torah study. There …
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Tyson and Moyer breakdown the implications of Terrence Howard's breakthrough scientific discoveries that have left Reddit academics in shambles. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https:…
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In two chapters in the Torah (Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28) we read about the positive consequences of obeying the Torah and heeding its laws; and the terrible, painful consequences of disobeying the Law. Though reading this week’s Torah portion is scary and a tad depressing, the truth is that this framework is the secret to our nation enduring suc…
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The Land of Israel is special: It is the land of God. All other lands were given by God to humanity. The land of Israel He reserved for himself. The Torah gives us comprehensive laws regarding every element of our life. Many of the laws are only applicable in the land of Israel. The commentaries tell us that truthfully all of the laws can only be f…
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Being a farmer in antiquity was a hard job. Without any mechanized tools and plows, farming demanded a great deal of sweat and toil. But what choice did you have? If you want to feed your family, you need to work the land. Then comes the Shemitah. Every 7th year, the farmers in the Land are barred from working the field. For one year, the Land must…
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At Mount Sinai, the Almighty instructed Moshe to convey a series of laws to the Jewish people. The first is the mitzvah of Shemittah, the prohibition of engaging in any agricultural work every seven years. What is the lesson inherent in this mitzvah and what are the consequences of transgressing it? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONAT…
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Us guys just want to call people losers after a hard day's work. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@contrarianpodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cCN…
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Humans have a very important role to play in God’s world. The Almighty created a world in which He is obfuscated. It is possible to live a whole life without acknowledging the one, singular reality of existence: God. The world was designed with the capacity for that reality being ignored. But we are here to change that. Our national mission is to s…
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The Kohanic family is the most prestigious and sanctified family in our nation. Direct descendants of the legendary Aaron, this family was consecrated as the priests of our nation. They oversee the temple and its operations, they do the service of the Temple, they process the sacrifices – they are the spiritual leaders of our people. Given their st…
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Parshas Emor contains a staggering 56 mitzvos, nearly all of them relating to either to the Kohanim, the priests, or to the Festivals, and the parsha ends with a very unusual episode that happened at Sinai. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewi…
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It's literally the easiest layup in the world for boomer conservatives but they're still finding a way to fumble the ball lol. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/…
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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 are other people. The second group of people are very hard to love. They may have a very execrable character. They may have very unlikable traits. These people can only be loved with…
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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 rest of the Torah where the nation is conveyed the Law in shifts, in this week’s Parsha everyone has to be together. When we examine the reasons why, things get interesting. In this ed…
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Moyer decides that it's time to confront the weed question and Tyson battles the most powerful moral dilemma known to mankind. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro Podcast Links YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/…
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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, including arguably the most famous mitzvah in the whole Torah. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to …
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Amongst the smoldering ruins of the Coke Zero Riots and the Hip Hop Civil War, the boys uncover a secret ancient document explaining India's rise to Public Enemy Number One. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/contrarianhour Hosts: (Moyer) https://twitter.com/KidMoyer (Tyson) https://twitter.com/TraderTyson (Aiii) https://twitter.com/Aiiibro …
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