Eternal Ethics - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

How valuable is an hour of time? How much of a person’s life can be changed in one hour? In this mishna, Ben Azzai teaches us the power of a single hour. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please […]

Something dramatic happens when the Soul is fed. It is empowered and its place in a person’s identity is augmented, and concurrently the Yetzer Hara’s influence is weakened. A virtuous cycle results wherein one Mitzvah makes the second Mitzvah more likely. Initially, the Mitzvos need to be force-fed like feeding a patient who refuses food. […]

Does it make sense to take pride in one’s intellect, fitness, or wealth? Our Sages teach us that those things are determined before someone is born, and therefore it would be ludicrous for us to take pride in what was given to us by God. But in a seminal teaching, Ben Zoma reveals that there […]

What is the relationship between Torah and secular disciplines such as astronomy mathematics? In a pithy and cryptic teaching, Rabbi Elazar Chisma – a Sage who excelled in both – offers an insightful perspective. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

Torah is unlike any other discipline. Every other discipline can be acquired without preconditions; Torah can only be unlocked by someone who has successfully primed himself for that lofty status. In this Mishnah, Rabbi Elazar Ben Azariah instructs us on what is needed before Torah can flourish within us. – – – – – – […]

Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria got an unusual and controversial promotion at a very young age. Due to an escalating dispute between two of the great leaders of the era, the Nasi Rabban Gamliel was deposed and Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria, aged a tender 18, was appointed as the head of the Academy in his stead. […]

In his fourth and final teaching, Rabbi Akiva shares a powerful and serious parable that is designed to shake us up and take life seriously but also contains the undertones of a very inspirational and comforting message. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

In this pithy teaching, Rabbi Akiva addresses some of the knottiest questions of Jewish philosophy: If God knows what we do ahead of time, do we have free will? If God is control of everything, is the world judged fairly? Why are the righteous and the wicked treated inequitably? – – – – – – […]

In an astonishingly profound teaching, Rabbi Akiva informs us of the special role that humans have in completing the objective of the Almighty’s creation; and the amplified role that our nation has in effectuating that; and the tools that we were given to achieve that goal. – – – – – – – – – […]

Rabbi Akiva is one of the titanic figures of the Mishnaic Era. He served as the vital link transmitting the Torah that he studied from his predecessors to his students amid ceaseless oppression under the Romans. In the first of three consecutive Mishnas authored by Rabbi Akiva, we learn the keys to avoiding catastrophic promiscuity, […]

Rabbi Yishmael was the scion of one of the most prestigious families of our nation and a titanic Sage of the Mishnaic Era. In this podcast we share several of the fascinating stories about his fruitful and sometimes tragic life and explore the connection between those episodes and his teaching in Pirkei Avos. – – […]

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What are we living for? How ought we allocate our time? In this striking teaching we learn the difference between the faciliatatory and things which are end goals. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This Eternal Ethics podcast is […]

Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa was a legendary Sage who lived towards the end of the Second Temple, and the Talmud relates many miraculous and inspirational stories about him. In this podcast we share some of those amazing stories, and connect them to his crucial life-instructional teaching. – – – – – – – – – […]

We put much focus on Torah study and Torah acquisition, and in this mishnah we learn about the other half of Torah greatness: Torah retention, which can only be accomplished by rigorous disciplined review. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

In an unusually sharp statement, our Sages inform us of the severity of neglecting Torah study. The flip side is also true: Torah study is unfathomably valuable. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by […]

Why do we give charity? Is there a cap of 20% to how much we can give? In this mishna we learn about a striking rationale for charity, answer these questions, and contrast the two types of givers. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

In Jewish literature, Torah is called the Word of God. In this mishna we learn about its ability to bridge the gap between man and his Creator. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by […]

What rules govern what happens in our lives? In this mishna we find that there are really three different realms, and that it is possible to upgrade the plane on which we operate. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

Rabbi Chananya ben Chakhinai says: One who stays awake at night, and one who wanders on a road alone, and turns his heart to idleness, behold he is liable with his life. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sponsorship: Please […]