The Jewish History Podcast - With Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe

Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, known the world over as the Alter of Slabodka, was and is the greatest builder of Torah of the last several centuries. The burgeoning yeshiva movement today, and indeed the fact that yeshivos did not go extinct a century ago, is due to him more than any one person. He was the first […]

Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik, the scion of a prestigious rabbinical family, was the father of a new penetrating, incisive, and brilliant approach to Talmudic study and analysis that took the Yeshiva world by storm and is now ubiquitously accepted in the Yeshiva world. In addition to those accomplishments, he was also the paragon of kindness. In this […]

By the 1840s, ferocious winds of changes were sweeping through the Jewish nation, and leaving wreckage and carnage in the wake of their consuming vortexes. The spiritual standing of the nation was under assault from without and vulnerable from within. Several great, innovative leaders rose up and created movements aimed at rebuffing the threats. In this […]

To see pictures of the devastation of the TORCH Centre please visit http://rabbiwolbe.com/harvey/ To make a donation to the rebuilding of the TORCH Centre please visit rebuildtorch.com Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin was a man of extraordinary character and scholarship, and the most prominent disciple of the Gaon of Vilna, who succeeded him as leader of Lithuanian Jewry in […]

19th Century German Jewry was faced unprecedented, hitherto unseen threats to its continuity. Due to the rise of Reform and the Haskalah movements bent on drawing Jews away from Torah, coupled with the circumstances – the Emancipation and the relaxing of the hostility towards the Jews all over Europe – that enabled assimilation into the greater […]

The Haskalah movement that swept through European Jewry in the 19th Century, brought about several different responses from what became known as the Orthodox communities. In Hungary, Rabbi Moshe Sofer, known by the name of one his books as the “Chasam Sofer”, championed a zero-tolerance approach of rejecting modernity of all kinds. His motto was – Chadash […]

The 19th Century was a tumultuous time of fundamental change, opportunity, and upheaval for the Jewish people. For centuries, the Jews of Europe were subject to systemic marginalization: They were second-class citizens, were not granted equal rights or protection, were restricted to ghettos. The Age of Reason, alternatively called the Enlightenment, brought about rapid Emancipation for the Jews, that was not […]

Rabbi Eliyahu the son of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Kramer (1720-1797), known to all as the Gaon (genius) of Vilna, or simply the “Gaon”, was a legendary and towering figures of Jewish history. While he never headed a yeshiva, held rabbinic office, or publish in his lifetime, he was universally recognized as the undisputed leader of the nation, […]

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746) was a transformative paragon of Kabbalah, Mussar and Jewish theology. Despite living a short and tumultuous life, Ramchal’s writings and teachings were astonishingly prolific, and many of his books became indispensable classics that redefined their genre. In this podcast, we meet a precocious and prodigious youth teaching and practicing Kabbalah; we go […]

Belief in the coming of Messiah is a critical component of Jewish faith that is enshrined in Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith. Sadly, ignorance of what exactly Messiah is, what he supposed to do, and how to vet him, coupled with people’s naiveté, gullibility, and vulnerability, has allowed for several imposters to make false Messianic claims, […]

In the morning of June 5, 1967, the Israeli Air Force launched Operation Focus, an all out assault on Egyptian air bases. 50 minutes later, Israel began a massive coordinated ground attack on the entrenched Egyptian fortified positions in Sinai. Thus began the war that spanned a mere six days but changed the face of […]

In June of 1967, the third Arab-Israeli war, a conflict that shaped the modern Middle East, erupted. The Arabs had advantages in terms of numbers of troops, tanks, planes; they had a broad coalition and international support; and their geographical depth gave them a sizeable leg up. The fledgling Jewish State had to fight a multi-front war […]

Halacha is the aspect of Oral Torah that teaches the practical instructions of fulfilling the mitzvos. It addresses questions like: What is allowed what is forbidden? What is kosher what is unkosher? Who is liable and who is innocent? For the Jewish people to exist and flourish, knowledge of Halacha must be ubiquitous. In this podcast we trace its […]

69 years ago, the State of Israel was declared. For the first time since the arrival of Pompey and the Romans in 63 BC, Jews had sovereignty over their homeland; the Land promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Land from which they were twice expelled. For Zionists worldwide, it marked the actualization of their hopes […]

Rabbi Moshe Ben Nachman was one of the towering figures of Medieval Jewish world, whose impact was unmatched in his lifetime, and whose volumenous and diverse writings continue to educate and inspire – and indeed shape Jewish life – 750 years after his passing. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]

In this podcast we detail a shortened version of the shameful history of Christian anti-semitism over the last 500 years. We learn about the ruthless Portuguese Inquisition; the decrepit ghettos of Italy; the horrific massacres of Chmielnitsky in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine; the Pale of Settlement and the various gruesome pogroms in Russia, and survey […]

ANNUAL APPEAL: We are right now running our annual campaign at giveTORCH.com. If you enjoy the podcasts and want to support our work – please go to giveTORCH.com and donate to the cause. SHOW NOTES: The past 1,000 years of Jewish life in Christian Europe has seen a near continuous litany of fierce anti-Semitism. In this podcast […]

“From Moshe till Moshe no one arose like Moshe” This epithet is engraved on the tombstone of Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, better known as Rambam or Maimonides, and sheds light on the enormity of his impact and influence upon the Jewish people. The mere claim that the Rambam’s contributions and leadership was surpassed only by Moshe […]

The era succeeding the Geonic Era is the Era of the Rishonim. During this time, the Ashkenazic (Germanic) and Sephardic (Spanish) communities were separated due to the geopolitical instability resulting from the constant wars between the Muslims and Christians. For several generations, each community flourished and developed independent, and largely unaware, of the other. Both communities gave us […]

The Geonic Era spanned for more than 400 years. During this time, the great Yeshivas in Babylon, Sura and Pumpedisa, were universally recognized as the epicenter of Jewish life. Its heads, known as Geonim, together with the political leader of the nation, the Reish Galusa, led the people with great skill. In this episode we look […]

The story of the Geonim takes shape at about the same time as the Islamic Empire overruns much of the world, bringing the majority of Jews under their rule. Under the relatively tolerant rule of the Caliphate, the Jewish world flourished and an entire epoch of Torah greatness blossomed. During this period, the Talmud calcified its status […]

After the Talmud was codified and sealed, the Jewish communities worldwide came under protracted assault. There were several interconnected contributing factors to the conflict and turmoil that consumed the world: The Roman Empire was in long-term decline and splintering; the Sasanian Empire had shifting attitudes towards the Jews; there were frequent wars; and there was a rise […]

The Babylonian Talmud was the culmination of several hundred years of Amoraic scholarship. In shorthand it is known as “the discussions of Abaye and Rava” because these two titans contributed more to its arranging than any others. In this podcast we learn about these great Sages and the process of codification of the Talmud. – – – – […]

The writing of the Babylonian Talmud was the most significant human project of all time. But it was not the first time that the writing of the Talmud was attempted. In northern Israel, during the third and fourth centuries, the Jerusalem Talmud was written. But catastrophic events transpired to the Torah communities in Israel that halted […]

The Amoraim were the Rabbis and Torah leaders of the 3rd to 5th Century. This era began after the compilation and sealing of the Mishnah, the canon of Jewish laws. Their collective task was to explicate, clarify and ultimately codify the Talmud, the book of everything relating to the laws of the Mishnah; including sources, […]

The most significant archaeological find of the 20th century, and arguably of all-time, was made in Israel, in 1947. Discovered accidentally by a Bedouin shepherd in caves overlooking the Dead Sea, the Dead Sea Scrolls, as they became known, consists of tens of thousands of 2,000 year old scrolls and scroll fragments. This treasure trove of […]

The Sadducees were a sect of Jews that splintered away from the mainstream during the 2nd Century BC. They are erroneously portrayed as conscientious opposers to a rabbinical overreach by the Sages. In truth, their heresy was not ideological. In this podcast we dive deep into the roots of this movement, its core principles and […]

The multi-century Roman occupation of Judah spurred much intercourse between the Jews and their overlords. One particular arena of interactions was in the realm of theological and philosophical discourse. The Romans were enamored with the Jewish religion and core beliefs and frequently peppered the great rabbis with questions. They also instituted public academies of interreligious polemics. […]

The holiday of Hanukkah 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. – – – […]

Rabbi Eliezer Ben Hurkenus was among the greatest of the students of Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai. In the words of his teacher, Rabbi Eliezer on one side of the scale would outweigh all the other scholars and sages of Israel on the other side of the scale. He contributed more than any of his peers […]

Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai was the leader of the Jewish people during a most critical and vulnerable time period. His visionary decisions and foresight assured that Torah and the nation will persevere and flourish in the aftermath of tragedy and despair. In this podcast we explore the remarkable scholarship, persona and visionary leadership of this great man. […]

Hillel the Elder was a transcendental Jewish figure whose name and influence towers above Jewish life until this day. In this podcast we explore the remarkable life, visionary leadership and legendary personal piety of this great man. ———- This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Centre in Houston, TX. Please visit torchweb.org for program details […]

The impact that Rabbi Judah the Prince had on Jewish life was so vast that he is referred to in the Talmud as simply “Rabbi”. In this podcast we explore the remarkable life and accomplishments of this great man. ———- This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Centre in Houston, TX. Please visit torchweb.org for […]

Rabbi Meir was a foundational scholar of the Mishnaic era. In fact, an unattributed mishna are his teachings and he is the third most oft-cited rabbi in the Talmud. In this podcast we explore the remarkable and tragic life story of this great man. ———- This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Centre in Houston, […]

The life, writings and legacy of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai has seen a sensational resurgence in recent years. The annual pilgramage to his gravesite during the week of his hilula attracts more than 500,000 visitors. In this podcast we explore the remarkable and riveting life story of this great man. ———- This podcast was recorded live […]

Rabbi Akiva was one of the most legendary and heroic figures in Jewish history. His story and accomplishments continue to inspire. In this podcast we explore the remarkable and riveting life story of this great man. ———- This podcast was recorded live at the TORCH Centre in Houston, TX. Please visit torchweb.org for program details and to […]

The Modern Era was a whirlwind of activity for the Jewish people, not all of it positive. The story takes us to Tzfat in northern Israel where a unique community of Torah giants shape the future of our nation. It moves to Poland and the Ukraine where bands of cossacks slaughter and pillage the Jewish […]

The Medieval period would bring enormous changes to the Jewish communities worldwide. It was an era marked by tremendous scholarship and advancement of Torah. Some of the greatest leaders and luminaries that the Jews have ever seen – such as Maimonides and Rashi – make their appearance during this time. But it is also a period […]

Our story begins with a battered and depressed nation in the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy Temple. They experienced tragedy and devastation on a scale never seen before. Immediately after the destruction the process of rebuilding began. There were several key shifts that dramatically altered Jewish life for the better and laid […]

The Torah end with the death of Moshe. The greatest human and leader of all time is no longer there to lead them. How will the Jews fare in his absence? In this expansive episode of The Jewish History Podcast with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe we tell the story and lessons of Jewish history from the […]

In this maiden episode of The Jewish History Podcast with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, we begin a five part overview of Jewish History. This format is not an exhaustive accounting of all the copious details of Jewish history; rather we seek to highlight the general themes, trends and personalities of Jewish history. We begin with Adam. What role […]