The Shema Podcast for the Perplexed

Our claim as the Jewish people is that our origin began at Mt. Sinai when we received the Torah. Many of us, when beginning our pursuit of Torah wisdom, often overlook an important question and that is, what is Torah? The answer at first seems obvious until we contemplate it further. Understanding the answer to this fundamental question, is something we need to thoroughly comprehend if we want to unlock the power of Torah to transform us into who we truly are.

Our claim as the Jewish people is that our origin began at Mt. Sinai when we received the Torah. Many of us, when beginning our pursuit of Torah wisdom, often overlook an important question and that is, what is Torah? The answer at first seems obvious until we contemplate it further. Understanding the answer to this fundamental question, is something we need to thoroughly comprehend if we want to unlock the power of Torah to transform us into who we truly are.

Fulfilling the Torah is Simple but not Easy.In summary Torah is telling us the following:Our purpose in this world is to pursue ultimate pleasure.The ultimate pleasure we are pursuing is closeness to Hashem.The way we ascend closer to Hashem is through aligning our thoughts, words, and actions with Him.The way we learn how to align ourselves with Him is through His Torah.His ways are ways of giving.While we all have unique challenges, tailored to our unique curriculum for growth, they all have something in common and that is our Yetzer Hara is continually trying to convince us that the source of pleasure is taking, not giving.In this episode I bring on Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe and his 7-year-old son, Yitzi, to inspire us, by sharing stories of Tzadikim who have excelled in this lofty and simple, but not easy task.

The Almighty has orchestrated throughout history periods when the non-Jewish world opens up to the Jewish people. His objective is to see whether we are now capable to go out into the world and be a light unto the other nations or whether we choose to take the path of assimilation. While Chanukah is our example in time of how to succeed at this task, for the majority of history we have sadly failed, causing G-d to orchestrate world events so that the other nations will remind us that we are Jews through the escalation of Anti-Semitism. And once again, we are seeing this play out. So how do we equip ourselves to interact with the other nations without assimilating into the other nations? The answer is our lifelines of Tzitzit, Yarmulke and Tefillin. They are what harness us to the Almighty wherever we go in the world so that we stay true to our mission. In this invocative episode Rabbi Abrahams explores the deep meaning of these important mitzvos.

The Almighty has orchestrated throughout history periods when the non-Jewish world opens up to the Jewish people. His objective is to see whether we are now capable to go out into the world and be a light unto the other nations or whether we choose to take the path of assimilation. While Chanukah is our example in time of how to succeed at this task, for the majority of history we have sadly failed, causing G-d to orchestrate world events so that the other nations will remind us that we are Jews through the escalation of Anti-Semitism. And once again, we are seeing this play out. So how do we equip ourselves to interact with the other nations without assimilating into the other nations? The answer is our lifelines of Tzitzit, Yarmulke and Tefillin. They are what harness us to the Almighty wherever we go in the world so that we stay true to our mission. In this invocative episode Rabbi Abrahams explores the deep meaning of these important mitzvos.

What does String Theory and the Observer Effect in quantum mechanics have to do with a Jew saying a Bracha? Tune into this episode as Rabbi Yaghobian reconciles the two and goes deep into the meaning and purpose to saying a Bracha before deriving pleasure from this world.Warning: Potential side effects of listening to this episode may result in your mind being blown away, becoming more mindful of your speech, and desiring to learn our Brachas and say with perfect enunciation.

Mt. Sinai was our wedding canopy where the Almighty, as our groom and we the Jewish people, as His bride, made an eternal commitment that we would be forever bound to one another. Shavous is arriving soon. It is our anniversary with the Almighty, where we renew our mutual commitment. Hashem has just one request from us and that is that we leave our work behind and focus simply on one another. Listen in and learn from Rabbi Yaakov Wohlgelernter on how to make the most of this very sacred time.

The Almighty did not design us to compartmentalize our minds, where we apply facts and reason to draw conclusions with our secular life and then just rely on blind faith and the culture we grew up in, to draw conclusions on our Jewish life. The purpose of the opportunity of our lifetime, is to avoid navigating the world on autopilot and instead live with congruency between our intellect and emotions. This is how we unleash our potential in serving the Almighty and fulfilling our purpose in this world. In this episode, Ahron Wohlgelernter, the host of the Think Torah Podcast and the IntentionalJew.com website, an aggregation platform for Jewish learning, joins us to talk about living with intention.

It is now the Counting of the Omer. These 49 days between Pesach and Shavous create a bridge that allows one to leave their mental restrictions and move towards a more expanded consciousness. In this episode, Rabbi Chaim Buscko breaks down for us how to tap into the spiritual energies now present. By doing so, we will forge ourselves into vessels that will allow us to absorb the wisdom of Torah and catapult us to a higher level of closeness to our Creator.

The weeks that lead up to Pesach/Passover, is the time to prepare ourselves to become a vessel to receive the influx of energy that G-d brings to the Jewish people. This is the energy that will propel us to greater heights of spirituality and provides us the opportunity to unleash ourselves from limited thought and connect more to our infinite Creator. In this amazing discussion with Rabbi Wohlgelernter he shares the techniques to prepare ourselves to connect to the power of Pesach and the ultimate time of renewal.

Growing up secular, greatly limited my understanding of the capacity of mankind’s greatness. The secular world is so pre-occupied with making their heroes people who are talented musicians, actors, athletes, or businesspeople, but whose private life lacks much to be admired. As Jews we have Tzadikim to look up to and admire and strive to emulate. These are people that have truly optimized themselves to become angles in this world. In this episode Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Executive Director of TORCH and host of the Jewish Inspiration Podcast, joins us to share some mind blowing and inspiring stories of these Tzadikim that will open your mind to your true potential.

There is a concept in Torah that for many of us creates confusion, especially as we begin our exploration of Torah wisdom. It is the subject of the Satan. The reason for the confusion is that this is a similar term that we regularly hear used by the Christians. However, while similar terms, definitionally they are totally opposing concepts. The Christians believe that the Satan is a separate opposing power to Hashem, an idea that is idolatrous and heretical as G-d is the only power and source of existence. The Torah teaches us that the Satan is a servant to Hashem, playing a vital role in His creation, to provide us with the free will opportunity to grow closer to our Creator. The devil is in the details. In this episode Rabbi Cohen provides enlightening clarity on this subject to the both the beginner and advanced student.

There is a concept in Torah that for many of us creates confusion, especially as we begin our exploration of Torah wisdom. It is the subject of the Satan. The reason for the confusion is that this is a similar term that we regularly hear used by the Christians. However, while similar terms, definitionally they are totally opposing concepts. The Christians believe that the Satan is a separate opposing power to Hashem, an idea that is idolatrous and heretical as G-d is the only power and source of existence. The Torah teaches us that the Satan is a servant to Hashem, playing a vital role in His creation, to provide us with the free will opportunity to grow closer to our Creator. The devil is in the details. In this episode Rabbi Cohen provides enlightening clarity on this subject to the both the beginner and advanced student.

Why do we study Torah, Halacha and perform mitzvot? The answer is that that is the Almighty’s prescription for continually increasing our Emunah. This is the very purpose of our time in this world and one that is necessary, now more than ever, to prepare us for the times of Moshiach. With the global pandemic gripping so many in a state of fear, I thought it was timely to bring on Rabbi Brody, the Doctor of Emunah, to remind us all, that the pandemic was created by G-d for a reason. And that reason is to give us the opportunity to receive the gift of Emunah in Him and Him alone.Click here to check out Rabbi Brody’s Books. Great reads for daily doses of Emunah.

Our Sages teach us that the Torah is the Blueprint for Creation and that there are up to 6,000 years of creation before G-d’s revelation to the world. Now is the year 5781 which means that we are living in the story of creation or in other words, we are living in the Torah. In this episode we discuss the proofs, the psychological hurdles to overcome and the gravity of taking ownership to our personal narrative in the Torah.

A core concept that permeates all of creation is the aspect of masculinity and femininity, as it is fractal in nature. To understand masculinity (giving) and femininity (receiving) and the receiving through giving, brings much greater insights into how we can develop harmonious relationships with one another and with G-d. In this amazing episode I am joined with Rabbi Buscko, aka “The Average Rabbi” and he shares with us, his deep insights into this fundamental aspect of creation.

A life centered around Torah is a life dedicated to perpetual transformation and with that comes struggles and challenges. Nissim Black is American-Israeli rapper who has achieved international stardom through his beautiful and inspiring music. His transformation to an Orthodox Jew and likewise the transformation of his music through this process is equally inspiring. He is a Tzadik and a role model for the Jewish people. In this episode, I talk with Nissim Black, and learn about how to grow through living inspired.

I approached this interview, with Rabbi Wohlgelernter, with the following question; how does one fulfill the mitzvah of remaining joyful while learning how to be Torah observant? As for me, it has been a continual experience of thinking I have learned everything needed, only to then learn that I barely know anything. In this episode, Rabbi Wohlgelernter explains that this process of growth should not be approached with the attitude of getting past these challenges, as the challenges are there intentionally by G-d’s design, but it is through the challenges that we become closer to Him. So, if the challenges are inevitable for all of us then the real question is, how to embrace the challenges. This extremely insightful and life changing conversation will be a three-part series, as the messaging is too important and too powerful to squeeze into one.

I approached this interview, with Rabbi Wohlgelernter, with the following question; how does one fulfill the mitzvah of remaining joyful, while learning how to be Torah observant? As for me, it has been a continual experience of thinking I have learned everything needed, only to then learn that I barely know anything. In this episode, Rabbi Wohlgelernter explains that this process of growth should not be approached with the attitude of getting past these challenges, as the challenges are there intentionally by G-d’s design, but it is through the challenges that we become closer to Him. So, if the challenges are inevitable for all of us then the real question is, how to embrace the challenges. This extremely insightful and life changing conversation will be a three-part series, as the messaging is too important and too powerful to squeeze into one.

The United States is more divided than ever, with each side believing they are on the side of what is right and good. This is not a new dilemma for the world, as this problem originated in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, confusing the distinction between the two. The Almighty’s remedy to our affliction was the Torah, which is the technology to rectify the world and separate the evil from the good. In this episode Rabbi Cohen enlightens us to how we use the technology of the Torah and the study and application of halacha (Jewish Law) to fix the world and bring about Tikkun Olam. This is the purpose and mission of the Jewish People. This is why He made us.

As many of you know I recently moved with my family into a Jewish Community for the first time. I feel the way an immigrant from an impoverished country probably feels when they move to the USA where so much freedom and opportunity exists, that did not exist in their homeland. As someone who had no idea that this community existed prior to 6 years ago, I wanted to dedicate an episode to the topic, for those who have never been exposed to it either. In this episode I brought on my two spiritual brothers, Akiva and Yehoshua Wolbe to talk about living Jewish.

When I realized that Torah was directly from the Heavens, I encountered a new question, “What is Torah?” I had seen a Torah scroll and I knew about the 5 Books of Moses but when I began to study the text, many more questions surfaced. I would read the weekly Parsha baffled by a narrative that seem to leave out so much information, yet knowing that their was something deep behind the text that I was just not equipped to uncover on my own. As I researched it more, I realized that the narrative of the written Torah was an outer layer that concealed infinite information. In this episode I invited my new friend and teacher, Rabbi Daniel Cotlar, to help me understand further, the body and soul of Torah.

We entered Rosh Hashanah and declared that Hashem is our King and we are His subjects, allowing us to move into Yom Kippur so we could reflect on our previous year and discern when our thoughts, words and actions were not congruent with that truth. And now it is time to enter our Sukkahs, designed like His arm reaching around us and holding us close. It’s time to recalibrate back to the truth that the only power is the Almighty and that what is central to our lives is not our careers, politics and other material pursuits, but simply to serve the King by fulfilling his Torah. In this episode Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explains why Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hoshana Raba, Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are all connected and much, much more.

The Almighty desires for us to continually strengthen ourselves spiritually so that we can grow closer to Him. Just like a weightlifter intentionally exhausts their muscles under the weights they are lifting so that their muscles will tear and then be rebuilt to be stronger, the Almighty created a framework for us to do the same spiritually. He orchestrates events which create tests for us. Tests to challenge and strengthen ourselves. Even through sin, followed by teshuva, we rebuild ourselves by returning to our source, creating ourselves anew and as a better version than we were prior. In this episode, Rabbi Buscko goes deep into how we can use the gift of Yom Kippur to successfully accomplish this task.

G-d blew a soul into Adam. On Rosh Hashanah we blow into the Shofar, tapping into the core of our soul to awaken us from our slumber. We are reminding ourselves of our mission. G-d is the King and we are His subjects. Our tasks at hand is the loftiest of all tasks, to be His co-creators and bring Godliness to every corner of the world. This is a must listen episode, as Rabbi Wohlgelernter teaches us how to be successful this Rosh Hashanah by setting ourselves on a trajectory to accomplish our goal.

We received Torah Law from the Almighty to instruct us on maintaining a utopian society, however Torah Law in totality is intended for when the Jewish people return to Israel, the temple is rebuilt and the Sanhedrin Court reestablished. So, if that is the case, what are our responsibilities in our host nations? How involved should we be in politics? Should a Jew hold public office? Should Torah influence our voting in our host nation? These questions and many more are answered in this episode’s platform discussion with the dynamic duo; Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe and Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe.

A fundamental mitzvah of a Jew is to love their fellow as themselves. But what about Jewish heretics that lead Jews astray? The Jewish people collectively are guilty of the Sin of the Golden Calf, because while it was only the Egyptians converts that committed the sin, the rest of Jewish people were held culpable as they did nothing to stop it. So, how do we reconcile the mitzvah of loving our fellow Jew as ourselves when among a heretic? I find myself once again perplexed, so I thought this would be a great question to have the brilliant Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe come on the show and answer it for me.

We are taught that we are a heavenly soul residing in a physical body. However, our morning prayer states that we are thankful to G-d for restoring our souls to us, which implies that we are a body. So, which is it? Are we a body or a soul? I was having a middle age identity crisis, so I asked my dear friend, Rabbi Chaim Bucsko, to come on to the program and give me some clarity on who is “me.”

The Hebrew word for man is “Ish” which is spelled “Aleph-Yud-Shin” and the Hebrew word for woman is “Ishah” which is spelled “Aleph-Shin-Hey.” The two letters not in common are the “Yud” and the “Hey” which is a name of G-d. In this episode Rabbi Cohen discusses in depth the rationale for the importance of proper thoughts during marital intimacy so that we can be holy and properly unite the Name of G-d and bring the Divine Presence closer.

Previously I did an episode where I taught what I have learned on how to fulfill the most important mitzvah of Shalom Bayit. Now I attempt to take these theoretical concepts and learn how to implement with real world practical advice through this insightful interview with Rabbi Aryeh and Zehava Wolbe. If you want to please The Almighty and your spouse, then this is a must listen to episode.

Whether marital intimacy occurs with the intention to create a child or not, this episode is a must listen for every couple. The negative middos that one is born with are a result of improper thoughts and actions in the Holy of Holies, our bedrooms. Rabbi Yaakov Cohen shares incredible insights from the Zohar that will enable a couple intending to become pregnant the methods for bringing down a soul without blemishes, allowing those children to become the tremendous sources of light that will enable Tikkun Olam for us all. And for those whose marital intimacy is not for the expressed purpose of impregnation the impact in the spiritual realm is equally beneficial.

First, God made the heavenly realm and earthly realm. Then He made mankind with a heavenly soul infused into an earthly body, in order to be a conduit between those two realms. In this episode I ask Rabbi Wohlgelernter to teach us how to bring Torah with us into our business life. He not only answers that question but provides valuable insights on how to infuse holiness into every moment of our life and that that very act is our very purpose as a Jew.

God created the world to bestow pleasure and then designed us to pursue Him, the source of all pleasure in ever greater quantities through Torah and mitzvot. And, if we do not properly attach ourselves to Him, and instead overindulge in the illusionary pleasures of the world, then devastating consequences can ensue. In this episode my most cherished guest ever, shares how the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step Program is the Torah prescription for every Jew’s personal development. The continual deepening of Emunah, Mussar work, Teshuva, and service to others are the steps that every Jew can harness to propel themselves to greatness.

Last year in the US over 57% of Hate Crimes were against Jews, which seems like a lot on its own, but when you factor in that we only account for barely 2% of the US population, it’s quite astronomical. Anti-Semitism is truly unlike any other form of racism, as the Jewish people comprise every ethnicity. And it cannot be xenophobia, as we have been exiled to every part of the globe. Anti-Semitism is definitively something unique and unexplainable. It is a phenomenon that I needed to understand better. In this episode, I talk with Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe and ask him if Torah discusses this subject and if so, what can we learn. The answer he provides is as equally rational as anti-Semitism is irrational.

Mt. Sinai was our wedding canopy where the Almighty, as our groom and we the Jewish people, as His bride, made an eternal commitment that we would be forever bound to one another. Shavous is arriving soon. It is our anniversary with the Almighty, where we renew our mutual commitment. Hashem has just one request from us and that is that we leave our work behind and focus simply on one another. Listen in and learn from Rabbi Yaakov Wohlgelernter on how to make the most of this very sacred time.

It is now the Counting of the Omer. These 49 days between Pesach and Shavous create a bridge that allows one to leave their mental restrictions and move towards a more expanded consciousness. In this episode, Rabbi Chaim Buscko breaks down for us how to tap into the spiritual energies now present. By doing so, we will forge ourselves into vessels that will allow us to absorb the wisdom of Torah and catapult us to a higher level of closeness to our Creator.

This important topic is for men only. Gentlemen, we have a sacred and eternal covenant with the Almighty, the Bris Milah. This contractual arrangement comes with ongoing responsibilities, that if violated will cause a breach of this Holy contract and make our Bris null and void. It is essential for us and the entire Jewish nation to keep our covenant. Tune in and learn from Rabbi Cohen as he discusses the Kabbalistic and Torah insights to the meaning of the Holy Bris.

G-d brought us into Egypt to become humbled and dependent servants to Pharaoh, so that He could bring us out of Egypt to be humble and dependent servants to Him. G-d is now shattering global economies to test us and see if we remember, are we dependent on our Pharaohs or are we dependent on Him. This is a must listen to episode for how to preserve and grow wealth in any economic climate with Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe.

The Jewish people have been saying every year, since the destruction of the 2nd Temple, at their Passover Seder and at Yom Kippur, “Next Year in Jerusalem!” We have been yearning for millennia for the arrival of Moshiach and our redemption, where we will return to Jerusalem and rebuild our temple. In this episode, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, shares his knowledge with us on this subject, teaching us everything we need to know about Moshiach.

G-d gave His Torah to the Jewish people, containing His laws and decrees for them to follow. But what about the Non-Jew? In this episode, I speak with Rod Bryant, who many years ago was a successful Christian Pastor, and left it all behind when his study of Torah opened his eyes to the falsehood of the Church. His epiphany took his life on a course that led him to devote his life to the teaching of Torah to the non-Jew and their role in G-d’s creation. If you ever wanted to know why Jew’s don’t proselytize, then tune in to this podcast.

The reason Shalom Bayit is the most important mitzvah is because it is ONLY within the dynamic of a marriage that one can achieve their tikkun (soul correction) in this world. In this podcast we share the rationale for why it is the most important mitzvah and the tools for succeeding in fulfilling this mitzvah.

The Torah begins with Adam, whose sensory perception was primarily attached to his soul, while his sensory perception to his body was secondary, thus allowing him to communicate with G-d, the way we now only know how to do with our fellow man. And it ends with Moses, returning to this intended state of mankind, but not by default, but through his personal efforts. In this edition we explore the Torah roadmap, for achieving the unfathomable.

Be ready to be blown away as Rabbi Cohen provides incredible insights into the nature of creation and mankind’s purpose in this world, through the lens of Kabbalah. I walked away from this interview with a much deeper understanding and appreciation of our 613 connections to our Creator. I am sure the listener will as well.

In this discussion we delve into the amazing opportunities that our business endeavors provide to us in developing our understanding of Torah, strengthening our Emunah, and then using our Torah to unleash endless creativity and fearlessness in the marketplace.

In this episode, the listener and I discover the real meaning of Judaism, from one of my heroes, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, the Executive Director of the Torah Outreach Center of Houston. If only this information was on a brochure for me to see in my youth, I would have never ignored my heritage till the age of 40.

In this episode I take my cherished friend and teacher, Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe, to task through a barrage of questions challenging him on Torah beliefs and philosophy. With his titan intellect, that was forged through a life dedicated to Torah study, he swatted away my arguments with eloquence, wisdom and humor, leaving me and the listener with a deeper appreciation and understanding of our Torah and heritage.

Prior to the Children of Israel receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai they had one miraculous experience after another. From the 10 plagues to the splitting of the Red Sea, they saw, they heard, and they felt the knowledge that all there is, is G-d and that nature is simply His creation that allows Him to conceal Himself. But what about us, who have never had experiences like this? Are we also to be held to the same responsibility of fulfilling the Torah, as well? Why doesn’t G-d just have a National Revelation every generation? If He made His point 3300 years ago, wouldn’t it be even more powerful, if repeated for every generation to hear.