The Walled Garden of Torah (Alei Shur Introduction)

A thick wall separates the world of Torah from the world outside of it. Those who are outside have no concept of the wondrous nature of that world. Even people who are Torah observant - who are Orthodox - can be totally ignorant of this most magnificent world. Even someone who is privileged to be enumerated amongst students of a Yeshiva, may be ignorant of the true world of Torah.That is how the book Alei Shur, authored by my saintly grandfather Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe begins. There's a magnificent, majestic, marvelous world of Torah, but it is guarded by a thick wall.The words "Alei Shur" (עלי שור) mean "atop the rampart." In this book, the Magnum Opus a of my grandfather's extremely voluminous literary output, offers the readers a tour on top of the ramparts of that thick wall.With the first reading of the book, readers are only asked to tread upon the ramparts and examine every part of this wonderful world. With a second reading of the book, the reader is encouraged to head down from the ramparts and to find a portal to enter into this wonderful world themselves.In this podcast we study the introduction of this fantastic book. Learning this introduction will certainly whet our appetites to be included in this tour on top of the ramparts. If you would be interested in a stand-alone podcast on Alei Shur, please email me and let me know.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!Please email me at [email protected] with any questions or comments– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletterSUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

This week’s parsha features several iconic episodes: Abraham was visited by God as he was recuperating from his circumcision, and concurrently engaged in superlative kindness with three angels masquerading as pagan travelers; Abraham was informed that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed and was unsuccessful in interceding on their behalf; and we also read the two Torah sections that are read on the two days of Rosh Hashana: The episode of the birth of Isaac and the subsequent banishment of Ishmael, and the story of the Binding of Isaac.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Our nation has three forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and four foremothers, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. The Book of Genesis principally orients around these people. The the narratives of a Adam and Noah are but pitstops along the way until the Torah focuses squarely on Abraham and his descendants. What is the role of a patriarch and a matriarch? What is significant about that designation? What is the relevance of the stories of these people to our lives? What is instructive about these about the episodes of the Patriots and matriarchs in the Torah (the Torah must always be instructive)? In this magical podcast, we journey backstage into the story and the concept of our illustrious forefathers and foremothers. The lessons that we learn prove to be quite instructive indeed.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –Sponsorship: Please consider sponsoring a podcast by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!Please email me at [email protected] with any questions or comments– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletterSUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Join us for an exquisite Parsha Podcast as we go deep and deeper into Lech Lecha. The deep idea relates to Lot's fateful decision to choose to move to the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. We then go deeper and explore the allegorical dimensions of the breakup between Abraham and Lot. Finally, we go even deeper and explore the secret and the mystery of the circumcision. If you seek Parsha Podcast that will educate and entertain, this one is for you.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week’s parsha, Abraham is instructed to move to Israel, is given divine promises that he will be the father of many nations; his children will be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of the heaven, a son Ishmael is born, and he is commanded to circumcise his foreskin and those of all males in his household.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Noah's experience during the flood it was not exactly akin to a year-long cruise. There wasn't a lot of relaxing poolside with a pina colada. In fact, for an entire year, Noah and Co did not even have a proper sleep. They were consumed with work, tending to all the animals and there diverse feeding schedules. The ark itself was tumultuous, constantly turning over like boiling lentils. The quarters were cramped, the stench of the animals unbearable, and the noise ear splitting. Why was Noah subjected such a miserable year in the ark? What is the deeper meaning behind Noah's year in the ark? In this Parsha podcast, we share two perspectives that radically reshape our understanding of Noah and his time in the ark.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

We started this week's Parsha Podcast by talking about the Tower of Babel episode. We gleaned from that story something absolutely transformational and deep. We then proceeded to talk about the unusual contribution that Noah gave to the people of his generation. In that second segment, we also derived something very profound. Deeper. The podcast ended with a third segment related to the sin that doomed the generation and to the precise dimensions of the Ark. The deepest of them all.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this week’s parsha: Noah and his family build an Ark as a refuge from an extinction-level Flood brought by God to destroy the world’s sinners.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

Parshas Bereishis is the first Parsha and also the most difficult one to understand. From beginning to end, our Parsha is a riddle and a mystery. In this year's podcasts we attempt to read the story behind the story, get the inside scoop, the privileged information, the secret connections, the hidden messages, the things you missed the first ten times you read it. With the help of the Almighty we hope to gain us a greater appreciation of the profundity and perfection of Torah.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★

In this podcast we attempt to read not just the text but also the subtext of the parsha - to go deep and deeper on three subjects in the first Parsha in the Torah: the Genesis narrative and it's overarching message, the unusual source for the dust of which Adam's body was created, and an interesting observation about the birth of Noah.– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –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: [email protected]– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to my Newsletterrabbiwolbe.com/newsletter– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –SUBSCRIBE to Rabbi Yaakov Wolbe’s PodcastsThe Parsha PodcastThe Jewish History PodcastThe Mitzvah Podcast This Jewish LifeThe Ethics PodcastTORAH 101 ★ Support this podcast ★