The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval

By Momentum

What's The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval about?

What is your purpose? Where do you seek inspiration? Find it in Judaism’s most important Book. With Ruchi Koval as our guide through the weekly Torah portion, we’ll find the meaning, courage, and inspiration we need to power our days.

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The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval episodes:

05.30.2024
Bechukotai: Love and Logic
Every choice has consequences. It’s how we handle them that matters. Building a relationship with God means weathering the consequences he might send our way.
05.23.2024
Behar: Give and Take
Are you a giver or a taker? Throughout our lives, we’ll find ourselves in both positions. No one can survive in this world without ever needing anyone. We all go around the merry-go-round of life, giving and taking in turn....
05.16.2024
Emor: Count Your Blessings
This week, the Torah teaches us to count the days between Passover and Shavuot – and celebrate each one as a new opportunity for growth. Explore this unique mitzvah with Ruchi Koval.
05.09.2024
Kedoshim: The Way We Treat Each Other
A stunning number of commandments in this week’s Torah portion deal with other people’s feelings. Why does Jewish wisdom care so much about how we treat others?
05.02.2024
Achrei Mot: My Heart is in the East
What makes a place holy? As this week’s parsha shows us, the answer depends on who you ask – and how you feel when you find yourself there.
04.18.2024
Metzora: In My Own Backyard
Just like in this week’s Torah portion, there was a life-changing blessing in Ruchi Koval’s home – and it would take years before she discovered it.
04.11.2024
Tazria: Use Your Words
We can’t always solve other people’s problems – but we can always speak up in support. This week’s parsha shows us how our voices can make all the difference.
04.04.2024
Shemini: Raise a Glass
A glass of wine at the end of the day can be a blessing – or a curse. Here’s what this week’s Torah portion has to say about it.
03.28.2024
Tzav: Thank Goodness
How might we bring more gratitude to our days? In this week’s parsha, we learn an ancient, formal way of saying thanks – and how we might adapt it for modern life.
03.21.2024
Vayikra: Angels and Animals
Each of us is a little bit angel, a little bit animal. From the Israelites wandering the desert, we can learn to balance these traits – and channel them for good.
03.14.2024
Pekudei: The Most Valuable Thing
The most valuable thing in life is something we can’t touch, eat, smell, or see. So, what exactly is it? Ruchi consults this week’s parsha – a story from the Israelites’ journey to freedom – to find out.
03.07.2024
Vayakhel: Give Your Brain a Break
For those of us in the habit of constantly creating, resting on Shabbat is easier said than done. Ruchi digs into this week’s Torah portion for best practices on truly ”taking a break.”
02.29.2024
Ki Tisa: A Pinch of Salt
”No super-sweet dessert is complete without a pinch of salt. Likewise, this week’s parsha teaches us, our lives aren’t complete without the occasional moment of negativity. ”
02.22.2024
Tetzaveh: A Knock on the Door
Knocking before entering is a sign of respect. And when others knock on your door, letting them in is a sign of trust.
02.15.2024
Terumah: My Body, My Home
Many people have a complex relationship with their own appearance. Yet, Jewish wisdom advises us to treat our bodies with the kindness and respect they deserve.
02.08.2024
Mishpatim: Welcoming the Stranger
Each one of us has felt like an outsider at some point in our lives. With advice from the Torah, Ruchi Koval examines how we might tap into our empathy to support the vulnerable people in our lives.
02.01.2024
Yitro: The Key to Happiness
Conscious living means seeking to make the most of our days – instead of mindlessly getting through them. In this week’s parsha, we meet Jethro, a leader who held the key to his own happiness.
01.25.2024
Beshalach: How to Win Graciously
It can be challenging to not gloat when someone we dislike struggles. How can we view our adversaries’ downfalls as a loss of life and potential rather than a celebration?
01.21.2024
Rise & Shine with Adrienne Gold Davis
Rise & Shine Season 20 kicks off Wednesday, January 24th. Subscribe today: https://bit.ly/Adrienneriseshine
01.18.2024
Bo: Seize the Day
When we come into this world, we are given an enormous gift: time. This week’s parsha – the famous story of the exodus from Egypt – teaches us how to use it wisely.
01.11.2024
Vaera: Choosing to Choose
Do we have the ability to make our own decisions? Or will we always be subject to the forces of nature, nurture, and circumstance? Ruchi Koval explores the wisdom of Jewish thinkers in search of answers.
01.04.2024
From Sympathy to Empathy
Feeling empathy isn’t easy. As Ruchi dives into this week’s parsha and Moses’ path to leadership, she asks an important question: How can we embrace the discomfort to truly comfort another?
12.28.2023
Vayechi: Can You Keep a Secret?
Do secrets protect us, or hurt us?
12.14.2023
Miketz: What is the Point of an Empty Apology?
If we don’t really mean it, should we still say, “I’m sorry?”
12.07.2023
Vayeshev: If Only We Knew
Sometimes we know the right thing to do, but we don’t know if anyone will listen. How do we find the confidence to lead? In this week’s parsha, our patriarch Jacob and his brothers figure it out.
11.23.2023
Vayeitzeh: The Pursuit of Happiness
The recipe for unhappiness is ”compare, compare, compare.” With guidance from our matriarch, Leah, Ruchi Koval searches for new ingredients that will bring us happiness, instead.
11.16.2023
Toldot: Let’s Get Real
Being vulnerable is hard. That’s no reason not to keep trying. Ruchi Koval consults this week’s parsha, Toldot, for guidance on authenticity without regret.
11.09.2023
Chayei Sarah: Seeking Spirituality
More than 30% of non-Asian Buddhists are Jews. As Ruchi Koval explores this week’s parsha – in which three of Abraham’s children journey to the East – she illuminates the beauty and wisdom of Judaism and Buddhism’s shared teachings.
11.02.2023
Vayeira: Why We Overcommit
We’ve all overcommitted and not been able to follow through on our promises. Ruchi Koval turns to a piece of Jewish wisdom for help kicking the habit.
10.26.2023
Lech Lecha: Passing the Test
Real-life doesn’t come with an instruction manual, or a map, or even a cheat sheet. Ruchi Koval helps us face the journey with a little guidance from this week’s parsha, Lech Lecha.
10.19.2023
Noach: The Size of My Pond
Whether your “pond” is big or small, it’s up to you to decide how big a fish you’d like to be. Dive into the story of Noah with Momentum’s Ruchi Koval.
10.12.2023
Bereishit: The Reset Button
Hit that reset button – with a little help from Jewish wisdom. With inspiration from the very first words of the Torah, Ruchi Koval shows us how to start fresh.
10.11.2023
Tune in for your weekly dose of Ruchi
Get ready to elevate your learning, uplift your spirit, and gain perspective – because on October 12th, Ruchi Koval returns with the relaunch of her renowned podcast, The Book of Life. For the first time ever, you’re invited to listen to...
07.03.2023
COMING JULY 5TH: Adrienne Gold Davis is back!
A new season of Adrienne Gold Davis’ chart-topping Momentum podcast, Rise & Shine, is launching on Wednesday, July 5. Adrienne’s wisdom and wit are always a joy to listen to, and this season is super special: Season 18 – and, true...
12.29.2022
Someone to Blame
When we find someone to blame for our problems, the relief is sweet – but short-lived. Is there a healthier alternative?
10.13.2022
Shining Your Own Light
What does it take to become a truly great teacher? Ruchi Koval has some advice: look to the moon.
10.06.2022
Leaving a Legacy
Is it possible to “die well?” Ruchi Koval shares how Jewish wisdom can guide us to create lasting legacies – and fewer regrets.
09.29.2022
The Sounds of Judaism
When Ruchi Koval was a child, she would wake to the sounds of her grandfather, a cantor, warming up for Shabbat – and it made more of an impression than he would ever know.
09.22.2022
The Learning Curve of Life
The road to success is paved with failure. The biggest mistake is to let the fear of failure stop you from getting there.
09.15.2022
Back to the Beginning
The people who shaped us from the very beginning are often the ones we overlook. How can we adequately express gratitude for those that we take for granted?
09.08.2022
The Dark Side of a White Lie
A little white lie. A last-minute change of plans. A promise you might not be able to keep. These things don’t really matter, right? Jewish wisdom says otherwise.
09.01.2022
The Business of Boundaries
Boundaries are sacred. Find the confidence to establish and keep yours, with guidance from Jewish wisdom.
08.25.2022
Soul Vacation
We all could use a break. Here’s how Jewish wisdom can help us make the most of our time away from work.
08.18.2022
Fear Factor
Anxiety can make us feel like we are responsible for managing the entire universe. Here’s how Jewish wisdom can help.
08.11.2022
You Can Always Come Back
We’ve all done things we’re not proud of – but those mistakes do not need to define us.
08.04.2022
How to Say “I Don’t Know”
It takes a wise person to say, “I don’t know” – and an even wiser person to be okay with that answer.
07.28.2022
Fresh Start
Each of us is on a journey – but where we are heading may not be apparent for years to come.
11.18.2021
How to Face Hate
Fight antisemitism with this threefold strategy rooted in Jewish wisdom. Ruchi Koval shows us how.
07.01.2021
Unanswered Prayers
Each of us is yearning for something just out of reach. Should we fight for what we want, or trust that we’ll get it if we wait patiently? This podcast is sponsored by Andrea & Steven Mail in honor of their...
06.24.2021
Blind Spots
What do your blinders prevent you from seeing? Ruchi Koval digs into a piece of Jewish wisdom that might help us recognize and overcome our blind spots.

What's The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval episodes:

Bechukotai: Love and Logic

Behar: Give and Take

Emor: Count Your Blessings

Kedoshim: The Way We Treat Each Other

Achrei Mot: My Heart is in the East

Metzora: In My Own Backyard

Tazria: Use Your Words

Shemini: Raise a Glass

Tzav: Thank Goodness

Vayikra: Angels and Animals

Pekudei: The Most Valuable Thing

Vayakhel: Give Your Brain a Break

Ki Tisa: A Pinch of Salt

Tetzaveh: A Knock on the Door

Terumah: My Body, My Home

Mishpatim: Welcoming the Stranger

Yitro: The Key to Happiness

Beshalach: How to Win Graciously

Rise & Shine with Adrienne Gold Davis

Bo: Seize the Day

Vaera: Choosing to Choose

From Sympathy to Empathy

Vayechi: Can You Keep a Secret?

Miketz: What is the Point of an Empty Apology?

Vayeshev: If Only We Knew

Vayeitzeh: The Pursuit of Happiness

Toldot: Let’s Get Real

Chayei Sarah: Seeking Spirituality

Vayeira: Why We Overcommit

Lech Lecha: Passing the Test

Noach: The Size of My Pond

Bereishit: The Reset Button

Tune in for your weekly dose of Ruchi

COMING JULY 5TH: Adrienne Gold Davis is back!

Someone to Blame

Shining Your Own Light

Leaving a Legacy

The Sounds of Judaism

The Learning Curve of Life

Back to the Beginning

The Dark Side of a White Lie

The Business of Boundaries

Soul Vacation

Fear Factor

You Can Always Come Back

How to Say “I Don’t Know”

Fresh Start

How to Face Hate

Unanswered Prayers

Blind Spots

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