Torah Cafe

By Zalman GordonReligion & Spirituality Judaism

Torah Cafe episodes

December 31, 2023 The Tefillin Campaign with Rabbi Mendel Mintz
Special episode with guest speaker Rabbi Mendel Mintz
In 1967, just before the outbreak of the Six Day War, the Rebbe started a Tefillin campaign, to encourage all Jewish men to wrap tefillin every day. In the years since, millions of Jewish men have been stopped on the streets by Chabad students and were asked to put on Tefillin. Many put on Tefillin while visiting the Western Wall.
40 min
December 17, 2023 Understanding Jewish History
Jewish history is over 3,000 years old and therefore often confusing. For much of our history, Jewish scholars divided our history into broad historical periods. Understanding these historical periods is the key to understanding Jewish history.
Listen to fascinating overview of the primary periods of Jewish History
1 hr 9 min
December 10, 2023 The Big Chanukah Riddle
The Big Chanukah Riddle, best known as "The Question of the Bet Yosef" is probably the most famous and most discussed question in all of Jewish literature. It has been discussed by countless scholars since it was first raised for the wider public by Rav Yosef Kairo in the 16th Century. More than 1,000 known answers have been given for this riddle.
44 min
December 04, 2023 The Mitzvah of Honoring Parents
Honoring and respecting parents is one of the most important commandments in the Torah. It is included as one of the Ten Commandments. Why is honoring parents so important in Judaism? How do we honor our parents? What is the difference between honor and respect? Do we need to honor parents who have harmed us?
A fascinating discussion about the Mitzvot of honoring and respecting parents.
47 min
November 26, 2023 Are Animal Hindquarters Kosher?
Kosher butchers don't usually sell the animal hindquarters but are they kosher? It's complicated. Here's why
44 min
November 20, 2023 Who was the Chasam Sofer? - The Man Who Shaped Modern Judaism
Rabbi Moshe Schreiber, better known by the name of his book, Chasm Sofer, was a Hungarian Rabbi in the late 18th and early 19th century whose brilliance and leadership helped shape religious Judaism in modern times.
Confronted with the early attempts at religious reformation, modernity and secularism in central Europe, Rabbi Moshe Schreiber, became the leading Jewish religious figure of his day navigating the complexities of preserving Judaism in the face of its many challenges.
42 min
November 05, 2023 Jewish Time Management
With so many things today demanding our attention and so many things to do, how can we stay on top of our time without getting overwhelmed or frustrated?
Jews have always been high achievers. We have an old Jewish technique to allow us to maximize our time without stressing.
36 min
October 29, 2023 Sodom and Gomorrah
he Torah tells us about ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that stood where what is now the Dead Sea. The people of these cities were evil so G-d destroyed the cities in the days of Abraham almost 4,000 years ago.
A fascinating discussion about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, their destruction and the implications for us today.
43 min
October 22, 2023 Who Created G-d?
As a young man our ancestors Abraham discovered G-d through his own philosophical investigation. This week we will follow Abraham's analisis to answer the most fundamental questions of Judaism; how do we know there is a G-d and that he created us? We will also take a look at the big question of who created G-d.
A fascinating discussion addressing the big questions about G-d and creation.
41 min
October 15, 2023 The Story of Cain & Abel
Adam & Eve, the first humans initially had two children Cain and Abel. When Cain was jealous of his brother, he killed him. This first story of sibling rivalry, of jealousy, of murder and of repentance is one of the first and most dramatic stories in the Torah with countless important lessons for our lives.
Listen to the fascinating story of Cain and Abel.
37 min