Until his death in 1999, Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg was Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. For more than 50 years, Rabbi Weinberg taught in various capacities at Ner Yisroel, as well as traveling the world imparting his wisdom to thousands of eager listeners. He is the older brother and mentor of Rabbi Noah Weinberg, the dean and founder of Aish HaTorah.
Rav Weinberg points out just a few of the ever so many unique characteristics the Jewish people possess. One is how we maintained and retained the oral tradition despite being chased and scattered throughout the world, in addition to staying united as a people. Hear also why the promise we were given will never disappear. Rav Yaakov is clear and straight.
Perhaps the metaphor of Jews going åÔlike sheep to the slaughter' was just a big excuse that non-religious Zionists used to dismiss 2,000 years of Jewish history in order to embrace secular values? Rabbi Weinberg takes the stand that it is our responsibility to scrutinize this exaggerated canard rather than sheepishly accept the popular tale of a wimpy flock being led to its own destruction.
Although we can never fully understand why the Holocaust happened, Rav Weinberg's discussion on suffering, punishment and teshuva in relation to the Churban Bayis Sheini shows the deeper underlying causes for large-scale tragedies. This talk is an important reminder of how history repeats itself.
When someone intentionally does an act that may hurt another, will God dictate the outcome - or is the victim at the mercy of the aggressor's free will? Rav Weinberg examines the dynamics of this critical topic by comparing the basic tenets of free will vs. hashgacha to known events that transpired during the Holocaust.
Living in Eretz Yisrael is a glorious mitzvah. So what is it about Zionism that causes Rabbanim of the past and present to oppose this brand of Aliya? Rav Yaakov's uncanny understanding of the Arab mindset, the pre-Holocaust era, assimilation, and the political climate in the Middle East offers us a piercing insight into the Land of Israel's core conflict.
Some said Rav Yaakov was way ahead of his time, and others say it was his pure genius, but he himself considered it little more than pure logic. Many years ago he spelled out all the causes, and the obvious consequences surrounding the unending struggle for the land of Israel. Hear a penetrating overview of the Palestinian issue.
What possibility is there that terrorists are exploiting the morality and decency of Western society to promote their agendas? For instance, they set up their innocent women and children as human shields and then viciously attack our innocents, while demanding freedom of speech to broadcast their hatred and intolerance? Rav Yaakov explains the irony of how blatantly the noble principles we espouse are being used against us, and that under the circumstances it may be ethical to adopt a more assertive response.
Rabbi Weinberg clearly spells out why Eretz Yisrael belongs to the Jews, and how the present unstable predicament is from our own doing. From the first line of Torah until today's headlines, understand why the struggle for its possession is an endless saga, and how we've become our own worst enemy. His explicit prognosis of events were given many years before it was seen as a problem.
What practical ideas and inner feelings should we be experiencing in awaiting the Moshiach every day? Rav Yaakov explains the Rambam's approach for developing a mindset that will lead to spiritual and emotional fulfillment. Hear what Moshiach will accomplish and the role he will play during the final days.
If all the generations before ours were unable to bring Moshiach, is it delusional to think we could be successful in doing it? Rav Yaakov Weinberg gives a fundamental understanding of what Hashem realistically expects us to accomplish, and how we might better direct our lives and efforts to achieve those goals. This class gives a refreshing clarity on as difficult topic.