Unboxing Judaism · Rabbi Yaakov Nagel & Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe · TORCH

Ep. 3 - Don’t be Stingy with your Wisdom

·39 min·3 clips

Rabbi Wolbe demanded entry to Rabbi Yashiv's house by declaring he was doing the rabbi's job teaching Torah in Houston.

This episode explores the Jewish principle of "Hamidu Talmidim Harbe," or establishing many students, as discussed by hosts Rabbi Yaakov Nagel and Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe. The rabbis argue this directive applies to everyone, not just teachers, because people constantly influence others through their actions and knowledge. They emphasize a responsibility to share one's wisdom, whether it comes from Torah study or life experience. The discussion references a Talmudic story where Rabbi Akiva, before becoming a scholar, expressed intense animosity toward learned men because he felt excluded from Torah knowledge. The hosts share a personal anecdote about Rabbi Wolbe demanding a blessing from the late Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv by claiming he was doing the elder rabbi's job by teaching in Houston, Texas. They note that over the past 200 years, various Jewish movements arose partly due to a perceived lack of tolerance for questions from established communities. The metaphor of lighting one candle from another illustrates how sharing wisdom multiplies rather than depletes it. Rabbi Wolbe reveals his podcast analytics show listeners in 48 countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands. A surprising insight is that Jewish law commands standing for any person over age 70, as this age represents "zikna," the acquisition of life wisdom. The hosts explain that sharing knowledge deepens the giver's own understanding, as teaching forces clarification. They argue the instruction's unusual grammar—"stand up students much"—highlights the importance of patiently building up even a single student to independence. The ultimate goal of Torah study is framed as learning to "think like a godly person," not just knowing rules. Rabbi Nagel shares that his Rosh Yeshiva told him teaching working adults, who question and don't blindly accept, forces greater clarity than teaching yeshiva students. The hosts suggest one can teach a subject simply by being "one day ahead" of the students, using the need to teach as motivation to learn. They encourage listeners to form local study groups, even if isolated, and to share their questions as a valuable form of teaching. The tone is conversational, educational, and pastoral, blending scriptural analysis, personal stories, and practical encouragement. Listeners interested in Jewish ethics, personal growth, or educational philosophy would appreciate this episode. Those seeking a strictly academic or debate-focused discussion might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A clear Torah lesson on influence, responsibility, and how goodness spreads.

The episode expands a lesson about many students into a broader point about influence: people are always teaching, whether they mean to or not. It is most effective when it shifts from principle to lived example, showing how one mitzvah can spark another and keep moving outward.

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Why you'd press play

You want a Torah reminder that your influence reaches farther than you think.

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