Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein
  • 5.0 (6)
  • JUDAISM
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Insights, ideas and inspiration mined from the weekly Torah portion and the classic commentaries, and distilled by South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein. Known as a "spiritual entrepreneur", Rabbi Goldstein has launched and led a number of initiatives that have changed the face not only of his own community, but of world Jewry. In the Language of Tomorrow, he explores the Torah's vision for creating a better society, and an inspired, meaningful life.

  1. 2D AGO

    What's Really Happening at Roedean and King David

    The recent Roedean antisemitism scandal began when they refused to play a scheduled tennis match against King David. The incident generated national uproar, investigations, and fierce public debate. But this moment is about more than a match. At first glance, it appears to be a dispute within two respected South African schools. Yet beneath the surface lies a larger tension. It is a tension that touches education, identity, and the moral direction of our institutions. What happens when longstanding principles begin to shift? What happens when frameworks once rooted in enduring values are replaced by new moral languages? What happens when institutions that once drew from shared foundations find those foundations quietly eroding? What sustains a free and pluralistic society? What allows diverse communities to coexist with dignity and mutual respect? And what happens when the moral architecture that made coexistence possible begins to weaken? In this address Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein examines the deeper currents exposed by the Roedean controversy, and what they reveal about the state of South Africa's moral foundations. This is not only a moment for schools, but a moment for South Africa as a whole.

    13 min

  2. 6D AGO

    When No One Is Watching | Parsha with the Chief - Mishpatim

    Justice is easy to think of as something that happens outside of ourselves: in courts, in governments, and in society. It sounds powerful in debate, clear in principle, and noble in theory. But what happens when it is out of the public eye? What happens when there is no judge, no audience? That is where the real test begins. In this talk on the Parsha of Mishpatim, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores why the Torah moves directly from the revelation at Sinai into the intricate details of civil law, and what that transition reveals about the nature of justice itself. History has shown that law alone is not enough. Order can exist without righteousness. A legal system can be built on injustice. So what makes justice real? Who are you when no one is watching? Why is honesty in business elevated as one of the first measures of a life well lived? Drawing on Pirkei Avot and the deeper structure of Mishpatim, this talk explores the invisible arena where character is truly shaped, and where the real meaning of justice is finally tested. KEY QUESTIONS • What separates a legal system from a righteous one? • Why is integrity hardest when it is unseen? • What does justice demand beyond compliance? • Why is private honesty the truest public strength?

    21 min

  3. FEB 5

    The Power of Listening | Parsha with the Chief: Yitro

    There is a human superpower that every person possesses, yet so often it remains underutilised and underdeveloped. Not because it is difficult, but because it looks like nothing at all. It appears passive, unimpressive, almost invisible. And yet it may be the most powerful capacity a person can master. In this talk on the Parsha of Yitro, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores why listening may be the most underdeveloped - and most transformative - human capacity. The Parsha introduces Yitro, a man whose life changes because he truly listens. Later, Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest leader in Jewish history, does something even more telling: he listens to criticism and acts on it, preventing collapse and reshaping Jewish leadership for all generations.  But if listening is so powerful, why is it so rare? Why does silence feel uncomfortable? What makes us resist ideas that challenge who we are? Why does the Torah define wisdom not by how much we know, but by our willingness to learn? Why do our Sages teach that silence is the "fence for wisdom"? And why is the Parsha of the Giving of the Torah named after a man whose defining trait was that he listened? The shiur then turns to Shema Yisrael, "Listen, Israel," and reveals why Judaism's most famous declaration is not a call to see, but to hear. KEY THEMES EXPLORED Why the most powerful force in life is almost invisible What separates hearing from truly listening Why wisdom requires silence before knowledge Why real listening demands the courage to be changed Why the Torah places listening at the heart of truth

    20 min

  4. FEB 3

    South Africa's Foreign Policy Has Been Captured

    South Africa's expulsion of Israel's senior diplomat is one of the most extreme diplomatic actions a government can take. It shows how much President Ramaphosa and his government hate Israel and the Jews: that the government is prepared to let its own people die rather than concede that its foreign policy on Israel is misguided.  And that is why the President is a cursed leader of a cursed party. In this uncompromising address, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explains why the South African government's decision represents state capture 2.0: the sale of South Africa's foreign policy. The Israeli embassy was working with local communities to help address a devastating water crisis in the Eastern Cape. Millions of South Africans lack reliable access to clean water. Children fall ill from preventable diseases. Families queue for hours or share contaminated water with livestock. When Israel offered help, the programme was halted. The diplomat was expelled. Because allowing Israel to alleviate human suffering threatened the optics of the ANC's anti-Israel agenda. This decision cannot be viewed in isolation. It forms part of a broader pattern: hostility toward Israel, silence on Iran's human rights abuses, and growing alignment with regimes that export repression and terror. Time and again, South Africa's foreign policy has drifted away from the country's own national interest. The Chief Rabbi warns that this path carries serious moral, economic, and political consequences, from undermining trade relations and jobs to deepening poverty and international isolation. This is not about Israel alone. It is about governance, corruption, and the cost of allowing ideology to replace responsibility. KEY INSIGHTS Expelling a senior diplomat is an extreme act that signals political breakdown South Africa's foreign policy is being traded away to serve external interests The poor bear the cost when ideology overrides humanitarian need This decision fits a wider pattern of moral inconsistency and selective outrage State capture has evolved from looting institutions to selling national interest

    10 min

  5. JAN 28

    Rising Above Resentment | Parsha with the Chief - Beshalach

    Resentment is one of the most destructive forces in human life. It corrodes relationships, clouds judgment, and undermines long-term happiness. Yet it can feel deeply enticing. In this talk on the Parsha of Beshalach, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores why bitterness takes such a strong psychological hold, and why the generation that left Egypt struggled so profoundly to let it go. This week's Parsha is filled with complaints. Our Sages teach that of the ten times the Jewish people tested God in the desert, seven occurred here. These were not only cries of fear, but repeated expressions of frustration, cynicism, and longing to return to Egypt. Why was a physically freed people unable to move forward? Drawing from Pirkei Avot and the insights of our Sages, the Chief Rabbi reveals a psychological truth: freedom from slavery is not the same as freedom from the mindset of slavery. The Torah contrasts this mindset with another model entirely - one that endures hardship without surrendering to victimhood. What is it that makes the difference? Why is faith alone not enough? And what does it take to move from resentment to responsibility, from complaint to inner strength? KEY INSIGHTS EXPLORED Resentment can feel emotionally stabilising, even as it erodes inner freedom Attachment to the past often feels safer than the risk of growth Letting go of victimhood requires courage, not comfort True freedom begins with responsibility, not release

    20 min

  6. JAN 21

    Overcoming Inertia | Parsha with the Chief - Bo

    There is a quiet struggle at the heart of human life: the tension between action and inertia. Between seizing a moment and letting it slip by. Between movement that builds a life, and delay that slowly drains it. We often assume that motivation must come first. That clarity, energy, or inspiration will eventually arrive and carry us forward. The Torah teaches the opposite. Energy follows action. Life is shaped not by waiting, but by movement. In this talk, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores one of the most important principles of Jewish thought and personal growth: the power of decisive action. Drawing on Torah wisdom and Pirkei Avot, he shows why procrastination is not neutral, why inertia strengthens the body at the expense of the soul, and why meaningful change begins only when we move. This idea is crystallised in the Parsha of Bo through the symbol of matzah. Matzah is not merely bread eaten in haste. It represents spiritual clarity. The difference between matzah and chametz is delay, and delay belongs to the physical world. The Exodus revealed that material power, even at its greatest, yields effortlessly to spiritual force. That is why redemption happened with urgency. Speed itself became a spiritual statement. Pirkei Avot teaches that growth begins with action. One act leads to another. Momentum creates strength, clarity, and purpose. Delay, by contrast, creates a quiet erosion of meaning. This world is a place for doing, not drifting. This talk is about reclaiming agency, breaking the spell of procrastination, and understanding why purposeful action is not impulsiveness, but alignment with the soul. It offers a Torah framework for building a life of depth, vitality, and inner contentment. Key Insights Life's deepest struggle is not between good and evil, but between action and delay Energy does not precede action; it is generated by action Matzah represents spiritual momentum, not merely haste The Exodus reveals the power of spirit over matter Inertia strengthens the body while weakening the soul This world is for doing; rest has its place, but it is not the goal Purposeful action creates momentum, meaning, and inner strength

    22 min

  7. JAN 14

    Personal Agency | Parsha with the Chief - Va'eira

    Personal agency speaks to the most critical questions a person can ask: how much control do I really have over my own life? Do I see myself as a helpless victim of circumstances, or as an empowered agent capable of shaping who I become and how I live?  The way we answer these questions determines how we approach every challenge, every choice, and every day of our lives. In this talk on Parshat Va'eira, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores the Torah's revolutionary concept of personal agency through one of the most dramatic confrontations in history: the battle of wills between Pharaoh and God. As the plagues unfold, the Torah reveals a profound truth about free choice. For the first time, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, not by stubbornness, but by God Himself. Why would God take away a person's free will? And what does that teach us about the value, fragility, and responsibility of choice? Drawing on the Rambam's teachings in Hilchot Teshuvah and a foundational Mishnah in Pirkei Avot (Chapter 3, Mishnah 19), the Chief explains why free will is described not as a right, but as permission granted. God, the ultimate power, steps back and entrusts human beings with the ability to choose, and therefore with accountability for their actions. While much of life is outside our control, the Torah insists that the moral choices we make remain fully ours. We are not defined by what happens to us, but by how we respond. Pirkei Avot is not a book of abstract philosophy. It is a guide to personal transformation. Its message is clear: belief in personal agency moves us from passivity to responsibility, from excuses to growth, from resignation to hope. This is a teaching about freedom, accountability, the power of change, and why true liberation begins not with circumstances, but with choice. Key Insights Free will is not automatic, it is permission granted by God. With freedom comes accountability, responsibility, and moral weight. Pharaoh's loss of free will reveals how precious choice truly is. Much of life is beyond our control, but our moral responses are not. The Torah rejects victimhood and affirms personal agency. Belief in free will is the foundation of growth, repentance, and change. True freedom is the belief that a better tomorrow is possible.

    21 min

  8. JAN 7

    Taking Responsibility | Parsha with the Chief - Shemot

    Taking responsibility is one of the most subtle yet powerful forces shaping your life. Subtle, because it lives in the inner world, often invisible to others. Powerful, because it can change your life. Responsibility is, by definition, a heavy and demanding burden, but knowing how to harness its power will uplift your relationships, family, work and the trajectory of your personal growth. In Parshat Shemot, we meet Moshe Rabbeinu at the very beginning of his journey toward leadership. Before he speaks to Pharaoh, before miracles, before authority, Moses repeatedly steps forward when others step back, intervening in injustice, defending the vulnerable, and acting when "there is no one else." Yet when Hashem calls upon him to lead the Jewish people, Moshe hesitates. Why would someone who takes responsibility so instinctively resist leadership? Drawing on Pirkei Avot and the teachings of our Sages, Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein explores a profound distinction: the difference between doing a task and carrying the mental load - the inner responsibility for whether something truly succeeds or fails. Our Sages teach that the first place where there is "no one else" is within ourselves. Responsibility begins internally, long before it becomes visible leadership. This talk offers a Torah framework for understanding leadership, self-mastery, and the quiet inner work that precedes all meaningful responsibility. Key Ideas Responsibility is defined by the mental load, not by visible action The first place where there is "no one else" is within oneself Torah leadership flows from the inside out Moshe's reluctance was humility, not avoidance Responsibility must be taken leshem shamayim

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

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6 Ratings

About

Insights, ideas and inspiration mined from the weekly Torah portion and the classic commentaries, and distilled by South African Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein. Known as a "spiritual entrepreneur", Rabbi Goldstein has launched and led a number of initiatives that have changed the face not only of his own community, but of world Jewry. In the Language of Tomorrow, he explores the Torah's vision for creating a better society, and an inspired, meaningful life.

Information

  • Creator
    Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Content in this show belongs to the author and owner.
  • Show Website
    Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein

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