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Chief Rabbi Warren GoldsteinAuthor: Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein
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. Language: en Genres: Judaism, Religion & Spirituality Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Power of Listening | Parsha with the Chief: Yitro
Thursday, 5 February, 2026
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
