The Book of Life: Weekly Wisdom with Ruchi Koval
What is your purpose? Where do you seek inspiration? Find it in Judaism’s most important Book. With Ruchi Koval as our guide through the weekly Torah portion, we’ll find the meaning, courage, and inspiration we need to power our days.
Nitzavim: The Learning Curve of Life
The road to success is paved with failure.
LISTEN NOWKi Tavo: Back to the Beginning
How can we adequately express gratitude for those that we take for granted?
LISTEN NOWKi Tetzei: The Dark Side of a White Lie
A little white lie. A last-minute change of plans. A promise you might not be able to keep. These things don’t really matter, right?
LISTEN NOWShoftim: The Business of Boundaries
Boundaries are sacred. Find the confidence to establish and keep yours with guidance from Jewish wisdom.
LISTEN NOWRe’eh: Soul Vacation
We all could use a break. Here’s how Jewish wisdom can help us make the most of our time away from work.
LISTEN NOWEikev: Fear Factor
Anxiety can make us feel like we are responsible for managing the entire universe. Here’s how Jewish wisdom can help.
LISTEN NOWVa’etchanan: You Can Always Come Back
We’ve all done things we’re not proud of – but those mistakes do not need to define us.
LISTEN NOWDevarim: How to Say “I Don’t Know”
It takes a wise person to say, “I don’t know” – and an even wiser person to be okay with that answer.
LISTEN NOWMatot-Masei: Fresh Start
Each of us is on a journey – but where we are heading may not be apparent for years to come.
LISTEN NOWBalak: Blind Spots
What do your blinders prevent you from seeing? Ruchi Koval digs into a piece of Jewish wisdom that might help us recognize and overcome our blind spots.
LISTEN NOWChukat: The Voice of Doubt
Doubt is not just an emotion – it is a voice, whispering in our ear and distracting us from being our best selves. Ruchi Koval shares how to turn down the volume.
LISTEN NOWKorach: The Gift of Envy
Envy is addictive – and it’s on us to break the habit.
LISTEN NOWPinchas: Unanswered Prayers
Each of us is yearning for something just out of reach. Should we fight for what we want, or trust that we’ll get it if we wait patiently?
LISTEN NOWShelach: How to Damage a Reputation
How do we resist the pull of gossip?
LISTEN NOWBeha’aloscha: Second Chances
Do second chances, do-overs, and edits ever work in real life? Ruchi Koval climbs “the second mountain” to find out.
LISTEN NOWNasso: Working Toward Peace
Peace is a gift – and a process. How can we work towards it for ourselves, and for each other?
LISTEN NOWBamidbar: Dear Friend, Thank You
You can’t be everything to everyone. But sometimes, you can be everything to someone. Ruchi Koval explores a piece of Jewish wisdom that helps us uncover how.
LISTEN NOWBechukotai: Love and Logic
Every choice has consequences. It’s how we handle them that matters.
LISTEN NOWBehar: Give and Take
No one can survive in this world without ever needing anyone
LISTEN NOWEmor: Count Your Blessings
What’s so special about the days between Passover and Shavuot?
LISTEN NOWKedoshim: The Way We Treat Each Other
Why does Jewish wisdom care so much about how we treat others?
LISTEN NOWAchrei Mot: My Heart is in the East
Israel is our shared Jewish homeland – and, for many Jews, it is the only place where we can truly feel at home.
LISTEN NOWMetzora: In My Own Backyard
What’s in your backyard?
LISTEN NOWTazria: Use Your Words
We can’t always solve other people’s problems, but we can always speak up in support.
LISTEN NOWShemini: Raise a Glass
Is there a Jewish way to drink alcohol – or not drink it at all?
LISTEN NOWTzav: Thank Goodness
Sometimes, it isn’t what happens to us that deserves our gratitude, but what didn’t happen.
LISTEN NOWVayikra: Angels and Animals
What separates us from the animal kingdom?
LISTEN NOWPekudei: The Most Valuable Thing
The most valuable thing in life is something we can’t touch, eat, smell, or see. So, what exactly is it?
LISTEN NOWVayakhel: Give Your Brain a Break
“Taking a break” takes practice. Jewish wisdom can help.
LISTEN NOWKi Tisa: A Pinch of Salt
No super-sweet dessert is complete without a pinch of salt. Likewise, our lives aren’t complete without the occasional moment of negativity.
LISTEN NOWTetzaveh: A Knock on the Door
Knocking before entering is a sign of respect. And when others knock on your door, letting them in is a sign of trust.
LISTEN NOWTerumah: My Body, My Home
Many people have a complex relationship with their own appearance. Yet, Jewish wisdom advises us to treat our bodies with the kindness and respect they deserve.
LISTEN NOWMishpatim: Welcoming the Stranger
Each one of us has felt like an outsider at some point in our lives. How can we tap into our empathy and support the vulnerable people in our communities and in our lives?
LISTEN NOWYitro: The Key to Happiness
Conscious living means seeking to make the most of our day – instead of mindlessly getting through it. How can we intentionally place the keys to happiness back in our own hands?
LISTEN NOWBeshalach: How to Win Graciously
It can be challenging to not gloat when someone we dislike struggles. How can we view our adversaries’ downfalls as a loss of life and potential rather than a celebration?
LISTEN NOWBo: Seize the Day
When we come into this world, we are given an enormous gift: time. The story of the exodus from Egypt teaches us how to use it wisely.
LISTEN NOWVaera: Choosing to Choose
Do we have the ability to make our own decisions? Or will we always be subject to the forces of nature, nurture, and circumstance? Ruchi Koval explores the wisdom of Jewish thinkers in search of answers.
LISTEN NOWShemot: From Sympathy to Empathy
Feeling empathy isn’t easy. To truly empathize with our loved ones, we must feel their pain as if it were our own. How can we embrace the discomfort to truly comfort another?
LISTEN NOWVayechi: Can You Keep a Secret?
How can we know whether a secret will be useful – or hurt us deeply?
LISTEN NOWVayigash: Someone to Blame
How can we resist the easy route of blame, and instead forge a more constructive path?
LISTEN NOWMiketz: What is the Point of an Empty Apology?
How do we know when we have truly learned from our mistakes?
LISTEN NOWVayeshev: If Only We Knew
How do we find the confidence to lead?
LISTEN NOWVayishlach: How to Face Hate
Fight antisemitism with this threefold strategy rooted in Jewish wisdom.
LISTEN NOWVayeitzeh: The Pursuit of Happiness
Happiness is a choice, according to Jewish wisdom.
LISTEN NOWToldot: Let’s Get Real
Ruchi Koval turns to Jewish wisdom for guidance on getting real without regret.
LISTEN NOWChayei Sarah: Seeking Spirituality
Ruchi Koval explores the beauty and wisdom of Judaism and Buddhism’s shared teachings.
LISTEN NOWVayeira: Why We Overcommit
We’ve all overcommitted and not been able to follow through on our promises. Ruchi Koval turns to a piece of Jewish wisdom for help kicking the habit.
LISTEN NOWLech Lecha: Passing the Test
Real-life doesn’t come with an instruction manual, or a map, or even a cheat sheet.
LISTEN NOWNoach: The Size of My Pond
Whether your “pond” is big or small, it’s up to you to decide how big a fish you’d like to be.
LISTEN NOWBereishit: The Reset Button
Hit that reset button – with a little help from Jewish wisdom. Ruchi Koval shows us how.
LISTEN NOWShining Your Own Light
What does it take to become a truly great teacher?
LISTEN NOWLeaving a Legacy
Is it possible to “die well?”
LISTEN NOWThe Sounds of Judaism
When Ruchi Koval was a child, she would wake to the sounds of her grandfather, a cantor, warming up for Shabbat – and it made more of an impression than he would ever know.
LISTEN NOW
THIS WEBSITE WAS CREATED IN LOVING MEMORY OF RITA KRAKOWER MARGOLIS
