Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager

Rediscovered from the archives, this special episode of Timeless Wisdom features Dennis Prager’s original 1987 lecture,  “Happiness Is a Serious Problem,” recorded at Chabad of UCLA. Decades before the book of the same name, Dennis explored why happiness can be so difficult to achieve and why so many people struggle to find lasting contentment. In this thought-provoking lect...

Fireside Chat Ep. 165 — America the Fearful | Fireside Chat originally aired on December 17th, 2020 The pandemic has shown how much America has changed for the worse. Our American ancestors were incredibly courageous people but today, we live in fear—of illness, of our fellow neighbors, of intellectual diversity, of alternative ideas, of climate change, of dying from COVID. The world n...

Why did God send the ten plagues against Egypt? In this Torah teaching, Dennis Prager examines the deeper purpose behind the plagues, explaining why the Exodus was about more than freeing the Israelites from slavery. Through the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, and hail, Dennis explores how God challenged Egypt’s idols, confronted its belief in multiple gods,...

Could the way parents treat their children today shape the adults they become tomorrow? On this episode of the Happiness Hour , Dennis Prager is joined by psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Marmer to examine the most common mistakes parents make and how early childhood experiences can influence a person's happiness, confidence, and relationships for years to come. Dr. Marmer identifies four major parenting...

What makes our memories so important to who we are? On this episode of Timeless Wisdom , Dennis Prager speaks with author and researcher Sue Halpern about the science of memory, why we forget things, and what researchers are learning about Alzheimer's disease. Halpern, author of Can't Remember What I Forgot: The Good News from the Front Lines of Memory Research , explains how scientists are gainin...

How much criticism is too much in a marriage? On this episode of the Male Female Hour , Dennis Prager explores the difficult balance between offering helpful advice and constantly criticizing the person you love. He discusses why the way criticism is delivered matters, how to recognize whether it comes from genuine concern or hidden anger, and why a relationship filled with criticism can slowly un...

Why are people in the prime of their lives losing hope? On this episode of the Ultimate Issues Hour , Dennis Prager examines a reported rise in suicide among Americans ages 45 to 54 and explores why people who appear healthy and successful can still struggle to find meaning in life. Through a discussion of a New York Times article and calls from listeners, Dennis considers the pressures of failure...

Should love be unconditional, or must it be earned? In this Ask Me Anything episode of Timeless Wisdom, Dennis Prager answers listener questions on love, marriage, religion, family, and morality. He challenges the idea that everyone deserves unconditional love, arguing that while every human being has value, love as a personal bond of affection depends in part on how we treat one another. Dennis a...

Fireside Chat Ep. 173 — Love vs. Blood: The Case for Adoption originally aired on February 11th, 2021 You may have doubts that a parent's love for their adopted child could be every bit as strong as their love for a biological child. Dennis Prager has one of each and is here to tell you there is NO difference: Love is more powerful than blood. Donate to PragerU today: https://www.prageru.com...

In this installment of Dennis Prager’s in-depth study of the Torah, Dennis examines Exodus Chapter 7 and the beginning of the ten plagues of Egypt. He explains the three purposes of the plagues: to punish Egypt for its wrongdoing, compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites, and teach both the Egyptians and the Israelites fundamental truths about God. At the heart of his discussion is the Torah...

Can another person make you happy? On this episode of the Happiness Hour, Dennis Prager explores the relationship between happiness and the people in our lives. He argues that while others can make us unhappy, they cannot make us happy. True happiness begins with us. However, when we are already happy, the people around us can add to that happiness. Dennis explains why we cannot depend on a spouse...

Mark Gonsalves spent 1,967 days held hostage in the Colombian jungle after the plane he was traveling in crashed during a counter-narcotics mission. In this interview with Dennis Prager, Gonsalves recounts his capture by FARC guerrillas, the brutal conditions of captivity, and how the group used American hostages as political leverage. He describes the violence and intimidation he witnessed, the i...

What do men do that drives women crazy? In this edition of the Male Female Hour, Dennis Prager turns the tables and asks women to explain the behaviors that frustrate them most about men, particularly when dating or navigating relationships. Dennis argues that understanding male sexual nature is important, but it does not give men a free pass to say or do whatever they want. Dennis takes calls fro...

What is the moral worth of the unborn? In this edition of the Ultimate Issues Hour, Dennis Prager tackles one of the most passionately debated issues in America, arguing that before we debate the legality of abortion, we must first confront a more fundamental question: Does the unborn have intrinsic value? Dennis explains how the language surrounding abortion can shape our moral understanding, par...

Is obeying God always the right thing to do? Dennis Prager takes on one of the Bible’s most difficult stories, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac, and explains what he believes the story is really teaching about obedience, faith, and the value of human life. Dennis argues that God’s commands exist within a hierarchy of values, meaning that saving innocent life can take prec...

Fireside Chat Ep. 194 — Do You Want to Understand the Middle East? originally aired on July 8th, 2021 How do you make sense of the Israel-Palestinian conflict? This week’s guest, Bassem Eid, is a pro-Israel Palestinian who writes for several Israeli publications—an extremely brave and risky thing to do. Watch this fascinating conversation between two men who value truth over ever...

In Exodus 6, Dennis Prager examines what happens after Moses angrily confronts God over the suffering of the Israelites. God does not rebuke Moses for questioning Him. Instead, He tells Moses that he will now see what He will do. Dennis uses this powerful passage to explore the difference between believing that God exists and actually trusting God, especially when suffering raises difficult questi...

Should you trust people even though human nature is not always good? Dennis Prager explores the difficult balance between having a sober view of human nature and remaining open to the people around you. Dennis argues that believing everyone is basically good can leave you naive and vulnerable to disappointment, but becoming so guarded that you trust no one can leave you isolated and unhappy. Denni...

What kind of America did the Founding Fathers envision? Dennis Prager explores the bitter rivalry between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton with historian John Ferling, author of Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry That Forged a Nation . Though both played crucial roles in the founding of the United States, they had radically different visions for the country’s future. Dennis and Profe...

What happens when men stop looking at women? Dennis Prager takes on a controversial question about male attraction and asks whether women really want men to stop noticing them “that way.” Dennis argues that attraction between men and women is natural and, when expressed respectfully, can be a healthy part of human relationships. At the same time, he draws an important distinction betwe...

When should you seek to be loved—and when can the desire to be loved actually get in the way of doing what is right? Dennis Prager explores the different kinds of relationships in our lives and argues that there is an important distinction between horizontal relationships, such as friendships and marriage, and vertical relationships, such as parent and child, teacher and student, clergy and...

Dennis Prager is back—and answering your questions. In this special new edition of Ask Me Anything , Dennis personally responds to listener questions about faith, politics, relationships, happiness, morality, and his own life. After being away from the air since his injury in November 2024, Dennis returns to the microphone to reconnect with listeners and share his thoughts on the questions t...

Fireside Chat Ep. 197 — Life, Legacy, and a Dangerous Mission in the Soviet Union originally aired on July 29th, 2021 A touching moment: Dennis receives birthday messages from PragerFORCE and it triggers a reflection on his life and career. What’s his most important message? Why does he receive so much hatred and how does he deal with it? He has led a unique life, including a smuggling...

In this edition of Weekend Torah Teaching , Dennis Prager continues his study of Exodus 5, examining what happens when Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh—and why their first attempt does not go as planned. Dennis explores the significance of the elders’ absence, Moses’ failure to follow God’s instructions precisely, and Pharaoh’s decision to make the Israelites’ a...

What if the secret to happiness is expecting life to go wrong? Dennis Prager argues that happiness doesn’t come from avoiding life’s problems—it comes from understanding that problems are inevitable. Life is an obstacle course, filled with potholes, red lights, disappointments, and unexpected setbacks. The key is learning how to navigate them without letting every setback destroy...