Ari Goldwag - Acharei Mos - Kedoshim - Material and Form

you're listening to the weekly Parcher podcast with Ari Gold web recorded without shemin's never-ending assistance in room updation wishes real 5777 2017 this week's pleasure has purchased aha remote synced ocean we have two partials connected together I want to remind you all about my new safer perfectly imperfect breaking out of the ordinary and striving for greatness you can find it in your local Judaica store any store that sells fell time books will be able to find that book topics of personal growth ranging from ideas of self-improvement to reaching out to others facing off with challenges developing into a greater person perfectly imperfect I'd like to discuss this week's parsha is my bar mitzvah partial partial haremos and partials kadosh IAM and it's very interesting this week's partial Ramos is red onion Kippur because it has the voda of the Kohen Gadol has the special service to the high priest used to perform as he went into the nebula coming to the Holy of Holies one time of year that it was permitted the one man whom to whom it was permitted to go into that place and that a vote is described in our partion that that a vote is read on Yom Kippur naturally now what's very interesting and needs explanation is that we find in the partial besides for the the aspect the concept of the avodah the special service of yom kippur our partial also speaks about all of the forbidden sexual relationships that have shemin's forbidden from us a man with his sister man with his aunt a father and a daughter brother and sister all these forbidden relationships which create my museum which create people who are called in halakhah imams ur an illegitimate child so all of these instances are given to us no torah in our parshat and it's interesting to me that it's given specifically in the context of the avodah of yom kippur and what makes it even more difficult to understand a more of a challenge to try to understand is the fact that we find that on yom kippur itself in the morning when we read the refluent or we read our partial name most naturally and we stop after the abode oh we don't read anything more than the actual service itself of the high priest and that makes a lot of sense because that's something that we describe in the midst of prayer and it's appropriate for the day but now it's difficult to understand is why admins are time and the afternoon of Yom Kippur we read the next part of the Parshat we read the part that has to do with the forbidden sexual relationships and this needs explanation why is it appropriate to read this on Yom Kippur of all places of all times what is the depth of the message that we are supposed to take out of the parsha of these forbidden relationships so I'd like to share with you a few different interruption and when we start to understand the depth of the idea behind all of them we start to understand what's going on in our parts of the connection between Davo debase some English the avodah a special service and in Kippur and the aspect of the forbidden relationships the Torah tells us in the context of these forbidden relationships Hashem says us don't act camasta Eric Smith trying don't act the way the people of Egypt act the hukou same let's say they who it says don't go in their ways don't go in their paths don't act like the Egyptians and interestingly the verse tells us don't behave in the way of the Canaanite nations the place that you're going to ashram warns us you came from a place which was a sovereign wish to Fatima they are completely corrupt with their like sensuous behavior they're inappropriate sexual behavior and you're going to a place called Aerts Canaan the land of the Canaanites and they too are steeped in this type of a sensuous behavior inappropriate sexual behavior now in speaking of the description trying to understand this description of the Jewish people leaving Egypt leaving that hotbed of horrible behavior leaving that place called mitzrayim what is the idea why is it referred to these actions these abominable behaviors as my sermons trying the actions or the behavior of the people of Egypt of the land of Egypt so the measures first off by telling us hadou deceive this is what we find the versus kashish on Abednego claim refers to the Jewish people as a rose among thorns now what is the idea of this rose among thorns so on first thought the measure speaks about the fact that the Maui's are matriarchs they were people who were surrounded by negative behavior by people who were showing reclaiming Rebecca brother was labour and her father was busy well not such good people even Avraham Avinu Abraham was also he came from idol worshipers and as the measures continues so it tells us that this Shoshanna been a column this flower this beautiful rose among the thorns it's a reference to the Jewish people the way they existed when they were in Egypt and here's an amazing thing and understand as well because it seems like it's out of context it doesn't seem so much to do with what we're speaking about but let's see because it does of course related to plastic rubber coolants right I'd love to explain the verse explain that is talking about the redemption from Egypt Masha shannon's Oh cause you know soon Abednego came he caught shot by little octo when you have a rose and it's amongst the thorns it's a great challenge for the person who owns the rosebush to get to that rose like Sybil essentially swell cultural necklace probably go for a chemin was a very challenging feet to bring the Jewish people out of Egypt why was it so difficult although this if this is what we find that the verse refers to when it says in Deuteronomy chapter 4 verse 34 I initially came loving the constantly gleaming care of good have you ever found that God has come to take one nation out from the midst of another nation what's the big deal the Jewish people were separate they were their own people tells us the measure measure says it's not so simple it wasn't so clear who is suela by a Lua Raylan at the time of the redemption at the time of the Exodus both the Egyptians and the Jewish people were not circumcised Adelman godly Belarus Vailima godly Belarus the the Jewish people had adopted the non-jewish custom to have long hair eylül a shekel I'm Ali Lucia climb these people war our types of clothes that were forbidden and nailed and he's also did the Jewish people Egyptians they wore the same clothing in candlelight and I sent us FINA suddenly so she go mr. Moylan so if we would have been with strict justice it strict justice would have had its say the Jewish people would never have been redeemed from Egypt forever so it was a great feat for God to separate the Jewish people out from the Egyptian people because it was very hard to see the difference now what was it why was it this is essential to understand why was it indeed a sham took the Jewish people out a marsh Mubarak meanie Elisha also goes for klaxon be sure she says that if not for the fact that Hashem had bound himself by an oath Lena go to Easter Island the Jewish people could never have been redeemed how that would deceive that's what the verse tells us in Exodus chapter 6 verse 6 well Cain em our lives names felony Hashem therefore say to the children of Israel I am God meaning God is saying by my life as it were I am sworn I have made this oath the anal canal assured when every other words law came therefore it's always an oath come o God remember the heinous body of the basale we find out swear that use the river la Haine it's in First Samuel chapter 3 verse 14 but the word Villa pain means and therefore means that God is making an oath so there's an oath here are some promises that he shall redeem the Jewish people but it's not for that if not for the oath it's not for that commitment from God the Jewish people wouldn't have been redeemed because there was really no difference between them and the Egyptians now this is a beautiful men Trish but in context when the context of what we're talking about here we're talking about the illicit sexual relations and we're referring to them as the actions of Mitzrayim this measure is speaking about the exodus it's speaking about the fact that a Shem committed himself as dig the Jewish people out perhaps it's even referring to the fact that is use people did licentiousness but it's not so clear it does not seem so connected to our context speaking about the immoral behavior of the Egyptians doesn't seem to be so connected to this measure which speaks about Hashem took the Jewish people out of Egypt because of his commitment to them what is the idea how is indeed that connected and I'd like to read you another measure which actually speaks about the behavior of the Egyptians and also speaks about the behavior of the Canaanite nations that immoral behavior and this piece makes a lot more sense in our context and so it kind of strengthens my question why did we just speak about the Exodus and only later on we actually speak about the connection between the behavior of the Egyptians as opposed to what God is asking of us so here's the magic number of Darras here lebretia said I record the spoke with a moistur God says to Moses Lake Emily Israel go and speak to the people of Israel show you some Emmett's Ryan hey you see em down on a Shoshanna manahawkin when you were in Egypt so then you are like a rose among thorns a sharp shot on the first American on when you go into the land of Canaan I want you to make sure you diamond or Shoshanna been a you're going to need to remain exceptional you're going to need to remain a rose among thorns because the nation of Kanaan is also quite decadent and immoral I'll shatter metaclass owners can on how you done much Amanda Hocking you need to continue that way between guys from Chillicothe look and I say a low blow Komatsu a low make sure you focus and prevent yourself from doing like the actions of these and the actions of these how that would you see that's why the word says cannot say or confirm it speaks of the way the Egyptians do it and the way the Canaanite nations do it because posture Korea but then Adam reveals took explain this verse by giving us an analogy to someone shay-bo knows may mock us that he has two daughters from the same mother damiana hood both of them are from the same father today I'm a sharpie record they both have a certain look Kim I know America versus of Nahum cush mitzraim puto Coonan the verse refers embrasures in Genesis chapter 10 verse 6 to the different different nations that came from calm amongst them were mister I am which would end up in the nation of Egypt and amongst them was keen on which would end up being the nation of Canaan America Nina penises Marshall Malik Shah he like bossy kita we have an analogy to a king who had an exceptional door a special donor with his choice of a mafia hood and he placed her into a certain alleyway the nymphs would cool on valleys blue savelic shot from all the people in that area in the place where he left her were involved in my sensuous behavior immoral behavior and magic which is forbidden by the Torah I'm Marla Beattie he said to his daughter my dear daughter to need a texture like I see like you might say aw c'mon Salem I'm putting you in this place of course I have my reasons for it one should be careful not to behave like these and not to behave like these cos the same making sure how you solve myths rhyme when the Israelites were in Egypt how you met shrine Bali's knows the Egyptians or people who are involved in the moral behaviour remember as the verse says in Ezekiel 23 verse 20 refers to them a shabu sarcoma and Basara it refers to them as the Egyptians the flesh of the Egyptians were like the flesh of a donkey and the words come more means it comes from the root of Comair which means material they were extremely materialistic and we'll see soon this is really the foundation of the idea I'd like to share with you but they were extremely materialistic they were involved in the material senescence desires King on when they came into the land of Canaan how you can dine in Bally's knows Oh bollocks awesome not only were they immoral in their sexual behavior they were also immoral insofar as their their magic these do magic used to try to do they had black magic all kinds of ways of controlling nature in spite of God Shanaya as the verse says inoculum chapter 3 verse 4 many rides Nunez I notice cane ballast cotton it refers to this idea that they had both of these aspects in moral behavior and being involved in black magic oh mylanta coalition borrow hoops wash em says 'gone i my dear children he's ever surely taught to like in my saleable ahkamaat sailor be careful not to act like these and not to act like these though they save my skin my service my tribe I said the verse refers to the fact that shams that don't act this way that the Egyptians behave and not the way that the Canaanite nations behave so hold on to those ideas for now speaking about the Egyptians speaking of the Canaanites and speaking about the Jewish people as a rose among thorns being extricated from there even though it seemed like they were similar to them hold on to that thought for a moment and I'd like to bring it to the next idea that I would like to share from the mannish it speaks about what is a person to do when it comes to immoral behavior how is the person supposed to face off how is the person supposed to overcome his natural desire is urge when it comes to this immoral behavior which we're speaking of over here slut-shame Chebarkul Manavi IRA the measures tells us there were three people who ran away from sin she difficulties for who schmoly mom and as a result of that those three people since they were faced with a challenge they overcame that challenge the result was that a Shem placed his name into their name natal Hank these are the three yo save vol who Paul T Joseph Yael and Paul T neo Sigmund and how do we know that this is true about Joseph we know the story that Joseph was shaped after by postie for his wife and he refused and indeed he was put in jail as a result of that but we find that Hashem added a letter to the name of Yosef shenana as the verse says in Psalm chapter 81 4 6 8 this be a house if summary there's a testimony Anja how sick his name is out there yo same it's yeah Joseph is an extra hey mommy hi sis what is the idea of your host if that name come aid there's an extra letter of a hey and thus it says that there are now two letters really three letters of a Shems name in Yosef name you and then hand involve this teaches us Anna Shem is testifying all ocean inaugurations plated for God is testifying that he did not touch the wife of Potiphar he was completely innocent from any wrongdoing in that case the matrix continues and speaks about yeah L miss weeks about Paul T and gives us the details of what what their difficulty was their challenge was but the idea is that as a result of them overcoming there are other evil inclination to be involved in licentious behavior which was right in front of them didn't do it the result was in a Shem put his name into their name now there's one more last piece that you want to share with you also speaking about the challenge so one idea that you see here is that when a person overcomes it Hashem is manifest in that person in an unbelievable way when we speak about the name of a person when we speak about the fact that his name has changed and God's name is now in that person's name that means that he has manifested the name of a person expresses the essence of who he is if Hashem has now manifested through that person as a result of his actions as a result of his discoveries his tremendous courage his tremendous facing off with the yetzer Hara with that that trouble that that challenge so then that means that now this person is infused with godliness so that's one thought that the message gives us but the measure she gives us another thought which is the core of how a person can approach and overcome the challenges that one finds himself in in our times especially in this area over VI si si si session she took off kitchen al am gone vanish Buhler dar 3 who there Yates air Harada evil inclination was on the edge of overcoming them it didn't seem to have a chance but how did they do it has they get rid of it they made an oath they swore they made an oath and in that way they were able to overcome their Tahara Yosef W boss the three examples are Joseph David and Boas Boz was the great-great-grandfather of David and as well see he had a great challenge he overcame a challenge you know save me 19 how do we see that this is true in regards to Joseph she never make SAR Aguadilla he said how could I possibly do this great evil that's what he said to Potiphar's wife now what's the next part of the verse I'm gonna be shamera VD armor Ravana in the name of ovd says claw maker culture bekasi wash em what is the what is the end of the verse say it should have said and I shall sin if I do this I will send to God insu can ll elokim he says I will sin to Elohim Elohim is a different name it's the name that represents strict judgments and it also is the name that's used in an old nice balance revoir little Kimani hotel near sahara gaedola he said he explained that the verse is saying to us that he swore he made an oath to his yet Sahara this evil clinician he said if I do this I will be sinning onto God and I'm not going to do this you're saying there's no way that I'll do this if I do this there will be a sin unto God that's the language of a nose the message goes through King David and speaks about particular instance where he also made an oath and it also did speak about bones how Ruth was at the end of his bed he was going to marry her anyway in the end but still he didn't he wasn't with her II waited until the appropriate time etc but we see that the idea is that one of the ways to overcome innate suhara one of the ways to overcome the evil inclination in this area is to make an oath to make an absolute unbreakable commitment to God that no matter what I'm going to stay in a pure state now I want to take all of the ideas that we've mentioned here and I want to draw them together with an idea for Moshe Shapiro's which are now reading amazing new book that came out called reflections and introspection and it's about gulleson gula and if the she remember emotion Shapiro translated into English it's a beautiful book and in the context of our very context speaking about the Google love mr. Ahn speaking about the redemption and speaking about the idea of immoral behavior he explains an amazing idea doesn't explain it at length and we're also not going to explain it at length but get the core of it and you can understand how to apply it it's a beautiful idea and and it's very helpful in understanding the proper approach in this area he explains that the Egyptians represent the mysterium represent the idea of homer we mentioned this before they represent the idea of materiality of material existence now you can take material and you can form things out of material an example that he gives is if you have a child a young a young person who has building blocks Legos or whatever it is that they use the the building blocks themselves with Legos themselves are called material now when the child takes that material and he builds a little house out of it that's called bringing it into form so there's calmer material and there's surah which means form now a child and the Egyptian people are represented by this child a child will take the material and they don't want to create a permanent form they build something out of their Lego they build this house they like the house they play with it for a little bit they break it down and then they built something else different type of house or a man or a different thing out of the Lego so material is men to be formed in such a way that once it's formed that's what it is there is a choice that's made there's a commitment that's made within the concept of Comair and that commitment is maintained so once a person takes something out of material brings it into form that is the goal that is what we're supposed to be doing that is the idea of the Torah that is the essence of who the Jewish people are there is an aspect of commitment to form Egyptians on the other hand their whole essence was climber material potential staying in the state of potential not bringing it into once we bring in at the Forum okay so that's one thing now let's let's undo that I'm not I'm not happy with this relationship let's go on to the next relationship and then I'm not happy with this relationship let's move on to the next relationship there's never a true commitment and that's the immoral behavior of the Egyptians and that is really the idea behind the Western society the way Western civilization today thinks about relationships it's like we will be committed to a certain extent doesn't work out move on to the next one that's why the divorce rate is so high there's a lack of true commitment there's a lack of true commitment to bringing something from the material into form and that's also why in the Western world there aren't many children being made because it's not about bringing in to form the Jewish people are told hashem guides us through the Exodus Hashem takes us out of the material and he brings us into form he brings it to a place where we can come now and through commitments we take that material we bring it to form the Jewish people are instructed to be committed one relationship one wife all of our lives complete that all that we can do complete that into old age there's always that continued commitment to that same person it doesn't change it's not a flight of fancy but now that we understand this idea let's see something amazing because now we can really understand the depth of what this is what this has to do with Yom Kippur what is the idea of a moral behavior why is that right here in the middle of Yom Kippur and the clear answer is so clear is that Hashem is committed to the Jewish people Hashem makes an oath the Jewish people are completely material but Hashem says right here where your soul material you're so mixed up with the Egyptians I made an oath I made a commitment to you the Jewish people to your great-grandparents because of their commitment to me and even though you have lost your commitment I maintain my commitment and I'm going to help you to be able to restore that commitment by giving you the Torah so it's not a different topic when we speak about the Exodus and we speak about the commitment a sham made the oath that he made there was an oath God made just like in a parallel way to the way the Yosef makes an oath and David makes an oath and Boaz makes note there's that commitment I will not use my material my potential I will not use it in a way which is just letting it be lost letting it be knit pisar spread-out no it will be focused it will be used in a way which creates form which develops a relationship which creates more children in the world and with someone with whom it's appropriate to create that relationship so in this context in the same context which speaks about the idea of Yom Kippur what is the idea of Yom Kippur Yom Kippur is Hashem says I'm committed to you and you must remain committed to me there's a day of atonement where we recognize and we and we look at all the mistakes that we made enough Shem says I promise you all you need to do is come back to me I forgive you our relationship is holy our relationship is in violet you can't break it right here the client got all going into the flavorless name the high priest going into the Holy of Holies represents the fact that the Jewish people will always get their atonement they will always have that relationship with God no matter what come what may as far as they might stray from a Shem Shem says I'm always committed to you you are the material and I am committed to always make sure that the form is going to come through you just like a person who's truly committed to his wife focuses their on his wife focuses on the Homer on the material that he has chosen to work with so to speak and vice versa we're not just speaking about a man and his wife were thing about the wife with her husband as well this is not a one-sided relationship each one acts in a female wait sometimes the female acts in a male way sometimes the male accent a female way etc you know this is all this is all about the relationships not speaking specifically about man versus woman but now we understand why on Yom Kippur we read the Evoque that we read about our atonement and we also read about why we have the ability to atone it's because there's a commitment between us our commitment to God and a Shemp commitment to us that we the Jewish people are his wife so to speak we are the material that he wishes to form and that commitment is forever and in in that same context we need to know that we need to emulate Hashem in that way and we need to be committed to our relationships we need to be committed in this way and the way the commitment is recognizing that Hashem manifests in this way in to us in our names when we have that commitment and the examples of Yosef and dozen and Boas how they made that commitment strong infront their eyes through an oath in order to maintain the commitment and I want to bless you and I ask you to please bless Amer Shem should help us that we should be able to recognize the amazing idea Homer the material what it means some should help us to be able to leave to have our own personal exodus from civilization within which we live that is only interested in maintaining potential so many possibilities is what they want some shall help us to recognize that the true goal is to limit the possibility to choose to bring material into form so we should help us be able to have that commitment to have that commitment in this area has a commitment in our relationship with Hashem Hashem always helped us to do chuhwa and to come back to him and return back to our commitments and come back lifts novelist NIM to the Holy of Holies into that relationship with Hashem thank you so much for listening have a wonderful Shabbos this podcast was made possible through the gracious donations of listeners like you for more podcasts like this please visit WWE were searched on iTunes Ari Gold black [Music]