Thought for the Week Parshas Matos Masei The War Against Selfishness, Rabbi Yaakov Winner - 57856

How are you? I hope everyone is I hope everyone is healthy, strong and happy physically and spiritually. Today is finishing of what is the connection between all these in today we're going to speak about the number one subject in the number one subject in is really hashem the unity of hashem the oneness of hashem but together With that hand in hand is discussion about man's ego. Before we start as usual give some come now especially we come to the nine days with spoke all the time about one of the ways that we bring today we're going to speak about and as brings we say when do the blessings come when we're all in a state of unity. Now what's the connection between paras mat and paras m is that in paras mat and we have to listen to hashem's messages it speaks about the war against the midionites as we will explain according to which is a war the antidote to selfishness and to man's ego in pious m it speaks about it mentions the passing of Ain. And by the way, it's the only sadic where it says the date of his passing and the pik says it explicitly in paras and it says that it was um have to find the it's gimmel which is now as we know represents the ultimate example of to love a fellow Jew. So the Reb explains the reason why the Tory says exactly the date of when passes away is because since represents the idea of and the ultimate idea of a soul. So therefore we have to get a dosage of for the nine days especially which we're commemorating the days of mourning connected to the destruction of the temple and as we know that the Gmorrah says that why was the second temple destroyed the says that the even though they had and they had why was destroyed and the Gmorra says because there was baseless hatred as we know the story from and the Gorra says something so powerful baseless hatred is equal to the three sins of it's tantamount to serving idolatry and forbidden relations s and murder. We'll soon explain further on this concept. So therefore, as the Reb said many times, if we know that the destruction of the temple is because of the three sins, but if the destruction of the second temple is because of baseless hatred, that mean that means the way for go to end is through. Okay. So that explains why we read about the passing of Aaron who is the role model of what it means precisely in these days. In other words, it's also a because it coincides with the calendar. The Torah tells us the date when Adam passes away that it was and M is always in the week preceding or during the week of unbelievable. Now let's talk about Matis. So it speaks over here that we went to war with the Midionites. Now in general this is just another example how there's so many things in we spoke about this many times and this is one of the benefits and contributions of that without the whole thing sounds very strange there's a war there's a nation are we just studying history things that happened a long long time ago or it has relevance today in my service of hashem number one what's the relevance of this whole battle battle in war against the Midionites. And second of all, there's many differences between this war and the other wars. First of all, it says in this war that um that um every had to be part of it ley that even shy had to take part in this war. Why is it different than all the other wars that did not take part of and this war? They had to take part of and also in the first it says and after you be brought in unto your people which means he will pass away. So it seems like this war is like the culmination of Moshenu's whole career as a leader of Kalisro and that he has to be the one that's involved in this war and after we succeed and win in this war then you could finish your mission on this planet earth. So to make a long story short, this explains all the nations of the world represent a certain character trait, a certain disposition, a certain nature. And a Jew in a serving of Hashem has to elevate that characteristic, whatever it is. And some of them are negative traits but they're details. So when it comes to details we could channel them in a positive way. But then there's something which is called like the core the essence of evil and that's selfishness. As we spoke many times there's selfish the self and the selfless. divisiveness, argumentative, the person who likes arguing, arguing. And as Rashi over here brings on also about it says when the Midionites got involved against the Eden, they didn't even have a fear that the Eden were going to attack them. Because the land of the Midionites is not part of the seven Canaanite nations that is going to be coming next to Israel. But still they got involved. They became enraged over a quarrel which was not their own. They acted with hostility toward Israel that Israel had no quarrel with them. So in other words, this represents the core of anti-semitism. And according to what does it represent? The essence of selfishness i.e. And here this talks about baseless hatred. In other words, sometimes a person meets another person and that other person has something which bothers you. He's so annoying. He doesn't act in a nice way. That other person starting up with you causes you aggro. whatever the story is. But then, and this exists by every single one of us, there's an aspect where the other person's existence is a CONTRADICTION TO YOUR EXISTENCE. WHY? FOR NO OTHER reason that he takes up space, but his taking up space is not a contradiction to your space. But that's your ego, your monumental ego that leaves no room, no room for someone else. Like for example in the physical sense you have a book and the book is on a bookshelf. Once that book is taking up space on the bookshelf it doesn't leave room for another book. Now imagine someone whose ego is so great he has to take over the whole world and every single person takes away from his existence. Really it comes from supreme insecurities. But it's also a monumental ego. I have to be the greatest. I am number one, two, and three. I can't speak about someone else's qualities because then it's giving honor to someone else when I should be bowed down to because I'm God's gift to the world, etc., etc. So, this is what mid is. Midan is the ego that a person has that doesn't tolerate another person and sees every other person as a threat to his rulership, to his domination. And over here we say that this war is different than all the other wars. All the other wars let's say that fought had to do sometimes with annexing land. So it's the detail this detail that detail another detail was connected to something physical also. But this war was purely a spiritual war. We had to get rid of the ego. And this explains why Shv Levy was also involved for two levels for two reasons. Number one, because it's a spiritual war, a regular war the Rambam brings down that Shv Levy doesn't take part of because since they don't have any part of the inheritance of the land, they're not connected to matters of this world and mundane things and planting and sewing and things like that. So therefore, they're busy and the B mikdash don't have to go on any wars. Well, is that true when there's a physical aspect to the war? But what happens if it's something which is totally spiritual? There's a force which represents ego and now the selflessness of Ben with Levy are the pretty great warriors when it comes to selflessness selfless. So they have to be in this war as the antidote that takes out that idea. And this is why it says Kadusha represents a unification and selflessness and harmony and mid is the polar opposite and therefore has to be in this war because Mosha represents B same idea as long as it's a midy mid and cannot coexist in the same planet because they represent ego selfishness not leaving leaving any room for anyone else and bene the opposite. Give room for someone else. Let let everyone live and let everyone we recognize everyone for the individuality. It doesn't have to be my way or the hard way. Okay. And now let's go to there's many stories connected to this. There was a m of the rebun a famous discourse called where he goes out talks about this at length very powerfully and it says that every one of the had a mime that they repeat from time to time to purify the atmosphere the was the in so even though it says that he used to repeat it because of purifying the air but obviously it's also because the world needed it. The world needs to hear this idea of being selfless bit and obviously so because obviously soul is the number one thing that's important for the b and soul to be strong and to get blessings etc. So the alterb in the mime of the says and this is what is very important that we have to pay attention to the alter brings the gur over there in which says they both said and there's question and's question is the first was destroyed three cardinal sins that a person has to be aval you're meant to die rather than commit these sins and the whole destruction goal lasted 70 years but this goal that we're now is almost 2,000 years and for what forum WHY SUCH A GREAT CONTRAST that the first only was seven years and we're still in g from and the gimra says as follows and al explains it beautifully says they both said in the first mdash their sin was exposed. So therefore the end of their exile of the punishment suffering was also exposed. It was only be 70 years but our destruction of the temple where the sin was not exposed. So the end of the exile was not exposed was not revealed. What does that mean? So explains something phenomenal about human character and human life and that is When a person does something which is black and white, a serious situation, so you own up and there's no denying it. Did you commit murder or you didn't commit murder? It's called gas. So therefore, you do cha on it cuz it's clear you did something wrong and that's it. So therefore, you repent and you own up and you regret. But what happens when someone comes over to you and tells you about something and you say me? I'm the nicest guy. Do you have sin? Never. Impossible. Either you justify it like the speaks about or you say you don't have it at all. And because of that, you'll never do on it because you don't think you did something wrong in the first place. It's a bit about like all these people, all these commentators. I find it so ironic. I spoke about it a lot lately lately. Everyone says it. They're not anti-semites. Hello, you're not the one who decides if you're an anti-semit or not. When was the last time you met an anti-semit that says yeah, I am an anti-semite. It's the same thing over here. The person I'm saying the person is he going to say yes? Of course not. Either you'll say it's not there's a reason for and I'll tell you why. or what do you mean? I'm so nice. I'm so warm. I'm so gentle. I'm so kind. And this whatever says since they never admit it, they never own up. We're not doing true on it. And he calls it and the example that I give for this is lately in the last 20 30 years there's been you know they take fruit and they magnify it. They have magnifying microscopes. They can microscopic make it bigger, I don't know, 100 times, a thousand times. And they go into strawberries or or I don't know what different vegetables and fruit and they say these bugs crawling there. No matter what you do, you could soak it for a month, you could rub it, you could bleach it, but still this creepy crawly is going on over there. and that have come out against certain fruits and vegetables that you shouldn't eat if you're a shamayim because we cannot get rid of all the things that are there bugs. But it wasn't revealed until recently when we have new scientific ways to be able to uncover and expose that they're there. The same thing is sometimes we have something in us which we're denying and it could be subtle but it's there and as long as we're not going to acknowledge it and own up then we're never doing ch on it. So this is the first message of the three weeks and the nine days. Go the extra mile as explained. The only way to combat is through and this is a very hard task and you have to keep on on it at all times. So I want to finish with a couple of stories and first I want to say that in all of I believe there's only one story one vert that was a rem situation that we're now today and what's that story there's a story that the was the thirdb he was arrested by the government, by the Russian. He was fighting very much for Yiddish and he was arrested many, many times. And there was another big guy and his name was and they asked, "What are you doing? You're putting your life in danger. What's going to be with the if the God forbid um make a verdict that so the said, I have two answers. One answer is I have my children. One of my children will become the next Reb. And then he said words that have to shake us to the core because I don't know any other reme to our situation today than these words of the and he said the unity amongst will bring them towards Msiah. So today we have a similar situation even though it's there's nothing to talk about but it's not so much revealed. So therefore there's no question about it that we have to intensify in this concept of the what a message that this is the message that he tells us that said that it's going to be the from that will pull them through and will enable them to greet Mashiach. That's one story. Another story is a story that is an amazing amazing story. I'm just going to say it quickly. I'm going to read it inside. It's tough 118. It's a story from one of my greatest greatest heroes who was a and he was such an unbelievable that there was a strong to make him the after the passed away. Anyways, and it says the following story is given he's called a good heart. He was a broad person. He didn't have tolerance and patience for coarse people. He was once talking to somebody. The wagon driver used to bring approached him while he was in the middle of a conversation. He told him something. from and from he started screaming at him and called him auk is some kind of chattering bird. They gave this over to what he had done. called him and he told him in the mystery of souls you're a complete ignoramis even though learned shas many many times there was an unbelievable gun and it was a very very high Jew I mean elevated Jew near saddic gmer material near rabb material and alba continued at is higher than you in revealed faculties and even in the hidden faculties the angels are silent when you want to know how to hide something you have to learn from a thief. He's saying over here like the knows how to hide something. A thief does not hide something in a revealed place, not even under locks, not in a in a in a in a in a pile of earth. But later on it gives it forth produce. Anyways afterward said to belittle somebody else was can taken away from him completely. Then if but to really absorb it internalize it thoroughly took him 60 years. Wow. Say what do we have to say? It's something that it took 60 years to really work on this to be able to appreciate and love and embrace a Jew that was coarse on the outside and really fulfill what the Reb told him over here. So we have to work on that and the message is about just going on an ego diet. The less selfish you are, the more you'll try to work on your selflessness, the more you'll be able to tolerate another person. Which brings us to over here and this war, which I don't want to elaborate on, but the PK says that every was part of the war. So Rashi says what does meanu they were drafted against the will because since they knew the mish was going to pass away so therefore they didn't want to go to the war but the says so the point over here is and without elaborating on this subject right But this is the whole what makes Jewish the real because it's without any calculations without thinking what you going to gain out of it. So nephesh going back to over here and it wasn't about conquering the land. It was purely about addressing a person's ego. And that means to work on your ego so that you should become more and more selfless as much as possible. And it's something that could take 60 years. Every single day, my selflessness of today is more than it was yesterday. Together with humility. One more story. I probably said this story before which is an amazing story. There was a Rabbi Pin Webman Shalom who was the president of Orthodox Rabbi Council of South Florida and he was a rabbi in Miami Beach in 1970. They had a chance to rebuild a mikvah according to the Labavich custom. But there was another person in that city who was like a snag. He was an opposition opposer. And sometimes these these these other rabbis can cause a lot of pain and a lot of problems. And Rabbi Webb wanted to make the mikvah according to the custom. But this rabbi was was dead set against it in the same city. And he said, "If you go do this, I'll disqualify this mikvah." And he waged a war against Rab Weberman. And it went on for two years. And Rabbi Weberman was very disillusioned with many of the rabbis in his surroundings that didn't want to get involved. Even though this was just just just it was a which really was not about um respect. It was the opposite. So Rabb was disillusioned with many of the rabbis but in the end he won. The mikvah was made according to the kabad custom. Nine months later, this is now 1973. He went into the Rebis and he told the Reb the whole story. I'm sure the Reb was involved till then about what happened with the mikvah. But then while he was in private, he also told the Reb that he wants to start a in Miami kosher meat under rabbitic supervision, etc., etc. And he was telling the Reb why it's such a good idea. After he tells the Reb the whole idea about the that he's going to get rebinic supervision and he'll be involved. This Rabbi Weberman, the Reb tells him, "You know what? Take this rabbi who was on the opposite side in opposition of the mikvah war as one of the supervisors of the Rabb couldn't believe it. He looked at the Reb and he said after such a long war about the mikvah such a personality somebody who's he doesn't even respect labavich at all I should take him along and the reb gave two answers first of all he's not the rabb he's just one of other his name is going to be and he'll be involved but as long as you rabbi trust the and you'll be involved in every single step of the way. So, it's a win-win. You have nothing to lose by adding his name. That's number one. And number two, and this was in the nine days or in the three weeks. And here the Reb said these things that happen these days. And the Reb didn't want to say the words migdash, but it meant these things that happen these days, which means the gulus and the migdash. Why did it happen? Because of unwarranted hatred. Baseless hatred. How do we overcome? Through How do we overcome baseless hatred? Through unwarranted love. Unconditional love. So therefore you should take this person who caused you so much aggravation and headache and pain and make him part of the organization that's going to be now involved in the kash and the so when the said that I still felt a bit upset but then the reb can you feel a better example of unwarranted love than this person. In other words, because Rabbi Webbman had been subjected to so much opposition from this person. So as far as whoever was concerned to repay it with love was like an unwarranted love and that's exactly the point what the reb wanted to do that he Rabbin should exercise his and this is an example of how the gulus will end and mashia will come. So maybe should help. I'm talking to myself over here that I should work on my more and more and this of all our Msiah will come take from posting from my home your man in Melman.