Preparing video...
0:00 / 0:00
Thought for the Week Parshas Vayeira Avraham Avinu Kindness Warrio, Rabbi Yaakov Winner, 5782
56 views
Categories:Torah/Chassidus
Comments
Transcript
Auto-generated transcript. Not time-synced to the video.
several how are you I hope everyone is
I hope everyone is healthy
strong and happy physically and
spiritually today is
we're going to speak today a
continuation of what we spoke last week
last week
I mentioned that
the story of Abram fighting the Four
Kings and what lesson we learn from that
but I mentioned how that had a
tremendous impact on Lloyd and I said
we'll leave it for another date so I
decided we'll discuss it this week
because actually it's connected to a
story of this week's passion
but before that as usual we'll start
with the prayer and as we explained last
week at length the first possecking
capital pay test masculation
we explained that acquaintances this
verse is profound without see this it's
just a matter of statement the fact that
this Capital the following chapter of
tillem was written by avram avinu and
Rashi says that it's referring to our
room
the strong one who came from the East
but according to see this what we're
talking about over here is maskel
something which illuminates
and brings enlightenment
means strength
strength goes into the on the essence of
the Jewish Soul his
power to be completely selfless
and transcend limitations
comes from the word shine and that
should illuminate my entire being so the
prayer basically masculation
is a prayer to Hashem that my jewishness
my Jewish Consciousness should be very
healthy and strong
and the deepest deepest levels of my
empowerment and strength should be
revealed and alive and healthy and well
in me
that's the prayer that's the request
so last week I spoke about avram Vino as
a kindness Warrior now I don't know if
it was so clear so if I'm going to
clarify again just for two seconds when
I meant to say about a kindness Warrior
was two things number one that he's a
warrior as a personality a rumble is
just not some
mild-mannered Meek
vulnerable soft person even though
that's all could be also channeled as a
positive thing but just understand like
in other words not some what we call
peace loving pacifist no that's not what
everyone is avram's kindness and he is
the kindness person
comes from a powerful conviction comes
from a sense of values comes from his
being connected to the neighborhood so
that's number one he's a kindness
Warrior it's coming from a strong
personality in a good way in the best
way
second of all kindness Warrior means
that you're actively doing kindness I
didn't say this last week but just we're
gonna add something new right here about
the beginning of the parisha without
elaborating the story in the beginning
is that avram had circumcised themselves
and then he was weak and Hashem made the
sun go out and be a very hot day so
there shouldn't be any passerbys so the
room shouldn't have to work hard but
then the baby should have saw the way
everyone was so upset
and he made guest come and everyone was
able to exercise his kindness so from
this we see the concept and we mentioned
this many times of what does it means
the nature of good is to do good
just by a person being good that
goodness so to speak is from within him
and he has a kind heart that's not
enough that doesn't really prove the
point
a good person has to be a do-gooder you
have to actually do it and if not you
feel like you're missing
that's why we said many times the word
from the previous Rabbi he said that
turquoise can either but gosh means
isn't she can talk a day which you don't
do another Jew a favor in the physical
sense it's not a day so in other words
imagine you're a person and this is the
way you're meant to live your life that
how do I measure a good day you know
it's a good day a good day is a day that
I did something for another
actually not only a good day what is a
day only a day which I did a favor for
another physically so that's the story
in the beginning of the pasture without
ramvino that's a warrior a kindness
Warrior that means he's doing goodness
none of it just comes knocking on his
door he's seeking he's searching where's
their place where he needs my help and
therefore I have to activate and
exercise my goodness muscle so to speak
that means you're a good person and
that's a kindness Warrior it's it's on
the offensive so to speak it's proactive
a kindness Warrior is proactive
and
now speak about another point to take a
pause and I'll add it later we'll soon
see
now in this week's parachute we come to
the story in the beginning as I just
said two seconds ago about the angels
that came and I've run
had did the midst of guests
hosting guests but then later on in the
parisha we have the story of the way
Hashem destroys sudden
now as we mentioned last week
Lloyd who's avram's nephew traveled and
lived together in close proximity to
late for years
light was an orphan from his father
that's another whole story and he was
brought up in his uncle's house
and then he himself
became a businessman and he had
possessions
and he had herdsmen and he had Shepherds
and he had cattle
and there was a quarrel as we saw in
last week's parisha and then they parted
ways and then we saw from last week's
parisha that
when they parted ways with a room it was
basically a rejection
that's what Rashi says of them we
mentioned it all last week it was a
rejection
of avram's way of life
and of avram's God so to speak that's
what Rashi says in other words the
rejection of Hashem and a rejection of
the whole idea really of of generosity
of selflessness of kindness Etc that's
simply what it means yes
and that's why also as we mentioned this
we can Rashi mentioned
the reason how he became a captive act
Etc as we mentioned last week was
because he made these bad choices and he
moved this time and what was the name
so then was a city which represented the
total antithesis of everything that I've
run stood for
so what does it mean it's not only if
they parted ways they went in total
opposite directions by light moving to
stream it means he's going to the Sin
City of the world capital of crime
cruelty Etc
now what happens in this week's passion
my friends
after we mentioned in last week's
parisha
and how we spoke last week about Abraham
going I'm a serious nephe and that was
the rep's answer
[Music]
victorious in the wars and the answer is
last week I only explained the part
because the chosen of Rome's Mercedes
self-sacrifice to rescue another even
against impossible seemingly odds
now there's another major point with the
rubber sets over there listen to this
that this left an indelible impression
on light
and therefore when it comes to this
week's passion we see the following
story
the angels two angels come this time
and they come in front of Leigh's house
and Rashi says by the way that that day
light was appointed a judge
so that shows that he had much more to
gain
but being on good terms with the city
you know like you have corruption they
say power corrupts absolute power
corrupts absolutely so since like that
day was appointed a judge it would be
more in his self-interest
not to do anything that would upset
the community where he's from which is
today anyways that day was appointed the
judge the two angels come
and
standing there
light invites them
to coming to his house
and
originally they don't want to go into
his house
and obviously
doesn't realize the angels and The
Strangers
and light is risking his life to invite
him into his house
but wait there's more
in other words he's risking his life
because he's doing something which is
the opposite of everything that City
stands for
doing
was all about cruelty
all about being a sadist
everything was warped and perverted
to Harbor a guest
would be the biggest crime
the crime of hospitality
so here light is inviting these two
strangers into his house
but wait there's more originally they
refused they say no we won't stay in
your house and then the Posse actually
says these words
he urged them very much
and then they came to his house
so the reason why the person is
mentioning this is because
even the mere fact alone that he offered
them to come into his house was
something which is we'll call it let's
say heroic
and very nice
but the fact that they first refused and
then he insists
shows that he really really
went out of his way
and this was really really
a very
honorable
Act
and when you say if the word means
exceedingly
so the question obviously is why would
they do that
it's contrary to everything
that we said until now he made the bad
choice he went to stream he went to Sin
City he went into a community
which is corrupt corrupt and rotten to
the Core
in the worst possible way
and he's comfortable there that's a fact
and not only that he's seen as one of
the great citizens of that City that's
why they're making him a judge
you understand
and yet never listen this case
he stretches out himself to go out
and have self-sacrifice so to speak
to invite these guests
and the rabbit answers this question the
river asks this question
why would he put himself in such a
danger why would he risk his life
and we see what happens in the story
that they come they they gather around
this house the amount from him to bring
out the guests see there
So Not only was it
an intention to go on self-sacrifice it
was actual self-sacrifice because there
was a major argument
and a scuffle that happened right
afterwards Etc so the question is why
why would he do that
and the rabbi answers that question in
this
that was because of the influence of
avra
you know the words and this is a
tremendous lesson to all teachers and
educators
but we're not dealing with lights we're
dealing with
Yankee but nevertheless sometimes you're
dealing with a person he's rejecting
he's running in the opposite direction
and you think to yourself what did you
accomplish
what influence did you have
comes along the lesson of the story of
light
and this is what the rabbit says that it
was because of Abram's General way of
life of kindness and generosity
that it left an impact and they had an
impression on light
but most
the greatest and most powerful impact
was one of Rome
showed and demonstrated complete
self-sacrifice to go out and rescue
light like we learned in the last week's
passion so that act of self-sacrifice
touched an affected and influenced late
he didn't lose completely
everything that I've Rama told him
yes he lived in Islam yes he was a star
amongst the criminals King criminal King
Khan King crooked King gangster
but there was something there was some
spark that was triggered that when he
saw these strangers
and he was brought up in avram's house
and he saw he had a role model of what
it means to go on self-sacrifice for
another person
so therefore that self-sacrifice of
abramovino Love begets love
self-sacrifice begets self-sacrifice
that self-sacrifice of a rum to rescue
life now ignited and became a catalyst
and inspired light to go on
self-sacrifice for these guests
so this is a tremendous lesson
and we have to always think about it
very very much so
in our daily life
um first I'm going to say a word
that's brought down in the secrets of
the field I'm going to read it inside so
don't think I made it up and it's so
powerful
says like this
City Gathering once there was an
interpretation given
less smaller bahaya Tikka
words that are kabbalistic terminology
terms
which say less small of ayatica there's
no left
in attic attic is a very high deep
kabbalistic level
one could say it's the highest of the
highest levels
Atticus Premier successor and primi
sakesse is connected to atsumus in a
special way
so in other words when we talk about the
tense of irat and we go from
higher than Hackman's castle and in
cancer itself these two levels Eric and
attics attic is the inner of the inner
and by the way acson as we mentioned
last week we translated also ancient is
also connected to attic Arctic could
also be translated as ancient but
anyways
so there's a kabbalistic term which says
a rule less smaller but hayatika there's
no left
whatever that means simply means there
is Guru in attic there's no left in
attic because Guru is from the left line
okay
but then it's interpreted as follows or
if my design actor mean shift
means like for example it's a hot talk
it's a transcript in other words when
you make an extract from one place and
you put it another place an extraction
so to speak
but it means also
shift taken from here to there
if my tech sign
if you want to move something
extract
a vacuum
move away
which means change
to change to turn to shift
whether talking about yourself to make a
change your turn
or a shift or another is knit with smell
foreign
it's not with left
but rather with closeness
so that's what it means less smaller
biotica if you really really want to
affect an attic to change someone
including yourself less smaller it's not
going to come through Smile Smile
represents harshness smile represents
um punishment smile represents fear
smile represents
um consequences but usually negative
consequences
so this is always something we have to
always remember to ourselves again and
again less smaller bahayatika if you
ever really really want to change
somebody it's not going to come through
smile it's not going to come through
being harsh Stern disciplinarian it's
going to come through warmth through
closeness through love
now this is not the time to get into it
now and as a matter of fact in my work I
mean yes
and if I could say that one of the
Central themes
that is like at the Forefront of
education is this balance between
discipline
and inspiration
and there's no question that you need
both and there's no question that in our
day and age we need more love
but there's also no question that we
also need discipline
there's no question about it and I'm not
here to solve the whole
uh question in the scope of this talk
but
this is the truth that short term it
could be
smaller works sometimes
sometimes we see more immediate results
through smaller through
consequences and and Stern
Etc But ultimately ultimately there's no
question about it that real change
long-term change is only through love
and through warmth
Etc
now even in cases where sometimes you
need a radical sort of approach
like yes yes
sometimes you really want to make a
change from one sort of change to
another sort of change it needs a state
of nothingness in between true
but that still has to be based on the
idea of the love of the Ava okay so
therefore it doesn't change anything
we're speaking about over here so let's
get back to our story this is I love
when you have a story from the Torah it
demonstrates this lesson so this is the
lesson over here concerning light
and I've run that I've run because
he was the Paragon of kindness
sensitivity warmth care concern Etc
therefore even the personal Rejects and
went to the Other Extreme as in a city
and is in a city of Cruelty even he was
influenced by hashems but by avram's
love generosity
and compassion
I want to say another thing side point
that I never said this before but
in general I believe that it's a good
Sim and it's a good sign to remember
there are three E's and if you remember
these three E's you have the story of
Yiddish kite the story of everything the
secret of everything
and the three E's are enlightenment
empathy and empowerment and you could
say I have ramavina represents all three
masculine
that's enlightenment
which you could also say Enlightenment
means truth
that means Enlightenment when you see
the truth so you could say alignment is
Enlightenment you intellect then comes
empathy that's your emotions you meet
this your hagas
and then comes empowerment
your ability to carry it through so
avram who's the first Jew represents all
these three he's Enlightenment
let me call Ryan let's explain the
Kabbalah that I've run was the greatest
philosopher
somebody had the deepest deepest deepest
deepest level of intellect with God so
that's his Enlightenment and then this
empathy
he's a lover he's Crescent he's the
epidemic as we spoke last week so he's
the ultimate of kindness and compassion
and sensitivity and generosity
and then this empowerment a son
he's strong he has that nashama he has
the ability to carry through whatever
values and virtues that he believes in
to the very end no matter what obstacles
trials and tribulations he will face he
will be able to implement and actualize
whatever values and virtues are the
truth
um
by the way okay
thinking about this idea that I've
promised the influencer and that's what
the rabbit brings out in the sikha of
vaira
the reason why Impressions speaks about
his war with the battles with the Four
Kings and his influence I'm late is to
bring out that point
that in the end
avram is the greatest role model yeah as
we spoke about last week but the lesson
is also about his influence
is influencing others and everything was
about that because that's what Hashem
wants so there's a tremendous once
mentioned the same name before Chris
Thomas
which only a river could say what he
says here because who are we to measure
these things
and it says over there
that's Thomas
foreign
because he commanded he gave over the
values and virtues to his children and
to his house house and for Generations
Generations okay they gave over his way
of life to his children it continued
Jewish continuity
but listen to what he says over here he
commanded doesn't mean that he commanded
it means they connected what's up Ram's
greatest virtue that he connected others
to Hashem
I know
the whole
gagne is
that all of our films
tremendous heroic Endeavors in the face
of his trials
pale in comparison to his commanding and
connecting others by making them two
meritorious
so this is
beyond words he's saying in this I am
that the fact that you go out and put on
film with another person
you connect another youth with Hashem
when you have positive impact and bring
benefit to another kid
that's greater than the arcader
these are not my words this is the words
of the feedback here in a game
I'd like to finish off with one story in
this vein
about impacting and influencing through
kindness and that's another meaning of
kindness Warrior
you know they say kill them with
kindness don't kill them with kindness
win them over with kindness and that's
what means a kindness Warrior
you have a warrior mentality to gain to
advance to Triumph
but how
through kindness kindness Warrior you're
going to win over others through
kindness and that's what avram did with
late
there was
Israel I would say he's probably 10
years older than me
or in the neighborhood maybe maybe seven
years older than me
he's an empty stroll and he used to
visit Melbourne from time to time he
from bring once I would say his name
it's not a secret but I can't say his
name because I haven't asked him for
permission
and he said that when he was becoming a
laborator custard he was having great
difficulties with his parents
and it caused Great Rift and tension in
the house
so he wrote To The River about the
problem that he's having with his
parents and the river gave him an answer
of three points
and I thought this the answer was
brilliant
and it could apply to many many people
in many many different areas of life in
fields of business
of of in relationships it's it's
principles in dealing with difficult
relationships whether it's in a marriage
whether it's in business whether it's
with children any sort of relationships
it's really about conflict literary
resolution in a way so this is what
happens
who's a teenager then who's becoming a
laborator he wrote to the Reba that he
was having these difficulties and the
rabbit answered three points I don't
have the exact answer
I wish I would have wrote down the exact
wording of the rubber but I'm I'm
reading to what I wrote down from memory
the first thing they ever told them was
don't get into arguments and debates
I think I remember the part of the
answer was you know I'm sorry don't get
into arguments you know
so many times that's one of the main
problems we've come to difficulties
you know
you're you're a vexer you're an
anti-vaxxer you're whatever it is you
know don't bring it up don't talk about
it don't get into arguments that's
number one peace and reign in the
household your parents don't want you to
be lead your life in a certain way you
want to lead your life in a certain way
which might even be better don't bring
it up don't get into arguments with the
base
the second thing they ever told them was
be the ultimate role model of Manchester
height and neither is
there's nothing that a parent wants more
than to think and see their child as a
mensch
he's such a good-natured person he
always helps me out he always asks me
how I am
he always says can I do something to
help you can I do something to make your
life easier that idea so that was the
second answer you're ever saying
and the third answer they ever said was
see if you could find a third party
another person that could talk to your
parents maybe and show them how if you
become a laborator it's there's nothing
wrong with it on the contrary it's great
so when I heard that answer I thought I
said wow and I and I thought to myself
this applies to any situation think of
yourself in your Workforce are you
having difficulties with a colleague or
with a boss
think of a marriage think of any
interaction interpersonal relationships
these three steps apply don't get into
arguments and debates Trying to minimize
arguments to the base no matter what
second will just be a mensch always do
the right thing always be the nice guy
and ultimately if you do that it'll be
very very hard for the other person's
animosity or or ill feelings towards you
not to melt
to always stay strong and have all these
complaints against you and last but not
least find the third party sometimes you
need a third party to talk to that
person so basically one of the three
points that the reperto says over here
was the theme of the today's whole talk
which is
less smaller biotica how does everyone
influence even light through his
kindness maybe we should help we should
all improve in that area we forget that
the river said that what's going to
bring mashiach acts of goodness and
kindness
the repriment acts of goodness and
kindness like smiling like doing a favor
my symptoms
that all is in the category of Acts of
goodness and kindness let us all
increase in Acts of goodness and
kindness and this will guarantee bring
the Gula means
posting from my home that is your man in
Melbourne
Up next
24 recommendations shown
Stray Kids
3 years ago
TOOL
8 years ago
The Alan Parsons Project
9 years ago
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Topic
12 years ago
Berel Solomon
2 years ago
Matisyahu
17 years ago