Lag B'Omer: “5-Alive" - Rav Yosef Engel Reveals How Lag B'Omer is the Source of Life

This Torah class is brought to you by torahanytime.com. Okay. Okay, Baruch Hashem. Welcome everyone. Thank you everyone for coming tonight. So, tonight's sheer is the subject is going to be Lag B'Omer Hava Alenu Letova. So, in a way it's almost like Erev Lag B'Omer because, you know, Friday already it's mutar to shave and it's already Thursday, so it's kinda Erev Erev Lag B'Omer. So, Lekovod Lag B'Omer one of speak about that this great day Hava Alenu Letova. Um I don't think we ever had a sheer with more mar'eh mekomos than this sheer. Um we have 68 mar'eh mekomos. The Siyata Dishmaya we should have we should have the heavenly assistance to speak everything out clearly and convey everything. Tonight's sheer comes from a brand new sefer that I got. The name of the sefer is Otzaros Yosef from Rebbi Yosef Engel. Rebbi Yosef Engel one of the all-time great go'anim. He lived from 1815 1859 to 1920. Um so I had a quite a glimpse of something that Rebbi Yosef Engel says and I saw that it was in the sefer Otzaros Yosef, but this is a sefer that's I don't think it's really that available. So, once again I want to thank my friend in Norfolk, Virginia, Gedaliah Schwartz. He was able to track down and actually print this sefer just for tonight's sheer. So, we have Otzaros Yosef over here from Rebbi Yosef Engel. Now, what's even more significant is the fact that Rebbi Yosef Engel was the Rav of Krakow. And whose yahrtzeit is on Lag B'Omer? The greatest Rav who ever lived in Krakow? The Rama. And Lekovod the yahrtzeit of the Rama, Rebbi Rebbi Yosef Engel was invited to give a sheer in the shul of the Rama the night of the Rama's yahrtzeit. So, what we're going to learn tonight is the drasha that Rebbi Yosef Engel gave Lag B'Omer Lekovod the yahrtzeit of the Rama printed in this beautiful sefer Otzaros Yosef. By the way, Rebbi Yosef Engel one of the all-time great go'anim. There's a story about Rebbi Yosef Engel that there were two women they were fighting over some laundry, you know, "Zeh omer kulah sheli." "Vezeh omer kulah sheli." So, they're back and forth. So, Rebbi Yosef Engel had an einfall. He told some of his benei bayis, "You know, throw some dirty laundry in the pile." So, he went back to the first lady. He says, "Kulah sheli." Kulah is the The other lady is looking through, "This is mine, this is not mine." He said, "Ah, this is the right one." Okay, that's just a little a little flavor. Rebbi Yosef Engel was a bakki Shas, Bavli, Yerushalmi, Kabbalah, Sifrei Chassidus. So, anytime you quote Rebbi Yosef Engel, you're basically taking a journey through kol haTorah kulah. So, let us begin. Okay? What year was the drasha? I don't have that info for you. Okay, it was on Lag B'Omer. So, the Gemara says in Maseches Yevamos daf sameach beis amud beis, the Gemara is darshening the pasuk that uh um baboker zar'echa erev al tenach yadecha. It says, "In the morning you should plant your seeds and in the evening don't stop." And the Gemara says Rebbi Akiva darshened this pasuk that if a person learned Torah and taught talmidim in his youth, he should once again and continue to learn Torah and teach talmidim in his old age because you never know which talmidim will flourish, which talmidim will be the most successful. Says the Gemara, Rebbi Akiva had 12,000 pairs of talmidim and they extended from the north to the south. And says the Gemara, they all died between Pesach and Shavuos. Why? Shelo nahagu kavod zeh bazeh. Until Rebbi Akiva came to Rabbi Seinon Sheva Darin, until he came to his talmidim in the south. And the Gemara says, "Who were they?" Reb Meir, Rebbi Yehudah, Rebbi Yosef, Rebbi Shimon, Rebbi Elazar. And bear in mind, how many talmidim did he teach? He taught five new talmidim. And from there Torah continued. Okay, so very interesting. The Gemara says that the talmidim of Rebbi Akiva all passed away between Pesach and Shavuos. What does the Gemara tell us about Lag B'Omer? Absolutely nothing. What does Shas tell us about Lag B'Omer? Absolutely nothing. What does the Torah Shebaal Peh say about Lag B'Omer? Nothing. It does not apply does not appear in the Torah Shebaal Peh. In fact, the Chasam Sofer even writes in a teshuvah, "The time agufa lo yedana. Have no idea what Lag B'Omer is all about." But Rabbeinu Yitzchak the Me'iri the Me'iri brings down on the Gemara that there's a kabbalah miyad haGeonim that we have a tradition from the Geonim that on Lag B'Omer the talmidei Rebbi Akiva stopped dying. Says the Me'iri, "This is a tradition that we have from the Geonim." Again, nothing mentioned in Shas, but the Geonim tell us that the talmidei Rebbi Akiva stopped dying on Lag B'Omer. So, Rebbi Yosef Engel in his classic drasha that he gave the night of Lag B'Omer on the yahrtzeit of the Rama. By the way, what's this week's parsha? Emor. Otzaros Rama. The Rama's yahrtzeit is always the week of parshas Emor. Otzaros Rama. Anyway, says Rebbi Yosef Engel, "Why did the talmidei Rebbi Akiva dafka stop dying on Lag B'Omer? What is the connection between Lag B'Omer and the cessation of misah for talmidim of Rebbi Akiva?" Okay. After we count Sefirah, we say Harachaman hu ya'aseh lanu avodas haMikdash bimkomah. And then there appears a perek of Tehillim. Which perek of Tehillim? Perek sameach zayin. Now, what in the world does perek sameach zayin got to do with Sefiras haOmer? Now, if you look through perek sameach zayin, you'll notice something very unusual. And that is there's a pasuk in perek sameach zayin that appears two times inexplicably. There's a pasuk that appears um two times. Pasuk dalet yoducha amim Elohim yoducha amim kulam. And then noch amal, pasuk vav, again the exact same words yoducha amim Elohim yoducha amim kulam. Why does that pasuk appear two times? Have you ever paid attention to that? And if it needs to appear two times, why are we mafsik between the first time and the second time instead of appearing doubly back-to-back? Now, Meheichan teisei this perek has anything at all to do with Sefiras haOmer? So, the Aruch Hashulchan brings down in siman taf peh tes that after you count Sefirah you say Harachaman and that is already legislated by the Rishonim. Tosafos brings it down. In fact, the poskim even point out that in light of the fact that we say Harachaman, the Hineni Muchan u'Muzman is somewhat problematic. Cuz if you're going to say Hashem should restore the avodah l'makomah, that means Sefirah is only derabanan. How then could you say Hineni Muchan u'Muzman l'kayem mitzvas asei? It's not a mitzvas asei, it's a mitzvah derabanan. Therefore, the poskim for the most part say maybe not to say that. So, I just say Hineni Muchan u'Muzman l'kayem mitzvas Sefiras haOmer. But to say mitzvas asei, it's not a mitzvas asei. Okay. In any event, what does this Then the Aruch Hashulchan says, "Some people say you should say Mizmor Elohim Yechoneinu." Why? Because there are 42 words in perek sameach zayin keneged the four 49 words in perek sameach zayin keneged the 49 days of Sefiras haOmer. Very interesting. Now, by the way, if you count it, there are not 49 words. It means without the heading of the perek, without Lamnatzeiach Binginos Mizmor Shir, there are five 49 words in perek sameach zayin. But this idea of the Aruch Hashulchan that perek sameach zayin is connected to Sefiras haOmer it already has roots in the Rishonim. The Akedas Yitzchak, Rebbi Yitzchak Arama, brings down that, you know, by the Sefardim and and in many shuls they take this perek, perek sameach zayin and they sort of make a a design out of it in the image of what? A menorah. And the seven pesukim comprise the seven branches of the menorah. And the Akedas Yitzchak writes that the 49 words in the seven pesukim of Lamnatzeiach Binginos Mizmor Shir correspond to the seven weeks of Sefirah and the 49 days of Sefirah. Okay, my revered Rabbeinu Yitzchak, what is the connection really with 49 49? What is the deeper connection between Lamnatzeiach Binginos Mizmor Shir and Sefiras haOmer? Okay, so fasten your seatbelts. Rebbi Yosef Engel now is going to take us through a ride through kol haTorah kulah mamash like like you never saw before. Says Rebbi Yosef Engel, "Step number one is the following. We're going to talk now about the number five." Okay, if you want to follow along, we're at number seven on the sheets. We're going to talk about the number five. Well, says Rebbi Yosef Engel, "The number five is associated with hodah, gratitude to Hashem." And kedarko bakodesh, Rebbi Yosef Engel brings whatever he says he brings dozens of proofs from kol haTorah kulah that this is true. So, the number five is associated with gratitude. Okay, he's about to bring 10 proofs that the number five is associated with gratitude. Let's begin. Number one. Besides the middle brachos of Shmoneh Esrei, which are 13 you have three brachos in the beginning and three brachos in the end. These are brachos hashvach. So, what number bracha is hodah in Shmoneh Esrei? Avos Gevuros Kedushas Hashem Kadosh Retzei is avodah Modim is hodah. Bracha number five is hodah. It's araya. The number five is associated with hodah. That's right, number one. Write number two. The Gemara says in Brachos daf vav amud beis. Gemara says, "Kol hanena'ah misudas chasan." Anyone who gets benefit from the food of a chassan and does not gladden a chassan over the violates five by the way the right what's the reason the is that the kallah pays for the wedding? Where does that come from? It says it's to avoid the of the by the way so we make it that a wedding is not a wedding is a so the anyway What are the five so the says so sign the call the call call The fifth call is how do I is a the number five is associated with that And that is why the continues that says anyone who's with it's as if he was a carbon copy Because since the final call is and the final call is all the earlier four calls the the main concept of is allowing them and engendering within them which is the fifth call and therefore anyone is a a call is he was a carbon copy Another number two that what that is associated with the number five by the way we'll have to explain the continues that anyone who's a a call is they built one of the Jerusalem so where does that come in? Let's continue. The mission says another voice We have five of them What are the five of them? Tyra Shamai are us Abraham Israel The fifth of is the says angle When it says can all of it like the tower of David is your neck what is that referring to what is referring to when it says can all of it like the tower says the mission It refers to the mission says why is the mission called David we are in the words David do you see mission The word David is a of that The mission is a language of is a of that and therefore the proper terminology to refer to the mission is David the tower of that in other words the fifth is the mission is a that is associated with the number five That's the third proof. 68 of them Why why neck? Uh Okay. Good good point later. Do we know there's seven there's seven alluded to in the in we say like this what are the seven by the way how many really are there? There are 10. But are the pathways into the seven the the are the pathways into the other seven is said is to hold your side my my what's the fifth era hold what does hold mean it's a so another the number five is associated with in fact the in our refers to the mission why because again the mission is David a of okay that is proof number four Proof number five That again what number is associated with gratitude the number five we'll explain Let's say somebody has my shiny Or somebody has got some And they want to redeem it What percent how much do you need to add to redeem my shiny? A fifth why the number five? The answer is because the says redeem and from the call that Which we you could make it but the says by redeeming and It's a way of praising and thanking so since you're thanking what number is associated with one fifth the number five is another that is associated with the number five By the way just as an aside Let's just Take a parenthetically says Whenever you have An addition of that You always need that So for example if you wanted to be to whenever you have that You need that So for example when they wanted to be to they needed to bring luck may tie that Or say Which two met each other in I I love you you do And you because whenever you have you you need that you need you do that's a concept that whenever there is a you need that Let's just bring one a sixth that the number five is associated with gratitude listen carefully You have comes out of jail we're going to say it tomorrow morning The says a dose Be some I but say so Let us the comes out of jail now when somebody comes out of jail that's one of the five people who what have to have gratitude so what letter are we to the name of the letter hey why the letter hey because the number five is associated with gratitude okay six proofs you probably want more I'm going to give you a couple more again we're trying to prove that gratitude is associated with the number five so you want to know what this got to do with just hold on Another proof okay number seven The says in what did we're up to number 17 what did the create on the fifth day? What did God create on the fifth day says the the bar on the fifth day created birds and fish why to to thank him what does it got to do with the fifth day that is associated with the number five Proof eight I know you it's not enough you're not satisfied There's a it's how many do we need the night of the past are you in the is there in accordance with the says we Going the all of all of all of that Says the no The holds there five and the of the is Going the all of all of all of all of that Say what's all of all of all of all of that I do all of all of all of all of that Which do you say number five again is a the number five is associated with gratitude It's nice right thank you we're not done yet Uh Well We know that the seven weeks of correspond to the seven of them First week is said Second week is the third week is the the fourth week is the fifth week is the sixth is the seventh is the In that Every type of includes all the others so each one is a composite of all the others so for example that's when the first week of there's and and there's each of them includes all seven Which is the fifth of them Hold Hold includes all seven It also includes the hold Which week does come out in? The fifth week Which day of the fifth week is there? The fifth day That means is hold the hold or gratitude should be gratitude Thanks should be thanks Now I know what gratitude is you do me a favor I acknowledge it and I say thank you What's gratitude should be gratitude what's thanks should be thanks? What says the angle You need to have the and the common sense and the humility and the knowledge And the understanding to be able to say thank you Thank you for what you could be sitting there eating the most delicious meal in the world Breathing in the most delicious air your heart is pumping blood and you say You know I'm not sure what I should be thanking for you need to have the and the humility to realize that there's so much to be grateful to that's why we say in the name The name of the name And we end all of all of all of all of all of listen carefully you say this every day you should know this means All of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of we thank you why all of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of all of The greatest thing you need to thank for is if you have If your skull is not so thick that you realize you need to thank Hashem. The greatest gift in this world, the most important thing you need to thank Hashem for is if it dawns on you that you need to be thanking Hashem. If you're not walking around on the cloud nine because you could walk and you could talk and you could think and you have people to speak with and you have food to eat and clothing, then you're not doing it right in this world. If you're not If you're not constantly, not once a day or twice a day, if not every single block you walk down, every 10 minutes of the day, every minute of the day, if your heart is not overflowing with thanks to Hashem, you're doing this world wrong. That's That's gratitude should be gratitude. You could learn and you could dive and you could do mix slice and you could do school slice. If during the course of the day you're not feeling constant gratitude to Hashem, you need You need Torah therapy. You need to improve the way you're thinking. That's gratitude should be gratitude. The greatest thing we thank Hashem for is that we have a little common sense to thank Hashem. By the way, proof number nine. When did Leah thank Hashem after how many kids? After four. Oh, after the fourth kid, okay. That's already in the arms reach of number five. How come we don't say Hashem? The number five is associated with gratitude. So then it comes out that the pinnacle of the is what? Gratitude. So if you were writing a chapter into him that corresponded to and had 49 words, which theme would you emphasize and double? Again you do again and again and again. Again and again and again. Again and again and again. Again and again and again. four times maybe it will dawn on you that you need to thank Hashem. That's why in the that corresponds to says that is why number four look back and tell him you do four times again and again. Says if you just look for a moment back go to skip to number 65 says that's exactly the theme of the theme of that is why the appears twice. So you'll say so it should appear back to back. No, you you forgot the and twice. Call my day my day and you're not allowed to say thank you thank you back to back because then it sounds like they're two so keeping with the that you're not You don't say my day my day. You say you do you do and then there's a and then you do you do. Says half love a fellow, okay. That is part one of the share. We move on to part two. What is gratitude? In Torah it is gratitude is always associated with the following concept being alive. So you say no kidding, it's very hard for dead people to have gratitude. Yeah, but obviously a dead person can't do anything. But for some reason more than any attribute, more than any more than any whenever you see the word gratitude is always associated with life. Let's Let's start with one example and again we're going to give many examples. So number one in on the book very I That's number 24. What is very good? Death. Instead of death death. The meaning is anything in extreme is death. Meaning like this. I want a nice car. No, I want a very nice car. That's death. I want nice shoes. I want very nice shoes. Very? That's death. Extremes are death. Don't try for very. Very is very bad. Extremes are bad. Is death. Is death. That's how teaches Don't be into it. Listen, you should see what I have. It's very uh-oh, you're in big trouble. Don't do things very. The only thing you should do very, listen carefully, look at number 25. What does it mean you should serve and love Hashem with all your whatever whatever God dishes out to you, thank him. Says that means there two in Torah. There's death and there's thanking. Are these really opposites? Yes. That's what we're going to bring out now. The opposite of is gratitude, not life. Because the definition of gratitude is life. So we have two in Torah. Death and gratitude. Let's progress. Look in number 27. So we're trying to bring out now and we're going to bring six proofs that the definition of life is gratitude. Think about back to the book. We thank you Hashem and what are we able to ask for immediately? I will you son of Torah meaning can't say meaning that thanking Hashem already is a to continue to live. Meaning the definition of life is gratitude. My day can't say meaning. Okay, I'm going to offer three proofs of my own. Okay, this is I think it's clear doesn't mention them. We say every morning in Torah. We say you shall learn. Keep us on the planet. My best dummy. What benefit will you have in my blood? Right? So now think about it. Think what we're doing every morning. We're arguing with Hashem. We're saying don't take me out of here. Don't take me out of this world. Why? What are we offering Hashem? So we can make the following offering. We want Hashem don't take me away. Who's going to wear Who's going to wear Who's going to dive in? Who's going to learn? Who's going to support my family? No. My best What are you going to gain? What are you going to gain when I go down into the pit? Will Will the dirt thank you? Meaning what? We're saying to if I die who's going to thank you? Meaning keep me alive. Life is gratitude. Another proof. We say in you can't say. The dead can't thank you. No kidding, the dead can't play baseball either. You know, they can't play football. They can't A lot of things dead people can't do. Why are we saying you can't say meaning can't thank you cuz the main definition of life is gratitude. We say in my day and the life you do and the living thank you. No kidding. The dead aren't thanking. No, the definition of life is gratitude. Another proof is angle. Says angle the says a comma. Yeah, the says that if a person doesn't bow down in my day, what happens to their Torah? What happens to their spine? It turns into a snake. Why a snake? The snake is the definition of the book. A person doesn't use his spine for the opposite of is death. Says angle that's the book again in the book. Another interesting he brings. I probably remember from the first in the book again in the book again in the book again in the book again in the book. The says this is We'll do this very quick. Look at number 33. And this is half of the fellow. The says that when you bring a carbon you're not allowed to bring a carbon with it. Right? By the way, the only carbon that you're allowed to have with is a carbon in it. Yeah? But the calls out the Torah. The burning destroys the carbon says angle this in number 33. The is what? What's the of the Torah? Death. Why? Cuz the opposite of is death. Meaning the is like this that a person is alive and his heart is beating and he's and he's his lungs are working and he's heart is pumping and his digestive system is working and he's walking around but his heart is not full of gratitude, he ain't alive. That What we're saying is the definition of the you do definition of life is gratitude. What number is gratitude? Five should be five. The greatest day of gratitude of the year is five should be five. By the way, if if destroys Torah then what preserves the Hyda? Matzah. What's the difference between chametz and matzah? They both have a mem. They both have a tzadi. Matzah has what letter? Hey. Why? Cuz the definition of Hyda is the letter hey, five. That's the 10th proof of saying it brings that the letter hey represents gratitude. So my rabbi said we have two ideas over here. That Lag B'Omer is five shiva five. Lag B'Omer is the day of Hyda. Hyda is the definition of life, chiyus. Ah, says Rabbi Yosef Engel, why did the students of Rabbi Akiva stop dying on Lag B'Omer? Cuz since Lag B'Omer is five shiva five, hoy shiva hoy, gratitude shiva gratitude, and the definition of Hyda is chaim chaim yedu chasal, so this is the day that is the greatest power of life than any other day of the year. That's why the students of Rabbi Akiva stopped dying on Lag B'Omer cuz of the power of hoy shiva hoy, gratitude, v'chol ha chaim yedu chasal. That's what Rabbi Yosef Engel said in Krakow, Lag B'Omer on the yahrtzeit of the Rama. Says Rabbi Yosef Engel, he takes it further. Yeah, you're with me? So so far those are the first two parts of the shiur. We're two for two. There going to be five parts. What a surprise. By the way, I would like to suggest that one of the significances of Lag B'Omer is that after the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva died on Lag B'Omer, Rabbi Akiva started teaching them on Lag B'Omer. How many talmidim? Five talmidim, hoy shiva hoy, five shiva five. That's where the koach of Torah came to Klal Yisrael, those five talmidim. But don't stop here. There are two things that are moyed, death and Hyda cuz they're polar opposites. There's one more thing that's moyed in this world, humility. It says in Pirkei Avot 4:4 daled daled. Look at number 35, Rabbi Levitas Ish Av No'am Mar, "Me'od me'od have a sfar ruach, be very very humble." What's the chiddush? Chiddush is you shouldn't be very very generous. For example, somebody wants to give a million dollars to a new building. You don't have to give two million. One million is enough, right? No, but generosity is good, but not too much. If you're too generous, you're going to give away all your money. Or or let's say um let's say kinah, don't be jealous. Of course, you shouldn't be jealous, but a little bit you need, right? Kinah so if I'm talking about chachmah, there's only one midah that you need to go to the nth nth degree there's no extreme. Humility has to be very very much. So there are two good things in this world that are very. What are they? Gratitude and humility. And now gratitude is the definition of life. And so is humility. How do I know that? Because the Gemara in Sota says in daf yud gimmel amud bet, who's the most humble man who ever lived? Moshe. Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe Rabbeinu Gemara Sota says. Or the Gemara Sanhedrin tzadik bet, number 37. Amar Rabbi Elazar, "Lo oilam have a kavel v'kayem, be humble and live." Meaning, humility gives life. Or the Torah says about the king, "L'vilti rum l'vavoi," so he doesn't become arrogant so that what? "L'man y'arich yamim," so he lives long. Or the Gemara says somebody who acts b'rav on him, somebody who acts carries himself with too much authority, we learn from Rabbi Akiva tzadik, lives short. Meaning, humility prolongs one's life. So the definition of humility is life. There are two things in this world that are good very, gratitude and humility. They both bring life. Listen carefully. What is Moshe called when Moshe is born? Vayar osoi ki toyiv, they saw he was good. Like what's what's the big chiddush over there? They saw he was good as opposed to what? They saw he wasn't good? And if he wasn't good, they were going to write that? Like what's the what's the big chiddush of the Torah? Vayar osoi ki toyiv. Says Rabbi Yosef Engel, you know what what is good in this world? There's only one thing that's good, humility. Why? Listen carefully. The definition of good is something that cannot be bad. That's not true of any midah cuz every single midah once it's taken to the extreme, it becomes bad. The only midah that can never become bad because it's never too extreme is humility. So they saw Moshe was good cuz since Moshe was the most humble man who ever lived and humility there's no extreme, it's never enough, so vayar osoi ki toyiv. By the way, there's one more thing in this world that's toyiv. Toyiv, l'hodot l'Hashem. So there are two things in this world that are moyed, gratitude, humility. There are two things in this world that are toyiv, gratitude and humility. Well, says Rabbi Yosef Engel, the two go together. Why do the two go together? He says in number 41, the second paragraph, "I'll tell you why the two go together." Because why don't we feel gratitude to Hashem? I'm sitting there by davening. I'm saying, "Um 7:00. It's better not be over 1 minute after it's supposed to." What do you mean? You have so much to be grateful to Hashem. So why are we not grateful to Hashem? The main reason is kim mear. What what should I be grateful for? That I could walk? I'm entitled to walk. What should I be grateful for? My heart beats? Kim mear. I'm entitled to my heart beat. What should I be grateful for? That I have a family or I have food or I have clothing? All these things I deserve, I earn. The Hashem has to give it to me. And gratitude is if Hashem gives me extra shiva extra. So that's ga'avah. If a person thinks that everything that he has he earns and he's entitled to, and he only has to have gratitude for things beyond other people. But in order for a person to have gratitude to Hashem, if he understands Ribbono shel Olam, thank you so much for this water. Who am I? I don't deserve this water. I deserve that you should take two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Hydrogen will does nothing for me. Oxygen does nothing for me. And you should the master chemist should put together these two items and make a liquid for me. Who am I to deserve this cup of water? If a person is an anav, he has Hyda. If a person is a ba'al ga'avah, he doesn't have Hyda. So there are only two things in this world that are very, humility and gratitude. There are only two things in this world that are good, humility and gratitude. Let's go on to the next part. How many gates of wisdom are there in this world? How many sha'arei binah are there in this world? So the Gemara says in Maseches Rosh Hashanah, "Chamishim sha'arei binah nivru ba'olam," there are 50 gates of wisdom. Very nice. And how many did Moshe have? Moshe had 49. "V'chulam nitnu l'Moshe chaser achas she'ne'emar v'chasar me'at m'Elokim." Moshe had 49. Says Rabbi Yosef Engel, "Mamash chefel v'chefelah." It says like "Come bi Yisrael k'Moshe." So that means if there are 50 gates and Moshe had 49, then probably the highest we could get is 48. Rabbi Akiva had 50, it's Moshe kol, yeah. "Kol yakar ra'ah einai," it's another Lag B'Omer shmuess. We can't do everything in one year. So Moshe had 49 and probably the highest we could reach is 48 because why 48? Moshe was the greatest, plus, says Rabbi Yosef Engel, I'm sure you remember the Mishnah Menachos kuf gimmel amud bet that says like this, that if somebody wants to donate many issaron of soiles as a carbon minchah, you could bring 60 in one vessel and one in another vessel. Why? But don't you dare bring 61 in one vessel cuz since the tzibur could bring the most 61 in one vessel and you're not a tzibur, you're just a yachid, so dayoi l'yachid she'yifchos min ha'tzibur echad. A yachid should always be one less than the tzibur. M'meilah, since Moshe Rabbeinu was the collective entity of Klal Yisrael, he was like a tzibur, and he had 49, probably we could only get 48. Says Rabbi Yosef Engel, "You ever wonder why the Gemara Megillah says how many nevi'im were in Klal Yisrael?" The Gemara Megillah says daf yud dal, 48 nevi'im. Why what's 48? What's the magic number 48? 48 represents the 48 pathways of wisdom that are accessible to basar v'dam cuz only Moshe could get 49. Ah. Is there any wonder then that if you look in Pirkei Avot, how many ways are there to be kinyan at Torah? Look in mar'eh makom number 48. And I didn't do this on purpose. Look at mar'eh makom number 48, the Mishnah says there are 48 kinyanei Torah. Why 48? Cuz since there's 50 Sh'arei Binah, and Moshe had 49, that means a regular basar v'dam can only have 48. The 48 Kinyanei Torah correspond to the 48 Sh'arei Binah that accessible to basar v'dam. If that's the case, listen carefully. After how many days should we get the Torah? L'chora, after 48 days. Cuz I mean, we can't we can't do anything on the 49th day. Only Moshe has access to number 49. We're regular people, we only have access to 48. So l'chora, there should be 48 days of Sefirah, which correspond to the 48 ways of inkanah Torah, and then Hashem should give us the Torah. Get a load of this. The Gemara says in Yevamos, Moshe hoseif yom echad mid'eita. And everyone in the world and their first cousin learns that the Torah was given on the 50th day, and Moshe pushed it off to the 51st day. Says Rebbi Yosef Engel of Difei Sham. Moshe had 49 levels. We're only able to access 48. Moshe hoseif yom echad mid'eita. Moshe took one level from his daas, and he gave it to Klal Yisrael that we could also be koneh the 49th level. And that's why the Torah was given on the 50th day. Pashut pshat is Moshe added and took the Torah from day 50 to day 51. According to Rebbi Yosef Engel, really a regular basar v'dam only has access to 48. Moshe gave us a gift. Really day 49 we should be sitting around twiddling our thumbs. There only 48 Kinyanei Torah. The 49th is we connect to Moshe Rabbeinu. Haflah v'feleh, says Rebbi Yosef Engel. If the 48 Kinyanei Chochmah correspond to the 48 days of Sefirah, what's the 33rd Kinyan of Torah? Ahavas Hatochecha. Loving rebuke. The 33rd Kinyan of Torah is Ahavas Hatochecha. Based on the girsa of the Gemara, not the girsa you have on the sheet. The 33rd Kinyan of Chochmah is Ahavas Hatochecha. Okay? Now, Raboisai, what else is the 33rd? Hodah. So somehow Hodah and being mekabel tochecha are similar. Cuz the 33rd day is Hod she b'Hod, five she b'five, gratitude. It's also corresponding to Ahavas Hatochecha. Ah. Listen carefully. If that's the case, the Gemara says in Shabbos that why was the Beis Hamikdash destroyed? Cuz they didn't rebuke each other. They didn't rebuke each other. So that's exactly why the Gemara says, if you're mesameach chasan v'kallah, it's k'ilu hikriv korban todah, or k'ilu you built the Beis Hamikdash. Cuz since Hodah, which is number 33, and accepting tochecha go hand in hand, so it's eilu v'eilu divrei Elokim chaim. If you mesameach chasan v'kallah, it's like you brought a korban todah. And if you mesameach chasan v'kallah, it's like you rebuilt the Beis Hamikdash. Cuz since the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed cuz they weren't being mychiach each other, weren't mekabel tochecha, and Ahavas Hatochecha is the same as Hodah, it's k'ilu you built the Beis Hamikdash. So let's just explain, okay? Everyone with me? We're going to we're going to go now a new point. This is a brand new point. The 33rd madreiga of Kinyanei Torah. Again, the Mishnah says in Pirkei Avos that there 48 ways of inkanah Torah. The 33rd method of inkanah Torah is loving rebuke. Let's think about the midah of loving rebuke. It's interconnected with Hodah. Why is it interconnected with Hodah? Because Hodah is not just acknowledging the gifts that the Ribono shel Olam gave us, but Chazal say that Yehudah, what does the word Yehudah mean? Gratitude. But it also Yehudah hodah v'lo v'eish. He admitted and he wasn't embarrassed. Meaning admitting wrongdoing and gratitude to Hashem both stem from the midah of being modeh al ha'emes, acknowledging what is correct, acknowledging what is true. So the midah of Hodah of gratitude, and the midah of loving rebuke, are really the same shaar, it's the same midah. Let's talk about the midah of tochecha. Okay? Raise your hand if you like mussar. No? Okay. Well, cuz it's not Lag B'Omer yet. But you know, you still have a couple days. But Lag B'Omer, the ikar midah to work on for Lag B'Omer is Ahavas Hatochecha. Tochecha. Throughout Tanach, tochecha is associated with another midah. Listen carefully. Tochecha is always connected to the chacham. Where do we find that? Look at number 52. Al tocheach leitz. Do not rebuke the scoffer. Who could you rebuke? Hocheach l'chacham. Rebuke a wise man. Or ozen shomaas tochechas chaim. An ear that hears rebuke, b'kerev chachamim talin. He will be among the chachamim. Meaning, rebuke is only for the wise. The stupid don't like rebuke. So if you see somebody, they get all huffy puffy when they get mussar, one thing you know, they're a shotah. But if you see somebody who has some gumption, who has some courage, and has some confidence, that when they hear that they're doing something wrong, they say, "You know what? I'm doing something wrong." Then you know they're a chacham. V'zeh ha'pshat, it comes out very nice, that the Gemara in Bava Basra says about Rebbi Akiva, chacham adif minavi. The Gemara calls Rebbi Akiva a chacham in Bava Basra daf Yud Beis. And in number 55 in Arachin daf Tes Zayin, Rebbi Yochanan ben Nuri gave testimony that I hit Akiva many many many times. I hit him. I slugged him. Why? Because he's a chacham. Like the pasuk says, al tocheach leitz pen yisna'echa. Again, you see, Rebbi Akiva is the quintessential chacham. Nobody got more mussar from his rabbeyim than Rebbi Akiva. Ah. One more idea. So in order to be mekabel tochecha, what midah do you need? Chochmah. What do we find associated with Chochmah? Chaim. Only Chaim is associated with Chochmah. Where do we see that? Look at number 57. Ki v'tzel ha'chochmah b'tzel ha'kasef. V'yisron daas ha'chochmah t'chayeh v'olah. Chochmah gives life. The definition of Chochmah is life. Or Odes Reb Nosson number 60. Chacham nikra chaim. Or the Gemara in Sanhedrin says in daf Mem Tes, and this is almost done. When Rebbi Akiva died, nistamu mayanos ha'chochmah. The wellsprings of Chochmah were sealed up. Rebbi Akiva is the quintessential chacham. Moreover, Raboisai, that's why Reb Tarfon says about Rebbi Akiva, kol ha'poresh mimcha, ha'poresh min ha'chaim. Anyone who separates from you is like separating from life. Why? Cuz Chochmah is associated with life. And in order to be mekabel tochecha, you need Chochmah, yeah? Al tocheach leitz. Rather, hocheach l'chacham. So tochecha is only for the chacham. And Chochmah goes with Chaim. Moreover, Raboisai, on the 33rd day of the Omer, when the talmidim of Rebbi Akiva opened up the Mishnah Avos, and they realized that the midah that they need to work on on 33rd day of the Omer is Ahavas Hatochecha, loving rebuke, which in order to love rebuke, you need the midah of Chochmah. Chochmah brings Chaim, and that's why the talmidim of Rebbi Akiva stopped dying on Lag B'Omer. Lag B'Omer is the midah of Ahavas Hatochecha. Chochmah goes with Chaim. That's another reason why Rebbi Akiva's talmidim stopped dying on Lag B'Omer. Moreover, Raboisai, says Rebbi Yosef Engel one more nekudah and we'll wrap it up. Why wouldn't somebody be mekabel tochecha? Let's say you hear Let's say you hear, you know, saying in the back of shul, and then you hear if you talk by davening, it's like murder. That's what the Shulchan Aruch says. Gadol avonam min niso. Who Who's this guy to tell me that I got What do you mean it says in the Shulchan Aruch? Yeah, but who are you? Meaning, why would a person not be mekabel tochecha? Cuz they say, "Before you tell me what to do, you're much worse than me." Meaning, you're flawed, so who are you to tell me what to do? The The reason why the talmidim of Rebbi Akiva What was their flaw? Shelo nahagu kavod zeh b'zeh. They saw the flaws of each other, and they were they weren't my hobby each other. But in order to be in order to accept rebuke, you need to be able to overlook the flaws of your friend. So on the 33rd day of the Omer, when they got to the middle of loving rebuke, in order to love rebuke, you need to be able to overlook the infractions and the deficiencies of your friend, then they were able to be no egg covered Zev Zev. Well, says Rabbi Yosef Engel one more detail and then we'll give you the executive summary. If you look in the Gamara and Brochos, the Gamara Darshans Hoyd Zhu Milchemes Arnon. Shenemar V'es Vahev Basufa that Vahev refers to the war of Arnon. And the Gamara cites the Pasuk Vahev Basufa. Love in the end, which the Gamara in Kiddushin Darshans that Talmidei Chachamim when they learn at first they're at each other's throat, but in the end there's love. That means in the Middah of Hoyd has the capacity to make it that when you're learning ultimately you'll befriend your Chavrusa. So on the 33rd day of the Omer, which is the Middah of Hoyd, which has in it the Koach as Vahev Basufa, the Talmidei Chachamim again the Talmidei Rabbi Akiva were no egg covered Zev Zev, they were able to tap into the Koach of the Vahev Basufa. So moreover I voice I just to summarize, why did the students of Rabbi Akiva stop dying Dafka on Lag B'Omer says Rabbi Yosef Engel first of all the Middah of Hoyd is always associated with five and he brought many Rayas and therefore during the fifth week on the fifth day which is the Middah of gratitude gratitude is always associated with life the students of Rabbi Akiva were able to focus on the great obligation of this world. Rabbeinu Yona writes one of the most important reasons we're here down on this earth even more important than the details of the specific Middos and Mitzvos are V'Hisbonenu Chasidei Hashem to show gratitude to Hashem. Gratitude is the Zchus of Chaim the Talmidei Rabbi Akiva stopped dying. Through the Middah of Anivus, the Middah of humility is also the only other Middah which is Mu'ad, which is Tov. The Middah of humility allows a person to be grateful and is a Zchus for life have a Kav B'Kayem. On the 33rd day of the Omer is the Middah of loving rebuke which also stems from Hoyd, acknowledging the truth. Tochacha are only for the Chachamim and Chachma is Chaim. Again the Talmidei Rabbi Akiva stopped dying. Moreover I voice I these are some of the great Sodois that Rabbi Yosef Engel was Megaleh in the Koach of Lag B'Omer Hava Aleinu L'Tova there's more. So you have to come back by Shalesh Sudos we'll do um some more secrets of Lag B'Omer but until then thank you everyone for coming. We should have the to grab a hold of the great Middah of Hoyd and be Zocheh to Chaim Chen V'Chesed Arbes Kel Tzedek. Shkoyach. You've just experienced another Torah class brought to you by Torahanytime.com.