Modern Masters: When There's a Will There's a Way | Rabbi Sam Shor | December 3rd

So good morning. As we know that uh Rabbi Goldshider typically teaches in the slot and his topic is usually the Torah of Rafuk. We are going to learn uh a little bit of Torah from Rafuk as part of this. Today my course my course is typically called modern masters where we not only learn from Rav Cook but from other modern masters. So there is some overlap between the two topics. And before we get to the sources on our sheets in front of us, I want to begin as a way of introduction with a famous famous teaching from RV cook z. That's not on your sheets. Rook and a quote that may be familiar to many of us wrote the following words. He wrote, okay, the truly righteous individuals, they don't complain about the wickedness they see in the world. rather they add justice to the world. They don't complain about the heresy that exists in the world. Rather they add faith. They don't complain about the ignorance in the world. Okay? Rather they add wisdom. [snorts] They don't complain about darkness. or rather they add light. The mission of the Jewish people based on this beautiful, beautiful teaching from RV cook is to be a conduit to outshine all the darkness to bring light into a world which let's be honest sometimes seems like it's full of chaos and confusion and with this as our introduction with this beautiful teaching from Cook as our introduction I want to take a deep dive together this morning into the primary suya of the festival of lights the y of kaneka the and we're going to learn the text together that we're all probably somewhat familiar with and in so doing we'll uncover together some of the deeper eternal messages of the Y of Khan. So now let's just dive right in. Okay, we all know the Khan story, but the Khan story as we mentioned there over the past couple weeks in some of the other classes in different locations. The Kaneka story really appears as a Tamutic footnote. In the midst of the discussions of what materials are appropriate to be used to light Shabas candles, okay, comes the question, does the same apply to what to candles? So you the same materials allowed to be used for Kaneka candles. And then ultimately in the midst of that discussion the realize well we don't even know what Khan is. And then they come and ask that very question. So take a look at text number one my what exactly is Kaneka? We're talking about what what materials can be used to light the Kaneka candles. But what is Kaneka? So the story that we're all familiar with the Tana Raban as our rabbis have taught us. Okay. Beginning with the 25th day of are the days of it was established that what during these days of Kaneka one does not offer a husband a eulogy and one does not fast. So what does that tell us about the nature of these days? If we're not supposed to fast or offer any eulogies, what does it tell us about the nature of these days? >> What? >> Happy days. Very good. Okay. And now the story, the story that we're familiar with since we're this tall because when the Assyrian Greeks came into the Mikdash, they rendered impure all the oil that was on site in the Mikdash. And when the house of Kashonai, the house of the high priest, meaning the the high priest and his family, his children, when they led the uprising against the mighty Greek empire, and they were victorious. This is a story that we know since we're told. They searched high and low and they found only one little tiny jar of oil that had the insignia of the calling. There was not enough oil to burn more even to burn even for one day and their miracle happened and it lasted what? Eight days. Okay. Next the following year a year year later they established what these days as days of hal of praise and oda of thanks. Okay that's the story that we know since we're this tall. So we're now going to poke some holes in the story and ask some serious questions in the story. Who were the kashman? Who were the kashman? They as we said they were the children of what? Of whom? Mati jao the high priest. So if anyone would have known, if any people would have known where there was a secret stash of oil hidden away safely in B mikdash, who would have known where that stash of oil was? So what does it mean that the Gamarra says they searched high and low? They could only they couldn't find anything except one little jar of oil. What does it mean? They had to search. They should have known where that if they were the ones who were in charge of the if they were the ones who were in charge of the oil. They're theim. If anyone would know where there would be a jar of oil sealed with the insignia of their father, the high priest, who should have known where that jar of oil was. If it was hidden and tucked away, it was hidden and tucked away. If anyone would have known where to find oil, okay, they would have been the okay but but it doesn't make sense story that that's the first question in the story. That's the first question of the story. The second question. Okay. Nowhere in the annals of as far as I know literature at least [clears throat] on the ra which is the most detailed um description we have of the related to mikdash at least on the ra the ra does not mention anything about the kanim sealing the oil with an insignia. There's no mention of the kanim placing a little OU on the oil that was meant to be used for kindling the mana. So why in this circumstance we have this detail? What does it mean that suddenly there's oil they're searching not only for oil that they should have known where it was going to be that they're searching for it and more than that why suddenly we're introduced this this seemingly thisra that never existed before of using oil that specifically has the insignia of the co supposed to be pure. >> What's that? >> It's supposed to be pure. >> But again, it's supposed to be pure, but nowhere have we had that description that it was sealed with an insignia of the co. What does that mean? What does that mean? And I'll take it a step I'll take it a step further. Okay, I'll take it a step further. The environment of of impurity, the entire environment was completely impure. So in the mantara the moment that jar would have been opened in such an environment what would happen to all the oil in that little jar it becomes [clears throat] totally rendered impure totally tell me so what's the big deal they're searching high and low for why is this so given now take take it a step further who are the did anyone ever read the book the chosen by you remember that book the chosen so what's and what's the the opening scene of the chosen At least in the movie, I read both the book. I don't remember if the book opens with this with this or not. The scene does appear in the in the book, but the opening scene of the movie that shows it that was made from that book is a a scene on a base a baseball game. Exactly. It's a baseball game. You have the more modern Jewish kids from from from one from Flatbush. Okay. Who are wearing their blue jeans and their Converse All-Star sneakers and they're getting ready. They're throwing the ball around. They're getting ready to play a baseball game. And now the opposite team, the opposing team shows up. Who's the opposing team? A bunch of sha kids from Williamsburg. Okay. And the sha kids in Williamsburg with their long black coats and they're wearing their shop shoes. They're not wearing their com Allers, right? They beat the pants off the modern kids from Flatbush. Okay, that's how they that's the opening scene of the book. So of the movie at least. So when I think of this depiction of the Kashmain taking on a having the courage to take on the mighty Greek empire and not defeating the mighty Greek empire. I think of that imagery of the opening scene of the chosen. Okay? Because who were the Kanimin? The Khanim were warriors. Okay? They were not great athletes and and warriors that that they took on the mighty Greek empire. Who were the Khanim? The kohanim were the yeshiva bakim. They were the priests. They were the rabbanim. They were those proverbial young bakim. Okay, in the long proverbial long black coats and they have the courage to take on to stand up for what is right. What is they have the courage and fortitude to take on the mighty Greek empire and they're victorious says the gumar. So, how could that be? How could that be? That's that's nothing short of miraculous as well. So, we're going to come back to all these questions. Obviously, since we're this tall, the focus has been on the on the on the significance of that supernatural little jar of oil. But perhaps as we analyze this a little deeper, dig a little deeper together, we'll see that encrypted within this story is not only the miracle of that supernatural jar of oil, but many, many deeper um eternal messages were meant to take to heart, including many other miracles that we might miss at first glance. Okay, so we're going to move on now. We're going to learn from the Sheamish. Shimish is Rabbi Schmool um Borenstein the second rabbi of Sakachav. Okay. His father was a very very famous very famous umic master and post the ader. Okay. Rabbi a sakach the first the first and the says the following. This is text number two on our sheets. What does it mean when the gamarra says that when the Greeks came into the B mikdash they render and pure all the oil okay so listen to the words he says often use the word she oil to describe what wisdom it's a it's a it's a mushel for wisdom okay and therefore Okay. And that's what it means when the Garra tells us that they searched for a cruise of oil. They had the insignia of the co. We're not talking about actual oil. Oil is what [snorts] is a mash is a parable for for wisdom, for clarity. Okay. And now listen to what this is says. Why Davka does it say they looked for the the the jar of oil with the insignia of who? The co because who is the co the functions as a senor a pipeline for what? Forbim to bring down the wisdom and blessing from above. The calling god's role is to what? to be a senor to be a pipeline to bring down wisdom, spiritual clarity, an awareness of Hashem's presence from above who and the word which means pipeline is the same letters as the word raton which means what? A will, a desire, a perseverance. Okay, sorry that is the Because what is the role of the cog to what to bring an awareness okay of the of Hashem's desire what the Hashem what Hashem expects from us from above to the Jewish people and this idea is beyond human comprehension and therefore his role Okay. Is to what? To be the conduit to bring this capacity to the Jewish people to what? To leave behind our human intellect and logic to be open to receive from above. And we're going to come back to this idea because we're going to mention a Torah from Raf Cook in a moment because again this is RV cook. So we are going to say a few different Torah from RV cook. [snorts] Um Ruf cook is going to develop this idea further. This idea of having to let go of logic and preconceived no notions and things that we we take for granted as being fact in order to grow. We'll talk about that in the words of our cooking in just a moment. So he says this is something that the god is meant to do for the Jewish people. Okay, to bring that wisdom from above to the Jewish people and from that capacity to let go of our preconceived logic. Okay. Comes the capacity what the the to what to be most nephesh to be to give up our lives to put our lives on the line for what? Sanctifying Hashem's name. And it's that capacity what that enabled the Jewish people to defeat the Greeks. Okay. the capacity of these young, you you know, yes, yeshiva mak as we described them a moment ago, these young kohanim to be able to have the spiritual fortitude and courage to stand up and overcome the mighty Greek empire. What was it that enabled them to do so? The fact that what they put their full trust in and they recognize what that even though it seems is completely illogical. It's nonsensical to think that we the kanim could defeat the mighty Greek empire. That we little am could defeat the mighty Greek empire. When we put our trust in, Hashem does the rest. Hashem brings the miraculous. And this message is the eternal one for all generations that through the lights we kindle it inspires within us that same raton that same desire that same spiritual fortitude which is what beyond human intellect and comprehension. My friends with cook and a very similar teller that's not on your sheets. We're going to learn another piece from RV Cook in just a moment because that's the next text on our sheets. But Rafuk to echo this idea in an idea that that just came to me as we're discussing this Rafuk says very very powerfully in mid Raya his book his book on that's I think it's a safe you're learning with Rab with Rabbi Gold right now is Rafuk's work on midos on character development right so cook in in maya talks about talks about um about and logic and he says sometimes sometimes logic becomes an impediment to spiritual growth. Okay. Some we get so stuck in the way we've understood things up till now that it becomes impossible for us to see something beyond our human intellect to believe that there's some a capacity it's greater than our intelligence than that which we perceive as human beings. And when we get so stuck in our logic and we we deny ourselves to become he uses the language to become a free spirit which is very funny because when we think about this idea of a free spirit we think you know like the hippies in the 60s being free spirits but Rkook says no what is a free spirit is a nama that is free of all the impediments to spiritual growth and he says one of those impediments is indeed the logic like the human intellect sometimes that which we accept as as as fact can and we get stuck in that space can what can shalom impede our capacity for growth. Okay, we're going to come back to all these ideas and basically what but I just want to re reiterate what the sheamish says so beautifully here that when we're able to let go of those preconceived notions that that preconceived logic it's in those moments that we're able to what to merit to experience the miraculous and see miracles. And this is an idea we're going to develop as we learn together um several other texts over the next few moments together this morning. Okay, we're now going to move on to just a minute. Okay, we're now going to learn on move on to a famous famous teaching from Rafkuk Rafk in which is his his on on certain including many sugat including our sug. So listen what Ravuk says about about the story of the pashmuk suggests that the pashm this supernatural oil is is is allegorical. Look what says this is text number three. Okay, which will answer some of our questions because we said where did this super super powerful oil come from and we don't see that there was any hakic reason to do this. So this this is how Ruk deals with those questions by suggesting that what that the idea of the is allegorical text number three take a look on your sheets within every single member of the Jewish people every single Jew has an aspect of priesthood within them why because collectively the Jewish people was called what a [clears throat] priestly nation and a holy people. Now listen to what Cook does with this idea. The inner desire, okay? The inner desire for the sanctity of life, for the wisdom of Torah and to walk in its ways that is hidden deep within the heart of every single Jew. Rook is describing something we call in Yiddish the within every single Jew there is an aspect as as the cabalists say that there is a mam there's an actual portion of divinity that's inate within every single one of us and that's what we call the what the sh the soul a name within every single one of us is a soul okay and listen to the next part that's the little jar of oil. Okay. The this the gamarra is is is an allegory. Okay. The jar of oil that was found, the supernatural jar of oil that was found is an allegory for what? Okay. For that's the little cruise of oil that was sealed with the insignia of the in this case. Who do we mean as the ultimate god? Who are we talking about? Okay. And within every single one of us there's a proverbial pure jar of oil sealed with the insignia of the ultimate coming the okay that's called the okay the inner hidden world reality of the of the Jew this the Greeks can never render impure my friends if we take a look at the word hashem It's called, we refer to this as a nash. If you take a look at the words, the word, it's made up of the very same otto encrypted in this famous story that we know since we're this tall. The story that we said doesn't make sense. If when we look at it closely, the story that seems to be have so many problems associated when we look at it closely, cook unpacks it for us as as he often does. There's not not a to any of you the wisdom of Rafuk. You've been learning Rafuk for past many months in this brilliant insight gives us the the deeper meaning of this whole story of the nashem. Okay, turn your page over. So if if the story in the Gamarra is allegorical, okay, I'm not saying that that's the only way to look at it. If the story that's so famous and so familiar to us is indeed allegorical. Okay. And if we go cook's beautiful message and we accept that that's meant to remind us that we have an iss and if we take with that the message of the shame is that we have to sometimes clear our minds from the logic that gets in the way of our nishama stepping forward and having the spiritual fortitude and courage to face life's challenges. All those beautiful ideas. Okay. If all that's true. So what really happened and what really is the story of Kaneka? What really happened when the Kashman came [clears throat] into the Bdash? So we're going to see now and learn together now an alternative version of the story of Kaneka. Okay. An alternative version of what happened when the came back to the B mikdash and saw the enterprise in shambles completely defiled. This is text number four and our sheikits. This is the version that appears in the pika. Basika is another um another collection of early rabbitic teachings. Let's just learn this pika together. The lama why do we light candles on asked the reason is why and the but that moment when theashim the sons of the rose up against the yavan against the Greek empire quotes when the children of Zion rose up against the children of Yavan in Zakaria. What happened? Those sameashim that are that that are our familiar story in the garra. Okay. Those came to me mdash. And what they find there? No. No story about searching high and low for the miracle oil. Matsu sham shipim shel barzel. They found their what? Eight iron spears. The kavatam and they bound them together. They lean. He wrote, "Says the pika, why do we light eight candles on Khaneka?" Okay, not because it was a miracle jar of oil that burned for eight days, but rather the came into the B mikdash. They saw the entire enterprise destroyed and defiled. And rather than despair and throw up their arms and say, "We lost. It's over with. They look around and in the midst of that shambles and ruins, they find eight iron spears. They find spoils of war, okay? Vessels that were used as weapons, as a means for destruction and harm. And in that moment, rather than despair, what do they do? They bind those iron spears together and they make a makeshift candalabra. There were eight of them. The candalabra, the original manura, the base of mikdash had seven candles. But at that moment when they found those iron spears, they took them, they bound them together. And the makeshift temporary manure that they built had eight candles. And that is the significance of the number eight according to Pika. That is the significance of the story. And seemingly there's no miracle oil in this version of the story. It's all about what the walking into a an environment of utter destruction of of complete defilement and rather than despairing and giving up hope and saying all hope is lost, they use that inner strength and for spiritual fortitude to look around and to overcome their human intellect and say, "Okay, wait a Look what we found here. We found eight iron spears. Let's bring the minora back. Let's bring the light back to Israel to the world. And that's exactly what they do. Soon the master text number five, he takes this teaching from the basika and gives us this beautiful beautiful message. Take a look at text number five. And therefore it seems we should add and say okay the fact that they found those iron spears they didn't give up and that they used those iron spears to build the makeshift manora this teaches us and demon emphasizes for us the depth of the concept of what ratson of desire to fulfill the mitzvah of hashem vahu And that is to say, it comes to teach us that just as those iron spears are turned into what? A vessel to to to be able to place oil and light candles. Okay. So too, our spiritual desire, our desire to fulfill the will of Hashem, our desire to overcome even the most difficult of odds and persevere, but our trust in the Shaam that becomes a proverbial for us becomes a vessel for us to receive blessings as well. And if that's true, if we have that proverbial, if we make ourselves into that proverbial vessel to receive blessings, Hashem will fill us up with light. and and since in that moment when they came into the destroy mikdash the Jewish people showed the perseverance and desire to light the the manura once again it's because of that that fulfilled their desire hashem gave them the miracle they believed they were deserving of and were seeking and that's the idea behind the fact that they found Those iron spears, they become that proverbial vessel to receive those blessings measure for measure since they have the desire that becomes their vessel for reception. He says that since they demonstrated that desire and they were ready to risk everything to be most nephish in order to to fill to fulfill that desire and to make themselves into that proverbial vessel to build a vessel for themselves out of those out of those eight iron spears. Perhaps that is why says R Sodak. Perhaps that is why says R Sodak they were they merited to experience the miracle that was given to them and the oil lasted for 8 days. By the way, this is not this is not a new idea. We learned a few months ago in this class. We spoke about another Torah from that says a very similar idea. I'll just review it quickly. Now we talked about on the sedar night. Okay. The entire experience of begins the mi begins with us saying this is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate when they were in enslaved. So what are we talking about? We're talking about matzah. Matzah in the seder begins. We declare in the beginning of Sedar that we eat matzah on the le of sedar because matzah represents what and recalls what the slaves rations that our ancestors ate through the entire 210 years that they were stuck in Egyptian fortitude servit servitude. So what happens later in the seder though okay later in the seder towards the end of the mid rail says whoever doesn't discuss three items throughout the night okay three ideas throughout the night they haven't fulfilled the mandate of of what are those three things we're supposed to speak about matzah mat right okay so ramen when he describes why we eat matzah he doesn't mention anything about the slaves his rations. What does he say is the reason why we eat matzah? Anyone remember? >> For the bread to rise, >> right? That that there that the Jewish people left mit in great haste and there was no time for the the the dough to rise and therefore they baked matas. So I'm going to ask maybe a cynical question, seemingly a cynical question, which by the way I'm not the first one to ask this. Rodic asked the same question. The same rotin that we just learned from. Rodic asked the same question. He says I don't understand for 210 years all the Jewish people had to eat seemingly what what was their slaves rations as we said was matzah. All they had for 210 years was matzah. Now they've seen over the p through all the mir miraculous events that have unfolded that Hashem is truly behind them that Hashem is going to redeem them. They've seen plague after plague after plague. They've seen the miraculous. It's clear that Baraku has their back and all of a sudden, okay, they can finally maybe relax. They're no longer going to be slaves. So at that moment, why not, you know, you all for 210 years, all we've had to eat was matzah. At that moment, we know Hashem's got our back. Why not let the dough rise another 5 10 minutes and instead of eating matzah, we could finally eat like a a nice, you know, bila kala roll or or a marble rye or something something we'll enjoy a lot more than the matzah. Okay, why why at that moment? Says soak answers very powerfully. He says sometimes brings us in our lives windows of opportunity to experience the miraculous. Sometimes brings us windows of opportunity to experience salvation when we might least expect it. And if we don't believe deep in our hearts that that can be if we don't have that raton as we've been learning up till now if we don't have that raton in our hearts and believe wholeheartedly and fully that Hashem can indeed bring Yeshua that Hashem can indeed bring a Yeshua salvation at the blink of an eye then when those moments open up for us we might miss the boat. And therefore at that moment the Jewish people were anticipating Yeshua redemption. So even though they it was clear to them that Hashem is bringing them that redemption and even though they might be sick of eating matzah at that moment says the windows open. They're not going to they're not going to delay. They see the window open before them. They know that this is their opportunity to experience Yeshuaos to experience salvation and miracles and they jump through that window. My friends, the same is true here. Theashim come into the B mikdash. They could see the destruction around them and fall into despair. But because they have that inner rat, that inner spiritual fortitude, they look around and they see the iron spears and they build a makeshift manora because rather than give up hope, it's the that same raton, that same belief and trust that can bring the miraculous to our lives that propels them at that moment that enables them to build that makeshift manora and ultimately enables them to receive believe the miracle of that miracle oil that lasts for 8 days says okay one last on your sheets on your sheets and then I have one final idea that we'll share that's not on your sheets so the shalom says the following just to bring this all together the essence of this idea of finding the proverbial jar of oil is [snorts] thoughts. It's one of the great revelations that Hashem reveals to us through the miracle of to light the way for a Jew to show a Jew at okay to show a Jew through what? To enlighten the Jew through the entire time of the long and dark exile. Shalom that we should never give up hope and despair ever because in all circumstances they may find themselves in all circumstances we may find ourselves we can look within and find what the strength the proverbial strength of the proverbial jar of oil. Okay, we're going to learn one last idea to bring this all together. Okay, we're going to learn from Rabbi Rabbi Gamlia Rabanovich. Rabbi Gamlia Rabanovich is a great Yushami Mikuba, a great cabalist living. Can someone help the individual with the phone to Okay, it's good. Okay. Rab Rabanovich is a great Yami Mikubal, a great Jerusalem cabalist. He lives um not far from here, a few blocks from here in in the beginning of Gula in an area called Zik Mosha in Gula and Ram in a beautiful about the miracle of Khan says the following words. I'm just going to read it and translate it. Just bear with me. Through the miracle of it's possible to be strengthened through what? strengthened in our faith and our trust in Hashem. Because what do we learn from the fact that they found that small little jar of oil? Okay. So when the first found that jar of oil, okay, he says what they had a doubt whether they should light the manor or not. They saw it wasn't going to be enough to to to to last very long, might not have even been enough to last for one day, says the Gamarra. And they didn't know what to do. Okay. Should they light now or should they maybe wait till there's more pure oil that could be brought and they could indeed light the manora as it's about to be lit? Okay. And it was decided that what at that moment that indeed they should light. Why? speak. Even if there was not enough oil for it to really last very long for more than one day. Okay. If we light today, so what's what's going to be left for tomorrowite that very real question? It was decided that what they decided to light the candles. Why to light them in our why? Because if Hashem did this miracle for them and gave them that one jar of oil, it must mean that what it's Hashem's desire that we should do something with that oil. Hashem sent that oil our way. It must mean that he wants us to light the minora now. And if tomorrow we run out of oil and there's no oil, this is not of our concern. And if Hashem can send us enough oil for one day, then we have to believe what? Then Hashem can also send us the oil we need for eight days. And now this brings us all together. Every single person goes through difficult moments in their lives and at moments where they feel what their life is being overcome by the ra by the bad and in those dark and difficult moments we need to be strengthened and think what is it that hashem is asking of you. What does Hashem want for me now in those difficult moments? Yeshua. And if we can see one little opening, one small window of salvation that might be open that we could imagine as taught us about the the story of of thrive. We can just focus on that one small window that that might open up and believe that it could open up. Okay? We have to hold on to that with all our strength. We have to hold tight to that belief with all our strength. Even if we see that that window opening up as only something temporary, we have to always remember Okay. It's not upon us to complete the work. Hashem and his compassion will do the rest. And therefore, we'll see that a little bit of oil can indeed burn for eight days. That a little bit of light can indeed shine out so much so much darkness. My friends, the miracle of Kaneka, the message of the miracle of Kaneka is this fundamental idea of when there's a will, there's a way. If we believe wholeheartedly and put [clears throat] our trust wholeheartedly in Baraku and we desire at all times to be the conduit to bring his proverbial light to this world and we conduct ourselves even the most confusing darkest times to let that ratone let that spiritual fortitude lead the way even when it seems to be against all logic. It's in those moments that we indeed will be za to experience great great miracles to be the conduit to bring great light into this world of chaos, darkness and confusion. my bra of every single one of us as we continue to look ahead to the awesome of that we should take to heart all these beautiful messages that indeed we should always in in all of life's challenges we should all be able to have that spiritual fortitude to look inward to feel the power enabled within every single one of us to tap into the energy of the proverbial the again to recognize that Hashem endows us with great khos and to always hold tight to those great kos and believe that if we do our part will indeed do the rest. Have a great week.