A Descent into Darkness | Rabbi Shmuel Goldin

sponsored by sheer sponsored by Aram Bernagger in memory of his father El Yakum Benuel David on his 30th yard site on the 25th of Adar and also by friend Dove Langanau on the occasion of Nama's birthday. Is she here? Okay, she's here. All right, good. Nama, did you hear? She is sponsored in your honor by your husband in honor of your birthday. Okay, everybody just uh settle in. Um remind at the end of this year, I'll have a couple of comments to make. Uh remind me um first of all, this is but we should note that this is the last sheer in this term. So in other words, uh next week there are no shorimm. I think we're beginning again uh at the end of April. So, uh, that's, uh, I think that's the schedule. It's not my schedule. It's the schedule that the OU, uh, determined. Okay. Let's, let's be where we are. All right. We are at the moment of Ben Israel's, the Israelites departure from Hari. That's the moment. That's where we are. And if you take a look at the first page, you see the kodesh. It is on the second month of the second year. Um the 20th day of the month. Now this is very interesting because the arrival of Ben Israel to Hari was not as completely described. If you remember it simply says It doesn't tell us what date and the rabbis say well it means because and we discussed when we encountered that Rashi comments and others comment that h is strange should have said bayom even if it didn't want to give us the the particular date because that's the way the Torah talks and Rashi says it's so that we will see the Torah as being given to us today. What in other words, it should be as new to us and as exciting to us as if we received it by yum haz, not by mahu. The other point that we made was that the Torah wants to ensure that we don't see matan tora as a historical event. The Torah is being given to us every day when we sit and we learn. We are part of revelation. were part of the unfolding revelation that started at Harena. But what's fascinating is that at our departure, a phenomenon occurs in the text which is very unique. If you take a look at the underlined section on page one, you'll see that two sentences that are familiar to us because we we use them in our doicone. We we say when the ark when the ark opens and that they said when the ark began to journey and when the ark came to a set was settled and stopped and the camp stopped then they said or Mosha said but those two sentences if you take a look in the p paper are bounded by upside down ns right and that appears In the text of the Torah, the text of the Torah has two upside down NS surrounding those two sentences. And the question of course is why? Yes. Is that what Oh, sometimes Oh, is that I've never seen that. Okay. So, sometimes I in other words, the ina is elongated or Oh, it's backwards. Interesting. Interesting. I've never seen that. All right. Comment was made that sometimes the the nuns are the nuns that are actually in the text. In other words, the is inverted and the is inverted. All right. But the garra said the question is why? And there are two very distinct opinions that we have to encounter. Take a look at page two. So the first thing the Gomorrah says quoting Abraimal let's understand these upside down nuns were placed there by whom byeshu it's not we're not authoring it we're simply following instructions the question is why so you have rebi Shimon Gaml offering two reasons one or the other. Rabbi says because those sentences are themselves an entire book. And the Gomorrah goes on to explain that that means that there are not fiveish Torah. There aren't five books of the Torah. There are seven. Right? In other words, midbar up to these these twoimid after theseim. Right? and then Devar. So you end up with two extra books. Um the question then is why we're going to talk about that in a moment. Why are they say the second answer is also equally interesting in the future this passage these two sentences It will be uprooted from this place and it will be placed in the place where they'll be placed in the place where they belong. In other words, what what is saying is that took two sentences, all right, that belong elsewhere. And the Talmud tries to figure out where the elsewhere is. And as you can imagine, there are a lot of opinions on that. But what happens is he takes these two sentences places them here at the moment of our departure from Sinai. Why? In order to create a buffer a a a um buffer is the right word in order to stop in order to not have one tragedy following another without something in between. Therefore, these now we're going to have to take a look at both of these positions. Rebby say Biffsman. Does anyone want to suggest why we would consider these two sukim as safe at all right? I'll set I'll make the suggestion. I've told you before the moment of leaving Hari I believe is the moment most important moment of revelation because it is when we leave and how we leave that determines the value of everything that came before. So this is the moment where our national journey begins and this is the moment where we are being challenged and the to rebi says it is davka at that point twoim are placed which talk about the aron being carried with us symbolically the Torah carried with us as we leave harinai or as we go through our history and therefore when we travel or when we rest what should be there the Torah. And by the way, Rebby doesn't say this, but it it's natural truth, and I'm sure he felt it. I don't I think he felt it. And that is the only thing that's held us together over thousands of years. If you think about it, is the Torah. It's the tradition spread out across the globe. Eventually, what when the when the walls came down, everybody says, "Oh, look at the differences." I say, "Look at the similarities." I had uh in my sh which was an ashkanazic sh we had a spartic minan which became a sphardic center um because they were very generous and what happened is people would come to me and say you know rabbi I go to davin there and I find it it's beautiful but it's it's very strange it's different from us and I said to them well wait a minute we're saying the same schma we're saying the same schona esray You should be a gasast and surprised by what is similar rather than by what is different. Right? The fact is that we didn't have any contact with each other for thousands of years. And when the walls come down, what do we see? We we can recognize each other. And that's that's something that we need to know. So therefore there are safe that's why Rebi perhaps says there are safer because they carry with them the concept you take the Torah with you wherever you go moving and resting. Now let's talk about Rabb Shimon Bengamiel's uh position. So he says to separate between or to create that buffer between the first tragedy and the second tragedy. So the Gomorrah interesting starts off what one would think you'd ask what the first tragedy is right but they start with the second because that's easy. The very next pocket we will see is the people begin to complain as soon as we move away from harina. So that's tragedy two. What's tragedy one? They went from har going from hari is not a tragedy. That's that's what we're supposed to do says. They they when they left, how did they leave? The rabbi say they left as students saying, "Right, we're leaving. We're leaving school. That's it. We're that's be that's behind us, right? That's behind us." And we spoke about how how it the Benasro reacted to Revelation with fear and and because they they were concerned about the responsibilities that were being thrust upon them. But why do Kazal say that the Nio from Hari is a tragedy? Because it's not that we left, it's that we left Sai behind. That's really what what is being said here. And I'm going to raise a question and answer it right away. If you look elsewhere in the Torah, you find Panus following Piranus. In fact, in the very next passages, you find one tragedy which is we'll see is Miss Onanim. The next tragedy we'll see is the the Kirro Satava. The next tragedy is a complaint by Miriam Manaron. And the final tragedy that will mark the demise of this particular group is what? The sin of the spies. One right after the other. So wait a minute. If you want to stop piranhas from piranas and then in the very next breath you're having piranas one right after another. What why does it make sense? So I would suggest that what they're saying is this first piranus sharu hashem is the cause of all other pironote. Right? In other words, this is the this is the mother load. This is where it begins. This is where it and when we recognize that that's where it begins then we can understand why they want to separate it and make it unique and that's been oh yes I want to try if you can try and understand it says and then after right the rest of the words there how are they related to that why why does it choose to talk about That's a very good question. Very good question. Why? What we recite is the total all the passages, the total passage. We don't I think because the continuation of each of those phrases speaks to that moment. In other words, we're going we want to be safe. We want to we're moving right and when we settle down Hashem, come back with us. Settle down with us. be with us on in our resting. So it it's each each phrase is speaking to the particular moment that we're that we're in. All right. So let's move from that now. Now I want you to remember that the Torah here and I didn't have all didn't put all the text. The Torah here describes our departure from Hari initially in majestic terms. Other words it is the second day of the second month. a sudden right second year this happened that 20th day this happened that happened all right so we're we're leaving in a in a royal fashion no sooner do we leave then look at the line the line down below hashem no sooner do we leave and then immediately what do we We start to complain. Now, what's strange about that word, right? Exactly. It doesn't say they were complainers. It says they were like complainers. They were as complainers. So, there are first, let's try to figure out what they're complaining about. And there are a number of different positions, but I have two for you here on page three. The Rashbam. the Rajbam who is as I've told you before my favorite classical maforesh because he sticks to phat here he says something that's really hard to accept he says they are they're suffering from the difficulty or the work of the journey now wait how how long has this journey been three days right so they're not How could the All right, which may explain why they are Kimson and not misin because they really have nothing to complain about started when they left. That's true. That's true. But it's the journey through the Midbar that's beginning now. And that's what they're complaining about. We'll see the Ramban even fleshes that out. All right. Take a look at the second quote. It's the Ramban. And if you look at I should have underlined it. It says it's the second passage. He first brings down the position of the Abenezra who says that the word miss means they were speaking uh bad things about aeshb and he says that that doesn't make sense because the Torah would have told us that. And the Ramban says the the sin is embedded in the wording. tonight. It seems to me I disagree with the ebanzrais that what happened was as they moved away from Hareni which was quote close to civilization and they entered into this desert or this wilderness is a better word. They actually raised issues that you or I might have raised, which is what they took a step into the Midmar and they said, "What's going on here?" All right. Where are we going to find food? Where are we going to find water? How are we going to travel? What's going on? And when will we get out? Right. Nothing. We've been told nothing here. Yes. Okay. So that's that's why. So what does the Ramban say? The Ramban says that what was demanding at this moment was our willingness to put our trust in him and to go out and we instead chose to to complain and therefore if you take a look and I've said to you before that not every rebellion in the Midbar is is equal. This one's really bad. Why? because we just left first. And what does Hashem do? Not a word. He just sends a fire. Take a look at the the last the last point there uh on on page number one. Page number two at the bottom. Three. Three. I'm sorry. All right. No. All right. Correct. Correct. Correct. I I left I didn't put down the puk that I thought I did. All right. The pok says in the next pok that Hashem sends a fire. It eats at the edges of the camp. Doesn't say a word. Doesn't argue with them. Doesn't just simply. And that's because this the because of the depth of this sin. In other words, while it's understandable to wonder these things, you just experienced revelation. You just heard Baraku talking to you. You just you should be traveling with him. We're going to see the A of Rob in the next in the next moment. Right here. Right here. It doesn't mention them. All right. Now, the A of Let's talk about the A of RA for a moment. The A the Torah says that a lot of Mitim came with the Jews. The rabbis gave them the term the auv, which is a mix. Remember the word means a mixture in all. And it's just a mixed multitude of people and the and the rabbis are very quick to say the problems that emerge are the fault of the av. Now when the Torah seems to say it, we can accept it as when the rabbis say it, we can accept it as medashik. Maybe it is, maybe, and try to understand what what the rabbis are teaching us. But it's not always clear that it's the fault of the Arop. That takes us off the hook. Okay. Why didn't Moshe Well, because they were perhaps happy to have them. All right. In other words, until they showed until they showed their stripes. Look, it's we're going out. We're coming and these people want to come with us. It's okay. Well, sorry. I should have shut my should have shut my phone. Yeah. Thorn, right? So the answer could be that at that point remember the the and this is going to sound a little a little revolutionary but I we become Jewish through the Exodus and Hari and those are the steps that we will have a convert go through when they become when they convert to Judaism. That's how we learn what they have to do. We learn what they have to do. The Gomorrah says from what we did at Hari which means I'm here just finish which means that I'm now equal with that au if I accept everything if I take everything on at Sai and I agree to to this contract then I'm Jewish. You see anything? You don't again you don't see in the text. You don't see in the text that they are always a thorn in our sight. The rabbis understand it that way and it it probably was. But but one could argue and maybe not all the air of RA were equal. Maybe there were some that were sincere and there were some that weren't. I mean a mass conversion is is kind of tough, right? Yes. Go to the midbar. They have no idea from day to day, right? What's going to happen? So the fact that they're complaining, they're being very pragmatic. Where are we going to eat? Where are we going to get water? So maybe here that all right. The problem with that is Hashem's response. In other words, if they were these were legitimate complaints, if these were legitimate legitimate concerns, then Hashem would have said, uh, don't worry, I'm taking you here, I'm taking you there, or you'll get water, and he would not have sent a fire to destroy the edges of the camp. So, clearly, what they're doing is wrong. It what what the end of the story uh reflects on its beginning in this particular event. Yes. Is it possible that the source of their complaints because they were going through a transition of slaves to those. Okay. Is it possible that I believe right is it possible that the source of the complaints were the transition from slavery to freedom? I think everything that happens here including the sin of the spies is because this generation cannot make the leap from freedom to slavery. That's why the next generation that's why the next generation can get in. And by the way, I mean, I've I've often said if you take a look at at Newolm to the community from Ethiopia, let's say ma and mass th those who are the first generation often have problems. We can understand that because we do too. But but it's their children who become part of the fabric of the Jewish community. Yes. And the story of the day gosh learn the right how do you respond what's the reaction correct correct correct that's the point the point is to for the listeners at home basically what what was said is that that it's like going to a yeshiva that's why they say it's and leaving the yeshiva what's the real What's the real k? What's the real judgment of what you've done until now? How you're going to integrate what you learned into your life? Period. Finish. Yes. Referring to it. Not necessarily. Not necessarily. It's hinting at, in other words, it came from the for some reason it's the edges of the camp. Maybe it means the complainers. Maybe it means there are numerous potential interpretations of that. It means a little bit of could could be but it could say in its context means the edges of which could be kat which could be few right we don't no just the edges whatever yes [Applause] everything goes on and it says I don't know but the commentary say that you learn from there that you can run you can rotate to a to the base connected to the baby. Okay, that's correct. Correct. What's happening is Yeah, they what we're saying it's what we're appreciation protected them. Correct. Correct. They were they they were not showing gratitude for what they experienced. They were not showing that they in in that they infused what they experienced into their ongoing life. Okay. Excellent. All right. Let's stop. Let's go to the next because this this becomes no sooner do we finish Kim on&m the first tragedy or the second tragedy first tragedy was how they left Tarsi then all of a sudden we find ourselves smack dab into a much more difficult tragedy let's take a look read for yourselves um for a moment if you will either the English or Hebrew starting with the bottom of page three or read with me. How is this event introduced? The rabble. All right, that may mean the heir of Rav here. Here the text may be pointing to them, right? The the rabble among the nation whoever they were whether they were Israelites his aua awoke desire. All right. So what's happening here? So what happens is they turn and they say, "Uh, Mosha Rabenu, we want meat. We we we're not happy with this this month. It's we want meat. We remember we remember the the meat and the cucumbers and the fish. Everything we ate in Mitra was wonderful. We had a smorggas board every day." All right. I'm I'm I'm sort of using my own terms, but that's what they're saying. They're saying, "You took us out of a place where we were cared, where we had this all this wonderful food, like a breakfast at the King David Hotel in the morning, and here we are, and all we have to eat is the month." And then the Torah goes out of its way to do something it rarely does. It gives you an aside. All right. If you take a look at the last line on page three, so they say to the next to last line, they say now we're our souls are dry. We've got nothing but we're tired of the munazer who ano. And the Torah goes on to say, the man was perfect. The man was beautiful. There was no reason to rebel against the mun. And the rabbis will say that it actually tasted what you wanted it to taste, etc., etc. But the text is saying this is not something you should be pushing away or or saying it's it's no good. Yes. Why would they push it away? Okay. It was what they desired would become whatever. All right. So, I'm going to read to you a little bit from Rav Salivic's approach to this event. Ravalik does and we'll see that it helps us understand not only the event but Mosha's reaction. Let me just get it. I should have it here. Yeah. Nope. I guess I had it in a different All right. I'm going to I'm going to have to uh I know I wrote it. I know I took it, but I think I left it in my in my uh little suitcase over there. So, what the RV says is that this is paganism. This is paganism. He says this is worse than idolatry. What is paganism? He says paganism is the worship of the world around you to the extent that the way you're going to worship is you're going to throw yourself into it. You're going to you're going to if there's meat, you're going to fill up on meat. You're you're going to and that and that takes away from any spirituality. It's the lust for belonging. The lust not only for eating, but the lust to to to just eat and be merry, right? Eat and be merry and don't worry about tomorrow. I want this is what I'm focusing on. This is what I Yes. It takes the appetite and creates a god out of That's correct. That's correct. It takes the appetite. pagans, thank you for honing it down. Paganism takes the appetite and makes a god out of the appetite. That's what the R is saying. And the R is saying that's what's happening because look what's happening here. What's happening here? First of all, this is a planned rebellion. This is unique. This Korak is similar, but this is unique in its own way. The rabble starts awakening the tavo, right? In other words, it didn't just happen, right? But the rabble awakens the tavo and it's there in Ben Israel and and it's there probably the r says because of their stay in Egypt for so long. So in other words, it's a vestage. It's a vestage of the society that surrounded them. And this is horrible. And this is this can't be countenanced. And it it's different from all other rebellions because it's not a rebellion against the thing or for water or whatever. It's, you know, we just want to eat, drink, and be merry. Really, that's really what this is. Now, that's why Moshe reacts the one reason Moshe reacts the way he does. Take a look on page four to Mosha's reaction. [Music] Oh, she hears the nation turns to Hashem and what does he say? Why have you treated me so poorly? Why have you thrust the burden of this people upon me? Did I give birth to this nation? Did I uh right? Did I come pregnant with with this nation? Did I give birth to the nation? You you're telling me that I have to hold them to my bosom the way a nursing child would would be held by its by the person feeding it. In other words, now what's happening here and the RV is very clear on this. What's happening here is for the first that this is this is out of character, right? In other words, how does Moshe react in other tragedies? He's defends the nation. He prays for forgiveness. Here he's taking it personally. So the R says this is the first time that Moshe recognizes the truth about Jewish leadership. And the truth about Jewish leadership. Mosher Ra knew until this point using my own words figured, okay, I'll give a shir, right? I'll talk. I'll give a sermon. I'll teach the nation. I have to deal with this and and what and we'll see what Hashem's responses in a moment. All right. But that's what he's that's what he's that's what he's complaining about. the tr he's he for a moment he touches the truth about Jewish leadership which is and I again alhamdulill 10 times right rabbis like me will tell you stories all right about the phone call that I got one night about someone who said there are coyotes in Engle what are you going to do about it all right okay right right there are coyotes in Engle what are you going to do about it or I think I told You did I tell you about the chairs and tables? Did I tell you that one? All right. So, arguing for hours about chairs, whether we're going to buy chairs or we're going to buy tables. I could sit in my office as a rub and a whole group of people will come one by one to see me and this one will have a very serious problem and this one will have a very serious problem and then this one comes in with narish kite. Now the the temptation is to say to that person, do you know what other people brought in here? This is narish kite. But the rub has to realize that to that person, for that person, that's not narish kite. And if he's bringing it to you, you've got to find a way. Now, you can teach him that it's narushkite. In other words, you can find a way to but you can't say to him it's not narish. You can't you've got to have patience and you've got to be willing to and one of the things that's very true about the rabbinet is that the pastoral piece which rabbis when we become rabbis we we don't know know we have to emphasize the pastoral piece is what earns you the trust of the community and enables you then to say things to them that you never could have said had you not been there for them in the hospital. Had you not been there for them at the funeral, had you not been there for them at the its earns their trust and enables all else that happens, right? So that that's the key. All right. So let's see motion. So that's motion. Yes. I'm sorry. I think I think then failure because he wants them to appreciate the man. The man is the Interesting. Interesting. So, okay. So, you're saying it's it's a despair. Uhhuh. hasn't done his job. He doesn't quite say that, but that could be he he really the words to words. It could be. It could be. In other words, you're saying it's a frustration and that's why it's upside down nuns that everything he's invested in this people is falling apart. It's as if he wasn't there. Good point. Good point. But his words are even more power. Say say clearly, do I have to do this? Is this what you expect from me? Laharioso, why have you done this? Do I have to treat these people as a nursing father, a nursing mother would treat rather? Exactly. Right. Right. Right. Good. All right. Very good. You're saying that he's upset that they're not accepting the money and it's an indication of his despair. Could be. Could be. All right. So, that's number complaint number one. All etc. What's complaint number two? Looking the third, the fourth or fifth line. Right. May I look? All right. Even if I'm going to listen to the people, where the heck am I going to get enough meat to feed them? Right? I It's impossible. I'm not going to be able to do that. Right? Page four. Page four in the Hebrew. Page four and five in the English. Right. So that's complaint number two. Skip to the next line. I can't do this alone. Complaint number three. All right. So, there are three objections raised by Moshe Rabenu. Is this really Jewish leadership? Number two is um where am I going to get me to to feed them? And number three is what? Number three is I can't do it alone. Let's look at how resp they're just like that's not our problem. All right. Good point. Where are the elders of the Zakanium that were identified when they were in Egypt, right? We'll see what we'll see that it's a new conre of leaders that needs to be that needs to come. Yes. Isn't the way acts reflects not necessarily instead of saying well there's a problem how do I do it says where am I going to get it well that's why we're trying to understand because every other problem that emerges he does exactly as you say he tries to solve it the ael he tries to here he's in despair he's in despair we can is it not that he's in despair yes isn't this reflective at the burning bush he said no correct Could be. Could be. It's reflect but now he's really realizing the truth. It's reflective of his desire not to become a leader of the burning bush. But he's saying I this is right. Correct. Correct. All right. Now, let's wait. Yes. All right. I'm going to ask that we take the questions and comments at the end. Yes. Yeah. It's like Moshe is like in his first days of being a rabbi, right? That's correct. Moshe is in his first days of being a rabbi and that's why he's saying, "Is this really what you want from me?" Correct. Correct. I find this passage very, very important for young rabbis to read, right? Because Yeah, you're right. Okay, let's go on. Well, let's see what Akaresh Baraku responds. Take a look at at page five. I'm skipping one thing because we're going to run out of time and I I want to do a couple of things here. All right. Mosheim, I want you to gather for me those leaders who until now have been leaders and have earned that that title. So there's your answer. Tom, you should take them to the and let them stand with you at the door to the and what will happen? I will I'll come down and talk to you and I will take some of the spirit that is upon you and place it on them. So in other words, they will acquire divine divine spirit. Now, we'll talk about what that means for Moshe and and everybody in a minute. Next, and to and tomorrow, I want you to sanctify yourselves or get ready. really get ready because I'm going to give you meat. But it's going to because you came and said because you complained the way you did and and this this revolution and this paganism, you're going to eat meat and you're going to regret it because it's going to be it's going to I'm going to provide meat for you and you'll see too bad. you're going to be punished through that meat. All right? And that's what he says. Now, how many things does Hashem respond to? There three complaints, only two, right? He is silent concerning the most important complaint, right? He is silent concerning is this really Jewish leadership. That that's what give rises. He doesn't say anything about that. He says, "Get me the 70 elders and we'll we'll have people helping you. Uh I'm going to provide the meat. don't worry but he doesn't talk to him about Jewish leadership and this is one of the cases I think we actually saw it a number of months ago where teaches Moshe through experience rather than words by his silence he's answering what's he saying to Moshe pard my language suck it up right basically that's what he's saying to Moshe what he's saying to Moshe is this is it. I I'm not I'm not going to defend it. I'm not going to explain it. This is what you have to do. This is what you have to realize. And you are a Jewish leader and you can't run away from it. And I know you didn't want to do it at the st. Too bad. Why do I say that? Why didn't you say that? Because All right. Because because the silence speaks volumes, right? Silence speaks volumes. I don't even have to answer that. Yes. Last comment for patient. What happened to you? What happened? Okay. Right. All right. Very good. You're saying that he's described elsewhere as patient. He loses it. He's human. This is the this particular moment. He's had it. He's had it. This is this is and it's and that's why this moment is so important to understand what they're asking for or what they're desiring. Moshe confronting this pagan desire so soon after leaving Hari I can't deal with this and and he really becomes despondent. Yes. one said I can't do this by myself here. No, he said three things. He said is this the nature of Jewish leadership? One, I can't do it by myself. Two, where will I get the meat? Three, God responds to two and three. He does not respond to one. And one is what gives rise to everything else. All right. Now, let's go on. So what he says, let's see what happens. So Hashem says, "Gather these elders and turn to page number uh six, right? Page number six. And um I'm skipping over the objection." Moshe raises another objection. Again, it's out of character. He says, "God, how are you going to provide what? What are you going to do?" And God says, "Don't worry. I'm going to take care of it." Right? And it's out of character that he would bring this additional objection up. But now I have one problem solved. Two continuing possibilities. What do I mean by that? Let me explain. Moshe gathers the 70 elders. He stands at the at the door to the tent. God comes down and takes some of Moshe's spirit and shares it with these people. The rabbis say the way we should view this is like a candle lighting lighting other candles. What's unique about fire? that it can give of itself without losing of its own strength. In other words, this is not diminishing Mosha's ruahesh in any way. It's simply igniting the ruah kodesh in these other individuals. And this is the precursor to the Sanhedrin. The rabbis will say there's 70, right? With Moshe, it's 71. And that's the number. All right. So what you have here is they are becoming spiritually infused. And what happens is why does God do it this way? I believe because he wants to connect their leadership to Moshe. In other words, he doesn't want them to become independent of Moshe. He wants them to see it as funneling through Moshe because that otherwise does he have to have Moshe stand there with these people and do this. Now, so what happens? Look at the last words in the sentence, right? They they prophesized. And if you look in the English, I did something strange. I I simply quoted that phrase. And I'll tell you why. The rabbis argue about what that means. There are two potential page now I'm on page number seven. No I'm still on page number six. Sorry. Um all right. Okay. Yafu. What does Yafu mean? There are two distinct possibilities. Yu can come from the word self or it can come from the word hosifu. Right. could indicate that that velo which means they did not add to it. They did not continue. They stopped right here. Or it could mean yafu. They never stopped. Right? They the s this wasn't a sof loaf. They and they continue to prophesy. What? didn't add to that. Well, I don't see this. No. No. No. That's what No, it's talking about the nu at least. It's talking about the nva. In other words, it's saying these individuals became prophets prophets spiritually infused and either they did not continue in that role or they did. So you have the two alternative possibilities embedded in that one word which is why I didn't translate it now what that's right very good very good which says and hari's coal continued to grow and that indicates right that indicates now I'm I'm going to suggest to you and this is something that you you can accept or not this gives rise to two distinct positions concerning rabbitic authority. There are some within the Jewish community who see certain rabbis or rebies or as having raesh, right? Who see them as greater than human and Hashem is guiding them when they give up sack. Hashem is there. This is not just the natural response of someone to read books and to come up. And there is a second position. The second position is the Ramban Rambam's position where he says does not reside in prophets today. Allah resides in the Rabonim who are trained to right and and that and that view of ala which I happen to I happen to personally accept is that no the rabbis are not superhuman but the rabbis are trained and the rabbis and when you go to the rv you're going to have someone sit down and hit the books and give you an answer to the best of their ability and as we said when we went over the the component opponents of oral law will accept whatever they come up with. That's that's the way it works. So you have here possibly possibly the emergence of those two views of halahic process. Aloafu they didn't stop prophesying meaning throughout the ages it's superhuman. Ya safu. Lohu. They didn't they didn't they stopped. They didn't prophesy anymore. Okay. Now take a look at page number seven. Something very very strange happens. Right. This is when when God is taking that Holy Spirit and giving it to the 70 at the whole somehow there's a misfire. It seems all of a sudden two people Eld and Maid are misnab and Maid are giving right somehow came to them what's going on. So the the rabbis explain they say Elder and Bad were supposed to be at the tent. They were supposed to be at the tent. Moshe in this circumstance at the tent basically had a problem. All right. problem was if I take the same amount of people from each shave event, I'm never going to get to the number 70. If I take five, it'll be less. If I take six, it'll be more. I have I'll be forced to take more from one shaveet and less from another, it's not going to go. They're they're going to hold it against me. So, he devises a process. He takes lotteryies, lots on some of them he puts the phrase pro similar to lashem, right? You're going to be a prophet. Some of them he leaves blank. Two of them he leaves blank. Oh, right. Because he he's going up to 72. He's taking going six times 12, right? So he's going up to 72. Two of them he leaves blank. Those are the people that God didn't choose. And he turns to the group and he says, "Look, it's not me. I'm not making the choice is telling you, pick the lots. Eld were supposed to be there and they were supposed to receive a lot that said Lashem. They did not go for one of two reasons. One reason is the rabbis suggest that they were worried they wouldn't be chosen. But the second reason which is accepted by more authorities is they were worried they would be chosen and they didn't want the responsibility. And if that's the case, there's a very extraordinary lesson that Akesh Baru is teaching in this event. This mysterious event and what is it? You can't run away from your responsibility. Right? If you what right Yona right correct very good you can't run away if you are supposed to be a navi if you're supposed to be a leader if you're supposed to be a teacher you can't run away from that responsibility and this is something I you know we'll end on this on this on this note as we look at the society around us here in Israel and we see young people lining up for their responsibilities and we wish them we wish them well. We wish them bes that that they should that they should uh meet that responsibility well and safely. But you can't run away from your resp responsibility. Yes.