Rav Kook on Pirkei Avot: Exalted Chesed | Rabbi Aaron Goldsheider | Oct 14 2026

All right, good morning everyone. Booker to great to see everyone this morning. Yashak for being here this morning and a great a great honor to uh to be learning together. We also welcome back some familiar faces that have been uh been away over the summer in Yantiff. So nice uh nice to have everyone back with us this morning and uh the sponsor of the Shir. This year is dedicated. Okay. So this year this we have begin we have be we have begun our learning together uh of the teachings of RVuk and uh we're going to base the teachings of RV cook in the writings of Pieravos and the beautiful teachings the ethical maxims of Pure Cavote and as we all know some of the very basic and some of the most important ideas and principles about living a Jewish life and our best Jewish lives and to see RV cook the way that Ravk addresses he doesn't write a perish on peravos but we're going to gather from his uh from all of his vast writings and uh see how we can bring a elaboration elucidation of the teachings of pieros. So we started last week with the very first Mishna. This week we are on the second Mishna Perky Evas and it's a Mishna which I would say all of us are familiar with. Certainly the uh the this this idea and I would say it's one of the most uh one of the most well-known sayings of uh of Perkyos and of our Kazal. So let's begin with the statement itself. Paragalif Mishnab Shimonadic Mish Kesset Abdullah he was one of the last remaining members of the aneah who hay and this was his teaching al-Shadim on three things the world stands to the importance of Torah the al the importance of worship of service of possibly and the importance importance of the importance of kindness and compassion and good deeds that we do uh for one another. So we're going to concentrate on that last principle of the Mishna and that is something that we we all know a lot about and in our lives also we're engaged in in what I like to think about this morning and look at together is the way the Rook thinks about and to think and to see what is unique in the writings and in the thought of RVuk in the area of and again I Hope all of this um for all of us be is a is an inspirational inspirational ideas not just uh philosophical or hypothetical ideas but ideas that we can take into our lives. Let me begin with the following story. A short story about the and I share a story about the because Rafuk had a very special relationship with the many people are not familiar with that. There's a whole safer that's written about their relationship Ben Kohanim Hagdim. That's the name of the safer the relationship between two great Kohanim. They were both kohanim and they shared that in common. The Kavatim would stay at the home of Rufk's parents when he was traveling. So there was already a relationship as a young boy that Rkook met the and later in life early in his life in his 20s the was invited by the I'm sorry Rkook was invited by the to uh to join a coal to join a group of people that were studying especially the area of beta mikdash and avod in the beta mikdash and felt that we were getting closer and closer to a time of gu. He writes a lot about that and we have to prepare for the gua. We have to prepare for the rebuilding of the beta mikdash. So he called on kohanim we need to be the ones we're going to be called on in a short time and we need to know what are we going to do tomorrow if there's a ba mikdash to bring the to do all the avod. So he invited to be part of that kal. Now they started learning together and the Kavatim said to Rufk, I see that you are an absolute genius in learning. But I see that you also have another amazing quality and that is that you are a leader. You are a charismatic individual and you need to go out and become a leader of Israel. Not stay in the base mish. I want you to become a leader of Israel. And Rafuk said no I want to stay. I want to learn. And the said no you are to go and and become a rabbi. become a rabbi of Ashul and that's what he did. He became a rabbi of Ashul in Bisque and then eventually as we all know he comes to Yafo and becomes the great uh rabbitic leader of of Israel of Palestine and it all started with the Kavit. So here's a story of the Kavitim. So there was a great RV who was the founder of the Panovich Shiva and he came here to Erit Israel to rebuild the Panovich Shiva. His name was Rab Rabbi Kanaman. And I don't know if that's a name that you're familiar with. One of the great gdollum of the uh of this past century. And when he was young, he was on the road. He was I think in his 20s or so at the time. He was raising money for his yeshiva, the Panovicha in Panovich. And he was not far from the Kabit, from the home of the Kabit. And he took the opportunity to visit the Kabitim. So he came into the Kabetim's home. His wife was there to greet him and he heard the in the other room and the was crying and he was crying out in prayer and Rav Kahan again as as a young man he said to the wife of the what's you know what's happening. So he said that she said that the is now praying for somebody who's going through a difficult time. So Rafkahanaman he thought to himself well it must be that this is somebody significant somebody maybe a family member the way that he was pouring out his prayers and he turned to the wife of the and said who is he praying for and she said well there's somebody in the community a woman who's giving birth right now and she's having a difficult time in labor so the said that I'm going into a room myself and I'm going to pray for this woman. But what's amazing about the story is the way that he was praying for it wasn't it wasn't a relative. It wasn't another gal of the Torah. It was just a another woman in the community and the way that he was pouring out his heart. The way that he was feeling the pain of another individual. So that is uh a little bit of a taste of of the and what we mean by as well is the way that we that we care that we internalize somebody else's struggles and we bring it into bring it into our own heart into our own lives. I'll share just one other anecdote something that that I've heard over the years and then we'll uh then we'll enter the the teachings of of RVuk. So we spoke about the and here's a rabbi that is a young rabbi. He lives in Woodmir. His name is Rabbi Shai Shakar. I'm sure some of you are familiar with him and have heard Shuram. Very very popular Magir. He's part of the young Israel of Woodmir in the five towns. He's the son of Rahersel Shhater who's one of the great Rashes Shiva Rashiva at yes Ishiva University. And I've heard this from him over the years and and this alone is something that I think is quite inspiring and appropriate for this time of year. He says every year as the new year begins, Rashashana time, Yam Kipper, he sits down with his wife and the two of them sit together and try to find somebody within the community and they say we're going to choose one person or one family and it's going to be this one family that we're going to concentrate on to help them. Somebody who's struggling in the community and this is going to be the individual. this is going to be the family that we're going to try to change their lives in the coming year. And I thought that's just an an amazing idea. I mean, of course, he's involved in all kinds of, you know, every day, but the idea to kind of like pinpoint, you know, to to find one person or one family and say this is the family that this year our goal is we're going to change their lives in the coming year. Such is a beautiful idea about Gimus. So now let's enter into the uh into the world of RVuk and Gimloid. One of the great writings of RVuk, one of the great works of RVuk is Orota Kodesh. And you see that on the page, this is page one. The name of the safer is Ota Kodesh. And if you look towards the bottom, this is from the title page that I that I copied for you. It's Ariat Davidid Cohen. Now who is David Cohen? David Cohen was the Nazir of Shalam. He was one of the great Talmidenim of Rivk Cook. And the Nazar said that I see Rivk that you've written so much. You have notebooks and notebooks of writings. Let me put it together and let me put together sort of a philosophical system in a safer for you. And that's and he spent many years doing that. Rdavid Cohen the Nazir Shallay and he produced this work the first volume he showed Rkook actually on his deathbed and uh today we have this uh this beautiful work kind of going through the the uh the ideas the philosophy the theology of Rkook throughout the safer or takodes. So here's a section about this is a a uh a passage about we're not going to read the the whole section but I want to highlight we'll read the first few lines and then I want to highlight uh what a few ideas and the way that Rif cookook speaks about the title of the piece itself I think is already quite remarkable and striking and that is what what's the title now what's Goon. So we know the vilon. When we use the term gaon. Now whenever we use the term goon generally what that term means is somebody who is a genius, right? That's a gon. And we use that term today. Hagon haragon or the vilon. It means the rabbi who is an absolute genius. Great intellectual ability. Remarkable intellectual ability. But look at what RVuk does here. And I think this is I don't know if he's the only one to do this but I found this striking that he calls that you can also be a gon in as well. You can also be a genius in there's genius in learning there's genius in adafara but you can live a life as a genius of and let's talk about that for a moment but look at the the opening line of RVuk. And here by the way or kodesh is known as a difficult work. It's a difficult work. It's it's more poetic. Some of it's very mystical. Some of it's cabalistic here as well in this piece. Some of the language is uh is a little bit challenging, but we'll we'll let's open with a few lines and then we'll we'll summarize a few other ideas from this piece. In every area of genius, an eye that sees in a clear way. A person is able to see is able to appreciate the genius in many areas. the beauty of the spirit the very essence of the genius the the strength okay so what does say in this line you see it's very very poetic the discerning eye if you look carefully and if you look carefully at the idea of and people who are balass who are who are great in that's autis in as well. Now what does that mean? So let me give you the following example. There's a great there's a great institution here in USA called Shalva. Is anyone familiar with Shalva? I have a young daughter who attended Shalva. She has Down syndrome and it's an amazing an amazing place where hundreds maybe it's thousands of people take part in programming that is geared for special needs. Now that takes gonoot, that takes genius to be able to establish a place. And by the way, when I was there, and I was there often because my daughter was there, there were groups that would come in from other countries, individuals to learn from Shia how they do their work, right? To take in young children, the classes and the programming after school. And people came to Shalva just to learn how to do this, how to address a community, how to provide for a community, for parents and for the children. And that is gonut. There is a goot. There's a genius that's needed in as well. So I think of that as a as a great example of that. Rafuk goes on in if you kind of skip down not the next paragraph but the following paragraph in the middle of par the middle of the paragraph he also uses the terminology that he uses the term which again you wouldn't think to use this term in the area of that there is that's also sometimes needed when it comes to or the great is also ruakesh of meaning that you're able to see something that others are not able that are not that you cannot easily see that others cannot easily see. you have aesh that there's a holy spirit that you can see that there's a vision that you can have and that's also part of what it means to uh of the onoot of the greatness of and one more one more highlight from this paragraph of and here go to the very last paragraph just one line the opening line of paragraph 4 again I love this idea that he talks about the genius of often or at times it is revealed. Now what does he mean by that? The poor of the land. You can see this also amongst the poor of the land. Now what's the poor? What is he referring to the poor of the land? So I think there are two ways of understanding this. One is you don't necessarily need to be wealthy. You can be an you can be you don't necessarily have to be a wealthy person and you can provide amazing for others. There's one kind of that you need the money for to be a philanthropist, right? People that have millions of dollars, billions of dollars be able to give. That's an amazing thing. And there is that's tremendous. People that do that, people that are wealthy that are able to support institutions and to change the world with their wealth. But there's also an arats. is also people that are simple people but they can do amazing. I think about a family here in Shalime the Maflas family. Anybody familiar with with the Mahas is have you ever anybody ever eaten there on Friday night? Okay. So they have a hundred How many people do they have on Friday? Over 100 people years ago. They have over a hundred guests every Friday night at their table. Over a hundred people at their table every Friday night. There's a beautiful art scroll book about Henny Mahus unfortunately who passed away from cancer a number of years ago and she was really the force behind you know the uh the the project so to speak or this initiative of having people at their home over shabas they have shabas lunch as well they have shallow as well I know a fellow who's who doesn't really have a place and that is his place he's there for all the meals over shabas during the week as well people are living in their home they necessar necessarily know who's in their home all the time. People are in and out. And uh so there's a beautiful beautiful book by the way Art Scroll has on Han Makus. What is it called? Anybody know the name? Something with love and chicken soup or something like that. And uh Art Scroll also came out with a children's version of it as well. Very very beautiful. So you can be they're not wealthy people. And by the way, they continue doing this even after she passed away. Hi Mahas passed away. The family still continues to do it every week. You can go this Friday night and join hundreds of over 100 people at the meal. So that that's week in and week out and you can do it again the an er even those without a lot of money necessarily they can find you can find a way to be a person of of I think the other the other idea that Rkook has in mind when he talks about the an erat is that they may be anam in other areas and this the gamarra talks about as well anem in mitzvot in terms of devotion and commitment to mitzvot but the Na erits even those that are devoid even those that are empty of mitzvah they can be great in the area of and I think this is something that Rkook puts great emphasis to be able to see those qualities as well are they keeping shabas maybe not right are they holding by every uh every mitzvah maybe not but people that are great in that's something that needs to be appreciated as well that contribution that devotion is something that is uh that's exceptional So there's a story that's told about RVuk. Rufk when he first came he was first in Yafo. Then he comes to Shallayim and uh he sets up his home and the base meish which again is open. You can see that today they've dabbing there over Shabas. If you ever want a davin in the base matter of RVuk, they have they've minyanim uh it's open to the public and uh so when he first came to Shalam so everybody heard about Rivkuk and his kindness and uh people were coming left and right you know asking for saddaka asking for help. So some of the shamashim people that were working with Rif Cook, they put up a sign outside of his door and they put up the hours in which you could visit Rifkook because they saw that people were coming at all hours. So they did that and they noticed the next day that the sign wasn't there. And um so they made another sign, they put it up and the next day it wasn't there a second time. Finally they kind of like you know they waited to see who's taking down the sign. So who took down the sign? It was RV Cook, right? Ruk was taking down the sign and he said that I am an eel and that's the way that he would often sign his letters. I'm a servant to the Jewish people in the land of Israel and for a servant there's no you know there's no there's no asking the servant if you have time if you're ready at any moment uh you are obligated to help others. [snorts] So that is a beautiful of Ravkuk. Let's now turn to page two. And this is one of the beautiful I would call it one of the classic pieces from Ravuk. A very beautiful piece from top of page two. So the is the following. This is found in the Gar. found in the as well that when a person davins and in a shul as well there should be windows that are there when one davins you should be dinging in a space where there are windows that's what the gamarra says and the question is why now by the way many shuls I just started ding the shai aon shul and that's in Arnona and I see that they have windows they have 12 windows many have that's based on a cabalistic idea I believeman speaks about as well of specifically 12 windows. Why 12 windows? No says the 12 tribes and that they're all different personalities in the shul and you need a window for everyone's everyone's dinging. We're we're not we're not the same, right? We're all come from different. We're all different personalities. So you need the right window. You need to find your window for your to uh to go up to Shamayim. So the is that one should have windows where one that's the look at what Rashi says. note. Why do you need windows? So, it's at the very top of the page. You see it says Rashi right below that. What's the reason? What does Rashi say? It's good to have windows. For what reason? You'll look out the window when you're ding. You'll see the heavens and that will bring a sense of humility. Melaray, you'll look up. You'll see the beautiful blue skies the libo and you will be humbled in that experience. And that's part of what it means to dav to davin in a humble way. Even the way that we dav the rambom says I won't spoke about this which people don't do to put one hand over the other on your heart says the rambom. And this is how you dav you davin in a posture of humility of nikna. Most people don't do that but that's the the rambom writes the misha. does it. >> Rasha does it. Okay, not surprising. So the so Ruf cook has a different explanation for the importance of windows and this is where we're going to move into what I think is very unique in RVuk's his idea of so here we're going to read we'll take a moment to read the beautiful language of Rkook. This is from as you see his commentary on the Gumra on the agad of the Garra. This is the garra. I'm just reading that. This is the the quote, the citation from the garam. You should only be praying in a place which by the way you might find surprising. You would say, "Isn't that a distraction? You're going to be by a window." That's what that's not what the Gamarra says. The Gamarra says it's a good place. It's a very good place. It's the best way to dive in. To dive in where there are windows. Again, Rashi says because you're going to be inspired by the by that view. You're going to be inspired and it's going to bring humility. Rufk has a different explanation says on the one hand is a very personal experience. It's something that's unique. It's something personal to the soul of a person. I however there is a condition that's necessary to have the fullness of prayer so that prayer has a makes its impact on the one who is praying. So a person needs to be aware of the bigger world around them. That prayer and the inspiration of prayer is to bring you to a place that you're going to take that inspiration and you're going to make a difference in the world. Then it's going to make a difference not only for yourself but for those around you as well. The experience of of praying is not only that you you on a personal level are uplifted spiritually, but it brings you to a place that you're going to want to help others. It's going to bring more compassion and sensitivity towards others. But if your prayer brings about a situation where you feel disconnected from the outside world that's not the ultimate purpose of this unique very interesting way of thinking about an interesting way of thinking about the windows prayer is supposed to enliven or to energize a person. to take action. You're supposed to walk out of prayer a different person. You're supposed to walk out of prayer not only concerned with your spirituality, but now how can I help others? Interesting. Rabbi Salvich says in the bros in the morning that we say that Godim. So Rabbi Salvich comments and says why do we say all of that? Does God need to be, you know, thanked for for clothing and opening one's eyes and walk? Rabbi Salvage says we're saying all of that to remind us to teach us how we have to walk in the ways of Hashem. When we thank God for that, that means now we have to incorporate that in our lives. How are we going to help somebody else to walk to help somebody else to give clothing to provide clothing for the poor for the impoverished? These are all lessons. These are ways to inspire a person to bring this into their lives and to bring it to others. And Rufuk says we have to be by a window. There's a be by a window because we need to be thinking about the bigger world, the needs of others as we're davening says Rkook. I'm top of I'm on the top of the next column if you want to follow along. Low note, the fact that you can now look out, you have the possibility of looking out to the world to it will awaken you that you have an obligation. You have an obligation to everyone. This isn't just about you. We don't go up to a mountaintop and pray, right? That's not the way that a Jew prays. A pray a Jew prays with others. Praise in a shul praise in a minion and even beyond that opens a window says the garra be by a window and look to the world and to see the obligation that you have to all mankind to all society. Yes. We'll take it's a couple of questions. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Where was that in the where >> in Long Island? window outside. >> Okay, >> that's thinking about yourself. Cook says you have to think about others. window and most in America. >> Right. Right. Right. So, windows and shores is based on this gamarra and yes, windows and shs. Yes. Reggie, did you have a comment? >> Okay. Yes. Oh, sorry. >> Right. We we don't dab ourselves in general, right? The the amida all of our davity is in the plural. Exactly. Exactly. Beautiful. Yes. >> You're not supposed to stop >> not to be not to be distracted by nature around you. >> Right. That's a mission of pure, >> right? It says one who is in the middle of their learning and >> also a little confused that you're >> It's interesting. You know Rafuk uses a language and I noticed that I as was reading it the second line says you should have the windows that you have the possibility in other words not again not you shouldn't be distracted by it should be there it's a symbol of a symbol of this idea that our prayers really should extend certainly beyond ourselves and beyond our own community but to the world around us to everyone to the needs of everyone so okay you have to find the balance you're right it shouldn't be it shouldn't be something that's distracting from kavana But he see Rif cooks sees this as something that's going to be uh that's going to energize one's cabana. Rashi says it as well. Rashi says you're going to look out. You're going to see the vastness of the sky. You're going to see the clouds. You're going to see the view and you're going to be humbled by that. It's going to bring you closer to God. So Rashi also has that opinion. Yeah. >> You should not be distracted. >> Right. Right. Right. That that's correct. That's correct. That we just br right. We just brought that up. one who's in the midst of their learning and then distracted by nature that that that the per person is held guilty of that. Okay. So yes, you have to find uh you have to find the right balance. >> What is one? >> Good. You could say good. Maybe that's a distinction. What is and that's a time for for more inspiration whereas where learning is more intellectual and and not to be distracted by that could be that's a good answer. Okay. Okay, so this gives you a taste very interesting perspective from RVuk about what it means to davin but what it means to care for others and what's interesting in the language of RV cook is RVuk is not just talking about our own community but looking out to the world looking at the needs of all mankind and now we're going to see that in one of the most beautiful one of his most famous poems so Rivuk is also when they talk about Rifk Cook they say he was a lambd he was a mystic he was a and he was a poet. I don't know if you like there's he he was ever he was so many things but one of the things that he was he wrote poetry those that appreciate poetry that's something that he did and we have many many poems from of cook this is a poem and it's also a piece of learning it's poetry and learning is found also in rotesh and I'm just bringing it to you in the translation just for the sake of time and that we can appreciate this uh this piece in a straightforward way here we talks about the soul of a Jew. The fourpart song and let me just read it and you have it in front of you. One of the most famous pieces from Ravkuk. There is one who sings the song of the individual soul. This person finds everything inside the soul and experiences it in it total spiritual fulfillment. So a person who finds fulfillment in their own spiritual life, in their own religious life, that's a very beautiful thing. However, then there is one who sings the song of the nation. It's not enough just my spiritual, my davining and my kash and my shabas, but there's a nation that I want to be a part of. And I always think about that Jews that have come to land of Israel that we want to be part of a nation. It's not enough just living our Jewish lives in small communities. We want to we want to feel the nation as a whole. Then there is one who sings the song of the nation, leaving the boundaries of the individual soul which are found to be too narrow and not not idealistic enough. This person yearns for great heights and unites with the entire Jewish people with a deep love, pain by the nation's sufferings, finding happiness and its dreams. The one who sings the song of the nation is immersed in deep thoughts concerning its past, its future, and tries to understand its inner spiritual nature with love and a wise heart. So that's another kind of Jew. A Jew that brings the nation into their Jewish lives. Is there anything else? Are we done? Rook has another level of what it means to be a great Jew. Then there's one whose soul is so all-encompassing that it expands beyond the limits of the Jewish people, the one who sings the song of humanity. Now, by the way, I bring this because that's what I'm reading in the piece that we just saw. He doesn't say, "Look out the window to find a Jew walking on the street." He says look out the window to see all humanity. That's what one needs to be thinking about. That's that's the highest level. Even though there's going to be one more level for of Cook. We'll see in a moment. This person's spirit ascends and becomes concerned with the greatness of mankind and its divine image. Seeking humanity's ultimate purpose and looking forward to its ultimate perfection. From this source of life, the singer of the song of humanity draws all thoughts and insights, ideals and visions. By the way, the class that was just given I caught the last five minutes. Always try to have us this of hearing Rabbi Manning. What was the topic of last class? Anybody still sitting here for the for the last hour and a half? >> Sha mitzvah ben Noah. I always say make this point. Do non-Jews have mitzvah? Jews have mitzvah. Non-Jews do not have mitzvah. Correct. >> Wrong. >> They have chevah mitzvot. Ben Noah. that same word mitzvah is used. We have a relationship of mitzvah of Torah with non-Jews as well. Okay, that's like a whole discussion. You can go and listen to Rabbi Manning's class. But did you ever think of a non-Jew mitzv mitzvah is Jewish, right? But they have chevah mitzvah. That means we're we're in this together. Okay. So if Cook says that's the soul of a Jew, the soul of a Jew that cares about his spirituality. Beautiful. The nation. But even beyond the nation, now there's one. What else? Is there anything else? >> Good. Good. Very nice. So the last par or second to last paragraph. So this is the four part. Now we're up to the fourth. Even though I would think you stopped there. What else is there? Then there is one who rises even higher to unite with the entire world with all creatures and with all of existence. Any animal lovers in the room? >> No. >> [laughter] >> All right. So, those that said no are not part of this fourth part of the song. But RV cook says there are special souls that love dogs and love cats and love fish and love parakeetses, love spiders, [laughter] >> snakes. >> Snakes. >> Nature. >> He is. He is. I'm just I'm just trying to Right. Just trying to be funny. But um yes, who loves all of nature that walks out in nature and walks into a field and walks into a forest and just feels the beauty of God's presence. That's that's that's the highest level. Okay. Then there's one who rises even higher to unite with the entire world with all creatures and with all existence and with all of them. The singer of song of all of existence sings. This is a person who is immersed in perksh. This is a person who likes saying peraksh. Anybody like reciting perakshira? You do. You do. >> So what is perakshira? So it's an ancient song of the way that every animal. Yeah. I don't think we know the right. I don't think we know who the uh who who who wrote it, who the author is, but it's an ancient text that we believe is a very holy text that describes how each animal the way that they sing to God daily, how the frog sings to God and the words of the frogs. So, and there are those that recite it every single day. So, he says those that are that love singing perhap um who's guaranteed a world who is guaranteed the world to come. Let me just the last paragraph. So what else is there? Last paragraph of a cook. And then there is one who rises up with all of these songs together that you bring all of this into one great unity in your soul in your life. Each gives its voice. Each plays its melody, the song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of existence. All harmonize. And this is one of the great themes of Revk. Harmony, unity. How do we bring it all together? all harmonized within the ideal human being at every moment and at all times. So this is Ravkuk Oro Kodesh. You can get a feel for Ravk how different he is than than many rabbis the way that he is uh the way that he is interacting with life and the world and God. Fairly fascinating. Yes, please. >> It does. >> Good. Good, >> good point. That's a good point. Excellent point as well. And if Cook talks about that, you also need to work on your own religious commitments and your devotion and move and and it's a ladder from there. Yes. Very good. Yes, please. >> Oo kodes. You can see on the at the very end that Oh, so that um that's a O and a K. Oo Kodesh book two pages 444 through 445. Oro ot it's orot ha kodesh even though they have it as orot kesh. Okay. So here we go. Two other two other teachings that I want to share and then we'll uh we'll come to a close. So top of page three. We're going to we don't have the time right now. I think we'll do that next week as part of uh it's a beautiful piece but we'll we'll save that for uh for next week. Let's look at two other two other excerpts from from RVuk and um and then we'll we'll we'll bring it to a close. Ootesh another source in a rotesh and he speaks about the sadikimadikim who is sadic and by the way the sadic here he calls the yodam a saddic who's the foundation of the world not just any sadic but really really outstanding remarkable sadikim who represent the very foundation of the world shahim dhanim kohalam kulovskut these are people that always want to find the benefit of the doubt in others and they want to they they enlighten the light of and all and here's the word of of all creation again this is based on this briote based on the mission also inos that they want to find righteousness in every individual see again the language take note it's not just Jews briote meaning all of God's creation Sadikim hate finding people guilty, finding fault in others. They are always looking for the good in others. That's the saddic. That's the ultimate saddic. These are the true students of Ara. If you want to follow the path of Abra, this is Abraham who walk in that path. How is Abraham? How does Abraham represent this idea? By the way, >> how does Abraham, how is he emblematic of this? Yes. >> Excellent. Saddam, we have Rasheim. God says, "This is a city of Rashe." What should Aram say at that point? He shouldn't say anything. I'm going to destroy the city. And what does Aram say? No, there must be some righteousness here. There must be a way of saving them. Now, who does that? When you're told by God that these are asham, don't you just sit down and say, "Okay, if that's if that's your, you know, if that's the judgment, that's your judgment." And yet he argues with God. He says, "That's the way of sadikim." Sadikim are always looking for good. They're always and they hate finding anything bad. They hate finding any fault. Yes. >> But there are >> there are rash. So there's a time for that as well. Yes. Okay. One more excerpt and I'll uh and just share a story to close. So this is a very interesting safefair. The very last source on the page. There's a rabbi by the name of Rabitak Shilat. Not sure if you've heard that name. He is a Rebi. He's an elder rabbi. Well, you know the name. He's in his 80s I believe today. He's a Rebian Maler Dumim. He's considered to be one of the world experts in the Rambam and the writings of the Rambam. If you see art scroll just came out with a number of translations of the Rambam and if you look at the footnotes they're quoting Rav Shilat all over the place in the footnotes Rav Shilat you have the name Yitkak Shilat so he's an expert one of the world experts in the Rambam and he is a world expert in Rkuk in the writings of Rkuk he was a student of the son of Ravki the cook and he wrote the following book it's about a 500page book and you see the name on the side of the page Bane That's the name of the book that he wrote. Now what is the book about? It's an analysis of the differences or to contrast how is Rafuk's writing different than writings because a lot of it seems to be similar. We're talking about loving people seeing the best in others. This sounds like it's Balshamtov. It's very much like the kidic world. So it's a 500page book in which he analyzes in what way and in all different many many different issues how is Rkook how does he separate himself fromus there are many things that he's essentially saying the same thing as but there are certain things that he is highlighting different ideas so here this is from the in the section called interesting what's the name of the section loving Jews your fellow Jew theat and loving all. So here Rafil writes the following you see at the very top. Okay leave those two words for the most part for the most part does not deal directly with it does not speak about a relationship with people in general. It speaks a lot about Jews loving other Jews. Love your fellow Jew. See the best in your fellow Jew. Is about Jew to Jew. And if you look at writings, again, he's one of the world experts in that writing and RVuk. So he says that's what you're going to find the kidic world. So what was the what was the breakthrough of Rkook? What does he bring to the table that has not been said before or has not been said for a long time? the love that we are to have and the concern that we are to have for all mankind for mankind. But when it comes to that's the famous acronym for his name. What does also mean the person who sees the person who the one who's a seer he's like a prophet. Soaluote in contrast the idea of of of the many of all mankind this is actually one of the essential uh teachings in his thinking he talks a lot about the idea of loving all people let's look at he brings the following there's also from a rota kodes and we'll just see these uh these three these four or five lines signs. There are people great people of great righteousness. They can't limit themselves. They can't refrain themselves and loving just the Jewish people. It's not enough for them. They're concerned with the entire world. Israel. Yes, they are connected in a deep sense to that is the very essence of good found in the Jewish people. However, but that goodness they want to bring want that goodness to be experienced and to find that goodness in all mankind as well. So this is where Rkook takes a uh takes a different path than was the love of of uh of a Jew for a fellow Jew. Rafuk is speaking about when it comes to gimm he's talking about the idea of loving all people which by the way very much is uh part of the that prophetic idea of the Jewish people returning to the land of Israel where we finally can begin to spread a light not only to our nation but to all the nations. Okay. Um I'll just end with two uh two points. So Rufko was a person of great facet. He had a great one of his great students and great friends was a person that personified. His name was Levin and he was known as the Shalim. He was a person that was kulass that every every ounce of his of his being was. So one of the famous things about Ravar Levven is that he would visit the prisoners those Jews that was that were in prison in the Russian compound. You can go today. Has anybody taken a tour of that of the prison? Yeah, people have been there. Very moving. I was there with his grandson, Revenji Levvin, who gives a tour there every once in a while. He'll take advantage of that if you ever see that. And so he would go and visit. And Shabas morning, that's where he daved. He davined in that minion to help make a minion for those that were in prison. So one story, yeah, quite quite an amazing stories around that one story. and he was very close with the prisoners and and he would kind of smuggle things in for them. He would take notes from them, bring it back to the families. From there on Shabas, he would go directly to families to let them know that their sons, that they were doing okay, that they were healthy. So, um, one evening late at night, it was 2:00 in the morning, there was a knock at the door of Raari Levven's home, and it was one of the prisoners from the prison. And the prisoner said that they allowed me to leave and uh I finally was, you know, given the papers to leave. It's the middle of the night. I don't have a place to go. Can I can I sleep here tonight? So he was in a very small, you can see his apartment. If you go to Mach Yehuda, it's still there today. And it was a very in a very small place, but he always found room. And he found room for this fellow. He opened the door, his wife and Rivar Levven and welcomed him, gave him a cup of tea, put him in a bed. And when Ravar Levven woke up in the morning now he wakes up for Vasikin. That was his uh his custom got it for Vasikin and he see that the man is not in the bed. He had already left and he now looks around the house and he sees that the valuables that they had in the house were also all gone and the candlesticks the few precious things that they had were all miss were all taken by this uh by this fellow. So when his wife got up in the morning, he turned to her and they turned to one another and they said, you know, we know that this this is what happened and it's uh you know, very unfortunate, but let us not in any way close our door and not invite people in in the same way that we're going to continue to invite people into our home and whoever needs a place will have a place here. So that's a Camila. That's a that's a kindness that is uh that's quite outstanding. And I'll just end with the uh just avort just an idea for the para this week para Noah. So Rashi has a very very simple question that he asks. It's a rashi in this week's para from the very first aliyah. Rashi says why did Hashem save Noah with a tea? He could have saved him in so many different ways. This is Rash's question. There's so many ways that Hashem could have saved him. Why did he save him with a tea with making an arc? What? [laughter] >> So Rashi gives the following answer which I think you probably remember. Rashi says because it would take 120 years for Noah to build the TVA. It would take him a very long time to build it and that would give him the opportunity to let people know what was going to happen and to invite people to join him to do a little bit of chuva and to enjoy and to join him on the TVA. 120 years building the tva. How many people did he invite onto the TVA? Zero. Right. He brought his wife and he brought his sons and their wives and that's it. 120 years. And he doesn't he doesn't he's not effective in bringing anyone anyone closer bring anyone in to save anyone else. And this according to many of the mafarim is why Noah is not the first Jew. Why is he not Jewish? Why is Noah not the father of the Jewish people? It starts with Ara. Well, we know that Ara, we spoke about Ara this morning. Ara is Abraham is gassed. He's kindness. He doesn't want to see any evil. He has a way of bringing people closer. the compassion the of Ara Noah somehow is missing that Noah is missing that that's one way of of understanding why Noah is not chosen as uh as the father of the Jewish people um so glokased as we all know is one of the one of the most beautiful characteristics we should be inspired by the words of Perkyavos inspired by the words of RV cook by Ravari Levvin and As he says, you can be one of the anarat. You don't have to have anything per se, but the love that we have for others, reaching out to others, bringing others into our lives, being sensitive to the needs of others is one of the most beautiful ways of growing closer to others and grow growing closer to Hashem. All right, I wish everyone a wonderful day, a wonderful week ahead and cultiv