Yerushalayim: The City of Connection | Rabbi Yossi Goldin | May 12 2026

We dive in that the learning that we do today should be a uh protection for our kayim continue to fight for us for this country. Um it should be is for all those who have been injured and fua for them and for all their families those who have been injured and all those families that have been uh affected negatively by the by the current war and we and we should give guidance to all of our leaders and all the leaders of the free world to make the right decisions. Um, okay. So, uh, and this, um, and this week or or this year in general is sponsored by HDI and Ben Lipchit. So, thank you to the Lipchitz family for for your sponsorship. Um, okay. So, this week, uh, we're we're we're in exciting weeks. Um, every week there's something going on here in Aritus, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to talk a little bit about yushim in honor of yushim. Um obviously of course as we're going to see yushim um is very much also connected to our um and so this is very appropriate for a class on to also be talking about yushim. We did discuss some of these ideas last year but we're going to discuss uh um some new ideas as well that I hope uh will be meaningful as we prepare to celebrate to celebrate yushlay and think about yushim specifically within the context of uh of our as well. So um one of the or anomalies that many many of the mafarian point out regarding and regarding the makum mikdash is the fact that never explicitly um certainly well is mentioned how many times in the Torah? >> None exactly in the actual is not mentioned at all. And not only that, but specifically references what he calls or Mosha references many times in Torah or in when Hashem talk when when when Mosha or were talking about bringing it's always referred to as the place that Hashem will choose. It's never explicitly identified uh within within the Torah. Um and even the beginning of the Nim it's not explicitly identified until eventually um David um um declares a desire to build a beta mdash and then then identifies that that area explicitly and the question is why why is it you would think that would be the place that we'd be talking about throughout would be constantly on our lips as as we're as we're approaching when he talks about taking us to the land of you would think that part of that conversation would to the place that will be the focal point of of Israel. So why is it that doesn't mention it explicitly? So the source number one the Rambam in asks this question um and he gives a couple of very very fascinating answers. So says the Ramb he says so first he says it's clear to him that over the course of Jewish history our leaders did know what this special place was as we're going to see it was initially it was initially declared by Abraham Ainu by by the aada and says the Rambam it's clear to me that Moshe knew also that the leaders of the Jewish People did know what was going to be the mikdash the place that had chosen because declared that it was going to be a place where we will ser as the as the declares when Abraham declares as we're going to see in the actual puk soon by the he declares that this is a place that appear vyadamashem that basically a declares that this is going to be the place where will dwell and where we will serve. So says the Rambam, it's clear that Avram had already identified that place and Moshe must have known. However, it wasn't explicitly mentioned in the Torah or to the masses. Why not? Why isn't it actually explicitly explicated in the Torah? Why is it that it's not mentioned specifically? Rather, it's only hinted to rather Moshe refers to the place that Hashem will choose. Why doesn't he say what it is? I have three suggestions. The first is the first is for our enemies. If we were to clearly identify and announce this is the place that is the holiest sight of the Jewish people, who's going to come and try to take it from us? Exactly. >> Our enemies, they're all going to try to take it from us as we're see this is very preient. This is unfortunately very very relevant to us. Could not be more relevant to us that all of the sites that are the holiest sites of the Jewish people are all under uh all under challenge, all under attack in many different ways. And therefore, that's why didn't identify it until it was time. And the second and the second is also so that that so that the people who were in charge of that place wouldn't do whatever they could to destroy it. again similar to our enemies so that our enemies wouldn't a declare that it's theirs or b take action in order to make it unusable for us whenever we would want to be able to establish our our our to our ourselves there and the third which is again also I think very relevant for us maybe this is the strongest if the Jewish people knew from the beginning where was the was. We'd all fight over it. We'd all wanted to be in our area. We'd all wanted to be in our just like we saw when it comes to the kahuna. There were people who challenged Mosha and said why are you the same thing would have happened over you? You want it to be you think it should be in your we want it to be in our place. We want we want to be the shvet that gets to establish it. And that's why says the is was that they could only build it once they had a king because the king acts as a unifying force and an authority that would then hopefully avoid that. Okay. Okay. So, says the Rabam, this is why it's not clearly designated in in to the Jewish people throughout the Torah because a our enemies will come and we'll do will try to forcefully take it from us or they will try to destroy it or b because yushai will become a source of makess which by the way it still became a source of mak even after it was established. But in order to avoid that happening early on therefore therefore it's not it's not it's not mentioned. Um and and I think again as I said the Rambam the Rambam's vision here is also very important because it also highlights for us as we're going to see that yushim at least the third answer is meant to be a unifying force more than anything else is meant to be as I as I entitled it the city of connection we're going to see that more than anything else is meant to be a place of connection more than a place of Peru a place of separation or a place of of discontent and therefore it's against the grain for that to be for for discontent or mlo focus to be the underlying theme within which yushim is established. However, even though yushaim is not mentioned in the Torah and the place is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah as many of you may be familiar, there are hints to yushim in the Torah and I wanted to go over them because I think if we understand where those places are and and the actual hints to the name that will help us understand the nature of yushim. There are two places that kazal identify where there is a hint to to yushim. The first is in what seems to be a very innocuous p when is coming back from his fight uh to save lot after fighting against the kings. So the Pik tells us the king of Shalim came out and he brought food and he was the he was the he was a he was a priest to to Hashem says the tarum on that on that p who is this maled. So he quotes a medish. The medish says that it was shame. It was shame. And also he was the mala dealem. He was the king of yushim. So apparently this place that's in the puss is identified as shalim is actually a reference to the place that we know as as yushim. Where's the next place that we see the yushim coming up is by the famous uh aa in source number three. After a bringsk onto the onto the then he's commanded to take him down and therefore the two a does not end up uh sacrificing the puk says in source number three [snorts] what does he call the place hashem hashem will appear or hashem will see actually is the is the correct translation hashem will seem as it will be said today hashem on this mountain hashem will be seen okay so it's actually a hint to the idea This is a place that Hashem will see and a place where Hashem will be seen. And according to this was what's known as and Rashi says what does it mean? This should be the place that Hashem chooses to bring his and to bring the and to bring and to bring theote. There's a fascinating medish discussing these two these two names. The medish in source number four says that points out that had a had a challenge or had a problem because there were two different names that were given to and he didn't know which one to pick. says the medishdale. In one place you have the mikdash is called as the says right as the the says that he was the priest toe and say that this was this was um shame the mdash abra gave it a different name. The name that he gave it was as the says if I call it shale then I won't be listening to who called it. If I call it your I'm going to be not listening to the to the shame who called it shale. So what did he put the two of them together who calls it? Okay. So the name according to this medish is a combination of the words and shalem. And in fact, even just a little uh a little way, if you take the even though if you say, "Well, what what happened to the year?" The olive and the he the olive and the he of the gumatri of ol and he is six and it changes to above yu yu yushim. Yushim is a reference to the combination of the two names and shale. And if you're going to say, but wait a second, then where did they get yushim? What about the yud that's in yushim? Where did that come from? So Tosfos in source number five actually points out that most places in Tanakh the the name yushim doesn't actually have that yud. It's actually written y the first unit is there obviously but the second unit is not there and says why because again this name is really a combination of yur and shalin it's really supposed to be yushim that's how you should read it and that's how it's written in most places in that's what the source number five toos quotes this medish and at the very end the underlined part he says that's why we don't put the yud between the lammed and the me because this is really a combination of your shalem I saw a question Yes. >> Does anyone need to look for >> You're you're you're jumping ahead. Yes. Yes. It's a beautiful idea and I that's what I that's what I'd like to >> Yes. Yes. There are I'm we're going to do that towards the end. That's a beautiful idea. Um and we're we're going to get to that as well >> according to this. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. 100 100%. We're definitely going to we're definitely meaning there is that is that is I think another idea that is suggested for why doesn't doesn't mention the name. We'll see that we'll see that more more towards the end. So what we've seen so far is that the name Yerushim does is hinted to in the text. It is a combination of two people two shame and Abraham who each gave their own name to this place who then took that and combined it to become and as we know the name of somebody or something identifies representative of its essence. And so if the name of yushim comes from aore a connection between two different things perhaps that hints to the idea that yushim in its essence is really a place of its essence is a place of connection. If you look here in source number six, I brought you this and his he makes this suggestion. Since the name was born out of a connection, a combination, a connecting of two different names, the ne the nature of the essence of is that it is a place of connection. And of course as we know this is also hinted at in the in source number seven means I'm I'm happy I'm happy. Let's go to the bashmu right our our our feet we're standing again just think about the fact that we're going to be we are already but certainly as we're marching on those who are going to be joining or visiting is just again we're fulfilling that prophecy and then the says that is rebuilt it is a city that creat creates connection that that connection is comes through it and together and therefore here again it's hinting to this idea that is a city is a point of connection >> connected >> it's reconnected reconnected as well rebuilt we'll seem but yes 100% so but again but I think there's more to this it's not just about the fact that there were two different names and they happened to be connected there's a deeper understanding to what the two names were that were given here >> and you're ava yes 100% but I think even more than that if you look at source number eight the mesh of uh in his parish on the Torah highlights what he believes to be the two different names that are given and what they represent and he says the following the shame who gave the name Shale comes from the generation of the mul of the flood and according according to his understand according to he was in the t of and he helped to feed all those who were in the what was the main problem with the TVA with the dora the main problem with dora was they weren't treating each other correctly there was a lack of of respect one to the other as the says that they had totally just totally destroyed their ability to interact with each other they were to they had totally they were they were totally destroying They're they're who they were as people and and and the world had been filled with kamas according to is a reference to robbery, thievery. That's what it was referring to. So what was shame trying to do? What was shame's essence? shame or his his goal was to be a tikun to fix this issue of the interpersonal relationships between between man and was to help reconnect them. That was what he that was what he was trying to do in his life and that's what the word shale represents. He says it's to show that all of mankind are one and therefore rather than hurting each other and robbing each other and totally destroying each other, they need to help each other, support each other, connect to each other. We're all just different limbs of the same body. We are the same unit. We are the same person. We we impact each other and all of us are in charge of keeping humanity alive by how we treat each other. So says what was shal what was shame about shame or what we call malik when he gave the name shale it was a reference to the fact that yushim would be a unifier for the Jewish people. It was a tikun for the fact that what caused the world to be destroyed that we couldn't treat each other well. And obviously there's also a reference here to the second mikdash being destroyed because we couldn't treat each other well. There was a lack of in of unity amongst the people. And shame's goal was to reunify us. And the name shame comes from the fact that that was what yala was meant to be a unifying factor between all of the Jewish people. That was one that was one part of the name. What was the other part of the name? Abraham hit. What was Abraham? Abraham's goal? Obviously, he also had a relationship of But who was Abra? Ara was the first Jew, the philosopher. He was the one who created the concept of a relationship between men and all the people who were who were serving idols. He argued with them. He was the one who discovered a baru. He was the one who created this concept of having a relationship with of monotheism of there being a a god and a relationship with him. And he realized in his own way that there is hem, right? And he didn't believe that it was the stars and the moon. And therefore, what name did he give to Jerusalem? The focus that he had on not was what wasn't simply within the interpersonal, but rather the connection between man and God that we are going to have a relationship. We're going to see Hashem and Hashem is going to see us. We're going to have this relationship and that is ore says these two ideas the unifying of the Jewish people and the unification between man and God that is the essence of those those are the two aspects of the third paragraph in source number eight and then I'll come to your question as its essence is built on these two concepts A it's to help us in our in our in our intellectual pursuits and in our recognition of which is all in the mind and it also helps us improve our which is focus is in the heart. That's why the Garra says you should enter two entrances before you dive in because you need to focus on your heart and you need to focus on your leave. And this is why is so central because says the helps us in both of these areas. It helps us in our connection with aeshu as we're going to see this a little bit in more detail and if you see see examples of this but it also helps as a unifying force for the Jewish people as we're going to see as well and therefore says the hma was most appropriate that shame would give the name shale Abraham would give the name here and you put the two together you have yushim which captures the two main aspects of yushalim it is a it is a it is a place of it is a place of connection connection between us and Hashem and there's a place of connection between man and his fellow man. Yes. >> And so before it was it got into trouble because there was the dha because they were very much shal but they were shal in the world they didn't have >> oh the doraflaga you're pointing out. Yes. Yes. The daflug in contrast to the in contrast to the to the to the dormab >> the dormab. Yes. Yes. Yes. The doraflaga had the opposite type of issue. uh as opposed to the dormab which the focus was on was on was on was was on the kamas. Okay. So what I'd like to do now is expand upon these two ideas expand upon this idea understanding how yushalay functions as a a place of unification as a city of connection between us and first and foremost or I would another way of saying is between heaven and earth between man and god heaven and earth between the spiritual world and the physical world as well as how your acts as a unifier between us and and each other. So the earliest source where we see this idea that that is the source is the place of between man and God between heaven and earth is in is by the story of Jacob and his dreams. The Torah tells us that Yakov wakes up from his dream as he's on his way to and he wakes up and from this dream and he says is here and I had no idea and he got scared and he said how wondrous is this place. He says wow I didn't realize what this place was. This is the house of Hashem Shashim and this is the gate to to heaven says Rashi. What does it mean? What does it mean that this is the gate to heaven very clearly? This is the place through which our go up to heaven. The med says what does it mean? And the med says this is a reference to as we're going to see shortly that there is a yushaliba and a yushaliba and they are connected connected to each other. And so again at without getting into something that there's no question where Jacob exactly was was he in was he in was he in a place called L was he in bet? Okay. Okay. But according to many opinions in Kazalikdash and this place he identifies as Hashim which means that and the mikdash they are literally the place through which our go when we dive in. What we're really doing is we're almost again sending our throughim up into heaven. It's the gate through which our go up to go up to in which case it makes the most sense that when we din which way do we face we face because what we're really doing a deeper understanding of what we're doing is not just trying to think about when we face but we're directing in a spiritual sense our in fact that's what that's why we have the famous thera says the following in source number 10 if you're standing you should face that they will dive in towards you through their land is if you're standing in Israel and if you're standing in you should face this is a misnomer many people who make aliyah are so used or make aliyah specifically from let's say America or from North America everyone always thinks you get it in your head that when you're diving which way do you face you face east so many People come to Israel and they're here and they're like, "Okay, which way do I go?" "Well, you face east." No, the answer is when you're in when you're in you don't face east. You face whichever way is and even depending on where you are initi at least we always had this in our head. We always faced east. No, that's because in America you're facing east because that's because east. Where do you face you face? If you're standing on cell you face if you're in you should you should direct your heart towards the mdash mikdash. What if you're in the beta mikdash? Which way which way do you face? Okay. And then I want at the very very end what the Gorrah says just because because of time we're going to skip a few lines. The second to last line, the mishnra says through this all of Israel are facing in one direction. And as the as and thenote ponyima why is referred to in the puk in shiim as a talpot again talpot as in not just not as in the place here but that yalim is called talpot one of the names of yushim because it is a tel it is a mountain that everybody turns towards that's now you know anyone who's living in tapio lives near tapiote you understand the deeper understanding of what taliote is it is a tale. It is the hill through which we're all turning. By the way, interestingly enough, this gimmar, if you just had the text in this gimra, the garra doesn't say anything about physically facing yush. What does it say? You should do libo meaning in your heart. You should be thinking about your technically you could face anywhere you want. To in source number 12 points out that that the gear of the way we the way we have it is wrong. This is it's not it's not libo it should be rather it says you should be it refers to how which way you're supposed to face it's not about which which way you should be thinking about in your heart rather it's about which way you physically you physically face now again I think we could suggest the answer is really both we should be physically facing towards yushim but if you're physically facing towards yushim but your mind is on the Mets game or probably not the Mets game these days on whatever game it is that you're thinking about then your isn't towards isn't toward isn't towards you and therefore when we're domining towards yushim the purpose isn't simply to turn towards yushim but is to turn towards yushim in our hearts and in our minds in our minds as well there's a there's a uh a a beautiful story that was told at one time on um the raer who was Rosha and yes in Berlin in in in New York uh one of the big dom in in in in America in the 20th century and he was at a wedding he at a wedding with his students and they were looking to Davin Marv and they didn't and they said which way which which way we supposed to face which way is midra and they asked for which way to go and he said I don't know which way it is but keep turning and and whichever way you go where your heart starts to flutter towards your shim you know that that's the right direction okay so that's that's the idea we should be the purpose of facing towards yushim is to create something within our hearts ideally that helps remind us of yushim and therefore it's most appropriate that yush and everything we've been saying makes it is exactly towards that idea that because this source of connection between us and that's where we face that's where we should be thinking that's where our minds and our hearts should be when we're ding to because that is through it is through that we are able to connect to in the deepest sense of the of the word and that's why if you look at source number 14 the garra says something which we saw earlier in rashi but I think it's it's it's very much the same the same idea amar my source number 14. What does it mean when it says in okay amongst you is holiness and I won't come into the city says the doesn't make any sense if there is holiness amongst you that's why you won't come into the city why won't you come into the city if there's holiness amongst us says this is what says I won't come into what was saying was even though there's holiness amongst you I'm not going to come to Shaala until they first establish aim aska is there such a thing as aim up in heaven in yes as the says as the says that is the city of connection is a city of connection and that indic that that hints to the idea that there is aim shamala that is opposite. Now what exactly does that mean? I can't tell you. I don't know. I don't know what Shamala means. But to me, the symbolism is once again this point of connection that just like for us is aim there is something that is opposite that up in heaven that receives our and brings them to to and in fact in verse number 15 points out that that explains the few times in Tanak where yalim actually is spelled with a second yud. Why is it spelled with a yud? doesn't fit in with what we saw before. So it says it's because >> it's two. Usually the extra is added to a word when we refer to a pair raglim yim. So why is it called says in source number 15 again most times it's written without the but sometimes it's written with aud says in of and that is the secret of the name which hints to the fact that there are two just like you have and so in its name already hints to its unique connection its place as the point of between us and and before we move on to the next the next part I want to just point out that This idea, this concept that yuim is the place of is the point of connection between us and uh I think also highlights a very very interesting rashi in in safer braces. In safer braces is a rashi that I think again it seems totally not connected but as we're going to see I think is very much connected to what we've been saying. The Torah tells us that when um Yoseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, he meets his brothers, he hugs his brothers and the Torah says in source number 16 and he fell on his on the necks of his brother, sorry, on the neck of and and Binyam cried on his necks. And the question is uh no, excuse me, two necks. Yoseph cried on beyammen's two necks and Yose and Byam cried on Yoseph's neck. That's I mean if that that's the puss seems to says Rashi. What does that mean? Rashi says it's a hint to the mikdashot. What does it mean that he cried on the next of that he cried on the next? It's a reference to it's a reference to the two mikdash that were going to be in the portion of although although technically it belonged to everybody as we know it fell out in the portion of both binyamin and yehuda on the border that's where it fell out and there so if it was destroyed so yph was crying in advance of the destruction of the beta mikdash binyamar why did cry on his neck al-ishkil because of the Mishkanilo is the Mishkan Chilo that was in Yoseph's portion and was eventually destroyed. So now this this metric is very beautiful but the real question we have to ask ours is Rashi is based on a measure is what exactly does that mean? Where do you see a hint? Every time you have rashi that or the measures that gives an explanation, there's got to be a hint to it in the puk. Where do you see in the puzz that yose is crying about having anything to do with bate mikt or binyam is crying about anything having to do with the beta mikdash? At first glance, they're crying about seeing each other for the first time. Where is there a hint to the beta mikdash or to the mishkan shilo anywhere in these pukim? So the the mahersa in source number uh 17 points out that the key here to understanding that what was the the anomaly in this puk is the sav the the neck why does the Torah tell me where he cried you could just say they cried on each other right when we often you refer to people crying on each other they don't have to say exactly where it is so says the marsha mikdash by mentioning the neck it's a hint to the beta mikdash why because a beta mikdash is similar to a neck neck. How is similar to a neck? Because it is as it's the highest point besides the besides the head obviously of the person's body of the person's physical body is so too thedash is the highest and the pinnacle of of am. And therefore the fact that it mentions and because it says sav which which seems to imply two that means it's a reference to two mikdashy in section and savar is a reference to the what to the to the to the to the to the uh mishkan in that's the suggestion of the marsha yes >> connection to the point >> yes correct sorry yes that actually that this correct thank you that's actually the marsha is on that puzz marsha is on is on that puzzik and mentioning the fact that you're right thank you that already there's a reference to it being a reference to to it being a tavar. Thank you. That's a good point. I should have I should have elaborated that. But I want to point I want to share with you another suggestion and this is a suggestion the similar idea that the hint is from the is from the word is from the word savar and it's and I heard this in the name I heard this from Mosha Shapiro. Mosh Shapiro was a big Bal Makava here in Shalim passed away if not mistaken about 10 years ago. Um and I heard this suggestion from him the following idea. What what was the hint to? In what way is a beta mikdash similar to a savar? In what way is a beta mikdash similar to a neck? So the barsha said it's because it's the highest point in the person. But the truth is it's not the highest point in the person. It actually it the a person's head is the highest point in the person. >> It acts as a point of connection between our head and between our body. The neck exactly the neck is the point of connection between the spiritual part of a person and the physical part of a person. Just like Mosha Shapir, the Bamedash serves as the point of connection between our physical world and our spiritual which is exactly the point that we are suggesting now that you is this point of connection between heaven and earth between physical and spiritual between man and God. >> It could be that it's in the section of is is in the section of I know I know that it's on the border of and Yehuda and therefore there's a whole It could be. >> So I want to share with you now if you look. Yes. >> Also thought you were going to mention that the neck controls the head. >> Ah beautifulen said the man is the ro the head of the family but the wife >> the neck of the family. >> I never heard that before but thank you. >> Let it be noted [laughter] >> in the movie. >> In the movie. Excellent. Excellent. Um, beautiful. See, exactly. Yes. And so there, so there we here we see the beautiful connection and the beautiful connection between the neck and the beta mikdash and how it acts as a point of connection. And Raaria Kavlin in source number 18 notes that this goes two ways. When we say that is the point of connection between heaven and earth, we've been talking about how it's the point of connection through which we go up to Shayim. But it also is the opposite. The fact that Jerusalem is the gate of heaven has another important implication. Just as things can go in through a gate, so they can emerge. Thus all spiritual sustenance and blessing come only through as it says God will bless you from tion right that the comes from this point of connection comes through the beta mikdash and that is how we receive all of the shea all of the sustenance that we get from but that's one connection between between heaven and earth but as we've noted also acts as a connection between all of Israel as the mesh mentioned mentioned as well. And this is also mentioned in a in a relatively famous says asshy says what does it mean says it is the city that connects from one to the other and that's why as the Ramb mentioned it could excuse Even though it physically was in somebody's location, it belonged to all of Israel. It didn't belong to one more than the other. Ratherim belongs to to everybody. And that why? Because it has to be the source the point of connection between all of us as opposed to a point of separation or or discord. Based on this, the Maharal has a fascinating idea that he says in source number 21 where he points out that he's explaining why it is that the second bet was destroyed specifically through specifically through uh hatred baseless hatred between one and the other. We know that was the reason why the second was destroyed. Why says the Maharal? Because is the place and the point through which all of Israel become one. We become connected. And he even brings a practical point to this. Why? Because we were only allowed to bring once the words was built. can all bring we can only bring a a on this misbehd acted as the point as the source of connection between all of Israel we couldn't build our own once the bet was built that we became one says therefore continues the maharal once we created a separate separation between ourselves, between each other once we caused through the fact that we were no longer connected. By definition, the beta mikdash couldn't continue to remain in exist in existence. Because if the point of the beta mikdash was to unite us, if we sever that that unity, if we remove that unity, that ultimately is going to be the cause of the mikdash to be destroyed because the mikdash's whole essence is no longer is no longer relev He continues and therefore it is through the mikdash was destroyed. If you look at source number two by Kaplan by Arya Kaplan once again he beautifully explains how it was or the importance of yushaiim as this unifying factor this unifying force for all of Israel. Among the most dramatic of these observances were the three annual pilgrimages. There are three festivals, Sukkot, Pesak, and Shàuot. During which, in the days of the temple, the Torah required every Jew who was able to make a pilgrimage to the place chosen by God. The Torah thus states, "Three times a year shall all your males appear before the Lord your God in the place which he shall choose. On the feast of Matsot, on the feast of Shàuot, and on the feast of Sukkot." During these pilgrimages, Jews poured into Yushim from all over the world. They renewed friendships to exchange news. As a result, the Jews were united and molded into a single people. So this whole al concept of aliere regel was also about unifying the Jewish people. But most important this was all done within the context of holiness and serving God. The fact that so many people were gathering in worship would reinforce all of them religiously and morally. So much so that in the course of these pilgrimages no Jew would be subjected suspected of harming another in another in any way. Thus Jerusalem united the Jewish people in a context that direct directed this unity towards the unity of God. was this place that unified us in our unification with this helps us understand why the place chosen by God had to be a city. What is a city? Besides a mere concentration of people, it is a place where civilization grows and develops. The very concentration of people in a city results in an exchange and growth of ideas. It is therefore no coincidence that the growth of civilization in general has historically emanated from its cities. While the farmlands provide food for the body, the cities provide food for the mind and soul. As Rabbi Shiman Rafal Hersh points out, the Hebrew word for city ear comes from the same base as the word Ur to awaken. It is the city that awakens mankind, bringing out his best creative instincts. Indeed, in the Torah, we find that the building of cities led to many of the most important developments of civilization. The focal point of Jewish civilization was to develop a relationship with God, and this too required a city. Jerusalem became a place where Jews from all over the world would gather to exchange ideas and develop a civilization enhancing this relationship. Vital to this process were the temple and the many teachers of Torah who lived in Jerusalem, which will be discussed later. But in general, it was the Jerusalem that was the city, the awakener, arousing and motivating the Jew toward his mission. It is not very surprising that our teachers teach, sages teach, excuse me, that Jerusalem is the highest realization of the concept of a city. Sur Rabbi Kaplan beautifully points out and explains how Yushaim acted as this unifier in both ways. Acts as this unifier between who we are, between us as a people, bringing us all together, but most importantly doing that within the context of of our connection to Akadesh. And so we've seen today as this place of connection. The name Yusaleim comes from a connection of two words. The word from the name that Abraham gave it and the name that Shame gave it. But that but that at each of those names hint to another point of connection. The connection between people that that that shame developed the need to unify ourselves the need to unite and acts as that unifier and also the name which Ara which points to our relationship with which is the focal point of as well. But we opened up with a with with one question with with with a different question. The question we opened up with was a question that the Rambam asked, which was why is it that Yushai is not revealed to to the Jewish people throughout through throughout the Torah until much much later. Why isn't it why just tell us where it's going to be? Tell us the holiest place of our of our religion of our people. And I want to share with you another suggestion. The Rama himself gave three answers, but I'd like to close by bringing the answer that the that the Sham is uh gives and it's very much in line with what you had said earlier. says the reason why doesn't tell us where the place is because is because the concept the essence of is that we need to want it we need to seek it we need to ask for it didn't want to spoon feed it to us and tell us this is where it's going to be there had to be what's called we had to seek it out we had to want it and this is already hinted to says in the pik in source number 23 the puss says the place that will choose from all of your to put his name there right to his dwelling you should seek out you should search and come there and says this already hints to the idea that the relationship that we have to have with you is based on our wanting it our searching it our seeking it our seeking it out look at the Okay. So, look. So, just sorry because of time we're going to skip to the third line for a second because that's the part that I wanted to that I wanted to stress. meaning since they hadn't searched it out Israel hadn't asked for it hadn't wasn't duration therefore it wasn't yet it wasn't yet revealed I'm just uh I'm just keeping an eye on time so we'll actually I'll say I'll just again explain it outside but the sheish points out that historically our connection to yushim had to come through disha had to come through our seeking it out our searching it out our wanting And that's why did not initially reveal it. And I would think and I would add that if you think about historically our connection and our ability and our connect overall to Jerusalem is very much connected to how much how much we want it how much we're looking for it. I just keep thinking historically there's a famous story that right before the the the six day war uh the famous six day war where we we we once again received control over over yushim. There's a famous story that on which was soon before the war that the Rav Cook's son the second Ravkuk got up and made a and gave a famous where he said where he was he was emotionally searching and yelling and asking for where is this because for us is something that we have to want it's something we have to seek out is something that we have to appreciate our connection to is not one-sided is not simply a gift that we are given But it is also something that we have to tap into and we have to connect to and I hope I'm sorry yes there was a question or comment >> very quickly possible if we had known during the Torah where was going to be then the nature right away they would have wanted to run right to that area conquer and take that first without doing everything that needed to be done >> also a good point before him >> also a very very good point also a very good point that very that very well could be and in fact there's There's a whole we won't get into it but there's there's actually if you if you look at the second time that Am Israel does return to um it it actually does start with and then goes out Ezra and Rafel has a beautiful idea of the difference between howim how the how the first time that Amish is went in it came from the outside in whereas on the the f the second time it was started from and then and then went out and and Salvich suggested that's why the second time the the kaduca of Israel stayed because it stemmed from the kaduca of that was extended So it's a beautiful idea. Um and hopefully the learning that we've done today will enhance our yomal and most importantly hence our uh our yearning for for a connection to