Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro - Elevate Your Elul

okay I'd just like to thank everyone for coming uh just I was told to remind everyone to please turn off your cell phones we've uh so no breaker goes off at least I'm just gonna make it quick because uh the Rob has a flight to catch at some point after this um heading to LaGuardia now so it's a little further so uh just quickly I want to thank everyone for coming it's the final final installment of our elevator ello slash Tish rate series and nowhere better way to close this uh whole event was created and took place when I was in Florida on vacation so I figured we might as well end off with uh with the Floridian rub um it happens to be I I didn't even think it was really possible I happened to be in Florida so I said as a joke to Robbie I said maybe give a Shapiro you know I was I was actually in an indoor play thing with my uh with my kids they're all running around and I happen to be an indoor playground today again and I said with all the noise they said let's try to get up Shapiro wow maybe even New York New York's a good place so yeah I think we will Resort and we're very happy to have you here and uh just uh first of course uh thank Robbie again I don't know where he uh flew out to over here but uh thank Robbie again for for really uh helping create these wonderful events and of course Robbie doesn't only create events for Kazakh and shirim kazak is way more than just creating Sherman tools they have a Sunday program that they have for public school kids and for for kids in general need extra help and they've brought over already and saved many Jewish lives they're bringing over I believe 1200 was the number I think I said 12 000 last time but uh months to give a nice period on that so 1200 uh kids from public school over to the yeshivas which is if they stop now they'll already be the most amazing accomplishments but of course they're going to keep going and everyone's help they could continue to keep going uh so just quickly I'll see the sponsors and then well we could move past so uh thank you again really for the general responses we wouldn't be able to make any of these events and continue the learning uh in the show without everyone's participation help so I do really appreciate it to uh Aaron I say please family Jack and Marine Herman and for a soccer for their family the it's family the sunshine family and honorable Gabriela Rubin Aryan live hamadani families and I'll say again like you could see from this sponsorship if you sponsor an event you could throw in as many names as you want it's not more of a price so please no one should be shy there's a son or family have soccer their family Ronnie benjamini lunishment and Joseph the family at soccer for the family the ozeri family and of course the program is created here the leaders from the grandfather Gabriel and we'll mention his name tonight okay without further Ado thank you foreign that you came out just a few nights before just for the fact that you came out for that in and of itself I hope the Rebellion grants each and every one of you and a good benchta yar a person always Begins by thanking their aksanya the one that's responsible for bringing them to speak Maya Sanya and yoraxanya tonight is hazak I'm very grateful to hazak the wonderful organization and I invite you to join kazak see the extraordinary numbers of our children in carlisro that end up not in different Public Schools but end up in yeshivas because of kazak become part of the people that join kazak partner with khazak believe in hazak so that you as well could be responsible for the rebellion's children our brothers and sisters being able to go to proper yeshivas to have a proper education and in that schools May the ribena take care of all of our children in the Merit that we're helping khazak take care of others in Claud ISRO so I'm very grateful to hazak as you should be for creating this series and they granted me the schools to be able to give the final one before yaimaki Purim many people are responsible for my being here but I do want to single out Robbie aboff in fact I think he deserves an extraordinary Round of Applause Robbie is a dear friend of mine we've known each other for a number of years and he is responsible for my being here tonight he invited me he stayed on top of all the details countless calls back and forth Robbie I'm grateful to you your enthusiasm and your love for a fellow yid as is so evident by her work through hazak is something that's mamish tangible the Rebellion should Grant you and all those who work for khazak the kayak and the gesund to continue their avoidas we're just a couple of nights before yaimakipuram I'd like to share with you some things that I've been speaking about a lot this past week perhaps you may have heard some of these things they were mentioned in other lectures but I'd like to add some and young him to this topic to begin in the ELA Yom Kippur is coming to a close and we're summing up all of our vide all of our confession and we say Hashem you taught us how to confess for all of our sins so that we don't have our hands in oppression the mepharsham explains that means so that we don't violate gazalnu now I want to ask you something because Alma means stealing stealing is terrible it's unconscionable but here it is in the ELA the final tefila and you seem to be summing up everything all of the video the confessing that you taught me Hashem for all of my multitude of sins is for one reason so I don't violate which is another way of saying gazelle new stealing stealing as we said a moment ago is terrible but it's the worst Avera when you're summing up all of your confession for all of your aveiras it's for one reason so that I'm not in violation of gazalnu that's the worst thing that you could do that sums up everything based on the time our divider we're going to explain gazalu doesn't only mean I stole from you because if that's all gazelle new meant as terrible as it is we had the question why is that the worst from all the aveiras that sums up the entire picture gazalu means much more gazalnu means I stole from myself and to steal from yourself is inexcusable every one of us have abilities talents capabilities has given us and when we settle for 10 cents on the book when we put in very little effort when we lead a life of mediocrity you and I have violated gazalnu we have violated and that simply inexcusable because that's not a life that was lived properly on any level and so according to the new definition of the timer device we could Now understand all of the video and the confessing for all of the aveiruses begging Hashem as naeel is coming to a close please don't let me be in violation of gazalnu let me not be a person who's accused of stealing from myself do you ever steal from yourself do you have any questions any talents any capabilities any strengths that you don't use fully that you put in say five to seven percent that you settle for being mediocre because if you answered yes to any of those questions you have violated gazalnu you are violatingu and that's not a life that was in any way shape or form lived properly so I think as we approach omakipuram 5783 it behooves us to think what can we do not to violate gazalnu what could we do not to settle for being mediocre and small-minded the greater of Maisha is at sound said such a beautiful shot homolytically the posix says by Kabbalah satira be careful Allah is sending the mountain ungoya because touching the mountains if you touch the mountain one deserves to die listen to the words again and how he translated it be careful Allah is listen to what he said we start off life with a drive-in and ambition Allah I'm going to ascend the mountain and we settle for just touching the tip we settle for as I said earlier 10 cents on the buck call hanagaya Bahar if all you do is touch the tip instead of being Allah moist you must that person does not deserve to have what's called a life we all have the ambition inside of us Allah we could do it do you believe in yourself do you believe in yourself don't tell me it's only for him or her she comes from this background than they have means and they have such and they live in this neighborhood and they went to this school every person he and she on their own level listen to me clearly allies Bahar you could do it because you and you settle for just touching the tip of your potential shame one doesn't deserve a life that's not a life that was lived well if you just touched your potential and you weren't Allah's Bahar tonight I hope we leave here becoming a Believer Allah that's the new me that's the new you Alois Bahar Ascend the mountain strive for greatness have shayefas and aspirations to use your abilities your talents your strengths your capabilities because I'll knew a thing of the past no more stealing from myself touching the tip nope that's not part of our lexicon part of our vocabulary we'll become people Hashem that strive to maximize our potential what are some of the things that get in the way from us becoming Alloys Bahar people what are some of the things that get in the way of us maximizing our potential making proper decisions in the video we say three words means but we are guilty some swarim tell us read it differently not avalashem but we are guilty but rather you know what crime we're guilty of the crime called aval but you know what a life of aval looks like but I can't because I have every excuse in the world I rationalize and I justify I justify and you know exactly let's get real we all know what our fall is like but it's not me but she has this but I can't what we are guilty of is a crime called aval but excuses rationalizations justifications it's a life of guilt of aval that stands in the way of our becoming Allah's Bahar let me tell you what a fellow with excuses sounds like one of the most wonderful people speakers he says over a fabulous story he was once looking for a ride it was a torrential downpour and he was caught in the rain without a car and a minivan pulls up so he Figures it's to offer him a ride so he's about to step in and he sees inside a younger man there's a yid he says no no no no no I can't take you you see this minivan it's my brother-in-law's I cannot take you he said so so what did you stop for well I wanted to fulfill the words I feel badly for you and I wanted you to know that I'm with you I'm in pain that you're drenched and soaking wet but I can't tell you it's I can't take you it's my shrogress it's my brother-in-law's that's what you stopped for of all but yeah I I I can't take you and he drives away two minutes later he comes back has now thoroughly drenched he figures the fellow had a change of heart but he's about to get in and the Eid says again no no no I told you it's my schwager's minivan it's like no I can't take you but let me tell you why I came back because the Gamora says of her someone and a merit even without their knowledge taking you as a big Mitzvah so maybe my brother-in-law would want it but I thought to myself that's only be my grandma because if it's sunny imagine the guy's giving against a share quality and he's getting drenched well you see if it's you my sakama and it's sunny you'll come in and it won't damage his car but since it's been my second shama man you're drenching wet it might damage his car so that's not a squish that's a merit that's a and therefore I can't take you of all but he came back to give a whole Torah I can't take you it's my brother-in-law's an excuse me you're going to ruin the car sorry but I came to let you know I am thinking about you not two minutes later after he leaves a big Suburban pulls up an expedition he says come on in he says are you sure I'm I'm soaking I'm drenched in lit he says it's not a problem it's my brother-in-law's come on in foreign if you want to have an excuse you could come up with any excuse I can't take you because of this and it's my brother-in-law's and it's raining and it's sunny and climate control and global warming of Allah what we're guilty of is of all I believe that is the number one thing that stands in the way of becoming Alice Bahar people I want to give you a challenge all of us can we leave here tonight becoming more of Allah's Bahar get rid of gazalu get rid of ishik yadenu get rid of um it begins by becoming a person who's not guilty of Avo Avo is the single biggest hindrance but I can't it's not me excuses rationalizations justifications as long as you are guilty of aval you'll never get Beyond just touching the tip of your potential so rule number one aval your history let's stop giving excuses rationalizations justifications number two it says in the Torah regarding extinguishing uh fire on Shabbos and putting out a fire one is not allowed to extinguish a flame Sams foreign tell us put a comma a hard comma after the first word and now it takes on a brand new meaning do you want to become somebody who believes in their capabilities and their strengths do you want to become someone who doesn't settle for a light of a life of mediocrity then the concept of Loi which means I can't get rid of it extinguish it take that word Loy and make it a thing of the past I believe Loy that attitude light means no is the second thing that stands in our way of aspiring for greatness I can't I can't I simply can't you don't believe in yourself put a hard comma after the word Loy and now read it as Loy the idea that I cannot get rid of it lock it away for good you could do it believe in yourself one of the people that went on to save Claudius Throne the most Monumental way Esther hamauka the Purim story how did she do it when her mother was expecting or her father died when she was born her mother died she had a difficult upbringing it's time for him who does she marry not exactly the dream guy on the resume yet she went on to save Claudia strong how did she do it the possock says that her relative Mordechai raised her and reared her I believe it is even though literally the word means to raise and bring up Esther read the word I mean differently from the word emuna and what does the word emuna mean belief every day when he went to check on his relative he would essentially look at her and say I mean I believe in you I mean I believe in you I mean I believe in you and when you keep telling someone no matter how difficult their life was her father her mother her upbringing I believe in you you could accomplish great things she went on to help save Colleen Israel a life of oymen is a person who gets rid of the lawyer I can't means you don't believe in yourself get rid of that that's a small-minded way of thinking but the new us as we approach you'll make you Purim has to be [Applause] I believe in you why we believe in our spouse and our children and our relative believe and stop believe in yourself believe in someone else believe in someone else believe in yourself please I think that's the second thing that makes us violate you [Music] that we don't believe in ourselves but let's learn to become the type of person that's ointment tell yourself tell your spouse your children a neighbor I Believe In You sincerely genuinely I believe in you and the Ezra's Hashem will be able to become people that are truly Allah we can make a difference one of my dear javez weberman shlita who's such a gem here and throughout Khali Israel in so many ways he's a rebbe of mine providing me with he is here he brought many of his students with their fathers I'm so I'm so honored when I was discussing this topic with he shared with me a beautiful vart from review Huda kelimer's at Sal and I want to share it with you it made a big impact Rashi says by yaakov avinu yaakov he left Sadiq leaves it makes a serious indelible impression you feel the loss of that Sonic many asked the question other sadikim left before yaakov most notably avram avinu left the city to go to another why isn't there arashi there telling us when a tadik leaves the void is overwhelming why only bayaco hazadi left well she doesn't say it there maybe he'll shared with me from Rabbi kelimer because of Rome was the pillar of there you don't need Rashi to tell you when the pillar of Crescent leaves it makes a void at an indelible impression because when someone who's the most Monumental leaves town everybody feels the loss people are looking for meals people are looking for help people are looking for Extraordinary assistance you don't need ration to tell you it's going to create an overwhelming void you feel it the pillar of left itself understood and felt but perhaps the life of yaakov avinu a person might think differently because byakovino the pillar of tiger the possum says he sat by himself he learned by himself you might erroneously think okay so somebody who's by themselves maybe if they leave a city it won't make such a void it won't create such an indelible loss it make such a big difference therefore Rashi goes out of its way here to tell you don't make that mistake everybody makes a difference everybody adds to the world everybody is someone that when they're there makes an extraordinary difference and when they leave creates a void and a loss you might think by Jaco vavino erroneously no yahish was by himself is that really gonna move and shake the world zakrashi yes because every person makes a difference that means you and I and we all of us we make a difference we can change ourselves our families the world we make an indelible impression on ourselves and all those that surround us don't ever think differently we have to perhaps perhaps there's a medrish that will explain beautifully how to become a lawless person I think our boys say until this point we set a goal get rid of gazalu get rid of Aisha kadenu get rid of place it with Allah I think until this point we already said the two primary things the monsters if you will that get in the way aval and Lloyd I think so far we're on a good course but how do I become that person that Taps into greatness how do I become that person of Allah's Bahar I know what I need to do and I know what I need to stay away from but how practically and tangibly do I become I see the mountain I think I know my strengths my talents my capabilities now how do I achieve it there's a madrish found in the beginning of voracious rabba I believe it's right before Parsha gimmel that if you read it you'll be totally astonished the Metro says I don't know if Hashem likes myself the righteous acts or the wicked acts and there's Apostle proving each one until finally the measure says there's a third possock that determines Hashem likes mice at Sadiq him more than my sureshayam now rabbis I on the surface level you're probably looking at me and thinking what's to have Amina what in the world is the thought process that potential potentially Hashem could like and love nicer is show him more than my sadikim is that possible and yet this is exactly what the measure says voracious rabba my uncle Roberto weinberg's outside of the Montreal Russia used to say over from his rosh hashiva Rebellion that tells the Russian it must be that you have to redefine myself it can't mean the way we always translate it because then you wouldn't be able to read the possum the medrish is a potentially possible Hashem likes the mice of versailliam more than the might of so the words have to be redefined so what's the new definition does not mean the wicked acts it means the actions of a Russia a person might be labeled to Russia because he deliberately is a mumeral he deliberately Rebels he doesn't keep Shabbos he does something that labels him a Russia it doesn't mean that there are in times that he doesn't do extraordinary acts of hasid a person who's a Russia if they see somebody drowning they may very well save the person if they see yeshiva's in foreclosure they may very well go ahead and bail the Yeshiva out so even somebody who's a Russia will do a big extraordinary Act that's my sirish shot in the small things the wicked won't pay attention to those the wicked views that as inconsequential and meaningless but that sadik understands the small Act the phone call the invitation offering somebody a lift coming to an additional share or whatever it might be the attention to the small detail is what makes a great person and the medrish ends up saying that what is Hashem like more my Deacon not my sureshayam of course there are times to focus on the big and the grandiose but in our day-to-day life focus on the mice at Sadiq in which in our new definition means the small Act it makes a difference it makes an indelible impression it changed but no it seems to be so meaningless it seems to be inconsequential it doesn't seem to be noticed great people are created from small Acts maybe our Kabbalah for 57.83 should be Kim which in our new definition means I will focus on the small you see when you focus on the small step by step by step you eventually make it to the top of the mountain when you focus on that step and again and again and again when you live a life of my could we take upon ourselves our goal for 57.83 let us all focus on myself that's the way slowly but surely to fulfill Allah's Bahar a number of years ago I was speaking about this topic and somebody from New Jersey came over to me and told me a story about his mother she was an elderly woman who had a heart condition and she would call her of moisha Feinstein and ask if the medicine she took for her heart was okay or was it comets the busiest man on the planet air of pesach the busiest day of the year but with all the patience in the world ramaysha would tell her why it's not comets why it's fine he would explain the halacha and then he would wish her a good jump to find a goodyar the man from New Jersey told me that his mother called the ramisha air of pesach for over 20 years past the same Shyla now let's be honest if on air of pesach we would get the same question what do you think we'd start answering by year five and six we're a little embarrassed to start saying maybe the patience of rhet Misha was Legend and for over two decades every era of pesach on the single busiest day of the year of Maisha would tell her why it's not home it's why she could take it why she needn't worry and reassure her he told me one year my mother forgot to call ramaysha Arif pesach as his mother was getting ready for yamtiff in her home the phone rang and upon answering at the voice on the other end said this is Misha Feinstein calling I didn't hear from you today I'm concerned are you okay and only after she reassured ramaysha she was okay and that she had forgotten to call did he then remind her as he did over 20 years it's not hummus you could take it reassure her and wish her a conjunctive that's that's but that's what Amish understood the busiest person in the world on the busiest day of the year I didn't hear from you pick up the are you okay I was concerned I was saying this story over a number of weeks ago and my dear cousin the venerator Bender heard this story and he jumped up and he said I'll tell you another story with ramaysha and my dear cousin Rabbi Bender shlita said over that there was a woman that was expecting a child and was told by the doctors that with the delivery I don't recall the detail if both would pass away one would pass away but it was a terribly precarious and dangerous situation they went to a Maisha for a broken Maisha reassured them you'll be fine the baby will be fine everything will be fine that's what happened the next year on an air of Shabbos the woman was getting ready for Shabbos and her phone rang and she picked up and the other end the voice said this is Maisha Feinstein calling today is your son's first birthday today he's won I call to wish a happy birthday in fact if I Bender said that he was once saying over this story and a younger man jumped up from the back and said that's the way it happened and I know because I'm that person that was the baby that ramisha called on my first birthday to tell my mother a happy birthday the little and more and more and more and more and more we could all believe and become Allah's Bahar and maybe you'll listen to the last few stories and you'll say but that was remysha and will never become as great as ramaysha that's true but do you know there's a mission and perky of us that I have learned countless times and I saw it a few months ago and I had a question and Hashem granted me this Maya to think of an answer that I think is m is truthful and I think this answer puts the whole Shear in perspective the mishnais there are about three or four of them tell us a and before each Parliament is mentioned they're given the proper title of Honor Rebels a title of Honor in the three or form of shanayas it mentions their names a few times and before each time it says want to know each one was known for amida a late type of good heart and Ayan type of Good Neighbor these are the best qualities to have at the end of the few I said after looking at all the middays the one of Allah is the greatest alive type because if you have a good heart it encapsulates and incorporates everything I noticed when I was learning the mishnah it always says maybe 20 times is announcing that the Meda that wins so to speak that's the greatest Meda is that of Allah that one time it doesn't say Reb it says he commented I see the words of Allah meaning it's the best because it encapsulates everything why doesn't it say red I think it's a fair question to ask every other time it says the title of honored and now all of a sudden when announcing that the winner is the lathe tell you there it says I see the words of no title I believe the answer is maybe the Mish is teaching us because to acquire a lathe to even have the winning quality you don't need any titles you don't need to be a Rover Russia or a superstar in class or the 4.5 GPA or the one percentile of the gold medal anybody can work strive persevere and acquire a lathe tithe you don't need the titles before your name the letters after your name Etc maybe the mishna deliberately there possibly leaves out the title read when announcing that his meet of that of rebels is the greatest one to emulate and it specifically says without a title Allah why to teach us you don't need a title anybody anybody can achieve that greatness of a lathe tithe anybody through belief in themselves and small steps might deacon you can become Allah's Bahar so we may not be in certain senses the greatest god the Lord the leader of the Russia whoever it may be but I am somebody as we said from so beautifully yet we make an impression with everything that we do on everybody that we meet and in that sense we live a life of myself it's a life of mice at Sadiq in which we translate it to mean small a little bit small a little bit that you achieve greatness I hope you'll join me for this challenge of the Year tough Shin pay gimmel I want to end by sharing with you a story and then giving all of us a bracha you want to know what's mice at sadikim a few years ago there was someone who was an extraordinary absolutely beyond belief younger man I am told that in every area he was one of a kind in learning in asmada in kishronus and talented in Midas he was the full package he went foreign he had never met anyone like this younger man someone who in every single area was absolutely one of a kind he said I'd like to meet your father later that night the father came to Vietnam the two of them had a private meeting and the boy's father the yoga Man's father he asked the younger Man's father was your son always like this and he answered no he was a wonderful Booker but he was not like this so what happened what happened when he was a Booker the father said he was in Yeshiva one regular day there was kriya satira three Alias middle of the year after schleshy was called up for hogman my son did a reverse hogba in case you're unaware the only day of the year that you do a reverse hug was on simchastairah where you pick up the tire with your hands like this and you pick it up backwards on simcha's tire for different reasons it's done and it's very common any other day of the year it is one of the most uncommon and bizarre things nobody does a reverse hogba during the year nobody my son did and after he did it the receiver called him in and said could you explain yourself after you did it were talking and tumbling look what you did he said rebby I'll tell you why I did it because the Bakr who got shlishy right before me he had a terrible terrible stutter and when he finished the Brach after his Aliyah with his stutter it was so painful the other bahram spoke about it it was noticeable they were talking about the boy and his stutter and then I got called up for hogba and I had a few seconds to decide what could I do to distract and divert all of their attention from that boy onto me so instead of them talking about him they would talk about me so I chose in those few seconds to do a reverse hogba and as a result of the reverse hogba rebbe it worked they forgot about him they no longer spoke about him and their attention was focused on me that's why I did what I did that's Misa sadikim in two seconds to make that small decision and at that point the father turned and said on that day that my son made the decision and did the reverse hot but was on that day Nifty called all the Gates of Heaven opened that day for my son they were wide open on that day Midas on that day they all opened up for him because of the mice at sadikim that's the way to become Alloys Bahar may we Merit the Brach of the Sloane remember the base of RAM we say in our davening the yamana which is a reference to claudiusrall IM you're so precious besides the regular way to translate those words says the base of ram of Salam read it differently why are we so precious to Hashem why are we so precious to Hashem kimide dabri because when he hears the Jews speak amongst themselves he hears Aid say zahar am I doing enough to remember Hashem am I doing enough Allah is for her to ascend the mountain and that Jew answers his own question and says it means I have to do more I have to do more I have to do more when Hashem here is a year tell himself Hashem responds in kind and says I will bring you more and more and more and more rahamim because of your attitude may it be the will of the Rebellion that we become people who are not in violation we get rid of the avul and we get rid of the Loy we replace it with amen we replace it with we replace it with the belief of Allah and find us to be precious may we leave here tonight where the Rebellion hears we try for a year are we doing enough and we should answer ourselves we have to do a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more and a little bit more that's the way to successfully be Allah and when we do that may the Rebellion respond you think I've had them on you until now we should be to a game and we should talk about now to the ghoulash