The Power of Kiruv Movie (BeEzrat HaShem Films)

[music] >> The guy that does kiruv, whether he does it with his money, with his skill, with with his talent, with all of the above, somebody that actually toils and makes kiruv their number one thing, now the Chovos HaLevavos says is greater than someone that has worked on themselves to the point of perfecting themselves like the prophets. >> [music] >> If anyone knows what loving Hashem is, it's the Chovos HaLevavos. From the thousands of years ago, he gives has a whole section of the book about the gate of love, love of Hashem. In section six of the gate of love, he says as follows, "What are the signs of love of God to be found in one who loves him?" In so many words, if you love Hashem, how could I tell? How could anybody tell? How can you tell that you love [music] Hashem? And he begins, "Among them is a renunciation of all excesses that might keep them from serving the creator, may he be exalted." In so many words, you desire money, desire wealth, [music] desire, uh, you know, beauty, all extra, whatever it is, all the excesses, certainly those take too much of your heart in order for you to leave any room to love Hashem. Now, does that mean that if you love Hashem you have to be poor? No, Yehudah HaNasi was very rich, Rabbi Akiva was very rich, HaMelech was very rich, there was many tzaddikim were very rich. The difference between [music] the two is that one makes their whole life about materialism, and the other one just simply has been blessed with material and uses that material to serve Hashem to the absolute maximum. One, their life is material, [music] the other one simply uses material in their life. A further sign, says the Chovos HaLevavos, of the love of God to be found in one who loves is that >> [music] >> traces of his fear of God and profound dread of him are apparent in his facial expression. As it's written in the book of Exodus chapter 20 verse 17, "So that his fear be on [music] your faces and you not sin." In so many words, my brother, fear of Hashem is not only good [music] to have, must have, he's saying this is a completely different level of fear. The fear of Hashem has to be on your [music] face at all times for you to even have a remote chance of even understanding what loving of Hashem is. And he clarifies, "Fear of God is of two kinds. One of these fears is a fear of his punishment and trials. One fears God in this case because he can cause him pain and suffering. If, however, he were immune to suffering, he would not fear God." Of such individuals our masters of blessed memory said, "We should be wary lest they come to observe the commandments out of fear." Such an individual falls short of the degree attained by the truly God-fearing and is the embodiment of what our masters of blessed memory said and warned against, "Be not like the servants who serve the master on condition of receiving a reward." So here he's saying, [music] "If the only fear you have is fear of punishment, that means that if God said you're not going to get punished, then you won't fear him anymore. So, it's not real fear of God, it's fear of anything [music] bad happening to you. Therefore, if that's the only way you're going to serve Hashem is just simply the scared that bad things will happen to you, then that's not the level you want to stay at your whole life. You can start [music] that way, for sure it's the absolute necessity to start that way, you have to. Just like you crawl before you walk and you walk before you run, you have to start somewhere. The average person out there doesn't even want that. When they hear about Gehennom, they hear about [music] Kapparos, they hear about they hear about problems that happen in this life, they say, "No, no, no, God only loves, he only loves. He doesn't punish." So who punishes? [music] A different power? So you're an idol worshiper, too. You believe in more multiple powers. So here he's saying, "Yes, fear of punishment is not where you want to be if you want to get [music] to the point of loving Hashem. That's not enough. It has to be even more than that." Fear of punishment, just like the Baal Shem Tov said and many other, uh, tzaddikim have said it, that the fear [music] of punishment is always present at all times. But if that's where [music] you've parked, that's where you're at, that's the only fear you have, then you're not going to get to loving Hashem. Because loving Hashem requires a higher level of fear, which is fear of punishment and awe of Hashem. What's the awe of Hashem? Here the Chovos HaLevavos tells us, [music] "One who reaches the degree of fear of God will not fear or be afraid of anything but the creator." As one of the pious told of a God-fearing man who he found asleep in the desert, and he asked [music] the man, "Are you not afraid of lions? How can you sleep in such a place?" The man replied, "I would be ashamed before God if he were to see me that I was afraid of anything besides him." [music] Meaning that the second type of fear is when you have such awe of Hashem that you fear nothing else. And therefore, the Chovos HaLevavos says, "This second kind of fear of Hashem is awe, which is inspired by his magnitude, exaltedness, and awesome power. This awe never leaves a person or departs from him all the days of his life. It is the gateway to pure love and intense [music] yearning." Meaning that in order for a person to even start loving Hashem, they have to be at the highest level of fear of Hashem. A further sign that a person loves Hashem is that [music] it is all the same to him whether people praise him or condemn him. Meaning, even if you're doing what's right and [music] people yell at you, you don't care. People compliment you, you still don't care. Everything is the same to you, it doesn't make a difference what the public perception is, cuz all you care about is the will of Hashem. The average person [music] out there is upset if people don't like their little Facebook posts. "Oh, nobody liked [music] it. How come my friend didn't like it? I'm not going to talk to her anymore. I'm not going to talk to him anymore." Wait, if [music] you care about people's feelings and what their perception is of what you're doing, then you're not even close to loving Hashem. Why? Because really you love yourself, and in order to love yourself more, you want to convince yourself that there's a reason to love you because you love Hashem. But in reality, you love yourself, you don't love Hashem. You don't have room to love Hashem. A further sign is that he's [music] willing to surrender his life, his body, his money, and his children in order to do the will of God, may he be exalted. The second one of the mitzvahs get in the way of their comfort, already that mitzvah is not relevant to him. The second Hashem commands him to do something that is not their preference, already they kill us. But that's what's happening today, my brothers. Another sign is that he repeatedly mentions God's name in appreciation, thanksgiving, and songs of praise. In so many words, Hashem's name is [music] constantly coming out of your lips, always, always Be'ezras Hashem, always Im Yirtzeh Hashem. Further sign, promising others that he will do or say something even in the very near future, he always adds the provision Be'ezras Hashem, God willing, for two reasons. One, because he fears death may swiftly overtake him and prevent him from fulfilling what he promised. This comes from Yirat Shamayim, it's from fear of Hashem that you don't know if Hashem's going to take you or not, but you still love him. And two, because he does not know whether it has been foreordained by Hashem for this to be done. Meaning, he loves Hashem so much [music] that all he's willing to do is the will of Hashem, and if what he's about to do is not the will of Hashem, then Hashem just take me out of this world. In fact, anything that I do, I say Be'ezras Hashem. Why? Because if Hashem does not want this to happen, let it not happen. And if I'm going to do something against Hashem, Hashem take me from the world before I do it. Why? Cuz I love you, Hashem. Is anybody still listening to to and still thinking that they love Hashem? Further sign is that he guides and directs others to God's [music] service gently or forcefully as needed according to the time and place and the different types of levels of people, from kings to ordinary folks. As HaMelech said that a wise man may hear and add to his knowledge and that a man of understanding acquire perceptions. Furthermore, to lend shrewdness to the simple, to a youth knowledge and discernment. In so many words, if you want to love Hashem, kiruv is no longer a good thing to do, but rather the means doing kiruv, supporting kiruv, helping people do teshuvah either with money, with speech, [music] with skill set, whatever Hakadosh Baruch Hu blessed you with, every part of your essence becomes something that is going to help people do teshuvah. That is one of the signs that you love Hashem. If you are not doing kiruv, if you don't care for kiruv, if you only do kiruv once in a while, it's not really a priority like your business, it's not really a priority you like your your upcoming vacation, it's not really a priority in, uh, here or there, if kiruv is not a top priority in your life, for sure you don't love Hashem. Why? That's what he says. To have to love Hashem, you need all of these signs. [music] So, a person that only cares about their own soul, their own family, their own little circle, and does not care about the rest of Hashem's children, >> [music] >> how could you say you love Hashem? If somebody says to you, "Honey, I love you," while at the same time seeing that your kids, your beloved, are suffering on the side, they're crying, they're miserable, they're hungry, they're lonely, but paying no attention to them. You tell them, "Listen, you know, my kids are crying over there, you know, they need food." And he'll come out, "I love you though, I love you." Okay, love me, love me, but my kids. He'll say, "Who cares about your kids? I love you." If you loved me, you'd love my kids. But you don't love me, you love what I do for you, you love what you want from me. You don't love me, because if you love me, you'd love my kids. If a person wants to even think that they love Hashem, for sure they would do everything possible to get Hakadosh Baruch Hu's children to come back to him and do teshuvah. That's what the Chovos HaLevavos is saying. He says, "Oh [music] yeah, won't you do it nicely, they'll come." He says, "No, no, no, kiruv is done gently or forcefully as needed according to the time and place, and in different types and levels of people, from kings to ordinary folks. So, one person, you can speak to them softly, explain to them what emunah would be, bitachon is, what the confirmations of the divinity of the Torah through science, architecture, history, and so on. Another person, you could simply explain to them that what they're doing is against Hashem, and they're going to get punished in gehenom, and they give them a few details of what happens in gehenom, and so on and so forth. Another person who's simply invested into them by showing them, you know, material and books, and let them read for themselves. Another person you have an argument with. Another person you have a discussion with. Another person you are do whatever it is is necessary. As we saw from the Gemara, one end they say, "Don't serve Hashem because you want a reward." Another end we see the sages themselves doing kiruv by telling people get a reward. Why? Because it depends on the person, it depends on the circumstance. So, to say that you should never rebuke is simply [music] canceling part of the Torah. To say that you should rebuke everyone is also making you a crazy person because it's not applicable to everyone, every place. When people ask me, "Listen, I want to move to a community, but I see that not everybody in the community is a you know, is is modest. Not everybody in the community is righteous. Are you all righteous? Are you all always modest?" Just because you're good at one mitzvah doesn't mean that you're good at all the mitzvahs. And that's what a lot of people don't realize that I mentioned at the beginning of the shiur, is that many times people look at their own strength and everybody else's weakness. [music] So, they go into a community with their head high and their shoulders straight because they feel like exterior-wise, they're more modest and thereby more righteous than everybody else. This is simply a delusion and a perfect perfect example of a defective mindset. Not intentional, not making them an evil person, but it's a defective mindset. Why? Because you think that just because you're good at one mitzvah or two or five, that makes you more righteous than everybody else. Secondly, a person cannot go into a community expecting everyone to [music] be perfect. We're not in the perfect world. In fact, if you truly love Hashem, you would know that going to help other people do teshuvah is part of your love of Hashem. Even if you don't love him now, at the very least you're trying to love him by fulfilling the mitzvah that we say Shema Yisrael, "V'ahavta es Hashem Elokecha", that you love Hashem your God. This is the way to do it, by helping other people do teshuvah. Do you see somebody that's not modest, you say something, you befriend them. Little by little you try to encourage them. Oh, they're not listening to me. Okay, so maybe you shouldn't talk, but you should get bring somebody else to speak. You give them a CD, a USB, a kiruv box. You try to help them in any way you can, but if they're not willing to take the help that you're giving them the way you're giving them, then your love of Hashem should influence you to change the way you try to help them. Meaning, never give up in trying to help Hashem's children do teshuvah. Simply adapt to the situation and find another way. Because if you truly love Hashem, you're never going to give up on his kids. You're never going to give up on serving him. What, if it's hard for you to build a succah, you're not going to build a succah? If it's hard for you to eat kosher, you're just not going to eat kosher anymore? That's what heretics say. What the Chovot Halevavot is telling us here, if you want to have any sign of love of Hashem, your priority number one in life, aside from learning Torah [music] and building yourself, is by helping other people do teshuvah. And that's why he says, "You should know, my brother, that even if a believer were to attain the utmost limit in the improvement of [music] his own soul and its devotion to God, may be exalted. Even if he were to approach the level of the prophets in so far as their personal virtues, their praiseworthy conduct, their effort in serving God, and their pure love for him, his merits [music] would not equal those of one who guides others to the right path and directs the wicked to the service of the creator. For the merits of such a person are multiplied every day and at all times by the merits of those who he's [music] guided." In so many words, a person that loves Hashem does kiruv, and not only because he loves Hashem, but also because he has a sechel yashar. He realizes that even though I'm not doing kiruv for the reward, there's no other better way to show Hashem I love him, >> [music] >> and also to do teshuvah. Because even if I only work on myself, I only study for myself, I only do mitzvot for myself to the point where I perfect myself like I become a navi, I become a prophet, I become a real one that comes to visit me every day, it's still not equivalent to someone that does kiruv because while I do as much as I can every [music] day, they're not awake 24 hours a day. They're not always perfect, whereas the guy that does kiruv, whether he does it with his money, with his skill, with with his talent, with all of the above, somebody that actually toils and makes kiruv their number one thing, now [music] the Chovot Halevavot says, is greater than someone that has worked on themselves to the point of perfecting themselves like the prophets. Because while that person [music] that perfected themselves has only their own merits to rely on, the person that invests into kiruv has the profits [music] of everybody that he helps. Now, every Shabbat he has 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 5,000 people [music] that are keeping Shabbat. All of that goes to his account. Every day he has 5,000 tefillin. [music] Every day he has 5,000 Asher Yatzars. And so many words, he multiplies himself, she multiplies herself. So, [music] the more a person elevates themselves in loving Hashem, the more Hakadosh Baruch Hu shows them the greatest [music] profits that could possibly exist. But the opposite is true as well. If a person does not really love Hashem, but rather loves themselves, and looks for fame, fortune, and profit, and honor, and everything else that comes with it, then they're going to do whatever they can to get people to follow them, to get people to like them, and not necessarily Hashem. And they'll become machtiei rabbim, people that cause people to sin, people that cause people to distance away from the truth of Hashem. And their punishment is magnified in the same fashion. So, they made that sin once, but the five or 10 or 20,000 people that follow them also made the same sin. So, guess what? Every day they get 20,000 sins. And now those people do that sin every day, so they get 20,000 sins every single day. So, the gehenom that they are digging themselves [music] literally doesn't end. As Rav Chaim Kanievsky, alav hashalom, said, when he learned about the depth of gehenom, what happened to Korach? Korach made a mistake that happened in a relatively short period of time where he went against Moshe Rabbeinu. Yet his gehenom was literally took over 300 years to get to the bottom of it, to get to the place where Korach was. And that's a sin that was practically a momentary sin. If somebody is a heretic week after week, lecture after lecture, in front of tens of thousands of people, millions of people, literally Korach is like a perfect tzaddik next to them. The gehenom that Korach had is like gan eden next to the gehenom of the sinner of those people that are machtiei rabbim in this generation. So, it's absolutely ridiculous when people fall for these traps to say that, "Oh, no, no, they have a a softer way or a nice" There is no softer nice, there's simply the truth. Hakadosh Baruch Hu commanded us to reprove those who fall short [music] in the fulfillment of their duties. Says the Chovot Halevavot, "As Torah says, you must reprove your fellow." And our masters of blessed memory said, "Until what point is an obligation to reprove?" Rav said until [music] person is cursed. Shmuel said until he's stricken. As it says, "He who admonishes a man to serve me will find favor." In so many words, the Chovot Halevavot says that part of [music] loving Hashem is being is being able, willing, and even happy to sacrifice any comfort that you possibly have, any desire that you possibly have, anything you have. Fact, not only you're willing, but you're offering everything to Hashem constantly as a sacrifice. Going into it, knowing that you'll get hurt in the process. Why? "Even if you would destroy me, I'd still serve him," says Job. Now, is the average person out there that's saying that he loves Hashem or she loves Hashem, willing to do that? Maybe in their wildest dreams, for about a half a second. So, again, this is not a [music] mockery of people's ideology, it's simply a clarification of what is the truth versus what is a lie. Many people have a simply [music] a misunderstanding of what the truth even is. And one of the reasons why they stay with that misunderstanding is because they have a defective mindset that blocks them from the truth of the Torah because of their own desires, because of the Torah's obligation they don't want to fulfill. And therefore, those very same people are attracted to the heretics and the liars and the people that say they teach Torah while pretending to be supermodels and all types of other deformed teachings. This, Rabbotai Yekarim, is what the truth looks like. Bezrat Hashem, this will open up our minds not only to look around of who is failing and who is succeeding, >> [music] >> but really more than anything else, to look at ourselves. To look at myself and see am I lying to myself? Where can I fix myself? What can [music] I do better? Where am I failing? What am I not doing? Give yourself a pros and cons, and start delving deeper into yourself [music] and and simply not lie to ourselves. Because if we're still here, there's more work to do. Take advantage of the opportunity, and Bezrat Hashem, we will show Hakadosh Baruch Hu that not only do we want to love him, but we're at least doing something to show that we love him by doing kiruv for >> [music] [music] >> Rabbotai Yekarim, I'd like to introduce you to the new kiruv box. But unlike the other, this This does not require much packaging. In fact, it doesn't require anything by you. All you got to [music] do is open it. And it has a bunch of our best absolute best films, music, shiurim, lots of stuff that is pleasing to the eye. You can hear it. And in so many words, rabbotai, >> [music] >> the dead would be awoken just to watch it. You really want to do kiruv, you're going to get this for as many people as possible. [music] You don't need to convince anyone. You don't have to do anything anymore. We literally did everything for you. All you got to do is get one of this and simply talk to a person, "Listen, I love you. Here's a gift." "What is it?" It doesn't [music] require an explanation. In fact, it doesn't require internet, it doesn't require technical knowledge. All it requires is some ability to simply open it. That's it. AFTER THAT, IT TURNS ON BY ITSELF. YOU WANT TO invest into getting baal teshuvah, there is simply no tool on planet Earth [music] that will be more convincing than this. Because this, rabbotai, is 10 years of [music] work in a way that's so beautiful that doesn't matter whether the person is secular, [music] religious, young, old, everyone would be interested in this. Don't be surprised if other people are going to try to copy it. [music] But what they can't copy is the last 10 years of work. That they won't be able to copy. Uh anyone that wants to be a partner, anyone that wants to support uh this project or to help us with feeding the poor in Israel that have lost their home during the uh recent attacks, you can donate on the website, you can donate on [music] our campaign page, you can donate on the Facebook campaigns. Lots of ways to support. If you really want to be serious about your uh >> [music] >> your blessed life that you want in this world and the next, this year gave you the path, gave you the clarity, gave you the alternative, or at least knowledge about it. And now, we finished off even with a new [music] tool. It's like it's really, really cool. Amaseh shaatut dishmaya, this is miracle in the makings, [music] rabbotai. Miracle. This is coming. It's going to change the entire [music] life of somebody forever. Anyone that wants to donate and support, you can donate cryptocurrency as well as the traditional donations on our website beezratashem.org. On the donate page over there, there's different options, whether you want to send a check or wire or credit card or cryptocurrency. And in fact, even stock. Either way, rabbotai, there's a lot to do, there's a lot to learn, and there's a lot, beezratashem, to help. But take advantage of the offer of getting one of these boxes into your community. Because of course, we listen to the sages not only about mitzvot, but also about the strategy. So aside from giving everyone an opportunity to do kiruv and do a mitzvah by giving them one of these amazing posters that look just like this, very good quality plastic, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, but we have a little bit of a secret weapon in each and every one of them. Anyone that wants to support kiruv will have an opportunity by scanning this QR code. Anyone that wants to get inspired will also have another QR code where they can watch a shiur Torah. Either way, the goal of this, rabbotai, is to help Am Yisrael do more mitzvot and to learn more Torah. And by combining the mitzvot of the Torah with the learning of the Torah, we can win this war against Amalek. Be'ezrat Hashem, we will. >> [music] >> Come on. >> [music] [music]