Rabbi Yechiel Spero – The Master of Mercy… and Me

[Music] Welcome to Inside Arts Scroll, where the books that we read and the people that write them come to life. You know, when I was given the opportunity to start doing the interviews for Inside Arts Scroll, one of my main motivations was to meet the person that I'll be interviewing today. It's a and a pleasure to welcome welcome Rabbi Spirit to arts school students. >> Hello and welcome. Uh thank you so much for welcoming but there's a little secret that he's not telling you that Rab Lando and I grew up on the exact same street in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. And although there's a little bit of an age difference between us now, right? You know Ben? >> No, I'm Janette. But in Cleveland, all the streets are the same. >> All right. >> But yeah, I think I think we probably knew each other from when we were little children. And when I was in Teloshiva, you were like one of the guys that was a few years ahead. One of the Gishmakab that everyone wanted to be like one day. I know I know that's a little far, but uh it was it was uh we lived very much. We experienced very much similar upbringings. The Cleveland the Cleveland Heights >> tells >> tells Yeshiva, I mean tells Yeshiva is more central to Lol in my life than anything else, you know. And what a perfect segue to the book that we're going to be discussing. A brand new book, transformational book about the 13 attributes of mercy of that we just say over and over. We we shriek it, we scream it, we beg, we plead. But the strange thing is that besides maybe for the translation that most of us know from the arts and and thank you oursel for that. Um I don't think most people really understand what they're doing and why they're doing it and really appreciate the fact that uh he wrote this book. I think it's going to transform everyone's and so I think I if it's okay I just want to jump right in. Yes. Rabbi Spiro 13 attributes 13 mid that are supposed to literally take us from the lowest point to the highest point from where we're just come in there full of problems and challenges and to absolute uh cleanliness and purity. How do the is it magic? You say them and then boom. What happened long ago when Klausal had had uh inexplicably created an eggov a golden calf and then comes down and he's devastated and he shatters and now we have to work ourselves back into the good graces of Hashem. Think about everything Hashem had done for us. He's giving us the Tyra thank you know thank you right that's our thank you and and Hashem is very very angry with the Jewish people he's he's ready to destroy us and is gifted the and Hashem didn't only say them he wraps himself in a talis and he shows Moshe how to do these which incredibly is gifted to every little every little child can cry out to you because Hashem showed us how to do it and it's really nothing more than crying out to Hashem at least in those character traits that Hashem exhibits to us and that's what the book's all about. We're not just meant to say them, but to become them. >> And that's really the secret of the book. >> Mahu aatu a and when we do a heard people do a you know >> we know few people >> not myself I'm saying but others >> you wrote this for everyone else. >> Yeah. Yeah. um we start to really lose a sense of who we are. We we lose confidence in in what we can become and we start to wonder does Hashem really want us? And that's that's a very very difficult um it's a very difficult hurdle to overcome. But when we learn about the Rahmanus of Hashem and we in turn become that that mid of Hashem godlike we can we can turn over the entire world and we have and we have I want to share with you one story um >> you know stories you prepared I'm prepared um there was somebody told me this story years ago there was a woman in Chicago who wanted to create an ohhal type of home in Chicago. She had a child that was getting older, special needs, um needed an adult and he needed a home of some sort. And she asked um she asked Moria Formis >> to get together with a group of young Balabatan and she wanted to make her pitch. And the woman got up. The woman was sick at the time. And the woman said, "Listen, you blew it. It's too late for me because I'm not well and I'm going to have to move to New York to go to Hol." But I want you to I want I want to tell you what you need to do here. And she said the following. She said that what does the word ra mean? Rhmanus. We all use the word rakanas. What does rahu mean? And she said the human body is such that if you inject a foreign substance into the body, the body will reject that substance and will fight that substance. But that substance is strong and very often it leads to infection and possibly death. God forbid. Not so the rahim, the womb. It is the only limb, the only organ where a foreign substance is injected. Not only doesn't it reject it, it nurtures it. It creates a home for that foreign substance until it gives it a life of its own. Beautiful. That's Rahmanus. That's Rahmanus. And that and that's really Hashem in his rakmonus. He sees us. We might not look the way we did. He nurtures us. He gives us compassion and gives us life. And we're meant to do the same. So Rabi spear you're saying a lot more than just saying the harim really during month of especially during we need to figure out a way to live them >> without question. So then we need to understand what they are. What's >> And now the And now the book. >> And now the book. >> I want to tell you why I started this. Um like you said, we've all been there. >> Mhm. >> Starting where we're all um and if if I may, I want to since we both relate to it and it's important to share. We grew up in Tels. >> L in Tels is like no other place in the world. >> You felt L. >> You sittered from L. You shook. I'm I'm not Yiddish is not my lo, you know, it's not my native language, but you sit tels. You shook. You trembled. And And it was difficult. >> And that and it the weather's getting cold outside, at least in Cleveland, >> the leaves are falling off the trees. >> The leaves are falling off the trees. And you start that walk from the dormatory and it's dark. It We don't do it late at night. We don't do the first, you know, not we do it That's why we changed the and and you start to walk. I remember there were times when I was breathing smoke coming out of you know it was it was that cold and and it's starting and it's starting >> and the and and the the process of chuva is beginning in earnest. We had heard from they would give learn for 10 minutes. the wall shook, your gift thundered, and and as a as a kid especially, you're you're walking into the base mish, you're we were surrounded by godl >> and and the first thing you're you're and you know it's important and not only is it important, it's it's your rope, >> okay? And you're holding on to that from the beginning of El until the very end of Nila when I I I'll tell you the truth. There were times when I would cry out by and we hope that we're all there in the zone by and I would cry and sometimes I would think to myself, Hashem, I don't even know exactly what these words mean, but you do. And you know that I mean what I'm saying. Let it work. And you know, let let me get my foot in the door. And um and last year I'm learning a say for Sharat Filas from Resler's nephew. He has a bunches from Sharim and he has this whole and he has he has an a remarkable safer on it. It's a whole safer on the and I'm just I'm I'm looking at a little bit before and Kipper and and and it it's it's so inspiring and then I'm saying to myself, what if we actually knew it? How much more powerful would it be that when we say these words, we really know it? Like like you said, art school is amazing. I mean the the whole world happens from art school but but sometimes even that needs a pier and um and that was my dream and I felt like if you could gift that to somebody if you could if you could give them you know how does that old adage go you know give a man a fish you feed him for a day teach him how to fish him for her life you know >> teach teach a man teach a a child teach a that you give them. You give them you give them food for a lifetime. You give them the key to opening up the their heart their heart and in turn the forever. >> I want to share with you something which was revolutionary to me and I think as someone who wrote the safer you could definitely identify. So I ran Rashanim Kipper services for people who were totally disconnected. It was in a public school auditorium. >> We've spoken about it. spoken about it >> and I noticed something every single year that blew my mind that when we started ding on yum kiper and we did the yagim it was just a handful of people that were responding >> literally they by the time we got to nila and usually there was a decent crowd by nila >> there was a thunderous roar and I don't think the people there even knew what they were saying >> but something in their nishama opened up and they were like this is my lifeline if I don't grab I'm going to hold on to this and hopefully it'll take me, you know, through the next year. So, there's something very magical about the >> it's it's important to note and I I I don't want to I don't want the interview to pass on me saying it. I mean the is is bas you know that that's really the olive bay of understanding you given me this and again art school did a beautiful job on the um but and and even if you just start it's Hashem Hashem the Hashem before the and Hashem after the what do you mean you mean that after I do an a Hashem doesn't leave me like I think that's that's the fear and that's why so many people just give up they They give up because they say, "Listen, Hashem doesn't really want me." And he goes, "No, Hashem wants you. He loves you." No, no, no, no. You You don't know what I've done. It doesn't make a difference. Hashem's there from the moment you start till the moment you end your life. And he doesn't let go. He's not letting go. And um and and you all all about that. It's just uh you remind me of something you wrote in the book, which I thought I never thought about before till I saw it that when does Hashem call? When does he call us his most charity? Listen, we all have you have a first. You have an older son. You're older. Okay. Am I that turns us into a tati? There's a certain affinity that we have. When is that said, >> daddy? By the way, but I don't. >> Okay. Daddy. Um, when is that said? >> In the worst moment. >> That's where the avas the 49th of >> Yeah, >> that was like beautiful. I saw that and I'm like, "Wow, I never thought about that." In a sense, we're all Hashem's kids at risk because he knows even if you're even if you're a great great Yid, you're a great Yid, you've done some things that you're ashamed of and nobody knows about it. Hashem knows. And he he doesn't love you less because of it. He loves you more. I mean, listen. And uh I used to think about this I don't know if this ever crossed your mind when we were in tal you look at the and you had gifter and they were literally and crying by and I'm thinking to myself what's with me what are they crying about these men learned that yeah I was wondering yeah you know interesting there was a ber when I was in Tal was a bachin there were the wall seats >> sure >> the wall seats were the VIP seats. Of course, >> there's a because the wall seats you can turn your stender a little bit and now nothing's between you and and it was like and the wall guys were they were real you know they were excellent in the assay and so on and so forth and there was there was one person Abak and he just he could which will lead us into the next interview that we're going to do but he he was just so connected and so really broken and I I I really felt like going over to him and putting my arm around him and telling him, "Trust me, I've done worse. I've done worse." And you know, I was a I was younger than him at the time, but he was so shattered from it. But if we know that Hashem is never letting go, he's never ever ever letting go. It's such it's such a you know we were talking uh in the last six months have we ever been to see more Rhman from Hashem more October 7th we were shattered we were shattered I remember the I would just start crying out of nowhere you know I remember like my eyes were burning and um >> it was like a constant ache in our in our nishama >> for for months and and and I have to say that you know we had children there. Mhm. >> We had a married couple there and we had a daughter in seminary and you know there's nothing like there's nothing like it I don't want to you have skin in the game as they say >> and who could have ever imagined that we're almost two years later and we're not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination and and the carbonus it's shrek what happens like sometimes we get used to it and so we hear oh soldier died and it's terrible but the that Hashem has on the miraculous almost like somebody picks on your kid in the in the playground. And and then comes the big brother, the bodyguard. Don't ever touch my child again. Don't ever touch this boy again because if you do, I promise you I'm right in there. And and that's like the feeling. What What a great feeling for the kid on the playground. >> It's really true. And I think even the most secular of Jews in the world is feeling that Hashem has our back. >> I think this Rashan Kipper is going to be different than many previous ones cuz Hashem has been so front and center. It's going to be easier to tap in. I hope. >> Yes. Yes. And and and again when when you feel like I don't know maybe Hashem doesn't does does he not want us anymore, you know? And and that's what it felt like after October >> felt that way and it was very hard and it was I saw a beautiful thing is is sometimes most times we're you always do you do it rabbi >> it's a gift >> and and if if Our happiest days are in. So where do we go from there? And again, yeah, I think the this year is the open is is in my lifetime. I've never felt I'm I'm sure those that I was a little kid by Kipper War. I was a little kid when those by the six day war. I was I was a little kid. So I didn't experience those nissim. But for those who did, you know, >> this this this pales I think that pales in comparison to really what we've seen in the last 6 months from the beepers to Syria to everyone just >> falling apart >> every right you always really Iran's going to be brought to its knees. >> Rabbi Spiro when you wrote the book like what type of audience did you have in mind? Was it the guy sitting in shu to put it next to his max which I'm sure you were thinking that also. >> How about like let's go a little how about the mommies. >> Okay. >> The people that are at home with the Kendall. >> So so many mothers you know I I a few years ago I I called up I called up Kadalia. I think it was Mamish. It might have been Matsim Kipper because my daughter was a was a mommy and she was at home with her little pit and she and she wanted um something to do. >> She's at home. >> Mhm. >> You know, and even if you stand up and you stand up as your kid is pulling on your dress and you're trying to feed some some sort of makeshift meal and and and you're trying to close your eyes and you're saying or and it's very difficult to be at home. You feel disconnected and I called GDA and I said maybe we should do something for the for the mothers at home and he said love it on it. you know, Gdala is amazing at his enthusiasm, you know. Um, and and this and I plan on maybe one day doing something specifically for the ladies and I started to do a little something. Um, but this really because of the mahu aat because it's not just saying the yudimis, it's becoming them. So we're in schul front and center screaming and they're at home being the so again I'm not direct take care of your kids at home if you or for those that are unable to get to be able to connect during but again it starts with the start saying first of all the it's become I've seen stuff where Fria people are singing out from the beginning of Elon. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's beautiful. It's gorgeous. Oh, it's gorgeous. >> They go to the They go to the 100,000 people. It's >> and and and they all sing it beautifully. And Mameish, you know, different types of yarmakas, the paper yarmakas, the little high, you know, black satin yamakas, the but um it's beautiful. Beautiful. And they can they they start books which I'm hopefully going to come out before Ellen and and then um and then it's you just a little bit every day read a little more connect a little more. So for the mother at home yes for the kids there's amazing amazing stories in there >> every story there is so moving and so gishmay and they're new >> and new and new and new and new. I worked very hard. Siataya all sataya by the way. It's always um you know I I I I think I might have said this previously in an art school interview but you know I'm thinking like people wereing my art school interviewing my art school interview. So um but I remember first time I met Rome he said what's the difference between your stories and somebody else's stories? What's the difference? I I thought he was going to say yours are more inspiring. I was going to say yours are better. He goes nothing. But has maus writing a book and I I I do for those who are looking to to ever get into this. When I'm not writing and I'm not working on something, it's dead. I got nothing. at writer's block and I can't I'm not finding anything I'm not hearing anything start working on you give me somebody calls me can I tell you a great story on I'm like yeah you know I got something for you but um I also want to add one thing um this is a little bold tell me the will enjoy it it's it's it. The maramakiness are very real. It's not just cutesy little things. Um it's very very uplifting, very uplifting. And I and I wrote it with that in mind. And um I tried to lift myself up through it. And but I think tell me the if they if they sit on the couch during a a moment of you know just >> Friday night after the suda. >> Yeah. But but but it's it's not a it's not a after Friday night. It's not a passive read. That's it. It's not a passive read. >> No, no. It It's It is enjoyable. I'm not >> But if if you're sitting down Friday night after ching kick off your shoes, you know, munching on on sunflower seeds, I I'm not sure that's the that's the mood. It's the posture. Um I was thinking that a nice way to really make your kipper more meaningful and even by the time you get into which is just a few days before us start promise yourself that you're going to learn read five pages a day >> and by the time you get to the saying hashm you'll know what it is and even better maybe you'll be a little bit of what it is but even just one let you know Hashem what does it mean hashem What is the second hashem? What is kale? It all sounds the same, >> right? >> It all sounds the same. I want to me mention one other thing. We do the of very very few people understand. The book does really speak a lot about the matching up the words of Mik which is Mik's with we say which again I think is another um another dynamic of the book that I think people will appreciate. >> I think Rabbi David Sutton told me this week that he he was very bothered and I think he asked this question to Rabula. He was very bothered by the fact that we don't ask for anything about we're all bothered by it. be like I always think what would I do with one regular one. So he said that Raelba told them that you your place to ask is >> he says there's that whole long over there that arch actually Barashem put into the like that's where you ask and now that you're saying just I just realized you have the mid >> to kind of open you up okay now let me see what I'm going to do with it. >> That's amazing. That's amazing. I love that. >> I think this year >> I'm going to still get that into the book. I think >> maybe you still could. Uh maybe put it in his book. I I don't know. >> Rabbi Spiro, um it was talking to you and I I'm very excited about trying to bring this into my davining and I think you gave a gift to Claw with this and people should buy the book. It'll transform their etal. It'll transform the kip and there's so much at stake during yam having an edge coming in there prepared coming in there with an open nisham and an open heart really can make a difference in the upcoming year to continue to give clus so many beautiful books one at a time. >> Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you. [Music]