Rabbi Minkowicz Weekly Torah Lesson Parsha Yitro 5778

[Applause] it's time for rabbi mankiewicz weekly Torah lesson here with his spiritual perspective and insight rabbi mankiewicz welcome to this week's Torah lesson this week's Torah portion is Pasha's yes Roy the question of the week is what is key to the greatest freedom and happiness so in this week's Torah portion we have the greatest revelation the Jewish people coming to Mount Sinai and God giving the Jewish people the Torah starting out with the Ten Commandments but before that the Jewish people said key words not seven ish ma we're gonna do and then we're gonna hear shrink you first here and then do and the answer is because the Jewish people at that point created for themselves a new title and a new relationship with God in that they were willing to become our Vodun servants of God that means that now sir whatever God you want that's what we're gonna do so the question is if the Jewish people were willing to accept naso we're ready to do as they said why is it that it says in the Midrash that before God gave him the Torah he took the mountain put it on top of them and said if you accept the Torah good if now I'm gonna put the mountain on top of you and the show will get accepted but they already said now sir why did God have to so to speak forced them to accept if they're willing to accept it as a sincere servant so the Rebbe explains and he says as follows there's three different type three different levels of accepting God and the Torah one way is I'm accepting these myths vote irrelevant is one 200-600 I accept everyone the mitzvot that means you're subservient to everyone in the middle that's one level of commitment you're committing to the specific midst or the on hand then there's a commitment to God and by definition is any commandment God gives you you're going to be committed to then there's a third level where God says I'm gonna put the mountain on you are you willing to accept and the answer strong willing to accept but the Rebbe explains that big difference between the first two and the third in the first two options when I'm accepting this mints for mama than God it's all about me accepting and even though it's great NASA is great but it's limited to me accepting I can decide tomorrow not accepting however when there's cuff I'll lay my heart in Vegas when God put the mountain over them or it's like we say in the prayers on other holidays octave our eternal God chose us once God chooses us and then we accept and we accept with joy then there's no going back and that connection is extremely deep and that makes for the best and happiest and peaceful relationship so the answer the question how can we experience the greatest freedom and the greatest happiness is by accepting with joy God's request of us to be his servants thanks so much for joining us for our weekly Torah lesson this week's Torah lesson is dedicated to the memory of bora pandari laid and and Yosef may the souls be elevated by the Torah that was studying in their memory for more information about Chabad please see our website [Applause] [Music]