Self Sacrifice for Israel ומקנה רב הי' לבני ראובן ולבני גד Kabbalah class: Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz

Welcome to our class in we're going to be learning a beautiful discourse in the Reb. The name of the discourse is called Rav the Reb said this discourse in Shabas which that year was the 28th day in the month of Tam which is also the Shabas that blessed the month of in the year which is exactly 65 years ago. So again theic discourse is based on the verse in the Torah portion where it says Ruv that the tribe of Ruvane, the tribe of God had a lot a lot of cattle and they came to Moenu and they said look on the other side of the Jordan is a place to to take care of our sheep and they asked Mosher give us the land for an inheritance. So Mosher Rabbena turns to them and start to rebuke them and he reminds them the story of the of the spies. They didn't want to go into land of Israel but after the whole argument told them of if you go forward and you enter in the land of Israel and you're in the front lines and you fight for the conquering of the land of Israel, then I'll let you have the other side of the Jordan for an inheritance. In other words, but what do you see from here? That the that the initial argument of n of of the of the the tribe of God and the tribe of Ruvane is like the argument of the spies. They didn't want to go into the land of Israel. But only when they made the the the condition that if they go ahead and they they wage war ahead of the Jewish people to to conquer the land of Israel then it's going to well be be something good. So initially it's not good but if they wage war it's going to be good. So the alterba explains uh this idea in discourse and also discourse called from the and also from the in the is and they give an introduction with the idea that we know that the the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob they were shepherds. They took care of the sheep. Why were they why were they shepherds? because they wanted to be disconnected from the world. So when they're disconnected from the world, taking care of sheep, they can serve Hashem without any dist distractions. And that's the whole idea of of of serving Hashem, learning to doing mitzvah. And therefore, they chose to take care of sheep. So this way they don't have to deal with the world and the world would wouldn't wouldn't disturb them. And that was basically the argument of the of the spies. They don't want to go into the land of Israel because they said going into the land of Israel is actually a downgrade and it's better to stay in the de desert and and you don't have to deal with anything physical from the world and especially we know that they were called a dura they were they were considered a wise generation and the who received the Torah those that actually ate the mana and they had the water from from the from from the well of Miriam and their clothing was from from the clouds of glory in other words everything they needed food, clothing, they wasn't it wasn't materialistic or spiritual. And therefore, they don't want to go into the land of Israel and to deal with the physical world and transforming the world because they said that the the the land eats up its inhabitants. In other words, that that when you go into into the land of Israel, they have to deal with the physical part of the world. Um, and they're going to elevate the world. But the problem is yes, they might be successful in elevating the world, but the it's possible the opposite is going to happen that they're going to have a downgrade and their in their words that the land eats up its inhabitant inhabitants. So that was the argument of just like the just like the spies. So comes along and told them the land is not just good very good. In other words, if yes, in life there's a lot of things which are good, but if you want to get the d the real prize, a double good that happens specifically when you go into land of Israel and you work the land to reveal the good that's in the land and then you can reach the ultimate ultimate greatness, completion and goodness because basically the the upgrade of mo comes only after the downgrade. just dealing with the land, dealing with the physical part, but then you can reach the the real mo and as we know that the downgrade dealing with the land, it's the purpose is for the upgrade and it's not enough. You're going to say one second, but the fact is my soul came down to my body. I'm dealing with an animal soul and but it's not enough because even the the the spies agreed of of of coming down into the world of thought or even in the dealing with the world of speech but who wants to get involved in in in the physical world but on the other hand when you come down into the physical world in the world of action that's when you reach the highest level of mid and that's why when when the tribe of Ruvane and tribe of God said they wanted to stay in the in in in the other side of the Jordan and to take care of the sheep That's basically they were giving the same arguments as as as the spies. But when they went ahead and made it a condition that we're going to go ahead and we're going to fight for the land of Israel. We're going to help you conquer it. And that means we're going to go and self-sacrifice to go into the land of Israel. So after that introduction, then they can go ahead and stay in the other side of the Jordan. Why is that? Because when they willing to go on self-sacrifice to conquer the land of Israel, what they're showing is no, we're not afraid of the world. We're going to go and conquer. We're going to go murf. Well, yeah. No, we're not trying to disconnect from the world. It's better for for for the sheep, but we have no problem dealing with the world. We're going to go we're going to go fight and we're not looking to get disconnected disconnect from the world. Now, since in the world there's two different ways of serving Hashem. In other we know there's the ones that learn Tyra and then there's the ones that do mitzvot but on the other hand even though it's two different ways but they all have to be intertwined and know because someone said I only learn to no you don't even have to itself you have to have to and do mitzvot because and and specifically I'm helping people out which is the general idea of mitzvo and even those that do mitzvo and they say oh I'm only busy doing no you have to also learn learn terra as well at least a chapter in the morning and a chapter in the evening or a verse in the morning and a verse in in in the evening. So when they said we're going to go ahead and we're going to we're going to even though we want to be go with our sheep are willing to go fight and and go into the land they showed that they're really not 100% want to be disconnected from the world but they do want to do do what's needed and but on the other hand their main their main thrust was to learn tan to be more in a meditative state but we're willing to do our part as well then understand this even deeper J says and like and also understand what we see the difference between the tribe of Ruvane and God versus the the the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the rest of the tribes because the the fact is the other Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the tribes, they also took care of sheep and they didn't have to have a condition. However, when it came to Ben made Ruven, they have to have they have to have a condition. They're going to go serious and also Mosher had to actually rebuke them. And it wasn't only enough that he gave him the condition but he had to actually give them some uh constructive criticism and and and only through the constructive prism that affected that whatever they were doing was done in a perfect way. says understand we're going we're going to understand this for an introduction. Um we're going to look at the difference between in the tribes itself the difference till now we talked about the difference between God and Ruv and the rest of tribes. Now we look at the difference between yatsadic and and the rest of the tribes because we know the tribes they took in the sheep just like the patriarchs took in the sheep. However was involved in the world. Why? Because even when he was still at home in the house of his father, Yakov before he went down to Egypt, he wasn't out in the field all day with the sheep, but he was actually in his father's home and especially after he went down to Egypt where he was in the house of Pifar. So they they the they put him in charge on the whole operation of of of the house and everything he was in charge of. And then even when he went into prison and so the the the the the person in charge of the prison gave y responsibility to take care of all the prisoners and how much more so when he was in when he went when he was in par's palace he took care of everything. Paris said, "Everyone's going to everything that has to happen has to go through you and nobody can do anything without you." And and and that's one of the reasons why when the brothers came to Egypt, what does it say? They didn't recognize him. Why? Why' they recognize him? Because the brothers were totally disconnected from the world. They couldn't comprehend how is it possible that a person that's busy dealing with running a palace and running the whole country, it's possible that the at the same time to be connect. couldn't they couldn't they couldn't fathom the concept but the truth is even when was involved in world the materialistic world but at that moment he was totally 100% connected and even connected more and deeper than his brothers that were totally in meditation out in the field and that's why they didn't recognize him because they did not comprehend you can have such a level to be involved in the world and nevertheless be totally connected with Hashem even deeper than they So what's what what is basically the difference that when it comes to the tribes and the patriarchs in Kabala it's called they were they were the lower level chariot what does it mean a lower level chariot it's called say the stalis the way things flow from one level to the next now what happens on the lower level so the world does exist and because the world exists yes the world can distract you because in level this this there there's two lines there's either it's either the holiness or it's the opposite of holiness and a matter of fact even Yakov who's basically the choices of all the patriarchs so what does it say that the angel fought with him in other words like literally two people that are fighting what does it mean why two people fighting because it's one person in other words and each one h has a has has something different and and like it says that as was a brother to Yakov which means they are on some level they they have some kind of connection So that is the lower level which is called which means that the world does you can be as you can be great you can meditate but the world does exist. However, when it came to, he was a whole different level. He was higher than the source of even toyu and tick and was the source of and when you when you connected on the highest level, there is no opposition whatsoever. It doesn't exist. And therefore when he was busy with the world and he and he was involved in the world, he could be totally connected to Hashem because the the world is not is not a distraction. It it means nothing to him. It was a job he had to do, but he was connected on a higher level. So when you're on a lower level, the world bothers you. Things bother you. But when you're on a higher level, it means nothing. And that's the difference between and that's why says that we find a difference between Yakov and Ysef because what what's we find a a powerful difference because fact is when Yakov was struggling with Asov he had to find physical materialistic ways to get out of Asov and and and the fact is when he tried different ways to deal with Asov wasn't a sin that he was trying materialistic and physical way the physical ways to get out of it. Why? Because even though that kazal tell us that when yakov met Asov he prostrated himself and he called himself my master and um because of that Asov you know was a king for many many generations but we don't say that that was considered a sin for yakov why because he was doing he was doing things in a natural order he had a problem with as he had to prostrate himself down to him however when it comes to sadic what do we know what does the Torah tell us when He asked the the the um the the the the butler and he says go ahead and and mention me to parro which is only hey tell par I'm here get me out he was punished for it and like the medra says that that um based on the verse it says that this is that he went ahead and he and he and he return he turned to to help the help from from the Egyptians. So the question is one second what was the sin that did that he asked for help with the fact that we know it doesn't that even someone that has to trust 100 in hem but you have to do you have to make a kay you have to make a vessel and like we know the famous story with with that he's he says how am I going how am I going to go and and uh and soul's going to hear he's going to kill me in other words even though he was instructed from hashem but he had to find physical ways to to protect himself. So if that's the case, what was the sin of sadic? And the ultimate asks even deeper, let's look at his father. His father Yaka did came up with with different psalistic and physical ps. What's what's the sim? He asks for a little help. But the answer there explains beautifully and he says because if like we learned before, you're a lower level chariot and the world does exist. Okay? So the world exists, you have to find them, you know, solutions with the world to help you because the fact is the world is something by you and therefore the world has to agree to try to help you. That is what with with and the the etc. However, when it comes to what we learn, he's a high level chariot. The world doesn't exist. So if the world doesn't exist, he doesn't have to do any physical um things to to make it to high level. You don't when when you're on a high level, you don't have to do anything to to make it happen. And going ahead and causing materialistic and physical things, someone that's totally above the world, it's actually a downgrade. And since Ysef knew his level that he's not connected to the world because he saw that he was in the prison and even though he was involved in the materialistic world it didn't didn't it was no distraction for him. So Ysef knew that he was he knew he was a high level chariot and he saw that he was involved in the world and the world did did not phase him. So since he knew he was in such a high level so therefore to do anything would be a downgrade and that's why when he asked the butler to intercede in her behalf he was punished and he was there for another two years in prison and here gives a powerful parable he says from the difference between an officer and the king in other words when an officer not the king when an officer gives some kind of recognition to a simple person the Fact is the person and the officer there's some kind of connection even though the officer is the officer and obviously he's much more important than the person but there is a connection however when the king a great king gives some kind of recognition to a person there's there is no connection and on the contrary because there is con no connection and the the king is so great and he and he makes a recognition to somebody. So that creates a real value. So in other words, when when there's something that exists is nothing and the only reason why the person now is a somebody because the king gave him recognition. So it's not going to go ahead and and confuse things because the only reason why you became a somebody is because the king gave you that that power. So the same thing also ever says on a spiritual level in the level of godliness that there's a connection and there's a there's a there's a recognition of the physical world. So then what happens is yeah the world is going is going to distract you and you have to go ahead and do things physically materially to deal with the world. However when you're dealing with the level of godliness that the world is nothing and that's where the level reached. So then the world shouldn't bother him at all and then you don't have to go ask for anything to help you. How's the how's the world helping you? You're connected a much higher level and there was bas understand what it says about the bashamtov that in the beginning uh Friday night it was a very very spiritual level. So people came to ask him about materialistic things he wasn't able to respond. He couldn't relate to what they're talking about. But the fact is people needed help. He prayed the bos prayed that that he should should come back to reality so he can help the people. So the question is why do you have to do that? Because the answer it's not considered a downgrade. On the contrary, he reached such a high level that the materialistic world means nothing because we know Friday night all the worlds get elevated and therefore materialism was was was a contradiction but later he was able to elevate himself that even if he reached a high level he's still able to deal with the physical world he was able to bring down the most powerful levels into the world and that was sadik. Why? Because we know what does it say about he was able to gather all the money. It means even when he's involved in the world and he was gathering it all but nevertheless did not go ahead and affect his relationship with Hashem and he was able to stay totally connected and he was able to bring that connection into the world and that's how he's able to transform the world and the general difference between the work of the and and the the the besides excluding compared to the the work of is that the and the that's the first transformation like in Kabala it's called the transformation of and in that level yes world does exist and therefore the world will be a distraction however is the higher level of transformation which is a and there the world doesn't distraction now these two approaches where the world is a distraction it's not a distraction the brothers the etc That's before the Torah was given. But once the Torah was given because what's the whole idea the Torah was given? The Torah was giving down in this physical world. Like we like we say to the angels did you go down to Egypt? Do you have do you have an animal soul within you? Because so in other words, what's the whole idea? Hashem gave us a Torah to deal with the world and make the physical world a vessel for godliness. So therefore, when the spies came along and they said they wanted to stay in the the desert and they didn't want to go into the into into Israel, that's not the intent after the Torah was given because now after the Torah was gi given, every person has the power that even when you're in the world, the world's not going to bother you. You can be in the world and the world's not going to bother you. You can go ahead and transform the whole world. So therefore when the happened when when the the the the tribes of God and Ben Ruv came in long and they said hey we want to stay in the other side of the Jordan no that was not the intent but when they said we're going to go and self-sacrifice we're going to go and selfsacrifice we're going to fight for the Jewish people we're going to fight and go in the front line that they should go into the land of Israel. So in other words that when they were go willing to go on self-sacrifice and realizing that who what what are they whatever hashem wants them to do and mo had to give him constructive criticism. So what God revealed that even though they were going to stay in the other side of the Jordan, it's not real disconnecting, but it's one of the ways of transforming the world by Tyra, but it's not like it's exclusively Tyra. And that's why kazal tell us that there's 10 levels of holiness and the other side of the Jordan is on a certain level like Israel in reference to the uh to the to the bread that was brought in the temple and the the the fruits and the of sacrifice and what why because these are all transforming the world but nevertheless even though it has the high levels the other side of the Jordan it doesn't come to the holiness of the land of Israel and the ultimate goal is to live in the land of Israel and the other side of the Jordan is only a preparation for the land of Israel and like the verse says in reference to the other side of the Jordan that that it's a inheritance muhelis which means it comes from the expression of toyu of chaos which is basically the opposite of living and making a dwelling place for hashm in the world now even though in generally the that like we mentioned before that the other side of the Jordan you can bring the two breads but but specifically in reference to the land of Israel It's considered it's considered chaos to you. But the ultimate intent is to come into the land of Israel and to do 39 of plowing and and and sewing and and transforming the world elevating the whole physical world. And by by coming to land of Israel, you're able to gather and transform all the part sparks like it says by yakv gathered everything. And the the third treasure that's going to be revealed when Mashiach comes. What is that? And that's the revelation of the the in concealed part of the Torah which revealed when Msiah comes. Like it says you're going to kiss me from the kiss of the mouth. And Rashi says what is that referring to? It's referring to this the the insights of the Torah which is going to be revealed when Mashiach comes. In other words, when we do our spiritual work transforming the world in gulus, then we're going to merit to revelation of ofus which is going to be revealed through mashia of kanu. And like the finishes off, it should happen very very quickly in our days in our generation. So let's hope and pray that we uh are we merit to have the coming of Msiach. We're going to we're going to experience that beautiful gift of next week's class will be in your have a great and blessed week. Shàua to