Tanya By Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz Section 2 Chapter 1 Everything is from G-D via Torah

welcome to tonight's Tanya class we are studying the first chapter in the second section of Tanya which again as we spoke last week should have been really the first and the chap the section is called the gate the portal for the Oneness of God and the faith of God and as the auor explained in the introduction that in order to ultimately achieve true love for God true or for God as a preface Foundation the Oneness of God has to be solid so this week we're studying the first chapter of and actually before the chapter starts is a two line introduction two small Lines line and a half to be specific and the alterate quotes from The Zo and the he quotes from The Z and he says to understand a little bit of what the zor says because we know when the Z which is cabala so when the Z says something whoa like word could be like we can talk about it for hours and days and weeks and months so he quotes from The Z and the Z says like this the Z says that we all know the most powerful part of prayer Shak prayer service so we start out with the pre you know preliminary blessings and we have theote and we have the uh zimra Praise of God we have the blessings before the shma and then we get to the peak what is the peak the essence of the whole prayer service in the morning is is to create a connection with God on the most deepest level by saying the shma Israel with the proper and matter of fact according to Jewish law if one did the whole prayer service you didn't have the proper Cote the proper intention that's fine you fulfilled the obligation you can check it off you prayed I mean that's not way you should to begin with pray but if you did it that way you're fine but when it comes to the first verse of shma which is shma Isel here Israel God our God is one if you did not have the proper got to redo it over again and something over again until you get it so the Z says like this this verse is which is a verse in the Torah refers to and I'll say you the words that cabalic uses zo says is something which is called which is literal translation y means Oneness high level of Oneness and just Shelf at one second we'll come back and we'll explain what it means and the second verse the verse that we say after which we actually say it quietly is we Bless The Honorable name of God forever that is called the lower level of Oneness so the Altera says now this is an introduction to the to explain a little bit a little bit of what the Z says that is is the high level of Oneness and is the lower level of Oneness so let's first try to understand first a little bit what Oneness means and let's try to understand what it means higher level and lower level and obviously that's accomplished in the okay so what does Oneness mean in other words it doesn't say it doesn't say one it says in other words like this when we refer to God so you can say one God but if you say one God you know what happens there's a second maybe a third God forbid all right God's one but there's other ones you know you have your God I have my God that's a pretty weak God when we say what does that mean the only existence that exists is what is God what does that mean again let's hold on to that thought the only existence that exists is God there is no other existence that exists outside the power of God that means god is everything and there's nothing that's not God that means if you open up your eyes or you keep your eyes closed whatever you see whatever you hear whatever you touch whatever you feel whatever you taste it's God now that's obviously it's to to to live it and to feel it is a very high level but we are we hope to be on a high level so again means what I mean means the Oneness so in other words what the Z is saying is when we say inma listen to the word is her Israel hasem which is referring to the infinite part of God elu the finite part of God different levels of God so what does it say Hashem no it's not higher level lower level infinite finite part it's all one it's one it's all one and the Z says when we say referring to a high level of that Oneness what Happ when we say blessed shame now we're referring to a name of God God's honor God's kingdom forever which is what so the so the Z says that's a lower level of Oneness so the alter says what what does this mean higher level of Oneness and what does it mean lower level of Oneness and also what's the what is what does have to do with Oneness what does have to do with Oneness nothing that's not God huh there's nothing that is not God correct but what is so then everything is oness but why is he using specifically that that that that that verse anyone okay so again in the first verse it's simple means one and one means literally one the only one thing that exists is God where's the Oneness there so we know there's something which is called in the world of Caba there are certain letters that are inter interchangeable so in other words like this you have and again we're referring to the last word in that passage is so the alra says that based in the Z that and both mean the same thing now means one and V what what is the connection V to because there's um a rule that um there are four letters Al he V and yud if you have the proper eyasses they're interchangeable so in other words when it says the word and that's the Oneness that's the revealed word that that's the revealed word that refers to the the Oneness of God so the first letter is what is Alf now we said before which four letters are interchangeable the AL the he the V and the easy way to remember it so the of is interchangeable with the AL so even though it says and it's a letter of but V and Al are interchangeable so it's as if in a concealed way obviously it says the letter Al now let's look at the second letter the second letter is a so the rule is that there's another three letters that are interchangeable and that is Al if and and are interchangeable now so if you have this the word which refers to the Oneness and that is inter so if you take the second letter we're holding by a second the the is interchangeable we said with what with an Al in what's the second letter an so the is interchangeable with a and you'll end up in a concealed way with the that's an that's an the last letter in both have the same last letter they both dolled so then why is because we know in is a a bigger letter the dollar is a bigger letter and we have M we have more on the dollar of and then the is is a standard letter in other words like this so so when we say what do we see Oneness V we see a word v but if you're able to see based on the interchangeable in in concealed in the vi is the word okay so in other words so ultimately really mean the same thing Oneness the difference is that in the Oneness is revealed and in the the Oneness is concealed but the Oneness is still there albe it in the concealed way so in other words what the zo is saying is that is the higher level of Oneness because it's revealed and is the lower level of Oneness because obviously it's concealed so where God is revealed when you see God as one then it's the higher level of oness where God is more concealed But ultimately it's still one it's all God that's called a lower level of Oneness of God that the alter uses as an introduction to last week was a whole big introduction but we're talking about the opening for the first chapter and for these two lines another was ideas is it's all about one obviously different levels so the alter starts off by saying like as follows he quotes from in the Torah cuz he's going to explain the whole idea of Oneness of God so he explains like this in the Torah he brings a verse in the Torah the Torah says like as follows a person should use his D we know that in in we have we have God gave us a gift he gave us intellect and we already know from Tanya there's three levels to intellect there's there's Bina there's Das kma is just flash of data Bina is more already developed data more Det tells and D is when you use your mind to apply it to the data and to the reality of the emotions or the reality of life so the verse says the Torah is commanding us to apply apply our intellect obviously today to apply our intellect so Torah is like hey I want to grab your attention I want you to pay attention I want you to focus in with your intellect now God's calling us to bring in our emotions bring your heart to the table not only your mind the application of your mind but also your emotions pretty heavy calling God's not saying hi he's saying Hey I want your mind I want you to focus in intellectually I want you to bring your heart to the table and I want you to to to to to comprehend and connect and to feel that God is God what does that mean the infinite part of God the finite part the concealed part the revealed God which is all one where does that God exists and the Torah says as follows in heaven up and again we know Heaven up there's physical heaven but there's also spiritual heaven where obviously God is revealed and on the earth below what does Earth Below mean physically but Also spiritually where God Is concealed there's no other there's no place in the world where God is Not and the Torah is calling us that we have an obligation to meditate to study to connect intellectually to connect emotionally to the idea that in high places High plac means where God is revealed gu God is revealed he's there places where God Is concealed Earth God is there too and even wild places things as places in the world where it's totally devoid of godliness not only God's not reveal but it's the void of godliness and you can imagine what kind of place is referring to but just know God is all over the place that's that's the Commandment in the Torah so the alter ask the question what does that mean the Torah think about the Torah is asking us the Torah is saying to you I want you to use your your mind via da I want you to think I want you to meditate I want you to apply yourself I want you to use your heart to realize that God's all over the place so the alter ask a simple question there's two parts to it one is the Torah is could be inspiring you to actively meditate or and the deeper level is because it's possible that you're going to think that maybe God doesn't exist and it's not all about God so Torah is telling you no no I want you to work on yourself to get to that level ask the question Torah mentions three different levels one is what God's revealed so obviously that's easy one is where God Is concealed and one is in even farflung places any other possibility so ask a question the Tor is telling about what does that mean I want you to make sure your heart is inspired to remember that even there God is and what do you think and what do mean God's there and there's no other God there and there's no other God so I ask the question let's say somebody believes there's another God where's the person going to believe there's another God you're going to believe there's another God God forbid in a place where the God has power so would a person even think for a moment guess what you know it's possible people think there's a God in heaven the ruing god possible people think there's a God in the world you know the money God right the honor God there's different gods people think the car the house the cruise the vacation whatever there's a lot of different gods people create it could be anything a piece of wood a piece of metal but the AR ask a question you think it's really possible that somebody would think guess what underneath the Earth in the abyss of the water someone will think there's a God sitting there who would ever think that I mean we get excited about maybe something materialistic someone with power but who would ever I mean did anyone ever here think think that for a moment maybe there's a God underneath the Earth sitting s sunk somewhere down these in the sand and the Earth right yeah and even if somebody had such a wild thought it would be a wild thought it wouldn't be deep in my heart that a Torah has to come say guess what I want you to pump it out of your heart who even has it in the heart so therefore the AL says what does it mean what does it mean that the Torah is telling us the I want you to think I want you to get your heart involved heaven Earth even in any other far-flung place that that there's only God would somebody think there's another it's only think there's another God somewhere else what does that mean so the Alterra now is going to deal and to introduce to us and explain to us this deep and important concept of meaning again that the only thing that exists is God not not only does he exist but as the Torah tells us on three different levels we got to hit it we got to hit it where God is revealed right what means up there where you know God is revealed or it's this world where God is not necessarily revealed and even in places where God is so to speak totally not invited in we have to remember it's all God so the alter starts off based on a verse and the verse say as follows forever means forever forever means past present future forever hasem God your words God's debor God's words is standing B in heaven what does that mean so it's a famous medish which the which the alterate quotes the B the used to talk about this med a lot and the B explains it as follow that when God created the world and we we studied this in ethics of our fathers God used 10 utterances God said for example right let there be the fent let there be the heavens God used 10 utter to create the world now we know we don't have the power to create we can play with stuff we can uh rearrange things some sometimes in a good way sometimes in a bad way right but to create the only one that has the power to create so far as far as I know unless someone else wants to share with me their Creations I would love to hear um is gone now can we co-create with God you want to co-create which part are you doing you're taking credit no no you want to take the credit just want to do it with him fine but but we would love to do it with him but the but but the question is is anybody ever created anything besides God no God's the only that created how did God create he didn't come with a toolbox right how did God create the Torah tells us very good words he used his words mouth has our mouth has the power just like God created which by the way our mouth has the power to create we can create positive energy negative energy so we we cannot create a yesh a materialist existence but we could create energy by saying hey look good you know have a great day have a happy day we're creating positive energy I don't use the negative but you can say certain things which can be hurtful to yourself and to other people obviously you don't want to do that so words have tremendous power why because God used words to create the world so word words have tremendous power God used 10 utterances to create the world and so on and so forth so the alist said the AL brings down the B the B says that when God initially said those 10 utterances is guess what happened creation happened everything happened now one second but the B says that that utterance that God once said that keeps on repeating itself infinitely why because of those words he for example when it came to the Heaven and the Earth heaven and different verses for the Earth and for different animals and so on and so forth if those utterances aren't constantly repeating itself and constantly actively alive you know what happened disappear the Alterra uses three Expressions number one is everything would turn into I nothing nothing a step further the alra says it would be FS like zero so zero is is less than nothing I mean draw to measure nothing in zero it's again another discussion for itself but the point is it would go back to nothing it would go back to zero and then he used another expression it would be it would be as if it never existed that's pretty deep because the fact is it did exist but we're saying would go back as if it never existed and again that's another whole discussion in itself these three levels but the point the alter is making is that if God does not continually sayia for example as one and all the other nine utterances everything would go back to nothing zero and as if it never was created so in other words but let's back on the positive side what does say that God has to not only create but he has to recreate he has to recreate now he has to recreate where does he have to where does he have to recreate only in the heaven no in the heaven in the Earth in every single human being that exists every single table chair uh brick light tree anything that physically exists in this world God not only created he is constantly creating so he creates and he gives it its life force constantly and if God God forbid stop giving it its life force nothing zero and as if it never happened so at this moment think about it every one of us that are alive every one of us that are alive everything that's exists that we see feel or hear guess what's happening at that moment we're constantly being recreated God is constantly recreating you at that moment cuz if God stopped we would disappear we would disappear and as if we never existed exed yeah it means a whole our whole our whole life would have been like one big dream not even a dream because it wouldn't be it would be as if it never existed a dream means it happened and you're dreaming about it it wouldn't even be a dream you couldn't even remember it it wouldn't exist now God forbid I don't know I didn't run the world why whatever why God forbid God can do what he wants exactly I say you don't that's another discussion for bringing believe that for for if it's God it or not right because on some level God runs the world he can choose yes he can choose not and if he chooses not not and yes is the same thing what's the difference from a standpoint of a human being in your Consciousness there's a difference to you individually that thank you for recreating so I understand you okay but now let's let's let's let's let's stay let's stay on target now so again so what does the banto say that God is constantly creating and recreating cuz if not we would be nothing zero and as if we never we never exist to begin with now and the B goes even further one might thing for a second where does this take place in the spiritual the big stuff like the big decisions Heaven Earth humans no keep on going even this this physical table even the Earth even a rock God is constantly recreating it even in Iraq because if God God forbid did not give the D in animate objects its creation and Recreation it would not have any Vitality or in Hebrew it would be called there won't be any nees or any there would be nothing to it so God has to constantly create and recreate so now now the question is a simple question hard to believe there's anything simple simple question hold hold hold on if that's the case so what's the difference between the things that God actually gave the 10 utterances or for example Earth stones and so on and so forth and the fact that God only said 10 utterances so how did everything come into being so the alter explains and this is very uh important concept that there's three levels to Godly energy that exist in the world level number one is level number one is in the Torah what does that mean when God said or or let it be light so that came into being the heaven right the Earth the light the fish and so on and so forth with the 10 utterances that God used all those things came into being now because it came into being from the 10 utterances of God that has the most powerful Godly energy and that gives it that created it and that maintains it so the highest level of Godly energy would be in items and in things that God created using the therefore if we look at the light we look at the heaven we look at the Earth the things that God used as if we look what are we going to see God godliness God's creation and God's continuing of creation it but now the question is what happened to everything else God created so cabala says there something which is called um I'll say it in Hebrew I'll transl it so for example take for example God never said in the ten command the 10 utterances Stone how did a stone come into being a stone and he it's called an Evan and the answer is very simple because a stone in Hebrew and this that's why the is very important the stone in Hebrew is called an Evan an Evan now an Evan is the name of it what does it mean name so in English why do you have a name because you want to identify it call it Etc the reason why it's called Evan cuz the letters that make up heav Al B and N that is its spiritual life force through the um combination of the energy in those specific letters that are a byproduct of the 10 utterances so the 10 UT is the greatest source and a derivative derivative of of those 10 utterances are letters floating around interchangeable that creates a stone that creates a chair that creates a hat that creates a whatever specific human being or specific entity that exists so again so the highest level is the 10 utterances that create whatever God created with the 10 utterances then you have everything else that gets created through interchangeable of letters then you have certain things that that get created through something which is called gatot numerical values and that's why for example in cabala it's very heavy on gatot because certain things get its that energy on like so to speak on a third tier lower tier which is through the level through the level of of gatri so in other words so here you see again three levels the 10 utterances the letters that are interchangeable one with the other that create different things and and andot obviously in the is the highest level interchangeable letters a lower level and in the G is a lower level let's go back to the verse what did the verse say God says you should know God is our God the infinite God where is he in heaven so again there the physical Heaven spiritual Heaven what is that referring to that's refer into anything that was created by the most powerful that means when you see it it's hard not to realize God created it and God maintains it what is that referring to the Earth that's already where God is Not So revealed because it does not come directly from the but it comes through the interchangeable of the letters and then referring to the emptiness where God is it looks like God's the void that's getting energy but through a trickle down of theatri now ultimately on all these three levels God is still there God is there the only thing is in certain places it's more revealed in certain people it's not as revealed and the r explains that this idea really happens to each and every one of us on a practical level because ultimately we're studying this deep cabala the goal is not to study and take us onto like a spiritual journey and then when do we land but the point is to take a journey up and and then what do we how do we take this and intertwine it and make this practical in our life that allows us to live a more solid holy life that we're cognizant of the Oneness of God so the re explains very simple we all know at night we go to sleep after a long day right you go to sleep you're exhausted when you go to sleep you sayma right you accept the unity and oness of God you're exhausted you go to sleep and what to your soul it goes up to heaven goes to heaven like it's like you if clothing gets dirty you put in the washing machine you wash it out and you have nice new clothing so what happens at night what do you think you think the soul doesn't need a washing machine sure it does it goes up to heaven goes back to its source you're sleeping a whole night purified you're sleeping a whole night and the Soul's in heaven going out there and getting purifi the whole day he's dealing with the all the places you take him to scene and to do and bothered him at night's the Soul's time and that's why by the way it's very very important to sleep if you really want to be spiritually connected you have to sleep why cuz it gives a to a time for the soul to be totally in peace and to reconnect with it with with God very very important matter of fact even if you stayed up the whole night according to the Reby you should go to sleep for an now before you go pray because you need to give the soul time to connect its source but again that's another the whole discussion so anyway you go to sleep you get up in the morning what happens when you get up in the morning so again what's the spiritual significance when you get up in the morning your soul comes back into your body and now like this new uh partnership the relationship of the Soul soul and the body get up now the body is running to what's for breakfast right what's our activities today we got to go work make some money right the body wants to support itself physical needs and so on and so forth The Godly Soul gets up and says what oh my gosh beautiful day no beautiful day beautiful world thank you God thank you God m thank you God in other words the first thing the soul say before it's before it's getting distracted and running after the rat race of Life the first thing it stops and the most important thing you can do you can say God thank you so much for what returning my soul soul returning my soul simply even thank you for creating me what mean returning in order to return you have to be exist so first thank you God that you created me you maintained me and you transformed me you you energized my battery and you gave me back not only gave me back it's mine and you're giving it back to me you it's mine right it's mine but you gave it back to me God didn't take it from you you gave me the opportunity right you gave me my soul a beautiful soul that I can go ahead today and have another beautiful day connected to God and godliness until I get distracted but you're starting off pure you're starting off to day a clean slate I mean think about it God gives us every single day a new slate whatever happened yesterday is gone it's history right now I have the opportunity God gave me a New Soul means there new and Renewed Energy I'm ready to connect to God it's all good it's all God everything is wonderful everything is lovely that's how the day starts what is that the level when a person has such Clarity when you get up in the morning you have that Clarity oh my gosh God you created me you created everything it's wonderful now if you can stay that way in bed a whole day life will be good the problem is God wants us to move he doesn't want us just to sit in bed so we have to get up we got to go deal with the world so when we get up what's the first thing we do obviously we wash after mod and then the first thing we do before we do anything before we check our text messages and our whatsapps and our emails and go on the internet the first thing we do we don't touch our phone right we wash we get up and the first thing we do we go and we pray the first thing we do we do we pray we have to huh we have to clean yeah for sure obviously you have to get dressed and take a shower and etc for sure but but I'm saying in terms of a spiritual service you get you get up right you wash neas you take a shower you get dressed and the first thing is or you go to the Mikvah Etc and the first thing you do and you're praying to God why you praying to God because when you get up in the morning you say life is great but now you want that that feeling should start penetrating into your whole body into your feet into your hands into your head into your heart the purpose of is to take that beautiful Abyss that you have when you got up in the morning and that should penetrate in your life right you want to penetrate in your life and actually starts trickling into to your heart into your emotions and your feelings Etc and real as we all know once a person prays your whole day is totally different what happens if you start doing other things before first the things you did before with lacking vitality and after your day is dragging the first thing you do you prayer this way that beautiful energy that you have with the gets permeated into your life what do you do after you finish prayer service breakfast no you jumping not breakfast yet relax relax that's what the animal Soul wants to do what is The Godly so oh very good there you go after you finish prayer you take out some some ra some maybe some some cabala mysticism the point is you do some Torah study why because when a person studies Torah as we already know from T you connect your intellect and your emotions with God so now The Godly soul in this you know thank you God starts getting permeated into more of you so the job of to and is what that your intellect your emotion should be infused with what with God and godliness okay fine you finished praying and you finished Tora study what's next breakfast h you call it breakfast say you call it no fine I I'll go with it I'm going to give you you Tred it a few times let's he wants to go to have breakfast why do you want to have breakfast and I'm thankful to God for the opportunity to do so why do you want breakfast very simple you need energy to do M because you want to make a blessing in order you want to make a blessing on food so you need to eat food to make a blessing so you want to go do a Mitzvah one of the Mitzvah is to make a blessing before and after you eat so fine so you have to eat but not that you're eating because you want to gluttony you want to eat right you want to make a blessing you want I I agree and I'm just clarifying I'm packaging it up for you I'm helping you I'm marketing your your your your breakfast so you want to do a Mitzvah so guess what so you got one of the mitv is to make blessings so you go ahead and you make a blessing and you make some food then you make a blessing before and after Etc then you got to go out into the world you got to make a prosa you have to earn a livelihood so that you can support your to your family so you can give your kids a Jewish Education you can support the support institutions the point is you want you want to be busy doing mitzvot now when you're busy doing mitzvot you're dealing with what the real world the materialistic world when I say real I mean the real world with God Is concealed when a person infuses his life with a life of mitzvot and everything that focus is all about serving God so you're bringing God now into the darkness of the world so in other words let's bring it back full circle so the avoid is just like we said there's three levels there's the that God used to create the world that's what God's revealed then there's the different play on letters which creates the creation of all the other items and then gatot which is just like heaven Earth and everything else in the world and that's the same procedure what happens when a person gets up high spiritual level and then prayer and Torah study and then you do mitzvot but the a says and this is an important concept to know that ultimately where does all the source of all the energy come from again everything comes from God everything comes from God but how did God choose to the flow of The Godly energy that created the world that maintains the world that creates Heaven Earth and everything else what's the source of it again the source is God what is the filter that God used that it should go through everything goes through one area which is our spirit the Torah where did God say that the the 10 utterances how do we know about it in the Torah when you study the Torah you read about the way God used the 10 utterances what 10 utterances it doesn't say 10 UT God spoke somewhere no the 10 ARS in the Torah because ultimately everything comes through the Torah why why is that because it says in the Z that the Torah and God is one the Torah and God is one it's not like this God there's the Torah two different things no no the answer is cuz God and the Torah is the same thing so if we want to connect to God if we want to connect to the infinite part of God how do we connect to God through the Torah because when we connect to the Torah we can connect to God himself in other words so let's bring It full circle what's what's the alter represent presenting in this chapter the first chapter of of that ultimately everything comes from the Oneness of God God creates and maintains constantly and consistently albe it this levels of God's revelation whether it's high the from the or goes through the different letters or goes through but ultimately everything comes from God through the Torah and when a person is VI when a person thinks and a person gives to her heart they're going to realize that anything and everything from the heaven Earth everything in between and everything before and after all comes from where all comes from God and when when a person has that proper understanding and connection that it's all about the Oneness of God then you're connected to the Oneness of God through Torah and that will eventually allow you to have true love for God and to be in off for God as explained obviously in the first part of Tanya but what's really really important is as the T Al writes over here is we we have to really really apply our mind and understanding and our we have to give our heart to realize that ultimately it's everything is one and the Oneness that we connect to God is through the Oneness of the Torah