Faith and Unity of G-d is Paramount - 7 Universal Laws for Gentiles - Rabbi Chaim Dalfin

so we're starting today the second section of on page 150 and I set specifically the second section of the because that is the first line on page 150 it says which becomes the header for this page and the following page i inv v and the the three lines the four lines from till before the word which is in a box is considered the Sharlot the title page of the second section of Tanya so I want you to turn back those that have a safer with them to the title page of the first section of Tanya and you'll notice the almost the exact same language is so you have it look it says safer right so here it doesn't say the word safer but and here it says on page 150 that's called with the name look over here the the education of the minor or better said a miniature type of we're going to talk about that in what we're going to learn today and this week but the language is analogous to the language on the title page of the first section of Tanya so this teaches us this is the way kabad tradition shares a 200e tradition that the AL in in instead of writing like it did in the first safer the first section of Tanya a separate title page here he combines the title page together with the introduction the introduction for the first section of Tanya is only is three is is later on page would be gimmel there's no giml on there but it's opposite page doid the introduction to of the compiler and then it gives us a a a letter that the Ala wrote when the Tanya was was pred in some form in 1795 in 1795 before the actual printing of aan in a book form in a safer it was already either all or part of it was already in copy form in other words people people copied from what in their own handwriting what was known as the Tanya and at that time the Alba wrote a letter of introduction to his work the Tanya called the introduction of the compiler okay here on page 150 for the second section of Tanya we also have an introduction that the Al wrote but different than the first section where he separated the title page from the introduction here the title page comes together with the introduction iser is what I said now clear or not okay so let it now another point I point out to you is that here he doesn't mention what traditionally is the name for the next section which is called turn to page 152 in the header it says the gates of unity and Faith who who gave a name to this second section the author the Al and and and when we get to this page 152 you'll see why he calls it but go back to 150 in 150 it doesn't say that is called it's called which is also called kind of its nickname is also this is very interesting a page later he calls it but in the introduction when he introduces his his thesis his 12 chapters his uh his 12 chapters of of he doesn't even call it but that's another name for the safer now it's important to realize right from the beginning when you call it what we understand from that is that there's a direct connection to there's the first part and the second part and in thinking about this to me at this point I would say that this applies to the average man the ban although the theme in the second section is not about B it's about God Unity of God faith in God reconciliation of the universe with God but he's saying it's called which is meaning I've collected teachings which D rebba said out of his great modesty because we know that he wrote this and there are so few quotes in the first 53 chapters that we learned that he that that he that we that he openly says I took it from the bov I took it from the mid I took it from the maral I took it from the shal hardly any so why does it call it a collection of saying I'm just collecting information well show me the information you collected who' you collect from you don't find it so explain that that's that really it's his original writing it's the Alba's original piece okay but but as a as a modest person especially given the time period in which he wrote it he wasn't going to say and he doesn't say I wrote it like Rabbi dolphin said I wrote this book and I wrote that book that's not the way they spoke 200 years ago especially not a person like the alter he hid he hid the fact that he was the author or tried hiding okay but nevertheless it's called so that means y that the the ideas of which is about the ban and KN has direct impact and connection to you don't call you don't call something the second part to the first part if there's no connection so obviously there is a connection and we need to remember what I'm telling you now throughout the 12 chapters that we're going to be studying for probably a good six months maybe less whatever that although we're going we going to talk about faith and unity of God and and and some flut totin ideas of of how God creates the world and is he here and how is he here how could the world exist I mean some you you've said it inas those that say you've you you've you've learned it I think some you and everything else and I'm going to tell you a few more things that you might not know which are interesting about this second section in a moment nevertheless it's talking to us to the average person this Shen is and that's why it's Shen it's sh to the first which talks about the B and when you think about it it's awesome for those that have learned this you've taken a taste I think some had now right on one hand some of the ideas is like so deep so profound it's like go the alterb is taking you into his brain a journey into the alter Reb's brain can you imagine what that means La a journey into Einstein's brain who can imagine the Gen a genius going into his brain well that's what the AL does in these 12 chapters he's taking you into his brain of reconciling God in the universe God's unity and faith in God wonderful what an opportunity and but but it's for us even though he's taking us into his brain he's taking us into his brain he's telling us I know you're not like me a sadic again paraphrasing Al would never say that but I want you to know that these ideas are relevant to you as an average person because if you do not understand how God has United the with the world and your and your belief in God has not been developed you are lacking something in your relationship with God and therefore your love for God and your all for God will be lacking and this explains another important fundamental teaching the AL in this introduction and and in a few places says is as I will explain further on those references are clearly a reference to what he explained already in the first chap in the first section so why does he write you all went to means future how would we say it in P with a as it was already explained it doesn't say that so related over 200 200 years from the when the Tanya was printed in the 18 the 1790s that the AL originally wanted to publish and print the second section first first for whatever reason he changed and he published the first section first that's amazing amazing and we'll talk about that over the next few classes too why he did that and this explains also this explains also the idea that that um that the T second section what kind of name is what is cuton mean so you say the education of a cuton of a minor we're talking about education here principles no it's wrong it's not education of the minor it's a type of education regarding God that's considered minor in compare in comparison to a greater type of education and Al is saying you should know that what you're going to learn in these 12 chapters is a is applicable to us cuz we're miners because we are B potential ban we're not sadik the sikim would be considered gim and and Bim are considered in comparison to I don't know if the re said this but this is something that comes to my mind so I share it as a possibility now but why he doesn't say over here right in the title page I don't know but again a possibility this is only my thought when you when you say the words it right away you back off wait no scary what do you mean scary portals of unity and Faith it's like the guide I grew up knowing you don't go anywhere near theim it's off limits no or like those that grew up with cabala stay far away I don't want to hear it right if it would have been written right here it would almost contradict the words implies this is something that is relevant and applicable to us as cotton yeah I'm a regular guy I'm a average person I'm a cuton and then at the same time you would tell me sh ma portals of of fa of unity and Faith it's a contradiction that sounds very sophisticated very aloof very elite so possibly that's why dbba did not write it on the title page this is again my own thought right or wrong although later a page later when he actually starts his tretis his 12 chapters the title that is there the truth is I don't know I don't have access to the manuscripts I'm not even sure now I'm thinking did the AL actually write the header beginning with chapter one I'm going to try with has maybe to see if I can get an answer to that I'm not even sure that he himself wrote that or the cop or the printer wrote it based on what Alba said I don't know but everyone calls it so let's not go to page 150 but before we go are there any questions on what I said now I want to because yeah one question one question because you touched on it I want to from my understanding from from what from learning with you other thing my understanding is that the rebba the AL rebba did not consider himself to be aad we all considered him to be aad obviously everybody in the world but he himself I don't think he referred himself as far as what I learned from you is that he seemed to be talking about himself and about everybody else being a b and that's the reason for for for really writing t a good point and I'll answer you with with with what would the I bring in the first page of Tanya Raba did rabba consider himself to be a sadic what's the answer no and he says so Raba 2,000 years ago who surely was a sadic didn't consider himself a sadic and the same is true with the AL although it was 2,000 years later but trust me if he was around during Ra's time he would have been one of the sages in the gamarra guaranteed I'll put everything on it okay his he wrote at the age of 16 and he learned sh to the time but the 16 times I forget now when it says this individual was a a genius of T besides a and besides re and sadic simply in learning he was a genius he knew of T you know so he definitely falls into the category of Raba which we talk about as one of the sages the the of the gor so but but because of his modesty just like Rab's modesty they calls and they write as as a ban and and it's another important Point since you mentioned Yi and I want to really go further is that he's writing a safer for us when you say Yi he he he's writing the safer for himself between you and I he wasn't writing the safer for himself he's a sadic okay he doesn't have the tiis and the issues that we have he's a human being but he's worked out those issues just like DAV DAV is a human being being was a human being and if you look at boy was he a human being and in this week you saw what it says Hashem says I promised the kingship to forever but he's not going to build the actual base the temple why too much blood on your hand and to me I I I I was listening to the shabas and then talking about it by The KES it blows me away I mean could you imagine at Hashem says you're my man right and at the same time I'm not letting you build it when when when when you when when we in our lives say this is the CEO of a company this is the boss right the boss decides what to do and how to do it here we have a situation where Hashem says this is my man D but I ain't letting you build it why because you have too much blood on your hand and by the way it doesn't say that his blood that he has in his hand was negative blood he was a warrior he fought for amus explains this that the the the agenda and activity of David was M was engaging in battle for a holy sake but at the end of the day was engaging a battle the whole idea of the Bas is sh is peace so it's it's it's antithetical to by God's by God by Divine was put to situations where you had to fight to survive his son and it doesn't stop and on and on the whole the whole saer in tanak is full of all those that wanted to bring him down and most of him or large part of is giving praise to Hashem save me here save me there in other words King King David from on high was on the sh that was put into the world to engage in battle on behalf of God wonderful says the same God says the same Hashem but I can't have you actually build the Mishka BD because the B of MD is sh and Sh is completeness wholesomeness in the sense not of taking two and making them one which is one Concept in sh them butus the 15th the peace the full moon queen of Shiva comes to him is a dgma is a sem a representative of Peace the B mikash needs to be peace so the actual building your son will do but kingship bloodline Mal is so why am I saying this because the AL who was aad he himself this is all I'm explaining your answering your question he himself surely was aad but he's he he writes a book for us he's not writing a book for s cuz he has nothing better what to do he wants yeden to have a a manual where they can develop to the best potential well guess what we're weak we have urges we have Tyas that's that's why he writes it in that way and as we learned the the 53 chapters especially from chapter 43 through 53 those last 10 chapters are the hardest chapters in Tanya very hard especially those last two three hour very hard so some of his sadic like attitudes came out to me and to those that learned Tanya seriously and have learned by teachers Etc in those last 10 it's like DOA controlled himself for 43 chapters to to WR from where we're coming from but then once he starts with the aaba and the love the levels of love aaz and then he talks about the mishin and the he's like taking us on a on a on a flight into Mars his mom is taking us up there and like hey where am I I my head's spinning I don't know where I am anymore right the second section the AL talks about Unity of God faith in God because without unity and Faith you can't begin and that by the way answers the question why did the AL change I'm sorry why did he want this second section to really be the first section because the first section talks about development of of self and and developing a love and fear all for God if you don't believe it's all meaningless I think we once had a discussion about this you know this idea do you believe that there's only one God and well before you can begin thinking about Torah you have to think about who made this world and if you and if and if one is not comfortable there and doesn't have a deep understanding and doesn't really study it everything else is meaningless what do you mean put on fill who am I putting on fill to B of the clown who am I putting on Fillin to I'm putting on Fillin because God said who is this God I don't know who God is oh let me teach you about God so this section the next 12 chapters of which is consists of the second safer sh is about who God is so that was the reason why wanted to start with this so I asked one of the people in the shab so why didn't he so he says the rebba one said the Reb asked this question why didn't he start with the second section that's number one you know why cuz practicality speaks louder than anything else we don't have time for for you and I to understand God and if we don't we don't put on your Fillin until you know how God is reconciled with the universe how multiplicity is no contradiction to Oneness because if you go in that route you're going to get stuck and you're not going to put on your Fain and you're not going to keep your shabas and you're not going to do the so that speaks louder practical imp implication of implementation of is louder than all philosophies even the philosophy about God and that's why he he he he he he decided at the end this is going to be chapter one and this is going to be chapter 2 why he didn't change change the language from as I will explain to as I have explained we don't know because if that's the case as a good editor should have made changes wherever he wrote I will explain instead of saying he should have change that he doesn't do that I'll point it out to you as when we we come to it so the Reb said that that was the kind of debate that the AL had what should be the first section and by the way it's interesting to know that Reba writes in letters that when you when you when someone wants to become a gar there's a big question what is he or she allowed to learn right and people wrote to ask that but can I teach them Tanya especially with kab houses as the years went on and all over the world there were many people who were wanted to be G him and they wanted to learn and they became involved with aabad rabi inab house Etc and and one of the things that many of them teach is Tanya are you allowed to teach a non-jew the first section of the Tanya and the advised them to teach them the second section not the first section because the idea of faith in God and unity of God is applicable to Jews and non-jews and falls under one of the seven mitz one of the seven commandments so the second section of Tanya it has broader appeal broader halic appeal including to non-jews who are not yet Jewish who want to be Jewish and it's not a violation of theic prohibition of teaching non-jews Torah which is a clear which is a serious commandment and issue that many people don't pay attention to but it's important I think I told you there was someone who contacted me from um turkey who wanted to join our she while we were learning the first section of Tanya and I asked uh two serious Rabon and uh they both said No it's it's you know in that case the person wasn't even didn't even begin the conversion process surely that's not uh right but even if someone has begun the conversion process the first section of Tanya is is is more Torah that would fall on the prohibition not to teach them now is there an exception there is and that has to be looked up carefully by the the rabbi who's working with a potential convert but the second section of Tanya according to the rebba at least and I would say other authorities is more open for a potential convert why because it's about faith in God faith in God is one of the seven Mitzvah so what I'm showing you is that the second section that we're about to learn which will be tomorrow because we've taken out the time with this wonderful conversation and teachings the second section lends itself to a broader appeal to people so again here it's interesting on one hand as we will learn it's like I told you we're going into the alter rebba spaceship and as far as reconciliation of God in the universe and faith and un I mean you know he heavy ideas things that we need to really P put our mind to right but at the same time at the same time this is open for everyone and I think it's important for all you to know this because you come across sometimes non-jews and the Reb clearly wants us I was at the fa in 1983 84 where the first time he spoke about this Universal mitzvah and do you know that the rebba in in the 1940s together with Rabbi Dr n Andel wrote a for njws yes s sir I remember very well I don't know if mosha remembers it I was a little bit ahead of his time but Rabbi Goldstein used to be in the Fishbowl with the pamphlets the sh know of and he would stop everybody he could and ask are you would Jew and if he said yes he would do one thing and if they said no he would give him the pamphlets on the CH MIT very well right right I I I'll say because you know we're older and more mature and it's important to know unfortunately it didn't accomplish what the rebba wanted it still has not accomplished the rebel was really looking for the The Establishment to accept the Outreach to non-jews in in a way that is kosher and and Alor and it shouldn't be aabish thing Rabbi Goldstein and an an arbor you know and the like only or my friend Rabbi WG in Oklahoma and and and yes you know we've had a vendal Jones but vendel Jones Never converted right and which and by the way I also remember in Los Angeles RAB from the Yesa my rash froma there was a non came say he wants to convert and RAB sh sat him down for hours and basically convinced him you don't have to convert you need to be a good non Jew a gentile and do those seven Mitzvah and if you want to go a step further become a GV move to and become a g i remember I remember this guy came in like almost weekly and had spent with him so much time and we were all like like Rabbi like what are you doing but he he was serious about it yes MOA you mention about vendel Jones you said he didn't convert but yeah he didn't convert right right right right he was a and and and and what I'm saying is that what's happening today today is because we've had such inter marriage so I've told you this also over the years so the Reb and others you know there's a Jewish spouse so you know that's a different situation but in principle we're not into prizing and looking for converts that's not part of our tradition what is part of our tradition is and that's what the Reb spoke about out and he still couldn't get the consensus of the Orthodox Community to back him you understand that that that's why it never really took off because you need clas rooll and I know that you know there was rinel and others had for a while wanted to make a a bezin and this and that there have been different attempts the bottom line is we still have not as one unified Nation cre created an acceptable system for everyone yes H can you say more about thear for I didn't know such a right right I I composed it the the rebi composed it um I I think it's I think it's been printed already today by the niss Mel Publications foundation so I would suggest going online just to see if there's any articles about that I don't know maybe Misha much you say there isn't what for it I have for it I have not found it you've not found it okay I will I will try to um I know the person who produced it n mandell's son-in-law alich and CR Heights so I I'll try to see if he can give me some some information or links um but as as H as far as more information I mean the rebber wrote a for n literally and and and you have to you understand he did this in the 1940s when we're going through a holocaust and a post Holocaust so it seems to it seems to me that what the rebba spoke publicly in the 1980s 40 years before that he already was thinking about this idea now of course he did it in conjunction with permission from his father-in-law was the rebba the previous rebba but it's it's it is it is very phenomenal and I don't think anyone's written about it but it would be something interesting to to research and to write about is that already in the 40s we're going through a holocaust and look at this man's Vision he's thinking about the future the Jewish nation is being slaughtered and decimated and he's looking at the future cuz we're going to come out there's going to be remnants and we have to rebuild and how are we going to re build by also sharing a message message with the nations of the world to be mentioned I told you my son inlaw Rabbi nage from Tel Aviv he was asked to come by the Army to up north somewhere to a Muslim school it's online this you can find online Rabbi Ellie n look it up and and and and he's speaking sh Mitzvah to these little children to try to instill in them belief in God and that we don't you know kill and murder it's against you know what I'm saying and all and all of that and kindness and goodness so so that's all a derivative of of of of this approach but truth be said it it it never took off you know certain things take off this has not yet taken off let's hope that it does take off because we need it ever more so so so now with I mean I see that the Christian wred this and I mean there so many are going to with solidarity missions and and soup kitchens and volunteerism and everything else uh I wouldn't be surprised if there's a wave of of non-jews who who want to convert or at least want to and therefore you could hey you don't need to convert you don't need to convert just believe in God and not in yoska okay let's talk and talk about these things anyway great conversation all part of the sh that we'll get to too uh and we hopefully tomorrow we'll start the actual text okay have a great day everyone zazon bye-bye take care shalom byebye