The Things Standing Between You and Hashem

Sponsored by Dina Tobin for a complete refresh of Malisa Basu by the Finn for the lame of Udis Basar anonymous anonymously for Zagun for Esther Basina Galia. The week is sponsored by the Berke family and by the Cheryl Bger in honor of our daughter Shashana making this week. May she have much init and in her may we [clears throat] make aliyah this week as well. >> Amen. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to the all the that were from I don't know five towns to Ranana Ephra the that we now have it's very exciting in front of us there's nothing more bless you nothing more gishmak than holding a new it's unbelievable okay so open up please right now perodat [snorts] the first peric that we that we with some simuna. And wait, Zeie, I need the other one. You need me that other one? Put that at the end. Thank you so much. We're starting today. [snorts] So, a little bit of a for this. We have a famous. It says, "In all your ways know him." In all your ways, what what does this mean? In all your ways. And as we mentioned a few weeks ago when Cliff challenged the last thing we say when we put on our T in the morning is Hashem. So if I'd ask you how do you know Hashem? The answer we would probably give is I can only know Hashem based on what he said his ratson was. Which means I have to learn Torah. There's no it seems that that's the only way of of gaining d in Hashem and B is it even possible to know Hashem [snorts] obviously not so how do we deal with this doesn't mean we barely know ourselves we barely know people we you know to know something to mish know people but to know seems like a very it's as if like okay only if I'm learning If I'm not learning Torah, then it means I'm not am I not knowing Hashem. But then what do we do with in all your ways know him? So we're going to try to with the today build up something really beautiful and I feel much less intimidating than the normal mahalak usually is about these kinds of concepts. So let's go inside. We start right away with the chernobler. of Chernobyl says in that's what Rashi says. All of the creation, the world was created for the sake of the Torah and for the sake of Israel. What does that mean? to reveal godliness to amrael that they should know Hashem's reality that we were given the Torah in order so that we reveal godliness in the world that when they see when they know the one living God that he's here then everything we end up doing will actually be lashe shamine Is there any in what said so far? Any any in this paragraph? What do you guys think? What stands out for you guys in this paragraph? Anything? >> So, what does that mean? What's what [snorts] does it mean to be yourself to Hashem? To unify yourself to Hashem? What do these words mean? We talk about these we say this word all the time. What does that mean? >> Everything you do is >> that everything you do is shim. Why would why does that cause everything you do to be lash? When your rat zone is my rat zone, then you're living with that flow. It's it's it's it's oneness. >> Everything everyone's saying is true. I'm just trying to understand how that relates to my life. >> But also that we have this image that a lot of people have this image that I have to live a certain way to be to be acting like like proper y not doing this. >> Everyone has their own. You could be some guy that's off the off the beaten path and you could be >> that could that could be living with Hashem. >> We have our own. >> That's a beautiful Algeria over here right now. Mash. [clears throat] No, because that's a change of the way we usually understand the word usually means unification, oneness. He's saying means unique. that the way that I serve, even if it doesn't look like anyone else's, which it's not supposed to be >> counts. It's not a >> It's not a steer. It's not a steer. Yeah. Yeah. Not at all. >> It's Algerian. >> It's just a kesh, but it's not a steer at all. It's It's mashim. Well, he's going to he's going to explain much better. I call Right. >> [laughter] >> Okay. So this means man you and I were created for one thing and this one thing when we grew up in yeshivas traumatized us and that's why we have to change the narrative because [clears throat] I'm going to tell you something right now that if you were in yeshiva in high school or yeshiva whatever and you had a weird experience or a bit more more a comparative experience cuz you're comparing yourself to someone else that heard these words, you're burned. You're traumatized. But I'm going to say it again. Hopefully, all you hear is sweetness and not anything else. Man was created to know and to recognize and to connect to Hashem through the co of the Torah of the Holy Torah. So again, that means what does that mean? I can only know God through learning. [snorts] >> No. Why not? Why not? How do you do this? He says >> it's maybe that's the way but that's all if you're living >> it's the purpose of creation >> you can't do it without Torah >> you can't do it without Torah but why why doesn't this mean only by learning Torah >> huhra ah so that's already a that's opening up a lot of things here the word Torah as this abstract ethereal >> no no we're not I'm talking about learning I'm I'm challenging it with the word learning Torah >> well I mean what's in the Torah is the having all the parts of my life no matter what. >> Right? >> So it it's a little bit more on the whether it's more it's still so if we just say like full stop. We're not meaning the Torah. We're not meaning the whole expression of >> can you learn without learning Torah? >> No. >> Yes. I mean >> guys I'm pressing a lot of like I want I want you to see [clears throat] >> right he says he he doesn't say over here he says which is very it's a big I think it's a big distinction I'm asking again is it possible to know to to to do what you're supposed to be in this world because he said to be in this world is to is to recognize the oneness of Hashem without learning and I'm going to add now keeping what you learned Yes, >> it has to be. >> You could have you could have this what seems like the most simple Y that never picked up a safer in his life who's who's a more who's a more than some guy that's sitting with a with a >> cuz somehow he falls under what you said that somehow dorra >> I I I'll explain to you something. I had this Shila about like 23 years ago. I don't know what got into I mean I think I do know what got into me but I didn't understand the timing of my quest to rush Shiva. I [clears throat] was causing for mka regular mka day int and I went up to the brainder and I went up to him right after I said is it possible to know hashem and in his eyes if I like mamish know nothing of Torah. So he looked so he you know in his dark of aesh >> gods yeah but then he but he but he said he said well we know we know obviously if you we know from like enough stories that of course it's possible but he said it's not something you can give over to your child meaning it's not a way of a way of is not that you can't explain you cannot give over to a kid the b the the art of banking on the pelle of ending up in dark you know ending up like what was saying it's true but it's not a it's not a d meaning it happens I mean what ntali said about meeting that barely know anything and somehow they have something we've all had those tastes in life in fact most of the mo the more inspiring times in life where where people have like dis you know where we've been touched It's been less from people that are dashing long dashes and it's more from people that seem to have like that moment of like what was saying. Am I am I very off with that statement? >> Not at all. >> It's more relatable. >> It's it's it's more relatable to maybe some of us. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, okay. So now let's let's do again this must meet then if that's the case that this is why I was created then therefore everything in my life the the megama the megama the purpose in everything that I'm doing has to be surrounded around this. And then he quotes the pa. You know what pa means? >> Huh? >> Like any turning any direction that I have there. There are more. We brought a bunch of books for sale today. So let's let's give out whoever needs. There's more up here. every that I need in life to be to Hashem. There's no other purpose in any other action that you're doing whether it's small things or big things to come close to Hashem and to tear down all that may be taking me away that are dividing between me and obviously he's going to say what are we referring to when I become dependent on material materialism not that I have materialism in my life but I like the word that he says here very much when I become dependent on these [clears throat] things then that become then that that's an indicator you got to get rid of this thing because it formed a makita when you I'm not just talking about um uh no um substances that I become addictive to that's an easy thing to say I'm talking about anything in this world that once I become dependent on it. It's it's a thing that that thing has got to go. What what do you think? What what could be another thing? What could be another example of him? If I cannot den before checking to see if LeBron won last night in his game opener against the Garden in New York or not, then I shouldn't be watching this stuff. Why? What's wrong with it? What's wrong with this? It's it's it's what what's wrong with watch? Because it's just the dependency thing. It's the dependency thing. What's another example? >> I would take it even to say Yaniv. I didn't say anything. I don't talk to you mornings after. I didn't check. Huh? Don't be >> guilty of that. >> No, no, no. I want to make something. I want to make a clarification. >> Yeah. >> It's when you're dependent on it to what to check it. I don't think that's a like that aren checking is about checking uh you know sports. It's the the I can't go on in my day unless I first do that that has no in this world at all whatsoever when it becomes dependent on these things. What's another example? It could be millions of things right now where I become dependent on >> I was going to say we we have to but we don't have maku in the shul but you can you could even take it down to that's a material right in terms of where you're physically standing or the chair you're sitting in and >> if it's not vacant then I can't d here. >> Yeah I can't I can't have a ding here. That's interesting. On the other hand, kazal say that it is an inan to have a mo kava but when it becomes something that I'm dependent on and if that's not happening like some guy told me recently I couldn't believe it some guy told me that he he feels he wants to have a mo kav and the sh the thing is the guy shows up like an hour and a an hour or two hours after dinging starts so there's no I mean you could have a mock kava but it's probably you know somewhere in where nowhere but the the slute of it the depend tendency of it. That's where it gets that's where it gets tricky. That's where it gets tricky. We're not talking right now about a veras. We're talking about things that the obviously fall that it's like it could be good, it could be bad, but I become dependent on it. So for many of us growing up in the states in the 70s, 80s and 90s, sports definitely is a huge thing. We don't want to ple it, but we want to ple the clut the dependency of it. I mean, I see it with music. >> I was going to just say as as a >> I see it with music. >> I can only play well if I'm on a great guitar. That's like >> Oh, I was I was saying I was going to I was going to take it way further than that. [laughter] >> Okay. I can only play if I have that guitar, right? Which is right. um checking to see every time because I because this artist Wamash talks to my soul and I'm dependent on making sure that I check every status update or story that they post cuz I but I label it under listen these this this person serves as like a spiritual guide for me but I don't realize I don't realize like underneath the spell that I've become [clears throat] I've become dependent on something That's there many many examples. >> Yeah. >> I even get addicted to sadikin. I remember like being by Zber and anytime people from outside came they like they got what I was saying this or you and you like by sadik you can get addicted to the some people just all the time around the sadik you think it's like a >> you can come Monday nights at 7 p.m. to speak. Tiki. Yeah, Steve. >> Yeah, something that many here may not be able to relate to, but I host many uh overseas students who come over to the serious brisk mir wait. Those [laughter] >> Whoa, what a statement. Seriously [laughter] beautiful. >> You got 25 grown men learning Torah on a Wednesday morning. No, I know. I know you. I know what you mean. >> I mean eventually when I get the uh you know all around table I am blown away by the number who have said an a version of the following. No way I couldn't come here. When I make a shuda, I get a car. I get an apartment. Back in >> That's surprising to you. >> That's huh. So, so the I mean usually I would say to you you're gaslighting but I actually understand that that can right that that inan is >> and yeah it's dependent maybe kilo the vision of my future and the mother of my children seems to be dependent on conditions that are set up for me. >> Yeah, you're giving them the benefit of the doubt. I you think they're they're thinking about their future wives when they're saying that? >> I hope so. >> I think they're talking about themselves. Is that how I >> I want to be Cavs close. That's amazing. >> I want to lift it up. >> I want to lift it up. So, but it's >> some of them are my grandson. [laughter] >> We're going to delete that in the uh [laughter] >> serious waiting that is more hungry. >> Right. So again, the problem becomes when it's when it's when it's dependent on it. >> I'm going to take it to an extreme example. >> Yeah. somebody saying like somebody who's not secure financially or is lacking having that feeling of like well I could really only serve Hashem if >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah definitely that's a big one and or I can only like this this what you're bringing up is very very strong. It's like I think it I think it's his maybe he got it from the of I don't know but uh this is a very important thing he says why is it impossible for people to think that the is choosing he needs and doesn't need he wants my avoid hashem to come from a place of cutness from constrictedness from narrowness that that there's by some people that's why the wants from them. They wants to serve. He wants them to serve him not from a place of like we can't imagine that in our mind. So we say to ourselves, if only we had this then I would mdish all my time for you, right? By the way, that's never the case. >> You wouldn't. >> Cuz you wouldn't. And quite often when people say that and maybe they even do get the Ashir, they don't end up going to that place. They don't. We know this as a clown. So that's why it's very hard for people to understand what I Hashem, you really want me to be like this like this. This is how you want it to be. So it's only hopefully it'll be a it'll be a passing tufa. But if I say while I'm in a mah that I can only serve Hashem and when I don't have constraints then I may it's a I'm dependent on something to to know God to know to kashm that can't be now you can't tell that to someone because you have to dive in for them that things get better for them but That's a mahalak. That's aem that Korak could not stomach. Korak's whole thing. He's the greatest example. Korak's whole thing is what? If I can't be the co the ley god co or whatever it is, even though he made up other words for it, then I can't serve Hashem the way that I want it to be, the way that I think is most ideal. So the most thing in the world, which is the land, swallows him up. So it's a whole Torah ink. They have a whole mahalak on this. It's bread found in all the but it's a very good example. >> It's all forms of >> it's it's and and they're have to come down. Okay, let's continue. We're in the the middle of the second paragraph here. >> [laughter] >> It's beautiful uh imagery here. >> How would you say this in English? And so you're pulled to him like a >> magnet. >> Like clinging like just you're like like like magnetism. Bottom paragraph. I just want to ask I just want to put it out there because I I I think it's a beautiful thing and you don't have to answer yes or no but did you ever feel that you were that you like like it was it was a magnet like at a certain point Hashem's like yeah now you're in whether you like it or not and you're just >> Hashem just takes you. >> No >> I didn't I again I didn't ask to say yes or no because you that you said no. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. the guy that left the most comfortable place sitting and and and pulls up with his family and and 81 kids in Ephra. All right. Yeah, you definitely didn't experience any magnetism. You just ruined the Algerian of the Mam. Hashem didn't pull you anywhere. It's true. >> Hashem got me somewhere. But >> oh, Hashem got me somewhere. You know what the You know what the illusion is? We're all scared to say yes. Cuz in our minds, magnets is something pulled. I I It just happens. It happens. We've all tasted it. We're just too scared. We're just too scared to call it out cuz it's too awesome. It's awesome, >> but it doesn't feel awesome. It doesn't appear out of it. >> Doesn't feel the same as getting pulled to the buffet. You're taking the most example. It's amazing. >> Okay. >> Where we're trying to not That's exactly it. It doesn't feel like being pulled to buffet. >> It's p being pulled to somewhere much much more essential and vital for our being in this world. These things do happen to us. They do. It's just that in our nar in our minds the illustration of how it works is different. But it's not true. Remember the V. What's the first word of the para where we experienced the first greatest miracle for a nation? [snorts] What parha is that? What's the first word of the para? When the word comes in say it's a word of how could it be? Why? Why would it be? You're about to experience next shabas is Torah. you have starting having the mana falling down here. what wh what why would it open up with the word so it's a a lot of it so they can speak about this I saw once through the dina of where he says there because many people have a vision of what a miracle would look like and then when it happens to them but not in the way that they imagined it >> they get disappointed in the magnitude of the feeling of the miracle and there's no greater sadder better thing than that when great things happen to you but it's not the way that you thought it was going to happen. So why cuz maybe Yidden were had this image of what it would look like when they finally leave mit but for most of them it didn't exactly end up manifesting in the way that they envisioned it. You know there's another word for like everything we just said right now. I'm not being cynical. I'm just I'm being real. One second. There's another word. What's the word? What what what concept am I am I referring to? >> Marriage. >> No, I'm not being cyn. [laughter] >> I gave the I'm not being cynical. >> I wasn't ready for it. >> It's okay. No, but do you hear? Do you listen? He did out loud what you all would have done had I not said. BMT. [cough] >> BMT. >> I'm not embarrassed by laughing at it. >> No, no. It's >> You don't have to. >> No, no, no. I'm I'm saying I'm saying like had I not said I'm not being cynical and I would have said marriage is the same thing but because we have these visions you have these images and oh it's going to be like this right at what point in does that do you have a vibr [laughter] oh wait a second there's another word there's another term that falls under this category for Sure, for sure. Aliyah, >> aliyah. No one told anybody about Misim when they were when you were thinking about, [laughter] right? >> No one. It wasn't part of the thing. Bravo once said it was we went to he had an evening with Rabbi Riskin maybe like 10 years ago in the uh Dan was it called is it the Dan Panorama on Karen? >> Panorama. >> Were you there with me? >> Yeah. >> You came with me? Yeah. Remember that night? It was it was a very very special night. Rabbi Riskin and Rav Braander together. I think it was moderated by Rabbi Jeffrey Saxs, right? So Rav Braander said that he grew up you know he was very influenced by Byaka growing up in Brooklyn back in the day. He said there's this the one thing they never told them about when they talk about aliyah and coming to Israel is that not everyone is Jewish that they're also Arabs. No, no one told them that that that part was missing from the, you know, let's make aliyah the fool. That part was missing. >> Oops. >> So, these things happen to us all the time. But the ems is is that we've all been pulled with this magnetism that he's speaking about. It's just that Hashem does it in the most sneak way. And he makes us feel that we're the bim of this magnetism. That's his humility that he's Hashem is the humble of all humbles. But we have we have gone there. And as long as I think that I am waiting to be pulled to the buffet the way that you spoke, then we're doomed. And we're living in a world of eternal that will never come down. [laughter] >> Well, well, just to try to redeem Napali here for a second. >> If I >> I'm going to try. >> No. Natali said before that yes, somebody who is not like learning Torah actively is able to be connected to Hashem and have live the Torah lifestyle. >> Mhm. >> And I think that the two are connected. I think that I mean from from a personal uh from personal experience I had a tufa in my life when I was not living Torah and connected that way and kufas >> yeah [laughter] we're we're friends for 25 years it's okay yeah >> correct uh and yeah I I think that I had a a moment where I was not in world of Torah at all. And then I had a very very strong pull and that certainly was part of the stepping stones to get me here. >> So is that what he is that like you said? >> Yeah, it's it's mag earth magnets. >> It is it is and you've had it. We've all had these moments in life and the and the the wonderment of of this safer is that it's possible to realize this and then davin and work hard to have more and more of it and it's fine and it doesn't mean we're all going to start looking different. Although there's nothing wrong with that if that's what your if that's what your kishkas are telling you. only a mullik kind of friends are the ones that's standing in your way of any form of growth and and they prevent you from growing because you're thinking well if I if I if I go more with the magnet what am I going to look like >> okay I I want to go oh sorry sorry Steve I I stopped you >> okay I just wanted to draw again a parallel it's not you know the Torah is is teaching us things that are forever my understand what was the desire par ended up sent chasing them up they were waiting for this miraculous being lifted up kind of famous how many people tell me perhaps you wouldn't even encounter in glutar it's they're waiting for that miracle not to be chased out but some and and that's the tsar and we we wait for it we almost demand it and that's that's a sad sad reflection Okay, let's go Ver bottom of just a little bit more. Many people that know, they know the purposes of life is to get close to Hashem, but they don't live with that knowledge on a day-to-day level because their minds are basically designed to think about what's something good that I should do and what are the bad things that I should Stay away from this is so deep. This is so deep. It sounds so simple. It's so deep. What's the mab is saying? There are people that are they know and they actually act in very good ways which is what they do what they're supposed to be doing and they don't do what they're what they're not supposed to be doing. Why are you doing the good that you're doing? And why are you doing why are you refraining from the bad that you're not doing? What did you end up worship worshiping the not my words turned around on the last of his life? He died a few weeks later, right? And he talked about a void right before. He says, "You could you could make a void out of anything. You could even make a void out of the he said. And then he said you can even make a out of the this is I feel exactly what this what this line is. There's a you're distracted from the purpose of why you're doing all of this. Okay. Is it really what I wanted to get to? The malmo. I don't know if you've seen the safer. It's I have it up. I I think I I have it the moan shabas. The malusmo is a safer that he this mahab put together of the tyres of his grandfather. His grandfather was Nate Davidovich's rebi who was the >> rebiot is the father of the bayanait you understand also he also wrote da da da da da and others that's mutiski who's now in Brooklyn but used to be in Denver twiski is the son of The mal his sister is the mother of this mab the ri that the video we sent out last week talking about hal is the brother of the mab he's also a grandson of the mal schlama of the malariski he quotes him here in the for the first time and he's going to keep on coming back to his okay is a gald of wineburgger I saw him teaching he was teaching it last week and over the summer he showed me the numad that had come out and how Beautiful. I have it up here. It's beautiful. Beautiful. Anyone here know him? Did anyone meet him? Did you ever meet him? >> Twiski. >> No. No. That's Oh, Abraham. Rab Abraham Tiski was his brother. >> Yeah. >> Rabbi Napali. This is a good >> Rabbi Turski. A right. He's the brother. He was the brother of the Malama of this grandfather. And then there was some there was I think he's right toki in in Milwaukee >> is another brother I was at one time I couldn't believe this I played a wedding somewhere in in in uh in in a in a hotel in New Jersey close to the stadium where they did the mandial like close huh Metife. Yeah, I think mom is right there and for some reason the not repa cuz he was already nifter but the remaining siblings the twiski were were still alive and they did their own recood for the and the kala. I could it it was so gorgeous and all I wanted to do was take a picture but my hands were busy with the with with the guitar. Huh? >> Got the best picture. >> I got it. It was amazing picture. Okay. There are people that for them Torah is a it's not about it's a she it's when I dav in it's a sh I got the good points I learned the little Torah but they don't ask Hashem to follow them outside of the B maj when they leave actually they're Okay, we're good. You stay here. Check. >> I'll do my thing and we'll meet again tomorrow. And this is the right thing to do. So you don't end up reach like getting there. You're going to the gym. You say goof. you're about to eat, you actually think about the braas and don't just say them because it's the right thing to do all in and and and to add to this I don't know how many of you were with us on we did a I forget at what point in we did a shir based on the on the shi remember the shar The Shiloh was Why don't we say throughout the day? Why do we only say it one time? Because ideally, it's supposed to be like this Torah is not this thing that I just do in the morning when I say or have a sh in the morning. Ideally, it's it's something that's all day long. and to look. Don't stop from but and then you'll say to yourself, "Okay, I'm going to have a day that I'm going to look for you. I'm going to be with you." But then you'll come to this very fast conclusion that theam has a favorite game. What's his favorite game? >> Peek and seek. >> Hide and seek. And that's and once you realize that then you're really in Like he says over here, he hides within the bria so that you look for him. Do you remember I've mentioned his name many times. He had such a me and he was friends with my father for many years. Schwarzy, not Schwarzy from the Moshav. Schlommo Schwarz from LA's >> Misha's father. He had such a profound impact on my life from such a young age. He loved my father. He loved my family. He was really like ah and he suffered a lot. You wouldn't know. He had that smile. He was married. He had many kids. And his wife was nerret then Olivia. It's a whole story. whatever. But the one of the last videos I saw of him was someone with a close-up uh he had a great I loved how he sang because he had the he had the the I'll I'll try to find this what I'm going to tell you right now and send it to you because it's exactly this these words. There's a I can't believe there's a song for this because it should be depressing, right? me start. You are hiding. You're a god that's hiding. So a person could say this is what you want me to. You actually want to play this. I'm not interested in this game. You're either here or you're not. I showed up. You should be here. That's the ga. That's the yus. I showed up. You should be here. [cough] That's [clears throat] not how it works. Hiding in creation. It's in our hands to find him and to reveal him. Even though is hidden from all man, maybe from the eyes he's hidden. He's in our hearts. He's revealed through thoughts. In whose hearts? And in whose thoughts? He's found in the hearts and the thoughts of those that show up. They that it's a game of hideand-seek. And they're like, I'm in. >> Seekers. >> I'm seekers. I'm in. I'm in. My G is not going to tell me right now. Oh, if he doesn't not interested in me, like I've heard this so many times. It looks like God's not interested in me cuz I, you know, I showed up and and he's not here. >> Doesn't say the finders. It says the seekers. >> Seekers. note. So once you realize that this game is called hideandsek, now you're in the parish of legal bat. So [snorts] this game hide-and-seek has been taking place for many, many, many, many, many years. We're still in the game. It would be nice if you dropped some if it was more like a scavenger hunt with like lollipops on the way telling and and it is >> it is just like >> they come by your heat. >> Huh? >> They come by your heat. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. take a safer.