200-year-old text reveals SPIRITUAL origins of POLITICAL POWER | Baad Kodesh CLASS 1

so welcome to our weekly mimer class we usually learn a mimer this is not a mimer a discourse but it was written by a reab it was written by the M reab the son and successor of the balat and it's an incredibly special document because although it's speaking about hdic Concepts meaning mystical spiritual ideas actually the source of this document was a letter that the Leba wrote to a government official while his verdict was pending regarding charges lialis charges that were brought against him the the mitler rebba is appealing for mercy in the Judgment the the verdict and he's also expl explaining cabalistic what the role of a government official is and the power that's given to the government now because of the election I'm sure people are all thinking about this on some level and I figured it's good to get back to a Torah perspective as opposed to all of the messaging that we're bombarded with particularly uh through through all types of media so that's what we're going to try to do we're going to learn about what is the government and what is the power of the government as through as seen through a calistic lens as it was written by the to a non-jewish government official specifically who was the General governor of vpsk region and his name was khansi and the mitba uses many of the arguments and the ideas that his father the Alba presented in similar documents which the AL composed during his trial um there's a lot of fascinating history about why the alter and then his son the mitba were on trial um I'm not going to get into that today because I want to explore the text itself but a very very brief version is that a lot of it had to do with I'm just saying not the spiritual background behind it but in the most simple terms a lot of it had to do with their involvement in fundraising which was is characterized as a support for the adaman Empire which was the Rival of the Russian Empire and the reason that such an argument was was made it wasn't an argument in good faith it was detractors ideological detractors of dalba and the mlba created this uh liel but because they were raising funds through the charity known as K kabad which still exists to this day to support the hidic communities in the holy land and sending money there to the Holy Land which was under ottoman rule at the time so a whole charge was leveled that the kabad deba was somehow supporting the enemy supporting the Ottomans where in reality they were just supporting impoverished communities in the holy land okay there's much more to that background and maybe at a um or a uh or a and we could get it you know utas is the day of liberation of the Al and yud is the day of liberation of the mler so and just for historical context I guess I'll mention the years we're talking about y Tes K is 1798 and and that meaning meaning the Al's Liberation and the MIT his imprisonment and Liberation and the writing of the text we're about to study is uh 1826 just the last couple of months of 1826 okay um let's without further Ado proceed and maybe I'll make one more prefatory remark the name of this text is called bad KES uh in the 1947 printing of this text the Reb the seventh Reba who was then the working in the Secretariat of his father-in-law the sixth reab wrote a preface to this Printing and he mentioned that we don't even know the significance of this title it was probably a printer who just chose it and we don't know why he chose it but the name stuck so it's called bad KES but there's really as far that EBA says as far as we know like there's no deeper significance and definitely it wasn't the mlet EBA himself who gave it this name um in the 1947 Edition that not only wrote preperatory remarks but um sort of went over the the the text and uh cleaned it up and then there was another printing in the 60s in 1964 with further notations citations Corrections okay without further Ado and I also want to mention that um The Learning of this subject and this text I want to dedicate to uh a very old friend a dear friend who passed away this week uh Ben aam who among many many many many merits that he had in his lifetime applied himself to using the apparatus of government to try to affect positive change for the Jewish community and for all communities so this should be the learning that we're doing should be a merit for his alias and Sh for an Ascent of his soul okay so if you look in the PDF and if you don't have the PDF and if you're learning With Us online what I would say is go to soulwords dorg where you'll find the PDF of the text right under the video player and if you're you're listening like on a podcast something like Spotify or apple podcast or whatever I don't know what to tell you um go look on soulwords dorg okay fine here we go from the beginning anim before I begin to speak and to make my request of the Earthly Master meaning the MIT is addressing Governor kski referring to him with the honorific as the master of the land I will I request before God meaning the the Heavenly master that he should grace me with from his uh with his kindness and goodness that I should be able to influence your heart and mind uh toward everything that I'm about to set forth before his his honor pav some of this I mentioned earlier in my intro is material taken from the presentations that my teacher my father made before Zar Paul as we mentioned the M's father the the AL had similar charges and he was forced to defend himself and so some of the language of this text is directly taken from from those from those uh documents sh this occurred when there were various lious accusations against him and it was very well received before him meaning before Paul's government I am confident in the god of the world who gives Grace and kind to us of and uh that Hashem should give should Grace with truth with kindness and Truth all of these words of truth that I'm saying before you that it all should be found favorable before you call for all the days and to cause it to open for me the wide open eye or the the awake eye it's uh actually cabalistic it's a reference to the highest level of ker which may be a reference to the the theme that the text gets into later that the king the Earthly King is aligned with even the highest Realms of spirituality that it should open up the eye the watchful eye with with affection with Grace with kindness mercy and silence all of the accusers okay so that is the intro paragraph basically the writing to the governor and saying I'm going to set forth my my argument here a lot of this is recycled from my father when he was in a similar position and I pray that Hashem should give me should grant me um a compelling uh way of speaking that you should receive well okay so here we go and what what the mlba proceeds to do and we're only going to probably finish today chapter one there are seven chapters total in this text is explain spiritually mystically what really is the role of government how much power does it really have where does that power come from what is its Duty what is our duty toward it so on and so forth again with the election I felt this was relevant okay alive everyone sees in the text where we're up to yeah alive okay Al the wise King Solomon Omar said and he notates in Proverbs chapter 24 and specifically it's chapter 24 verse 21 as Hashem fear God my son and the King IM do not mix with theim shim is like from the the root which means to double or to like or sheny the number two um what does that mean fear the lord meaning God and and the King my son and don't mix with don't fraternize don't associate yourself with the people who cause doubling what does that mean so Rashi says rashi's commentary on mishle on Proverbs says people who believe there are two authorities in the world and as the mitab is going to explain what that means is that they believe that there's God's Authority and then there's the Earthly authority of the government and that those are two separate things in other words they create a false division between these two Powers as if they're different things but he'll he'll explain it P the meaning of this verse first part of the verse schl is equating the fear of the Earthly king the king of flesh and blood with the fear of God he's saying they're literally one thing and that's why it says it's all one phrase fear the fear the lord and the King my son with one reverence in other words it doesn't break it up biblical phrasing is very important it doesn't say fear God and fear the king it says it all in one thing fear God and the King my son and he explains another thing which is the explanation for the first thing the second thing the second phrase of the verse explains the first phrase of the verse sh with the doublers or the the twofers we'll call them he spells it out who are the people who divide who uh make a distinction between the fear of the Lord and the fear of the king to say that there's a difference between the two Al do not mix with them do not become connected to them don't affiliate with such people that is the wisdom of salom why not because by doing so you'll destroy your soul and you'll remove from your heart the fear of the Lord because really it's one thing this is the simple meaning the and according to this concept uh devolves or branches forth a concept that we find in our talmud the law that the talud states that it is a it's a moral obligation to run after seeing Kings all types of kings and then to make the there's a there's a blessing one makes when seeing a king and the gamar says that it's a Mitzvah to go seek out I mean the whole discussion to what extent do you have to go out of your way to seek out such an opportunity but the the main point is that there's such a con except the tal encourages one to go see a king and then to recite the blessing to make the the blessing blessed are you a full with the full text where you're mentioning hashem's name and you're mentioning his kingship and the blessing would be blessed is he Hashem who a portions from his glory there's actually he says here Etc so I'll fill in but uh there are actually two versions of this blessing depending on whether it's a Jewish king or a non-jewish king So if it's a non-jewish king so then the blessed hm who gives from his glory to Men of Flesh and Blood and then if it's a Jewish King then it's he who a portions from his from his uh glory to those who fear Him it's an interesting distinction when it's the Jewish King it's l of to those who fear Him meaning you're assuming morality of the king when it's a non-jewish king that's not even the point doesn't matter if the king is considered to be particularly moral or a paragon of morality the point is look how powerful he is and that power is hashem's power so we make a just over the fact that sh that hasem gave M from his glory to a person of Flesh and Blood and the MLB explains further because the awe the reverence that we have of Hashem as the superal king and the king of the world may it shines and is drawn down and spreads forth in the king of flesh and blood so the point is that you're recognizing that the power that the King has is a representation of hashem's Glory hashem's Authority and that you shouldn't make the mistake of thinking these are two separate things and that's what it means the shim the people who turn it into two is that they think of it as two separate domains and they make a big mistake and the M says this causes them to actually damage their Hashem in other words if I can take the liberty of trying to explain it a little bit more uh clearly he says that the people who make this distinction there's God and then there's the King which seemingly seems like that's like not it's common not only it's common sense but it seems maybe even like theologically very correct right they're two different things he says actually no no it's theologically damaging the king himself really doesn't have any power he doesn't have power he's loan he's let he's being he's he's borrowing hashem's power power and and when you recognize the power of the king don't attribute it to the king it doesn't come from the King it's it's coming from Hashem through the king but that's really no different than any of us and oh yeah that's yeah you're right you're right and that's very consistent with the way that we view let's give an example that doesn't have to do with someone being in a in a in a in a in a position of of extreme power let's just talking about a person give Saka right you you just give somebody uh money to be able to buy a meal today so what do we say how do we look at that theologically it was a good thing that the person chose to give Saka But ultimately it's hashem's money going through the giver right so it's very yeah similar to how we view most things yeah all things at least in the past monarchy in England This Is How They View thear monarchs do the monarchy like that yeah yeah this concept of the Monarch being a Channel of God's power at least um in Western Civilization is a concept we're familiar with the um their Authority comes from from God and is obviously something that can be corrupted which is a whole other discussion but before we get into that discussion when when can that power be hijacked or misappropriated or when can that idea be used in a way to actually even thwart God's will you know that's an interesting discussion to be had but and all has to be first understood within this framework that the initial supposition here is that if the King has any power it's not human power it's godly power which is being channeled through through the king yeah so and and and remember the context here the mbit is to the governor of ITP who has the power to kill him okay what's a what's a king someone's there power over life and death there's a whole discussion in Hala whether or not a govern has the rule of a of a king even a president or even a president yeah but so much more so there a question whether a governor would even be considered a king and much of the halic discussion comes down to the question of life and death and uh one way of resolving the whole question is that if it's a state with capital punishment and the governor is able to you know today the governor can't just say kill this guy but they can give uh Clemen they can pardon someone and and um I don't know if it's it's actually not pardoning but it's saying not saying they're not guilty but saying not to execute them so then they do have control over life and death so then according to that perspective they would be considered the type of King that the talmud is talking about when it says you make a blessing when you see them at any rate the point is it's about the power over life and death you're talking about somebody who legally has the ability to kill people I me it sounds really crash to say it that way but that's what it means a private citizen can't walk up and kill somebody who's the king the king is the one who can decide to kill people dictator what is dictator no there's nothing inherently uh authoritarian about it I just give an example of in a in a democracy we could have a governor who decides not to to execute somebody the point is is that the mlet is writing to the guy who has the ability to legally kill him he's making a case for himself he's making a case for himself remember the charges are treason that that's that's a capital crime against the mler against the mler Reit yeah yeah so I'm saying this is not like he shoplifted some bubble gum or people said he shoplifted bubblegum this is a capital crime so the context here is talking to a a governor yeah it's it's a regional governor of vpsk but nevertheless it it's and especially in those days you're talking about someone who had real power so the the the the alterus case went to the imperial capital he was in Peterburg which is the imperial capital and so he was you know sort of like in America you're talking about like the federal government and the state government okay so sort of maybe like that um but nevertheless even though it was the regional Governor he had the power of life and death yeah but why is why is the r even going to the intermediary like God is the one that will decide he's going to that's a fantastic question why doesn't let just Davin more yeah just ask a yeah just ask Hashem why is he writing to this Governor right that's a fantastic question I I think learning this itself will answer that question many many other questions we have about what even is the role of a government you know if God is running the show who cares who's in power and who cares what that person wants to do and if God doesn't want to let them do it they won't even be able to do it even they want to do it we you know we don't the midl didn't have an opportunity to vote but I'm saying even in cases like this okay it's not called voting but it's called don't even seek out the communication with those people let them try to do whatever they want to do if God doesn't want them to do it he'll stop it and we could say that about any other aspects of life as well and and we could say that about anything that's right if God wants me to heal why do I have to go to the doctor I'll heal and why why why do I have to get a job if he wants me to have money he'll just send it what's with this whole physical world what's with this whole physical world absolutely absolutely okay so there are a lot of ramifications of this of this discussion all right so let's continue here so we're on the bottom of the page in the original text that's what it means he apportioned from his glory literally a portion he's taking from his glory of his kingship above now we get some cabalistic Concepts his attribute of kingship which is one of the 10 attributes right the spher 10 spherus the one spher is malos so he's taking from his attribute of malus of kingship and bestowing it to a human being and those attributes those Godly attributes remember we if you learned with me so you remember uh the attributes of of hasem Hashem and he and his attributes our our Oneness that Hashem cannot be divided God forbid into um into a composite he's not a composite being he's absolute simple Oneness so what we're saying is when he a portions from one of his attributes it's not like a piece of him in a certain way it's it's Hashem himself being represented down here okay and like it will be explained at greater length in chapter five remember I said there are seven chapters here in this text this is also the reason why Jeremiah the prophet says in chapter 29 of the book of Jeremiah and specifically it's 297 it says I'll give you context um this is Hashem speaking to Yo Hani to the Prophet Jeremiah in prophecy regarding the Gus the Exile into B into Babylonia so Hashem is telling what's going to be with the Jewish people in Exile how should they conduct themselves so one of the things Hashem says in the previous verses to the prophet is that life should go on um I that sounds too glib obviously they're in mourning it's a tragedy they're trying to get back to their Homeland out of the Exile but even in Exile you're supposed to continue um for instance with marriage and family and and and raising another generation Okay so Hashem is telling the prophet prophetically how to conduct himself and to lead the Jewish people even in Exile you should try to have a life and then here's the verse seek out the welfare of the city meaning the city state the uh the government seek out the welfare it means pray for them pray for the welfare of the city even though you're going into Exile and we're talking about a government that is responsible for taking you forcibly from your Homeland and putting you moving you into Exile but nevertheless Hashem says when you go there you should pray that things go well for the government of your uh exiled home because as we explained um or as the verse even goes on to say then there will be peace for you because specifically through its piece the piece of the local government sh there will be peace for everyone there's a note from the that says probably the word is a printer's error it should say uh for you which is actually the wording in the original verse okay the and from this verse or the sentiment expressed in this verse the tal the oral law learns it's aah to pray for the welfare for the Peace of the government P chapter uh three mishna 2 you should pray for the welfare of the government Orem it's a question about what these words precisely mean but the point is it's a real a real prayer to now continues he says this is also the concept as far as the ruling that the talmud makes as a legal ruling Dino this is Aramaic Dino means din in Hebrew which is Judgment that means of the malos of the government din is indeed A din is a law in other words to translate it uh less literally secular law is binding the law of the land the law of the local government is recognized as law as explained in the talmud that the law of the land has Authority like the authority of the law of Tesha of the Holy toyra which obviously we're not equating the two we're talking about secular man-made laws compared to the law of Toyota which is not just holy but if you learnis you understand it's the infinite wisdom and infinite will of the infinite one and yet nevertheless we are told that as far as our responsibility we are supposed to uphold the local laws of the jurisdiction where wherever it is that you're found as if it has the same force or power as to law now we can get a whole discussion about well what if the local law goes against Torah law okay so in a case of a conflict then whose authority um takes precedence but if there's no conflict if there's no conflict then actually H forces you to follow the local Law whatever the local law is haa actually co-signs these laws I'm sure this is a very popular subject we can get into whether Hally you're allowed to drive above the speed limit and we can have all types of fun discussions about that which I don't want to have okay heard yeah but all of these concepts are based on one foundational concept meaning to say what do we what do we talk about that you should go seek out Kings and you should make a blessing the blessing that the talet says to make when you see a king where you recognize that they are carrying divine power um the concept that we're supposed to follow the law of the government that we should pray for the welfare and the success of the government so all of these concepts are based on one concept which we mentioned earlier theha this what King Solomon said the verse from Proverbs that we quoted earlier where he said my son fear God and the King one phrase one concept one thing literally the theen and that suffices for the Discerning for the understanding yeah that's the end of chapter one for the understanding that was for people who are understanding the dilen means if you're smart you understand what I'm saying I don't have to spell it out but it almost sounds like that is two SE it's like hasem is saying this is two separate things like Fe me Hashem and the King he's making this distin well okay you're right it could have just said you're hasem fear Hashem period leave it at that we don't have to mention anyone else you're right um You Well B is the the the person that sh speaking to but as far as the direct object of the verb the verb is the imperative y fear re rever so who's the receiving who's the object of that reverence so there are two objects there's Hashem and then there's the conjunction and V and the king and the king so yeah it could have just said fear hasem and then don't even talk about Kings in which case you might be left wondering what you should even feel about the king you know yeah I don't know it's a the reality it's part of life how should I even feel about it I don't know didn't tell me anything but in this case where you're right it mentions it as two things but the way that we understand it and this is clear from the way the verse continues where he talks about theim those doublers those people who are creating two concepts um that what it means is it's all one concept yeah there's Hashem and there's the king but as far as your yo Hashem the way that you're supposed to feel about it it should be one feeling so according to what he said so far is he saying any commentary about the fact that he's Capital crime and well the whole context here is that he's on trial for Capital crime and he's writing to somebody who has the final say whether or not he's going to be held he's going to be guilty then he would be guilty in okay din deala doesn't mean that any act there's there's there's a there's what you call uh due process even even in a monarchy there's due process doesn't mean that any accusation that anyone is able to bring to trial all of a sudden means that we have to assume that it's uh that there credible no no no no he wasn't convicted trying to fight the conviction no it's not it's not an appeal what is it and he's asking for the the process during the process of the with an appeal what is there something wrong with an there's something wrong with an appeal um ask aisc but I'm assuming because it's part of the process that's part of the system so no there's nothing wrong with an appeal that's not but at any rate this is before the verdict okay so what do we what do we know from this what do we gain from this that the mitba is explaining to this Governor basically he's saying I want you to know first of all the perspective I'm coming from how I view you this is how I view you this is how I understand your role in my life okay this is how my tradition this is how toyra has told me to regard your your role and your Authority okay it's going to continue to get very very particular as far as breaking it down uh cabalistic the M Le gets into the whole thing about the Sphero about the 10 Sphero there's actually even a little chart coming up in Chapter 2 nice little chart um shows the three axes of the Sphero and and this is where it gets absolutely fascinating because it's the ml Abba explaining the cabala of government to the government official who is in this case ruling over his life and death case keep trying to if he speaking to a god-bearing person do we know the context like it's a very good question whether or not this person he was probably officially religious um we know about it's an excellent question um we know about the the his father's case the Alba's case that the Alba did say that Zar Paul was a God-fearing person we know this in a few contexts but one of which is that during the Napoleonic Wars the Alba specifically said that Napoleon who fought against thear was not a God-fearing person and that Paul was so um let's let's just put it this way presumably the mitl Abba would not write to a person who didn't give any Credence to a religious argument and and explain all of these things to him so we have to believe just logically that a religious argument would be compelling to to this Governor yeah was he trying to empower them like you are godliness like act in accordance a good question trying to wipe away like it really now you're asking me about the ml's motives which I can't do forensic psychology on the motives of anyone let alone of you're talking about tadik so I don't know his motives are gamling but what I do know is we have this incredible text which which we can learn from