THE CHABURAH Tomer Devorah: Emulating Chochma - Thinking of One's Friend & Infusing All With Life 2026-06-05 10:47

podcast >> Okay. We're continuing in Sefer Tehillim of perek shlishi. We're up to the second Sefirah, the Sefirah of Chochmah. We'll review what we learned so far. The Chochmah Elyonah, the Chochmah on high is spread out on all of creation. Meaning God's wisdom is embedded in all of existence, although it's very hidden. And therefore, to emulate the middah of Chochmah, a person's Chochmah should be also spread to everyone, disseminated to everyone. Teaching people as much as possible to to help them, to benefit each one according to their ability. And nothing should interfere with that. So, the way to emulate Chochmah, Hashem's wisdom is in everything, even in a small insect, the wisdom in in even a small insect is probably more complex, more is greater than in galac- entire galaxies. So, Hashem's wisdom is embedded in everything. One's wisdom therefore should also one should try to disseminate and spread their wisdom and and share their wisdom as much as possible. Then, then the Tanya Dever says as follows, that the uh Sefirah of Chochmah has two advantages. The upper one looks upward to Kesser. And it does not look downward. It's mekabel from Kesser. So, the Sefirah of the Chochmah is is two-parted, it's dual parted, it's it has a duality to it. The higher part of Chochmah is looking up to Kesser and it's trying to receive from Keter. The influence of Keter is received by the upper area of Chokhmah. This the lower level of Chokhmah is tilted downward, is facing downward to look down at the Sefirot below it that it disseminates to. So, too, a person should have two advantages to them and two aspects to them. The one is >> [clears throat] >> where they're trying to increase their Chokhmah, take in Chokhmah, >> [clears throat] >> and that is at the time of solitude. Meaning, everyone should have as part of their schedule time that they sit and study and reflection by themselves, learning and increasing their Chokhmah. That is an emulation of the upper vantage of Chokhmah, right? Remember that from last week? Then the second aspect of Chokhmah that a person should have is just like the lower part of Chokhmah is facing downward to try to influence and disseminate its Chokhmah downward. Likewise, a person should try as much as possible to teach and give over from the Chokhmah that Hashem gave a person. So, the same way Chokhmah has two parts to it, the upper part is looking up to be mekabel from Keter, the lower part is looking down to influence. Likewise, a person should have two parts of their avodah of learning. One where a person learns and amasses Chokhmah on their own, and one where a person shares. And then, the Tiferes Yisrael said, just like the midah of the Sefirah of Chokhmah is mashpia Chokhmah to each Sefirah only commensurate with what the each Sefirah needs and could receive and is appropriate for it. So too, a person should influence with his Hokhmah commensurate with the intelligence that the recipient could handle and and that's appropriate to it. In other words, don't be overbearing to the student. Don't be overbearing to the ones that you're influencing. Teach them what's appropriate for them on their level. If they're on level A, they're on level two and a half, and you're telling them level three million, it's not appropriate for them, it's not relevant for them, it doesn't resonate with them, it doesn't have meaning to them. So, the proper way, the appropriate way to emulate Hokhmah is just like the sphere of Hokhmah disseminates Hokhmah in an appropriate way for each for each sphere that it gives to, so too, a person should be careful to give over Hokhmah in an appropriate way and to be careful not to give more than the intellect of the recipient could handle because otherwise it could cause danger. Fine. Now, let us see then another aspect of Hokhmah and that it begins with the paragraph Midrash Hokhmah. Got that? You have that? You what which edition is that? That's not the ArtScroll. We we sort of we we we we graduated there. Yeah. So, >> [laughter] >> So, we're we're but we're we're holding in para gimmel. Right, this is the We need the Yada Rama edition. Yeah. >> [laughter] >> So, fine. What? >> We'll edit that out. >> Yeah. The oid >> the printing line for some of the new stuff might get slowed down. >> [laughter] >> The oid >> [clears throat] [snorts] >> What? >> Speaking of my pitch for tomorrow. >> Oh, now I should I make my pitch now? Yeah, I don't I never make pitches during time of the virus. >> There's no saver? I'm not going to save it. >> No, I don't have I mean, I have stuff in the queue, but I'm saying I never make commercials during time of the >> cuz they won't do anything past the first one. >> [laughter] >> Okay, void midah chachma. It is also the the manner of chachma. It oversees, it overlooks, it it cares for. It's a it's the mashgiach on all of reality because it's the thought that thinks about all of reality. The al nemar and about the chachma of Hashem it says My thoughts are not your thoughts. In other words, if we could go into the mind of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Hashem is always thinking about us. He's thinking What can I do to steer this guy uh to on the right path? Hashem is always thinking, how can I bring this Yid to greater heights? How could I uh steer them straight? See, in our thoughts, what are we thinking about? We're thinking about We think about very mundane kind of things. Do you Do you walk around thinking, oh, this Jew in my shul, how can I how can I influence him to uh more of a Hashem? That Jew, how could I bring him to a greater dedication to davening? We don't think that way. We're at the most we're thinking about ourselves, but the chachma of Hakadosh Baruch Hu is scanning all people. And it says in Sefer Shemot, the chashav machshavot, God is always having thoughts look that nobody should ever be cast away. That's a very famous passage especially in these Hasidus like Tzadka Cohen. That or or the summer of Wolfson. This is a very important principle. That no matter how far a person falls, Hashem is always having thoughts how to save them, how to rescue them. And even if they committed every of air in the world and even if they died, Hashem is thinking, "Well, who could I bring out of them to rectify the progenitors uh existence in the first place?" Where I'd could they they'll even say it about some of the biggest Rasham in history and I don't even want to say their names. These kinds of them have different how Hashem is orchestrating ways to bring rectification even to them. So, that's the the thought process about who said can I hear that my service? Cuz I know the thoughts I shall that I'm thinking on you Hashem. My Shalom thoughts of peace. For not for evil I say I have to give you an end to give you hope. So, therefore let's see how we can emulate this element of are you ready? I saw in of cookies Likewise, a person's eyes should be open. I'll have a Hashem. About the custom and the practice and the activities of the Jewish people of Elam to benefit them. Meaning in our mind, in our thoughts we should always be thinking how can we help spiritually other Jews? What can I do to spiritually benefit another Jew? That would be an emulation of Hashem's mida of chachma. Yeah, Moshi. You hear that? >> Sounds like a chesed. >> No, you're not doing anything yet. But in terms of it's your what occupies your mind and your worry, you should You should always be thinking like what could you possibly Now, doing something would be the chesed, but but here it's specifically referring to the the thinking, the state of mind, the state of thought. Your thoughts should be to bring close those who are cast away. And to have good thoughts about them. What does that mean? Because if you're going to have good thoughts about them, you'll be able to bring them close. What was that machlokes we had? The classic Remember we had You you You said it was influence Where was it again? What? >> About chesed. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> What was that? We had a >> Leadership. >> Yeah, leadership. >> it was I thought it was talking about different ways of emulating Hashem of how you should be mashpia because the whole point is being mashpia on someone. In order to be truly mashpia on other people, you have to have a midos and realize that you have to have >> Where was that? >> That was earlier in chesed. >> good job of making a really stupid take sound intelligent. >> Well, >> That doesn't sound like any of the midos. >> [laughter] >> That doesn't sound like you're emulating any of the midos right now, Gutza. >> Oh, yeah. >> Where was that? Where was that? Where was that? >> My opinion is that you're wrong. >> Um >> I give my opinion. >> Where was that? >> That was the sec- I think it was the second um mida of chesed. >> It was the forehead. >> Forehead? >> Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was the forehead that you >> Mhm. >> It was the third part of the third part. The second part of the second part of Kesser is just the brain. >> No, I'm pretty sure you you you had a bite the the forehead. Which the forehead? Which one? >> It's the third part. It's the third. >> Oh, yeah, I think you're right. Yeah, that's pretty good. Well, you're right. >> It happens from time to time. >> Oh. Um forehead. So So, what what are you doing? By the third meter of Kesser, which is mitzgai, you're right. This will come from being if you're always pleasant to them. You will not be able to By being pleasant to them, you'll be able to be mashpia on them. So, that's what he's saying over here. You should always have uh He's saying like this. The the the This aspect of chachma is to always have thoughts how you could spiritually benefit others. And to have good thoughts about them. And he explains on the bottom because by having good thoughts about them, then you'll be able to influence them. >> Sorry, should I move? >> Okay, so look. Um the machshavos of tiana your thoughts should be to bring close those who are cast away. The lachshav to have good thoughts about them. K'mo es choshev l'toyeles hanimtzah kulai. Meaning, when he says k'mo es choshev l'toyeles it's just like Hashem thinks good thoughts over about all of creation. The seichel here I guess the seichel elyonah. Kach ya'asef hu toyvois achaveirim, we should think about what's beneficial for your friends. V'yisyoyais eitzos toyvois in Hashem im amoi bifrat uvaklal. You should have good machshavos, machshavos toyvois al Hashem. You should have good thoughts. What do you think it means al Hashem? >> Regarding. >> Regarding. Yeah, that makes sense. By the way, in the Rav Goldwurm's edition it doesn't have that word. >> No. >> In his edition it says v'yisyoyais eitzos toyvois im Hashem. Oh. >> I think he has it here. >> Oh, in the translation they translated it al Hashem. Okay, but I think the the im makes more sense. The im amoi and regarding his people, bifrat in general specifically of klal and generally. V'hayois siman hagah toyvah and those who sort of leave the straight and the narrow, yinahaleyu el hanhagah yasharah, you guide them to the proper conduct. V'yalai k'machshavas elyonah and you act as like the intellect. You be the brain that's always thinking about how you could help somebody else. You're going to be like the seichel and the machshavah l'hanhig to guide a person, to guide others, l'nalai and to direct them el hanhagah toyvah yosharah to the good and correct practice, k'machshavah elyonah, like the the um supernal celestial thoughts, k'mi yashar as adam elyon that also is always trying to steer Now, here none of this I'm even touch this expression. I think it's even beyond the Adam Ha'Elyon over here is referring to your spiritual counterpart on high, meaning Hashem's thoughts are always trying to think how he can steer your your You know, there's an idea that your you have a physical being, but you also have like you have a not like you have a spiritual >> [snorts] >> entity that that is you in the higher worlds. >> Like parallel? >> Yeah. Let's do one more paragraph because we started this past one last week. >> Spiritual entity, like a counter like a spiritual version of >> Yes. Yeah, basically like this. Let me explain. Well, I just you know, like this. Right now, if I were to ask you, "Where is your neshama?" People say, "Here or here or here." People put The majority of your neshama is in the Adam Ha'Elyon right now. Right now, your neshama. Only the lowest lowest part of your neshama is actually in your body right now. The Nefesh Ha'Chaim says the analogy is what a shoe is to your body your body is to your neshama. The shoe houses the lowest part of the body, the body houses the lowest part of your soul. The rest of the soul it trickles down down down down down from the Kisei Ha'Kavod until it's Your soul fits into your body like a foot fits into a shoe. But the most of it is upstairs. That's why sometimes a person feels like something's happening, something's about to happen cuz something something happened already upstairs and it's going to play out soon down here. So, you are just a concretization and a materialization of your spiritual being. Not parallel, not parallel. It's you. That's the Nefesh HaChaim. Okay, so >> What's the What's the point of Chochmah being like uh, like a manager for Kesser? Meaning it's like as we said before, it's it's thinking thoughts and it's the mashkiach on the whole world. So, what's the point of having a separate sphere just for that? >> Well, Kesser was something else entirely. Kesser was the Kesser's primary characteristic was humility. And the humility is displayed in your eyes, and your nose, and your ears. And now, the next thing is Chochmah. Part of it is influence from Kesser, and part of it is disseminating. What's the point of it? It is in reality a separate sphere. >> Yeah, I know. I'm just >> You want to How is this maybe the How is this aspect of Chochmah different than the Chochmah [snorts] aspect of Kesser, maybe? Is that what you're asking? Cuz one of the one of the breakdowns of Kesser was base was um >> Your brain. >> Your brain. Good. So, this is in a way a an elaboration of that aspect of Kesser. Let's do one more paragraph, okay? It's very short. The Furthermore, Chochmah techaye hakol. There's a concept that wisdom in general breathes life into everything. The Chochmah techaye ba'alah. And wisdom brings life to its owner. Here of Goldberg says this is a reference to the Torah, which is above everything, and from it was hewn out and all the worlds were created. And it's the life force of all the worlds. So, so to speak, Chochmah, which is Torah, is the life force of all reality. Kach yehu me'irah chaim l'chol olam. So too, you should be instructing life to the whole world. Meaning, what is life? It doesn't mean Okay, so you should tell everybody you should eat healthy. [music] Did you eat fruits today? Did you eat vegetables? Did you do exercise? Pal, did you exercise today? >> I did. >> Good, me, too. >> Nice. >> Okay. Did you? >> Does walking upstairs count? >> Mhm, it counts for walking upstairs. >> [laughter] >> But >> I also walked upstairs. >> Did you Okay. >> So, I walked around the sugar plum tree. >> [laughter] >> Okay, so you recorded, but >> [laughter] >> but the Hakham Hayyim, so you should be instructing life. Does that mean you should be instructing good health? So, Reb Goldwicht says, "No, you should be teaching others Torah." And by the way, he says "Lekhol ha'olam." Reb Goldwicht says that's mashma even to Bnei Noach that we should instruct them in the Sheva Mitzvos. Anyway, the lehem hayyei olam hazeh, by teaching them Torah, you're causing them life in this world vechayei olam haba and life in the next world. Umamtzi lahem hayyim and you're making life available to them. So, in other words, not only is should you teach Torah as a way of reflecting Hashem's Hakham, which is embedded into all of creation. That was the first idea, but you should also teach Torah because Hakham breathes life into everything. So, life likewise, you should try to disseminate Torah to your ability as a way of emulating Hashem that imbues life into everything. >> This is all in the second part of the right? >> This >> sound like it, but it has to it has if the first part is is it's >> Is receiving? >> The first part is receiving and focusing on your own and the second part is disseminating it. I mean, even this going on everything, but it has to be going on the second. >> Again, we only saw really By the way, so um Your Hebrew name is Shmuel? Reb Shmuel is pointing out I might not even call you that. Yeah, but the other Yeah. >> Now no one knows who he is. >> No, no, yeah. No, that in the first paragraph the term of the verse said that there are two parts of chokhmah, the one that receives and the one that gives. And and he was saying you should have time to receive chokhmah by learning and giving it out just like Hashem's wisdom is in everything, you should give it out. So, all of these other these next two paragraphs regarding being mashgiach on all of creation and this paragraph um re- imbuing life into everything, but you Are you saying all the everything here seems to be in the second aspect cuz the first aspect is more on the receiving end. >> Mhm. >> And the second aspect is in the giving end. So, in the giving end there's giving Torah to be able to to to give Torah to emulate Hashem's chokhmah that is nimtza bakol and then to be mashgiach on everything and then to be mechaya everything through the darkhei Torah. Perhaps. Perhaps. Okay, we'll hold over here. Thanks a lot. Yashar koach. Bracha v'hatzlacha.