Vayigash | Likkutei Sichos Vol. 1

Without further ado, we're in Paras. Let's do it. [sighs and gasps] Page 94 in your book. is Yehud great of als Yehuda approached him. Who's him? Ysef. This is when Ysef at the end of last week's para Ysef says that we found uh the stolen goblet in Binyammen's bag. We're going to keep Binyammen as a slave. which obviously the one thing they promised they had one job. The one thing they promised Yankerino is the binyamin's going to be okay. And now here they think's about to become uh captured. So Yehuda was the leader and he got up and he Yehuda approached Yf. So razal say that in this hagasha this detent this this approaching of Yehuda to Yf Yehuda was ready for everything even for war. All right. Flip the page. Flip the page. Flip the page. Please turn over the page to turn the curtain. Okay. Close the curtain. But we need to flip. Thank you, Araba. Amazing. Can you flip the page? Awesome. Okay. He was ready for Oh, I'm sorry. There's just a little bit left. Why did Yehuda so so strongly put himself out there for so the Puzz says continues goes out and says, Because your servant referring to himself guaranteed the lad. What is that referring to? It means when before they left and they brought Binyan down to Mitim, Yankavino said, "Hey, hey, hey, hey, how do I know he's going to come back?" And Yehuda said, "I guarantee it. I'm the guarantor." So that's what Yehud is referring to. Your servant was the one who guaranteed the lad and that's why he was even ready for war. Okay, you following? At first glance, how could even think about fighting YF? It was crazy. says Yehuda and his brothers were just a few guys heading a whole country you know with a standing army as Yehud is Yehuda was strong like we know from the medium Yehuda was very strong physically strong. But his kids were even stronger. Like the explain, not the hand. When the Yehuda and his brothers, they stamped their foot. The whole was shaking. So then Ysef made a similar display a display of strength until Yehuda had to admit this guy's stronger than me. V is by MG. How was it even plausible that how is it feasible to even contemplate fighting a war? Says Yehuda he approached he approached he was ready for anything even to fight a war. Fight a war really 10 guys against uh I mean at that point hold on a second let me do the math Ysef. So 12 minus one that's 11. Okay. Then Shiman was captured already. Byam was with them. Okay. So fine. 10 guys against a whole country. Yeah. 10 guys doesn't the math ain't math like the kids say nor the is. But here's the answer. of because Yhod took responsibility that your servant has guaranteed the ladim to Yank that he's going to bring him back to his father to Yankee is doesn't matter that the other brothers are going to return home intact. He sacrificed himself or was ready to sacrifice himself just for one Jewish child in this case because he took responsibility for it. Now you see homalytically probably you probably anticipate where this is going because the Reb is setting it up. I mean it shouldn't be a shock to you. Basically, here's the question. It's crazy for Yuda to think he's going to fight Ysef. Just it's it's not a normal thing. And yet, Yehuda was ready to do it. Why? Cuz he said, "I'll take responsibility for this, for the na means the boy, the child." Um, so the Reb says it didn't matter to Yehuda that all the rest of the brothers are going to go safely back home. If one Jewish child is still left behind, then you have to be ready to sacrifice everything, to risk everything. Okay? So, you see where this is headed. All right? Um base is going to say it pretty clearly. This is a lesson for every father and mother. which every father and mother was given by Hashem the responsibility for their children. Every one of their children, not just their children in a general sense, but each individual child that the parents should be even for one child. to make sure that nothing happens to this child that shouldn't happen to a Jewish child. And by putting oneself out there to sacrifice oneself or risk sacrificing oneself for even one Jewish child for the education of Jewish boys and girls that have mentions the bonam and the bunnies the boys and the girls to have a pure Jewish education. So then the logical conclusion is as the continues and says they the Jewish people multiplied and were very fruitful and that's it. That's a short little we're talking about um right before right we're talking about right before tshin yf when the rebba formally accepted the nas and said the mime bosilani. Okay. So there is a classic theme of lutas and that is kin and the sacrifice that we need to be ready to put forth for the education of even one Jewish child and specifically this this message is to parents. I guess all of us have an for and the speaks about that in many places but here especially the reb is speaking to parents. Okay fine. So be a yehuda for your banyan. Understand? All right. Great. Next page 95, second column gimmel. Just take a little breather. Going to drink some uh coffee. I made a bra earlier. Okay, here we go. And the verse and he sent before him to show the way. We're talking about before Yank went to Mitim to be reunited with YF he sent Yehuda in front of him before him to show the way. That's how we'll translate it now. [snorts] Rasha says a little bit of a hamletical interpretation as um of doesn't mean to show the way toward gish but is from the word which means not just showing but it means teaching. It's interesting the word showing and teaching the same word in lenin kadesh you know they say show don't tell there's a educational uh saying tell me I forget show me I remember something like that okay um at any rate so is from the word which also means instruction or really specifically like instruction like you'll sometimes hear The term arv meaning a real rabbi not just you know the way we throw around the term rabbi as an honorific culturally for you know basically any educated communal leader but a rav a real someone who's able to pass in and answer questions is also sometimes also called someone who gives instruction. So means yeshiva. So Rashi interprets this verse homalytically that um Yankee sent Ysef ahead of I'm sorry not YF was already living there. Yankeov sent Yehud ahead of him to start a yeshiva [clears throat] in Gish. is the portion of where the yeden settled. Yank gain initim of before Hashem sent Yanke into Mitim. Yankee already took care beforehand. of that's the word from the verse meaning in front of him but it means like before he even got there as Dorton's own yeshivas that there should be yeshivas there even though Hashem already promised Yankee that he's going to go with him told Yanke I will company with you we're reading the verse I'm going to go down with you and I also bring you back up from there. So already had a guarantee that Hashem is going to accompany him yes nevertheless made the effort to establish yeshivas beforehand and only after setting up the yeshivas did Yank go down there together with Hashem. because yeshivas is the foundation that maintains the Jewish people. The yeshivas that yanke founded in they stayed. Those yeshivas lasted the whole time that the yiden were in Mitim. The whole period of enslavement didn't start with enslavement but even until the very very end. Like our sages say in all the days of our ancestors they never didn't have a yeshiva. Even in mit they had a yeshiva with them like it says gom speaking to and gather the elders of Israel. Who are the elders? The the sages. So they if they had sages they had yeshivas in all times and places where yen were in even flip the page difficult galism was a very difficult galus and yeshivas they start yeshivas vumen is gazin and galent where you could sit and learn like we said beforeholas are the existence of the Jewish people. Okay. Golus the Egyptian exile was the hardest one of all exiles including the the present one for many reasons. We said this last week we mentioned that every [clears throat] in the name of the Arizal that every golus is called mitim and we said that the the reason is not just because it was the first but because it was the in many ways the hardest. But now we're going to actually get into it. We just mentioned it last I think it was last week we just mentioned it but now we're going to actually get into it. What about it makes it the uh archetypical golus. Okay. Alfis is given obviously historically was before the giving of the Torah at Sinai is even though yeah like we just said there was to learn we were learning like we see from the many saying of our sages about how they learn even in shall uh mayhem like we said also that in all other days they never didn't didn't have a yeshiva nevertheless but because the they learned before the giving of the was due to their own uh spiritual sensitivity basically. Um it was the Reb calls it their own coak meaning to say to the giving the Hashem is giving the Torah with his kayak with his power. Before the Torah was given people could intuitively sensitively like learn to because they were that sensitive but they were doing it on their own power. So it was limited to what the Reb calls here the root of created beings. Meaning you couldn't go you can't go higher than your own root. You can't uh the a created being can only go so high. When was given by Hashem the creator then we were able to go even higher than what a created being can do on its own. So before mountain tra they had tyra. Yeah. But it wasn't the same way that we have tyra with that power that we get from it being given from hashem. And uh so remember we're listing ways in which the gulus init was more difficult than any gulus including the present one. I mean at least we have they had to but not they didn't have it the way that we have it. Okay. Um base um yeah so that alf the first thing is that they didn't have to the same way that we have it. The next thing is mit was the first exile that's why it was very difficult to endure. We see if a person has an unfortunate accident, God forbid, is the first time is very difficult to endure. If, god forbid, the same unfortunate thing happens, it happens again, God forbid, it's not as difficult because he's already used to it. He's already experienced that thing. Okay. The third thing, the third uh way in which gullis was harder than any other gulus gimmel. All the Eden were together. But in the later exiles, Hashem, this is a mazal that Hashem did a kindness, Hashem did a kindness, a daka to the yidden that he dispersed them among the nations. Now, that's a harsh thing as well being dispersed, but it's also duck. It's a kindness because um like we're going to explain uh is as yeah is as peden in a plots can autum in its fat and plots when yeden are living in different places. So even if they're being oppressed in one place, they can breathe. Meaning they can find respit in another place. And those yeden who are in a less oppressive situation can help can send help to those yeden who are in a worse situation. So it works to our favor not all being one in one place. But init all in one place under one government which is a greater vulnerability in a certain way. Okay. Dal the fourth way that gulis was more difficult than any other gullis is gven was a hard place. Not even one slave could escape from there. Not one slave could get out. We needed to get 600,000 men, not even counting women and children out of there. Meaning to say it was a hard land in in the sense of it was difficult to get out of there. I mean, they had other slaves as well other than Hebrew slaves. Nobody could get out of there. Yeshiva. And this is our point. In spite of all of the difficulties, they always had a yeshiva. They never they never did not have a yeshiva. Yeshivas is gazess. They always had yeshivas where to sit and learn. Okay, here we are. Hey is we said before is not god forbid a history book. Now that doesn't mean that is ahistorical meaning that it's not telling you what happened. It is but that's not the point of tra. So yes, these stories that Tyra tells are real stories, but that's not the point of it. And to use it just as a history book would be to miss the point of is an unvising in but [clears throat] rather everything in every concept every story indeed every letter in the Tory is an instruction in every time and every place and this is one of the main themes in Ludikas that everything is well the Reb often says which is that uh is the instruction book tells history but it's not a history book is the instruction book and not just an instruction book like maybe depends where you are that you know in those circumstances then it's the instruction book no it is the allpurpose universal timeless instruction book for every time and every place. Okay, [sighs] I'll tell quick the joke. There's an old joke, an old story said about the the Balagola who was hired to deliver, you know, the the wagon driver was hired to deliver cargo and uh but the deal was it has to be delivered on a certain uh time schedule and if he and he had to agree if you don't make it in time, you don't get paid. I'm telling the story very very quickly. Mikitzer was there was it was a very heavy winter and there was snow, there was ice, there was whatever. He didn't get there on time. So, but he gets there and he expects to get paid. And the guy says, "I told you that that was the whole you had one job. The whole purpose was that in spite of all the weather challenges, you you you have to get here on time." Well, I should at least get something for my trouble. You know how difficult it was. So, they went to the RV. They they they were they couldn't settle their dispute. They went to the rabbi and the rabbi said, "Look, you know, cult any monetary claim or uh the condition that you agreed to. You agreed to that. You you told him that you're going to get there in time. You didn't get there in time." No, you don't get paid. That's what you agreed to. And he says, "Well, wait, where does it say that?" He says, "That's what Terra says. That's a" He says, "Well, when was Terra given?" And says, "You you know, we celebrate mountain tar on." He says, "Ah, that's the problem. TA was given in the summer. So it's not sympathetic to my situation. If Tyra would have been given in the winter, I would have won the diner. Okay, cute story. But the point is tora is the universal timeless instruction book that tells us how to live under all conditions. All right. is needed sight for yeshivas. There are people who claim they argue that now is not a time for yeshivas. This is not the time to be building yeshivas. You know all these inal from the 50s. So you're talking about America in the 50s. You're talking about post-war and people are trying to basically prioritize and they're trying to figure out what are we supposed to do here and what's going to ensure the survival of the Jewish people and uh the deba is dealing with people even his supporters his friends were telling him you know let's focus on other things we don't need yeshiva you know is kind of like an orthodox thing it's kind of like intense you know maybe you can do stuff that's a little bit more you know friendly to the American style so The Reb says there are people who say that now is not a time of shoes and in this day and age like it's a difficult situation. It's enough to have you know an afterchool afternoon Hebrew school. And if they do concede, okay, we can have yeshivas, but not yeshivas like back in the day like in Europe and you know like from time in memorial. No, like more updated, more chilled, a little bit more adapted. Manage your expectations. You know, we're we're in America and it's right after World War II and let's [gasps] take it easy. Says the you want to know the answer to that? The answer to that is the teaching that we have from gisim dort initi it was a lot rougher than now they didn't make any excuses they continued learning and furthermore Not only did they not reckon with take into account how difficult the gulus was they didn't make meaning they didn't like make excuses because of where their tra was able to reach. Remember before mountain like we said to can only go so high and so they could have said well what's even the point what's even the point our can't even go higher than height is so now when the gulus is much easier than it was in Egypt and our goes much higher than their right so contrast it our gullus is not as bad as their gullis our Toyota is much more powerful than their Toyota. So if you put those two things together, so for sure you shouldn't make these calculations and you should you should definitely have Yeshivas. Yeah. Um Oh, we're on the next page. Yeah. Daz. Yeah. Okay. VV DB. You see that? Velazing yeshivas. Similarly, supporting the yeshivas. People got to, you know, the people got to pay for it all. They got to make it happen. The donors. It's the same thing with supporting yeshivas. It's the ism an people China they argue that they they're constrained they feel constrained ang and cop and ang and kesh constrained in their mind constrained in their pocket you know mentally constrained financially constrained up drinking in cash. So, I'm going to eat and drink and sleep and my financial situation will expand after that. Damn. then yes, I can give money to support the yeshiva. That's what some people say. It's like not a good time. Please, Rabbi, not a good time. You don't know my situation right now. Just, you know, there's a lot going on. Not a good time. And in fact, after everything, you know, settles over here, then I'm going to have and I'll even put my kid in yeshiva until he's 13. You can sense like the slight I don't want to call it sarcasm, but like this is said a little bit tongue and cheek over here. Like so the people are like, "Listen, right now I have mental constraints, you know, whatever I'm dealing with. I have financial constraints. Like I can't I can't deal with this right now. But after I take care of everything, I eat and I drink and I sleep and my business improves, then I'll support the yeshiva. In fact, I'll even be the one I'll send my kid to yeshiva till he's 13. Like that's cuz you understand the American mentality. After he's 13, come on. If you don't send him to a regular high school, he's going to learn English and he's going to take regions and he'll take the SAT and get him to college. Then you're handicapping him for life, right? Okay. So, here's what you have to tell this guy. Was a far more difficult exile. We didn't even have our own straw. We had to go out and pick our own straw at a certain point. You remember when they stopped giving straw for making the bricks? We had to go into a strange place looking for straw. over your head and over your shoulders. Nevertheless, they didn't have their own straw. Yeah, that's how bad it was. Other yeshiva's huntmen, they were still supporting yeshivas. How you like that? They didn't even have their own straw and yet they were somehow supporting Yeshiva's. Yeah. Uh bottom of the column in Gammorra is Z in Gammorra. In Gammorra is Fan Aclair VU is far by the Gamora poses a query. What's worse to pass by? What's worse to pass by? Let's say you have to go somewhere and there are two ways to go and you have to pick which one is better. So which way is worse? Which is worse? To pass by a brothel? That's literally what it's describing. Or an idolatrous temple. Those are both not nice things. Which one is worse? You're going to have to pass one of them. You have to choose. So, which one is better to pass by? The brothel or the idolatrous temple? in flu. So at first glance this is something we have to understand. Obviously going by the brothel, you know, where you're going to see the ladies of the evening, that's not good. It's not a good thing because even if you don't, even if it doesn't trigger thought, he says with sight, vision without hears, you know, thinking, fantasizing, even if it doesn't trigger that, even if you just see it and you control your your mind, it still causes problems. It can [sighs] I mean I I'll I'll explain it because it's saying it right here. Just the visual sense will arouse the body biologically even if you control yourself to not think about it any more than just visually registering what you saw. So we know that that's a problem. as but what is it going to hurt if he walks by an idolatrous temple like we know if he goes by the brothel and he sees the the women who work there that that could spiritually cause him problems. [snorts] But what's going to happen if he walks by the aved zotto meaning to say what's he gonna see that's gonna entice him so much right that Tom is you can't really say that you're afraid he's going to see something it's not the same thing as like we were saying before if he sees the the the the zon from of you know from the brothel even if he is intending to be very very pure you know there's a biological reaction that's just uncontrollable there is a you know there there is a response to it which will which is not healthy spiritually okay but the a going to walk by an idolister's temple what is he going to see some some statue some icon some you know figure like so you think he's going to be so interested in like the Reb says here. Uh so the time of is not so shy. What's he going to see? He's going to see some wood. He's going to see some stone, right? Because whatever the the idolatrous stuff is, it's made out of stone. It's made out of wood. Whatever. So why why are we even like questioning which way is worse? But here's the reason. [snorts] Everything affects the air. The air literally the air around him or you can say the atmosphere, the environment and in a place where there is impurity and there's no greater impurity than is so there's a certain there's a the the impurity is radiating in that area often mentioned and and that a that air itself can affect the person in other words I understand psychologically walking by the base zise is a lot more triggering biologically it's a lot more triggering but spiritually Don't overlook the fact that walking through an area that has idolatry has an impact on a person. It will impact the person and therefore it's it's a real risk and it's it's a real danger and that's why the go is even weighing the two options. This is very interesting. The Reb says >> [laughter] >> Regarding what am I saying this? I this may be the first time in Lutas that we find that is speaking in first person. I think it is. I would invite you to go find to look through our previous classes and let me know if uh I'm wrong. But I believe this is the first time that I was speaking in first person. [snorts] So what am I talking about? I'm talking about Yeah. What's worse? The bin the bos you might think of course I need to avoid the basin because it could be very triggering it could be arousing the who cares what do you think I'm into come on big deal no be careful because could have an effect what am I talking about over here okay what am I what am I speaking about here [sighs and gasps] as is needed sight of yeshivas. Whoa. Whoa. Do you hear what the Reba just said? That environment that we live in right now that now is not a time for yeshivas has had an effect even on a portion of those who learn in the yeshivas. The environment has an effect. the what we call zeitgeist, right? There's a certain collective consciousness, you might even call it, that doesn't value yeshivas. And don't think that that's self-contained and that just stays with the people who make those arguments. It has affected even those or a portion even of those who are tamidia Yeshua. Yeah. So now we have people in yeshivas who argue that it's hard to learn the way that you're supposed to learn. What what can I do? It's very hard because they have to worry about about parnosa first. How can I sit here and learn gam and I I I'm going to have to get a job and I don't have training and I need a degree. He can't learn calmly. I'm not going to be able to support my future children that I'm going to have after this is not even in yet. But he's like, how am I going to support the future children that I'm going to have after I'm inimasily? I have to deal with my I have to find my you know the my my match the girl the basil there's going to be a vort you know the engagement party and there's going to be a wedding I mean that I was being deliberately I believe this is supposed to be a little bit humorous that in the in a good and auspicious time children are going to be born and what am I going to leave to these children after I'm 120 years old? What kind of inheritance are they going to get? [laughter] So you understand the the Bak is in yeshiva. can't concentrate because he's worried about he the the inheritance he's going to leave the children that haven't even been born yet cuz he hasn't even met the girl yet. So he goes out into the street or if he doesn't physically go out in the street, his mind is out in the street thinking about Parnosa, thinking about making a living. Okay, we're on page 98, first full paragraph. Tell me the yeshivas. Where are Yeshiva Baham getting such thoughts? Such weird strange thoughts sitting in yeshiva and he's worrying about parasa. Where is this coming from? Ah okay. I'll tell you it's coming from the environment. Don't think it doesn't have an effect. it does have an effect and it it rubs off. So the fact that Baham are not able to focus and concentrate is because of the way that people out there in the big world are talking as the as the eyes in America because even though my father-in-law the Reb said that the ice in America has begun to thaw. Meaning when the fed came to America in Tafshin in spring of 1940, it was very very challenging as far as bringing authentic Yiddish kite to the shores of America. And uh the furba said that you know what it's uh not as bad as it was and the ice has started to thaw you know it's not not as bad as when we got here we you know we could already start to work with things. So the fida said you know there's a potential here says America is nishandish. In fact, we can replicate everything all the good things we had in the alaheim we could have over here. So the Reb says, "Although the the Fb said that the American ice has begun to thaw, [clears throat] There's a difference nevertheless between the ice starting to melt and the ice getting to a point where it's steaming with the hashem. Hashem, your god is a consuming fire. So to say the ice started to melt. Okay. Yeah, that's good. But we're not settling for that. We want the ice to melt and then to warm and then to start to boil. We want it to boil. We want it to be boiling hot. And we're still, you know, we're not we're not at that point. [snorts] And furthermore, there's some remnants of the ice that existed before, they still remain. And these students are being affected by the leftover ice. So, first of all, even though this the ice started to melt, we're still not boiling. And second of all, there's still some little, you know, ice chips left and it's still affecting some of the uh tidum also. is uh atmosphere from them can now like we were saying before that this is coming from the the the air that we called it a before now use the word atmosphere the atmosphere but it doesn't have to be that way And it shouldn't be that way. And in response to this, we have a teaching from about this. initim in addition to it being a very difficult exile. Like we said, it was so difficult that they couldn't even think about leaving. It didn't even seem like a fantasy. They couldn't even dream of leaving. When came and gave them the good news that we're leaving, they couldn't even hear it because of their shortness of breath and from the hard work. And nevertheless, when Misha came and told them uh that's Hashem saying I remembered you. They didn't make any they didn't make any calculations about what's going to be how we're going to accomplish the bottom line nor yes. They were sitting in yeshivas and learning. So how much more so today? It shouldn't be something going through your mind. What's going to be the tas? How are we going to practically pull this off? You should be able to sit and learn without any distractions. is the especially now that the is much easier than like it's known as Okay, I have to explain all that. [clears throat] There were 288 sparks that fell from the is basic that the beginning of hovered is 288. 288 sparks fell to the world from the toy. the world where they had they had strong lights and flimsy vessels and these sparks fell into the world and we were refined them. We do the aurim the refinement process or the nitsus by using the gashmas to serve hashem. Now when they left mit they're left with with a great wealth is a great wealth which is signified by the verse and means a mixed multitude but also rabb is 22. They left with 202 sparks. Then when they left with the great wealth they left with 202 sparks. Now if they're originally rap 288 sparks and they left with 202 sparks. Do the math arithmetic 86 sparks. What's 86? Elim is the divine name which is also the same as hata the nature. Meaning since Mitim most of the sparks were elevated through I mean that's also why we say mitim was so difficult because it was so intense because you're talking about Shana you're talking about 210 years and they're refining the vast majority of the sparks and now in the past um you know 3,300 whatever years since all we had left was the 86 sparks meaning to reveal Hashem inava in nature and even most of that has been done and like we said a few weeks ago in our that mentioned in uh base that even all of that all of it is done so we're not doing that's not really um you know in the previous generations that was that was a big challenge and now we don't have that problem I we have other problems we're still in gullis which is mindboggling in that never said it's mindboggling why we're still in gullus. But the point is they were working hard refining a lot of sparks and for us most of those sparks or if not all of those sparks are refined already. Okay. And that's why our work is much lighter, much easier vile because olive there's very little left to refine base. We have the momentum I'll call it the help from all the sparks that have already been refined by previous generations. That's the end of that. That's from Our [sighs] third sik. Let's take a little breather. Just take a second here. A little breather. A little coffee break at least for, you know, 10 seconds. How's everybody doing? Feeling good. Amazing. All right. Glad to hear it. >> [sighs and gasps] >> I'm seeing comments in the YouTube chat. So, people are here. That's good. Good to see that people are here even though we came on late. Okay. Should we do the third? Sure. You see bottom of page 98. Um, second column, very bottom of the second column. And uh, is this the last? I think so. Yeah. Yeah, this is the last for today. Let's do it. Let's bust it out. as dur is indemite as mine is says that when said hey here is seed for planting he told to the Egyptians and he made a deal basically that they could have the seed if they would circumcise themselves and the purpose was to reduce the stigma when his brothers would arrive. He actually increased vitality in mitzv in the clippa and in the gulus. He was obviously trying to do a good thing, but it actually strengthened uh the the the gulus. And by contrast, the ha, you see the the is the from from the hag the which is the you know the magg in the maggot section. how we start the mag section of of the Hagod that is telling the story of yes about the Sheba but it's also the point is so hey Z that Y gave them seed and made a deal with them circumcis that actually unintentionally strengthened the exile hey uh here is the bread that is connected to the gul. Okay. So that's from the that's also why says you say hey some people say but we say hey because it's to show that it's to offset or rectify the hey is by the way it's not just pronunciation there The meaning is different. Means this is the bread [snorts] not take attention or take notice. Um like look at it see it la like draw ladies and gentlemen your attention please. That's how I'll translate hey or maybe you just translate hey la. Okay. Base. Um, yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah. Now in order to understand how is a rectification of first we have to understand the damage that At first it's not really easy to understand. What was wrong with these said to like what was so bad about it, you know, logically All of us logically not only was YF making that deal of Zera not a problem not something that would be a lack logically it's it seems like the opposite would seem like it would be a good thing. So first of all, in addition to the fact that that's how he was able to move the populations around when the famine happened and they needed seed from him when they're coming out of the famine. Um so he made deals with them. So we mentioned one is he told them to get circumcised to reduce the stigma and they didn't know that was the reason but to reduce the stigma that his brothers would have later. Um but also he he moved their populations so that they would not be as strong. So even later when the Jews would be a foreign population and a slave population the even the native population would not be truly native because he moved them from district to district. So in addition to that um in addition to moving them around from one place leading them around from one place to another the the shand he took away the uh call it stigma again um from his brothers menit go mentioned that they shouldn't be called uh exiles because everyone was sort of exiled is it's also known that level is is everything that he did drew down godliness into the world. That's what does the conduit draws draws down all the boys is and there was a positive intent in drawing down godliness even to to everyone including Mitzim. So what was so terrible about this this where he was trying to I mean that's his job is to bring to bring godly influence and energy to everyone. So that's what he was doing in addition to the practical stuff of reducing the stigma like we mentioned. So what was so terrible about it is but here's the concept. Here's the concept. What we have to understand understand why it was problematic. Oh no. Y did this on his own initiative. uh even though indeed caused the mit to become closer to godliness to holiness lean in clipus but because he did it on his own he unintentionally increased the strength the vitality of clip of the negative forces because was not worthy of receiving this energy. That's actually what brought on the strength, the intensity of the Egyptian exile. That's what it means. Pay attention to this bread of affliction that our forefathers as in other words to say this that said here is seed is what made the Egyptian exile so strong so intense. We find a similar scenario by he chose on his own. It was his own initiative to bring the aravra of the mixed multitude non-Hebrews who were either enamored with the Jewish people or had other reasons why they wanted to join the Jewish people and they came out of Mitim uh with the with the yidden but actually the were the main instigators of the golden calf. So you see that that caused some major problems. Like Hashem said to the nation that you brought out has become debased. Which nation did you Misha bring out? Not the one that I brought out through you, but the one you on your own initiative brought out. The mixed multitude was Jose that you brought out. Okay, your olive on the bottom of page 99 second column is says the rabb that my father-in-law the rabb uh writes in many letters and also in his mimm that everything you learn has to lead to a in a what does that mean a is our spiritual service but means therefore and therefore so a therefore meaning to say it's not enough just to learn something you have to know how to apply it has to come to some like we've been talking about has to come to some instruction some directive. Okay is so let's take apart this concept that Y unintentionally strengthened the Egyptian exile. How do we apply that in a practical way for us? We're always saying, it's interesting the Reb is saying we're always saying because when is this, you know, this this this is um so spring of 1954. By the way, it makes sense that this is uh this is the speaking at the sed because it's related to so it's not a from the para even though we're learning it connected to but it's actually the said it on on pes at the seder. Um, so it's it's 1954 and that I was saying we're always saying you have to be mad of everyone. You have to be mad of everyone. You have to be mad of think about 1954 already that I was saying that's something that we're always saying. Okay. How much more so in 2025 almost 2026. This is something we're always saying. You have to be of everyone. You have to be of everyone. You have to be of everyone. Okay. Yes. Without any calculation who this guy is. Don't tell me, "Oh, this guy." No, no, you can't work with him. No, no, no, no, no. I'm not going to say, "Excuse me, sir. Are you Jewish to this guy?" No, I can't do it. I can't deal with him. up. But you have to remember at all times that we can't walk off and this that we're doing must be without any compromise in mitzv. So yeah, on one hand we told you you have to be mad of everybody, but that's not a cart blanch to go and do anything that you're not allowed to do. You know, there's a term I hesitate to even mention such a thing. I I I I heard about this. I was already an adult when I heard someone told me this term. They use the term kid of hateter. I said, "What's a kid of hater?" a a dispensation that is allowed for the sake of Kirov. I was so shocked because that's such a foreign concept to me. Yeah, obviously when you're mad somebody, you don't force them to follow the highest standards right away because they're they're not able to do it. But you're not allowed to lower the standards. You're not allowed to say, "Well, because these people are not even religious and I'm trying to make them comfortable, so I'll lower my standards." You're not allowed to do that. Okay, that's but let let the Reb say it because the Reb says it very clearly here. Let's read it. Like the well-known saying that when someone's drowning, you have to save them, but you have to make sure that you don't drown yourself. Now, I want to say this so clearly because the Yates would love to take this one line from and say, "Oh, the Reb just said, don't be mad people if you think it'll negatively affect you." That is not what the Reb said. You're taking it out of context. The said you do have to save everyone but when you're saving them please don't jeopardize yourself. It's not a exemption from being mikat of everybody. It's a reminder hey be careful when you're mikat of people that you don't lower your standards and become spiritually lower. Let's let's continue the is going to say it clearly. You know, I'm so glad we're learning because some of these basics, basics, you know, just basics, basics, basics. We got to get back to some clarity. What does this mean? Because people who are inspired by the do so much good work all over the world. But, you know, at the same time, we need to just be reminded of the olive base of how to do it right because, you know, obviously we want to do it right. If we're doing it, we want to do it right. Okay. [gasps] So, let's continue. Okay, [cough] where are we? Um, like we said already, the Reb said this is we already said this that when it comes to the the the injunction of our sages, be like the disciples of of Aronakin who who loved everyone. Love the bri. means the created beings meaning people who are so low that the only virtue is that they were created by Hashem. love the the the beings and bring them close to bring them close to there's two [snorts] teachings in that short little line that one little short line there's there's two teachings igniter You have to be mad of everyone even people who are called bri meaning their only virtue is that Hashem created them base. The second thing that short powerful little line tells you is that in You have to be mad of them to you don't bring to them. You bring them to don't make God forbid fit their level where they're at. To the contrary, bring them to the pure the uncompromised. And by the way says the reb this includes minhogim. So not only we're saying you don't compromise a mitzvah essay or mitzvah or even a banon but you know what even hogim even hogim you don't compromise when you're mik of somebody. So don't think that you have to lower your standards to be mik of the bri. No, no, no. Bring them to the TA. We're on the bottom of the first column of page 100. We're on base practically. What does this mean? They say if I'm going to be of somebody, hey, I don't have time to make calculations. I'm going to play a little bit fast and loose with the in, you know, the divider between the men's and the women's section. then you know yeah it won't be or maybe it will be questionably kosher but a lot more people will come to and they'll become closer to yishkite so you know what don't bother me with technicalities so my mita is not exactly 100% up to snuff but more people come to sh so it's good don't bother me it's good okay that's one argument a guy makes obviously they're going to reject these arguments but these are the arguments that people are speaking. You can't tell if this is 1954 or 2025. Another guy is going to China. Maybe the same guy has another Tina that if you're in a environment, Yeah. Then you have to be super super careful about every technicality. It's called the the thorn of the yud, you know, not just the yud, which is the littlest letter, but the the the kites, the thorn on the top of the to mitzv when you're in a place where you have opposition to mitzv you have to compromise on the on the secondary stuff in order to preserve the main stuff if it were a from neighborhood yeah for sure if I'm dealing with from people I would not even compromise on a little technicality on the thorn of the yud But if you're dealing with people are not from it's okay you could compromise a secondary thing in order to to preserve the main thing. So says what is this like to what do you compare this to? So as he says in a time of peace or when I'm home I'm going to wear a weapon. I'm going to carry [snorts] open carry concealed carry. Um because uh yeah, it's a time of peace, but nevertheless uh you know, it's it's more secure to to to have a weapon. That's what I want to do. But when I go out to war, but then when I go out to war, I'm not going to have a weapon. Why? Why? Cuz first of all, I don't want people to think I'm out there to fight. I don't want to signify that I'm ready to fight. So better I should look, you know, like a pacifist. I'm not carrying any weapon. Fat is the second thing. so that uh I can move around better. I don't want to be encumbered by a weapon. If I need to, you know, if I need to move around, I don't want to have to carry a weapon. It's going to weigh me down. As is obvious, we all understand that that's a complete that's utter foolishness. You follow the the the nimshell to the mushel. guy says at home and in a time of peace I'll carry a weapon but when I go to war I don't want to carry a weapon because first of all I don't want to signify that I'm fighting and second of all I might need to run I might need to move I don't want to be encumbered with a weapon so what is that like that's like a guy saying when I'm in a when I'm in an environment that's conducive to yishkite then I'm going to be really really strong about every little detail of yiddish kite but when I'm in a place that's not conducive exclusive to Yiddish kite where the people don't value Yiddish kite then I'm going to go there completely unarmed so to speak then I'm going to play fast and loose with the rules like it's completely the opposite of any intelligent logic okay a story that I was going to tell a story we're on the bottom of the second column of page 100 yiml is somebody said, I don't know who it was. It's probably known. It's probably known thing who was the one who said it. But at a particular rabbitic gathering, somebody said, "When you're drinking water, then it makes a difference the quality of the water." But if you're putting out a fire, doesn't matter what kind of water you use. Drinking water, yeah, it matters what kind of water you use. Putting out a fire could be dirty water. It doesn't matter. This is I don't know which one it is. It's probably a known thing. And if anyone knows and could look it up and find out, please send it to me. It's probably even known who known who said this. The guy was I mean I don't say the guy he was invited to anifa he was probably an esteemed uh leader of uh a Jewish community and he suggested that listen yeah normally we have our standards but here there's a fire burning it's an emergency situation it's a crisis so we could overlook the standards because we need to put out the fire he was making an argument that we could be more uh loosey goosey with when we're trying to stem the tide of assimilation which is a you know which is a crisis that's that's what he was saying so the was there and he [snorts] answered this guy again I don't want to call him a guy he answered this leader is that what you just said is true when you know it's water and the only thing you don't know is if it's clean water or not clean water. It's for sure water. I just don't know if it's clean or or not. nor s is kerosene neft. But if it's not water, it's kerosene, it's gasoline. that you're going to make the fire worse is even though kerosene is also a liquid. What does it matter what liquid I'm throwing? I'll throw some water, throw some kerosene. Makes a big difference. Not only you're not putting out the fire, you're spreading the fire. And this is what we're saying before that when you change even a custom even a custom of the Jewish people that not only does it not bring positive change in the environment but the opposite A little lumbus here. There's a parallel. The Gamarra says regarding the um forgiveness and the atonement that is secured for the Jewish people even according to the opinion that says that the day itself the essence of the day itself affects atonement even if you don't actively Dova, you understand? You don't have to do anything. You just have to get through the day and the day does its work. In fact, it will even atone for you're doing on the day of the day is so powerful it will atone for those aim. [snorts] But a you're doing not just on the day of but that directly desecrate like doing or eating um God forbid is then cannot atone well because the accuser cannot become a defender. So even those who say that yam kiper is so powerful that it can atone for evaders without any chuva and even evaders you do on yam kiper when does that apply to everything else but things that are done as an affront to yipper itself that would violate yipper itself now I'm sorry back up on China and regarding the argument that someone's going to make. What does it matter if I compromise a hair's breath? If by doing so I'm going to going to gain the main thing. So I'll I'll I'll compromise on a minor thing and then I'll win the big thing. Keep my eye on the prize, so to speak. There are two answers, two replies to that to that argument. Even if you could guarantee that you're going to have the greatest possible success in bringing Eden close to Hashem, says about such things. Don't be more pious than necessary. Don't be overly righteous. Don't be more religious than what does that mean? Because the code of Jewish law says you're not allowed to do this. Don't be quote unquote more religious than the than the code of Jewish law. And you're going to worry to be of yeen more than Toyota itself worries. Meaning if wanted to, it could have made this thing permissible in order to be mad of someone. But Tyra itself doesn't give that permission. So you're going to go and tell Tyra that you're more worried for the spiritual welfare of your fellow Jew than Tyra itself is worried. So don't be don't be don't be more f than so a person could argue good. You're right. I I'm not I'm not obligated to worry for more than worries for them. But who does it bother if I do want to worry? I know I'm not obligated to worry for yid more than to worries for them, but I want to I don't know. That's my personality. I like it or whatever. I have a feeling for it and this is so important because [sighs] you know it was such a cultural shift for the Reb to get his and beyond to worry for other yeden spiritual welfare. But sometimes that becomes, you know, the the cultural shift is so massive and it's so difficult to get people to change their thinking that they oversimplify it and they forget certain things that they used to know. So it's so important to go back to these basic fundamental from Olive to remind us no one's more concerned with being than the Reb is and the Reb is telling you do not compromise. Don't even compromise. Don't do it. Okay. So a guy's going to say, "Yeah, you're right. not obligated to be more concerned for yidden than is concerned. But I but I but that's how I feel. I just want to do it. We tell them no. There's no such thing. That's not that's not a valid approach. You're not allowed. You're not allowed to transgress to because of your so-called. And how are you to know that the the benefit of of affecting these yeden outweighs the law in that you're violating? How do you know that this is a net gain? You're you're admitting there's a loss, but there's a gain. Who how how do you know there's a net gain here? Maybe the loss is worse than the gain. So, just keep it simple and follow hala. That that should be your guide. Okay. Base another answer. Everything we said is is a is a an answer to someone who were conceding the idea that you know what you're you're right. You are going to be mad of people. You're right. But you're still not allowed to do it that way. says that is but that's not even true. I love this and I got to unpack this in a second because it's not it's not going to be beneficial. It's going to be destructive. You hear that? The first answer alf was okay let's say you're 100% guaranteed that by by by compromising on Toyota you're going to successfully be mikat people you're not allowed you okay you it would be successful but you're not allowed to do it the second answer is by the way I was just conceding your point for the sake of argument but the reality is it won't be successful and this is so essential we've spoken about this before in that says that is the blueprint for reality and nothing in the world can go against Tyra because the world exists for the sake of Tyra. So even being maided don't say that I'll compromise on toyo and then be more successful in kov that doesn't even it's it's an interesting thought experiment and we can argue it on a conceptual level but practically speaking it won't even work you can't you cannot win by going against it's not oh I would have been able to be m of so many y if not for that pesky tying my hands behind my back follow the and that is the formula for being successful and being mata people if that's what you really care about. Okay. Okay. We're on the almost to the end page 101 second column bottom of the second column. And this is what we say. Hey. Hey, pay attention. Attention ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages. Announcing them that is a rect a rectification of saying to the mitz, hey, here's some seed for planting. is flip the page. Almost done. Almost done. We know that through saying here's some seed that caused that caused that there should be meaning our ancestors ate the bread of affliction in Mit meaning they were slaves. One thing cause the other. Giving the godly energy to the mitim actually intensified the exile of his descendants. So therefore even though t it's true and the is using more words more language from the from the pes remember I said this is originally the set at the sedar. So even though it's true like we say at the beginning of the sedar that all who are in need we make an open invitation we say everyone who's hungry come and eat anyone who's who needs come and celebrate pes yes that's true open door policy totally and again nobody's more concerned [laughter] with being of the but listen yeah true you have to be mad of everybody without exception without exception Even the bri like we said but you can only do it the way demands it. Yeah indeed everyone should come and eat but they have to come and eat in a way that the prescribes which is come and make a sacrifice bring an offering. when say they have to do don't just come and eat the matzah balls. Yes, it's important. By the way, was that an example of compromising? Is it is gabro is that's a interesting question. You're allowed to serve matza balls at your seder. Is gabro uh considered a minigistro? Very interesting question. Are you allowed to serve the Coca-Cola with yellow caps even if you yourself don't touch it on Pes? Okay, now you're making me think. See, this is the beauty of a live share. Things come out and then I question myself after I say it. But at any rate, are you allowed to just say come and eat and hang out? Or is the point that they should not just come and eat and hang out, but that they should do the mitzvah. And if you follow this approach, the effect's going to be that even though this year we're here and this year we're slaves, nevertheless, Next year, next year we're going to be in the land of Israel and we're going to be free. And that is the end. Thank you so much. I want to remind you that next week is also going to be uh maybe late, maybe early. I'm not sure exactly how it's going to work. We're not going to it's not we're not going to have the live inerson audience uh 10:30 a.m. on Sunday because uh I'm going to be out of town and mit I'll be in Pittsburgh for uh my niec's bas mitzvah, God willing. But uh we will have a share just like we had a share today. We'll have a share next week, God willing. Um but it will we won't have the regular in-person crowd and then I guess form God willing we'll be back to uh the in-person crowd. Okay, be