Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
MISHPATIM â 5785
TRUTH: THE SOURCE OF ALL GOOD
The Unique Transgression
There is only one transgression in the Torah that we are commanded to distance ourselves from. That is falsehood, as the Torah states, âDistance yourself from a false word.â
Why is falsehood singled out from all other commandments?
One explanation is based on the gematria-the numerical value of the Hebrew word sheker, which is 600.
It has been pointed out that the three forms of sins mentioned in the Torah, cheit-unintentional, avon-intentional, pesha, rebellious, spiteful, add up to 600 as well. This teaches us that the source of all sins is falsehood.
Moreover, the three negative traits listed in Ethics of the Fathers that are responsible for âtaking a person out of this worldâ are kinah-jealousy, taâavah-lust, kavod-pursuit of honor. These three traits also add up to 600.
In other words, all negative behaviors are rooted in the negative traits of jealousy, lust and pursuit of glory. However, these traits too are rooted more deeply in falsehood.
It has also been pointed out that the word sheker is numerically equivalent to twice the word yetzer, which refers to our evil inclination that works on two fronts. There is the fiery, passionate desire to do evil and there is the desensitized and indifferent attitude towards doing good. Indeed, the word sheker is a composite of two words. The letter shin stands for aish-fire and the letters kuf-reish, spell the word kar-cold. Falsehood is the source of both evil forces of passion and icy indifference, which are responsible for all our transgressions.
This premise, however, needs clarification. While it is self-evident that certain sins such as theft require deception, we can think of many other sins that have nothing to do with truth and falsehood. For example, a person who brazenly violates the kosher laws and defiantly eats pork in public has not lied about his transgression. On the contrary, he is proud and brutally honest about his rebellious behavior.
Likewise, people who pursue honor and glory donât necessarily hide their ambition. While they may engage in deceptive and criminal behavior once they attain power, the actual pursuit of honor is not, in and of itself, a lie. The same can be said of many other transgressions and negative traits that do not directly involve deception.
The Truth about Truth
The answer lies in the true definition of truth and its opposite. The Jerusalem Talmud defines truth by referring to the three letters that make up the Hebrew word for truth-emes. This word consists of an aleph-the first letter, a mem-the middle letter and a tav-the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This suggests that truth is defined by something that is consistent from the beginning through the middle to the end. The Hebrew word for falsehood, sheker, by contrast, consists of three letters that are next to each other. This intimates that falsehood lives in one small and isolated location and cannot extend to anything else. Truth, by contrast, resides in and remains constant in all places and situations.
Moreover, the very word emes shares another feature that reveals the real nature of truth. The gematria of emes is 541. If we add up the numbers, it yields the number nine. Nine is unique because whatever we do to it; it will always remain nine. 9x2=18. 1+8=9; 9x3=27, 2+7=9; 9x17=173, 1+5+3=p and so on. Truth never changes.
Based on this definition of truth and falsehood we can understand why all transgressions are associated with falsehood. When a person sins, by commission or omission, it belies his or her true desire and character. As the Alter Rebbe states in his classic work, the Tanya, âeven when a person sins his soul remains faithful to G-d.â A sin, any sin, is an act of utter inconsistency.
G-dâs Regrets
The Talmud lists three things that G-d âregretsâ creating. One is the yetzer hara-the evil impulse and another is Galus-exile.
By attaching the word âregrettingâ to G-d the Talmud meant that the Yetzer hara and exile are inconsistent with G-dly truth and reality. The Talmud tells us that âG-dâs seal is truth.â Hence, the desire for sin and exile, which obscures G-dâs presence, are incompatible with G-dâs seal.
As mentioned, the number nine is suggestive of the concept of truth as the numerical value of the word emes adds up to nine.
6 versus 9
Likewise, the various names of G-d, which are different configurations of the Tetragrammaton add up to, 45, 702, 63 and 72, all of which add up to nine.
If we want to connect sheker- falsehood to a number, it would be the number six. Since the word sheker adds up to 600. Also, the word six in Hebrew is shaish, which also adds up to 6oo.
Why is the number six associated with falsehood?
Nature is defined by the number six. As the Maharal explains, time and space involve the number six. There are six directions: east, west, north, south, up and down. Likewise, time is defined by the six days of creation.
By associating the number six with falsehood we are exposed to another dimension of truth. Nature itself conceals the reality of G-dâs existence. The word for nature in Hebrew is teva, which also means submerged because in nature G-dâs presence is concealed. Thus, during the six days of the week, G-d has thrusted us into a world of concealment of the ultimate reality of our existence. Comes Shabbos, and we are exposed to true reality.
The reason G-d created a world in which His presence is concealed was for us to extend the true reality of Shabbos into the falsehood of existence. That is why we recite the Havdalah prayer at the end of Shabbos, to extend the reality of Shabbos into the weekdays.
Distance from a False Word
This might explain why the Torah states that we should distance ourselves from a false word. Why âa false word,â and not just âfalsehood.â
Considering the above it may be suggested that the Torah does not want us to distance ourselves from falsehood. We were put in a world of falsehood, and especially exile, to engage, counter, refine and transform it. Indeed, the Previous Rebbe in his landmark discourse (issued to be studied on the day of his passing), elaborates on the idea that the word sheker, rearranged spells kesher, a bond, and keresh a board of the Sanctuary. Our mission is to take the falsehood of the world and transform it into a place and mindset that binds us to G-d; transforming the world of falsehood into a world of unadulterated truth.
Therefore, the Torah does not say to distance ourselves from sheker. Rather, its message is to engage with the world of sheker. Nevertheless, the Torah exhorts us to not let our mouths recognize its reality. On the contrary, we declare that galus is inherently fake; the yetzer hara is fake, while G-d, Torah and Israel are emes. And we therefore devote our lives to bringing Moshiach and Redemption because they represent restoring the unadulterated emes of G-d and Torah.
The Letter Vav and the Number 6
The above might also reconcile conflicting things about the number sis. On the one hand, six represents sheker. On the other hand, the Hebrew letter vav, which numerically is six, is referred to in the Zohar as âthe letter of truth.â Which is it? Is vav-six truth or falsehood? The answer is it is both. It represents the challenge of transforming sheker into emes.
This might also explain the statement of our Sages that Jacob took the letter vav from Elijah to make sure he will announce the Final Redemption.
The letter vav represents the power to take exile, the manifestation of sheker, and transform it into emes.
This may also shed light on the verse, âGive emes to Jacob.â The question is raised, isnât Jacob himself representative of the trait of emes? Why does it have to be given to him?
The answer is that Jacobâs role was to engage the sheker of the world, of his brother Esau and uncle Laban. For that he needed more than his natural and conventional state of emes. He needed the power of emes to infiltrate the sheker and ultimately transform it. That is the ultimate manifestation of emes.
This may be the reason why many recite the foregoing verse after Shabbos when we make the transition from the emes of Shabbos into the sheker of the weekdays. To accomplish that feat, we must procure the deeper power of emes, that allows us to engage sheker and transform it.
7 - 2
When can clothing prove someone's death in Jewish law? From Joseph's bloodied coat to modern day cases, the Rambam gives us a fascinating framework for handling missing persons in Jewish law. Join us as we unpack this complex topic and discover why the standards for marriage differ from inheritance. New episode of Rambam In-Depth out now! đâĄď¸
https://youtu.be/Oahjon9QWas
4 - 0
Discover how a 2000-year-old teaching from Avtalion reveals the hidden power of our words. From ancient scrolls to modern leadership, learn why great teachers must illuminate their wisdom with inner light. Join us for this deep exploration of how speech shapes reality and why every word matters. đ Full video link: youtube.com/live/GXvIzySfFNo?....
#TorahStudy #JewishWisdom
11 - 1
On Maimonides' 819th yahrzeit, explore how the first seven plagues served as a divine educational plan. Each plague, from the Nile's transformation to the devastating hail, reveals profound lessons about freedom and the value of small actions. Watch to understand why even the smallest mitzvah matters.
https://youtu.be/P5v90loWyHk
#TorahStudy #Maimonides
1 - 0
SHEMOS - 5785
UNMASKING DASAN AND AVIRAM
Who Were the Culprits
In Mosesâ first venture out of the sheltered atmosphere of Pharaohâs palace, he witnesses a Jew being beaten by an Egyptian taskmaster. Moses defends this Jew by killing and burying the taskmaster.
This incident is followed by two Jews fighting with each other. Moses proceeds to admonish them, referring to them as wicked for raising a hand against his fellow.
Who were these two men?
Rashi comments that these were the infamous Dasan and Aviram, who were the same ones who leftover some of the Manna [contrary to G-dâs commandment not to leave over for the next day.].
Commentators ask why it was necessary for Rashi to cite the fact that they would years later commit another sin.
One answer is that Rashi wanted to establish that their quarrel was not an isolated incident, but it was a part of a pattern of sinful behavior that continued for years. Moreover, Dasan and Aviram were not just engaging in a fight, which demonstrated their hatred for one another, but moreover it was an act of rebelliousness. They staged their fight in Mosesâ presence to let him know that they witnessed his killing of the taskmaster and that they would report his âcrimeâ to Pharaoh.
However, a question remains. Why did Rashi pick on the relatively minor sin of leaving over some of the Manna? Rashi could have mentioned their other acts of rebelliousness that were far more egregious, such as joining with Korach in his rebellion against Moses.
Defenders of the Nation?
When we survey the actions of Dasan and Aviram elsewhere, we might try to see their positive side in that they were defending the interests of the Jewish people. When Moses returns from his confrontation with Pharaoh to demand that he let the people go, Pharaoh makes their lives even more miserable. They will now have to collect their own straw to make the bricks. The Torah states that some people reprimanded Moses for having made things worse. Rashi there states that the complainers were none other than Dasan and Aviram.
Based on their criticism of Moses then one could have argued that Dasan and Aviramâs motives in quarreling were not all that bad. Perhaps, they were upset that Moses killed the Egyptian and thereby endangered all the Jewish slaves and were quarrelling amongst themselves as to their response. Should they inform the authorities or not; which was a better course of action?.
Thus, lest one think that their motives were positive, Rashi makes it clear that it was the same Dasan and Aviram that left over the Manna. In that incident, there was no possible rationalization for their behavior other than they had no faith in G-dâs ability to make the Manna descend every day. Or, perhaps, even worse, they were doing it to spite Moses.
Intertwined Relationships
Another point. Their quarreling demonstrated that they lacked in their interpersonal relationships, whereas the fact that they left over Manna contrary to G-dâs commandment to them, was a sign that they also lacked in their relationship with G-d.
Rashiâs message might suggest to us that we cannot really separate between the two modes of relationships. When we lack in our relationship with G-d it affects our relationships with our fellow human beings, and vice versa.
Donât Cover Your Bad Spots with Ideology
Another slightly different approach is that one might have read into Dasan and Aviramâs behavior an ideological motive. They could not tolerate Mosesâ form of leadership and at every juncture they took exception to him, culminating in joining the most egregious rebellion of Korach.
By citing the leaving over of the Manna, Rashi hints to us that we must always probe beneath the surface of a personâs ideological argument. Frequently, we will discover ideology is merely a cover for our own desires, negativity, selfishness and ego.
A joke is told of a person who was sitting in a theater wearing a huge Texan hat that blocked the view of the people behind him. When he was asked to remove his hat, he responded that it was a matter of principle that he wears his hat. They then took his hat and threw it to the other side of the theater, and thereby uncovering his bald head. They said to him, âDonât cover your baldness with principlesâŚâ
Both Sins Lack of Faith
Another approach from the work Bitzeil Hakodesh and others is that people usually argue about competing interests. One accuses the other of taking something from him. If a person truly believed in G-d and that whatever one is supposed to earn and possess has been determined by Him there would be no room for these conflicts. Leaving over some of the Manna expressed their lack of faith in G-d that He will provide.
The Last Frontier
A slightly different approach is that the fact that the Omer was the same for everyone indicates that the objective of the Omer was to negate the idea of jealousy. Everyone received the same amount. By leaving over some of the Manna they expressed their desire to have a little more than others. This attitude was the cause of their quarreling.
Maimonides, (whose Yahrzeit we will be observing this coming week, on the 20th of Teves) concludes his Mishneh Torah with the description of the Messianic Age. He states that then there will be no more jealousy. The rationale for that is that G-dâs presence will fill the earth. When oneâs awareness of the Divine is strong it removes every trace of envy.
No Unity in The Realm of Evil
The work Hatzvi Vâhatzedek points to the fact that people who join in a rebellious act against G-d and His Torah will actually be fractious and conflicted among themselves. This was illustrated by Dasan and Aviram joining forces to leave over the Manna for the next day, but when they were amongst themselves they couldnât get along.
This premise is based on the wording of the Mishnah in Ethics of the Fathers that describes a dispute that is not for the Sake of Heaven: âKorach and his community.â It should have said âKorach and Mosesâ the two sides of the conflict. However, the truth is that in the side of evil, it is Korach and his cohorts who are really conflicted. Although they coalesced to fight Moses and Aaron, they were not truly united.
Unity can only be found in the realm of holiness. Even when holy people disagree, they maintain a spirit of profound unity and love.
5 - 0
YOM KIPPUR â 5785
WHAT ARE WE MISSING?
The Anatomy of Sin
âFor on this day He shall provide atonement for you to purify you; from all your sins, before G-d shall you be purified.â
In our liturgy we find three kinds of sins mentioned in relation to Yom Kippur. There are the unintentional sins known as chataim, intentional ones known as avonos, and rebellious sins known as peshaim. Yom Kippur is a day of Atonement for all three of these categories of sin.
The question is asked: why then does the Torah here mention only the unintentional ones?
A second question can be raised about the redundancy in this verse. After it states that âFor on this day He shall provide atonement for you to purify you from all your sinsâ why must it go on to say âbefore G-d shall you be purifiedâ?
A third question: Why do we need to ask for atonement for the unintentional sins? Shouldnât the criterion for the need for forgiveness be intent?
Upon reflection we will see that the answer to the third question is also the key to answering the other questions.
The Anatomy of Sin
When we dissect the anatomy of sin, we discover that all three categories of sin, the unintentional, intentional and rebellious forms, derive from the unintentional ones.
To explain:
The entire concept of sin is problematic. We all possess a G-dly soul, a part of us that is in constant touch with G-d. How then can a person act in a manner that contradicts his or her very essence? This, indeed, is what the Zohar wondered in commenting on the verse âA soul who will sin.â How can a soul sin?
The answer is in the second soul that we possess, an Animal Soul. The Animal Soul blocks the influence of the G-dly soul and is responsible for our penchant to forget about our relationship with, and our essential identity of, our G-dly soul. Indeed, we are taught that the very root of sin is forgetfulness. We forget who we are. We forget that G-d is continuously creating the world. How could we possibly transgress when we know that our entire existence is G-dâs energy?
Thus, when a person commits a sin unwittingly it is because of forgetfulness. It is a sign that oneâs Animal Soul has desensitized us to G-dâs will. This is why a person who commits an unintentional sin must seek atonement. The atonement is not for the sin itself but for the desensitization process that allowed the person to forget.
How does one become desensitized?
It does not happen overnight. All our materialistic engagements and hedonistic pleasures create barriers that curtail and obstruct the G-dly soulâs light. At first, the barrier is like a see-through curtain, then translucent and ultimately opaque.
Once the Animal Soul dominates, we can degenerate into intentional transgressions motivated by desire and lust. From there it may even sink further until we can become rebellious.
But if we trace the most egregious behavior to its source, we will discover that it derives from the Animal Soulâs influence that causes us to forget who we truly are. Forgetfulness is the root of all evil.
We can now answer the question about the redundancy:
After informing us that G-d will provide atonement for us for our unintentional sins, the Torah adds that we can thus be purified from all our sins. When G-d forgives and purifies us He enables us to access our G-dly soul. Once we are no longer desensitized, then we are cleansed of all our sins, including the intentional ones.
Missing the Mark, Not Sin
The Chassidic work, Knesses Yechezkal offers a novel way of interpreting this verse that answers the questions posed above.
The Hebrew word for sin, cheit, does not really mean sin, but rather âlack,â âdeficientâ or âshort of the mark.â
When the Bais Hamikdash stood, it was easy to be inspired to do Teshuvah. The people were elevated just by virtue of living in the Holy Land. They were elevated even more when they came to the Bais Hamikdash and witnessed the daily miracles there, especially on Yom Kippur, when they witnessed how the scarlet ribbon would turn white to indicate that they were forgiven, among other signs.
But now that the Bais Hamikdash is absent, we too have become diminished. We can no longer see G-dliness the way our forebears did. We no longer see miracles, especially the ones that occurred on Yom Kippur, the way our ancestors did. Itâs no wonder that we have become deficient, fallen short of our mark and transgressed.
Accordingly, the foregoing words âfrom all your sinsâ can be reinterpreted: They do not refer to sin, but rather they refer to the deficiencies we experience that provide us with some measure of justification for our transgressions in general.
This is how the verse should be retranslated:
ââFor on this day He will atone for you to purify you because of all that you are lacking.â
The reason G-d will purify us is that we have been deprived of the sources of holiness that would have prevented us from sinning. It is because of our exile that we transgress.
This idea that G-d will forgive us because of what we are lacking is rooted in the Talmud, which states that the Yetzer Hara is one of the things G-d regrets having created. This means that G-d Himself accepts the defense that exile conditions made it possible for us to sin.
However, this idea sounds rather strange. If this is a valid defense, why do we need to do Teshuvah? And why does it work specifically on Yom Kippur? And it is quite ironic that when the Bais Hamikdash stood, it brought atonement. And now that we donât have a Bais Hamikdash, that too brings atonement. How could both having and not having a Bais Hamikdash effect atonement?
A Caveat
The answer lies in the caveat suggested by the Knesses Yechezkal, who interprets the end of the verse which responds to our concerns; there is a catch to this defense:
We can implicate the lack of the Bais Hamikdash as a source of atonement, but only if we truly feel the pain of its absence. When a Jew feels that he or she cannot fully enjoy life when G-dâs presence is absent â due to the lack of the Bais Hamikdash - then G-d will purify us because He realizes that our transgressions are a symptom of exile. When we experience the hole in our hearts created by the absence of the Bais Hamikdash, it cleanses us.
This, then, is what the verse means when it adds:
ââŚbefore G-d you will be purified.â
It is a fundamental fact in our faith that G-d knows our innermost thoughts and aspirations. When G-d sees the feelings in our heart, as only He can, that the absence of the Bais Hamikdash truly bothers us, then we will be purified; it will be clear that our transgressions are a product of exile.
We may add to this thesis that our passion for Moshiach and the Bais Hamikdash places us in the Bais Hamikdash. As the Baal Shem Tov taught, a person is situated where his will is. If we crave the Bais Hamikdash enough then we are there and enjoy its purifying energy.
When Yom Kippur arrives, and we feel the absence of the service the way it was practiced in the Bais Hamikdash, it awakens in us a powerful desire and yearning for Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash. That is the force that transports us to the Bais Hamikdash and is the source of our atonement and purification.
Rationale for Exile
This explanation by the Knesses Yechezkal will shed light on the prayer that we say on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and other major Holidays: âBecause of our sins we were exiledâŚâ
The prayer is meant to explain that our prayers are substitutes for the Festival sacrifices that were brought in the Bais Hamikdash.
The question is asked:
If exile is a punishment for our sins, why are we still in exile? Havenât we suffered enough to have expiated the sins of our ancestors?
The answer provided by Chassidic thought is that, prior to the exile, the holiness of the Land of Israel and the Bais Hamikdash itself sufficed to refine the rest of the world. Their powerful holy light spread throughout the world. However, as our sins caused the light of the Land of Israel to diminish we are compelled to bring the light, directly, to each place individually.
However, in light of the Knesses Yechezkalâs thesis we may suggest an additional reason for this prayer by which we present a defense for our transgressions. We say to G-d that we have become desensitized because we no longer have a Bais Hamikdash. And we therefore beseech Him: âBring us Moshiach, rebuild the Bais Hamikdash, dwell in our midst and we will no longer sin.â
However, for this justification to be effective we must feel the pain of being deprived of the Bais Hamikdash and the revelation of G-dliness. Moreover, as mentioned, the very fact that we crave Moshiach and Redemption is a sign that we are already in that state of purity and holiness and can avail ourselves of the atoning and cleansing properties of the Bais Hamikdash.
But when if feel comfortable in exile and donât clamor for Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash, then we have failed to deserve the very power of atonement we need. We ask for Moshiach not just to rid all the suffering from this world, but to purge it of all iniquity and bring purity and holiness to ourselves and the entire world.
6 - 0
NITZAVIM-VAYEILECH â 5784
MOSESâ GOING
Where Did He Go?
The second of the two Parshas we read this week, Vayeilech, begins with the following verse, one that describes the final words of Moses to the Jewish people:
âMoses went and he spoke the following words to all Israel.â
Commentators have been puzzled at the meaning of the word âVayleiechâ-and he went. The Torah fails to explain where Moses went. Dozens of explanations have been offered to explain this enigmatic word.
The Midrash Tanchuma states that the words âhe wentâ are an expression of rebuke.
This too needs clarification. How does Mosesâ going indicate that he was offering words of rebuke to the people?
Second, how do these words connect to the rest of the verse: that he âspoke these words to all of Israel.
Actions Are Louder than Words
The work Aryeh Shaâag explains this by referring us to a common expression in Ethics of the Fathers that introduces the teaching of a certain Sage with the introductory words: âHe used to say.â The deeper meaning of these words is that this Sageâs very being would speak as loud as words. The Sageâs comportment itself can serve as a powerful lesson in ethics without the need to say anything. A righteous and ethical personâs very behavior dramatically expresses his values and is the best form of rebuke.
If we want to influence others there are two approaches:
The first, and most common way to do so, is verbal. To make the speech more effective many speakers will employ all sorts of rhetorical devices, from a âfire and brimstoneâ form of delivery to engaging stories and parables. The inadequacy of this approach is that the harsh style can turn people off, and the more engaging style might be too mild to have an impact.
The more effective approach, however, is to be a living model of righteousness. One does not have to worry that your words will be overbearing and insulting or that they will lack emotion or empathy. Leading by example is the most effective form of rebuke and the least likely to backfire.
Thus, the Torah states that when Moses just walked, he expressed his noble character and holiness. Without having to say a single word of rebuke, he spoke volumes.
Thus, the Midrash Tanchuma states that the words âMoses wentâ are words of rebuke. Mosesâ mere walking served as the greatest lesson.
The question can still be raised, why didnât the Torah make this case for Moses before? Why did the Torah wait for his last day on earth to teach us that Mosesâ mere going about served as a source of rebuke? And how, specifically, does Mosesâ âwalkingâ serve as a source of rebuke?
Perhaps, the fact that Moses, knowing that this was his last day on earth was the greatest form of rebuke to all of us. No matter how old we are and no matter how high we may have climbed, we must never stop growing in our spiritual lives.
But a question remains:
How does Mosesâ desire for continued growth relate to the words that follow:
âI am a hundred and twenty years today and I cannot go out and come back for G-d has said that I cannot cross the Jordan.â
These words appear to contradict the notion of growth. Here Moses states that he cannot go out.
True Growth
The answer to this question we can find by offering a different explanation of Mosesâ going and how it connects with Mosesâ speech.
In the Passover Haggadah: we find the introductory words to the Four Sons: âA wise person what does he say?â âA wicked person, what does he sayâ? âA simple person, what does he say?â The Previous Rebbe provided an alternate translation of these words: âA wise person, what he is, he says.â This means that the words of a wise person reflect who he truly is. Similarly, the wicked and simple personâs wickedness and simplicity are reflected in their words.
The same can be said of the Mishnaic expression cited above, âHe used to say.â This can be interpreted to mean that whoever he is he would say. The speech of the sage reveals who he truly is. Speech reveals the inner essence of the speaker.
After the Torah states that Moses âwent,â to suggest that Moses did not stop growing in his spiritual life despite this being the last day of his life on earth, the Torah then explains how we know that Moses continued to grow. What did he do to demonstrate that? The answer lies in Mosesâ next words:
âI am a hundred and twenty years today and I cannot go out and come back for G-d has said that I cannot cross the Jordan.â
When we study these words, we can see how they reflect Mosesâ devotion to constant growth, ironically when he was told that he will not go on to cross the Jordan. Even when he was about to cease living and growing, his speech reflected the opposite, an obsession with growing.
This can be seen by analyzing Mosesâ message.
At first glance Moses acknowledges that he cannot move on to the next phase of life for the Jewish people, that of crossing the Jordan. Yet, contrarily, Mosesâ acceptance of G-dâs decree was the ultimate form of movement and growth. Mosesâ inability to cross the Jordan was not due to his own decision to stop growing or because he was too frail or that he no longer had the impetus to grow. On the contrary, he was doing what G-d wanted of him. When G-d tells you to stop growing and you accept G-dâs command despite your passion to do otherwise, that is the ultimate form of growth.
A Quantum Leap
To explain:
True growth is when we make a quantum leap from our earlier position. If our growth is incremental, it is not truly growth in the ultimate sense of the word, because our new position is within reach of our original position. Only when we jump to a higher level, completely out of reach of our former position, does that rate as true growth.
How does one make that quantum leap?
When we grow by surrendering our passion, because it is G-dâs will for us to do so, when we break out of our mold and leap to the higher level, that is what constitutes true growth. Mosesâ mold was one constant growth and movement. To break out of that mold paradoxically was the ultimate form of growth.
Thus, the Torah explains that the reason Moses will not cross the Jordan was not because he didnât want to or that he thought that he couldnât because of his old age and infirmity. On the contrary, Moses wanted nothing less than to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land; it was his greatest passion. His not crossing the Jordan was strictly due to G-dâs telling him that he could not. Moses was looking past his own desire and obsession to grow incrementally to conform to G-dâs will and thus, leap to an infinitely higher level.
The Fiftieth Gate
The fact that this happened on the day that he departed is tied in by the statement of our Sages that Moses achieved the 49th level of understanding and craved for that transcendent 50th level. Only on the day that he passed away was he able to achieve that level. Mosesâ exponential growth up to the 50th level was only possible through his acquiescence to G-dâs will that he remain behind while his people cross the Jordan.
We are taught that when Moshiach comes we too will be exposed to the 50th level. To hasten that process of growth it behooves us to make our own lesser quantum leaps, and rise above our comfort zones in the quest to fulfill G-dâs will.
5 - 0
Letâs Hit 10K Subscribers!!!
One of the world's preeminent Jewish thinkers, scholars, teachers, and inspirers. With a sublime blend of incredible intellectual prowess, vast encyclopedic knowledge, beautifully articulate language, and resounding resonant reliability, Rabbi Greenberg has brought the highest of ideas to the broadest of audiences.
If you are interested in learning more about Jewish wisdom and teachings, discovering tools and resources to use to navigate through life, subscribe now and be on the look out for the multiple videos published each week!