A Billionaire Told Me His Greatest Dream - Rabbi Asher Weiss

So good morning to all of you. It is a privilege for me and a pleasure to be associated with or but up to this opportunity I always addressed the yeshiva at large the entire community without really being introduced to parts of this wonderful institution. So this is my first opportunity to talk to a certain program and uh what's this program called center >> and why is that center >> the center I think the center for study but that's to the center >> so maybe this is a very central piece of the endeavor so I don't know what to talk to you about about we are in kesh Andesh is the month of I would say reflection is the month of chuva atonement capor. But before we actually do chuva you need to sit down and think and I would say it is the kesh the the month of reflection. Why do we do chuva? Why are we here? What is it all about? And uh the beauty of our calendar is the recognition and understanding that we're human and human beings have strengths, shortcomings, and you cannot be on a high all your life. It is part of human nature. So it is once a year that a kadesh expects us all to rise to come back to reach out to him. So in other denominations some people are perfect. In Yiddish kite, no one is perfect. In Yiddish kite, it's about the journey and not about the destination. The wisest of men says there is no one that is perfect. Everyone is apt to fail. Mosher Rabenu was the greatest individual ever to live and Mosher Rabenu failed. He failed the test of Mayo and he paid a terrible price for his failure carrying Amy in his lap for 40 years. He so much wanted to come into the promised land and he didn't. So who created us? So is the time the time of the year for chuva the time of the year to come back. Chuva is the root shav. Coming back. Coming back to where? Coming back to where we all began. Coming back to Sinai. Coming back to who we were when we were small. when we were pure, when we were shal but in later times is nowhere mentioned neither in Mishna nor in Bryson nor in Shas nor in the Talmud is a relatively new concept. The earliest source of el is in pirate debzer which is associated with rebel and harkinus. But it is only in the we really have the focus on and if are days of chuva of atonement I would say are days of reflection just to sit down and think and prepare what is the story what is it all about so it's about priorities and it's easy for people to prioritize when you have a very limited set of cores of duties of things you need to take care of things you need to do. So in most situations in life we need to prioritize you know there are five things I need to take care of what comes first what's more important what is less important what comes second it's easy to prioritize you know a doctor sometimes in the hospital he has three patients four patients how do I prioritize how does one prioritize when he has 613 cores to perform when he has 613 mitzvah and that's our package. Yes, I am aware not all the mits are relevant in our times. Some are for others for fivian but still we have a very full plate. So how does one prioritize when he has a 100 or 200 or 300 or 400 things to do? It is only kazal with their ultimate wisdom and that have the ability. How does one prioritize? Every day in the morning even before we quote a Mishna in the beginning of we are the people of the book. I don't think this expression comes from a Jewish source, but it is a very accurate description of ami of the Jewish people. Education, learning to means more to us than to any other society in the world. [snorts] And many times parents in America, parents from more modern background, their kids go to yeshiva. And the parents ask me, "So when will my son finish his studies?" And I say, "What do you mean? When will he get his diploma and start doing something real and start?" And I say, "When will your son finish his studies?" I hope when the day comes and he needs to give his nisha back to his creator that is when he's going to finish his studies. We never finish our studies. Some stages in life we learn more, some stages we learn less. But a Jewish boy to the end of his life will learn what is the den if an axe nika in English sometimes you need to help me gores. So an axe gored a cow. So in all likelihood this young boy will never own an axe. His neighbor probably won't own a cow and the likelihood he will need to deal with this question in practicality is somewhat remote. But we learn and we learn to Yes, it is far more important to learn and then but we learn and we learn every day and we learn till the end of our days and teach us number one priority the most important mitzvah is tal And that is unique to us. In all other societies, studying is a means to an end. You study law. If you want to become a lawyer, it's ridiculous to study law. If you have no plans to be a lawyer, study medicine because you want to pursue a a profession in medicine. You want to be a doctor. We learn for the sake of learning. And why is learning titus so important? That's a gamor at the end of the first pedican conditional. You need to learn because if you don't learn, how would you know what to do and how to do it and how important it is to do? So we learn because without learning you would never know what it means to be a good Jew, how to be a good Jew. But we also believe that in a totally spiritual level learning Tyra will open your heart and it'll bring you closer to aesh bu tora is the word of aesh bu. Tora is not just like any other general study. It's not like science or geography or social studies or anything else. Tida is the word of the creator. It is the word of aes to has intrinsic kusha. So when you learn to it brings you closer to a in a totally supernatural spiritual way. So there are two different levels and two different realms in the mitzvah of tal. The more important one is are most of the boys familiar and fundamental in Russian kesh I don't mind if somebody translates the more fundamental mitzvah of is to understand what is the path we need to tread. And what are the deeds we need to perform? Was that a good translation? >> So that is the most important part of that is why it is important to learn those that are part of our daily life. You need to learn the of shabas of the of but you also need to learn how to learn. You need to develop the skills of tal to know how to learn how to analyze a sugmental argumentation in the Talmud. How do we go from there to reach a conclusion? How you break down a how you analyze the different opinions and what are the tools? What's the mechanism of reaching halic conclusions? And that is primarily why yes are here. It is not only to teach you the basic laws but also to develop the tools you should be able to learn for the rest of your lives when you leave the yeshiva because none of you is going to be here forever. We always hope that you're going to stay connected forever. But the limited time you spend in a yeshiva, we try to help you develop your skills to keep on learning, understand how to analyze and how to go from the most fundamental sources up to what we define as how we actually need to be good Jews. So there are two two different levels in the precept in the mitzvah of the more important one is to learn what to do, how to do, why to do to learn what it means to be a Jew and why it is such a privilege and why a Kesha decided to choose us amongst all the others and what does it mean to be a chosen people. It's a privilege, but it's no less a responsibility than a privilege. It is not only a privilege shows us not only to give us candy, to give us ice cream, to give us gifts because in the vast majority of what we learn in the it is not about what we get. It is about what we give and what a keshb expects of us and what he demands from us. That is far more obvious in the what's our part of the deal. Our part of the deal is not mentioned a lot. What is far more stressed is what are we expected to give and that is what it means to be a chosen people. So I just try to share with you and explain why learning to is so important and out of the entire package whether it's 613 or 400 or 300 or 200 mitzvah what reigns supreme and what comes first is learning ta so I'm happy to see you all here and I think you made a great choice when you decided to come to or last week was the oversight of the orame of and Thursday night it was publicized. I gave a sh about the teaching the philosophy the of the was the love in Dinsk. Vinska is a town in uh >> Latia >> Latvia one of the three Baltic states and he [clears throat] was there for 40 years and he was one of the most original gadilla most of the one of the most original thinkers in the last 200 years. One could say he was a giant in so many ways. And I never knew why the founder of this magnificent yeshiva that sad why he chose to call the yeshiva or I have no idea. I don't think he was a tal of the I don't think he ever was in Latvia but I never knew. But it's a great choice. Maybe the name is so appealing or means a light of happiness. Is that a good translation? >> More or less light. Is light. But what a kadesh expects us to see in Tyra is happiness because the to has two facets. Some people are horrified, terrorized, afraid because when you become aware how much expects of us, you never really have a free moment. It's all day and all night, 24/7, 365 days a year. You never get a break, you know, cuz never says, "You know what? Take a break. Next week, you don't need the davin, you know. No, you never get a break." So the only way really to appreciate is to develop a love of toyra and to appreciate the beauty of a Torah life, the beauty of a toy way. So a few weeks ago we read I think it's a what does await from you? It is only the only to fear to love to perform all his mitzvah to go in all his ways really and the person says what does he expect you know all he expects is love fear follow his ways perform all his muses that's quite daunting you know is it and actually ask is it autis says oh this might be embarrassing I hope I find the pic right away. So [snorts] miracle found it. What does it from you? Follow all his ways. Love him. Serve him with all your heart and all your soul. It should be good for you. And if you will appreciate and feel all wants is to make you happy. All wants is you have a lovely life, a life of blessing. And if you will develop that feeling and appre appreciation, nothing is hard. Nothing is hard. Probably one of the most fundamental wrongings, urges in the human condition is most of the kids are from America, right? >> So do you know the expression the pursuit of happiness? The founding fathers in America defined the three fundamental rights of every human being. life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. The pursuit of happiness. So the P is so simple expect dol and you will appreciate that the happiest person in the world should be a bed t recently I was in America and I had a meeting with a person he was introduced to me I was told he's a billionaire when I came to see him he made a condition don't talk to me about money I wondered so what does the person think I want to talk to him about about the weather about sports I mean if I don't he doesn't want to doesn't want me to talk with him about money so why would I want to come to see him but I went anyway because I felt if a person doesn't want to talk about money it might be even more important to meet him so I went to see him we had a very nice conversation and he asked me how many children do you have? And I said, I have seven children. How many grandchildren? A bunch. And then he sigh and he says, I have four children, a boy and three girls. None of them are married and I don't even know whether they want to get married. And then he says, "My dream is to have a grandchild." And he doesn't know whether that dream will ever be fulfilled. And I think to myself, come and go from America on the door there will be all kind of signs and plackets from my be waiting for me. And I'm going to bring some little chachkas, some little gifts to make them happy. I cannot imagine a more gratifying, a more beautiful life and a shabas table with your family. How beautiful, how how how uplifting and I must say every time I give a share I I enjoy it. I like it a lot. So if any of you boys want to choose a profession uh it takes a bit of effort but try to be a rasha try to be a mag. So I have a few to meet them that are tour guides and they the tourists we take around are so enthusiastic you know they see things they never imagined they see but to me it's the most boring job in the world he said I've seen these places a hundred times I give the same speech every day I would much rather sit at home I taught a sugi a hundred times and every time I go over It it seems to be new and there's always something new to see. I think I have the most exciting job in the world. I once said a definition, who is a lucky person? A lucky person is the guy getting paid for things he would do anyway. A guy getting paid for things he would do anyway. So if I would would w get the lottery $500 million, what would change in my life? Would I still be coming to Oros? Probably yes. Don't tell Rabbi Schiller. [laughter] Would I would I stop giving shim? No. Would I stop my writing and my publishings for him? No. What would change in my life? Very little. I would like to buy a house in your shell for each of my grandchildren, but $500 million wouldn't be enough to do that. [laughter] So, so I'm a lucky man. I'm a man getting paid for things he loves to do. And that's my broker to all of you. You're in a great yeshiva. Thank you for this book. You're here. Take advantage of every moment. And when you leave the yeshiva, make sure that the yeshiva doesn't leave you. Have a great year. Sha, we have time for a few questions. >> What should we take away from the fact that it rained? [snorts] >> Prepare a raincoat next time you want to leave the yeshiva. I don't know. I don't know. I don't see any special significance that it rained at a certain date. Fundamentally, I need to apologize. I'm not a mystic. I'm more of a rational person. When it rains, you thank for the rain. When it's sunny, you thank for the warmth for whatever gifts he gives. What's the difference between ordinary Jew? There is no ordinary Jew. Jews are never ordinary. Every Jew is unique and every Jew is precious in his own way. In his own way and we need to see the unique beauty in each and every Jew. But fundamentally when you ask what's the difference between an ordinary Jew and a great Jew? The difference between an ordinary person and a greater person. I mean how do we define greatness? That is the fundamental question. There are many ways to define greatness. To us being great is being good. Not being talented, not being powerful. Being great depends on which world you live in. If you're a boxer, you know what being great means? You could kill other people. If you're a teacher, being great is having the talent to teach. If you're a scientist or a physicist, being great means you have a great mind. If you're a Jew, being great is being good. coming closer to aeshbu doing good for people and being great means being good and benad >> should or any Jew strive to rid themselves albeit gradually of western influence. >> Much of western culture is totally detriment to Jewish values. On the other hand, some of western culture is based on what the modern world calls defines as Judeo-Christian ethics which come first and foremost from our tyra. The Rambam was very hostile to the zora he was were even more hostile to atheists. So how does one define western culture? Western culture is detrimental to Jewish values, especially what we define today as universal ethics which goes totally against what we believe in in so many different areas which I don't really need to elaborate on but uh western culture is also based on decency on moderation so we don't need to categorically reject get all of it. But we need to find our ethics and values and cultures and our tyra and our tradition. It doesn't necessarily mean that we need to reject everything else, but we need to be thoroughly steeped in what the teaches us and what teach us and what our Muslim teaches. What does it take to become a great Torah scholar? And how do we deal with the the physical um like as compared to secular studies, Tor study takes a lot out of you. What's the best way to deal with it? >> [snorts] >> What it takes primarily is dedication and devotion and toil. But let us not deny that most of great to scholars were talented people. Not all were geniuses but most of them were extremely smart and talented people. uh but it is not a prerequisite. It is not a condition. You could become a great Jew without being very smart. But if you talk about great to scholars, most of them were bright people. Not all of them would be defined as geniuses. But what is more important is total devotion and dedication and many years of toil and hard work and just learning Bahasmuda. And as I said in my opening comments to us there is intrinsic value in study and not only as a means to an end and to an end to into itself. So in all other endeavors to be a great doctor you need to know nothing about geography and to be an astronomer you need to know nothing about medicine. To be a great Torah scholar, you need to know about so many different suggest. It's not only you cannot only be focused on one suga. So if you only learn, you could become a specialist in Shabas, but you can't really become a POK. You can't really become a guttle. A gle to needs to know so many different areas of Toyota and you need to see a far bigger picture than in any other intellectual endeavor. You you you decide when when we need to stop people here because we're they started already serious. >> Okay. So I have one one or two more and we'll do it here. Two part question. Why does it seem that music study is defined to be outside Torah learning in schools? And if at all, how does being musical assisted youth in elevating their filler, their learning and their experience, connection with >> I don't think music is is is is something we should not pursue. I I could be a bit personal. You know, I am musical, but I never really had time to dedicate to music appreciation. But I have three daughters. One plays the piano, one plays the flute, and one plays the violin. And just yesterday, one of my andaughters starting getting the flute lessons. And in our family, there's a lot of music part of a bas. You know, the levim brought joy into the service of the basos. And the levim played instruments and there were there were vocalists. And I don't think music is out and I think that in many bas there there is some music. The problem is our daughters are expected to bring panosa and music is not really a very profitable proposition society. So, but I think music is very positive and I think music will bring you closer to and it was part of it was part of the Bas. It was a pleasure to be with you this morning and I want to wish you all I we shall all together with and a sha misuka.