How Does Loss Become A Gain והי׳ כי תבוא אל הארץ, ה׳ אלקיך נותן לך Kabbalah Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz

Welcome to our class in we're going to be learning a beautiful mimer from the Rebidic discourse. The name of the discourse is called the Reb said this discourse in that year was the 18th day of the month of in the year 42 years ago. So again theic discourse is based on the verse where it says it's going to be when you come into the land that God your god is giving to you you're going to inherit it you're going to dwell in the land. So brings from the beginning of the para that says that's what the verse says in Psalms come let's prostrate ourselves and let's bow ourselves down to God the one that made us. So the medra says on this verse that Moherenu saw in divine inspiration and he saw that in the future the temple is going to be destroyed and the bikurion the first fruits are going to stop. So he went ahead and he established for the Jewish people to pray three times a day. That's where the med says we know the question that's brought out the different discourses in what's the whole what's the connection between praying three times a day in the first fruits question number one he'd like to add what is the medra says that they should pray every single day seemingly if the reason for prayer is to replace the first fruits the burim the bikurim is not brought every day they have it there it has a defined time when it's brought and Because besides the fact that all the details in the obligations and limitations of when you can bring the first fruits because they didn't they weren't obligated to bring the first fruits until after seven years of conquering the land and seven years dividing up the land. Besides that time to bring the the the first fruits which basically is from until Kaneka. So if that's the case, why or the prayer is established three times a day when that's not when the time when the when the first fruits are brought to understand this he'd like to give an introduction the whole idea of the first fruits in general is called the first like it says the first of the of the bikurim are the fruits of your land and when you give when you give your tithing and you give your parts that belong to Hashem. So the first fruits to beim come before the actual truma the the regular tithing and like it says clearly in the you can't go ahead and give one before the other. There's a process there's a procedure. In other words, first you give the the the the first ones and then you give the trum the tithing and you can't go ahead and give the trum before the bikurim. So we say it's the first it's literally the first thing that's given. Then by going ahead and giving the vikurim the first fruits and then going ahead and giving the true tithing that's how you exempt the whole the the whole the garden of of fruit that that becomes kosher through giving the first then the truma. So in other words, therefore the says like this in in the in the the produce that you have there's three components. The first component is the bikurim the first fruits. Then you have the tithing the truma and then you have what's left over. So there's three parts and since you have these three ideas in the world which means you have the bikurim the first fruits that you give away and you have the tithing which is the tuma and then you have what's left over. So obviously it applies in a spiritual level like it says clearly. So looked in the Torah and that's from the Torah he used to create the world. In other words, everything that exists in the world, the source is the way it's on a spiritual level. And the same thing also in the small world of a human being which applies to our spiritual work of Hashem. So based on this introduction is going going to explain and he says as follows. To explain it, he says like this. We know what kazal tell us that there are seven things that existed before the world is created. Seven amongst those seven what what's two of them which we're going to talk about today is tora the toyra existed before hashem created the world and Israel the Jewish people we existed before the world was created but now comes the big debate there's seven things we're going to focus on two and the Jewish people so it says in kazal what came first two or before did toyra come first and then the Jewish people or the Jewish people and then thera and And it's brought down Leo which is brought down in the discourses that that that um I say that the Jewish people came first even before the Torah. So again seven things exist before the world was created. Two of them is Tyra and the Jewish people. Debate which one was first and the Jewish people and no the Jewish people came first. Why? Because the world is like is like the leftover produce. That's what's left over. And there's two things which come beforehand. what comes before and we learned before the burim the first fruits and then the truma the tithing what those on a physical level what are they spiritually connected to that connected to and the Jewish people and like it says clearly in the right in the beginning it says bious in the beginning and so the medra says what does berious mean bases two those two things that what that hashem did to The reason why he created the world was the two things. One was for the ones which is called races and the second thing is for the Jewish people that were called races. So tora is more connected to truma the tithing and let's explain many many places that truma the word truma which is the tithing. It come has the letters of the was given in in in in in in 40 days. However, the Jewish people, we're more connected what to the first fruits like the med says like the first the first of of the of the figs which is referring to the which are called the first and in other places it says the Jewish people are themselves are called. So again, so we're saying is that the the Jewish people are connected to which is the first and the is connected what? Truma and amongst them there's a big difference between the bikurim the first fruits and the truma that you separate the tithing. In other words, just like we learned before that the burim come before the truma. So the same thing also the Jewish people will come came come before the Torah. And the difference in incant between them is that this that the Torah is before the world is like the like the truma the tithing you give before all your produce can be kosher. They know that the tithing has a connection to the leftover that becomes co that that that's left over that that you use. And the same thing also the tyra and this that we say that tora comes before the world. So obviously there's a connection between the terror and the world but terror comes first and more than that that it's this this the fact that it comes first it's a limited coming first like it says 2,000 years before the world was created the Torah existed 2,000 years however the Jewish people we're before like the beur the first the first fruits which obviously it's it's it's before at a much a much higher at a much higher level now just like that you have these two ideas of truma and bikurim in the world. The same thing also applies to our spiritual service of Hashem and like it stood when stood when it said that this that it says that bacious so bacious there's two things that Hashem used to create the world and before he created the world which is before the Jewish people in the Torah and was the creation of the world is that the reason why God created the world so that the Jewish people can go ahead and upkeep the Tory. So what do you see from there? That obviously everything applies on a spiritual level and this is our spiritual work like the famous quote we were created to serve hashem. What does that mean practically? Explains like this. What does it mean giving the tithing on a on a spiritual level that's referring to he said truma is connected to it's referring to our learning tora which that is the be the first which is higher than the physical world. Learning to takes to a whole different level. But nevertheless, learning to is connected to the physical world because toyra constant expression of a lesson. And as we know that the greatness of is it brings you to do action. Tora teaches you what to do and what not to do. So tora is connected to the world. However, the first fruits, what does that mean spiritually? this that the Jewish people connect to the giver of the Tory to Hashem, not only to the comprehension and understanding of the Tyra, but with the fact that we connect to Hashem himself and like it says in that King David would connect to and with Hashem himself and like the language like it says in the Talmud that we before you study Torah, you make a blessing in the Torah. But it's before you learn to with your comprehension with your intellect. This idea of blessing the Tory. What does that mean? That you're mentioning the fact as a giver of the Tyra. Like we say in the blessing, he gave us his and we're focusing on we know when Hashem gives he gives with a good eye. Now this that the Jewish people connect to the Tyra and we connect it to the giver of the Tyra focusing ones. By doing that we actually add into the more than the itself because Tyra you're learning comprehension but when you connect to Hashem you're actually adding into the what does that mean there will understand it the same way it applies when it comes to comes to doing a mitzvah because we find in reference to mitzvah commandments that when a person does a mitzvah and you work hard to doing a mitzvah you actually add to the mitzvah and by going ahead and doing a mitzvah we actually add light on I and like the zya says based on the verse in the Torah it says you shall do them. So actually it says what's written is you but we read it. What does that mean? That when you're doing it you're making because when a a Jew goes ahead and he does a mitzvah you actually adding light on high and like tell us that tells you you should you should help me. In other words, so to speak is helping Hashem by what? else doing or like the verse says now you're going to elevate the power of Hashem which means you're creating greatness and in addition in the level of which is one of Hashem's name and not only but the power of Hashem's name up to the point that they're able to pull down the 13 of compassion and that was in reference to mobu but from mobu comes down to the Jewish people, [snorts] [cough] you [clears throat] know, that by doing our work, we literally add light on high and more than that, we even add in the mitzvah. And like the famous teaching of the maggot of mez on the verse. So the literal translation means the person will do and live by them. But the mag translates the person adds energy in the mitzvah. How? By doing the mitzvah. You're infusing it with energy. In other words, besides the fact that mitzv has energy on its own is it has energy on its own. Mitz have energy on its own and that's why tora is called to the living and the same also commandments a commandment of life but we even add we add to it like the expressional we add life that we add life into something that has life itself it has life but we add life to it and by great righteous people we saw in a revealed way physically that by them doing a mitzvah, they literally infused in the mitzvah more energy. Like the known the famous story that say that when the byto when he would pray so his situs that he was wearing that literally they were shaking on its own and what does that mean? What's the revolutionary idea? You know, even though any Jew that puts on a puts on his mitus and makes a blessing, you're fulfilling a mitzvah and you're adding energy, but they saw it in a revealed way literally in the physical titus and that that that they were they were shaking. So in other words, we have the power to add and you can say that's the whole idea by adding in the mitzvah and that's the whole idea of making a blessing when you do a mitzvah because when you're going ahead and you're blanking a a blessing, you're actually drawing in more energy into the mitzvah itself. So that when it comes to mitzvah and the same thing applies when you learn to that when you go ahead before you learn Torah, you make the blessing that means you're recognizing that Torah comes from Hashem. You're adding energy into the Tyra itself because you're drawing in the giver of the Tyra into the Tyra up to the point that the Tory becomes your your Tory as you know the expression that is called on your name and like just like it says we should remember the it's from Hashem but the point when you learn it it becomes yours because he was went and self-sacrifice so he the got connected to him and this was but he gave every one of us the power that when you go ahead and give your life ara you add inra and the terra becomes yours and that's the spiritual idea of beur the first fruits in our spiritual service that the Jewish people have the power to add in mitzvah from a very high place why because we come before the Torah and that's the whole idea that we make the blessing before we study Torah and you can say this is also that why the first fruits literally is connected with all the blessings. Why? Because what's burim the first fruits that we're adding in the by bringing in Hashem into the Tyra. And how does that happen? By making the blessing on the Tyra and that's why literally is connected to all the blessings. Now this that the the the thought of the Jewish people came before everything like we learned before even before the Tory which is the level of the first fruits that is what the soul is a part of Hashem but however we know that not the whole soul came into the body we have an but not the whole nama came into the body but there's a there's a there's a part of the soul that comes into the body but there's a part of the soul which stays on high. What's that called? That's called maz of the mas doesn't get involved in the body. It stays above the body. And kazal tell us the famous teaching in mazel. The literal translation is the Jewish people don't have luck. But we know the the explanation besides the fact that we don't have mazalot like nations of the world. We're different. But we even have a higher level. And what do we have a higher level with the level of ay a level of infinite which we can't comprehend it and it's hard in comprehension understanding hard in grasping it like it says leak we don't have the power with our thought to grasp it this high level of the soul and it's referring to the mak the part of the soul which hovers over and this level of that is the masle for the you know you know you know what our masle is you know what our luck is that we have the power connect to a part of the soul which is much more infinite. In other words, it's it um [clears throat] it's not a makab which doesn't affect the body but it affects on the body like like kazal tell us even though you don't see it but your masly your part in the soul does see it and this part does affect on on the physical on the soul and the body that there you should tremble. So there's a part that within you that you can connect to a part above you. You don't connect but it does have an impact on you. Now this what has an impact on you which means basically that the namazle affects you. It causes you to be able to be in a level of what I'll say in Hebrew I'll translate total on a level of acceptance. Why? Because we know that when there's fear when there's awe there's trepidation it stops all the blood flowing. In other words, stops the energy and the boiling of the blood and that's the whole power of bal acceptance. However, the intent is that the draw in the the mazal of the soul into the body is shouldn't be where you totally stop operating. But on the contrary, you should serve God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with your all might. And and this that we saying that the the the the mazal which is higher doesn't affect on its own because if the that part of the soul the mazel which is a one a powerful part of of god would be revealed in the body you wouldn't have choice and in fact the story tells us we should choose because then you'll have to do automatically and since hashem wants us to have freedom of choice and know we should do our part so therefore the masle of the soul does not shine in a revealed way in the body. And so therefore, we need to have in order to be able to to draw it in what how do we draw in that part of the soul? That's why we have to pray because by prayer we connect the part which is called the masle in the one that hovers over with the soul and the body. So you have the soul that hovers over the soul and the body and you want to create a connection. The connection happens through prayer. And that's why it says in reference to prayer that it's a ladder standing on the ground and the head is on high. In other words, what's the whole purpose is to elevate the soul on which is in the body to the soul which is out of the body which is called the mazle and then afterwards to bring from the soul which is out of the body from the out of the body which is basically the the the muzzle part. It should come down into the in lower into the body and connected and and connect to the soul and the body. And that's why prayer is called connection because you're connecting the soul from the body with the soul outside the body and the soul outside the body within the body. And like on a literal level, what's the whole idea of prayer? When you ask things that you need, which basically is you're asking for Hashem to give you and then Hashem gives you and that draws it out. So you're you're you're going out to Hashem and Hashem brings it back in. Now how does it how does this happen practically? It happens through the work of prayer. And when you stand with with with kamari with tremendous humility and acceptance to Hashem, you're totally accepting whatever Hashem wants. Just like a servant which is basically gives himself over to the king. And we know the servant of a king is like the king. And as I'll tell us whatever a servant acquired goes to his master and like it's brought down in in different commentaries that the master to begin with acquires it. Why? Because since the servant has has no has no no existence on his own. But when a person stands on this level he's able to connect the masle of a soul which is higher with the soul which is in his body. So based on the says well understand the connection which we originally asked what's the connection with the first fruit with prayer and the answer is because the idea of the first fruit is that the Jewish people came first and but that part's not revealed but in order to reveal it down there ah prayer takes that part that we are first and it's not revealed brings it down to this world and therefore when the the temple was destroyed so Mushman instituted we should pray three times a And the reason why we're praying three times a day even though we like you mentioned before is only brought at set times because there's an expression in Hebrew says when you have a destruction so when you fix it it's even better and know specifically after the destruction and in times of exile there there are super qualities that didn't exist before there's a benefit after destru destruction and like it's explained elsewhere in reference to the sacrifices that there's There's a quality and there's a benefit of of sacrifices today. Why? Because in the times of the temple, who brought the sacrifices? Only the priest. However, today we don't have the temple. So, because of instruction, we have something better. And every single person, not only a priest, could could create the same effect of the sacrifices spiritually by learning Tyra. Because we know that whoever learns Tyra and you learn the laws for example of the carbon law it's as if you brought the carbon law and not only that since they they get they get in they they they carry out through learning Tory so they they get done on a complete level more when it happened when when it when we did it on a physical level and how much that's through learning Tory and how much more through prayer because we know prayer is place of the sacrifices and the same thing also when it comes to the first fruit in the times of the temple. Yes, that the they had the become the first fruits and they they the these three ideas which is connected to the to the priests and the Levites and the Israelites because the because the Israelites is the one that went ahead and worked and he plowed and he brought the the first fruits to the Jerusalem and the the Levites would go ahead and sing praise of Hashem and the will receive it etc. However, today in exile everybody through your prayer you can affect all three and the same thing also not only in a spiritual but also in the world and also in time in space and time that the place for the service of the of the first fruits is today it's not limited but like in the like times in the temple it was only in the beta mikdash and the same thing also in time it's not a certain time of the year but every single day of the year through our prayer and even outside Israel in it's outside Israel even by night up until three times a day we can go create the same impact and that's why it says that the the the the major we have through prayer even in time of exile and we do it every single day. Now besides the fact that prayer is in the place of the sacrifices and um in general and in and and specifically the the uh in in in place of the the first fruits but there's another idea which it brings to the idea of the sacrifices and the fruits fruits in reference what to the future Mashiach is going to come on the contrary then when Msiah comes we're going to have the fulfillment of the mitzvah the command commandments on a on a complete level like it says commit we're going to do then the mitzvah like the will of Hashem [snorts] why because since the whole idea of going down destruction in between so it's it the purpose of the we anytime there's the descent it's because there's going to be a greater ascent afterwards and that's why the end of the prayer so we pray every day and we pray it every single day in the prayers whether it's during the week at Shabbat shah yum kipur what's the last what's the blessing we Ray know it's a difference between the prayers whether it's Shabbat and and uh the weekday is the 12 middle prayers but this blessing which say everybody says a train every single every single day of the week. What's the essence of this prayer which say we ask Hashem to listen to our prayers that we should that he should receive all the prayers the middle prayers. If it's during the week it's the 12 middle ones. If it's in the the shorter ones and we asking we should bring back the the the service in the temple and that we should be able to return back to Zion with compassion that we should have the sacrifices literally in the future with with the building of the base mdash. And the Reb finished off so powerfully he says it should be the will of Hashem that should happen in a real way that Hashem should accept our prayer in in a way of say just like the first ones were with the will saying also saying they should be with the will with the will of Hashem and should be fulfilled what it says in in the medish on the verse when you come and it doesn't um it means literally right right away that we should have we should be redeemed. right away and it's lit literally even especially according to Jewish law and it should happen down here below 10 and like finishes so powerfully gullish literally in our generation. So here you have a beautiful discourse about the power that we have through Torah study and prayer to add light in Hashem and like finishes off. Let's hope and pray we do our part and we have the coming of the Msiah and next class will be have a great and blessed week. Shabu.