A Fire Fix

[Music] hey since we've started the second of the five books of Moses each week we've only had a one-word title for the Torah portion and this week we have a to work title teeth sisa neither of that mean those two things Hashem showed my poin of fire the weight of a half shekel telling him like this is what the people should get now giving this half shekel was to be part of our atonement for the sin of the golden calf and this fact was quite perplexing to my chef Misha was puzzled as to how our sin which came about through being overly engrossed in materiality can be atoned for with materiality isn't that like trying to put out a fire with a hose that sprays more fire hello I don't think that was the example that Moshe gave or if my she gave any examples but Hashem answered him through fire the fiery coin showed my sure that yes materialism can't solve its own problem itself but when we use our material possessions with a fiery passion with the fiery flame of our soul for God with a holy purpose this indeed rectifies the problem because now the passion is not for the crash course materiality but for God because the point is not to become ascetic and remove materialism from the picture altogether the point is to use the material we were given to engage with the physical that we live it for God to reveal godliness in this world that is the entire purpose of creation and although this is very practical I'd like to end with a perhaps even more clear application of this but first I think it's important that you enjoy a good dose of don't-ask productions randomness [Music] we often struggle to do the right thing and even have to put up a fight just not to do the wrong thing you know like I'm just trying to be a good Jew here love my fellow bring light and love and goodness in the world reveal godliness but then I've got this evil inclination business and not only is this evil inclination trying to cool the fiery passion of my soul but the evil inclination works to make me passionate about things that I really shouldn't be passionate about my dear friends recognizing this and dealing with this may indeed be why you exist may we push forward and keep doing the right thing even if we don't feel that fiery passion and even if God forbid we feel a passion to something else completely which is normal we will think ourselves for moving forward even when we didn't feel like it please God may you reveal now how the evil inclination that you have made is itself pushing us to do our best and helping us to do what we know we must now [Music] okay whispering he's not answering the phone so we're gonna have to send them a recall or evening or a nice online so I can't call the client doing you a favor you don't want don't answer me goodbye Naphtali goodbye you and goodbye Harry goodbye Sarah and goodbye [Music] what you weren't saying you're supposed to hit right away oh no it's good enough it's cool it's just perfect you're amazing you know that you're amazing you know that you're amazing you know [Music]