Rabbi Mordechai Kraft - Creativity, Individuality, & Torah

an announcement that this was brought to my attention that there's a young man who is 28 years old who has cancer and he has to go to a different country for treatment so this cost is very expensive to do this and it's a lot for his family we're trying to raise for this person $20,000 in a three-week time so it would be a great mitzvah if anyone could participate and offer a few dollars it's something that we could all have the merit of big part in to help this individual achieve health from this terrible illness and mr. sham in the merits of everybody's charity and helping another person who is in a difficult situation and has this illness we should all merit that we should not suffer from this illness or any other one support if anyone wants to put some dollar a dollar or two dollars everyone to put up some money to that you're welcome to okay and that's been number two is we have a lot of programs this summer happening we're going to Israel we have programs in America there's a lot of opportunities to learn and take advantage of summers and any vacation you might have so keep posted we're sending out emails with lists and with all sorts of dates great programs we're doing a program in Israel to programs in Israel we took a program in California we're doing a program in upstate New York week summer two weeks whatever time you have we can even help you make a program if you want to certain places so let's take advantage of all the opportunities speak to me speaker i Bruton Burke speak to our and if you're interested speak to my saw and number three for the boys and Shavuos we're going up to Orson male what Ruttenberg is gonna be taking a group to spend shiva welt at the shiva in Muncie awesome ass the guys who went with him last year enjoyed it tremendously it was a great experience they stayed up all night learning the god of the environment and atmosphere of real Torah so anyone who wants to do that we encourage it very highly it can be a beautiful time we're gonna have meals we have singing we're and I'm learning it's gonna be a great experience right Ruttenberg is gonna company everybody okay so in this Schwartz night it's the 22nd of May a week from this Tuesday Tuesday night okay good tonight's topic is the interesting topic I call being an individual being creative in a toy life now I just want to tell everybody a little story that one time a long time ago I was in Europe and I was in a city called Amsterdam in Holland and I was in the bus station the train station excuse me I was in the train station and this guy comes over to me in the train station and he says to me is where you from so I said America so I looked at and I said I said where you from and he looks back at me and he says nowhere so I said said nowhere what did you know what do you mean nowhere he said I'm a citizen of the world hmm I don't believe in governments I don't believe in nationalities I don't believe in artificial boundaries imposed on mother earth I'm a citizen of the world so I said okay oh okay nice they looked at me he said do you have any spare change you have any extra money and I said I guess biggest citizen of the world doesn't pay well and he didn't get it but okay I gave him a dollar something but I did learn something from the experience that sometimes a person in life can desire and crave so much to be themselves to be an individual to be different not to be run-of-the-mill that they can go to such an extreme that they can end up running around European train stations claiming to be a citizen of the world you got a whole make a whole new system up I don't belong to a country that's so different I want to be I'll taste something the reality is that this person isn't really so far from the truth because there's something inside every human being that craves to be themselves the craves to be unique that wants to be an individual does not want to be like anybody else and I think intuitively we know that we look at our faces in the mirror and we understand that our faces are different and our rabbis tell us just as our faces are different the inner side of who we are different our souls are different and that's why in Hebrew the word for Pauline which means face is the same word as ponine which means your inside could just as your face is different on the outside your inside is different and we know that about ourselves and we feel very very saddened in life and very disappointed when you can't be who you are if you feel that you're gonna be like everybody else it feels pointless we have to be individuals we have to be creative we have to express these ideas now where do we see this idea so beautifully expressed number one we see it in two words that we use all the time we talked about the eight sir Hara and the eights are hot 12 what's the translation of yetzer Hara evil creation what's the translation of ear Tartu the good inclination why is that translation that Danny offered why is that translation totally wrong what does it really mean yet so hurry head to toe nice idea but let's get more exact what if the word Yates I mean in Hebrew guys and girls the word Yates er means what Lutz or in Hebrew means to create we have two competing creative drives inside of us we had the drive that wants to create connection to God that's called the it's our Tov and we have another drive inside of us that's so badly wants to be a creator we'll even go so far as to think we're the Creator will deny God let's call the authorities you're the Creator what any God for but there are two competing drives inside the human being to create to create to be an individual to be unique to be like God just like God's our Creator we want to be a creator and that's why in life that's what we want to get married the need to get married the real spiritual sublime urge to get married is an urge to resemble God by being a creator being a creative physically by being children into the world and being a creative spiritually by building a place whereby you could have a resting spot for God by building a home you want to create a place to bring God deeper into the world that's really desire to get married we want to resemble God by being creators so the drive to create by definition if for creators your creation can't be my creation it means by definition that were unique in individuals and this is so important to know now sometimes in life we get frustrated why do we get frustrated we get frustrated because we look at the Torah and we have 613 mitzvot and we all seem to have the same things to do we're all keeping the same cache were all eating at the same restaurants and shabbat were pretty much doing the same thing i'm Pesach we're eating the same matzah and Sukkot we're sleeping in the same suit car eating in the same cyka we're all going to the shul and hearing the same Torah we all seem to dress alike right you know you look at us rabbis from a distance and you know like you know why I'll trust away all the same white the Blues that are the blacks like you know where's the individuality what's going on you talk about being different you talk about being individual creative but we're all the same we hope to the same thing and yet it's so fundamental to the human being to be unique and to be an individual and to be creative so what I'd like to teach you tonight as to how to really be creative there had a really discover who you can be in the right way just tell you one quick story I had a very great teacher in Jerusalem very great rabbi and in the early 1970s late 1960s he started a yeshiva in Jerusalem for belly Trueba and at that time the ballet chuhwa who were arriving in Jerusalem tend to have very long hair right I won't show you pictures but I look like when I was younger but that was the style like John Lennon you know long hair men down to your bag that was the stuff so this one guy comes to Jerusalem and he had very long hair way down to his back and he gets picked up at the wall and he ends up for a Shabbat meal at this yeshiva in Jerusalem so the teacher of my mind of mine ends up sitting down with them and having a conversation he says to me I asked you a question he said why do you have such long hair so he said I think it's beautiful so my teacher who was very honest and straightforward he said I think it's ugly the guys like what he said then listen come on you can't really think your hair's beautiful so long like that tell me the truth why do you really have long hair the guy says rabbi you really want to hear the truth why I've long hair I'll tell you I really have long hair like this because I'm a rebel I'm rebelling I'm from America I'm from a society with just values money in values getting a house and a car and values just getting ahead in your business and your job and then having children so they can get a house and a job and thought off children they get a house and a job I love all I'm living for there's such conformity everyone is the same it's like living in a cookie cutter and so by having long hair this is my way of rebelling so my teacher Reb Yaakov Rosenberg's itself he looks at him imagine he's a rabbi there with you know long beard and black hat and looks at me says - let me tell you something I'm also a rebel the guy looks at him yeah and so my teacher says - I'm also a rebel I'm rebelling against a world that denies there's a God a world that thinks that this world is all there is a world that thinks if you go after your passions and your desires that's what life is I'm rebelling against a world of falsehood and looked up the guy who says to him come with me I'll teach you how to repel without long hair as I said all of you come with me I would teach you all the rebel without long hair we're rebels why are we rebels because of the need inside of us to be create a dove and to do what we have to do to bring out the real awesome we just can't follow everybody else and you're following everybody else you're not fully human that's why by the way in Hebrew the word for something that is dead it's called dumb name and the word for something which is similar is dumb now you hear the same sound the name is dead and doormat is similar why because if you're similar to everybody else you're dead if you're gonna be like him you're gonna be like her there's no purpose for you God didn't critically nique souls just to be the same no way we have different faces we have different internal makeups and we have to discover how we can bring out something unique that no one else can bring out now the question is how do we do it one option of course is we could go and pretend that we're citizens of the world you know and create all the system of life or maybe we could create a whole new system of government called communism which denies God also right all we could go off on some you know farm somewhere and meditate all day you know like oh we could do it the way the tour instructs us that really find that individual side of who you are and we explain that to you right now but they do it it's not me it's the tart speaking gotta take you through the time here we go next week on Tuesday night we're gonna relive the event of receiving the Torah at our scene I now listen what happens when God speaks to Moses in preparation of the Jewish people receiving the turn listen to the words that God says to Moshe obey no he says his father's he says them for yo my shovel motion sham sister Moshe he neighbor home I know him by Aloha I'm going to come to you but I've or none and it's thick cloud but avoid yeesh my bowdabra in order that the whole nation should listen to my words eMac with you the GaN bhai Amina Leola and that they should all believe that you're to be my profit for yagi Moshe Stephen Amell ahem and Moshe response tuition so Michelle comes to Moshe and he says Moshe listen I'm gonna be revealing myself to the entire Jewish people why because I want them to realize Who I am I want them to realize it's your to be my prophet which is very interesting by the way you know we know that we know that in Judaism God doesn't speak to one person God speaks to the entire Jewish nation right with five million witnesses who witnessed God's Word which is very unique because in any other religion it's always God speaking to one person Christianity God speaks to Jesus his love God speaks to Muhammad Mormonism God speaks of John Smith in New Hampshire Judaism God speaks to 5 million bubbies and Sadie's five million Savas and softest all four witnesses who relate down at the next generation with the experienced so God says to Moses number one Moses Moshe I'm going to be speaking to the entire Jewish people and other things should see that you're my prophet not that you're going to tell them that you're my prophet what that they are going to see and hear and feel and experience me and they did the whole Jewish nation experienced it and it was an awesome awesome experience it says that when God revealed himself and said I had to load your God it said that all the Jewish people died on the spot why is that because the soul burst forth from the body and wanted to cleave to God God had to make a miracle and resurrected it was an awesome experience of God's revelation but there have to be like that because when God gives his word has to be done the most perfect way the most perfect way has to be that every body yes think about that's very important by the way that's what makes Judaism different than any other religion the God speaks to the entire entire Jewish nations keep that in mind it's very important to always remember that point now what happens over here so Hashem says to Moshe Moe should go down the mountain now let him speak to the people the key - to my Yamaha car and have them prepare themselves today and tomorrow keep Susilo son watch the clothing and go to the mikveh now how you a new herd in the amish lishi being ready for the third day could be over actually she gyro - Emily Nicola marsinah because on the third day from now a Shem says to Moses that he's going to come on har Sinai and give us the Torah revealed himself the whole Jewish nation give it all now listen carefully to these words embody these words are very very important God says to Moses the youma show emotion let him go down the mountain prepare yourselves if you're gonna receive Torah God is gonna reveal himself you have to prepare right if you're taking a test in school you have to prepare if you want to do well in anything got to prepare you want to be ready to receive God you have to prepare so he says the nation's start preparing the key - to prepare yourself now what is he say prepare yourself hey yo will no car today and tomorrow but keep sushi blow some go to the mikveh by hearing the cone in the amish lishi be ready for the third day from now now if i told you here if i said ok today is thursday night what's in today's Friday from counter I said God's coming on the third day from today what do I mean let's see Friday Saturday Sunday the Thursday night but it's already today Friday right in fact they've got coming the third day from now what they do I mean let's see Friday Saturday Sunday right this what it says God will come how you decoding the us-russia be prepared for the third day from now keeping your Ashley she because on the third day yay reddish emanating Aquila God is going to come down the mountain God is going to speak to all of you reveal himself to all of you on the third day from that what day is that it's Friday Saturday Sunday fine it's clear is God instruct it is God's instruction very clear is there any doubt in what God meant if God tells you is coming on the third day are you gonna be late are you gonna be there I'm gonna show up yeah I think so so listen to this listen carefully these words so Moses commotion comes down the mountain the year in motion in a heart this remember this is before the receiving the Torah the you read motion in a heart motion comes down for the mountain I'm to the nation the condition surrounded him to see most of the nation's already begun preparing for yo Morel arm and he says to the people hey you know chronium the slushious young men prepare for three days I'll take shoe Elisha men and women husbands and wives separate here I just said I said again no men great again please over Moshe comes down the mountain he says the people is it careth everybody how you knew conan prepare lucius your name for three days if I tell you to prepare for three days ones got coming the fourth day wasn't right she says Rashi says one more time right she says hey Nicole of the show she's jung-min the sotius yummy to the end of the third day what's the end of the third day when does the day begin at night the day begins at night that's the fourth day who younger ve this is the fourth day hosts if motion ever had me die to a rabbi say in the gomorian shabbat moshe added a day on his own from his own mind ho Sefolosha young Akkad b.title can then Isis everybody question does this make any sense this is one of the big problems it's a very important problem in time God comes down he says to Moses listen Moses prepare for three days soon as we prepare for the third day which means to prepare for two days I'm gonna be here on the third day let's say so he says it's today tonight prepare for the third day Friday Saturday Sunday I'm coming to reveal myself on the third day Moses is fine he comes down the mountain he gathers all the Jewish people together we're all sitting here he says to the Jewish people he said to them for you know I just spoke to God I had a conversation with him he's gonna come down he's gonna reveal himself to all of us prepare for three days he's coming on the fourth day what good what God just said prepare for the third day Moses comes down the mountain and says prepare for three days God's coming up the fourth Moses do such a thing I mean is that crazy you know imagine you know it's I don't know the president of your college says to you look I want to meet you the third day from now so what do you do step call me the third day you decide come on the fourth you're not gonna store on the fourth day I'm here and look see women tonight a to come to the third day I changed my mind you know I totally better for me to come on the fourth day hope you don't mind would you do that the president of your college would you do that how could Moses do that to God God said prepare for the third day I'm gonna come and reveal myself the entire Jewish nation on the third day from now and Moses come to the mouth and he says the people prepare for three days I decided that God should come on the 4th it doesn't even discuss it with God how could Moshe do such a thing dear the problem everybody is that a problem we bothered by that would you do that I don't think I would do that how come oh she did that I mean if God says the third day from now I'm going to come and reveal myself and the whole world is gonna shake and we give the Torah and I changed my mind god I've changed my mind I don't think you should come to the third day I think you should come on the fourth day that's what the words say Moses comes down the mountain he says the people hey you the phone in the show she's young men prepare for three days I'll think surely you should don't separate your husband and wife for three days and Rashi says guys coming on the fourth so what is going on how could that be if God gives an instruction I'm gonna be the by the third day how could Moses change God's Word and that's what a rabbi say a rabbi say sure hosts if Moshe young at heart need item Moshe added another day of preparation from his own mind from his own opinion and he's praised for guess what he's praised for it and it says that there are three things that Moses chose to do that he's praised for the God never instructed them to do one of those three things you know what they are this is one of them they added a day of preparation without consulting God first another thing is that he broke the tablets when he came down the mountain in the story when they receive the Torah they received the Ten Commandments people went down Moses went up for forty days but people thought Moses was dead the sultan the satan made moses looked like he was flying dead over the mountain people panicked and they built a calf the golden calf his calf was supposed to be at a intermediary a means to connect up to God Moses comes down the mountain he sees them worshiping or dancing around this calf he takes the tablets the Torah the loo coat and he smashes them God never told him to do that but he chose to him and God praises him forth and number three he's praised for separating from his wife that we know the story that Moshe chose to separate from his wife Zipporah not to live with her anymore and he's criticized by Miriam for that Miriam says listen Moses what are you doing Abraham didn't do that to Sarah Isaac didn't say provide for rifka Yaakov didn't separate from Leah and Rocco do you think your holier than that what are you doing and Miriam of course is severely punished for that and she gets a lot she gets a lot for speaking Russian out of that Moshe and this the whole episode over there apparently Moshe did the right thing because he knew you always have to be able to speak to God at any point did that we have to see in a certain level of holiness so he understood for him that was the right thing what's that you have to be what colors or colors whatever that means certain type of to may have to avoid okay but this is the question I have to answer I have to ask everybody questions like this and this is very important question what gave Moses the rights what gave him the right what gave Moshe obey know the right to change God's Word I mean talk about creativity right talk about being an individual God tells you what you I got something to do the third day well it says fourth day God doesn't tell them just don't the people I've cited God's coming up a fourth thing I get this legend think it's crazy I mean talking about being an individual but that's taking it too far so what's going on over here how could Moses just do that good we got the question you know I learned a long time ago coming very from a teacher said to me the most important tool in teaching the most important trick in teaching anyone's teacher steinem a teacher most important trick and teaching is that people have to be bothered by the question you're asking there's nothing more irrelevant than the answer to a question that someone's never asked so he said to me the trick in teaching is everyone has to be bothered by the question you can't move until everyone is aching from the question that they're bothered you know they can't live until I get an answer that question is everybody with me right now can you live to hear to answer this question okay let's answer the question it went so next week is okay just testing let me take you to the answer and listen to the answer and we'll learn something tonight that's gonna give you a you so the foundation for understanding Torah in a deeper way than I think you've ever understood it before listen to this when God first instructs Moses he says to Moses that he wants the people to prepare and he's coming on the third day listen to the language listen carefully sorry to make everybody think you have to think you're my class you got to think right I don't just tell your funny stories I don't just say jokes I gotta think my cause I think it listen think listen to the words when God speaks to Moses listen to what he sense for your my Hashem emotion Shem says the motion let hella motion should go down to the people he dashed them have them prepare themselves now listen carefully hi y'all on my car today and tomorrow keep Susilo son immerse themselves in the mikvah bhai you know hood in the amish lishi and be prepared for the third day motion of a know heard something in that little speech which caused him to stop and pause and wonder and say why is God speaking to me in such a strange manner what's strange about little speech God made yeah okay then won't have it started yet damn I'm started preparing yet this is a good it's a nice guess though but listen carefully the words everybody Shem system Moshe Nikolai go to the people Kadosh them prepare yourselves how y'all will my heart today and tomorrow and be ready for the third day what's kind of awkward about that speech ya mean what do you mean interesting when God says to Moses he says to Moses Moses I want you to tell the people prepare hi y'all today we'll work hard tomorrow and be ready for the third day prepared today and tomorrow and be ready for the third day Moses stop this is wait a minute God you're capable of speaking very precisely when you want to so why don't you simply say prepare for two days about coming up a third why are you saying the strange language of prepare today and tomorrow simply say prepare two days do you hear that God spoke in a very strange way and Moshe stopped and listened and he heard the words he said wait a minute God is saying something here God's not simply saying prepare for two days I'm coming in the third God says prepared today and tomorrow and I'm coming on the third day so Moses oh god what what why don't you just say prepare for two days what's this today and tomorrow all about Oh see what Moses understood Moshe obey no understood that God was hinting something to him listen to what he was hinting God was hinting that he wanted he really wanted three days of preparation how do you hear that hint in those words today and tomorrow so this is what the Gemara says I'll tell you explain to you when does the Jewish day begin night if God speaks to Moses in the morning let's say speaks to him Tuesday morning it's Tuesday a full Jewish day or half a Jewish thing happens when does the day begin at night right we know when the Shabbat begins Friday night right Friday the night to the morning is the first part about the day to the evening a second part of Shabbat Jewish day which begins at night God spoke to Moses with this command in the morning and he said I want you to prepare today and tomorrow and I'm coming on the third day the listener Moses understood he heard a hint in God's words listen to the hint they hid there like this wait a minute God you want us to prepare today and tomorrow tomorrow is gonna be a 24-hour day right because the day's gonna be been denied and go through the day but today there's only a half a day because we missed the night before so Moses understood that God is trying to tell him that Moses just like tomorrow is going to be 24 hours I want the today to be 24 hours but today can't be 24 hours because we missed the night so we understood what God is trying to say that he wants today to be day one but today is supposed to be tomorrow and tomorrow's gonna be the day after I'm confusing was that let's say it again if anyone got that I'm vivre and it took me a long time to say let's try again it still lost good the family got her right away I'm very impressed listen carefully God could have simply said prepare two days he didn't say that he said prepare today and tomorrow and I'm coming on the Thursday so Moses understood something wait a minute today isn't the full day because we missed the night before but tomorrow will be a 24-hour period so God if you're using in the same sentence prepare today and tomorrow it must be that you want the today to be like the tomorrow well tomorrow is gonna be 24 hours so you want the today to be 24 hours but today can't be 24 hours because we miss the night before so it must be what you want is that the day that you mean is gonna be tomorrow and some more what you mean it's gonna be a day after so we're gonna have today tomorrow and the next day three days guys coming on the 4th don't make me do it again come on I'm talking to before easier I would give up a smart your smile I could get this you could get this do we have it we hear it let's do it one more time and that's it one more time I'll do it again now we got it this time always takes three times okay certainly the more that there was a certain student that his Rebbe had to explain things to him four hundred times until he got it four hundred times sometimes it takes four hundred times not just such a teacher I will give you three times on it here good time God says I want you to prepare today and tomorrow I'm coming out the third day Moses listens carefully says wait a minute God speak straight you know why are you speaking in this funny language if he wants to prepare two days say prepare two days I counted third why are you saying prepared today and tomorrow or must be that you're hinting something to me it must mean that you want a today to be like a tomorrow well tomorrow is going to be 24 hours because you got the nine today but today can't be 24 hours could we miss the night so therefore it must mean that's the today that you want is give you the next day 24 hours and tomorrow that you wanted me today after 24 hours so you'll have the tomorrow the today and now one two three God's coming on the floor beautiful we got it good is that clear on fresh day yes it's just like half the day already past so there was half left so we're not going to count that right once the day began again whatever was morning even doesn't matter whenever he gained again there was a one whole 24-hour day another whole 24-hour a day and then the day which God would go there you go that's there you got that's it because it's very simple because God said this for me I said this oh come on here we go you know we're getting heard about it ok David God David got it please David hang out of the first time you got to even knew what I said before I said here we go that's how it works hey yo moma ha God used this in awkward inelegant funny speech he didn't say prepare 2 days he said prepared today and tomorrow according the 3rd day Moses heard he heard a hint he said he thought himself God he worked on it and he studied it and he walked and he thought and he said God you must be hitting something to me it must mean that really you want us to prepare three days because tomorrow's gonna be 24 hours so you must want to dale's to be twenty-four hours but today can't be 24 hours we missed the night so it must be that today you're talking about is tomorrow and tomorrow you're talking about the day after so we're gonna have today tomorrow the day after they're coming on the fourth so Moses heard those words and he understood that God is hinting that God really wants three days of preparation and God's coming on the fourth now here's the big question here's the big question if God really wanted three days of preparation why didn't he say it and make teachers like me go through this pain and I could speak it out to you we could have been done by now we could meeting sushi I have to explain this to you over and over and over again why couldn't God simply have said Moses prepare for three days I'm coming on the floor what did that bit of simpler why did God have to do it in a way which was so misleading and he had to hint it in a way that Moses had to work out and think about it and therefore we have to understand that's what happened why couldn't God God could speak very clearly if he wants to get to speak very precisely obviously he's the creator of the world why did he express his will in a way which was a hint why did he hint that really he wanted three days but didn't express it explicitly why did he have to hint it why didn't he just say it good question everybody yeah yeah oh it's too special from your hair no it means TVs what it means and this he means what it means sometimes it doesn't mean what it does it means what it means it means I want look I'm coming I'm gonna give you the Torah I'm gonna reveal myself to all of you Jewish people prepare no no no no but the question is philosophically yeah which is white you know God seems to Moses figured out from the strange speech today and tomorrow that God really wants three days of preparation he's coming the fourth question is why didn't God simply say prepare three days I'm table coming on the fourth why did God in tit I wanted to this questions is very very important listen to this think about in your own lives why in our old lives your own lives why do we hint things rather than say things directly why might we hint something interesting you know those there could be certain situations in life for example you might need a ride somewhere but you don't want to ask your friend directly because it might be very difficult for your friend to do it or you might put your friend on the spot and your friend might accept but doesn't really want to so if you want to kind of allow the person to see what you want but you don't want to ask directly you'll hint isn't that true just say like you know I really have to go to Main Street and it's 3:00 in the morning and I it's raining and I don't know there was a murderer you know double you know you might say something like that and your friend will pick up and say like it oh you know can I offer you a ride it's a hope it's not out of your way yeah so there are certain reasons certain times in life why we hint we hid because we don't want to burden the other we want the other to discover what we want and there might be a partner in our decision so to speak and feel better about doing it isn't that true I'll give you another reason in life why we hint for example supposing I wanted I was thirsty and I'm sitting on the couch at home and my daughter Shoshanna who's 8 to stay next to me and I could say two things to Sean I could say Hashanah you know would you mind going the frigerator and pouring me a glass of orange juice and should probably say sure be happy to you know she goes refrigerator you know take the orange juice shake shake shake pours it into a glass brings over to me I said thank you shot us a nice view I dare say as a parent there might at some times be a better way of doing that you know what that might be teach them respect you'll tell them I'm feeling kind of thirsty I really want orange juice you want to see if you have their attention by doing so that's just a oh it's just like interesting right I daresay as a parent there's a better way teaching this why I might stir the couch I might say she's shotty you know you know I I don't know what it is I just had some sushi you know and I don't really thirsty and she'd look at me and say Oh Baba she'd say she's a bird so get a drink yourself know if you want to do it she'd say you know she'd say did she say I hope she was a just a ABBA all you're thirsty you know would you like a glass of orange juice I'd say yeah sounds nice and she's okay let me get it for you so she'd go to the frigerator shake shake shake the arms do stop right pour me a nice glass I'll just put some ice in it put a straw little kids lumping straws and everything hey do you guys get a straw got a straw she begs over to me he guapa why was that a better way of sometimes requesting something for my daughter why is it better way in other words it's one thing if I command them please get me right or would you mind I could say it nicely also but when it's the command it's coming for me if I hint it it's coming from her and when it comes from her it trains her so to speak to be sensitive to the needs of a father to do the Mitzvah cubed on of honoring the father I'm making her as it were a partner with me in the decisions and by making her a partner with me I'm really showing her that I really value her you know sure that she's somebody important I'm training her to look at me and and think about what my needs are and it helps her build the relationship with me all my father I really should do something for him keep it off you know it gets her thinking when you make somebody a partner in the decision the person gets to know you a little deeper isn't that true we have to think about what your needs are so sometimes we hint things in life because we want the other person so to speak to be a partner with us now let me explain something with this understanding perhaps we could understand why God hinted to Moses really he wanted the Jewish people to prepare for three days because receiving toys something very important you have to prepare but he hinted it why did he hinted he wanted moshe to be able to understand really what god's desire is he wanted motion to work and say god you know it looks like you really want us to prepare three days but you don't want to command it you want to come from us when it comes from us it's going to be more a manifestation of love because we're chosen to do it if he says listen prepare for three days it was difficult preparation men a woman to separate but if the jewish people realized wait a minute god doesn't want to command it he doesn't want to make our lives too difficult but what he really wants but we're gonna choose to take it on because we realized this is what God wants and he loves us so much that doesn't want to make our lives difficult she's not gonna command it but it is what he wants when the Jewish people discovered that so they'll accept the extra day of preparation out of love not because it's a burden because they've been commanded because they themselves become partners so to speak with God and determining really what God's will is and it's more out of love so what do we see we see sometimes God hints his will rather than says it directly why because he wants us to be a partner with them and to do things out of love not just commanded to do it because we're in touch with God's will and that's a very deep level of understanding God so with this understanding I wanna explain something to you two things number one you know oftentimes in Judaism just saying Judaism in Judaism Jewish life the rabbi's get bad press what's the bad press that the rabbi's get the bad press the rabbi's get is well God gave us an instruction book called the Torah so why do the rabbi's have to add all these other things to it what are the rabbit's trying to make our lives difficult and miserable you know for example it says in the Torah that you can't write on Shabbat right it's one of the thirty-nine things you can't do in Shabbat you can't write but nowhere does it say in the Torah that you can't touch a pencil I'm over pencil doesn't so this whole concept called Musa it was created by the the rabbis it's called the robot it's the rabbi's so we oftentimes look at all of these laws that the rabbis created and we get bothered by them and we say wait a minute why the rabbi's doing all this the Torah commands things but why are the rabbis adding things the rabbi's the rabbis made it up so all the rabbi's they made everything up why would teach you something I'm deeper than that guy you know we just saw tonight we saw the first time a rabbi added something to God's Word who was that emotion but let me take question did he add to God's Word or did he just listen to god's hints this is the God since many laws that we have which are durable none it's not that the rabbi sat down as or maybe they make notes a new thing no the rabbis in their infinite spiritual connection they're amazing understanding of terror and a Shem we're sensitive to God's words and God's desires and therefore able to hear so to speak really what God is desiring the situation God doesn't want to command woopsy he doesn't want to say you can't touch remove your pencil you can't write with your pencil as a creative act but God doesn't want to command it but he wants us to be sensitive enough to hear that that God really wants that so what the rebutting do when they create laws many of the laws are laws some or many of them are built around hints that God is giving here that works so a lot of the things that we call through Abin on from the rabbi's are based on god's hints it's a very important concept because it gives us a whole different perspective as to what the rabbi's are doing the rabbi's aren't making up the rabbi's are reading god's hints okay so listen that's very important to keep that in mind so whenever one child is you and says hey what are you doing the rabbi has made it up what do you say back nothing then the rabbis will able to listen to God's words carefully and understand that God doesn't want to command everything but something that God wants and then we able to listen to the divine hint and built a whole system of law based around that because God wants us to be partners with them in order that we'll do things out of love not just as we're commanded okay that's point number one point number two and this gets back to the beginning of the discussion point number two is that we see from this a very creative act by motion Albania it says motion of Boehner was Hosts if you yell back hug me tight though meaning Moshe figured it out all right but let me see a question if God hinted it why is it called Moses's law why this thing yeah Moshe was host if you American my date oh god hint in it what do we learn from this about the creative process what do we learn what's real creativity all about what real creativity is all about in anything you like for example this person says listen I really want to create a cure for cancer right so you know I'm gonna do I decided I'm not gonna go to college I'm not gonna go to medical school I'm not gonna go study medicine I'm not gonna be an intern I'm not going to be a resident I'm here to go off on a mountain somewhere and I'm gonna create a cure from cancer based on my own understanding of life what would we say to such a person yeah it's foolish good luck like don't waste your time if you want to really do something deep and something good you have to build it from a system true or even a musician you know if a person likes I was once at the Guggenheim in Manhattan it's easy for Modern Art and I remember everybody was annoying oh very a sculptor called moon Burt like it was a piece of rock bent this way and it was like walking around and looking at different angles I said moon Burt so I went up to and I looked at it and like yeah try and understand moon bird over there yeah over there at was sitting in the Guggenheim the Guggenheim is the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan so I dare say that this person who created the sculptor before he made Warren Byrd he must have spent about 14 or 15 years just learning how to work with clay and learning how to sculpt and make faces and make balls and bake coffee mugs and then he was able to create something kind of unique I like modern art if you like modern art never look at modern art you know sometimes you look at modern art and you wonder like well what's special about it yet there's something special about it but anyone who's able to paint modern art I dare say they spent 14 or 15 years learning how to paint faces and sunsets and fruit balls right on modern music before someone could say look you know I want to Civ piano and create my own music person who wants to do that really well has to spend the first fourteen years of their life studying scales and starting the classical music you know Beethoven and Mozart and Bach and Brahms and then they'll be able to figure out a way to stretch it and move it and and and alter it and create something which is worth listening to and it doesn't sound like your two-year-old one of the piano and just you know meaning if you want to be creative in life the way to be creative in life is you have to build from within a system isn't that true about everything in life Moshe or Boehner didn't awesomely create an act but he did it from within the system he listened to God's words he heard the words today and tomorrow and he took that and he worked on it and he thought about it and from his own creative juices he brought down this idea that really God is saying that I want you to have three days of preparation but today the tomorrow and the day right now that's a creative act when you work from within a system and you discover something from within the system that no one else can see your contribution is gonna be something really meaningful and that's what tor is all about Judaism is all about God is saying to us you have to be creative you have to be an individual but I want to teach you something the only way you're gonna do something real in life and really discover a place where your soul can contribute like no other soul is if you're part of us you don't have to have a system of terror yeah we're gonna learn the same Torah we need ideas I've had a little spiritual line yeah you were all gonna come walking I have to feel a Dobbin right because we need to have the reality of God in the world through prayer we're all going to be involved in doing acts of Cresson and kindness because we all have to develop the reality that God exists in every other human being but you know what once we've developed that reality the way we contribute and do each one of these mitzvahs or any much that we do is going to be totally entirely unique because our soul is gonna pull something down and out that no one else can see and what we discover is going to be discovered from within a system in other words the person says look you know I don't need a system I'm just gonna go off and create my own religion right good luck in doing something real person says like out of the nationalities I'm a citizen of the world you know good luck and getting anywhere like you'll end up in train stations asking poor college students for money but if a person says I'm gonna take on a life of tariffs which is a system their rules its obligations their ideas I'm gonna take these ideas and I'm gonna get myself in the middle of it but I'm going to discover something from within that nobody else can see I'm gonna do it in a way no one else can do that's a awesomely creative act and you see it sometimes right like you probably noticed every speaker who speaks here I know we all seem to dress the same right we all wear really good-looking suits you know and ties and yet the way we speak and what we speak about although all speaking terror is so different the Torah that I give you comes from my soul the store that rally Gutenberg gives you the car missile so writing sonic gives you from his soul we're giving you a different title because coming from our uniqueness he won't get me aterna we're all doing the same things in life opening up the villain but the way we do it is based on the creative juice that we apply to it and we could bring down any Mitzvah any time way that no one else can do it and what that really means by the way is that anything we do in life is an opportunity to be really creative anything we do we need the structure of life the vision but anything that we do we can figure out a way to do it in a way that no one else can do it and that's why people tell me rabbi you know I'm keeping the 613 mitzvot sooner we keep them all today we don't keep them all today so I'm only applying we have a temple but people say you know probably I keep missing 13 mitzvot it's like I'm doing my job what's the answer that question no it's not they're not that's just the starting point that's just the framework to have a spiritual life but then you have to apply your soul to each Mitzvah in a way that no one else can do it that's creativity and the degree to which we can bring ourselves into the Mitzvah and we could bring God deeper down into that in it's fun or that action there's a function of our creative energy and that means have an opportunity to be creative in anything that you do now it's interesting by the way the word in Hebrew for an artist is an Elan right the word for faithfulness to God is Emunah it's the same root when man means an artist and will not means faithfulness to God name means a mane it's the same word as it being an artist which means that emunah faithfulness to God means that god I want to bring you out in any situation that I'm in but the way I bring it out this could be a function of my own individual artistry my own creative soul and that's real creativity to work on God's desires but for me to bring it out like no one else to bring it out that's something special that's real nothing I'm gonna go create my own cures on my own countries what I'm gonna focus on God structure like Moses did he listened to the Word of God and from the Word of God he was able to creatively to bring out something oils could see that really God means three days of preparation not two that's the creator that because he applied his own salt to it I was able to bring it deeper that's what life is all about life is about being an individual artist an artist from within the system of God's structure and therefore a total lifestyle it's so creative it's the most creative thing we can do it's really creative I'm not gonna wander off somewhere I'm not gonna create my own ideas I'm gonna focus on guards ideas through Tara I'm going to focus on that there's a spiritual nature in this world through prayer I'm gonna see the divine image in someone else through kindness and once I had that vision cleared now I'm gonna find a way to do it all the mitzvahs like no one else can do it my mitzvahs and your mates and your mates is a magnet so you all have our individual artistry that we apply to it and that's why we're saying the word for artists in Hebrew bon the word for faith in Hebrew is and we're not they wrote because the way we bring out God into the world which is mo not faithfulness Trust is all function of the individual artistry of our unique personalities so therefore we'll all do the same thing but we're all doing very different things because we're all applying our unique personality souls talents to the situation to the Mitzvah and if we're dressing the same well it looks like we're dressing the same for the distance could you get up close what do you see you realize that we're totally unique but do unique this is coming from within maybe sometime you usual external you know keep it the same on the outside to bring out the fact that the real the real depth of personality comes from the inside that's the life this life is up being an artist it's about being creative I spent doing things in a way that no one else can do it but for within the structure that God gave us called the time and to end with the words of the cuts go ready if i am i because you are you and you are you because i am i that i am not i and you are not you but if you are you because you are you and I am I because I am I then I am I and you are you [Applause]