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Contents FROM G-D HIMSELF 4 D’VAR MALCHUS / SICHOS IN ENGLISH “FREE YOURSELF FROM DOUBT!” U.S.A 13 THE EDITOR’S CORNER / B. MERKUR 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 [email protected] “THE HUMAN INTELLECT IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE!” www.beismoshiach.org 16 FARBRENGEN WITH RABBI GINSBERG ERETZ HA’KODESH 72915 s"cj rpf 102 /s/, (03) 9607-290 :iupky (03) 9607-289 :xep A CAT’S UNDER-STANDING OF MATHEMATICS 18 FARBRENGEN WITH RABBI TUVIA BOLTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur THE EVER-PRESENT SMILE THAT WILL SOON [email protected] 22 RETURN PROFILE / S.Z. BERGER Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN WHY DID THE REBBE TELL A MOSLEM TO CHECK 1082-0272 is published weekly, except 28 HIS T’FILLIN? Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $130.00 in Crown Heights, STORY / S.Z. BERGER $140.00 in the USA & Canada, all others for $150.00 per year (45 issues), WWW.TRUEPEACE.ORG by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern Parkway, 32 FEATURE Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. Postmaster: send address changes to Beis Moshiach 744 38 THE REBBE WILL FIGHT YOU Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213- SHLEIMUS HA’ARETZ / S. GEFEN 3409. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. YUD-ALEF SHVAT FARBRENGEN IN 770 40 NEWS © Copyright 2003 by Beis Moshiach, Inc D’var Malchus FROM G-D HIMSELF SICHOS IN ENGLISH SHABBOS PARSHAS YISRO; 20TH DAY OF This difference reflects two transform the world into a dwelling SHVAT, 5752 fundamental dimensions of the Torah: for G-d. 1. The Ten Commandments are On one hand, the Torah is “G-d’s will These two dimensions should be recorded twice in the Torah: once in and G-d’s wisdom,” “the Torah and reflected in the way in which every Parshas Yisro, and once in Parshas the Holy One, blessed be He, are Jew studies Torah: The awareness that VaEschanan. Since the Ten one.” From this perspective, the the Torah transcends human Commandments are the foundation Torah is a “hidden treasure,” above knowledge leads to bittul, for the entire Torah and include the the grasp of man. “selflessness.”[261] In a complete entire Torah, it is obvious that their Conversely, however, “the Torah sense, this bittul is reflected in the repetition communicates central has journeyed and descended verse, “My tongue will repeat Your lessons relevant to the Torah as a through hidden stages, stage after sayings,” which is interpreted as whole, i.e., they each represent an stage through the entire set of the follows: “The Torah is ‘Your sayings,’ approach that is vital to our spiritual cosmos until it became and my tongue is merely repeating observance of the Torah in its enclothed in material entities and what You have said.” In this context, entirety.[260] matters of this world.” This process we can also interpret the verse “G-d, The fundamental differences reached its fullest expression at the open my lips and my mouth will between the narrative of the Ten giving of the Torah when the Torah recite Your praise,” i.e., although it is Commandments in Parshas Yisro and was given to the Jewish people as a man who is speaking, what he is the narrative of the Ten they live in this material world. From saying is “Your praise,” G-d’s words Commandments in Parshas that time onward, “the Torah is not in and not his own. “The Divine VaEschanan is that Parshas Yisro the heavens,” but rather the Presence speaks from his throat.” relates how the Ten Commandments possession of the Jewish people. After On this basis, we can understand were given by G-d. Parshas the giving of the Torah, the Torah our Sages’ statement that we should VaEschanan, by contrast, presents must be studied by the Jewish people study the Torah with the same awe, Moshe’s description of the giving of as they exist “souls within bodies” fear, and trembling experienced by the Ten Commandments. They are and it is on the basis of their the Jews at Mount Sinai. For, “the words of Moshe,” and not the understanding that Torah law will be although we are lacking all the open direct word of G-d. decided. Similarly, through their miracles of Sinai, the essence of the observance of the mitzvos, they 260. The importance of both of these thrusts is entity. The above implies that this renewal VaEschanan. accentuated by our Sages’ command that, must be twofold in nature, encompassing 261. This bittul is expressed by the recitation of every day, we should relive the giving of both the lessons of the giving of the Torah the blessings before studying Torah. the Torah and look at the Torah as a new of Parshas Yisro and of Parshas 4 BEIS MOSHIACH - 21 Shvat 5763 experience, that a limited human the Torah’s descent into worldly as, “And G-d related all the following being is perceiving the word of G-d, existence. Because the Torah adapts to say (leimor).” The commentaries is the same. to the modes of existence of our note that the word leimor, “to say,” Conversely, we must also material environment, it has the appears frequently in the Torah with appreciate that the Torah was given to potential to make them into a the intent that the message man as he exists within our material dwelling for G-d.[263] communicated should be conveyed to world, a soul within a physical body. Based on these concepts, we can others. This meaning is not Accordingly, a person must endeavor appreciate the significance of the two appropriate in this instance, for the to understand the Torah with his own different narratives of the Ten entire Jewish people were present at mind and faculties. And when he Commandments in the Torah. The the giving of the Torah. Nor can the achieves this, the Torah he studies is intent be to communicate the considered as his own. He receives a message to the Jews of future measure of authority over the Torah generations, for all the souls of the which he has studied.[262] Jewish people, even those yet to be The account in born,[264] attended at Mount Sinai. These two thrusts are also reflected in the ultimate purpose of Parshas Yisro reflects Therefore, the intent of the term our Torah study: fashioning a in this instance is that G-d gave the dwelling for G-d in these lower the advantage of Jews the power to say the words of worlds. Here, too, we see two direct revelation from Torah as He said them, that the dimensions, that it is a dwelling for words of the Torah studied by a Jew G-d, i.e., a place where He reveals G-d, without an should be “G-d’s word.” Himself totally, as a person reveals The description of the Ten himself without restraint in his own intermediaries. All Commandments in Parshas home. This relates to the VaEschanan, by contrast, were transcendent dimension of the Torah. the Jews heard the spoken by Moshe. This grants a Jew Because “the Torah and G-d are one,” the potential to comprehend the the Torah can reveal His presence in commandments from Torah within the context of his own the world. G-d Himself. limited human intellect and in a Simultaneously, as mentioned larger sense, to make a dwelling for above, the Torah has undergone a G-d within the context of our process of descent, enclothing itself material world.[265] in matters of our material world. This description of the Ten Thus each of the different enables the dwelling to be part and Commandments in Parshas Yisro accounts of the Ten Commandments parcel of our lower world itself, reflects G-d’s speech, granting the possesses an advantage lacking in the causing its very own framework of Jews the potential for their Torah other. The account in Parshas Yisro reference to serve as a medium to study to reflect G-d’s speech. reflects the advantage of direct reveal G-d’s dwelling. revelation from G-d, without an This concept is reflected in the In this context, we can apply our intermediaries. All the Jews heard the introductory verse to the Ten commandments from G-d Himself. Sages’ expression, “One who enters a Commandments, literally translated country should follow its modes,” to In contrast, the description of the 262. This is reflected in the ruling “A teacher is A similar pattern must be followed by every 265. The two concepts, the comprehension of entitled to forego the honor due him.” The individual Jew. He should not endeavor to the Torah by limited human intellect and honor is granted to him because of his rise above the framework of material the establishment of a dwelling for G-d in Torah knowledge. Since the Torah is his, as existence, but to live within that the lower worlds, are interrelated: For the it were, he has the right to forego the framework according to the Torah and, in intention is that G-d’s dwelling be within honor. this manner, transform it into a dwelling the Jewish people. Since the Jews are 263. Conversely, were the Torah not to descend for G-d. essentially one with G-d, they are fit to be to the material plane or not to relate to 264. Similarly, included in that revelation were a dwelling for His Presence and this our way of life, it would be impossible for the souls of all the future converts.

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