This Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen with Rabbi YY Jacobson took place on Motzei Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach, 19 Kislev, 5784, December 2, 2023, at Beth Midrash Ohr Chaim, Monsey, NY. Music by Choni Reis and singing by Choni Goldman.

Talk 1: How can we celebrate at a time of war? Hamas wanted to destroy our Simchas Torah, our joy and resolve. So now we need to be more Jewish, joyous, and united than ever before. The song of Padah Besholom.

Talk 2: Today the powerful idea of the Tanya has emerged&mdash;as for the true essence of every single Jew. Stories from post Simchas Torah 5784.

Talk 3: The contribution of Chassidus teaching a Jew how to live in oneness 24-7, with complete fusion between body and soul, infinity and the finite, heaven and earth. 

Talk 4: The main thing of Judaism is the heart.

Talk 5: How much gratitude we ought to have. The contribution of the Alter Rebbe. What the Rebbe predicted about the security of Israel.

Talk 6: How to be a good therapist.

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Chassidus as a Blueprint to Live with Authenticity, Oneness, Love, and Gratitude

Yud Tes Kislev 5784 Farbrengen

Israel-Hamas War: Time to Discover Our Essence

Why the Obsession with Israel?

I do not see a way of rationally explaining the obsessive hatred to Israel and Jews without the faith that Jews are G-d’s chosen people to make the world a place of goodness and kindness.

The obsession with Jews, a people that does not even constitute a quarter of a percent of humanity, is going on for almost 4000 years. It makes no sense. 500,000 people were murdered in Syria, including tens of thousands of children, and I did not hear of one demonstration. Israel is trying to protect its children from being slaughtered, fighting an enemy that wants its own children to die, so Israel can be demonized, and yet the Jews are condemned.

Traumatized self-hating Jews and anti-Semites even have the chutzpah to call Gaza a Jewish “concentration camp,” when Israel expelled every last Jew from Gaza in 2005. Had the Gaza population not voted in Hamas in 2006 and chosen to spend all its resources to murder Jews, Gaza could have been the Singapore of the Middle East. They blame Israel for having checkpoints, which only exist because without them, there would be terrorists’ attacks on a daily basis. They want an airport in Gaza, so that planes can murder tens of thousands of Jews daily?

The obsession with Israel makes no sense unless you can appreciate the truth that we are G-d’s people. We were chosen to serve as a light onto the nations, a Divine flame lit on the cosmic way, hence we trigger the world in unimaginable ways.

But this is not easy for Jews to accept, even though the world knows it. Virtually every other nation has perceived itself as chosen or otherwise divinely special. For example, China means “Middle Kingdom” in Chinese – meaning that China is at the center of the world; and Japan considers itself the land where the sun originates (“Land of the Rising Sun”). The British thought they were chosen, and the Muslims and Christians of course see themselves as chosen. And they would love hearing it. But when you tell a Jew you are chosen, he says: “Me? Never. I am just a human being.”

Of course, Jewish chosen-ness cannot be racist because Jews are not a race; there are Jews of every race. What is more, any person of any race, ethnicity, or nationality can become a member of the Jewish people and thereby be as chosen as Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Maimonides, or the chief rabbi of Israel.

Can reason alone explain how a hodgepodge of ex-slaves was able to change history — to introduce the moral Creator we know as G-d, to devise ethical monotheism; to write&nbsp;the world’s most influential book, the Bible; to be the only civilization to deny the cyclical worldview and give humanity belief in a linear (i.e., purposeful) history; to provide morality-driven prophets; and so much more — without G-d playing the decisive role in this people’s history?

But we are still uncomfortable. Why did it have to be this way? Who needs this idea that one people is chosen? It seems unenlightened. To suggest that as Jews we are somehow closer to G-d than all other nation smacks of arrogance, elitism, and prejudice.

It’s because we don’t understand what “chosen” means. &nbsp;

The Rebbe’s 1798 Letter

This story takes us back some two centuries ago. In 1798, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of Chabad, known as the Alter Rebbe, was arrested and charged with treason, on the basis of petitions to the Czar by opponents of Chassidism. It was a devastating moment in Jewish history. He could have been given capital punishment, heaven forbid—and that would have been the end not only of Chabad, but of much of the Chassidic movement, as he was its chief defender, intellectual advocate, and most influential figure. After 53 days of imprisonment, he was exonerated of all charges and freed. The event—celebrated to this day on the 19th day of Kislev, this Shabbos December 2 —marked the decisive victory of the Chassidic movement and the onset of a new, expanded phase in the exploration and dissemination of the infinite spiritual depth of Judaism, embodied in Chassidism.&nbsp;

Upon his release, Rabbi Schneur Zalman dispatched a short but powerful letter to all his followers. It is one of the most extraordinary letters one can read. (It is published in Tanya, Igeres Hakodesh, chapter 2). The Rebbe suffered so much as a result of his opponents; they persecuted him and his followers even before the arrest; then came the arrest and his terrifying trial. Yet in this letter, he warns his disciples against any display of haughtiness&nbsp;as a result of their victory. He instructs them not to denigrate,&nbsp;tease, and show disdain to those who craved their downfall.

The letter opens with the verse stated by Jacob in Genesis: “I have become small by all the kindnesses and by all the truth that You have done Your servant.” (This verse appears in the beginning of the Torah section of Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43), which was the Torah reading for the Shabbat preceding the day of Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s release, Tuesday, 19 Kislev, 5759-1798). The Alter Rebbe is perturbed by the obvious question. Why was Jacob humbled by all the kindness he was shown? Why did it not bolster his pride? If G-d gave this all to me, I probably deserve it!&nbsp;

תניא אגרת הקודש סימן ב: פי' שבכל חסד וחסד שהקדוש ב"ה עושה לאדם צריך להיות שפל רוח במאד, כי חסד דרועא ימינא. וימינו תחבקני. שהיא בחי' קרבת אלהים ממש ביתר שאת מלפנים. וכל הקרוב אל ה' ביתר שאת והגבה למעלה מעלה, צריך להיות יותר שפל רוח למטה מטה כמ"ש מרחוק ה' נראה לי. וכנודע דכולא קמי' דווקא כלא חשיב. וא"כ כל שהוא קמי' יותר הוא יותר כלא ואין ואפס וזו בחי' ימין שבקדושה וחסד לאברהם שאמר אנכי עפר ואפר. וזו היא ג"כ מדתו של יעקב... משא"כ בזלע"ז הוא ישמעאל חסד דקליפה. כל שהחסד גדול הוא הולך וגדל בגובה וגסות הרוח ורוחב לבו.

The Alter Rebbe conveys a profound idea.&nbsp;

Who Chose You?

In the Jewish understanding, chosenness leads not to arrogance, but rather to humility. If it were some human king who chose us to be his special people, then your assumption would be correct — we would become elitists. When a mortal power shows favoritism towards a subject, that subject will become more arrogant as a result — the closer you are to the king, the more significant you are, and the more significant you are the higher respect you feel you deserve.

But we were chosen by G-d. And the closer you are to G‑d, the more you sense your insignificance. While being buddy-buddy with a human leader inflates your ego, a relationship with G‑d bursts your selfish bubble. Because G‑d is an infinite being, and all delusions of petty self-importance fall away when you stand before infinity. Being close with G‑d demands introspection and self-improvement, not smugness.

In Judaism, G-d is the core of reality—the entire reality of existence. We are all part of reality, we are all in reality; we are all part of G-d, in G-d, in reality. There is an organic oneness that unites all of existence, all of humanity, all of the cosmos—and that organic unity is what we call G-d. “Hashem Echad,” G-d is one, does not only mean there is one G-d and not twenty gods; it means that G-d is synonymous with oneness. The word G-d is another way of saying that “there is only one.” There is oneness that pervades all of existence. We are all reflections of One reality; One core. We are all manifestations—diverse expressions—of a singular reality.

To be conscious of G-d means to never allow your ego to wrap you in its superficial imagination. “Ego” stands for Easing G-d Out. When I do not realize my true greatness and value, as a reflection of G-d’s infinite oneness, I must resort to my ego to feel good about myself and to put you down. Becoming G-d conscious means that at every moment I need not protect my ego, as I become completely comfortable with my true reality, as an expression of Divine light. The more G-d conscious I am, the smaller I become and the greater I become: On one level I become nothing, as there is nothing but the organic oneness, the absolute infinity of G-d, which pervades all. At the same time—I become the greatest, as my life becomes a full and seamless expression of the higher, unifying, integrating, eternal consciousness of the eternal core of all reality.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Being close to G-d summons you to respect others more, not less. The more G-d conscious, the more loving and charitable you become, as you are aware that G-d’s light pervades every person and every creature.&nbsp;When in the name of chosenness a person becomes bigoted, disrespectful, elitist and arrogant—they missed the boat. When you become aware of G-d choosing you, it eliminates the judgementalism we resort to in order to protect our egos and feel better about ourselves and our place in the world. Your success never equals my failure. I reflect one aspect of G-d, as you reflect another one.

This is the idea of the Chosen People — a nation of individuals who have been given the opportunity to sense G‑d's closeness, hear His truth and relay His message to the world. All agree that it was the Jews that introduced the world to monotheism and a system of ethics and morals that has shaped the modern view of life and its purpose. And it is the survival of Judaism to this day that attests to the eternal value of this system.

Anyone from any ethnic background can convert to Judaism and become chosen. Jewish chosenness is not a gene, it is a state of the soul. Anyone wishing to take it upon themselves is welcome -- as long as they are ready to have their bubble burst. Anyone can join this group of “chosen people” as long as they are ready to experience themselves as nothing…

And that is a Jew.

And that is why so many people loathe the Jewish people.

We have been chosen to teach each and every person alive that each of them has been chosen—to serve G-d and become an ambassador of love, light, and goodness to His world.

What Did Chosen-ness Do To Us?

When I look at our people, I ask myself one question: Has our belief that we are the chosen people turned us into murderous people who feel they have the right to abuse, persecute, target, and annihilate other cultures and peoples who are different? Or has it made us feel responsible to share, give, contribute, and help others? Has the idea of Chosen People turned us into people who are never introspective, or perhaps into the most self-critical and introspective nation on earth? (Often, the worst critics of Israel are Jews!)

The true test of chosenness is how humble you are. Most Jews today have passed this test with flying colors. Their humility is so deep, it doesn't allow them to accept that they are chosen. While most other religious groups are quite comfortable claiming that they are the best, we Jews will do anything to say that we are nothing special. Now that's what we call a Chosen People!

Katonti!

This, explained Rabbi Schneur Zalman, was the hallmark of Jacob. To the self-absorbed person, a kindness from G-d is proof of his own significance and worth.&nbsp;To the spiritually mature person, however, a kindness from G-d is, first and foremost, an act of divine love: G-d is drawing the person closer to Him. And the closer one comes to G-d, the more one realizes one’s own insignificance in the face of the divine infinity.

This is what it means to think as a Jew. When you were blessed with a gift, when you were showered with a blessing—the first instinct of the Jew is: Katonti! I am humbled.&nbsp;

This, the Alter Rebbe taught, must be the response of his followers to the grace they have seen: to become far more humble, authentic, and Divine. To suspend their egos and become channels for Divine oneness.

When we realize we have been chosen, we cultivate a healthy confidence that comes not from ego but from humility. It is about respecting our role as Divine ambassadors for goodness and truth. Then we never duck to the pressure of those who want us to compromise our eternal mission to eliminate evil and cultivate goodness.&nbsp;

(<a href="https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/160993/jewish/Are-the-Jews-the-Chosen-People.htm">My thanks to Rabbi Aron Moss for his article on the topic</a>).

The Meaning of &ldquo;Chosen People&rdquo;

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Why the Obsession with Israel and Jews?

Essay Parshas Vayishlach/Yud-Tes Kislev

Are Jews the Chosen People?

Yud-Tes Kislev Farbrengen Commemorating the 250th Yahrtzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch. Motzaei Shabbos,&nbsp;17 Kislev, 5783,&nbsp;December 10, 2022, 7:30 pm EST, at the Ohr Chaim Shul, 20 Forshay Rd&nbsp;(Tent ג&#39;), Monsey, NY.

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The Message of Chassidus: You Need to Experience Your Greatness 

Yud Tes Kislev 5783 Farbrengen

Yud-Tes Kislev Farbrengen with Rabbi YY Jacobson

Rabbi YY Jacobson lead a Farbrengen for Yud-Tes/Chaf Kislev&nbsp;together with Rabbi Shais Taub, with musical accompaniment&nbsp;by Eli Marcus &amp; Yisroel Edelson. The event was on Wednesday evening, 20 Kislev, 5782,&nbsp;November 24, 2021,&nbsp;at the Ohr Chaim Shul, 20 Forshay Rd&nbsp;(Tent ג&#39;), Monsey, NY.

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We Are Not Bad People Trying to Be Good; We Are Broken People Trying to Be Whole

Yud Tes Kislev 5782 Farbrengen

Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen with Rabbis YY & Shais Taub: Tanya for Our Times

Yud Tes Kislev 5781 Farbrengen with&nbsp;Rabbi YY Jacobson at&nbsp;20 Forshay Rd, in the tent of the Ohr Chaim Shul&nbsp;, Monsey, NY

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Speaking the Language of Our Generation

Yud Tes Kislev Farbrengen

Yud Tes Kislev 5781 Farbrengen

An ongoing series in memory of Reb Yoel ben Reb Refael Nachman HaKohen Kahn. Rabbi Shais Taub and Rabbi YY in a &quot;zoom&quot; farbrengen on learning and teaching Tanya in our times. The event is on the 24th of Teves, the yartzeit of The Alter Rebbe, the Baal HaTanya.

For more videos from Rabbi Shais Taub on YouTube go to &lt;a href=&quot;https://www.youtube.com/soulwords&quot;&gt;Youtube SoulWords&lt;/a&gt;&nbsp;or visit Rabbi Taub&#39;s site&nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://www.SoulWords.org/&quot;&gt;SoulWords.org&lt;/a&gt;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Understanding the Two Souls and Our Struggle in This World

Zoom Farbrengen #2 In Tribute to Reb Yoel Kahn

Rabbis YY & Shais Taub: How to Teach Tanya in Our Times

Rabbi YY&#39;s address at the&nbsp;virtual Chof Daled Teves&nbsp; Farbrengen, on&nbsp;Thursday evening,&nbsp;24&nbsp;Teves, 5781, January, 7, 2021.

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When I Encounter Divine Intimacy, Do I Go Up Or Down?

24 Teves 5781 Farbrengen

The Revolution of the Baal Shem Tov & Alter Rebbe: To Do a Favor for Another Jew

Rabbi YY Jacobson addressing the&nbsp;Women&#39;s global virtual Yud-Tes Kislev Celebration, Motzei Shabbos Vayishlach, 19 Kislev, 5781, December 5, 2020.

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Discovering the Judaism of Fusion

Women's Global Virtual Yud-Tes Kislev Celebration

Geulah 2020: Envision a New Reality

This keynote lecture was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson at the INSPIRE conference in London, England, on Monday evening, 19 Kislev, 5779, November 26, 2018.

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220 Years Ago, a Light was Unleashed Transforming Judaism

London Yud Tes Kislev Lecture

Yud Tes Kislev 5779 London

Yud Tes Kislev Fabrengen on&nbsp;Tuesday, November 27, 8&nbsp;PM, at 20 Forshay Road, Monsey, NY

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Grand Yud Tes Kislev 5779 Farbrengen

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The Inaugural Vision

The inaugural vision in which Moses was appointed to become the leader of the Jewish Nation and its eternal teacher, we should assume, contains within it the essence of Judaism. 
 
Moses, shepherding his father-in-law's sheep in the Sinai wilderness, suddenly sees a blazing thornbush. "G-d's angel appeared to Moses in a blaze of fire from amid a thorny-bush," we read in Shemos. "He saw and behold! The bush was burning in the fire but was not consumed. Moses said to himself, 'I must go over there and gaze at this great sight—why isn't the bush burning up from the flames'". When Moses approaches the scene, G-d reveals Himself to him, saying: “Don’t approach here. Remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy soil.” He then speaks to Moses, identifying Himself as the G-d of your fathers,” and charging him with the mission of leading the Jewish people to redemption. 
 
It is a perplexing story. Firstly, what was the symbolism behind the vision of a burning bush? G-d has made numerous appearances in the Torah till this point. Yet never was it in a burning bush not being consumed.

Second, why did G-d tell Moses not to approach the bush? What would be wrong with him coming closer?

Third, what does G-d mean when He says, “The place upon which you stand is holy soil?” Why was the actual earth upon which he was standing holy? The burning bush was holy, for G-d was present in the flame, thus Moses was standing in a holy place. But why the emphasis on the actual sand and earth?

Interpretations abound. Today I will present a profoundly moving insight on the matter.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" name="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>

The Thorns in the Fire

Since this revelation was the genesis of Moses's appointment as the leader of Israel who would transmit the Torah to Israel, this vision captures one of the common dilemmas in the life of the Jew and indeed of every searching human being.

One of the great challenges of any sincere person striving to grow spiritually is that even when he or she manages to ignite a fire in their soul, the fire never consumes the thorns present in the psyche. The passion is aglow, the heart is aflame, the ecstasy is ablaze, but the thorns refuse to be sublimated in the flame. Toxicity and anxiety take over. A person may be in the midst of sincere prayer to G-d, but suddenly a most ugly thought or craving will flare up in his brain. You may be experiencing a most happy moment in life, but suddenly the most obnoxious emotion surfaces in your heart. Even in our most potent fires, the thorns abound. Even in our most intimate, subtle, refined, joyous, spiritual experiences, we confront irrational fears, demons, and traumas. They often surface to the conscious in the most least expected moments.

The story of the burning bush which would not consume the thorns embodies the duality in every heart. On one hand, we experience a desire to be good and moral. But then, at other times, we are mundane and careless, overtaken by beastly tendencies, selfish impulses, and ugly emotions. What is worse, these polarities are often experienced in such close proximities with each other. In the morning, I may be infused with a sense of awe, wonder, splendor, amazement. At those times, I am inspired, motivated to serve G-d, to pray, to learn Torah, to engage in mitzvos, good and holy deeds. Barely several hours—sometimes minutes—pass, and boom! The sublime ecstasy withers away. This spiritual person suddenly has a hard time refusing a slice of pizza, a particular website, or a terrible angry impulse.

When my heart is idealistic, I say to myself, “I really love this. It’s great. Life is beautiful. I wouldn’t give this up for anything in the world.” And then, it’s all gone. The whole spiritual high is naught. I am reduced to a small, petty, ridiculous, fearful, depressed, and angry creature.

Doubt

This dichotomy is one of the main factors causing people to give up on living a meaningful and joyous life. The tension is too deep, and I can’t be a hypocrite.

Moses, the first and greatest Jewish teacher, approaches the thorn bush. He has one question: “Why does it not get consumed?” If the fire is real, why does it not consume the thorns?!&nbsp; How is it possible, Moses wonders, that if a person’s spirituality is authentic, it has no bearings on his or her thorns? Unless of course, the fire was a delusion.

G-d responds: “Remove your shoes from your feet because the place upon which you stand is sacred soil.” These words revolutionize our approach to the enduring struggle. Holiness lies in the very place upon which you stand. Don’t wait till you reach your own psychological utopia; rather, the very place where you stand is holy; a relationship with G-d does not mean that you are darkness-free, thorn-free, struggle-free. You must encounter the holiness in your present situation.

Then G-d continues to tell him: “I am the G-d of your father.” I am present in the midst of this thorny bush. I am in this flame, even though the thorns have not been eliminated.

The Tanya

It took another three millennia for the message to be articulated lucidly. This notion, one that has brought comfort and healing to millions of soul-climbers, is one of the central themes of the Tanya—the magnum opus of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad, known as the Alter Rebbe (1745-1812), whose passing 208 years ago, in 1812, will be marked today on the 24th of Teves.

The theme is captured in the very name of the book.

The Alter Rebbe termed this work with a very original and beautiful name: Sefer shel Banunim, which means The Book of the Intermediate People, or the Guidebook for the Ordinary Person.

Who is the banuni? Who is this prototype the Alter Rebbe places in the vortex of his great work? The banuni is a person who possesses in a conscious way a duality—not like the tzadik, who has achieved moral perfection. The banuni operates on two levels of consciousness, his life dichotomized between two souls: The “reptilian brain,” an insecure and self-centered consciousness, focusing on survival and fast comfort, and a Divine, transcendental soul, aligned with the infinite depth and purpose of existence. His life constitutes a struggle between these two perceptions of the self and the world.

Here is the Tanya’s profound idea—all based on that vision of the burning bush: “Remove your shoes from your feet because the place upon which you stand is sacred soil.” Never doubt the potency and authenticity of your inner holiness and Divinity, just because there are ugly thoughts still lingering in your brain. Never allow your external animal self to dictate and take control of the narrative of your life. The toxic voices are here to help you crystallize who you really are; each of them coming to make you grow and become the human being you are capable of becoming.

G-d does not want you necessarily to become the tzaddik, the toxic-free person. Not everyone can attain the spiritual perfection of the tzadik. But not everyone must achieve that state. The hero of the Tanya is the banuni: he opens up a door for every human being in every situation and on every level, to find his or her own place among those who are striving to soar on high—to connect and become true servants of G-d.

The banuni is not the individual who always wins, but he is also not the human being who is defeated. He is the individual who fights daily to uncover the truth of his own infinite depth; the clamor of his efforts is exquisite music to the Divine ear.

The Alter Rebbe termed his work the Sefer shel Banunim because he was attempting to address who we are rather than who we are not. He was attempting to make Judaism, to make the Divine path, real; to make it intimately close (“karov elecha”)—to you, to me, to us, people for whom the world seems no less real than G-d, maybe even more real. To human beings to whom materialism is as powerful as spirituality, maybe even more powerful.

Many previous books of Jewish ethics and spirituality aim to elevate and inspire man toward the ideal of the tzaddik, 'the perfectly righteous individual.' But there is a problem. Some people indeed can become truly righteous, the rest of us give up, or we become fake. Hence, the value and contribution of the Tanya. With it, the Alter Rebbe brought healing and hope to millions.

I would say that the entire Tanya is based on that single passage G-d told Moses: “for the place upon which you stand is holy.” Wherever you are, you can find holiness and develop a real relationship with the Almighty. Even as your thorns do not disappear and do not forfeit their sting in the flame of your soul, never doubt the truth of your core-identity, as a Divine ambassador in this world. Serving G-d does not mean becoming sacred; it means having the courage to fight for truth even amidst thorny foes that crave to undermine you.

Moses wants to approach the fire. We all want to transcend our conditions and become Divine. So G-d says, no! You must realize that holiness is where you stand today! You may have lots of earth and gravel—but that itself is holy. You were given the mission to light a candle of truth and hope in a space of darkness and hopelessness. Your inner darkness is waiting to be transformed. To be a Jew means to know that just as in math we have the Asymptote, a line that continually approaches a given curve but does not meet it at any finite distance, we may feel that we never reach the full truth. Yet, wherever you are in life, you can become a conduit for the infinite and bring heaven down to earth.

________________________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" name="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Based on Degel Machane Ephraim Parshas Shemos. This Chassidic work was authored by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim, the Rabbi of Sedlikov, Ukraine (1748-1800). His mother was Udel, the daughter of the Baal Shem Tov. He is interred near his grandfather in Medzhebuzh, Ukraine. It is also interesting to note that the Alter Rebbe said, that the path of the Baal Shem Tov was based on this inaugural vision of Moses, cf. this essay: <a href="https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/6126/essay-shemos-souls-on-fire">https://www.theyeshiva.net/jewish/6126/essay-shemos-souls-on-fire</a>

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What was the symbolism behind the vision of a burning bush? G-d has made numerous appearances in the Torah till this point. Yet never was it in a burning bush not being consumed.

Interpretations abound. Today I will present one of the profoundest and moving insights on the matter. Since this revelation was the genesis of Moses appointment as the leader of Israel who will transmit the Torah to Israel, this vision captures one of the common dilemmas in the life of the Jew and indeed of every searching human being.

One of the greatest challenges of the serious human being is that even when he or she manages to ignite fire in his soul, the fire never consumes the thorns present in the psyche. The passion is aglow, the heart is aflame, the ecstasy is ablaze, but the thorns refuse to be sublimated in the flame. Toxicity abounds. I may be experiencing a most happy moment in life, but suddenly the most obnoxious emotion surfaces in my heart. 

The Alter Rebbe termed this work with a very original and beautiful name: Sefer Shel Banunim, which means The Book of the Intermediate Men. Or the Guidebook for the Ordinary Person. Many previous books of Jewish ethics and spirituality aim to elevate and inspire man toward the ideal of the tzaddik, &#39;the perfectly righteous individual.&#39;

But there is a problem. Some people indeed can become truly righteous, the rest of us give up, or we become fake. Hence, the value and contribution of the Tanya. With it, the Alter Rebbe brought healing and hope to millions.

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burning bush

benoni

The Burning Bush and the Tanya

Essay Shemos/24 Teves

Moses Confronts the Inner Human Struggle

Brother’s Keeper

One day the zookeeper noticed that the orangutan was reading two books, the Bible and Darwin's Origin of Species.

Surprised, he asked the ape, "Why are you reading both those books?"

"Well," said the orangutan, "I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper, or my keeper's brother."

The Contrast

Sometimes, the contrast is too conspicuous to ignore. In both stories, the Torah employs the same term: “Ish,” which means, a man. (The term is already used in Bereishis, to describe the first man, Adam.) In two consecutive portions, Vayishlach and Vayeishev, the same term is used. Yet Rashi, based on the tradition of our sages, changes his commentary from one extreme to the other.&nbsp;

In the portion of Vayishlach, we find the term “ish,” a man.

And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.

Rashi explains that this “man” was the spiritual angel of Esau. In other words, this battle in the middle of the night between Jacob and this mysterious “man,” was part of the ongoing struggle between Jacob and his brother Esau.

Yet, in Vayeishev, we have the same exact term used. But there everything changes.

Joseph was sent by his father Jacob, to go visit his brothers and seek their welfare. Despite his brothers loathing him, Joseph embarked on the journey and he got lost on the way. The Torah tells us:

Then a man found him, and behold, he was straying in the field, and the man asked him, "What are you looking for?"

And he said, "I am looking for my brothers. Tell me now, where are they pasturing?"

Who was this mysterious man, “ish,” who encountered Joseph at that vulnerable moment?

Rashi says it was angel Gabriel, who we see is defined elsewhere in Scriptures as Ish.

Strange. In Vayishlach it says that Jacob remained alone, and a man wrestled with him. In Vayeishev, Joseph is alone, lost in the field, and, again, a man encounters him and asks him what he is searching for. The same exact word is used in both cases to describe this person: Ish. Yet in Vayeishev, Rashi sees him as the angel Gabriel, and in Vayishlach as Esau’s angel?

A Tale of Two Men

The Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum (1887-1979), shared the following explanation in the name of Rabbi Chaim Halberstam, the Divrei Chaim of Tzanz (1793-1876).<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" name="_ftnref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>

Context is always the key. The word may be the same, “ish,” but the question is what does this “ish,” this man, do?

In both stories, there is a person who is vulnerable. In Vayishlach, “Jacob remains alone,” in the middle of the night. He has been away from home for 34 years, and has been dealing with a world-class crook. In Vayeishev, Joseph, a young 17-year-old lad, is also lost and vulnerable. He has left his father, he was an orphan from his mother, and how he was on the way to brothers who despised him. He does not know it, but this journey would take him to slavery, prison, and complete alienation from his family.

In both stories, two people are deeply vulnerable. Father and son. Jacob and Joseph. Both of them meet a stranger. A man who appears out of the blue.

The question is what does this “ish,” this man, do?

Here is the difference. In Jacob’s case, the man sees a lonely man in the middle of the night and pounces on him. There is lonely Jacob in the middle of the night? Let me attack him.

What about in the second story? Here too Joseph is alone. And a man encounters him. But what does the man say and do?

“Then a man found him, and behold, he was straying in the field, and the man asked him, saying, "What are you looking for?"

Do you see the difference? He does not pounce on Joseph. He does not exploit his vulnerability, manipulate his moment of weakness toward his own goals. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to help. He asks the young lad: What are you looking for? You are a dreamer. I see you are searching for something. What is it that you seek? How can I help you?

And Joseph tells him: “I am searching for my brothers!”

I want a relationship. I am searching for love. For belonging. For understanding. For comradery. &nbsp;For attachment.

So Rashi is simply mirroring the context of the narrative. When a man, encountering a vulnerable person, seizes the opportunity to attack him, that man, Rashi says, is an angel of Esau. But when a man, encountering a vulnerable person, seizes the opportunity to offer a loving hand, a guiding heart, to see how he can be here for you in your search for love and family, this person, Rashi says, must be the angel Gabriel!

The Lesson

We all encounter a person, a child, a teen, an adult, who is “alone,” vulnerable, lonely, lost, confused, bewildered, pained.

We see them in their vulnerability. And we make a choice.

Some of us seize the opportunity to use exploit them. Some people even utilize the opportunity to use them in immoral ways, to abuse them, to pounce on them, to attack them, to hurt them, willingly or unwillingly. Even just to judge them.

But some of us encounter the same vulnerable people. And our response is: My dear boy, my dear girl, my dear friend, tell me what are you looking for? Let me find out what you are searching for, what you yearn for.

We each have to make a choice about what type of “man” we will be. I can either become a force of Esau, or I can become the angel Gabriel.

When the Rebbe Went to Warm Up Soup 

It was the night of Yom Kippur, the holiest night of the year.

The Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, also known as the Alter Rebbe (1745-1812), was praying. Wrapped in his talis and his kitel, he was immersed in his davening, in intimacy with G-d.

Suddenly, he removed his talis and left the shul. It was shocking.

The Rebbe went to the home of a mother who had just given birth. The rest of the family went to the synagogue to pray, so nobody was present. The Rebbe kindled a flame, warmed up a soup on the stove, and fed it to the young mother who desperately needed the food.

I once heard the Lubavitcher Rebbe share this story.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" name="_ftnref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a> And he added: The greatness in the story is not that the Alter Rebbe went on Yom Kippur to save this mother. After all, saving a life override Yom Kippur. The uniqueness of the story is the Rebbe, in the midst of his Yom Kippur prayers, experiencing oneness with the Divine, felt the pain and anguish of the young mother.

Many spiritual people, when they are immersed in transcendence, they become deaf to the cry of a mother and a baby. In contrast, the Alter Rebbe, as he spoke to G-d on the holiest night of the year, his soul could not calm down till he went to comfort a young mother who yearned for help.

______________________________________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" name="_ftn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Moshian Shel Yisroel. vol. 2, p. 210

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" name="_ftn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> 19 Kislev 5744 (1983), at a farbrengen celebrating the liberation day of the Alter Rebbe, on 19 Kislev, 1798.

Sometimes, the contrast is too conspicuous to ignore. In both stories, the Torah employs the same term: &ldquo;Ish,&rdquo; which means, a man. In two consecutive portions, Vayishlach and Vayeishev, the same term is used. Yet Rashi, based on the tradition of our sages, changes his commentary from one extreme to the other.&nbsp; 

In Vayishlach, Jacob remains alone, in middle of the night, a man encounters him. Rashi says this man was the guardian angel of Esau. In Vayeishev, Joseph is alone, lost in the field. A man encounters him. Rashi says, it was the angel Gabriel.

But wait! In Vayishlach it says that Jacob remained alone and a man wrestled with him. In Vayeishev, Joseph is alone, lost in the field, and, again, a man encounters him and asks him what he is looking for. The same exact word is used in both cases to describe this person: Eish. Yet in Vayeishes, Rashi sees him as the angel Gabriel, and in Vayishlach as Esau&rsquo;s angel? That seems unfair.

But of course, context is always the key.

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eisav

gabriel

A Tale of Two Angels

Essay Vayishlach/Vayeishev

When You Encounter a Lost Soul, How Do You React?

This class, an introduction the underlying message of the Tanya, was presented during a farbrengen, in honor of Chaf-Daled Teves, 24 of Teves, the 205th yartziet of the Baal HaTanya, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe (1745-1812), with Rabbi YY Jacobson, in Monsey, NY, on Thursday, the eve of 24 Teves, 5778, January 10, 2018.

The Healing Message of the Tanya

Without It, You Can Become Cynical & Disillusioned, or Fake & Superficial

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