TheYeshiva.net - Rabbi YY Jacobson

When You Are Full with Yourself, There's No Hope

"Empty One! How Ugly Are You?" the Great Sage Tells a Jew He Meets

49 min

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Class Summary:

This class was presented on Monday Parshas Mishpatim, 22 Shevat, 5780, February 17, 2020 at the Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

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Cirel -4 years ago

Is the very same story also in tractate Taanis? If yes, are there differences?
The way i heard it at your shiur is more descriptive.

Just wondering.

Thank you

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Moshe -4 years ago

What a shocking statement to hear from anyone let alone a sage.

On deeper analysis it turns out to have been meant as a shock treatment to wake up the recipient in an instant to a ruchnious ugliness/shortcoming..

I believe the 12 step program, or its prep phase, has something they call a "confrontation". The alcoholic doesn't admit to his problem and perhaps gives terutzim. Then, one day he comes home to his wife, his family, his friends, his boss, everybody who cares about him in his life. They is no escape. They all confront him with one message: "you ugly!" I.e. "you're an alcoholic". The forced admission that comes out of that is the beginning of beauty, or sobriety.

Nothing new under the sun

If they have wisdom, believe it, they probably got it from us.

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Anonymous -4 years ago
In Derech Eretz Rabba (4) it has a lashon אמר לו ריקה כמה מכוערין בניו של אברהם אבינו why did he join everyone else in this message and why focus on the children of avraham specifically?
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Anonymous -4 years ago
Avos derav nasan adds ומטייל על שפת הים perhaps to hint that he was on the border of the olam that is covered where everything is one and through this he was able to see even in this lowly person the point of greatness. שמא כל בני עירך מכוערים כמותך the only reason that your greatness cannot be brought out is because of those around you that prevent you from looking into your true self, rather your essence is just to impress others with no sense of your self worth. In the beginning of the gemara אמר לו שלום עליך רבי ולא החזיר לו אמר לו ריקה. He calls him Rebee and it could be he never met him before. He is searching for someone who could guide him to make piece with himself. ולא החזיר לו אמר לו ריקה he doesn't respond the greeting of granting peace unto him to show him that one cannot remain in your state and be with peace and the only way is to empty out his keli of self absorbment to allow the אומן to enter his life.
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