Listen: A Wonderful Talk by Rabbi Moshe Tzanani

Shuvu Banim International is launching, with the help of Hashem, a new hotline for student talks. In a talk delivered this morning to the holy group at the Shuvu Banim yeshiva, Rabbi Moshe Tzanani spoke about the dispute of Korach, which returns and stirs in every generation—to our sorrow, the matters are painfully relevant. These are his words.

"In all eras, there is the same matter that existed during the time of the dispute of Korach—the Torah is not stories from the past; the Torah is eternal. Pride leads us to think that we can do it alone. A person does not understand his true place, for if he were to understand it, he would immediately nullify himself with absolute nullification and merit humility. It is not for nothing that we undergo many trials and transitions in our generation; only in this way do we understand that we cannot do it alone. Drawing close to the tzaddik refines a person, until the person can become a tzaddik himself by the soul of the tzaddik being 'impregnated' within him. Rebbe Nathan merited this, and that is how he reached his high level. However, it is a war; the 'Baal Davar' (Evil Inclination) leaves everything and fights the tzaddik and his students by stirring up disputes against them. We see what is happening now with Rav Berland shlit"a; the Baal Davar knows that the Rav is dangerous to them, and the more a person draws closer to holiness, the more the 'Sitra Achra' (Other Side) fights him."

"Torah without the tzaddik can turn around and cause a person to reveal aspects within it; study must be with the guarding of the covenant, with the light of the Torah. Those who draw close to the tzaddik merit that their Torah study leads them to yearnings and good desires. The disputes against the tzaddik come from the fact that people do not see what wonderful things are being done with us. We receive illuminations and wonderful vitality, but we do not attribute them to their source. We are confused into thinking that all these successes are from us—'I pray,' 'I innovate insights.' But, our holy Rebbe writes that in truth, we are like a pen in the hand of the scribe; we do not understand that all the insights are not from us at all. When we are slightly distanced from the tzaddik, we begin to feel an emptying in the heart and remember where all the light came from. You did not fall; you were simply returned to what you truly are. When a person leaves the tzaddik, he loses his vitality and falls down, down."

"The tzaddik who has ascended in his spiritual level brings down to those who draw close to him light from the place where he is. Therefore, our holy Rebbe said about himself: 'I am a new vessel filled with old,' that the light of the tzaddik which he brings down to us is a new light. And this is what is said about those who study Torah: 'If he merits, it becomes for him a potion of life; if he does not merit, it becomes for him a potion of death,' because not everyone can merit to receive the light of the Torah. Indeed, they study, but one must come to the tzaddik to help us so that the Torah will become a potion of life."

The talk that was delivered to the group at the Shuvu Banim yeshiva, as well as additional talks, can be heard on the Shuvu Banim hotline - 077-22-66-423.