The Secret of Expanding the Mind: The Power of Gemara Study in Building the Beis HaMikdash

Lesson No. 44 | Tuesday Morning, Parshas Bereishis, 23 Tishrei 5756, Isru Chag Sukkos in the Yeshiva. (Continued in No. 45)

The Rav (Rabbi Berland shlit"a) explains how true humility and the attainment of Da'as (Divine knowledge) are equivalent to the building of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple). The only way to expand the mind and be saved from constricted consciousness (Tzimtzum HaMochin) is through absolute immersion in the study of Gemara, abandoning the illusions of "influencing others" in favor of genuine toil in Torah.

When a person tastes the delight of Shabbos (Oneg Shabbos) and begins to feel true humility—when the blood of humility begins to flow through his veins—he merits eternal life. But for this, one needs an illumination of the mind (Hisnotzetzus HaMochin); the mind must begin to shine. For these things, a person must have Da'as, because without Da'as, nothing will help. The mind and Da'as are the spiritual essence of building the Beis HaMikdash, and whoever merits true humility merits the building of the Beis HaMikdash.

"Anyone who has knowledge (De'ah), it is as if the Beis HaMikdash was built in his days" (Berachos 33a).

If there were just a few people with such true humility, the Beis HaMikdash would simply be built in our days. True knowledge is the recognition that "I am an absolute nothing," as the Noam Elimelech zt"l said about himself out of his immense humility. He said that they wanted to make him a banner for Gehennom (Hell), and he claimed that for him, they would have to create a brand new Gehennom. Whoever has knowledge—and this knowledge is humility—it is as if the Beis HaMikdash was built in his days, each person according to his mind and his Da'as.

The main thing is to "saw" the mind (a Kabbalistic concept of separating and refining the intellect). During the twenty-two days of the holidays, we worked with the "saws" of dancing, prayers, and the journey to Uman. People stood on their feet and "sawed" for twenty-four hours without a break. Now, we need to see how many Kelipos (spiritual impurities) we have removed from the mind. Whoever merited that the Da'as from those days illuminates within him has literally built the Beis HaMikdash. If there were ten such people, we would see it tangibly, eye to eye.

The Only Way to Expand the Mind

To merit this, a person must insert himself completely into Da'as. "Put your head into Da'as—into the Gemara and into the Rashi." Do not put your head into the cola or the cake; rather, be entirely immersed in the Gemara, until you see nothing else besides it.

The more a person engages in expanding his mind and his Da'as, the more he is engaged in building the Beis HaMikdash. Everyone wants the Beis HaMikdash to be built—so expand your Da'as! Mashiach ben David can come today, at this very moment, and the Beis HaMikdash will be built right now, if only we expand our Da'as. And the only way to do this is exclusively through the study of Gemara.

Indeed, holy books like Likutey Halachos, Lev David, Mesillas Yesharim, the teachings of Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, Likutey Moharan, and Siach Sarfei Kodesh are extremely important, but the only thing that actually expands the mind in practice is the study of Gemara. Whoever thinks otherwise, slowly but surely, his place will not be here. There are those who think it is possible to be a Breslov Chassid without Da'as, without studying Gemara all day, claiming that they learn in one hour what others learn in ten hours. Such an approach only disrupts the entire Yeshiva and takes the wind out of the sails of the other learners.

The Toil of Torah and the Power of a Group (Chaburah)

When a person sees everyone learning, even if he weakens for a moment, he lifts his head, sees that everyone is immersed in the Gemara, and returns to learning. But if one person gets up, yawns, stretches, and walks around to drink tea, he weakens everyone else. Therefore, a person must keep his head buried in the Gemara.

"The Torah is acquired only in a group" (Pirkei Avos 6:6).

It is impossible to learn alone at home. Everyone needs a group (Chaburah) and a Yeshiva. When a person weakens, he sees his friend learning, chanting the Talmudic tune, and making an effort, and this strengthens him. Do not step outside of the Gemara! Even if your head is exploding, take twenty small books for yourself. Learn Gemara for fifteen minutes, then five minutes of Siach Sarfei Kodesh or Mesillas Yesharim, and then return to the Gemara. The main thing is not to take your head out of the books.

Saving the Brain from Shrinking

Why specifically Gemara? The Written Torah is indeed the highest, given from Sinai and from Moshe Rabbeinu, but everything there is full of secrets and we do not understand its true depth. Even if we learn the Kabbalistic work Etz Chaim all day, we will not understand it. We must learn that which expands our Da'as, and that is the study of Gemara.

There is a scientific article claiming that starting from the age of twenty, the brain gradually shrinks by significant percentages every year, until at an older age, large parts of it no longer function. The only advice to expand the brain and prevent it from shrinking is the study of Gemara. The learning acts like a "vise" that stretches the mind and prevents it from getting smaller. Without this, the brain is simply in danger.

The Danger of Illusions and True Influence

Any other pursuit a person engages in instead of learning is not the will of Rebbe Nachman. The Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) sends yeshiva students all sorts of ideas and illusions: "I can influence others! I can bring people closer to Rebbe Nachman!" Rebbe Nachman writes in Torah 1 of Likutey Moharan about "Tzutzisa d'Nura Chivresa b'Reisha"—a white flame of fire burning in a person's head, which is actually an optical illusion from the Ba'al Davar (the evil inclination) who wants to sink his spiritual ship.

True influence comes only from learning. This was the case with Reb Itzele Otrikcer, who returned from Uman, sat in the Yeshiva, and did not speak with anyone. He just sat and learned Gemara with a tremendous mind. In the merit of his immense immersion in Torah, within a month, ninety out of the one hundred and twenty yeshiva students became Breslov Chassidim! The Mashgichim (spiritual supervisors) tried to expel him, but when they saw him sitting in the women's section crying while reciting Tehillim (Psalms), they were afraid to touch him. He was the root of everything.

Therefore, a person must only learn. Stop with the talking and the attempts to "strengthen" other people. A yeshiva student, especially before his wedding, must grab hold of nothing but the Gemara. If he does not learn, after the wedding his wife will find herself mourning and ashamed; she thought she married a Torah scholar, and she will find a lazy idler who sleeps until noon.

"It is the greatest torture to learn Gemara, and this torture must be endured." This is the only thing that expands the mind, that builds the Beis HaMikdash, and that extracts us from those illusions of the Yetzer Hara. Everything a person does besides learning falls under the category of that illusion. A student can learn for sixteen hours consecutively, pray, and sleep a little. The main thing is to insert himself into Da'as, because the primary spiritual essence of building the Beis HaMikdash is Da'as.

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