Words of the Rav shlit"a: The Power of Torah Study

From the words of the Rav shlit"a (may he live long and good days) this morning [after the Shacharis (morning) prayer]:

• There were ten sons among whom a doubt arose as to which one was the sole heir entitled to the inheritance. They went to ask Rabbi Banna'ah (a Talmudic Sage), and he told them to go and break their father's tombstone. Nine of them went, but one remained at home. Rabbi Banna'ah then instructed that the inheritance be given to him (the one who refused to desecrate his father's honor).

• The other brothers, who were angry, informed on him to the government, and they imprisoned him. His wife came and said that they had taken her servant, killed him, skinned him, ate his flesh, and filled his skin with water.

• They went to all the sages and sorcerers and tried to understand her meaning, but they could not. They entered to ask Rabbi Banna'ah, and he answered them that she was referring to a sheep—that they had killed her sheep, and she calls the sheep a "servant" (metaphorically).

[An additional lesson]:

• One must arrive at all the prayers, and whoever arrived at 7:00 AM missed out.

• It is written, "And Esau hated [Jacob]" (Genesis 27:41). What did he have to lose here? What was he jealous of? After all, everything here is just sand, while Esau received Guatemala (a metaphor for fertile lands). Rather, the Megaleh Amukos (Rabbi Nathan Nata Spira zt"l) explains the verse "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?"—that he was envious of the World of Atzilus (Emanation, the highest spiritual realm) which Jacob received.

• He realized that Isaac had "tricked him," for he blessed Jacob with "from the dew of the heavens and the fatness of the earth"—meaning that even the fatness of the earth for Jacob is derived from the dew of the heavens (spirituality). Whereas for Esau, it was the opposite: "from the fatness of the earth and the dew of the heavens"—meaning that even the dew of the heavens for him is merely the fatness of the earth (materiality). For Jacob, even physicality is spirituality, but for Esau, it is the reverse: even spirituality is turned into physicality.

• So now we are in the month of the Scorpions (Cheshvan). When Rehoboam said "scorpions," he meant that they should not leave the Beis Medrash (study hall), but should learn 24 hours a day.

• Breslov is only the study of Gemara (Talmud). Shuvu Banim is not about jumping on tables or jumping in the streets; it is only about studying Gemara 24 hours a day. {And if there is time left, one can study Likutey Moharan, like yesterday after we finished Maariv (evening prayer)}.

• One must be careful with the honor of the synagogue, to clean it and not throw anything on the floor. In the Czech Republic, someone threw something out of the window, and within a minute, a policeman came up and fined them.

• Today, a Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple) of fire will descend.

From the words of the Rav shlit"a this morning [before the Shacharis prayer]:

• Abba Shaul ran inside the bone of Og, King of Bashan, for three parsa (leagues), because if one "swallows" (rushes) the prayer, then Og, King of Bashan, swallows it. This was three parsa corresponding to the three daily prayers.

• A person must leave their ta'avos (desires), for desires are forbidden. A person thinks it is permitted, but it is forbidden, and it is impossible to leave desires except through the in-depth study of Torah (Iyun), which topples the "three cavities of the skull" (Tlat Chalalin deGulgalta—a Kabbalistic reference to the source of intellect). Therefore, one must learn the sixty tractates (of the Talmud).

More from the words of the Rav shlit"a this morning:

The word Tzefardea (frog) is Tzippor De'ah (Bird of Knowledge). The frog says all day, "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'olam Va'ed" (Blessed be the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever). It is written in Tehillim (Psalms 72), "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended (Kalu)." What does "ended" mean? This is in the middle of Psalms; there are 80 more chapters after this! Rather, the Heichal HaBeracha (the Komarno Rebbe zt"l) says that the word "Kalu" (numerical value 56) equals the exact Gematria (numerical value) of "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'olam Va'ed."

From the words of the Rav shlit"a just now [at a lesson in Ashdod]: Wednesday, Parshas Vayera

• Moses said, "When you come to the land and plant every tree" (Leviticus 19:23). The Jewish people did not understand and wondered: What? Does Moses want us to be moshavniks (farmers)? To be kibbutzniks?

• Rather, Moses intended that the fruits growing in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) each weigh a ton. It is written: "Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's colt to the choice branch"—every single grape would fill an entire ship. It is written that they would climb a cabbage using a ladder.

• And all of this is in the merit of Torah study. It is written that Reish Lakish did not come to the Yeshiva (Torah academy) for several days.

• Rabbi Yochanan asked him the reason for his absence, and he replied that he went to harvest grapes. Rabbi Yochanan asked him about the quality of the grapes. He replied that on the first day, the fruits were superior, then on the second day they diminished, and on the third day they diminished even further. Rabbi Yochanan answered him that they diminished because he left the Yeshiva for that purpose.

• The tribe of Zebulun would go down in ships and bring the fruits of the Land with them, and all the nations of the world would be astonished and ask: "What is this?! Do you have special institutes?! {The Weizmann Institute?!}".

• And they would answer: "No, it is only in the merit of Torah study." Then, people from all the nations would come and undergo teshuvah (repentance) and convert.

• Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) came out of the cave, and everywhere he looked was immediately burnt. Then Hashem said to him, "Have you come out to destroy My world?!" and told him to return to the cave for another year. Initially, he was there for 12 years, and then he returned for one more year.

• A person must tie himself to the bench all day and learn; there is nothing else to do, no reason to wander around.

• Now (15th of Cheshvan) is the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of the Chazon Ish (Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz zt"l). Everyone can be like the Chazon Ish; everyone needs to learn for 18 hours. Then everyone can be like the Chazon Ish. And now, one should travel to the grave of the Chazon Ish.

• It is forbidden to live in Chutz L'Aretz (outside of Israel).