Just received this awesome comment on YouTube on the Chony Milecki interview video we just released. This guy gets it and as he mentions in text below he is a Baal Teshuva so I am including this audio highlight (below) about how amazing Baal Teshuvas are.
Comment:
I’ve been following Rabbi Friedman’s videos on this subject for a few months… since moving to Brooklyn and encountering very learned yeshivish guys who are really stuck on this concept of Hashem being perfect, therefore he doesn’t need us or our mitzvahs. So why do we do them? Because He told us to, and our logic is not His logic, so we can’t possibly understand and shouldn’t try. As a BT who became more observant through Chabad, it was a bit of a shock for me to discover that highly learned yidden had such an essential conflict with the idea of our being in a true relationship with Hashem. Because, if Hashem doesn’t need and doesn’t care, it’s not a relationship! So what are you doing all this for? This subject cuts through whatever learning a person has achieved, and really goes to the root of a one’s faith. Over several videos (one of Manis and another Rav addressing the questions of Crown Heights chabadnik bochers, another of yeshivish bochers in Eretz Yisrael, etc.), I received a glimpse of a way to address this line of reasoning, but this was by far the best, most complete exposition of his thoughts to date. Thank you to Rabbi Friedman and the 11213 crew for coming back to this issue again and again.
Audio Highlight:
Mobile user/Download link: Baal Teshuvas Are Amazing (To Download: Right click link and select “Save Link As”)
This class was given right at the Maaras Hamachpeilah and is absolutely fundamental for understanding Chassidus. Sorry for all of the background noise there was a lot activity there as you can imagine.
Last week Matisyahu Goren, creator of the Long Short Way Podcast, conducted a very interesting interview with Rabbi Friedman regarding tommorow’s election. To Listen Click here.
For the longest time there was a point of resistance that was hard to overcome to fully appreciate the idea that G-d Needs our Mitzvos and I heard it from people all the time. It was based on the following posuk:
“Sof davar hakol nishma et-ha’Elokim yira, v’et-mitzvotaiv shemor ki-ze kol ha’adam.” The sum of the matter, when all is said and done: Revere G-d and observe His commandments! For this applies to all mankind.
Kohelet12:13
Based on this it seems that G-d is not really vulnerable because it will happen eventually. However, I took the time to sit down with Rabbi Manis and record this 9 min audio and it became clear as to what vulnerability really means.
Basically, it came down to answering this question:
“If I know that I am going to get what I need, do I need it less?”
Mobile user/Download link: Vulnerability Redefined! (To Download: Right click link and select “Save Link As”)
Rabbi Friedman was recently interviewed by Matisyahu Goren, creator of The Long Short Way Podcast. It was a great interview and strongly encourage everyone to listen, it even touches upon the upcoming elections :).
Listen to an interactive Q&A with Rabbi Manis that took place Crown Heights after a showing of the Lost Key documentary. This interactive discussion really explores the Chabad Chassidus view on intimacy in the bedroom.
Tonight we hosted Oholei Torah Mesivta Bochurim at the Levi Yitzchok Library for a shiur in Inyonei Geula U’Moshiach. It was especially nice to see them because they came several times last year for Q & A classes with Rabbi Friedman.
This class is really hot off the press just ended an hour ago (it’s around 30 minutes long).
The Rebbe Maharash (fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe) was born on the 2nd of Iyar 5594 (1884), which coincides with the 17th day of the Omer counting, and its corresponding attribute of tiferes shebetiferes. 1 In the entry in HaYom Yom for this day, the Rebbe records how, when the Rebbe Maharash was seven years old, he was tested in his studies by his father, the Tzemach Tzedek. He did so well in the test that his teacher was enormously impressed. Unable to restrain himself the teacher said to the Tzemach Tzedek, Well, what do you say? Hasn’t he done marvelously? The Tzemach Tzedek responded, What is there to be surprised about when tiferes shebetiferes does well…? The Rebbe Maharash is considered synonymous with his most famous adage: Der velt zagt, as men ken nit arunter, darf men ariber! The world says that only if we cannot go beneath [an obstacle], then we should climb over. Un ich halt, as men darf Lechatchilah Ariber but I hold that we should go over to begin with!
Last night the farbrengen lasted till 12:30am and really gave us a true appreciation of what it mean to say Ad Mosai with an Emes. It lasted for just over 3 hours 🙂
I was doing some Pesach cleaning today and I stumbled upon this cassette tape from 1997 of a workshop at the Kinus Hashluchos. It touches upon the kabbalistic idea of Sheviras Hakeillim(which I never really understood) but after listening to it explained in plain old English it really clarifies Hashem’s overwhelming and exciting need for us and mitzvos in a whole new way…you will see what I mean! It is around only 20 minutes long.
A few weeks ago I came across this old box of tapes in the garage (as seen in the picture above). One of the tapes lying on top (circled in red) was titled “Moshiach: Purpose Of Creation”. The title intrigued me so I got a tape recorder and started listening to this class from June 23, 1992 given at Young Israel of Ocean Parkway. The first 10 minutes or so really struck me.
And I realized most people just don’t get it.
I will explain:
Throughout my years of studying Chassidus I have read again and again the Alter Rebbe’s statement regarding Hashem’s desire for a dwelling place in the lower world and that “NO QUESTIONS can be asked in regard to desire“. Even after all the blog posts and classes currently posted on 11213.org regarding this subject these 10 minutes or so really hammered home the Alter Rebbe’s revolutionary statement.
It dawned on me that most people miss the extraordinary impact of the statement because this is how a typical conversation unfolds:
Me: Does Hashem Need Your Mitzvos?
Them: He doesn’t need them, he wants them.
Me: Meaning mitzvos are not really that important to him? Mitzvos are like dessert? You want dessert but you need food?
and so on..down the rabbit hole…
Basically they are saying there is a pecking order:
1. Lowest Level (and therefore not as important):Want
2. Higher Level (and therefore more important): Need
The Alter Rebbe introduced a third level:
3.Highest Level: (and therefore most important) Desire.
So does G-d Need Your Miztvos? The correct answer is YES and so much more than you can ever imagine…we are not talking want, we are not talking need, we are talking an essential desire which is much stronger than any need because it is coming from Hashem himself.
Recently 12th Grade Bais Rivkah High School had evening session where they learned about Marriage, Chassidus, & Chanukah and how they are all interrelated.