Transcript [00:00] Good afternoon everyone and welcome to [00:02] the Zoa book club. U thank you for [00:05] joining us. We're very honored today to [00:08] have a very prominent [00:10] sparty rabbi and expert on on andy [00:16] uh and sparty and [00:20] um and author of many books. Rabbi Yamin [00:23] Levy uh here today to speak about his [00:26] book if you can see it [laughter] [00:29] the mysticism of andalusia [00:32] um exploring Haram's mystical tradition [00:35] um and it is a wonderful book that I [00:38] highly recommend um really very very [00:41] profound and with that I will turn it [00:44] over to Rabbi Levy to uh tell us more [00:47] about his book and thank you for joining [00:49] us. [00:50] >> Thank you so much. What a nice [00:52] introduction, Liz. I appreciate it. And [00:56] a warm thank you to Jacqueline Schaefer [01:00] for helping organize this wonderful [01:04] event. Okay, let me ask this crowd over [01:07] here. Do we have Zionists in the room [01:09] today? I hope we do because [laughter] [01:14] you know me. That's where I'm coming [01:16] from. I just returned from Israel. a [01:19] fantastic trip in Israel and I'm happy [01:23] to report that [01:26] it's beautiful. It's it's just growing [01:30] and flourishing and strong as ever. [01:36] You know, we've been through a number of [01:37] years of difficulty, COVID, and then the [01:41] war, and there's this renewed sense [01:44] right now in Israel [01:47] that the future is beautiful and bright. [01:51] Thank you for joining us today. Uh how [01:54] much time do I have, Liz, with this [01:56] group? Um uh well we usually have all [01:59] together about an hour and um um if [02:03] you'd like to speak for 20 30 minutes [02:05] then we'll turn it over for questions. [02:07] Perfect. Hope that works for you. [02:09] >> I love that. I love that. [02:10] >> Could you you can all hear me I hope. [02:12] Right. [02:13] >> Perfectly. Perfectly. Wonderful. [02:15] >> So uh as Liz said you know you've [02:19] invited me to talk about my book. It's [02:21] called the mysticism of andalucia [02:25] exploring haram's mystical tradition. [02:29] It's also uh comes with a second book [02:34] that I wrote. It's called Jewish [02:36] Mysticism [02:37] Essays on Mymonities's Guide of the [02:42] Perplexed. Now, I want to tell you that [02:48] the first or second line in the [02:52] introduction to my book that Liz uh held [02:56] up, I write over there, [02:59] I wish someone else would have written [03:01] this book. [03:05] I've been waiting for a book like this [03:07] since I'm 16 years old when I was first [03:11] introduced to the great teacher Mymones [03:17] Haram [03:19] Rabi Moshe Ben Mimon [03:22] who lived in the early middle ages. He [03:27] was born in 1038, died 1204 [03:30] and was a great luminary [03:33] of his time and of the Jewish people. [03:39] And [03:41] the way mymonities haram was studied [03:46] in the early years is not the way he's [03:50] been studied over the last 150 years. [03:56] And let me explain what happened. [04:00] In the [04:03] late 19th century, early 20th century, [04:09] something called the Weisen Shaft. [04:12] Have you heard of that? Anybody know [04:15] what that is? It's the academic study of [04:18] Judaism which emerged in Germany in [04:22] France [04:23] and [04:26] these scholars [04:29] some of them very prominent very well [04:31] known were [04:33] set on studying Judaism [04:37] at a university level which means with [04:40] critical eyes studying Judaism alongside [04:45] philosophy [04:47] and critical literature [04:50] and analyzing texts and the cannons. [04:56] And what they found in Mymonities in [04:59] Haram [05:01] was [05:03] this very disciplined scholar [05:08] who was obviously very well-versed in [05:14] Greek philosophy, [05:16] Aristoilian philosophy [05:19] and Islamic [05:21] philosophy. [05:24] And he was a rationalist. [05:27] And it's as if they found one of their [05:31] own in the Middle Ages [05:35] and all of a sudden they turned my [05:38] monities [05:39] into a pure rationalist. [05:45] Now [05:47] I've been in love with Torah and with [05:49] Judaism my entire life. [05:54] When I was 16, 17 and I went off to [05:57] yeshiva, [06:01] I was in search of not only Torah [06:04] knowledge, but I was in search of [06:08] a close relationship with God. [06:11] I wanted to stir the spirit, [06:15] stir the soul. [06:18] And everybody was telling me [06:23] go to Cabala, [06:25] go to Jewish mysticism. [06:29] But there was one problem. [06:32] And as much as I respect and admire all [06:35] those [06:38] for whom Cabala resonates, it didn't [06:41] resonate for me. [06:44] I'm not a believer in superstition. I'm [06:47] not a believer in magic. [06:51] I'm not a believer in [06:54] corporeality of God. Imagining God as [06:58] some sort of physical being. [07:04] And [07:06] my teachers in Yeshiva were very [07:08] distressed, [07:10] but they said, "You know what? Study my [07:12] monities." And that's what I did. But [07:16] what I found in my monities in Haram [07:21] was a beautiful [07:24] mystical [07:25] tradition [07:28] that [07:31] wanted nothing to do with superstition, [07:34] magic, corporeality, [07:37] omens, and all kinds of magical stuff. [07:44] And so [07:47] I published my book and I purposefully [07:50] called it the mysticism of Andal Lucia [07:54] because I want to reclaim [07:58] the language of mysticism. [08:02] Mysticism does not have to mean [08:08] leaving [08:10] your rational side at the door. [08:14] Mysticism does not have to mean that you [08:17] have to blindly believe [08:20] in all kinds of stuff that don't make [08:23] sense philosophically. [08:27] Mysticism for me [08:31] is [08:34] the stirring of the soul, [08:37] awakening the spirit to God, to Hashem. [08:43] And my friends, [08:45] Mymones [08:48] was the great great mystic of the Jewish [08:52] people without [08:56] the [08:58] um [08:59] magic, without the superstition. [09:03] Now to appreciate [09:06] Haram and to appreciate my work, you [09:10] know, combined my two books is about 600 [09:14] pages and some 2,000 footnotes. [09:20] You have to understand [09:22] the world in which Mymonities [09:28] was raised, [09:30] was expelled from, [09:33] and was committed to preserving. [09:37] And that's the first word of the title [09:39] of my book, Andal Lucia. Anybody in our [09:43] group here has ever been to southern [09:45] Spain? Show by array, show of hands. [09:49] Southern Spain, Andal Lucia. [09:54] >> In the Middle Ages, [09:57] southern Spain was occupied not by the [10:01] Spaniards, [10:04] but by the Muslims. [10:09] And shocking as this may be [10:13] to the 21st century [10:16] individual, [10:18] but the Muslims [10:20] of the early middle ages were very [10:24] enlightened. [clears throat] [10:27] They brought [10:29] sciences and mathematics [10:33] and um uh philosophy [10:39] to very high standards. [10:43] The word al algebra [10:48] is a Arabic word. [10:52] Allah is God. [10:54] It's the study of numbers. [10:58] Now, that was southern Spain. Northern [11:02] Spain [11:04] was Christian Spain. [11:08] Mymonities haram was heir [11:12] to a tradition that was very enlightened [11:16] in southern Spain [11:19] and west [11:21] uh southwest Asia [11:25] and North Africa. That whole region [11:29] was a very enlightened region. [11:34] And [11:36] the Torah scholar was expected not only [11:40] to know the Bible, the Torah and Mishna [11:45] and Talmud and Midash, but was also [11:49] expected to know Hebrew and Arabic [11:52] grammar, [11:54] logic, philosophy, [11:57] sciences of the day, [12:02] astronomy, [12:05] And that was the world of mymonities. [12:09] The [12:11] northern, Spanish, [snorts] [12:13] Franco, German, Jewish communities [12:19] lived [12:20] and [12:23] um [12:24] within a culture that was in the dark [12:27] ages. You might know this. The Christian [12:30] church didn't allow the study of [12:33] philosophy and science. And so the great [12:37] rabbis of Europe were great talmudists [12:41] and great halakists, [12:44] but they weren't philosophers. [12:50] And so [12:53] for mymonities, [12:56] Torah and philosophy [13:00] and science had to work together. If you [13:04] want to know God, of course, you have to [13:08] study the text, the Torah and the [13:12] rabbitic texts, but you also have to [13:14] know the world around you. [13:18] You have to understand [13:22] the beauty of creation [13:27] of nature [13:29] and that's where God is found. [13:35] And so I found in Haram's work [13:43] a beautiful [13:45] wholesome [13:47] path [13:50] to Jewish mysticism [13:52] and to God. [13:54] In fact, [13:57] my monities's great work, the guide of [13:59] the perplexed, [14:01] which is the primary theme of my second [14:05] book, Jewish Mysticism, [14:09] is indeed a guide [14:12] to God, a guide to prophecy, a guide to [14:17] higher consciousness. [14:22] And if one follows Haram's [14:26] guidelines and path, [14:29] one can achieve incredible states of [14:33] wisdom, [14:35] knowledge, and higher consciousness. [14:40] I tell my students, "Join me at 4:00 in [14:43] the morning to meditate with me and I'll [14:45] take you places your mind [14:51] could not believe alternate realities of [14:55] human consciousness, higher [14:57] consciousness." [14:58] And so, [15:01] let me [15:04] introduce you to one [15:07] of Haram's great teachings. It's the [15:09] first chapter [15:12] of the book that Liz held up for you. [15:16] It's called the practice of dumia. [15:22] Dumia [15:24] in Hebrew [15:27] means silence. [15:30] Now it's not like the standard word [15:34] sheet which means silence. [15:37] Duma is a kind of silence [15:42] that is very conscious. [15:46] It's a silence [15:49] that emerges [15:51] from a deep profound awareness [15:56] of something much greater than ours. So, [16:00] for example, [16:02] when the Torah describes the tragic [16:05] tragic tragic deaths [16:09] of Aaron's sons, [16:14] the Torah tells us [16:18] aaron [16:21] remained [snorts] silent. [16:24] Why does it use that word vomaron? [16:28] Because naturally, Aharon [16:31] should have screamed [16:33] and yelled, "These are my boys. [16:37] These are my children." [16:40] But Aharon was in the presence [16:44] of greater, higher wisdom. [16:48] He was in the midst of [16:51] dedicating [16:53] the tabernacle. [16:57] And it wasn't appropriate to scream out [16:59] and say, "These are my boys." [17:05] When in the book of Joshua, the Bible [17:08] tells us [17:11] that the sun [17:14] didn't set for Joshua. [17:18] It also refers to it as [17:23] duma, [17:26] which means that the sun really needed [17:29] to set, but it held back [17:35] its natural course of being so that [17:39] Joshua could win [17:41] an important war in establishing and [17:44] settling the land of Israel. [17:46] This practice of dumya [17:51] is very important [17:53] in pursuing [17:56] mymonities haram's path to [17:59] enlightenment. [18:01] Why? [18:03] There's a verse in Psalms. [18:07] It says [18:12] to you God [18:15] the greatest praise [18:17] is silence. What does that mean? [18:22] The greatest praise of God is silence. [18:27] And let me explain this profound concept [18:31] as mymonities [18:33] our great teacher explains it to us. [18:36] Haram says language [18:42] could only describe [18:45] that which the human being [18:48] sees, experiences [18:51] or imagines. [18:53] Correct? I can describe a table because [18:58] I see it. [19:01] I can describe a roller coaster [19:06] ride as exhilarating, frightening, scary [19:09] because I've experienced it. [19:12] I can describe [19:14] an imaginary unicorn, [19:18] because I imagine it in my mind. [19:22] But language cannot describe that [19:27] which is unknown. [19:31] And God [19:33] is unknown. [19:35] God is beyond [19:37] descriptions. [19:41] And here in lies the great paradox. [19:45] The paradox is to know God, we have to [19:50] acquire knowledge. [19:52] But there's no knowledge that we could [19:55] possibly acquire [19:57] that will ever lead us to knowing God. [20:02] And so my monities teaches us we can [20:05] perceive God. How? [20:09] By looking at the world God created. The [20:13] infinite wisdom [20:16] in this magnificent existence. [20:20] We are as you all know infantesimally [20:24] small in the scheme of this vast [20:27] universe. [20:31] Earth is a speck [20:36] in our Milky Way. [20:39] There are some two trillion suns in our [20:42] Milky Way. [20:45] And there are over two trillion Milky [20:48] Ways [20:51] in the vast universe God created. [20:56] Take a moment and think about that. We [21:00] are infantestimally [21:02] small [21:04] in God's magnificent [21:07] universe. [21:09] How does one describe God? You can't. [21:12] But we can perceive God when we think [21:15] about that. [21:18] I was just blessed this month, my [21:20] friends, with two grandchildren, one [21:23] girl, one boy. [21:29] THE GREAT MIRACLE OF OUR birth to see my [21:32] daughter [21:34] pregnant then give birth to a child. You [21:38] just go this is amazing. [21:44] It's not just nature. [21:47] This is the great This is the great [21:50] miracle of our existence. [21:55] The fact that we are conscious, [22:00] that we can think, we can reflect, we [22:02] can self-reflect, we can collaborate. [22:07] Our brains are just cells and synapses. [22:11] But we're able to do that. These are the [22:14] great wonders of our existence. Mymonity [22:17] says, you want to love God, open your [22:20] eyes. [22:22] You want to be in awe of God? Forget the [22:25] Grand Canyon. [22:28] Look up at the heavens. [22:30] Look up at the stars. [22:34] Look at a child, learning, [22:38] growing, inquiring, [22:41] laughing, questioning. [22:44] These are the great wonders [22:47] of our existence. So my monity says [22:50] practice [22:52] dia [22:58] induce love of God induce awe of God [23:03] but don't talk too much about it because [23:06] you can't describe it. [23:10] I'm going to tell you two telmutic [23:12] stories then I'm going to take [23:14] questions. Liz, is that okay? [23:16] >> Perfect. Perfect. two Telmutic stories [23:19] that speak to this very point. And I [23:22] invite you all to read my books. I I [23:25] wish I could give them out for free, but [23:27] I can't. My publisher doesn't allow me. [23:29] They're on Amazon and uh available to [23:33] everybody. [23:35] Talmudic story number one. [23:39] We're told that a young rabbi [23:43] went up to lead the services [23:47] and in the it says [23:53] God is [23:55] great, brave, wondrous. [24:00] And he went on and on and on adding more [24:03] adjectives about God. [24:06] The rabbi stopped him and said, "What [24:08] are you doing? [24:12] There's no limit. You're going to go on [24:14] all day, all week, all month, all year." [24:19] Just recite those three [24:22] descriptions that are in the liturgy. [24:25] And then everything else, silence. [24:30] Bring God into your heart. [24:36] But language fails us the minute we [24:40] start describing God. [24:43] We can perceive God, but we could never [24:47] comprehend God. [24:50] Story number two, and then I'm going to [24:53] take questions. [24:56] You're a very good, nice, quiet group. [25:00] Usually when I speak, everybody's [25:02] jumping all over me. [25:05] Story number two, [25:07] it's about Rabbi Sheshet. He was blind [25:12] and [25:15] everybody was gathering in the streets [25:18] of Jerusalem [25:19] because the great emperor [25:23] was arriving. [25:26] And all of a sudden they heard trumpets [25:31] and singing and noises. [25:35] And the Roman soldiers [25:38] started SAYING, "OH, HERE COMES THE [25:40] EMPEROR. HERE COMES THE EMPEROR." And [25:42] the blind sage said, "No, that's not the [25:46] emperor." [25:47] And in fact, it wasn't. It was the band. [25:52] All of a sudden, they started hearing [25:54] horses and noises and commotion. [25:59] And the Roman soldiers said, "Oh, here [26:02] comes their emperor." And the blind sage [26:05] said, "No, [26:07] that's not the emperor." And the Roman [26:10] soldiers mocked him. "You're blind. How [26:12] do you even know?" But he was right. It [26:15] wasn't. [26:17] And all of a sudden [26:20] the entire place went silent [26:25] and the blind sage said, "Now comes the [26:31] emperor." [26:34] The meaning of this story is [26:38] that we're not going to find God in the [26:41] thunder and the lightning and the noise [26:44] and too much descriptions and promises [26:48] and magic and and superstitions. [26:51] We're going to find God [26:54] in that quiet, [26:58] silent place within our souls, within [27:03] our hearts. We have to stir the soul [27:08] and bring God into our worlds. And [27:11] that's the mysticism, my friends, of the [27:15] great eagle, the great teacher, Haram [27:20] Mymonities. That's the mysticism I [27:23] embrace. That's the mysticism that has [27:27] touched my heart and the the many [27:32] students that I teach around the world [27:34] and in Israel [27:37] and the thousands of readers of my book. [27:41] My book is [27:43] on syllabi and universities across the [27:46] world and in Israel [27:49] because we are redefining [27:53] what pure Jewish mysticism, [27:57] authentic Jewish mysticism is all about. [28:01] Thank you so much. Questions, please. [28:03] >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you [28:06] so much. Um, everyone, if you'd like to [28:08] ask your question live, please raise [28:10] your hand. Or if you'd like me to read [28:13] your question, please put it in the chat [28:14] or the Q&A. Be happy to do that. We have [28:17] one already, but I'd like to take a [28:20] minute to um ask a ask my own question. [28:23] >> Sure. um you know when I was reading [28:25] about um you know the dummia and de mama [28:28] in your in your book and also I mean [28:30] thank you first of all you you know this [28:32] was a wonderful explation of it and and [28:35] uh you know for it's really really [28:37] wonderful beautiful um it reminded me of [28:41] the mind Marcel Maro and some of the [28:43] things that he said [28:44] >> yes [28:45] >> and I'm wondering if I could mention a [28:47] few of those and you could tell us you [28:49] know tell us you know how how this would [28:53] um compared to um I believe this would [28:57] compare to Rambam's teachings and of [29:00] course Marcel Muro was Jewish many many [29:02] of you know that um and one of his most [29:05] famous expressions is do not the most [29:07] moving moments of our lives leave us [29:10] without words [29:12] >> right [29:13] >> he also said similarly to communicate [29:15] through silence is a link between the [29:17] thoughts of man uh silence is full of [29:20] music words can keep people apart. A [29:23] mind can be a bit bridge between them. [29:26] And he said that he was not personally [29:28] religious but he felt his soul touched [29:30] when he performed the creation of the [29:33] world. And as you know he did all did [29:34] all that. [29:35] >> Absolutely. The famous philosopher [29:37] Witkinstein. Anybody heard of him? Very [29:40] famous philosopher. He said he spoke [29:43] about he he wrote about how there are [29:47] certain things [29:49] that are [29:50] so true words can't [29:55] they can't be spoken in words. Mhm. [29:58] >> Um uh I have if you open my book Liz I [30:02] think the first quote [30:04] >> in in in that chapter of Dumya is about [30:09] silence is the is the breath of God. [30:14] Mhm. [30:14] >> When we could really internalize [30:17] and induce within ourselves a profound [30:21] sense of love of God without words, [30:27] silence that touches the heavens. [30:32] We're coming now to Roshashana. Correct? [30:36] >> We blow the chauffear in Roshashana. [30:39] Why? because it's everyone's prayer [30:43] without words. [30:46] It's the ultimate form of prayer [30:53] that [30:57] goes above and beyond what words can [30:59] possibly articulate. [31:02] And so that's the practice of dumy [31:05] haram. Thank you, Liz. That was very, [31:06] very nice addition. Anybody else? [31:10] >> Um, we have a question in the chat from [31:12] Arnold Pacman and he asks, "Is the [31:15] Rambam's Jewish meditation practice [31:18] based on mindfulness as Zen meditation [31:20] is?" [31:21] >> Ah, excellent question. And the answer [31:24] is no. [31:26] Rambam's meditation is not about [31:30] relaxation. [31:31] It's not about mindfulness. [31:34] Rambam's meditation is about stirring [31:38] the soul. Sometimes it's terrorizing. [31:44] Sometimes it's [31:48] just blissful. [31:50] It's it's it's it's being a part of this [31:55] grand scheme of things. [31:58] But don't expect, you know what I'm [32:00] saying, stressfree meditation. That's [32:03] not what it's about [32:06] at all. [32:09] It's about encountering, coming close [32:13] proximity to the divine. [32:17] Thank you for that question. I hope I [32:20] didn't disappoint with the answer, but [32:22] that's the truth though. Oh, [32:23] >> I'm saying it the way it is, [32:25] >> right? Um I'll I'll ask some other ones [32:28] that I that I I have many other [32:30] questions the book. Um, you know, you [32:33] also speak about I guess this is sort of [32:35] similar because you you spoke about this [32:37] next after the deya [32:40] which is emptying the mind of everything [32:42] else when praying and like when when [32:45] praying the shama and um [32:48] >> Yes. [32:48] >> Could you could you speak a little bit [32:50] about how that works? [32:51] >> Sure. Sure. Sure. [32:55] You know [32:57] we are fragile beings my friends. [33:01] fragile beings and [33:04] our our our our minds are so occupied [33:08] with so much going on [33:11] all the time. [33:13] My monity speaks of [33:17] momentary flashes [33:19] of enlightenment and of awareness. [33:24] And that's what we seek to do. [33:27] If you walk into a bar mitzvah hall [33:31] where the music is blasting loud and [33:34] people are talking and people are [33:37] dancing and you're trying to have a [33:39] conversation with someone next to you, [33:41] it's very hard. Correct. [33:44] But the but if you quiet down the room, [33:48] you turn off the music, you get rid of [33:50] the people, you kind of remove the [33:54] bright lights, then you can engage in [33:58] conversation. And that's what [34:00] meditation, [34:03] prayer, [34:06] soulful prayer is about. [34:09] is about clearing the mind and the [34:13] spirit. When you say just those few [34:16] words, [34:21] contemplate on the vastness of this [34:24] universe, [34:26] on gratitude, [34:29] love of God, [34:31] awe [34:33] of God, [34:37] inducing those feelings [34:42] could only happen if you begin clearing [34:45] your mind. Yes, there are business [34:48] worries, family worries, you know, [34:51] neighborhood worries, grandchildren for [34:54] a moment, [34:56] just even just for a moment. Clear the [35:00] mind. So much happens in that flash in [35:03] that moment. [35:06] >> Thank you, Liz. That was a good question [35:08] also. [35:08] >> Oh, thank thank you so much. Let me make [35:11] a quick announcement. [35:13] um which is that um we there our next [35:16] book club will be with uh Batya Sorga [35:19] and Anger um we do not have we have not [35:22] settled on a date yet because of the [35:24] holidays it's a little difficult [35:25] figuring out a date when people will be [35:28] around and so on but um Jackie is going [35:31] to put a link into the chat and you can [35:34] sign up and she'll sign when we have the [35:36] date she'll sign you up for it so if you [35:39] just fill out the form that Jackie has [35:42] uh um you know that's Jackie is going to [35:44] put into the chat. She'll sign you up [35:46] you know for that you know for that [35:47] wonderful program. [35:49] >> Fantastic. Could I just add one thing? [35:51] >> Oh, sure. [35:52] >> Jackie, if you could give everybody who [35:54] attended here my email. I'm always happy [35:58] to respond to questions and to thoughts [36:03] on my books. Um, and um, uh, you know, [36:09] I'm all about teaching and and and [36:12] learning. And so I'm always open to all [36:15] kinds of suggestions and thoughts. I'll [36:17] tell you all a very quick story, then [36:18] we'll wrap it up. I was at the airport [36:21] on my way to Israel uh, two weeks ago, [36:26] and as I'm waiting to get on the plane, [36:29] this young lady uh, next to me is [36:32] reading my book. [36:34] The mysticism of Vandal Lucia. So I [36:37] asked her, I said, "What do you think of [36:38] the book?" She rolled her eyes. [36:42] I said, "Why are you reading it?" She [36:44] goes, "I have to finish a college paper [36:46] at Queen's College. I'm late. It's on [36:48] the syllabus, so I have to read it." [36:52] I said to her, "Well, so what do you [36:55] think of the book? Why, you know, you [36:57] rolled your eyes." She goes, "I think [36:59] the author is really pompous and [37:01] [snorts] arrogant. who needs a thousand [37:04] email footnotes, you know, he doesn't [37:06] have to prove to us how smart he is. He, [37:08] she says to me, I could have written [37:10] this book in 50 pages. [37:13] So, I asked her like this. I said, uh, [37:18] if the author was here, would you [37:22] welcome his signing your book? She goes, [37:26] "Yeah, of course I would. Who doesn't [37:27] want the signed autograph by the [37:29] author?" So, I pulled out a pen and I [37:31] said, "Give me your book." She covered [37:34] her face. She goes, "Oh, I'm so sorry." [37:36] I said to her, "Listen, [37:39] this was probably the most honest review [37:44] of my book in the last seven years and I [37:48] respected that and I appreciated that." [37:51] Okay, you guys have been great. Liz, [37:55] Jacqueline, thank you very much for this [37:59] opportunity. [38:00] >> I [38:02] invite you all into the family of the [38:05] Mishbah of learning, [38:07] >> right? [38:09] >> The family of learning. [38:11] >> Do you have time for another uh two two [38:13] or three questions or go ahead. [38:15] >> Oh, great. Um [38:18] uh one of the things that you speak [38:19] about you know in your section on [38:21] Shabbat is uh well you speak about a [38:24] couple of really interesting things. One [38:26] of them is because of the injunction to [38:29] work six days that work needs to be [38:32] valued [38:33] >> um but but not too much um because then [38:37] you have the refraining from work on the [38:39] Shabbat. And um you spoke about how [38:43] Shabbat is sort of the antidote to to [38:45] work of materialism under um you know [38:48] with you know when the Rambam speaks [38:51] about it. Um [38:54] and uh you know and also I mean you you [38:57] spoke about this a bit in your [38:58] introduction you know the study of [39:00] science and so on is important in in you [39:03] know in [39:05] those six days and and sort of no [39:08] knowledge uh is outside of the religious [39:10] curriculum. So could you speak about [39:12] those items? [39:14] >> Wow that that's a very good question and [39:16] a very important question. Let me say [39:18] this. My monities [39:22] was a man who valued the work week. [39:27] Shabbat is sacred [39:30] because we work six days a week. [39:36] Prayer is sacred [39:39] because it interrupts our work day. [39:45] The holidays are sacred [39:48] because [39:50] it's moments in space, in time during [39:55] our yearly cycle. [snorts] [39:59] In marriage, Jewish law dictates there's [40:02] a time to separate from intimacy [40:06] so that you value the time together. [40:11] You don't take it for granted. [40:16] Now, [40:17] this fits into Mymones's entire grander, [40:21] greater world view. [40:25] You can't know God if you don't know [40:29] God's world. [40:32] You can't appreciate the human being [40:35] if you're not engaged in the world of [40:38] work and and uh exchange with other [40:42] human beings. [40:45] And so that's what makes Shabbat [40:47] special. [snorts] [40:49] It's a sacred day independent [40:54] of how I choose to feel or or or what I [40:57] bring to it. But you're able to extract [41:02] the sanctity of Shabbat [41:05] because you've worked all week. [41:09] Now, I'm going to say something that's a [41:11] little bit controversial. I don't mean [41:12] to ruffle anyone's feathers, [41:15] but my monities wasn't a fan [41:19] of those who sat and studied Torah all [41:23] day long, every day of the week for [41:26] their entire lives. [41:30] My monity says you have to go work and [41:32] study Torah on your own time. [41:38] And that's a very important principle. [41:40] We have to engage in the world. [41:45] That's what I [41:47] am most inspired by my monities haram [41:51] bam's teachings. [41:53] >> Fantastic question. Next other question. [41:56] >> Thank you. Um, we have Nathaniel Meyer [41:59] um, asking a question live. Nathaniel, [42:01] can you unmute yourself? And let me just [42:03] mention, Rabbi Rabbi Levy, um, do you [42:06] want to also announce your uh, email [42:08] because some people will be watching [42:09] this on our YouTube channel. [42:11] >> Sure. [snorts] Um, my email is my full [42:14] name, yamin levygmail.com. [42:19] Ygmail.com. [42:25] Uh Nathaniel, would you like to ask ask [42:27] your question now? [42:28] >> Yes. Uh slightly off topic, but uh I [42:33] always want to hear something about the [42:35] para. Uh do you have any you know one [42:39] one key teaching for? [42:42] >> Sure. The verse begins. [42:57] A a a premise in the establishment of a [43:01] Jewish state [43:04] is having a legal judicial system. [43:08] Chopetim means judges. [43:11] Means police forces you must put in [43:15] place [43:17] in the establishment of a state. Why? [43:22] Because [43:26] um the society has to be safe, [43:30] sound and the judges, the 71 judges [43:35] which form what's called in the ancient [43:37] world the Sanhedrin [43:40] which would be parallel to today's [43:42] Supreme Court of Israel. [43:46] They have the power [43:50] to interpret and reinterpret the Torah [43:55] in accordance to their best judgment. So [43:59] there's a fantastic story in the Talmud [44:01] of one of the rabbis. A a gentleman came [44:05] to the um [44:08] study hall and said, "Is my oven [44:10] kosher?" [44:12] And they took a vote [44:16] and the majority said yes. One rabbi [44:19] said it's not kosher and I'm going to [44:21] prove it to you. And he started doing [44:24] miracles. [44:26] The rivers started flowing in the [44:28] opposite direction. Trees were uprooted. [44:31] Even the walls of the study hall were [44:34] about to cave in. And you know what the [44:38] rabbi said to him? [44:40] Thank you, but no thank you. [44:43] We follow majority rule here. [44:47] If the majority of the rabbis of the [44:49] Supreme Court says it's kosher, it's [44:50] kosher. [44:53] The Talma tells us a voice came from [44:55] heaven [44:58] and said, [45:02] "My [45:04] um my children have [45:09] um [45:11] means they they have eternalized me. My [45:15] children have eternalized me. In other [45:17] words, God [45:19] embraces [45:21] the collective wisdom and knowledge of [45:25] the religious Supreme Court of Israel. [45:29] That's why the Torah says, "Whatever [45:31] they tell you, [45:33] you cannot deviate right from left." [45:36] Does that answer you? Does that help [45:38] you, Nathaniel? [45:40] I think he's muted again, but yeah, I [45:42] think I think he's standing. He's [45:43] standing. Yes. And by the way, [45:45] >> fantastic. If you Google Nathaniel, if [45:48] you Google my name, Rabbi Yamin Levy, [45:51] it'll take you to my website, there's an [45:53] article about what I spoke about just [45:56] now, the power of the religious [45:59] Sanhedrin of Israel, of the Supreme [46:01] Court of Israel, and and and how that [46:04] works out. [46:07] >> By the way, Arnold Pacman by the way um [46:11] wrote in the chat he was the one who [46:12] asked about um Zen meditation and he he [46:16] liked your answer. He wrote excellent [46:17] answer. So don't worry. [46:18] >> Oh [laughter] good. Okay. [46:19] >> He was not he was not offended at all. [46:21] He like he he liked uh he like liked [46:23] your answer very much. Um I think it the [46:26] final question I'll ask about um uh your [46:29] section about um emulating God acting [46:33] merc mercif uh mercifully mercifully [46:36] graciously with acts of love and [46:38] kindness um and um you're also speaking [46:43] that you spoke about how rejoicing on [46:45] pum involves gifts to the poor you know [46:48] not not just shakman you know to friends [46:51] and could you speak about that by the [46:53] way za is Um, [46:55] >> sure. [46:55] >> Collected permodus [46:57] for [46:58] >> very very important. [47:00] >> Liz, your your your points and your [47:02] questions are really on target. [47:07] If our purpose [47:09] is really to know God, [47:13] that's that's that's that's the [47:15] achievement of human perfection to try [47:17] to know God as best as possible. [47:20] >> One has to choose to be godlike. [47:24] And what that means is at the end of the [47:27] day it's about compassion, [47:30] love, kindness, giving. [47:34] And my monity says why do we give to the [47:38] needy on Purim? [47:41] Because that's being godlike. [47:45] And he concludes, he ends his great [47:49] work, the guide of the perplexed [47:53] with that message. [47:56] You can devote your entire life to the [47:59] academy, [48:01] to knowing, to learning, diplomas on the [48:03] wall, but at the end of the day, [48:08] to be godlike, you have to act in a [48:11] godlike fashion. And that is kindness. [48:15] That's why [48:17] you know much of the work I do uh in [48:21] terms of mymonities's legacy the [48:24] mymonities heritage center which is my [48:26] foundation is about acts of love and [48:29] kindness in the land of Israel taking [48:32] care of the orphans the widows [48:34] especially the widows of this past war [48:37] and and and and and meeting the needs of [48:41] those who are less fortunate. [48:44] Bringing them joy is the great act of [48:49] godliness. [48:51] And the Torah says in chapter 22 [48:54] of the book of Exodus, [48:57] "Be careful how you treat the widow, the [49:00] orphan, and the stranger. [49:03] Because if they call out to me, God says [49:07] in pain and in suffering, [49:09] I will blame you, the people, for not [49:12] taking care of them." That is the great [49:15] act. Thank you, Liz. That's the great [49:17] act of godliness. [49:19] Absolutely. [49:21] Thank you so much. And um by by the way [49:23] um we have a message in the chat from [49:25] Daryl Ashworth who says, "I'm a [49:27] Christian Zionist. First one of these [49:29] meetings I've made it to and glad I did. [49:31] Great talk, Rabbi." [49:32] >> Fantastic. Thank you for being with us. [49:35] [laughter] That's beautiful. Beautiful. [49:38] >> I I I I hope I didn't waste your time. I [49:42] hope you enjoyed it. I'm I'm grateful [49:44] again to Jacqueline and to Liz for [49:47] reaching out and uh it's really all [49:50] about [49:52] loving God, being in awe of God, being [49:56] in awe of our existence and our creation [50:00] and embracing our great teacher Mymones [50:04] Haram. Thank you all. I appreciate it. [50:06] >> Thank you so much, Rabbi. And we'd love [50:08] to have you come back to speak about [50:09] your other book. Really, this is really [50:12] a pleasure having you here and and [50:15] >> thank you everybody. Happy New Year. [50:17] Take care. It's Roes today. It's the [50:20] month new month today. Take care. Bye [50:23] bye. Perfect day. Bye everybody. Thank [50:25] you. See you at the next one.
