YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Shabbat and Holidays
- The High Holidays
- The Month of Elul
The Torah study is dedicatedin the memory of
Hana Bat Haim
R' Chaim of Sanz's story deals with a person who has gotten "lost in the forest." It is about somebody who has gone astray, about sins and transgressions which stand in man's path and become a virtual forest of trees which block his way. At certain times, man feels the need to find his way out of the tangle which he has caused himself to become lost in. He feels as if he's in need of help. At exactly that moment another person passes who has himself lost his way. It subsequently turns out that even the man he turns to for help does not know his way out of the thick. He only knows how to say in which direction not to go.
This part of the story teaches us the need to harness the power of joint effort when striving for repentance. Indeed, this is the message with which the rebbe of Sanz finishes off his story: "My brothers, let us search out the new path together." The hassidim, the students, believe that the Rebbe has a clear picture of the way out of the forest. However, the rebbe makes it clear that struggling with sin and transgression is his own lot in life as well, and not only that of the hassid. Each of us faces his own forest in life, each individual must deal with his own entanglement, each of us must find his way out of the forest after having gotten lost.
The response of the man in the woods may appear somewhat disappointing: the individual who has just now gone astray is sure that he can be aided by this man to find his way out of his fix. Yet it turns out that he is only familiar with those paths which are not to be entered because they only lead further into the forest. It turns out that every pit bottom is liable to give way to an even deeper pit, and each fall is liable to be followed by an even greater fall. Even one who has already become ensnared by his sins must be aware of the still greater danger of becoming further ensnared.
Despite the fact that the man in the forest does not know the way out, he offers to show his partner which paths to avoid, and then, together, they will be able to look for the correct path. The approach offered by R' Chaim to his adherents transforms failure into a springboard for success: sin and its attendant complications can aid in teaching man; one may infer from the negative which is the true path that should be chosen.
The Sages teach that one cannot grasp the words of the Torah until he has first stumbled in them. Man's true achievement is wrought out of his struggle with failure. Precisely by learning those forest paths which must be avoided one is able to uncover the proper way. The search which follows the lessons of failure can be regarded as a cooperative lesson stemming from collective experience: "Let us go together to search out the way." The way will be found after the group, as a group, puts its mind to finding it through intense reflection upon both individual and communal shortcomings.
R' Chaim of Sanz's story is generally told in the month of Elul, when people are preparing themselves for the Day of Judgment. All are aware that the path to the Day of Judgment involves soul-searching and self-scrutiny. This manner of service is not easy. A person naturally feels ashamed at his own failures, his personal, self-inflicted ensnarement. The rebbe, like the man in the forest, stands at the crossroads of Elul, turns to those who have lost their way, and urges them to transform their falls and failures into a springboard of rectification and an opportunity for focusing in on points which need mending. He tells them to embark on a new path, a path born of the lessons learned from all of the failures.
The cry of the rebbe here, like the cry "Let us search and try our ways, and turn back to the Lord," (Lamentations 3:40) is made in the plural. One of the great keys to Rosh HaShanah lies in the power of communal search for the true path. The Kabbalistic work the Zohar points out that the power of the individual on Rosh HaShanah depends on the power of the community, in the sense of, "I rest amongst my people" (2 Kings 4:13). The various failures, errors, and reconsiderations join together and constitute a supreme force which propels the entire community to concentrate on searching out the new path.
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Chukat "HOW ENTEBBE STOLE THE BICENTENNIAL
The Difference Between Historic & Eternal"
As we approach America's 250th birthday, it's worth remembering her 200th Bicentennial birthday, on Jul. 4th 1976, when Israel "stole the show" by shocking the world & miraculously saving 101 hostages in a foreign continent. As Pres. As Pres. Trump decides which countries get priority in his new Middle-East, it's worth reminding him of the difference between historic events and eternally historic ones. This obviously connects with this week's parsha, as well!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 6 - The Parable of the King of India
The advantages of testimony over circumstantial evidence or philosophical speculation.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
