Parshas Re'eh: Tests, Trials, and Unwavering Faith (Rebroadcast)

0:00 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Very often in our lives we can feel like this is the story of our Avaytas Hashem. We all ride a roller coaster down here that they call life, where days go well. Our friends seem to be kind, we connect easily to our family, seem to be kind, we connect easily to our family and the books of wisdom the Chachmas Hashem opens up to us. These are the good days, the Yimei HaAva. And then there are the days of what the Rahn calls Yimei Hasinah, the days of hatred, the days of darkness, the tough times in which you can't see clearly, you're not sure what exactly you're really working on in life, what the goal is.

0:50 You seem distant, it seems harder to connect with friends, with family. You're having one of those terrible, no good, very bad days. Only this one seems to be lasting for quite some time. And here on Parshas Re'eh this year, this cycle, we have a chance to go through a piece from Rav Yerucham Levavitz a gibmara, a mesechta, a bavimetzia, an unbelievable insight on a posik in Eov that, with the Almighty's help, can and hopefully will change your outlook on challenges, trials, nisionos, trying times, trying times, and hopefully this will give the energy and the joy back to anyone who's looking for that excitement and hopefully it will arm us with a new mindset to emancipate our energies, to be successful in our abayt as Hashem.

1:57 So it all begins when we are told a new commandment that if a prophet should stand up, they should stand up in your midst a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream and he will produce to you a sign or a wonder, a false prophet. And then and he turns out to be a fraud he then says that I prophesize and I am encouraging that we go serve other gods. He's preaching the abrogation of an entire mitzvah or perhaps even the nullification of one of the mitzvos.

2:50 We know that he has exposed himself as a false prophet and we have a new mitzvah to not go after him. Lo sishma, don't listen, el divri ha-navi yahoo O el cholem ha-chalom ahoo, to any of his signs, any of his wonders. The narrative continues and the Torah tells us the reason why it is that we should not even bat an eyelash to this false prophet, although he may be walking on water. It says in the Torah, for God is testing you To see if there is here in your midst the false prophet sent to test you, and this is really perhaps even a chance for us to prove to ourselves the level of fear of God that we have truly absorbed from the Harsinai giving of the Torah, and at this juncture it gives to us very much the aside of why it is that a person will in fact have some sort of unclarity, some sort of Shiloh, in his life.

4:12 Haberuchim tells us you look here at the Pesach. Well, hashem gave the Torah. Now you have clarity. And now Hashem is also orchestrating that a false prophet should come up in your midst and he's really encouraging bad things. He's even performing miracles to make people stray. It seems pretty convincing. And the Ramban tells us don't think that he's ever got any sort of powers here. He's no God, he's just involved with some sort of demon speaking some sort of witchcraft, talking to dead things and people, whatever that means. He's a fraud. He is a snake oil salesman. And why is he sent To test you?

4:55 A perfectly orchestrated game, hashem tells us. Don't listen. Hashem also fuels this opportunity for the challenge Hashem has sent him with all that he has. But we are told, the first thing that we should do is remember this is a test and truthfully. While a person may immediately be struck by some nesion, it's here that the first thing we're told to remember is wait. This may seem very intense, but this is a test.

5:43 Perhaps an anecdote to give Sh shed some light on this topic. I remember it was actually just a little bit ago when we welcomed our second daughter into the world. I remember sitting in the hospital room and looking at her. Inside of that Tupperware type thing with the wheels, the nurse was wheeling the baby back in. She's very cute. And I remember all of a sudden, out in the hallway there was this loud siren, as if this loud you know, when they code red, code red, we need all the personnel to the emergency room. It was frightening and the alarms were going off and the baby started to cry. And then afterwards, when the sirens died down, it said now don't be alarmed, for this is a test, just to see if the certain orders of conduct were kept to when the speakers were working.

6:39 And I was thinking this is exactly it, For without the knowledge that this is a test, all chaos would break out. We were losing it. What is happening? This wasn't even about anything in our family, God forbid but this was just some sort of chaos going on and still the anxiety levels levels skyrocket. But then this is a test that basic knowledge informs us of. Oh, I know what to do. I, like a Boy Scout, am fully prepared. Hashem has sent you a challenge.

7:20 And when we know this and really to broaden the topic, when we know that the way that it works is that Hashem grants moments of clarity, he gives the Torah and, truthfully, the words used immediately after the giving of the Torah, it's shocking. The Torah says Hashem gave you the Torah and Rashi translates the words. What does it mean, this big delivering of the Torah to the Jewish people? It means a miracle, but in fact Ramban maintains that this means it's a full nesayon Har Sinai, the giving of the Torah, a challenge.

8:06 And Rav Dessler and Rav Yerucham both sing the same song in explaining the Ramban's words. For this is the way of life God gives clarity, god gives instruction, and then God pulls back to open up the gates of free will, for you to be challenged and to then hold strong in the winds of change, in the hurricanes that come along with darkness and confusion. Can you remember the truth? Can you remember what you saw? You know that this prophet is false. Ki minas ha-Hashem.

8:48 Hashem sending a challenge. Hashem gave us the Torah at Harsinai. And now what was the point? Why did all this happen? It's unbelievable to think about. It, says the Ramban. The entire Tachlis was Linassos, so that we can be challenged to prove ourselves, to see if there's true loving servants of Hashem amongst Kal Yisrael. It's an amazing change of perspective, an attitudinal shift for us to know that the Nesionos present everything. In fact, when there's this famous line that people will say at some of the worst possible occasions, at a funeral, when people will be grieving, sitting on the floor crying, people are known to say Hashem Nossan, hashem Lok Lokach, god gave and God took away.

9:48 And really they're paraphrasing. It's actually an exact quote from a Pesach in Eov, from Job. I always love that translation. Not sure how we got from Eov to Job, but Eov, going through the ultimate challenge, says Hashem gave and Hashem took. Hashem Nossan, hashem lokach. But that's not how we read the Pasek. Says Rabbi Yerucham, no, it's not just some sort of very elementary understanding that, yeah, god giveth, god taketh no, but the entire giving, says Rabbi Yerucham, the reason why Hashem, step one, nassan, he gave you wealth and happiness and life was to be able for the eventual Hashem Lokach to take it To see if you still have that same emunah when you don't have the business flowing and the cash in the bank.

10:41 And it isn't the days of love, but it's now the days of sin and the darkness has set in. Do isn't the days of love, but it's now the days of sin and the darkness has set in. Do you still have that resolute resolve, determination to love God, to fear God, to trust in him? The whole reason that Hashem was Nassan, that he gave you, was lakach to take it from you to see if you truly love him. It gives us a whole different perspective to see if you truly love him. It gives us a whole different perspective. We freak out when we get the moments of confusion. What am I supposed to be doing? We go back to the drawing board and draw out a new play, a new plan, but we miss the boat. The goal is to stay the course and to know that you're being tested, to stay on the path, and the knowledge that everything, or that our challenges, what's happening, the anxiety, the struggles, the loss, the misturn, the financial fortune, is a challenge.

11:42 Aynas soyon, kim menaseh Hashem. That's the clarity in the uncertainty. I always remember that my father tells me, he told multiple times to our family the same mushroom has such power to it that there's this individual who's trying out for a play, he wants to act as a certain role, and, sure enough, he gets the gig and he's a little nervous, he's never really done this before. And the producer, he tells the man, you know, you have one line, it's all you have to do.

12:22 Very simple, there's going to be a big cannon that goes off in this fighting sequence. And then, once the cannon goes off, all you need to do is walk to the front of the stage and say, hark, I hear the cannon roar, and then exit left. Sure enough, he practices his lines, he's preparing, he's all dressed, ready to go for the night of the play. And then the curtain is raised, the stands are packed and the play begins and his scene is approaching, the battle in the play has now begun and his line, his role in the play has now begun and his line, his role in the play, about to arrive.

13:09 And then, sure enough, the cannon goes off and all of a sudden they look to him. This is your moment, say what you're supposed to and as that cannon goes off, all this guy remembers is what, what A cannon, what the heck was that? And he's freaking out, making sure everything's okay. And this is, at times, our perspective, when we know what we're supposed to be doing. But then we actually get in the moment and instead of saying hark, I hear the cannon roar what the heck was that? Kiminase Hashem.

13:52 Hashem is giving us challenges. We have to know our lines and know exactly that we're being challenged. Sometimes, however, it may feel like this Nisayon is just too much to bear, or perhaps it seems so real. It's reality. This is me, this is what I'm stuck in. But it's exactly how the Puzzle says it too. He's going to walk on water. He's going to do things that seem very real. This is reality. He's going to walk on water. He's going to do things that seem very real. This is reality. He's a prophet. Look, look. But as soon as it goes anti-Torah, as soon as he is encouraging the laziness and the weak tendencies in service of Hashem, you know that he's exposed himself.

14:36 This is a Nesayan. I now want to turn with you to a Gemara. That is required reading, required knowledge. It's just a must-know. You'll find it in Mesechda Bava Metzia. On Daf Nuntes Ametbez Perhaps you've heard it before, but if you haven't, every word is gold. On Daf Nuntas Amidbez. Perhaps you've heard it before, but if you haven't, every word is gold. And if you have heard it definitely, it probably would require some chazar going over it again and the understanding of the Gemara will be brought to us by Rabbeinu Nisim the Ran. Every word is like a golden and hidden treasure, so let us jump in.

15:23 There's this famous machlokas going on in the base Knesset, the base Medrash, about a tanor, shel achanoi. Really, it means the oven of the coiled serpent. It's something to do with a machlokas I believe it's Rabbi Lozar and the Chachamim about how there's a dispute as to if a certain oven is deemed impure or pure, because it has to be a full, non-cracked vessel in order to be fitting to become impure. And here there was a crack, but it was filled in with sand. So does that complete it? A whole back and forth with a lot of halachos. So listen to this Rabbi Eliezer going to war, arguing that this oven is not susceptible to become impure by himself.

16:13 Against all of the sages, or at least a multitude, a rabim of sages, rabbi Eliezer said to them Im halacha kimosi, if I'm right, well then, charuv zeh yochiach, then this cherub tree will prove that I'm right. And you know what happened. To prove the halacha ne'ekar charuv mimikomo me'amah, the cherub tree uprooted itself and it moved a hundred amos away. A total miracle. Some say it was actually 400 amos. This tree moved. All to prove that Rebbe Eliezer was right. A total miracle. The rabbi said you can't bring out proof from a carob tree.

16:54 It's got nothing to do with what we're talking about. So Rebbe Eliezer said okay, if it's like me, from a carob tree, it's got nothing to do with what we're talking about. Chazavra Amarlam. So Rebbe Lezer said okay, im Halach Kemosi, if it's like me, then Amas HaMayim Yochichu. Well then, this canal will prove, this body of water will prove that I'm right. Chazru Amas HaMayim La'achai Re'em. So the water stopped and started to flow backwards. Amrulo. The rabbi said you can't bring proofs from water. Again, that wasn't enough. So Eliezer said Let the walls of this base medrash, of the study hall prove it. Sure enough, the walls of the base medrash, the study hall, they it.

17:38 Sure enough. He took the walls of the base, the study hall. They started to lean and were about to fall. He then rebuked the walls. Omer Elohim, talking to the walls. If the rabbis are fighting and learning, if the scholarly individuals are fighting about this, halacha, what do you have to do with the walls? Stop falling, keep the walls up. Sure enough, atem ma'ativchem, what do you have to do? What business is this? Walls Lo naflu mipnei k'vodesh ha-reb Yeshua. And the walls stopped because of the honor of Rebbe Yeshua, lo zakfu mipnei, k'vodesh ha-reb Yezer. But also they didn't straighten because of the honor of Rabbi Leiezer. So the Gemara actually testifies that to this day, those walls are perfectly leaning over as a proof to the story.

18:26 It keeps going. If the law is like me, I got the real kicker here. I got the ace of spades. Let heaven testify. Sure enough, a heavenly proclamation, a heavenly echo went forth and proclaimed Ma'alochem Eitzel, rebbe Eliezer, what argument do you have with Rebbe Eliezer? Shehalocha kemoso bechomakom, for the halacha follows Rebbe Eliezer in all places. And Amad, rebbe Yeshua El-Raglov V'Omer and Rabbi Yehoshua said back undeterred lo b'shemayim. The Torah is not in the heavens. My lo b'shemayim.

19:07 The Gemara explains O, my Rabbi, hear me. What does this mean? The Torah has already been given down to this world. It's no longer in the heavens. We don't listen to Baskal anymore. We already were given the Torah from Har Sinai. It's no longer in the heavens. So thank you very much, baskal, but we're not going to listen to you. You told us that Acharei Rabim L'chato, the law in the Torah is that we follow the majority. The majority of the matter shall be followed and be decided. So we go like the rabbis and the Gemara, kind of concluding the narrative, at least giving us a little bit more of a follow-up. Ashkechei, rabbi Nosson. There was actually one time that Rabbi Nosson later on met Eliyahu Hanavi and he asked him about this.

19:51 What happened with that whole story? What was going on when Rabbi Hoshua said no to the Baskul where? What was going on when Rabbi Hoshua said no To the Bosco, where Eliyahu Hanavi told him that Hashem, so to speak, the Holy One blessed be, he was laughing and saying that my children have prevailed over me. My children have prevailed over me. Rashi explains. God was happy. He saw yes, this was the right thing to do, for it's almost funny that Hashem isn't being listened to. The heavens aren't being listened to. In contrast, or because of that, hashem said that we shouldn't listen to anything else because we're supposed to go with Aharei, rabim Lehatos, because we were given the Torah and we follow the Rabim, the majority.

20:43 What a gemar Proof. After proof, miracles and you know what. You know what? Rebbe Nunisim, the holy Ron. He asks how is it possible? What type of resolve did Rebbe Yeshua have? How did the sages be able to say no to Abbas Cole? What is going on? They didn't even seem to be the slightest bit worried that maybe Hashem is calling out. Maybe this time is different. At least a hesitation, maybe. Go ask another rabbi. Listen to this, listen to what the Rahn says, how he explains this. Gemar, the sages knew this is a test If they're going to carry on in the tradition that they know.

21:33 Are they going to still stay with what Hashem told us at our Sinai or are they going to fall? Fall because of the Baskal, the Imlav. And this is similar to what is written yes, you guessed it in our parasha, parashas rei Ki menaseh. Hashem elokeichem eschem. God is testing you if you're going to withstand the nesionos, if you're going to stay the course. V'nei noida im kol zois b'bir kabalosan, says the Rahn. These rabbis withstand the test. They were able, with the clarity that this is an Esayon, the Bosco, the Bosco, an Esayon, a tree uprooting itself.

22:16 It's like a false prophet. I know what I'm supposed to be doing. God said we, paschal, with the majority, and, yes, the Maharal and the Marsha. They explained that Rabbi Eliezer was right in the heavens and he had a deeper argument that the sages didn't understand. Rabbi Eliezer was maybe even a higher level, but it doesn't matter, because Allah follows the majority. So we don't go with miracles. Everything was a test. A test to see if you're going to stay the course. Our entire lives are one big nesayon to see if we're going to stay the course. Ramchal, elaborating, explaining, as we see from this gemara, a test.

23:01 If something is hindering you in your avaytas Hashem, you have to be able to say Menaseh Hashem At the beginning. Chapter one Ramchal Mesiasi yasharim nimtsenu l'medim, the three most important things in life, ki ekar mitziyasa, adam ba'olam azeh, what is the point? L'kayim, mitzvos, la'avod and to serve Hashem. Right, those are obviously the two that would come to mind. Connection to Hashem, loving Him, serving Him, doing mitzvot, shayfar, talis, tefillin, great, great, great. What's the last? And what is on that same trifecta that we're supposed to be focusing on in our service of Hashem, the la'amod banisayim.

23:45 That's how you prove everything. It's our whole job in life the knowledge that this is a challenge. To see it, to then think, ah, I'm being challenged here, I'm not going to listen to you. Somebody that has perhaps struggling from an anxiety, from some sort of ailment, anything, it doesn't matter. But there's this cognitive behavioral therapy, and so much of it is based on giving a person clarity, and then the knowledge of your anxiety is lying to you. You know what you're supposed to be doing. Why are you falling off the bandwagon and giving into your fear of heights when you know that it's no longer a fear?

24:26 You know that you don't have that thing to be afraid of. The germs or insert, whatever the fear is Doesn't really matter what the content is. You know that if you're losing money, it's a challenge. Yet we just freak out and we're missing the point. Trees may uproot themselves in front of you, water may flow backwards, heavenly echoes, proclamations may come out and say this is wrong, you need to give up. But we don't listen, because you know it's a challenge, because that's the whole thing. Everything is about proving your love of Hashem and your honest service.

25:09 Perhaps we can conclude with a new perspective. You know, we pray, give us the old times back. We want back to the way things used to be. But what's more important? That we go back to the good times or that we really ingest, internalize, see with total clarity for a second. You know, we all have those good days. Everyone's got it where it's working and then use it and then see it and then when you go through the darkness, ah, here we go. Another challenge, another opportunity for me to stay strong until the next one hits. And even if it's for a year, sometimes multiple, it's a challenge.

25:54 So when we said it was the best of times and then it was the worst of times, most definitely seems that it was the worst of times. It's actually more important, the Yimei Hasinah. More important, it's where we get to prove to ourselves, prove to the Almighty, what we are made of. And to close, I remember as actually in eighth grade, rabbi Glazer, who was my Rebbe, also doubled as a Hatzalah member and he knew how to do CPR. There was this free course he gave us during the summer, actually, how to do CPR.

26:36 And I remember one thing, but not much, and I think it was the first thing that you do Someone isn't breathing, god forbid. They tell you quick, you run over, check if they're breathing. That's one, then call 911. You turn to a friend and then begin chest compressions. It's something like that. It may be off, but perhaps something similar should be done anytime there's an estione in a person's life someone isn't breathing. Oh my gosh, what are we gonna do? You take a deep breath. You stay calm, cool and collected and you say this is a test. You don't sound the sirens, you don't lose it, you don't go back to the drawing board, you don't try to pick a different path, but you stay the course and you know with total calm and conviction that I'm ready for this and I know what I need to do.

27:30 So you say this is a test. And then you turn to your friend ah, let's go learn Instead of calling 911, let's go learn, let's say kriya shema, let's go back and continue to do what we're doing, proceeding on on the path of Hashem and not falling off the bandwagon. It should change our outlook on the Nisyonos. We should remember Scream it. It's the whole point of life. Nisyonos' challenges tests. They aren't in the way Nisyonos aren't in the way they are the way the Sionos aren't in the way they are the way. It's impossible without them.

28:11 And if there should be a false prophet in your life, the most important thing that you remember is do not hearken to the words of the prophet or to that dreamer of a dream, because God is challenging you, and that is the whole point.