Understanding Humility Through the Lens of Torah: A Study of Parashat 12

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It's Thursday morning, 11 o'clock a.m. in Los Angeles, and it's time to study para.

Thank you for being here with us this week, of course, is paraso. If you have a in front of you, we're

going to be referring to the text quite a bit. Open to this week's para chapter 12 parakef

all the way through to the end of the para. Here's a brief introduction. So the previous lobacherba

wrote extensively he wrote extensively about about many things but particularly he wrote

extensively about the importance of not just studying the revealed parts of Tyra but also studying the soul of Tyra what

we call kabala oridus or you know the nama of tyra and wrote how if a person does not study the inner dimension of

Tyra even if they're very wise and very knowledgeable and and really a great scholar in the revealed parts of Tory,

they may find themselves in a spiritual sense sorely lacking and really lagging behind in you know in very in very uh

very in very extreme ways. um he once wrote a a particular story again I don't want to get into all the details I just

want to highlight the point he once wrote a story about a particular scholar again a man who was very wise and

knowledgeable in the revealed parts of in the technical part of Tyra but not so much in the soul of Tyra he was ignorant

in the you know in the deeper elements so he once wrote that this individual was particularly challenged by a verse

that appears in this week's para which we're going to study the verse verse is in chap the is in parl

12:3 where it says quote which literally translates to mean that mosha is the most humble man of all

human beings that ever did or will walk and that ever did and will walk the face of the earth. And this again rabbi who

is wise in the technical parts of Torah but very ignorant in the in the soul of Torah. He said the previous rebar wrote

he was he was struggling to understand this. How can the Tory say that Mosher Raenu was the most humble person of

anybody that walked the face of the earth? How's that possible? What's the problem? He says, 'Well, how humble how

humble can a person be really when the Torah itself says about you that you are the most humble man that ever did and

ever will walk the face of the earth? I mean, does that really lend itself to humility? Does that sound like a humble

person? I mean if if a person were to really really be humble then surely you cannot

have a situation where their virtues are being extolled all over the world and for thousands of years and then some you

know all human beings will study about how humble they were. I mean, isn't that the ultimate contradiction in terms?

Surely this individual, he's disturbed by this. Surely that's not the mark of humility. A man who who who has his

humility publicized like that in such an extensive anyways the the freights. He was very disturbed by this. Anyways, he

thought about it in great depth and he came to the conclusion that the Torah doesn't mean that he was actually the

most humble person, you know, the most human being ever. It can't mean that. It means you know perhaps from among the

well-known people on the face of the earth but there were others who were less well-known than Mosherenu who

perhaps weren't as great as him in other areas but in humility surely superseded him because their humility was not being

broadcast in the actual Tory until the freed writes to the point that he decided that he himself is even more

humble than Mosher Rabenu after all mobu's humility is publicized and his humility is not publicized ized and you

know he got to this sort of terribly unhealthy conclusion because he he saw no other way to wrap his head around the

idea that the most humble person could be the most humble while having his humility, you know, publicized and

broadcast in this way. Okay, I say this because I don't I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that humility is is

the one of the most misunderstood concepts. You know it's it's interesting because in the in the English that I

like to use and he actually translates the word hon which we are translating here as humble he translates it he

translates it as meek. Moherenu was very meek above all the men that uh that that were upon the that were upon the face of

the earth. Um when we think of meek we think of submissive we think of easy to manipulate. we think of, you know,

somebody without a backbone and and that's absolutely not what the Torah is saying about Mosher when it says that he

was exceedingly humble. So, how do we understand this? And how do we how do we really wrap our heads around this

quandry that the previous Reb highlights where you have one man who is the whole Torah is is called by his name Toryas

Mosha and the Torah extols his virtues not just his humility but all of his virtues and in in a very overthe-top I

don't mean untrue god forbid but I'm saying in incredible terms and yet at the same time in the same breath we say

he's the most humble man ever all of this this needs to be understood and needs to be understood deeply.

Hashem will explore some of these ideas. Okay, let's go through it quickly. So the puk here is telling a a story and

the story is about loh about um gossip about evil talk that was spoken among siblings about another sibling. There

are three siblings, Miriam, Aaron, and Mosha. Mosher Rabenu, uh, the one who brought down the Tory, Aaron Ayan,

Miriam, their sister. There's a conversation between Miriam and Aaron regarding Mosher Rabenu, that has

disastrous consequences for Miriam. You're all familiar with the story. I'm just going to go through it very

briefly. This is the story as Rashi articulates it and and understands it and to explain the context of what it's

doing here in this part of the para. So, Hashem told Mosher Rabenu in the in the para to gather 70 elders. These 70

elders would be granted the gift of prophecy. They would be granted the the the holy spirit of Mosh, the holy spirit

of Mosherenu. Some of it would rest upon them and they would serve as Mosher Rabenu's let's call it helpers. Mosha

Raen who was a facilitators those who would be there because Moshe expressed to Hashem that there was tremendous

difficulty in taking care of the Jewish people. So Hashem tells Moshe esfish gather for me 70 70 men. The challenge

with gathering these 70 men is that there are 12 tribes and if we take six representatives from each tribe that

ends us with 72 and Hashem specifically instructed 70. So how do you get 70 from 12 tribes? Either one tribe has got to

give four and not six or two tribes have got to give five and not six. No tribe was ready to volunteer uh to have less

represent representation among these 70 elders. And so Mosher Rabenu orchestrates a whole system, a

lottery with 72 uh pieces of parchment or paper placed inside a giant container and 72 volunteer, 72 representatives,

six from each tribe. And the idea was that they were each one was supposed to go and choose a ki was supposed to

choose a ticket upon 70 tickets it would say the word zen elder and two would be excluded. Okay.

Is that exactly what happened or not? Not necessary to get into that right now. What happens is the Torah says two

individuals exclude themselves. Two individuals who were among the 72

chosen as candidates for the members of 70 for the for the 70 members of Mosher Rabenu's team. Two of these candidates

exclude themselves. Their names Eld and Maiden Maid. Okay. Who were Eld and Maid? Also

tremendous debate among the sages different opinions. According to some, they were actually Moshe Aaron and

Miriam's half siblings because they were sons of Amram. Moshe Mosh and Miriam's father, but not sons of Yeh their

mother. What happened? According to this opinion, after the giving of the Torah, Amram separated from his wife Yeh

because they were related to each other and and marriage among relatives became outlawed at the giving of the Torah.

Amram and Yv get divorced. Amram marries another wife and he has these two children, Eld. This is how some of the

commentaries explain it. All right. as it may elo exclude themselves from the 70 and they remain unlike the other 70

who are taken to the oil moya to the Mishkan these two elder they remain in the camp they remain you know wherever

it was if they were Amram's children they were levim they remain you know they remain at home despite the fact

that they remained at home and therefore they were not supposed to be given the gift of prophecy nevertheless

they are given the gift of prophecy anyways And they prophesize. They prophesize.

What do they say? What is the nature of their prophecy? Again, different opinions. Some say they prophesized

about the Slov. This the Slov is the quail, the the the birds that would fall from heaven and provide the Jews with

meat. Others say they they they prophesized that Moshe at the end of 40 years would die. Yahoshua would take the

Jewish people into. Others say they prophesized about Go all the way till, you know, all the way to the coming of

Messiah. And be it as it may, they prophesize Mosher Rabenu's son Gamos comes running to Mosher Abenu and says

Mosher Rabenu are prophesizing in in their home in in their camp. Okay.

and Yeshua has his response and Mosha has his response etc. Get to the point. The point is Rashi says

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Mosherenuh and had an unpleasant conversation

regarding Mosher Rabenu specifically about the fact that Mosher Rabenu had gotten divorced.

Now, how says Rashi did Miriam and Aaron or Miriam specifically find out that Mosher Rabenu got divorced? This was a

secret. It's true. Mosher Rabenu did get divorced. But until this point, nobody knows about it. So, how all of a sudden

does does Miriam find out? Rashi says, "Well, here's what happens. Gam Mosher Abenu's son comes running to Mosherenu

to tell him are saying prophecy in the camp. They're prophesizing.

Apparently, they were all standing around. Miriam was there. Aaron was there. Mosha was there, of course. And

Mosher Rabenu's wife, Tipira, was also standing there. Cipoira says something. It seems she

said this to herself as a reaction to the information which is now being shared to Mosherenu. But I guess uh in

the peripheral others are hearing of this as well. Moshe has told Eldos has told Eld are saying prophecy in the

camp. There's now two there's now two new prophets. We've never heard of them before.

So again, Yeshua reacts. Yeshua wants them to be put to death. Mosha reacts. Mosha says, "May all the nation of

Hashem be prophets." And Sepra reacts. The Pos does not articulate Sepra's reaction, but Rashi quotes from the

Medish. The Medish does. Sipro said, quote, The word oi is a difficult word to

translate. Oi, wo or pity or she felt she expressed a sense of pain for their wives.

But what did their wives have to do with it? Well said. Now that they Eld have been summoned to

give nva to give prophecy, their husbands are going to divorce them just like my husband says divorced me.

Wow. Bombshell. There it goes. And so at this point the secret is revealed.

This led to a conversation between Miriam and Aaron where Miriam spoke and Aaron listened.

If Aaron participated in the conversation, we don't know what he said or I should say I don't know what Aaron

said, but definitely Aaron listens to this. And so the Torah says and spoke about Mosherenu. What did they

what did they speak about? is they speak excuse me about Mosha's wife according to Rashi this refers to

that he had married well the is being a bit euphemistic says Rashi they didn't just speak about the fact that he had

married her they're speaking about the fact that he Mosha had divorced her okay clear again so Eldod and Maidod among

the original 72 candidates that were chosen for the group of 70 um eld refuse to to participate in in

the actual proceedings. They stay in their tents. They're given the gift of prophecy.

Mosher Rabenu is informed by his own son Geram that elder are prophesizing. But when Moshaenu is informed of this,

Sipro is standing in the periph in the in the in the periphery. She's standing in the in the background. She hears

this. She expresses her belief that if Elder De are prophets, they're going to have to get divorced.

Her belief is based on the fact that Mosher Abenu, her husband, divorced her. And as a result of this, for the first

time, Miriam and Aaron and perhaps those who are around discover that at some point Moshe had actually divorced his

wife. Until this point, this was not known. And Miriam says, quote,

"Hashem, Moshe is not the only one to whom Hashem spoke. Hashem spoke to us as well," says

Rashi. The rest of us have not divorced our spouses. We haven't separated ourselves

from from living with a with a spouse. It seems she's asking based on what did Mosher Raenu do this? It seems she's

challenging Mosha's decision to divorce his wife. It seems she feels it unnecessary. She says, "Hashem spoke to

us, too. We're all married. We're all living together as Hashem intends for human beings. What makes Mosher Rabenu

different that he divorces his wife? It seems she disapproves. Okay.

Says the andu is the most humble man of any man that walks the planet of the earth. In context it seems perhaps on a

on a literal level the is saying Moshe didn't deserve the criticism. The is saying Moshe wasn't offended because of

his humility or or the Torah will begin to extol the virtues of Moshe Miriam

immediately appears to these three siblings Miriam and Mosha. He tells them to to uh to leave the moy to leave the

Mishkan separating Miriam and Aaron from Hashem descends in a pillar of cloud. He stands at the opening of the tent. He

summons and Hashem rebukes them for speaking about Mosherenu. And Hashem says Mosher

Rabenu is the greatest of all prophets. All other prophets will only receive prophecy in a dream. Not so he is the

most loyal and the most trusted who in all of my home he's the most trusted

says I speak to Moshe mouthto mouth face to face when I communicate prophecy to him it's

not through riddles it's not through euphemisms it's not through analogies was able to gaze upon the image of

Hashem How did you not fear to speak to open your mouths against my servant Moshe?

Hashem is very angry. He departs and of course you all know the rest. As Hashem departs, the Hashem's presence leaves

and behold Miriam is Kashik. She's got Saras. She's got this ailment of the of the skin that

we've learned about called Saras. Sometimes translated as leprosy. Um Kashik like snow

and they take a look and Miriam has Saras and Aaron plead with Mosher Rabenu and Mosher Rabenu pleads with Hashem.

Hashem, please heal her. And Hashem says he has to she that she Miriam has to wait for seven days. She has to be

sectioned off. She's got to be for all practical purposes excommunicated for seven days. And only then would she be

allowed to join the Jewish people as as is the way with an individual that has Taras. Seven days they have to spend

alone. They have to be they have to leave the community for seven days. Despite Mosher Rabenu's prayers

interceding on her behalf, Hashem insists no, she must wait for seven days.

The Tory concludes that as Miriam waited for seven days, the entire community of Israel waited alongside her. The entire

nation does not travel until the seven days are over. But after seven days, Miriam is healed. She rejoins the Jewish

community and everybody travels on so to speak. Um and and well everybody travels on so to speak. The show the show goes

on. Two important statements teachings of Rashi that I

want to highlight before we start to analyze and dissect. Number one in on the words pel mouth to mouth

Rashi says Hashem tells Miriam quote Hashem says to Miriam you're questioning Mosha's decision to divorce his wife.

You're questioning uh you're questioning Moshe what Mosha did. is saying, "Well, Hashem spoke to everybody, right? Not

just not just to Moshe and every nobody else uh nobody else divorced their wives,

right?" Hashem says to Miriam, "What do you want?" Hashem says to Miriam, I told him to do

that. I told Hashem says, "The buck stops here. I was the one who told Mosheru to

separate from his wife." No. So, what do you want? And another important again all

everything is important but there's there's literally tens of thousands of aspects to the story but another

important point that I want to highlight for now is also another very famous rashi the last rashi on the entire para

where rashi writes that this business that the Jewish people waited for Miriam for seven days this was the Mishna says

this was a form of mid of measure for measure what happens says This was honor that the Almighty God

bestowed upon Miriam. Even in this moment of her humiliation, even in this moment of her of her guilt where she's

been forced out of the Jewish community for seven days. But yet even here, Hashem honors her and makes the whole

Jewish people wait for her for seven days. Why? because of the one hour that she Miriam

waited for Mosha when he mobu was a little baby and he was placed into a basket by his mother

and put into the Nile River. So the pix says because they could no longer hide him. The pix says that as he

that as he Moshe a baby a baby of approximately three months old was in a basket in the Nile River his sister

Miriam stood from the side from far away but his sister stood Miriam stood from far

away to see what would happen to him. So in because Miriam waited for Moshe

when he was a baby in a basket in the Nile River for one hour. Therefore approximately 80 years later when the

Jewish people leave Mitsim although Miriam spoke about Moshe which Hashem was very upset and she had to get and

she got harassed and she had to be excommunicated from the community for seven days. Nevertheless, as she stood

in her state of excommunication, says Rashi, the whole nation waited for her. The whole nation waited for her because

Hashem wanted to honor her in this of measure for measure. She waited for Mosha when he was a baby. Therefore, the

entire Jewish nation waited for her when she got okay. Um, there's obviously a lot more to this, but I'm almost halfway

through my time. And uh we haven't yet really begun to dissect. So let's dissect.

Question number one. If Hashem told Mosher Rabenu to divorce his wife

or separate from his wife, we're going to we're going to assume for the sake of this conversation because

Rashi says clearly that Moshe divorced her that it's one and the same. Hashem told Moshe to divorce his wife and Moshe

did. If Hashem told Moshe to divorce his wife, then when Moshe divorced his wife, Moshe was fulfilling Hashem's

instructions. Yes. Yes. Of course. So why did Hashem not simply say to Miriam, "Why are you questioning Mosha's

decision to get divorced? He did so upon my instruction." End of story. Oh, we have to talk about

how humble Mosher Raenu was. We have to talk about how great Moshe is. We have to talk about the difference between

Mosher Raenu and all other prophets. How all other prophets see things through visions. Mosha Rabenu doesn't. All other

prophets see things in dreams. Moshe can see it while he's awake. Everyone else gets unclear connection. Moshe has it

clear. And says he's the most trusted person. Oh my. And how did you have the to talk

about? How did you not fear to speak about my servant Moshe? Okay, it's all true. Of course, the Tory says so. But

how is any of this relevant? Why don't we just simply say, "Hello, Miriam. Hello. This was Moshe did so upon an

instruction from Hashem." Finished. Why the need to get so defensive here? Extol the virtues of Moshe. But Hashem

says there's no one as loyal as him. There's no Okay, again, there's no one as loyal as him. But it doesn't take

to fulfill Hashem's instructions. All of us all day, we do our best at certain points during the day to try to fulfill

Hashem Hashem's instructions. If Hashem told us to do something, we would do our best to do it. Sometimes Hashem gives us

very difficult mitzvah. Sometimes Hashem gives us very easy mitzvah. But if Hashem instructed us to do it and we

actually carry it out, so we fulfilled Hashem's mitzvah. Did Miriam not know that Hashem had told

Moshe to divorce his wife? So let Hashem say, "Okay, by the way," or let Mosha say, "Let Moshabenu say, I did it

because Hashem told me or let say he did it because Hashem told him." That's question number one. Again,

question number one is there seems to be such a simple solution. I I'm not saying that this would exonerate Miriam,

but what I am saying is it seems such a clearer path to to to for for Hashem to take in explaining to everybody why they

shouldn't have said what they said about Mosher Rabenu and why what Moshau did was right. Answer: Because Hashem told

him to. Period. So, he fulfilled Hashem's instructions. End of discussion.

Why do we have to get into all the other stuff? Seems difficult to understand. That's question one. Question two,

the first thing the Torah says after Miriam and Aaron speak about Mosherenu, first thing the Torah says, Mosha, Mosha

was the most humble. Even before Hashem speaks to Miriam and Aaron, the Torah immediately jumps in. And Mosha is the

most humble man again. Why is that important? Why does this it seems the Torah should

have just said Mosha did so because Hashem told him difficult to understand. Okay.

In this business that the Jewish people wait for Miriam because Miriam waited for

the Mishna says this is right seems on the on the surface so to speak very cute. Um Miriam waited for

Mosha. I don't mean that faciciously, God forbid, but it just Miriam waited for Moshe. So, the Jewish people wait

for Miriam. It seems cute, but it seems very superficial. I mean, Miriam has no other

that the Jewish people should wait for her other than the fact that 80 years ago she waited for Moshe when he was a

little baby and and and and and and put in the Nile River. I mean, okay, it's nice that she stood

there and she waited, but that's this that's the that's the of Miriam

that that for this re for this reason for this reason the Jewish people went what about the fact that Miriam inspired

the Jewish inspired the Jewish women to take musical u to take musical to take

things they could use to play music. The the word is is evading me to take things they could use to play

music when they leave Mits because they knew that Hashim was going to do miracles for them. Tambourines

Miriam led the Jewish women in song. Miriam led the Jewish women in dance after Kas Yamsuf.

What about that? No, that's not why they waited for her. They waited for her because 80 years beforehand

approximately she waited for Moshe and soon we'll learn if we have time in mit how long did she wait for Mosha Rash

says the commentaries make a calculation she waited for 20 minutes that's it's it's avas she waited for 20 minutes

that's how long she waited so for those 20 minutes that's the reason why they waited for for for for one week we seem

to be we seem to be stretching here a bit we seem to reaching far. And the final question I

want to ask is why is why does Aaron not have any consequence here? Why does Aaron not get Saras? The Torah says

that's how the whole thing starts. But the Miriam Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moshe.

Okay, so maybe Aaron didn't say anything. Maybe he just listened and Miriam spoke. Okay, but we know the way

it works with Loor. It doesn't just affect the one who speaks. It affects the one who listens too. So even if I

didn't say anything and he just listened, it doesn't say that he reject that he objected or said anything in

response. Musical instruments. That's the word I was looking for. Musical Miriam inspired the Jews to take musical

instruments. Adam all right. That she's not credited for waiting for Mosha. Yes. And no

consequence at all. What in heaven's name is going on here? Okay. So again, let's review. Question number one. If

Hashem told Moshe to get divorced, that seems to be the end of the story. No need to extol Mosha's virtues. Question

two, why they need to talk about his humility and his exceeding humility? Question three, what's really the

connection between Miriam waiting for Moshe and the Jews waiting for Miriam? Question four, why is Aaron not

punished? And finally, um and finally, question five is what is really the connection here between M

between um uh between Miriam waiting for Mosher Raenu and and the Jews waiting for

Miriam. Okay. So until until yesterday while I was preparing for these for this

uh for this year. So I always understood it actually relatively simply. Why was Miriam waiting for Mosher

Rabenu? Why was she waiting for Mosher Rabenu at at at the Nile River? She was standing me. She was standing far away.

So she wasn't in position to actually do anything to save him. She was too far. So why was she waiting? And why was she

waiting from far? If she felt Mosha was in danger, she should have stood up close. So the answer, of course, you all

know this is that Miriam knew Mosha was not in danger. She knew that he would be saved. How did she know that Moshe would

be saved? Because she was the one who prophesized to her parents that they were going to have a child and that he

was going to grow up to be the savior of the Jewish people. And a couple of months after that,

Mosher Rabenu is born. So Miriam was the one who prophesized this that that Mosha was going to be born and that he was

going to grow up to redeem the Jewish people. And when Moshe was born, the whole house is filled with lights. So

Miriam knows that Mosha is going to be saved. She's just standing there to see the fulfillment of her prophecy

actually, which is which is exactly what she did see. Now why does Miriam need to give this? She gave this prophecy at the

age of five. Why does Miriam need to give this prophecy at the age of five to tell her parents that they're going to

have a child who's going to be the redeemer of the Jewish people and liberate them? Why does Miriam need to

do that? You all know this because her parents got divorced got divorced. Why did for the first time

why did they they divorced again after Matra according to but this is the first before Moshen's birth they got divorced

why' they get divorced because Pari decreed that all the firstborns should be cast into the Nile River. So Amram

said I don't want to I don't want to have children have them be torn out of our arms and

cast into the Nile River. No thank you. So he divorced his wife. And when he did so all the Jewish people divorced their

wives Miriam in an effort to get his father to get her father to remarry said I have a prophecy for you. You'll get

remarried. You'll have a child. He will become the redeemer of the Jewish people. And in fact that in fact that's

what happened. So she's standing there by the Nile River to see the fulfillment of her prophecy which she actually did

get to see. She got to see Moshabenu get saved. Um you know she got to to facilitate Mosha's adoption into the

palace of par etc etc etc. So based on this I always understood the parasha. So this is then it's very simple to

understand. What did Miriam what was Miriam's loinhor so to speak. What did Miriam say? Miriam objected to the fact

that Mosher Rabenu got divorced. She heard that Moshe got divorced. So she objected to it. She said, "What do you

mean? Did Hashem not Did Hashem speak only to Moshe? Hashem spoke to me too." What she

Hashem speaks to everybody. What she mean? She said, "The first time Hashem spoke to me, I was 5 years old. And I

used my Nva to bring together my husband and to bring together a husband and wife, to bring together our father and

mother. And that's how Mosher Raenu was born. That's how my Nva said Miriam at the age of five brought together

got them to get remarried our parents and that facilitated the birth of Mosher Rabenu.

So don't tell me said Miriam that because Mosher Rabenu is a prophet and Hashem speaks to him therefore he has to

get divorced. Quite the contrary. I'm also a prophet said Miriam. I was been I've been a prophet since the age

of five. and prophecy not only does it not divide between a husband and wife but quite the contrary it brings them

together. So again although she should not have said this about Moshe and Moshe in fact

was instructed by Hashem to divorce his wife but the concludes that the Jews honored her even at this

moment of of her lash and her ostriization. The Jews honored her and waited for her

for seven days. Why? Because she waited for mobu meaning what she waited so they waited. What does it mean? This is how I

always understood it. What it means is why did she wait? Because she had a nav avo that she used to bring together

to give birth to a moherenu. So we can we can justify her reaction in hearing that when mosha experiences prophecy he

reacts to this by divorcing his wife. Miriam goes vault again. Right? We've been through this already.

In Miriam's world, prophecy is used to bring together a husband and wife, not to tear them apart, which is how Moshe

was born in the first place. So now Moshe, who is born as a result of Miriam's prophecy, as a result of Miriam

using her prophecy to bring together a husband and wife. Moshe, who's born as a result of this,

should say, "I'm a prophet, therefore I have to divorce my wife." Miriam said, "That's not right." Hashem

said, "Well, it was right because I told him to do so, but we can see where you're coming from." So, as an honor for

Miriam waiting for Moshe, the Jewish people waited for Miriam. Okay, this is this is the way I understood it. But I

think there's a much much deeper explanation and and interpretation going on here.

To explain this, I want to reference a a a passage in Talmud. We actually studied this this past Shabas and Shul. So, if

any of you were there, you'll you'll forgive me because I'm going to review it a little bit. Um, but again, it

speaks to the idea here of humility. It speaks to the idea of of of the significance of being humble. Okay,

this is from B and speaks about the schools of Shamai and the schools of

Hil which in other places the Gomorrah credits uh B Shami and Basil for all of the

that we have in Torah to extent the Gmorrah says that as a result of them one Tory became like two Toras because

of the many different arguments that we have now in Jewish law primarily the Gmorrah seats the responsibility for

this in the lapse of the schools of Shami and the schools of Hilo. All right, so listen to this. Here's a

fascinating passage in Omar said in the name of quote

for three years the schools of Shai and the schools of Hil argued with each other. What was the argument?

Sh said is like us. And said is like us. Three years. Three years. They're arguing. I'm right. I'm right. I'm

right. I'm right. Allah is like me. Allah is like me. After three years, it seems the decided

he had enough. A voice came out of heaven and said,

the voice of heaven said, "These and these are the words of the living God." concluded the voice from heaven and the

is like okay. The Gomorrah asks, okay,

so if both the words of B and the words of why did merit

should be like them, if they're both if both are expressing the words of Hashem, the Gmorrah answers,

the students in the school of Hil, they were I'm using the arts scroll translation. They were easy and

forebearing and they would Gomorrah goes on to say and they would always quote the words of

B of of their opponents the school of Shamai. Not only that they would they would quote the opinion of the school of

Shamai before they would quote their own opinion. The Gomorrah gives an example. And so because they were because they

were easygoing, because they were pleasant, because they were, you know, forbearing, because they were easygoing,

therefore they merited that the should be like them. And the Talmud, I'm skipping a few

lines. The concludes this teaches us anyone who lowers themselves, meaning makes themselves humble,

mighty God will raise them up. And anyone who is arrogant, anyone who raises themselves up,

Almighty God will humble them and and and and humiliate them. Whoever

um whoever searches, whoever seeks prominence,

prominence will elude them. Prominence will run away from them. Prominence will flee from them.

Anybody who flees from prominence, anyone who flees from greatness, greatness will follow them. Greatness

will pursue them. Whoever tries to rush things, whoever tries to accomplish things faster than

the time it takes, time will push back. Anyone who's patient and invests the

time and and and and allows themselves to go through the process doesn't feel that they they've earned the right

somehow to some kind of shortcut time will time will come through for them.

This is this this is the part of the gar I want to quote. So again I'll argue for three years each one says

that is like them. A voice comes out of heaven. Almighty God speaks and says listen they're both

They're both the words of hem still like says the if they're both why is like answer

they were easy they were forbearing let's call it humble and uh and from here we learn that a person should

always humble themselves and if you do almighty God will will will raise you up to the highest effects all right

fascinating piece of Talmud I'll tell you why I don't believe that Talmud means that B Shama and Bil had all their

arguments in three years. B Sham and Basil had 300 argu over over argued over more than 300 issues. I believe they

argued for much more than three years. This is not and they argued over 300 more than 300 issues in Jewish law. This

is a separate argument. In addition to everything else, the Gomorrah says they actually argued who the would like be

like us. Which begs the question, what's the

meaning of this argument? You want to argue whether a suka is kosher apostle. You want to argue with a piece of matzah

is kosher apostle. You want to argue whether a piece of I don't know you want to you want to argue how to keep shabas

argue not gaze but whatever. But here the Gmorrah says no for three years they had this argument said is like us but

they still said is like us for three years again that means in addition to arguing the particular

issues they also had another argument for three years what's the meaning of this argument why

three years how is it even an argument I think I'm right you think you're right no that sounds like an additional

argument And then a basil a voice comes out of heaven and

said they're both right. They're both right when they argue who the is like. So now the is like both

and the is still like but they were arguing over who the is like. So if the basal says the like

they're not both right is like us. And finally the Gmorrah says

so why? So if that should be like them which is a very strange question. Why did Allah should

be like them? Because the bos said so. No, there I guess is asking why did the feel

if they're both should be like them. Again, strange question. Hashem said so. Hashem said

should be like answer because they were humble. So because they were humble means the is

like you. And then of course you also have to understand there is a system of how you

pass when there's an argument and definitely in the case of Basil there was a system

how they pass we know about this because the Gmorra talks about this follows the majority and the reason why is like

basil in most cases is because they were the majority not because seemingly not because of the basil not because they

argued about it not because they were humble but because they were the majority and in fact the Gmorrah goes so

far as to say that in those times when Bash was the majority was actually like Bash and here you have a whole Gmorra

they argued who should be like the Bas said they're both right still like B because they were humble and this

teaches you that anybody who lowers themselves alighty God will raise them up

the whole thing seems incredibly difficult to Understand? So here is here is an insight.

Okay. And argued [Music]

said is like us said is like us. Again this was not an argument over a particular issue. They

weren't arguing over a suka in this case. They argued about sukas. They argued about they argued about

everything everything else. But in this case, that's not what the Talmud is referring to. What's

what what's the argument here? Shai said is like us because we're smarter. And the Gmorrah says they were

the students in the school of Shamai were sharper. That's why their yeshiva was smaller

because they had you had to pass a higher IQ bar in order to be accepted in the school of shaman. As a result, they

had less students. It was intentionally that way. They said the should be like us because we're smarter.

Basil said the should be like us because we're more humble. An argument. This argument raged for

three years. Now let's explain the argument. When we argue about what the is when we

argue about what the is in the end at the end of the day what we're really arguing about is what really does Hashem

want at the end of the day after all of the discussions and the you know the proof system bottom line what does

Hashem want I heard parenthetically I heard a story I've actually never seen the story printed but I heard it that

the the alterba the first Reb of Kabad um would sit and study Tory, of course. So whenever he would pick up any safer,

any any book of Tory, he would say in Yiddish, he would say, "If you would pick up a book of Ra,

let's see what the Rambam says." If you would pick up a gamorra, you know, let's see what this one says,

what that one says, what the what the you know, whatever it is. When he would pick up a he would say,

He said, "And now let's see what Hashem says. But God forbid that the rest of Torah is

not what Hashem says. It's all what Hashem says." But in comparison, in comparison,

the the the word of Hashem, the final word of Hashem is the the practical is referred to as an individual.

The Gomorrah says, "What does it mean by so and are arguing over the in the end of the day? They're arguing at the in

the final bottom line. What does Hashem really want? who is more of an authority to

understand in the end the mind of Hashem so to speak as much as human beings can to know what it is that Hashem wants

I say it's us we're more we're more qualified why because they're smarter

since this is an intellectual process since Hashem since Hashem gave the Tory to human beings and wanted humans to

grapple with it in their own minds So I said look if Hashem would decree it upon us, Hashem decree we accept the

decree. But since Hashem has given the Tory over in such a way that human beings have to grapple with it

intellectually to a point that they use their own minds to understand we are more qualified because we are

sharper. Bil agreed that B Shamai were sharper but they said we have a different

quality. We have a different quality. Our quality is humility. Humility makes us more

qualified to ascertain in the end the final will of Hashem. Why? What's humility? Help.

What's the significance here of the humility? The is

imagine you have two students and a very wise teacher. The teacher is teaching the deepest of wisdoms and you have two

students. One student is sharper and brighter than the other. No. So who will understand what it is that the teacher

is saying? You can make the case. The sharper student will understand better. But there's another quality which is

necessary. The other quality is that the students have to be invested truly without any ulterior motive to figure

out really really what it is that the teacher is saying. Anybody who spent time in any type of relationship where

you have to actually listen and absorb what someone else is saying, you'll know that being smart doesn't always help. In

fact, sometimes it gets in the way because when someone else speaks, you have to be able to put aside your own

preconceived notions, put aside your own agendas, ideas. You have to actually put aside your own understanding and listen

to what someone else is saying. Subilo says to Bama, "It's true you're smarter, but we're more humble." So

because we're more humble, therefore we create more space within ourselves for the words of Hashem, for the will of

Hashem to be manifest like us. Both shadikim

wasn't a selfish personal argument. God forbid. It was in fact an incredibly profound very altruistic argument. In

the end, what's the most important quality in ascertaining and absorbing Hashem's will? Shai says intelligence.

Why? Because we're smart. No, because Hashem said so. Because Hashem said you have to understand the Torah in your

brains and use your understanding to determine the Bash said we can do that better. Basil said yes, you can. But

we're more humble. We're more humble. The humility, the humility gives us an advantage over the

intellectual prowess in that the humility propels us to understand what it is that Hashem wants without any

ulterior motives. Pil said, okay, for three years they argued about this. Almighty God intercedes and says

means that both B Shami and Bil are both communicating the word of Hashem. Beautiful new how's that relevant to the

discussion we're talking about? Who should the smarter one or the more humble one? Again, they're both smart

and they're both humble. Bama exceeds in in smartness. Basil exceeds excels in humility. So who should be like? Hashem

says you want to know I'll tell you means both Shai and are both expressing Hashem's words. No

is like why says the you know why? Because basil would quote B Shami and put B Shama's words first. Meaning what?

Meaning what? Meaning the Bil was had the political skill to also quote their opponent to put their opponent's words

before their own. because Bil's humility propelled them, put them in position

where they could see that B Shama were also expressing the words of Hashem. This idea that

that both were expressing the words of Hashem. This was heard by this was appreciated. This was absorbed. This was

expressed by Bil more so than B Shami. Hashem says therefore like because

both sides are expressing the will of Hashem and are both speaking God's words.

So who we going to give the ultimate medal to so to speak? Who's going to carry the mantle of the one who can hear

this? The one who can express this. The one who can show the one who who feels and and um

the one who the one who can feel and sense that their opponent's words are also the will of Hashem. That's the one

who excelled in not having their own egos, their own self in the conversation says that's why

that should be like them. Yes. practically how it played itself out. It played itself out because they had the

majority. But why did they have that? Why did they have that should be like them? The Gomorrah says the Basel

explains. The Basel explained, the Bascll said the reason is because the more one can rid themselves of of

their sense of self, of their ego, the more one can the one can remove from within themselves the the the the sense

that it's about my understanding, the more one can feel that it's it's the words of Hashem, even while they use

their own understanding. the more one is able to see that their opponent also expresses the words of Hashem just as

much as they did. This was the gift of this is the meaning I believe of the statement of the Gmorrah

and the Gmorra says you know want to know what you learn from this that every person needs to humble themselves in

order in the end to be elevated by Hashem. It's kind of like this. To put it in

sort of really simple words, you'd say it like this. You'd say it's different. Tory wisdom is different

than than any other wisdom. Why? Any other wisdom, the smarter you are, the more the more powerful you are in in

this wisdom. But with Tory, it's different. Why? Because in Torah, there's a God element.

There's a God element in everything. But but in Tory, the God element is more revealed. The godly element in Tyra

needs in addition to the intellect needs the intellect to be laced and packed with humility.

The humility, the combination of intellect and humility allows the Jew to become a ki to be a vessel to the Torah

which is both intellect and Hashem's presence. So when it comes to understanding the

we're in what's most pronounced is the will of Hashem over here you need the humility

more so than everything else. Okay this is I believe perhaps an insight into the Gorrah and how to understand it. The

point that I'm trying to make here is what the Gammorra is saying is Bil's gift

their the reason why the was like them is because they were able to see the great what was expressed in the fact

that they were able to see the greatness of Bashami. They didn't put the word they didn't quote the words of Bashami

before their own as a political ploy. They did it because after they heard the words of Bashami, they actually to some

degree saw the intellectual superiority in the words of their opponent and yet they still said no we we stick

to ours because that's that was bas that was the the the approach that comes from. In other words, the more one is

humble, the more one is able to to connect to someone else even even an opposing even an opposing view. Okay,

let's go back to P. I want to wrap this up in in very briefly. Miriam hears that Moshe has divorced his

wife. She reacts. She says, "What do you mean? You think Hashem only spoke to Moshe? He

spoke to me too. He spoke spoke to all of us, right?" Referring to Hari, referring to Miriam experiencing

the vu as a child, etc. What was Miriam trying to say? She didn't it didn't enter her mind that maybe Mosha received

such instructions from Hashem. It's not the point. Miriam says Miriam says I had NAVU at

the age of 5 years old. I know what it's like to have nua. You know what I did with a nava?

Nva prophecy means you're hearing something which is beyond you. Like basilo you're hearing the will of

Hashem. Miriam says you know what I did with this? I used it to reunite a husband and

a wife. I used it to bring people together, not to stay separate.

I didn't use it to exclude anybody. The prophecy that I received said Miriam, I used it to to to bring to bring

together. And let's not forget when got remarried, the whole Jewish nation got remarried. That's what you do with a

nava. Why? Because nva is about hearing Hashem's words. Hashem's words are about humility. Humility means it's about you.

Miriam is flustered, terribly flustered by the idea that Mosher Rabenu as a result of his

prophecy would use somehow this prophecy would motivate him and inspire him to separate from his wife.

She sees in this, she's concerned here. She sees in this not just the separation between Mosha and his wife. All right,

that in the end was an instruction from Hashem. Moshe did it because Hashem told him she's concerned about the broader

implications of this. Again, again, Miriam watched her father separate from his wife. And when her father separated

from his wife, so did the entire Jewish nation. Miriam was the one who repaired the whole thing. She brought the whole

Jewish people together. She felt like tapping her brother Moshe. You know, I shouldn't say what she felt

like, but but but her struggle here is she wants to see that prophecy brings unity and harmony, inspires one Jew to

connect to another Jew, not to separate from another Jew. Like like the Basel says

sees the virtues of therefore is like them. She's alarmed by the seclusion of Mosher

Raenu. Divorced doesn't just mean he divorced his wife. Technically divorced his wife means he's he's separating from

something. He's separating from from Deris from the ways of the world. Wait a second, says Miriam. This is wrong. I

know what Nv is like. I have from the age of five says the first thing you should know.

First thing you should know even before we tell you that mo did so upon instruction of hem. We'll get to that.

That's But before that is the ultimate catalyst, the ultimate persona, the ultimate personification of

this concept of which is where there's no sense of self and it's just a person can be transparent that the will of

Hashem can come through them. This is the very this is the very essence of Mosher Raenu. More so than any person

upon the face of the earth. Even if Mosherenu writes in the Torah that he is the most humble person more so than any

other person in the world, he still remains the most humble person because he's writing it because this is what

Hashem wants. And and that's all there is to it. And by him doing whatever it is exact

instruction that Hashem has instructed him to carry out, separate from his wife, you know, write this in the Tory,

etc., etc., whatever it was, by doing so, Moshe does his as a mohenu. And then in the end, he gives this gift

to the Jews. He empowers the Jews to do the same. And so the Torah goes on to extol the

virtues of Mosher Rabenu. To extol his virtues to tell us how to tell us who he was not because it's necessary just to

extol the virtues of Mosherenu for its own sake. Right? That doesn't sound like humility but because in this sense it

becomes a part of Torah. How every one of us who has a little moherenu inside themselves is empowered to to in our own

way to be the bhil to be the the moherenu and and and and in every situation communicate to ourselves and

to those around us the will of hashem without the will of hashem without an agenda. Okay concludes the para the

Jewish people waited for Miriam. They waited for Miriam. Why? Because Miriam waited for Mosherenu.

Because Miriam waited for Mosherenu. Therefore, when when he was a child, therefore, the Jewish people waited for

Miriam. What does it mean? They didn't just Miriam didn't just wait for Mosher. Miriam didn't just wait for the

commentaries make a calculation here that it wasn't just that Miriam waited for Moshe. Miriam be when she becomes

aware of something that Mosha Rabenu needs. Mosha needed a wet nurse as a baby. Miriam ran to get the wet nurse.

That means again that means again Miriam is a walking display of how the more one is inspired with

prophecy the more one has to run to help another Jew. Miriam could have said at the age of five she was a prophet. She

could have said I have important things to do. You want me to run to go and fetch a wet

nurse for a little baby? They would have eventually they would have figured it out. Moshe refused to nurse from any

Egyptian women. Eventually they would have figured out they need a Jewish woman.

At the age of five, Miriam understood and she and she understood correctly that when you experience a Nva from

Hashem and this about this Miriam is 1,000% correct. It's interesting because at the surface it seems like a negative

story about Miriam, but when you scratch the surface you see the whole thing is here to extol the virtues of Miriam. On

the surface, it seems she spoke. But when you when when you what the Tory uncovers here is how a young woman at

the age of five to whom Hashem spoke used her prophecy to bring Shalom in her own home. Shalom in the whole Jewish

nation, all of them to get remarried to bring Mosherenu into the world. Mosha would grow up, take the Jewish people

out of give them the Torah, etc. And if there is a moment where a child

needs a wet nurse and the child needs to be reunited with his mother, then Miriam, the one who

experienced the prophecy of Hashem about the saving of the Jewish people, she's going to be the one to run

and bring the wet nurse for the baby. And I saw a very fascinating thing. The medish says that when Moshe in the in

the in the as a baby was placed in a basket on the Nile River in our Gomorrah it says when he was placed in the basket

um Amram his father sort of gave her a bit of a smack and he said he said my daughter where's your prophecy the medit

says it wasn't the father that gave her the smack it was her mother med says she gave her a tap and said

where's the prophecy And it's this same mother that is struggling with the prophecy to whom

Miriam runs 20 minutes later and says, "Mama, mama, I'm the prophet of the generation. I'm

telling you, listen to me. Your son needs you come." And reunites the mother and child. And the pos says, "This was

the that Miriam had." And for this reason, the whole Jewish people waited for Miriam because she's right. In the

end, she's right. Of course, in Mosher Rabenu's case, Moshabenu was following an instruction

from Hashem. Hashem said, "You shouldn't have spoken about Mosha. Don't you realize everything Moshabenu does is my

will. He's on of Moid. Mosha has his own mission, his own journey." But as far as Miriam's message, he's

100% right. Every neva, every prophecy when it manifests itself, when it comes into when it comes into practical, it

has to it has to express itself in such a way where you see the virtues in another Jew. And maybe this I'm saying

completely on my own my own. If I'm wrong, may Hashem forgive me. Maybe this is the reason why Aaron wasn't punished

at all because this is Aaron's whole existence. Aaron's whole existence is to bring between a man and his wife and a

man and his friend. So Aaron this was this was so the mission statement and the the bread and butter of Aaron's

whole existence that it wasn't necessary to to give him this consequence although he shouldn't have participated in the

loor but but but this is this is his whole life in Miriam's case it was necessary to

remind Miriam and to remind all the Jewish people about herus of taking nvu and using it to reunite families and to

reunite Jews and and and and to you to make it manifest in such a way that one connects with others and and not

separates. In the end, the bottom line is like this. We are not prophets. We're not people of

of this caliber and stature. We're we're very humble people. But we do try every one of us in our own way to elevate

ourselves to become to become closer to the truth to become more refined to become to become better bigger and

better people. And always the litmus test to see if you're doing it correctly. If a person is doing it, if

one is connecting with Hashem more or less the litmus test, who do you trust? Who do you go to for advice?

Always, it's always one thing. It's these words to be humble like Miriam was to be able

to see that every gift from Hashem, every opportunity that we have has to be used to bring and peace between a man

and his wife, between one man and one wife or every man and every wife to reunite one mother with one child to

reunite one Jewish family to to to to bring one more drop of wholeness and and and peace to aid. That in the end is the

ultimate real gift, the ultimate way to use any of the gifts that Hashem has given us to use it in such a way that we

manifest and make some other Jews life easier. May Hashem bless us with opportunities and with bras for us and

for our families to always use every opportunity we have to bring blessings for all the Jews around us. Thank you

and have a wonderful Shabas.