The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.
Daily Lesson (Morning), July 7, 2024.
Part 3 Mishna. Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5, item 20
Reader: We are reading in the Mishnah of Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5, Item 20.
Reading item 20: (00:17) Judah ben Tema said: Be strong as a leopard, and swift as an eagle, and fleet as a gazelle, and brave as a lion, to do the will of your Father who is in heaven. He used to say: the arrogant is headed for Gehinnom and the blushing for the garden of Eden. May it be the will, O Lord our God, that your city be rebuilt speedily in our days and set our portion in the studying of your Torah.
Reading item 21: (01:10) He used to say: At five years of age the study of Scripture; At ten the study of Mishnah; At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of “strength”; At ninety a bent body; At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.
Reading item 22: (02:28) Ben Bag Bag said: Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein. And look into it; And become gray and old therein; And do not move away from it, for you have no better portion than it.
Reading item 22: (02:58) Ben Bag Bag said: Turn it over, and [again] turn it over, for all is therein. And look into it; And become gray and old therein; And do not move away from it, for you have no better portion than it.
Reading item 23: (03:26) Ben He He said: According to the labor is the reward.
M. Laitman: No questions.
Reading Chapter 6, item 1: (03:55) The sages taught in the language of the Mishnah. Blessed be He who chose them and their teaching. Rabbi Meir said: Whoever occupies himself with the Torah for its own sake, merits many things; not only that but he is worth the whole world. He is called beloved friend; one that loves God; one that loves humankind; one that gladdens God; one that gladdens humankind. And the Torah clothes him in humility and reverence, and equips him to be righteous, pious, upright and trustworthy; it keeps him far from sin and brings him near to merit. And people benefit from his counsel, sound knowledge, understanding and strength, as it is said, “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, strength is mine” (Proverbs 8:14). And it bestows upon him royalty, dominion, and acuteness in judgment. To him are revealed the secrets of the Torah, and he is made as an ever-flowing spring, and like a stream that never ceases. And he becomes modest, long-suffering and forgiving of insult. And it magnifies him and exalts him over everything.
M. Laitman: No questions?
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (06:07) How to relate to what was written, that the upper wisdom, it's the 10 Sefirot, it's the 10 Commandments, it's all these exalted, precise things, how should we relate to these things?
M. Laitman: Relate to it, like that.
Student: But how can you take something from this?
M. Laitman: With everything you've got, try, try to use all the vessels you have, with your mind, your memory. You want to absorb it, you want to go over it each and every day. Look, we need to use only what we can and what we’re unable; then we hope the Creator is great and merciful and full of grace and truth. And He will bring us closer to it, that's it, there's nothing more. Also, besides that, we have a place, we have a society, we have an opportunity to learn together. Look at the number of women, what kind of people, in general, this wasn’t necessarily there a hundred years ago, a thousand years ago, it shouldn't be taken for granted. So nevertheless, we have merited, we've been rewarded, when we live in a time where we can learn about it openly and tell everyone about it. And we truly hope that it will shine a light upon us more and more.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (08:56) How to make the study not be superficial so that we don't just read and continue. This whole lesson is kind of like, we're reading, already.
M. Laitman: What's up with you, that's what the lesson feels like?
Student: My feeling is that when I read, or we're reading and we don't scrutinize, and we don't enter?
M. Laitman: Well, what's to scrutinize?
Student: I don't know, that's what I'm asking.
M. Laitman: First of all, I'm constantly thinking that this should enter my heart.
Student: Okay, I'm thinking that beyond the prayer and the reforming light.
M. Laitman: No, that's enough, that's enough. If you don't feel that it fulfills you, it's a sign that you're not connected with the study.
Student: So, how can I become more connected to the study if that's how I feel?
M. Laitman: It should pain you, you should ask the Creator to bring you closer. It's true, you used to think this way, in a certain way but today you feel more, you understand more. You have a greater desire, a deficiency, you wish to realize it.
Student: It seems like, at least in the state that I'm in at the moment, it depends on the material we're studying. There's material that's easier to enter, there's material that you kind of like float above or hover above it. How do you make it so that what the Kabbalists teach us, no matter what, we really have that, what you said. That feeling that, that wow, we're touching here something that is really great and special?
M. Laitman: I want everything that we're learning to enter my heart, and to feel that my heart is filled with it and it's truly beating, accordingly; it's not everything but I start from that.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (11:19) Almost all the excerpts that we're reading in Pirkei Avot, either Rabash clarified them and scrutinized them in internality in their way.
M. Laitman: It's a long time ago, several years.
Student: The Letters, also the articles of Rabash, lean on some of these excerpts, here, and scrutinize them in internality. And now it's like we're reading it like it's the portion of the day, like on TV, like before we go to sleep.
M. Laitman: No.
Student: It doesn't connect, there's a lot of slogans that are said but we don't stop and try to deepen in what's happening here. So, it's like it becomes.
M. Laitman: I disagree.
Student: So I'm asking like the friend, how do we put this inward so that there would be an excitement from these quick slogans that we read already?
M. Laitman: What do you mean we read them before? So, what if we read them before? You're impressed every time you're hungry, right?
Student: It's a verse, there's 20 words in it. If you really want to go deep in it and go and do it, you have to sit for an hour, there are a lot of discernments.
M. Laitman: You don't need an hour, no, no, it's unnecessary. You think you can penetrate it, but you can't. You can't go deeper than where you are, even if you repeat it a thousand times, nothing will help. You need to simply read and try to think how do you realize it.
Student: Implement.
M. Laitman: How do you implement it with the friends? I don't think there's anything more.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (13:39) Just a small discernment I want to say. Children at elementary school, when they learn these things, they simply learn it by heart. They put it into the box, and they put it in a way that it's kind of like going to be the basis, and it's like sitting. It's like when I was a child they would tell me, learn things by heart, it develops your memory. So, this is like you're putting this into the memory of a child at a young age for it to sit there. And they're doing it like this, but as long as it enters inward, somehow.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (14:27) I will do one more thing, if it suits the friend and if not, no. Besides trying to put in my heart, I'm trying to see, I'm asking myself, where did the Kabbalist receive this? And that's my hope that it will enter into me. What he wrote through him, and then sometimes I take a word, two, or a feeling and that's what I go with.
M. Laitman: I don't think it's correct, no. Where are you taking the word or two words, based on what are you opening it up?
Student: Can I give an example: In the last excerpt that we read, we read many, many words. And then he used the word, humility, meaning that the more connected you are, one needs to take care to remain calmly and silent within you.
M. Laitman: Okay, that's your interpretation.
Question (Women PT6): (15:41) It sounds like in item 21 that we read about the ages, that each age has what needs to be done and during that age. Is that the formula of life? Maybe the reader can read it again.
M. Laitman: Yes, read it.
Reading Chapter 5, item 21: He used to say: At five years of age the study of Scripture; At ten the study of Mishnah; At thirteen subject to the commandments; At fifteen the study of Talmud; At eighteen the bridal canopy; At twenty for pursuit [of livelihood]; At thirty the peak of strength; At forty wisdom; At fifty able to give counsel; At sixty old age; At seventy fullness of years; At eighty the age of “strength”; At ninety a bent body; At one hundred, as good as dead and gone completely out of the world.
Reading Chapter 6, item 2: (17:00) Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: every day a bat kol (a heavenly voice) goes forth from Mount Horeb and makes proclamation and says: “Woe unto humankind for their contempt towards the Torah”, for whoever does not occupy himself with the study of Torah is called, nazuf (the rebuked. As it is said, “Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig is a beautiful woman bereft of sense” (Proverbs 11:22). And it says, “And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). Read not haruth [‘graven’] but heruth [‘freedom’]. For there is no free man but one that occupies himself with the study of the Torah. And whoever regularly occupies himself with the study of the Torah he is surely exalted, as it is said, “And from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and Nahaliel to Bamoth” (Numbers 21:19).
Reading item 3: (18:31) One who learns from his fellow one chapter, or one Halakhah, or one verse, or one word, or even one letter, is obligated to treat him with honor; for so we find with David, king of Israel, who learned from Ahitophel no more than two things, yet called him his master, his guide and his beloved friend, as it is said, “But it was you, a man mine equal, my guide and my beloved friend” (Psalms 55:14). Is this not [an instance of the argument] “from the less to the greater” (kal vehomer)? If David, king of Israel who learned from Ahitophel no more than two things, nevertheless called him his master, his guide and his beloved friend; then in the case of one who learns from his fellow one chapter, or one Halakhah, or one verse, or one word, or even one letter, all the more so he is under obligation to treat him with honor. And “honor’” means nothing but Torah, as it is said, “It is honor that sages inherit” (Proverbs 3:35). “And the perfect shall inherit good” (Proverbs 28:10), and “good” means nothing but Torah, as it is said, “For I give you good instruction; do not forsake my Torah” (Proverbs 4:2).
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (20:33) It’s also written that Israel’s not redeemed but from sorrow, etc., but only when he goes and learns with his friend, and here we also read. What is to learn from his strength as it’s written here, a chapter, a Halacha, a verse?
M. Laitman: Just like that? I guess you can learn from anything.
Student: We don’t sit in meetings and talk about verses so what is to learn from the friend?
M. Laitman: To see it, to look at it, to see it, to try to take an appreciation from it, importance of it for the friends, for the study, for everything.
Student: He writes, here, “he learns from a friend one chapter, one Halacha, or one verse, one word or letter, it sounds like words of Torah”. That’s why I’m asking.
M. Laitman: No, it’s not about that.
Student: Are there words of the Torah?
M. Laitman: Well, of course if he studies then he studies through the Torah, through the friend.
Student: What is it to learn through a friend the Torah?
M. Laitman: Whatever the friend learns is what I want to know.
Student: I don’t know what the friend learns or what he feels.
M. Laitman: Get closer to him and see. Can you be incorporated with his Torah in this way?
Student: To kind of ask to feel the Torah through the lens of the friend?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (22:37) I did not understand, how do I receive Torah from the friend?
M. Laitman: Try to come closer to him and study together with him.
Student: To learn with him, not from him.
M. Laitman: From him.
Student: What is learn from him? His behavior towards his friends, his attitude towards the path?
M. Laitman: No, his attitude toward the Torah.
Student: How can I learn the attitude of the Torah from a friend?
M. Laitman: Why not, if he’s greater than you, then even more so; it’s even better.
Student: To make the friend greater?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: I have no way to see what his attitude is towards the Torah. How do I know what his attitude is towards the Torah?
M. Laitman: You see, plainly, that it’s a person who invests, he takes these things seriously. And you wish to learn this from him, you want to be impressed by him, to be incorporated in him.
Student: And that impression brings me Torah?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: Okay, what is it to behave with honor towards a friend?
M. Laitman: You relate to him like to a wise student. Where are we?
Reading item 4: (24:16) Such is the way [of a life] of Torah: you shall eat bread with salt, and rationed water shall you drink; you shall sleep on the ground, your life will be one of privation, and in Torah shall you labor. If you do this, “Happy shall you be and it shall be good for you” (Psalms 128:2): “Happy shall you be” in this world, “and it shall be good for you” in the world to come.
M. Laitman: Again.
Reading item 4: (24:53) Such is the way [of a life] of Torah: you shall eat bread with salt, and rationed water shall you drink; you shall sleep on the ground, your life will be one of privation, and in Torah shall you labor. If you do this, “Happy shall you be and it shall be good for you” (Psalms 128:2): “Happy shall you be” in this world, “and it shall be good for you” in the world to come.
M. Laitman: Questions? This is a known excerpt.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (25:40) I don't quite understand this attitude of what is, where was it, it disappeared. “You shall eat a piece of bread, and measured water and salt.” I don't exactly live like that, I don't eat bread with salt and sleep on the floor. What does he mean?
M. Laitman: He means that if you understand, if you try to bring yourself to a balanced life around the Torah. And you use it to fill the rest of your lives, then happy shall you be in this world; and it shall be good for you in the world to come.
Student: Let's say, we're supposed to enjoy food, water.
M. Laitman: They're not talking about enjoying, they're saying that you need to receive that.
Student: What is this, some special restriction we have to do?
M. Laitman: To fill oneself, no, it doesn't say you have to suffer from lack of food.
Student: But it feels like that, eat bread with salt, rationed water you drink and sleep on the ground. What does that mean?
M. Laitman: You need to try to live this way, where all the rest, in the Torah shall you labor, that's the main thing. If you do this, happy shall you be, and it shall be good for you in the next world. What's to think about, it's what the Torah recommends for a person. What did you think, actually?
Student: When I actually go to eat something, I understand that the Creator wants me to enjoy. When I go to sleep, I understand that He's bringing me a comfortable bed to sleep on. I don't understand this relation towards life that He's describing, here. What is this attitude, what is this, what's this path to put this into? I see that the Creator makes sure that a person will be comfortable and good in everything.
M. Laitman: Yes?
Student: So, what is this attitude that He's describing, here?
M. Laitman: You should always be within a framework; don't take everything your body as a beast wants. Whether bread, you shall eat bread with salt, you should drink water, sleep on the ground, what's so bad about that, tell me?
Student: It's not bad, it's just like there's some special intention that he's aiming us, here.
M. Laitman: That other than what a person gives to his body, all the rest he gives to his heart, to introduce the Torah into it.
Student: So, the emphasis here is on the Torah?
M. Laitman: Yes, correct.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (29:37) Maybe the intention here, I'll add to what the friend said, when you labor in the Torah, then all the other things appear as less important, you kind of like just do them. You eat, drink, sleep and then the main thing for you is engagement in the Torah.
M. Laitman: It might be, yes.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:01) Why do we need this life of provision? He's talking about this life of probation.
M. Laitman: I can't say, I think your life then will not be a life of suffering, of probation. You are getting close to tasting something of the world to come.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (30:41) We always talked about this, and I think also Baal HaSulam or Rabash writes about the fact that these things are no longer relevant. That there's the reforming light, we don't need to behave this way.
M. Laitman: That's correct, nevertheless, something in that direction needs to be. The Torah does not honor it when you're using all the pleasures of this world. Although they could be absolutely qualified for it, kosher and there's no prohibition. Nevertheless, bring them down a little bit.
Student: The question is if the pleasures we have today, is it not in the necessity of a person because the desire grows from generation to the next.
M. Laitman: So, take down from that desire, from the necessity a little bit, 10%, 20%. Try to take out a little bit.
Student: He writes, and labor in the Torah, and we learned that Torah is a gift, so what is to labor in the Torah?
M. Laitman: To labor in the Torah, it's written about it in many places. It's when you try to study it, to repeat it. Not forget, understand, remember; this is all part of laboring in the Torah.
Student: So, it's like keeping the gift, can you say it that way?
M. Laitman: You could say that, even when you have to learn by heart. People used to know it by heart in the past.
Student: So, what is the labor in the Torah in the Ten?
M. Laitman: In the Ten, it's when each one feels that he’s dependent on others and it's worthwhile that they would repeat the portion together, even once a week.
Question (Women PT 11): (33:19) What effort do we need to make between us in the lesson to truly make things go into heart?
M. Laitman: Connect the hearts and aim the common heart at the Creator.
Question (Women Latin 15): (33:40) What should our attitude be towards the reading of Pirkei Avot?
M. Laitman: We want those verses to enter our hearts. There are many good things, good ethics, that could correct our hearts.
Question (Women Zafron 1): (34:16) You told us several times about Rabash who sent you to get the best expensive cheese. So how does this work out with all the things that we read right now, live a life of sorrow?
M. Laitman: I'm happy that you remember about it, but he gave me an example for what I have to do when I'm buying cheese for my teacher. So, I'm going to buy the best thing; that taught me something. Okay, let's go.
Question (Petah Tikva Center): (35:11) I didn't understand what you said, that in the Ten each understands that he's dependent on others and it's best that they repeat, return over the Torah. Let's say, on the portion of the week, even once a week.
M. Laitman: Yes.
Student: What exactly is the task here?
M. Laitman: Once a week, it's good for the Ten to read the weekly portion.
Student: To actually read the text from the Torah, from the book?
M. Laitman: From the book, not from a scroll.
Student: Yes, yes, the meaning is from the Bible, but to read it as a Ten once a week?
M. Laitman: Yes.
Reading item 5: (35:56) Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not covet honor. Practice more than you learn. Do not yearn for the table of kings, for your table is greater than their table, and your crown is greater than their crown, and faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor.
M. Laitman: Questions? None. Keep going.
Reading item 6: (36:39) Greater is learning Torah than the priesthood and then royalty, for royalty is acquired by thirty stages, and the priesthood by twenty-four, but the Torah by forty-eight things. By study, Attentive listening, Proper speech, By an understanding heart, By an intelligent heart, By awe, By fear, By humility, By joy, By attending to the sages, By critical give and take with friends, By fine argumentation with disciples, By clear thinking, By study of Scripture, By study of Mishnah, By a minimum of sleep, By a minimum of chatter, By a minimum of pleasure, By a minimum of frivolity, By a minimum of preoccupation with worldly matters, By long-suffering, By generosity, By faith in the sages, By acceptance of suffering. [Learning of Torah is also acquired by one] Who recognizes his place, Who rejoices in his portion, Who makes a fence about his words, Who takes no credit for himself, Who is loved, Who loves God, Who loves [his fellow] creatures, Who loves righteous ways, Who loves reproof, Who loves uprightness, Who keeps himself far from honors, Who does not let his heart become swelled on account of his learning, Who does not delight in giving legal decisions, Who shares in the bearing of a burden with his colleague, Who judges with the scales weighted in his favor, Who leads him on to truth, Who leads him on to peace, Who composes himself at his study, Who asks and answers, Who listens [to others], and [himself] adds [to his knowledge], Who learns in order to teach, Who learns in order to practice, Who makes his teacher wiser, Who is exact in what he has learned, And who says a thing in the name of him who said it. Thus, you have learned: everyone who says a thing in the name of him who said it, brings deliverance into the world, as it is said: “And Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name” (Esther 2:22).
M. Laitman: Okay, We shall stop here.
Reader: (40:20) Announcements. We will conclude, good day.