Where are we?

From Baruch:
"Here’s the video I mentioned of the Rebbe MHM farbrenging in 1972, in which he talks about how the world is “not a jungle full of wild beasts, but a garden full of fruit-bearing trees”

Visit Jewish.TV for more Jewish videos.

“Experience My Delight; Come to the After-Party” p: 69

AyinBase with R' Paltiel  Sunday 12 Shvat 5772 

Page 69 – 8 lines from the end of the page (line starts, 'rotze...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

The principle distinction between inner and external (pnimius and chitzonius) is at the level of essential pleasure that is contained within Him. We are looking at the masha/metaphor that the Rebbe gives us to understand the difference between inner and external (pnimius and chitzonius) levels.

One who has a wedding feast is in such a state of pleasure that he wants pleasure and satiation for all – even those distant from him. But his main will and pleasure is on his son, who is the groom at this feast. And then the members of his household. Still he wants also that even those distant from him should also delight. The joy comes from the essence which is limitless.

His inner circle touch him on the pnimius/inner levels and the other guests touch him at the level of chitzonius/external. 

He wants also those who are distant from him to also delight in his joy.

The host wants his inner circle to not just 'enjoy themselves' but to experience his joy.  

The inner circle is part of his own joy and the other guest are so that he does not feel the limit of his joy...

so we see the distinction between the inner/pnimius and chitzonius/external in the aspect of joy/pleasure, but this distinction is still concealed and not so obvious... all are invited and all are welcomed similarly and participate equally... The host relates to all. When does the distinction surface? Only later. The real intent will be expressed to those who are close to him.  

This is like the 8^th day of Sukkot. This is Shmini Atzeret. After the feasting with the whole nation he invites his personal friend and says, 'let's rejoice, just the 2 of us', and it turns out that the whole event was for this later joy with his friend except earlier it was not known. It was not known externally.

If the host host has such great joy why the need for a feast? He has the joy, what's the feast doing? Let's say it is for the marriage of his son. It is so personal, so why include anyone else? Any simcha/joyous event is not really isolated to the father and son. If you live in a cocoon you don't have the whole thing. A simcha: – 'oz ve chedvah bimkomo' – joy in the place where He is present. It is not created by the human beings. Rather it is our pure connection to the G-dly truth...

This is where the ultimate reality is sensed. He is part of it and touched personally and in a state of excess joy. He feels his unity to something of great truth and reality – greater than himself – and hence he wants the whole world to rejoice with him!

There was a Rebbe (not Chabad) who lost a child. He was very aggravated. And one thing that aggravated him was that he felt the pain of that loss of his child more than he would have felt the loss of the child of someone else. For something to be real it has to go beyond the personal. Breathing is the breath coming into you – you don't struggle to take it – this is oneg – the experience of the G-dly reality.

We say there is a big merit of going to a bris – we say Eliyahu the prophet attends too and hence we come away clean – 'a clear cucumber'. So it would seem to be the same if it is your son or that of another. But there is a difference. The Rebbe is the leader of all Israel, but yet he has Anash – the people who are cleaving to him... So there are distinct paths. There is an overall reality and there are distinct channels.

When the joy is deep it goes to the source and includes everyone. But it includes them on an secondary level, since there is a primary level that is the specific dynasty or inner circle. After the main event the essence remains. The expression has occurred and now the essence is manifest.

In the human there are 2 element – the self and how he is part of the bigger picture. And these two are inseparable. The self is bigger than the self. The self is a G-dly gift, and there is a G-dly intent here. A man gets married because he realizes he is bigger than himself.

Chochmah is developed by binah. Chochmah is a point. Binah creates a structure and a context. You can almost get lost in the details, but then there is the nekudah hatamsis – this is after you have the whole exposition you go back and connect it back to one point. That is why after the whole wedding celebration there is a powerful moment of essence – the 'what was it all about'.

The universal is the expression of the essential.

“Wedding Feast” p: 69

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Friday 10 Shvat 5772 

Page 69 – lower third of the page (line starts, 'sel haratzon...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

The principle distinction between inner and external (pnimius and chitzonius) is at the level of essential pleasure that is contained within Him. His whole essence connected and contained within Him.

The works of evil and good on the level of action could be indistinguishable. The 'evil' is constantly conquering the earth which is a G-dly command. The works of good constantly acknowledge the infinity of Him. The works of evil have infinity in the world. The difference is all in the essence.

The evil focuses on the meal and the good focuses on the host.

At a meal the food is enjoyable. But the presence of the host is beyond enjoyment. It is essential. The presence is beyond features – it is a fine human quality that does not lend itself to description beyond, 'he is here and I am here'.

The inner/pnimi level is inseparable from the essence. This essence could be 'unto itself' or it could be 'in company with you' and when in your company it does nothing different from what it does alone. It gives out what it has that is concealed within him. The only way to sense it is to be with him.

This is ratzon and oneg (pleasure and will) on the inner level. Within our human experience can be found the finest elements that have no tangibility and we can relate to them and understand them. And through these we can relate to G-d. The whole world is a metaphor for G-dliness.

The Essence is the one who chooses and makes the distinction between the inner and external levels.

Israel is very sensitive – we make a distinction – are we doing Torah for Him or because they are nice beautiful deeds.

One who has a wedding feast is in such a state of pleasure that he wants pleasure and satiation for all – even those distant from him. But his main will and pleasure is on his son, who is the groom at this feast. And then the members of his household. Still he wants also that even those distant from him should also delight. The joy comes from the essence which is limitless.

“Eat with the Host” p: 69

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Thursday 9 Shvat 5772 

Page 69 – lower third of the page (line starts, 've-ha-inyan hu...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

The Rambam says that the soul knows that there is a First Being. This is the basis of sechel/mind. The soul communicates this to the body. The body of Israel has the subservience that it can receive this and know what is not bodily knowledge.

When Abraham (Avraham Avinu) was “doing his research” he was not looking to solve the mystery of the world, he was looking for, 'who am I supposed to serve' – 'there's a director/owner of this mansion'.  

The unique feature of the souls of Israel is that they are rooted in the interior of the Essence. The choice is due to the essence, not due to recognition of 'who they are' – their origin is the identification. The choice is due to Essence not the souls.

(Revealed torah is based on discussion and logic , but in Chassidus the means of learning is not by means of questions. Questions are only rhetorical, they don't beg answers. Questions are only for the sake of getting a handle on the answer. The reason is that this learning of the inner aspects of Torah, is an inner/pnimi learning. Binah is the level of discussing to get a handle on the chochmah. You are putting in perspective what you already know. This is the entire method of learning inner Torah.)

From an existential perspective, what is the difference between inner/pnimi and chitzoni/external? On metaphor we had was the principle of the host. You are a guest for dinner, and we agree that if the host leaves then the event is severely lacking. This cannot be defined. This has to do with an essential quality. The guest has his presence recognized when the host is presence. That is sensed only by the etzem/essence. Only the essence is united with the inner/pnimi perspective. On a practical level it is not recognized and the meal can be eaten without the host. The inner element has nothing to do with the activity itself, it has to do with, 'who you are'.

      

“No Fear for the Gun” p: 69

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Wednesday 8 Shvat 5772  

Page 69– a few lines above the middle of the page (line starts, 'venimtza...')

See link (top right) for link to all pages of the text.

So as a result of the discussion of bechirah/choice (which is discriminating, but devoid of compelling elements) it comes out the representation the way that Torah and the essential element of G-d are united. This is so even during a time of exile when this unity can hardly be detected. He comes down 'to take a nation from among another nation...'

Because they were already select in essence, there is an eternal eternity even down here below...

Even in exile, 'You are a dwelling and a protection' for us.

First we looked at the principles that define bechirah/choice. Thus we concluded that it can only be within the essence, and because of the essence. This choice is beyond time and extends across all circumstances and even into the exile. The Rebbe was not scared of the gun, when threatened, because like all the Jewish people he is not bound by worldly existence.

Pnimius/inner connects directly to the essence and precedes the distinct entities. They held up the hands of Moses during the battle with Amalek and they were steadfast. They were steadfast not due to their own effort. They were up. The hands have the ability to be raised, but if they are up, it is not so pure since it is an active state. But if they are held up that reflects the purity of being up without the activity. This is called pnimius – representing the reality itself. The arms are in a certain state not due to any effort or presentation of their own. 

You could say, the arms are up, and it doesn't matter how they were held up. And from an external perspective it is the same. You sense the difference only on an essential level. That it represents the essence or an essential act.