Rabbi Tzvi Yonasan Martan shlita | Fortunate is the Generation that has Rabbi Yitzchak Among Them – Cleaving to Torah Scholars (Auto Translated)

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai as Ben Chorin: The Greek Concept of Parrhesia and the Mitzvah of Devekut

Introduction

I want to honor the Rav, Rabbi Yonatan, who is our Daf Yomi maggid shiur. By “us” I mean Beit Midrash Eini. I have a shiur about what the definition of Beit Midrash Eini is, which I’ll have time for later, and he will present his chiddushei Torah. Okay, fine, a great yasher koach.

It’s a great honor for me that Rabbi Yitzchak asked me to speak, but the truth is, I’m telling you the truth, on the topic that we’ve gathered here for, yes, I’m not accustomed to speaking about this. He says to speak about money. I told him, I told him, “I gave you an hour, I don’t know what you mean, perhaps this is inappropriate, you say one must go to the hour.” Because I said, “You’ll speak about money, you speak about the thing, the money should come by itself.” He says, “I want you to speak about the thing.” And I know, many times I think to myself, these things are things that are often said, that either one doesn’t need it, or it doesn’t help. I say, as much as I’m a bit with this thing, it’s as if one needs to explain something. If one needs to explain it, that’s the problem. If one needs to explain what the need for this is, that’s a problem.

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and the Definition of “Ben Chorin”

Shushan Purim of Lag BaOmer

Now, in practice, Rabbi Yitzchak just said that we’re now holding before the, this is called the Shushan Purim of Lag BaOmer, yes, which he just established. So automatically there’s still a bit, we’re still under the influence of Lag BaOmer, of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Zohar Volume 3, Page 109b: The Definition of Ben Chorin

There’s a piece in Zohar Volume 3, page 109b, where the Zohar defines Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. He says: “Fortunate is the generation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai when he is among them”, that what? About Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai it says that what? That “Happy are you, O land, when your king is a ben chorin”, a verse in Kohelet (Ecclesiastes). He says, “What is ben chorin?” “That he lifts his head to reveal, to explain a matter and is not afraid.” That he lifts his head to reveal, to reveal the secrets of Torah, and to explain things and is not afraid, like this one who is a ben chorin, like a free person, like a ben chorin. This is the definition of ben chorin, a free person, in the days when he says and is not afraid, he says what he says and he has no fear.

Zohar Volume 3, Page 59b: Not Afraid from Above or Below

And the truth is that in the Zohar earlier, in the name of Rabbi Pinchas, and this is on page 59b, Volume 3, he explains further from whom he has no fear. He says that, he says, Rabbi Pinchas said, before the soul of the master of Torah who is Rabbi Shimon departed, every matter that was revealed to him, he is a man who is not afraid from above or below forever, he has no fear neither from above nor from below does he have fear. Not afraid from above, for the Holy One Blessed be He was established in him, not afraid from below, like a lion who is not afraid from the people of the world, like a lion who has no fear from the sheep, like that. Okay.

The Meaning of Ben Chorin

So in practice, what it says and what essentially the Zohar brings out about Rabbi Shimon, that Rabbi Shimon is the true ben chorin. What does ben chorin mean? That Rabbi Shimon is truly the free person, the ben chorin, where the definition of ben chorin that the holy Zohar says is, that someone who says, he says without any fear, he says, he says as I said earlier, Rabbi Yitzchak says, you don’t have to say everything. I know, I can’t. That’s Rabbi Yitzchak. Yes, Rabbi Yitzchak is the, but he says, this is an awesome gift that we have. We have an incredible gift. He says, to be able to have someone where you hear a shiur, and you know you come here to accomplish something, you know there’s something that bothers you, because it doesn’t come with any coverings and things, with an awesome clarity, and it’s exactly like one says, this is, one says, I heard someone comes to ask, it’s an honor of the generation, our generation that we have such a Rabbi Yitzchak, who is truly the definition of ben chorin.

The Greek Concept of “Parrhesia”

Where Does the Zohar Get This Idea?

I thought to myself a bit, where does the Zohar get the idea that this means ben chorin? I mean, one can understand why it means ben chorin, but I say, where does he get the idea? And I mean, I’ll say perhaps, the concept of ben chorin, the concept is essentially a Greek concept. The concept of ben chorin, that it means in the meaning, is essentially a Greek concept. And this is the concept that is called “parrhesia.”

The True Meaning of “Parrhesia”

Parrhesia is a Greek word, and parrhesia doesn’t mean what we’re accustomed to. We’re accustomed to translate parrhesia, and by the Amoraim the translation of parrhesia means a public place, yes? One who desecrates Shabbat b’farhesya.

But in Greek, parrhesia is not a public place. Parrhesia means to say, let’s say, to translate like “outspoken,” like “freedom of speech.” You know what it means? Better said, “pan” means everything, and “hesia” means what “that which is said.” What he says, he says what he wants to say. Parrhesia means he doesn’t hold back, he says exactly what he wants to say. He has no, as one says about Rabbi Shimon, he has no fear, neither from above nor from below, and he says what he needs to say. And this is the meaning in Greek essentially, this is the meaning of parrhesia.

Proof from Sifrei Devarim: Parrhesia in Its Original Sense

Now, and I have a proof, I hold that Chazal also knew that this is the translation of parrhesia. The translation of parrhesia later, even still by the Tannaim, but especially by the Amoraim, becomes more of a “legal term” for a public place. One can understand how the transition happens like this, I don’t want to go into this part now. But I think we have in Sifrei on Devarim chapter 12, verse 23, it says in the Sifrei, I’ll give an example, there are other examples, but it’s not… “Every mitzvah for which Israel gave their lives during times of persecution, behold it is still practiced, still practiced b’farhesya. And every mitzvah for which Israel did not give their lives during times of persecution, is still weak in their hands.” Yes?

Now, this statement is also brought in Shabbat, but not in the name, not in the name of another name, it’s brought in the Sifrei. And there it doesn’t say the language b’farhesya, there it says “still practices it with joy”, but essentially it’s brought in the Gemara in Shabbat. But here I see the word parrhesia. Here parrhesia doesn’t mean that every mitzvah they were moser nefesh for during times of persecution. So they practiced b’farhesya, that they conduct themselves b’farhesya. That’s the point. He doesn’t say “still practiced b’farhesya,” but “practiced b’farhesya.” And what’s the opposite of parrhesia? Weak in their hands. Parrhesia means, here parrhesia means, I mean in this original sense that it means in Greek, that what? That he does it, and he has no fear and no dread. He does what he holds is right to do.

The Analogy of Socrates

Yes, this is essentially the legend about Socrates. Socrates did, he was a person who lived with this, Socrates lived with the idea of parrhesia. It’s essentially a part of philosophy, as he says that the problem of parrhesia is, the law was like this, I mean the law, I don’t know, by the Greeks it was that only if you’re a citizen, you have the right to be a citizen, a ben chorin, only then do you have the right to go use the method of parrhesia. But parrhesia depends on who speaks. If just any person speaks parrhesia, then what he speaks are empty things. He has permission, he has permission, but he has nothing to say. One must be someone who can speak parrhesia. I don’t know what I mean, a person can speak parrhesia. If he’s a lowly person, one hears lowly words b’farhesya. It depends on what he is.

The Connection Between Ben Chorin and Parrhesia

So, one must be a ben chorin, one must be a citizen, and then it’s… the holy Zohar has such a piece here, he says “ben chorin and parrhesia.” As if, who is a ben chorin? The one who speaks parrhesia. But I say that it’s the other aspect of ben chorin essentially, okay?

A Question and Discussion

Why does one need to have the guts to say?

One minute, I hear what you’re asking, just one second. But I just want to bring out the point, that what? That this is… why does one need to have the guts to say secrets of Torah?

What is this such guts to say?

And what does secret mean? What’s the reason why it’s called a secret? When doesn’t it mean it’s not a secret?

If no one knows it.

If no one knows it. Okay, fine. Let’s have a discussion. I don’t want to just answer just anything. You’re asking a question, one needs to make an extra shiur on this. To just say anything back to answer, don’t think so.

The Proof from Tractate Shabbat

In any case, I think Chazal knew, I think they knew about the idea of publicity. It’s something that it could be that this is certainly the reason why it’s so holy. I mean, the source for the idea you see in the Gemara in Shabbat in the story of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, when a Roman says like, that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says what he thinks. He says, “They didn’t do more.” Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai has this thing, one says like the not afraid, he has no fear. Yes, so this is a bit on the tip of the fork on the questions of Lag BaOmer.

The Mitzvah of Devekut in Hashem

The Mitzvah of “Ul’davka Bo” in Sefer Devarim

But Chazal tell us, as is known, in Sefer Devarim the matter of devekut in Hashem is repeated, the mitzvah of devekut in Hashem, “ul’davka bo” (and to cleave to Him). It’s something that’s a special thing in Sefer Devarim, several times. I don’t know, whoever is better in Chumash, I know, five, six times. Do you know how many times it’s mentioned five, six times? What? Now I know that he doesn’t know, because I know that he doesn’t say. When he knows when, he would have said what? Did they count? It’s not counted. How many times does devekut appear in Sefer Devarim? Yes, it’s the same data. In any case, it’s not so important.

The Mitzvah of Devekut in the Middle Ages

Now, the mitzvah of devekut is very interesting, that in the Middle Ages, by the Rishonim, what one says both the Mekubalim (Kabbalists), and the philosophers, they do awesomely much in this mitzvah of devekut. And one says that Rabbi Tzadok, I mean I don’t want to say, it’s not my field, but one says like Rabbi Tzadok probably, he gave shiurim, and he probably spoke a lot probably about the mitzvah of devekut. Yes, this is probably spoken about devekut in Hashem, yes, what I mean. What? Okay, so that’s what I mean. You’ll take it up with him, okay? But the point is, say the shiur, say the shiur. I’m saying the shiur.

So the matter of devekut is something in the Middle Ages, in the middle ages, then one did very much in this topic of devekut. That is, what is devekut? And I said, in a certain way, I have truly, I have a bit of excitement, it’s hard for me to speak about such things in front of Rabbi Yitzchak, truly…

The Topic of Devekut in the Middle Ages

And probably Rabbi Yitzchak, I mean, I’m not in this, it’s not my field, but Rabbi Yitzchak probably, he with him on this shiur, they spoke a lot about this mitzvah of devekut. Yes, this is probably spoken about devekut in Hashem, what I mean, it’s not clear that you know what I mean. Okay, so what you know I mean, you’ll take it up with him, okay?

But the point is, that the matter of devekut is a thing, it’s in the Middle Ages, in the middle ages, then one did very much in this topic of devekut. That is, what is devekut? And in a certain way, I have truly, I have a bit of respect, it’s hard for me to speak about such things in front of Rabbi Yitzchak, truly, I say, everyone needs to know where his place is, who is wise – one who recognizes his place, but I say that in a certain way there’s something common between Kabbalah and philosophy in this point, in how they understand devekut.

The Commonality Between Kabbalah and Philosophy

But ultimately, I’ll return soon, but devekut that we always speak about is how one has devekut in the Shechinah, devekut in the Holy One Blessed be He, and there’s even much in common between Kabbalah and philosophy. I understand that it depends which Kabbalah, I say, and which philosophy, but there’s much in common in this thing of how to understand from an “I” to “nothingness,” I say, to go into the ideas and things, how one becomes like completely one, yes, one becomes like completely one. I don’t know the words well, probably in any case, but there’s much in common in the Middle Ages between… and it’s not a chiddush that there’s something in common, because in any case, I’m just saying that there’s something.

Chazal’s Understanding of Devekut — The Gemara in Ketubot

Now, in practice, but Chazal didn’t understand it that way. I want to say a bit why Chazal understand a bit differently, and what does it have to do with our topic. Chazal said, “And you who cleave to Hashem your God are alive, all of you, today.” The Gemara in Tractate Ketubot on page 111b says, “Is it possible for a person to cleave to the Shechinah?” Is it relevant that a person should be able to be cleaving to the Shechinah? Chazal say, “But isn’t it written ‘For Hashem your God is a consuming fire’”. It’s not possible, one says that one can cleave to the Shechinah.

“Rather, anyone who marries his daughter to a Torah scholar, and does business for Torah scholars, and benefits Torah scholars from his property, Scripture considers it as if he cleaves to the Shechinah.” Similarly you say, “And Him you shall serve”, is it possible for a person to serve the Shechinah? “Rather, anyone who serves Torah scholars, Scripture considers it as if he serves the Shechinah.” This is the Gemara.

The Difference Between the Middle Ages and Chazal

Now, the truth is, that is, I mean, in the Middle Ages they didn’t have the question “Is it possible for a person to cleave to the Shechinah?” Everyone has their explanations of what devekut in the Shechinah means. I’ll even say, Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla in his book “Sha’arei Orah” in gate 8 says, “What Chazal called ‘Is it possible for a person to cleave to the Shechinah?’ It’s possible and possible.” He says that it’s certainly relevant to cleave to the Shechinah.

But Chazal, the point is on one side the Mekubalim and on one side the philosophers, and I’m not going to explain the Mekubalim and philosophers truly, I want to explain it already at my next shiur, but not in front of Rabbi Yitzchak, because I don’t want to truly give any place. But this how the Mekubalim and philosophers they understand devekut, this itself is essentially a mirror to see how there’s a paradigm shift from Chazal to the Mekubalim and philosophers, and it actually shows much more what there is in the approach of Kabbalah and philosophy than many times one tries to bring out. Like there are two extreme ways that there are almost no things that one can connect them.

The Historical Context — The Period of the Middle Ages

But here much more, yes, one says a lot, because truly, Kabbalah and philosophy emerged, it’s understood, everything is from Heaven, but it emerged in a period where both essentially wanted to give an alternative for a world where the traditional world that was until now became shattered. That is, concepts that spoke to a person, one says before they encountered the Muslim society, and especially before they encountered the Muslim society and one was a part of them, no longer… the concepts that once spoke became truly shattered, the concept no longer spoke, yes? So one needed then to inject vitality and inject vitality and give meaning. And certainly, all these things today become a part of Torah, because Torah is a Torah of life, and all things in the end have a place in Torah.

The Relational Way of Chazal

But one speaks now, and in Chazal, Chazal we’ve spoken many times that Chazal, the way how they connect to the Almighty is a relational way. And how the Almighty is a person, the Almighty is a personality, the Almighty is a person. And it’s understood by itself that one cannot, one says like, one says how the Almighty looks, because “for no man can see Me and live,” one says like, but the Almighty is a personality, the Almighty is a person, and we share together with the Almighty, we share together a biography, a history together.

The Connection of Marriage

What is Our Connection with Him?

What is His connection with us? Because “asher hotzeisicha me’eretz Mitzrayim” (Who took you out of the land of Egypt), we have a connection with Him for better and for worse, as they say, we have a connection with Him, and this is our connection, a connection of marriage. This is how it’s laid out by the prophets, they say it’s a connection of marriage. Chazal (our Sages) took it even much further, they gave many more models for this: worker, employer, teacher, student, and so on and so forth. Because Chazal, understandably, see that changes come, for them too there are more models needed in order to be able to… how a Jew can live and have his relationship with the Almighty, but in the end it’s a relational thing.

The Distinction from Mystical Devekus

And for example, the mysticism of devekus (cleaving), which is explained today as such a mystical thing, this isn’t even necessarily a mystical thing, but rather hispashtus hapo’el bahipu’al (dissolution of the actor in the action), all these kinds of things where a person loses the entire ani (self), the entire individuality, simply doesn’t exist in the lexicon of Chazal, because for them it’s a relational thing. We can’t speak of a relationship when a relationship means that there is me and there is the Creator and there is a relationship. That’s what a relationship means.

And consequently, in the world of Chazal, and when one looks and sees the Rishonim (early authorities) who explain things, one hears a bit of the paradigm shift, how they no longer live in that sort of world, and consequently one must introduce a new meaning and a new thing.

Back to Chazal — What Does “Ledovkah Bo” Mean?

But going back to Chazal, what does “ledovkah bo” (to cleave to Him) mean according to Chazal simply? What does the mitzvah of “ledovkah bo” simply mean? For them it is…

A Discussion About the Period of the Rishonim

What is the time period of the Rishonim when they changed? What bothered them about Chazal?

I don’t know exactly, but there are many changes that happened. The Muslim world was a great influence, a great influence, and other things. I can’t say exactly.

What bothered them about this?

It no longer worked. They no longer lived that kind of thing. Just as most people today find it difficult to live the relational kind of way.

They didn’t grasp it personally about this?

Didn’t grasp it personally, no. First of all, there were disputes, and then, they didn’t live that sort of… It no longer spoke to them. It no longer spoke to them.

To whom does it speak today?

To whom does it speak today? One must know to whom it speaks today. Yes, to most people it doesn’t speak today. Most people speak more of the Creator that one lives in Kabbalah and one lives in philosophy. It’s not a simple thing. Let’s bring out the point here.

The Derasha of Chazal — Devekus Through “Vedovak Be’ishto”

So consequently, when Chazal ask the question, and by Chazal it is like this, Chazal say “efshar ledovek bashechina mamash?” (is it possible to cleave to the Divine Presence literally?), and indeed, Chazal have such a thing, they have a relationship with the Almighty. The Almighty in the desert, stood as if… Chazal say as if the Roman emperor stands and shines for his children so they can go on the way, so the Almighty also did. And Chazal argue, if one sees that it makes sense sometimes that a king should do this for his son, one can speak of the Almighty also doing such a thing. But this is Chazal.

Peshuto Kifshuto — Devekus in the Mission

Now, what is peshuto kifshuto (the simple meaning)? I think they learned peshuto kifshuto. They learned that devekus means peshuto kifshuto. Devekus means as they say today in the words, what one can the words, they say for a soldier there must be devekus bameshima (dedication to the mission). That is to say, it refers to the ba’al hamitzvos (the one commanded), he should do the mitzvos with devekus. That is to say, he should do, they say his commitment, to his commitment, to the mitzvos and this.

The Derasha of “Vedovak Be’ishto”

But what I mean is, that Chazal here wanted to expound something, they said, perhaps “vedovkas bo” is the Shechina? Because here they, I think, played with the word from, as Nachum says in Toras Devekus, just Torah in Bereishis, that “vedovak be’ishto” (and he shall cleave to his wife). And here they said, this is even as we understand, perhaps one can speak of such a thing regarding the Shechina. The Shechina is fire. Even what we know from the parsha, is not something one can speak of.

Chazal said that “hamasi es bito letalmid chacham” (one who marries his daughter to a Torah scholar), here you have a way where there is “hamasi es bito”, where there is a way of “vedovak be’ishto”, but here it’s a talmid chacham. So they thought of an idea, yes, how one can be mekayem (fulfill)… what? How can one have a wedding with the Almighty? One cannot! No, on the contrary, they say one cannot! Here is the way how you can have a wedding with the Almighty. This is the way how you can have a wedding with the Almighty.

Practical Conclusion — Devekus Through Supporting Torah

So consequently it comes out, I would say that here, the campaign, I don’t know what the name is, what is the campaign called now? Behirus. Okay. I say that one fulfills the mitzvah of devekus Hashem. If someone becomes a partner in the beis medrash, first of all devekus Hashem. One can hear from Rabbi Yitzchak, whether the Rambam’s tachlis (ultimate purpose) is to arrive in the world, which is devekus Hashem, or the devekus Hashem of the mekubalim (kabbalists). But also, he also has an opportunity to be able to fulfill the devekus Hashem of Chazal, that one benefits Torah scholars from his property, and one supports a talmid chacham. And between supporting a talmid chacham, one supports oneself. This is the thing I said earlier, it doesn’t make sense. They say, either one shouldn’t speak, or it has no simple meaning to speak.

Conclusion — Blessings and Wishes

So, I hope that… I want to simply wish that Rabbi Yitzchak should continue to be marbitz Torah (disseminate Torah), and he does tremendously. And as was said earlier, how many people here, how many people not here, but the point is as Rebbe Reb Elimelech says, who is the manhig hador (leader of the generation)? Says Rebbe Reb Elimelech, not the one who has the people, but the one who opens the gates. Sometimes there can be another who will capture it and show, in any case, whoever opens the gates, and it’s a clear promise, he opens their gates leshem (for the sake of Heaven). We should wish them that they should have success, and we should be able to continue to sit both being marbitzei Torah, and be able to join again such things. Yasher koach (well done) to the Rav.

If you want to help us, kindness kindness kindness…

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Final Blessing

The one who opens the gates, and it’s clear Rabbi Yitzchak opens their gates leshem, we should wish him that he should have success, and we should be able to continue both being marbeh Torah (increase Torah), and be able to join again such things.