The Rambam’s Ruach HaKodesh in the Innovation of the Shofar’s ‘Awakening’ – To Ascend from the Prophecy of the Other Prophets to the Prophecy of Moshe (Auto Translated) | תמלול וסיכום מתורגם

The Secret of Rosh Hashanah: Repentance, Service of God, and the Rambam’s Divine Inspiration

Opening: The Foundation of Judaism and Rosh Hashanah

Maggid Shiur [Lecturer]:

Okay, it’s on recording, so I have to teach. But I can only with questions. And also Malchus Nachranim Spares [the kingdom of Persia], how does it come in? But one thing first. I want to be truthful to my interpretation. But first one thing.

They learned on Motzaei Shabbos [Saturday night], perhaps there’s a recording of it, perhaps not, I don’t know, that the secret of Rosh Hashanah, the secret of all of Judaism, is that one learns a whole year, what does one learn the entire Torah? That one learns a whole year, what does one learn the entire Torah? That one learns the Chumash every year, or one comes to the shiur, doesn’t matter, a whole year, and one learns how the world should be, how we need to be, how the world must be, everything is connected.

And afterwards one sees, if whoever looks in the newspaper sees, or whoever can see themselves. The one who doesn’t look in the newspaper, or can’t see themselves, it’s happening to the same people. He doesn’t see. But the one who looks in the newspaper, he sees that the world is not exactly as it says in the Torah that it could be, that it should have been able to be and could be.

The two things are very important. Both how it should be and how it could be. If it must be, then it’s not interesting, if it’s for fantasies.

And especially according to what we learn, that the greatness, the shleimus hateva [perfection of nature] of each thing, is what is called nivra bishvilo [created for its purpose], what is made the perfection of the thing. It must be that it can be. That’s the meaning of perfection, according to everyone. I mean that there’s no machlokes [disagreement].

No, no, even the mekubalim [Kabbalists] all agree to this, they have other interpretations of what things are, therefore one must be them differently. But he doesn’t want, therefore… Okay, it wasn’t not… Far, far, far. One gets lost.

In short, the Torah tells us what they must be, and therefore what they should be, and therefore what they can be. All three things. Every year one learns it better. Afterwards one looks in the newspaper, one sees that it’s not exactly so.

So what comes on Rosh Hashanah, that means tefillah [prayer], in general, avodah [service/worship], avodas Hashem [service of God]. Is one of the “le’ovdo bechol levavechem” [to serve Him with all your heart], one of the ikar avodas hatefillah [essence of the service of prayer], is simply to connect, to try to see. How one can connect what it should be and can be to where it is, yes? How one goes from here to there. That is the avodas Hashem, and therefore that is also the avodah of Rosh Hashanah. Right? Did we say that?

Student:

Not exactly, with a little…

Maggid Shiur:

Did we say differently on Motzaei Shabbos?

Student:

He said what he said.

Maggid Shiur:

No, that’s what we learned on Motzaei Shabbos. That’s what we learned on Motzaei Shabbos. I saw your davening. Okay. It was a video, what do you mean? I don’t know if he went further, in the middle it stopped.

Student:

What did you mean by ‘you’ here?

Another Student:

Don’t end up with R’ Mottel, because he’s going to appear in the video, R’ Mottel.

Student:

Later they took it out.

Another Student:

Can always be Westers, at least. Certainly, Musters.

The Goal of Rosh Hashanah and Teshuvah

Maggid Shiur:

Gentlemen, and from the outset you already have a goal on this. Never said otherwise. Gentlemen, and now Erev Rosh Hashanah [the eve of Rosh Hashanah], what is the purpose? That is the goal. What is the goal? “Zeh hayom techilas ma’asecha” [this day is the beginning of Your works – from Rosh Hashanah liturgy]. Right, one must speak about the Baal Shem [Baal Shem Tov]. So, both. Okay.

Now, this is doing teshuvah [repentance/return] though. Right? That’s what doing teshuvah means. What did you mean doing teshuvah today?

Student:

I can already say Torah thoughts on teshuvah, but that’s not doing teshuvah according to me.

Maggid Shiur:

According to me that’s not doing teshuvah? About what?

Student:

Because that’s before teshuvah.

Maggid Shiur:

Okay, true. It’s a part, it’s both. There is teshuvah bemachshavah [repentance in thought], as the Rambam [Maimonides] says in the Moreh [referring to Moreh Nevuchim/Guide for the Perplexed] in chapter 46 part 3, look there at a very important piece about teshuvah.

Student:

Is that?

Maggid Shiur:

Just look in chapter 43 how he speaks about halachos [laws]… No, no, if I remember, there’s a later chapter 46, he speaks about korbanos [sacrifices]. I think 46. Yes, yes, but also in 46. 43 I think is the ta’amim [reasons] of all the mo’adim [holidays]. Then 46 it says about kavanos [intentions]. You need to look at all these pieces. With God’s help when I publish my chibur [composition/work] of all the mekoros [sources] on Rosh Hashanah, it will be there. Yes.

So, one must remember that this is the kavanah [intention] of tekias shofar [blowing of the shofar]. And I spoke about this at length in previous years, and it’s even written down, I think, more or less exactly what one needs to learn. And the baal habayis [householder] wants to be able to learn it.

Teshuvah = The Path from “Here” to “There”

Maggid Shiur:

If you speak about Rosh Hashanah, someone asks me, “Ah, you’re already speaking about Rosh Hashanah. But you’re going to continue, yes?” Yes, I’m speaking with a gang, take a look. He’s speaking about Rosh Hashanah. Hello, it’s Erev Rosh Hashanah, what am I going to speak about? Purim [the holiday of Purim]? Purim. Or about Rosh Hashanah, about Purim. Tell him I’m going to speak about Purim. Tell him that he should come later. He won’t come. Hello, so, let’s explain a little better.

What does doing teshuvah mean? Teshuvah means exactly the path that one goes from where one is until what one should be, what one can be. What then is teshuvah? I mean that there are other things that are called teshuvah, it’s plain avodas Hashem. Teshuvah is, that since they are broken one must do this. But that’s basically what teshuvah is. Teshuvah is not truly different from avodas Hashem.

One must understand why there is such a thing as teshuvah that is different from avodas Hashem, but for that one must learn Hilchos Teshuvah [the Laws of Repentance].

And it’s a good question, I have various teirutzim [answers] to this, I don’t know which is the true answer, but fundamentally it’s actually the same thing.

The Rambam’s Chiddush About Shofar

Maggid Shiur:

And as you learn, you have a very good precision. Whoever learns the Rambam thinks that shofar is doing teshuvah. The Rambam doesn’t say that shofar is doing teshuvah. The Rambam puts in a very important word, and that is the essential foundation of the Rambam’s chiddush [novel insight].

What I mean that it’s the Rambam’s chiddush, the Rambam had ruach hakodesh [divine inspiration/holy spirit]. You yourself innovated, because I don’t know any source for the idea. Before the Rambam I don’t know any source for the idea. That shofar… ruach hakodesh means that he came directly from the Almighty, not that he took from somewhere, he took from a second, he took directly from reality. Straight from the chochmah [wisdom]. Straight from the chochmah. Straight from reality, to presence’s intuition, to from the teva [nature], to from the teva, to from the teva.

Digression: What Does Ruach Hakodesh and Nevuah Mean?

Three Paths to Truth

Maggid Shiur:

It’s like that shiur. All kingdoms are the same. Now, let’s take it. There’s a scientist, and there’s someone who knows nature, and he knows how things work, and from that he can come to know what nature says and what the Almighty wants.

Student:

Who made nature according to you?

Maggid Shiur:

I understand. But the question is, what the tools is how he’s getting through. That’s way number 1. Those are just magic words.

The third way, one second, one second, the third way is, like kelayos ye’atzos [the kidneys counsel – referring to inner intuition], that he has an intuitive thing in him, which you can say is close to nevuah [prophecy] actually, and it tells him that this is the right thing to do.

Student:

I don’t understand. I don’t understand. I don’t understand. What is the second way?

Maggid Shiur:

I don’t know. I think people like to say words when they don’t understand, and make more disputes too. The second thing you’re saying is just words, it doesn’t mean anything.

Student:

Yes, what does it mean? Hisgalus [revelation]? What does that mean?

Maggid Shiur:

Ah, so the Almighty is a person with a mouth and He speaks, please, do me a favor. It’s not serious, right? It’s shtusim [nonsense], nobody believes that. No Jew has ever believed that.

Okay, so you see, it came to be… No true Jew. It came to be… whatever, you believe in the other nonsense? It came. Gentlemen, people think a lot of nonsense, one speaks about what true nonsense is. True nonsense is only one thing.

Nevuah = Reaching Reality

Maggid Shiur:

Now, there’s a lot about how that one means to say that prophecy, wisdom is all the same thing. It’s a person realized the reality. As the Rambam says. He says, “yesh sham mah shemagia me’es hametzius” [there is something that comes from reality], oh, he says “me’es Hashem” [from God], which is the Borei Hametzius [Creator of reality], that’s the meaning, “el lev ha’adam, moach ha’adam” [to the heart of man, the mind of man], everyone call. That’s the meaning, no one is at all on the hagdarah [definition] of nevuah.

Now, how do you get the nevuah? Says the Rambam, there are simply ways, derech hadimyon [the way of imagination], derech haseichel [the way of intellect], derech halev [the way of the heart], derech kelayos yotzaos, derech kikar in sefarim [books]. Everyone agrees that there are many ways of nevuah. There’s no one where there’s no machlokes in what it is, there’s no dispute in the mahus hanevuah [the essence of prophecy]. There’s just no lost dispute. As one learns this way, one learns that way.

Gentlemen, I don’t see, there’s a chiluk [distinction], there are other ways, there are other darchei nevuah [paths of prophecy], there are other ways, there’s anyway who received nevuah through dancing, like Yonah ben Amitai, and another received a nevuah through learning sifrei chachmos [books of wisdom]. But they all got the same thing, and if the thing gives the same thing, then it’s, I don’t know what it is, and it’s perhaps nothing, right?

Student:

What must be that not is not lacking? That is nevuah is true, right? But one can’t receive a true true, but one can’t receive a true true.

Maggid Shiur:

Yes, one can, very much one can. Every thing. As one comes to a person one day. No, no, no, I must still about. That actually doesn’t stem. Okay, gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen, we’re going to get lost.

If someone has a question, I can only answer one sentence, not more. A question that’s not from the noseh [topic], one can get a one sentence answer. One can ask as many questions as one wants, but not a whole conversation, because I’m in the middle of something.

The Rambam’s Ruach Hakodesh and His Honesty

Maggid Shiur:

The Rambam had ruach hakodesh. When I say ruach hakodesh, I mean that it’s not taken “lo lamdu merabbo” [he did not learn from his teacher], because not… it doesn’t say in any book before the Rambam. He doesn’t say “nir’eh li” [it appears to me], but when he says a part he doesn’t need to say nir’eh li. Nir’eh li is because the Rambam…

Student:

You’re asking a good question, if I say that Rambam had at all been, I need to need strengthen nir’eh li.

Maggid Shiur:

The answer to the question is, it’s a good question, simply in the Rambam. The question is, that what the Rambam says nir’eh li is for a very important reason, because the Rambam was a very great tzaddik [righteous person], there are very few such great tzaddikim like the Rambam.

Student:

Why? Not there. Not there? As he says about Moshe [Moses] is not there. Why is he not there? Why?

Maggid Shiur:

Because the Rambam wrote a book that should be mekabetz leTorah she’be’al peh [gathering the Oral Torah]. The entire Torah she’be’al peh [the Oral Torah] is the composition that says in Torah she’be’al peh. Torah she’be’al peh is on whom is on on on or simply what he was cursed on what he stood simply in the Gemara [the Talmud], but essentially he holds that it says in the Gemara, doesn’t hold that it’s his interpretation.

And therefore one should believe in the entire Rambam, the entire Gemara, Shas [acronym for Shisha Sedarim, the six orders of the Mishnah/Talmud], Talmud Bavli veTalmud Yerushalmi [the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud]. Not Gaon [referring to the Geonim, post-Talmudic rabbinic authorities], Talmud Bavli.

Now. The Geonim are interesting if they have a peirush [commentary] on the Gemara, but not with their own. Now, comes a Jew who learns Rambam, he says, what am I learning? With whom their own am I learning? The answer to the entire Rambam is the Gemara, and the Gemara is mechuyav [obligated] all Jews.

Now, the Rambam was extraordinarily honest, and sometimes the Rambam had a

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*[Continuation will come in the next part]*

The Rambam’s Honesty and the Boundaries of “Nir’eh Li” – Part 2

The Rambam’s Extraordinary Honesty

a halachah that doesn’t say in the Gemara. When he held that it says, then there’s no problem, not when he held that it’s certain that the Gemara that doesn’t speak to him. But if it doesn’t say in the Gemara, if the Rambam had been a bit less honest than he was, he would have done what most people who make collections write, and they give a lie into their thing. And you learn, he has so much credit, no one would have said, one doesn’t know so many Rambams that one doesn’t know where they come from. Anyway, it will be another Rambam that one doesn’t know where it says, yes?

He has credit, because he’s the author here of this book that everyone is going to learn. He can write in some of his own chiddushim too, and it will become accepted by all Jews, because it’s tremendously successful.

The Rambam was extraordinarily honest, and he didn’t do that. And he said that when I say a chiddush, any thing that I hold that it’s on my authority, I hold that I’m right, and it brings a halachah, but you rule like me, but you’re not obligated. I tell you that it doesn’t say, “nir’eh li” [it appears to me]. That’s the reason for “nir’eh li”.

Answer #2: No Practical Halachic Consequence

The answer is, because this is no practical halachic consequence. When the Rambam says ta’amim [reasons for commandments], and the same thing generally in aggadah [non-legal rabbinic teachings], the Rambam is not particular about this.

A Tremendous Question on This Answer

There’s presumably such a question, not only if I say this, there’s a tremendous question. Because whoever has learned in the shiurim on Sefer HaMadda [Book of Knowledge, first section of Mishneh Torah] and in all places where the Rambam says aggadah, sees that the Rambam says huge chiddushim. The Rambam wasn’t such a fool to think that what he says is the simple interpretation in the verses in the Gemara, it’s his interpretation.

In Shemonah Perakim [Eight Chapters, Rambam’s introduction to Pirkei Avos] for example, one sees that the Rambam… because one knows that his foundation about midos [character traits] is the subject of dispute, it’s built on a whole piece of Torah, it’s not simple interpretation of the halachos, of the midos themselves even.

Answer 3: A Stronger Question – Laws of Beliefs and Opinions

The answer is, here, one can say it’s a good answer. Do you understand my question? A good question on the Rambam? It’s a good question? If the Rambam is so honest, he only says what it says, by the way, why is it also so many times here?

Student: No, no, it’s… yes, it’s a huge question.

Instructor: The Rambam is extraordinarily honest. Everything he says is stated… No, it’s all very good, it has to look that way. Everything the Rambam says is Gemara. Just as the Rambam asks, why did he leave his words unstated – perhaps I never had another interpretation? But the Rambam already thinks this way.

The Rambam thinks, I’m telling you what the Gemara says. Okay, can you give me another interpretation of the Gemara? The Rambam won’t be angry at you. But essentially, the Rambam says what it says in the Gemara. It’s not things that, it’s both, but it’s not a thing, he doesn’t want to say “Moses son of Maimon said,” it’s not “Moses son of Maimon said.” Right?

And they are careful about things that are innovations, one says “yirah li” [it appears to me], and the other asks, you don’t have to accept this. You can accept it, and I would prefer that you accept it, but if the Jews won’t agree, then no. It’s not lacking, one is not obligated to follow the “yirah li’s” of the Rambam. Even according to the Rambam’s system, on this it says “yirah li.” Yes?

Answer #3: A Stronger Question – Laws of Beliefs and Opinions

Come and ask a tremendous question: The Rambam ruled many laws of beliefs and opinions, an entire book of pages more or less, and also in other places. And the Rambam knew that the beliefs and opinions he states are not clear in the Gemara.

How do we know he knew? Because in all his other books you see clearly that he struggles greatly with the conclusions that appear in Shemonah Perakim [Eight Chapters], and there you see the question clearly, or in Moreh Nevuchim [Guide for the Perplexed], it states in Mishneh Torah [his code of law] simply as Torah, a conclusion. And he brings a verse and a Gemara, very good, you have a proof, one can always interpret into the verse. Perhaps he means it’s a true proof, but it’s certainly a “yirah li” [it appears to me], certainly the innovations of the Rambam, it’s not words of the Torah. True? A good question.

Proof from Laws of Sanctification of the New Moon

And we saw this Rambam in one place in Laws of Sanctification of the New Moon, and therefore I thought of this question. In Laws of Sanctification of the New Moon the Rambam said that all the calculations he takes from the Greeks, and he had an entire apology/justification.

I ask him very well, why doesn’t he write it in Laws of Repentance? Because the calculation he also took from the Greeks. It used to be a question. You see that there he is indeed careful about it.

Student: What? No one would have given it away. No one would have given away what when he says this?

Instructor: It was indeed a lie. He indeed used the trick that I’m saying. Let’s see what we understand from the Rambam when he said that the middle path is not the equal, not an arithmetic mean but a geometric mean, that is, the mean is not what is exactly as far from one extreme to the other and is not something that one counts with numbers – quantity.

One must see that in general it’s a contradiction. There are such contradictions also, but then one can actually make that he comes, perhaps the Rambam thought that he comes also. Could be. In any case, and this has contradictions, and this is the answer, most real contradictions in the Rambam are true contradictions, and the answer is that the Rambam follows a contradiction in the Gemara, and his job is only to say what it says in the Gemara, do me something.

Now, consequently this is the Rambam tremendously so, which is not the case in all those places, where the Rambam says clearly in his letters, may his merit protect us, that he clearly wrote into the law things that were not previously in the law. Because he had compassion on the Jews, and he wanted them to know the basic thing.

Two Answers

Answer A: Compassion on the Jewish People

This can be one answer why he does so.

Answer B: The Difference Between Truth and Good Practices

The second answer, which is perhaps connected with this, is as follows, why does the Rambam need to write “yirah li”? Let him just make it understood. In the law, what is the authority? What is the, on the, on the, why must one follow what it says in such and such laws? Because the Gemara said so. Therefore, not because it’s true, it’s not truth.

I may not say it’s not true about the Torah, but what it says in Part 2 of Moreh Nevuchim [Guide for the Perplexed] is that the entire Torah is only commonly accepted opinions, not eternal truths, it’s not eternal truths, it’s not things that are eternally the same.

Digression: Cain and Abel and Forbidden Relations

If there would be a world, for example, if there would be without the sin of the first man, for example, if there would be a world without… I know how people don’t sin, I know how people don’t have an evil inclination. It could be that a world, it’s not necessary that there should be an evil inclination. It’s not necessary that people, even if there is an evil inclination, it’s not necessary that people should be inclined toward their evil inclination and sin.

It could be that a person should use it only correctly, as the intellect indeed obligates, and then one wouldn’t have needed a distancing from secondary prohibitions related to forbidden relations, right? Secondary prohibitions related to forbidden relations is something permitted to you, it’s only because if one goes with the secondary ones, one will later go with the forbidden relations, afterward there will be troubles, one must make prohibitions, perhaps for the forbidden relations themselves also. Yes, true, perhaps for the forbidden relations themselves also. I say secondary because that’s exactly so, certainly, the Rabbis, but it could be even the forbidden relations are so.

So if the world wouldn’t have been any advice, one would have been permitted to forbidden relations. What does that mean? Here are ways that it’s permitted like levirate marriage. You see that Cain and Abel had marriages? Okay, it could be it was forced, whatever. Yes, various… ah, it wasn’t before the sin. According to the Zohar certainly, Cain and Abel were born before the sin. They were born, yes, but got married.

Anyway, yes, you can say… no, the point is that if the world… gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen. Yes, continue with Cain and Abel. Okay, so why must one be permitted? I’m not permitted because of this, I don’t know this, I don’t know this. You actually have a place where there’s no neighbor. Apparently it’s correct, I mean there is regarding closeness. Certainly, it’s simple. If there wouldn’t be an evil inclination, you can ask, a person wouldn’t have an evil inclination? Then I also. They don’t say that if he’s like God he may, but most people don’t have the right to say that.

Student: No. Okay, gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen. Actually they had… Rabbeinu, yes, true, not true, not already, but the kings, it was something a commandment. But because they wanted to imitate Cain and Abel, they had with the tradition. Whatever.

Instructor: It’s the same reason why the Rabbis married their relatives.

In short, gentlemen, let’s not get into nonsense, let’s learn.

Conclusion: Most Laws Are Not Truth in the Sense of Prophecy

Do you hear what I’m saying? So, most laws are not truth in the sense that it’s prophecy. This I say, most laws, therefore one says, this is the Rambam’s interpretation. We remember the Rambam’s interpretation, I don’t know, but the Rambam’s interpretation is from “Anochi” and “Lo Yihyeh Lecha” are directly from the Divine. Right?

The Rambam’s interpretation is that only “Anochi” and “Lo Yihyeh” are true prophecy, true prophecy of Moses. Everyone has prophecy of Moses. Why? Because this one can see directly. Every single person who learns the proofs of the existence of God and incorporeality of God, can see them with our own eyes.

And as the Rambam says in Laws of Sanctification of the New Moon, a thing that a person sees with his own eyes, as he says in Laws of the Foundations of the Torah Chapter 8, that a thing that he sees himself is something that cannot be doubted, even a prophet cannot contradict it, even a prophet cannot contradict what he himself saw.

That means directly from the Divine, all other commandments are not on this level why, because they are actually not truths, they are good practices, one must do them, it’s very important to do all commandments. But if the world would have been different, it’s dependent on the reality of the world, it’s things that change, it’s not things that don’t change. Therefore it’s not the same level of prophecy.

And therefore, why must one indeed follow the rest of the Rambam? Because the Gemara said, and this is not

The Rambam’s Innovation Regarding Shofar: An Example of Divine Inspiration

The Second and Third Answers: Authority of True Matters and Reasons for Commandments

Instructor:

That means directly from God’s mouth, listen, all other commandments are not on this level. Why? Because they are actually not truths, they are good practices, one must do them, it’s very important to do all commandments. But it’s not, if the world would have been different, it’s dependent on the reality of the world, it’s things that change, it’s not things that don’t change. Therefore it’s not the same level of prophecy.

And therefore, why must one indeed follow the rest of the Rambam? Because the Gemara said. And if not the Gemara said, one must say Moses son of Maimon said, which is weaker than the Gemara said, because not all Jews are agreed to follow the Rambam.

But not so when it comes to true matters, there’s no difference at all who said it, even if a non-Jew could have written it one would also have to follow. If the Rambam says it’s a commandment, not because it’s a commandment one doesn’t need to believe. The Rambam indeed says it’s a commandment to believe in the existence of God, one doesn’t mean to say that if not one wouldn’t have to believe, one only means to say that the commandment includes also such a commandment, such a type of commandment. But all these things that appear in Laws of Torah, the Torah are absolute truth as they are. We don’t need, it doesn’t need any “yirah li” [it appears to me]. The “yirah li” is only when there’s a practical difference, who is the authority that says this? But here it’s the truth, simply truth, this doesn’t need that. This is the second answer.

And the third merit, one can think, if you want to speak…

Student:

Yes, so you want to speak regarding shofar, the answer will be simpler, simpler, better on this, that things that are only a reason, only a homiletical interpretation, it doesn’t cost money, everyone can say homilies as he wants, you understand yourself that it’s the Rambam’s…

Instructor:

Yes, that’s the first answer. Yes, I’m expanding a bit. Law has validity, but you’re saying a reason for blowing the shofar, a hint will suffice. The Rambam says indeed, this the Rambam says clearly, even a divine decree, and other words that I say is not relevant to the law, the law is to blow the shofar. I’m indeed explaining that there’s a concept in it, this is the Rambam’s plain meaning. I don’t know, a hair’s breadth or I say divine inspiration.

Student:

Ah, he said, the Rambam says it’s a hint, it’s not the law, perhaps that’s still part of what he means. You don’t have to take this seriously like a scriptural decree. It’s a hint of this concept, therefore he says that the concept is the concept that ways of repentance, that the call to repentance, one does repentance.

Instructor:

Consequently I say that the Rambam had divine inspiration, but, okay, you say, it’s not the prophecy of Moses, because it’s only about reasons for commandments, but divine inspiration it is, because no one, it doesn’t appear from anywhere, you can search for sources, it appears in Pesikta “shofar – improve your deeds,” but that’s not the Rambam’s plain meaning.

Instructor:

As I can almost not be in a minute, the Rambam’s plain meaning is not that shofar should do repentance. Certainly one must do repentance, certainly one must blow shofar, yes. But the interpretation of the Rambam is an innovation of the Rambam. And not only is it an innovation of the Rambam, but every single Jew who read the Rambam agreed with this plain meaning. Because so is almost every single Jew that I know. Because everyone knows why one blows the shofar.

Everyone will look, look in all the books that were written before the Rambam, all books after the Rambam, every single one before the Rambam didn’t know. It appears as one of the ten reasons, one can say it’s not the reason. Yes, he has ten reasons, it doesn’t say that this is the reason. After the Rambam, almost everyone says, according to the plain meaning, the simple reason is this.

There are other reasons that the Rambam said that no one accepted, they weren’t the same divine inspiration. But the various reasons, there are thousands of reasons. The Mishneh Torah however, one should indeed accept reasons. Even not completely, a bit, a bit more.

Student:

No, joy, he doesn’t say a reason.

Instructor:

True, but the reason for blowing the shofar I mean that one of the most accepted is the innovations of the Rambam. And to such an extent the Arizal said that it appears in our Sages of blessed memory, and he said a plain meaning on this according to Kabbalah. Right, what is the secret of it? The secret of the blowing is in order to awaken the Almighty with the shofar.

Anyway, and… okay, okay, fine, fine, fine, not now. Yes, yes, yes. You’ll become curious, perhaps next time you’ll find out.

The Universal Recognition of the Rambam’s Plain Meaning

Instructor:

I only mean to say that it’s accepted by everyone, almost everyone, except for the Rama MiPano who said he doesn’t like this plain meaning on blowing the shofar. Except for that, yes?

Student:

I don’t know. Not only precious, and they published it from last week, a piece of Shiur Komah, it’s not only precious, it’s not Shiur Komah. They brought this piece. The Rama MiPano didn’t agree, didn’t want. I don’t mean why. He wasn’t impressed with the Rama MiPano’s plain meaning.

Instructor:

Why does he look at Emuzal? But… there are other Jews, the Arizal, the Arizal, the Rashash, as is known, all held very strongly in the Rambam’s plain meaning, and from this it meant that it was divine inspiration.

What is the Rambam’s Plain Meaning? The Concept of Awakening

Instructor:

Now, what is the Rambam’s plain meaning? The Rambam said a great innovation, that shofar is a thing that awakens people. So says the Rambam, shofar is a thing that awakens. So the Rambam thought, this doesn’t appear anywhere, it appears many times just shofar from all kinds of reasons, all the reasons of Rabbi Saadia Gaon.

Student:

Yes. Yes. “Awake, awake,” that?

Instructor:

You meant it’s a verse, “Awake, awake, sleepers from your sleep, and slumberers arise from your slumber.” Nowhere. No.

I say everyone means this, because it’s divine inspiration. I tell you it’s a Mishnah. The Rambam almost didn’t have a new divine inspiration, a piece of Mishnah, a piece of verse almost. He makes here, the verse “awake sleepers” also doesn’t appear, you know?

Student:

No. You certainly thought that somewhere there’s a verse “Uri yesheinim” [Awake, sleepers]. “Yesheinim mishnatchem” [sleepers from your sleep]. It doesn’t say anywhere. The language of the Rambam [the language of the Rambam]…

Maggid Shiur:

No, one must look in my… in my opinion [in my opinion]. There are expressions [expressions], wasting time [wasting time] is expressions… Yes, the language is not, if I remember correctly, it’s not a verse. One must look in my… what’s it called… You know, where it says “uri yesheinim mishnatchem”? No, something similar. “Uri uri” [Awake, awake], yes, very good. It’s almost the same thing, but not exactly the same thing.

Searching for the Source

Maggid Shiur:

I once made a chart, I once wrote a commentary [commentary] on this, and I brought for each piece of Rambam where this language appears.

Student:

What? Hilchot Teshuva [Laws of Repentance].

Maggid Shiur:

And there it said, I want to show you that it doesn’t work, but anyways, there it said that… let me open it, I’ll tell you. Here it experienced an error, yes? I want to understand. Experienced an error. Again, let me try again. Not like that.

Here it’s very good. “Uri yesheinim,” no, it says for example “uri Devorah uri uri” [Awake, Deborah, awake, awake – from the Song of Deborah], “uri” with ayin vav reish yud, but “uru yesheinim” doesn’t appear anywhere in the entire Torah, okay? So the Rambam made his own verse.

Student:

It’s a verse?

Maggid Shiur:

No, it’s certainly a verse. The Rambam made a verse. A verse that is not from the Rambam [a verse that is not from the Rambam]. It’s not a verse, gentlemen [gentlemen], it’s not a verse. Gentlemen, it’s not a verse, it’s a Rambam, and such a Rambam is as good as a verse.

The Significance of This Innovation

Maggid Shiur:

Now, let’s… it’s a greater innovation. You see that he thought it was a verse. It wants to be. And let’s need to understand, what is the tremendous innovation of this Rambam? The tremendous innovation is like this. That all Jews understood, what does a shofar mean? Just like Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen [Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen] made a list, you can look in Tanach [Tanach: the Hebrew Bible].

Student:

I don’t know that.

Maggid Shiur:

Yes, certainly. But no one knows what this means, so it’s a problem. I can soon another… No, no. Okay, very good. One, just one minute, just one sentence please.

The Known Matters of Shofar in Chazal

Maggid Shiur:

Gentlemen, gentlemen. Gentlemen, gentlemen, it says in the Gemara [Gemara: the Talmud] and in the Mishna and in the verse that there are very many matters regarding shofar. For example, in the Gemara it says many times that shofar is to remind the Almighty of something, true? It’s a kind of, as the holy Brisker Rav [the holy Brisker Rav] said. The Brisker from Brisk [the Brisker from Brisk] said that one sees in the Gemara many times that shofar has the law of prayer [has the law of prayer]. It’s a kind of prayer just as one can speak to the Almighty with words, one can shout, make a great noise, perhaps He sleeps and will awaken [perhaps He sleeps and will awaken], metaphorically speaking [metaphorically speaking]. This is simply one interpretation that appears in the Gemara many times.

In verses one can see other matters of shofar, perhaps like it’s a beautiful kind, as he says kingship [kingship], it’s a topic of such a beautiful trumpet that one blows before the king and the sound of the shofar before the king [before the king]. Or it’s some kind of sound that… it can make… it doesn’t say that it woke up the world, it says that it made noise, it didn’t wake up the world. It frightened the person, great noises were made.

Student:

That’s very… listen, very good. I want you to have… listen, you’re confused.

Maggid Shiur:

Not only are you confused, but many other great Torah scholars [great Torah scholars] were confused. So you’re not the only one. But it doesn’t say in the Rambam anything about being frightened. And there are verses where it also says in the portion [Torah portion] of the giving of the Torah [the giving of the Torah] that the shofar frightened the world, and all the people trembled [and all the people trembled]. It’s a great thing, perhaps there it means the shofar literally a thing, I don’t know. And it was a great sound, and it frightens a person, a great sound.

That’s what Gideon [Gideon] did. One also sees many times that a shofar is like a way to call people. “And they passed a voice through the camp” [and they passed a voice through the camp], “and they passed a shofar,” means a proclamation [proclamation], one calls out. It’s like an alarm, one calls out people. All these things are stated, and perhaps other things that I don’t remember. I mean more or less these things. When one takes a person for war [war], it’s like a fire alarm. Once there wasn’t, before Shabbat [before Shabbat] one blows shofar, yes? It’s a way of announcing [announcing]. Okay, these are all things that are stated in the holy books, in the Chumash [Chumash: the Five Books of Moses], in the Gemara, in the Mishna.

The Tremendous Innovation: Awakening

Maggid Shiur:

What doesn’t appear? The language of awakening [the language of awakening], to wake oneself up. This had no source at all until the Rambam came and he connected the topic of getting up, waking up, with the shofar. Getting up is not the same thing as being frightened, a completely different thing. And getting up is not the same thing as calling people together, or as reminding the Almighty. All these things are beautiful things, but they are not getting up. Getting up is a completely different thing.

The Parable of Sleep

Maggid Shiur:

How does one get up? How does awakening come? What does getting up mean? One must remember one important thing. It’s a parable [parable], of course. But what is the parable of getting up? What does getting up mean?

Student:

Right? He means sleeping.

Maggid Shiur:

Of course, the parable… let’s understand, I want to explain to you, there’s a difference between the parable and its application [the parable and its application]. The Rambam says, doesn’t mean that a person is sleeping literally. Of course, it’s built on a parable, but you must remember that the parable is not what the simple meaning of the verses and all the parables that exist about shofar say.

The simple meaning is, it says for example by the giving of the Torah, the world heard a shofar, and the world was frightened and they came, because you see a shofar. The simple meaning here is the gathering [the gathering], you see a great sign [sign], you see a great noise, there is the gathering, and they came. What doesn’t it say? It doesn’t say that the world was sleeping and the shofar woke them up.

The Rambam’s Wondrous Innovation: Shofar as Awakening — Where Does This Appear?

The Challenge: Where is the Source that Shofar Wakes Up?

The Problem with the Parable of Sleeping

Maggid Shiur:

It’s a challenge, he asks here, I’m not saying, where does it say that a Jew was sleeping and the shofar woke him up. It doesn’t say that he was sleeping, you imagined it. It says in the Midrash that the shofar woke up.

Student:

No, but it doesn’t say that the shofar woke up, if I remember correctly, you can show me.

Maggid Shiur:

I’m saying, it’s a good imagination [imagination]. The Rambam certainly imagined it this way, I’ve already written this way in my book on Elul that this is certainly the simple meaning, but this is an imagination. It doesn’t say. After the Rambam one can imagine it this way. It doesn’t say. True?

Student:

That’s a final thought.

Maggid Shiur:

That’s a final thought, it says so? Ah, that’s how one finds out a final thought. So, gentlemen, do you know the final thoughts?

Student:

I know.

[Brief Digression — About Recording]

Maggid Shiur:

I’ll stop making a recording, and I need to hear that there’s no recording. Anyways, one can’t know if the recording works. I’m just saying, generally new innovation, works that have come. On the contrary, there is a recording, one is afraid to speak nonsense.

No, if there is a recording, the world thinks that one can rely on the recording. No one listens to it again from the recording, but one relies on it. Anyways, it’s a great kelipah. I’m just saying. Okay, there’s someone who needs to hear this. Now it’s like this. Now it’s like this.

Searching Through Tanach: Who Was Sleeping and Was Awakened?

The Main Question

Maggid Shiur:

And understand what I’m saying, find me one place where it says that a person was sleeping and they woke him up with a shofar. I know that many times people are sleeping and they had to wake them up. It happens. Where does it say a story that a person was sleeping and they had to wake him up?

Jonah the Prophet

Student:

He was sleeping?

Maggid Shiur:

Very good, they woke him up with a shofar? “Mah lecha nirdám?” “Mah lecha nirdám?” Why are you sleeping? Very good, he was sleeping and they woke him up. Very good.

Other Places

Maggid Shiur:

Who else was sleeping and they woke him up? He got up. “Vayikatz.” Okay, I don’t know where else.

Student:

King David was sleeping?

Maggid Shiur:

It says that an angel woke up Zechariah, “like a man who is awakened from his sleep, and the angel who spoke with me returned and showed me” [Zechariah 4:1 — “And the angel who spoke with me returned and woke me, like a man who is awakened from his sleep”].

It was the Almighty woke up Samuel the Prophet, “and Samuel was lying down in the Temple of Hashem” [1 Samuel 3:3 — “And Samuel was lying down in the Temple of Hashem”]. It doesn’t say that He woke him up, but one can imagine that he was sleeping. It doesn’t say that he was sleeping, it says “lying down.”

It says that Nabal was sleeping, and they didn’t wake him up, and it was his problem. You’ll hear more, I have another sermon for you.

Student:

What is the language by Samuel? “Samuel was lying down in the Temple of Hashem, and Hashem called to Samuel,” and he went to Eli and said that he heard.

Maggid Shiur:

It says that Delilah woke up Samson. “The Philistines are upon you, Samson” [Judges 16:9,12,14,20 — “The Philistines are upon you, Samson”] several times, three times. In a dream, he was sleeping deeply.

Student:

Where else? What else does it say? Who else?

Maggid Shiur:

I made a search, that’s why I know. There’s a part I remembered myself.

[Brief Sermon — Nabal HaKarmeli as Anti-Model of Teshuva]

The Story with Nabal

Maggid Shiur:

Nabal didn’t get up, okay, very important. It says “And it was after about ten days, and Hashem struck Nabal” [1 Samuel 25:38 — “And it was after about ten days, and Hashem struck Nabal”]. The Gemara says, the Ten Days of Repentance [the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur].

What does it say before that? It says that Abigail went at night, “and his heart was merry with wine, and he was very drunk” [1 Samuel 25:36 — “and his heart was merry with wine, and he was very drunk”], something like that, he was completely drunk, he thought that Rosh Hashanah was Purim.

The Sermon

Maggid Shiur:

And Nabal HaKarmeli, it was Rosh Hashanah, true? The first day was Rosh Hashanah. The next day King David met Abigail. And one speaks. And he was sleeping and didn’t get up.

When he got up, his wife told him, and he was very angry, “and his heart died within him, and he became like a stone” [1 Samuel 25:37 — “and his heart died within him, and he became like a stone”]. This didn’t grasp awakening of the heart [awakening of the heart]. No, “and his heart died,” later he died, ten days later he died, but right on Rosh Hashanah it was “his heart like a stone.”

This is what happens when a Jew doesn’t get up from the first shofar. Just saying, I told him a beautiful sermon.

But This is Not the Source

Maggid Shiur:

But besides this, it doesn’t say anywhere. I’m not saying, it’s a beautiful symbol, a beautiful Midrash. I’m not saying, can’t anywhere at night does it say that a person was sleeping, he woke up with a shofar. Not a person, and not the Almighty. Okay? Not that I know.

The Rambam’s Wondrous Innovation

What One Can Imagine — But It Doesn’t Say

Maggid Shiur:

So one sees that the Rambam’s innovation that says that a shofar wakes up, is his own innovation. It says a lot that a shofar certainly makes noise. Can you imagine that if someone was sleeping he would get up? Not so far to imagine, right? Can you imagine that if it makes, frightens people, if it’s a way of calling people to war, calling people to gather for some camp, as it says in Parshat Beha’alotcha [Numbers 10], all kinds of things, can you imagine that it would wake up people.

But the idea that a person is asleep and the shofar wakes him up, it is not written anywhere [it is not written anywhere].

Other Midrashim on Shofar

Maggid Shiur:

There are very many Midrashim on the shofar. Shofar of Rosh Hashanah is not something that the Rambam was the first to think of reasons, because there are very many Midrashim on it. If I know, not one of them thought of the idea that the shofar wakes up.

Many of them said that it frightens, that perhaps it’s like a war, perhaps that it gathers together, that it arouses the Almighty, all kinds of things, but that it wakes up a person, it is not written anywhere.

The Essential Foundation of the Rambam

Maggid Shiur:

And I want to emphasize, about this I hold that the essential foundation, the wondrous innovation, the divine inspiration [divine inspiration] that the Rambam innovated, is that shofar lies in a point of awakening, of waking oneself up.

Methodological Principle in Learning Rambam

The Parable and Its Application

Maggid Shiur:

Now, of course, it’s built on the parable that it’s a great sound, therefore a person wakes up. If he was sleeping, he would wake up. But what is the application [the deeper meaning]?

The Rambam tells you, look, what the application is, right? What is the application?

Student:

No, the Rambam is like this.

How to Read the Rambam: The Great Principle

Maggid Shiur:

First, I want to teach you how to read the Rambam. It says like this, there are three pieces in the sermon of the Rambam on the blowing of the shofar [the blowing of the shofar]. It goes like this, there are three sentences, okay? I sent it to you, as I say, in that handout I mean it says, but look, it says here so clearly, everyone needs repentance, and it says like this:

The Three Sentences of the Rambam

Maggid Shiur:

That is to say, like this sermons, this is the sermon of the Rambam on the blowing of the shofar:

“Uru uru yesheinim mishnatchem, vehakitzu nirdamim mitardematchem, vechapshu bema’aseichem vechizru biteshuva.”

[“Awake, awake, you sleepers from your sleep, and you slumberers, wake up from your slumber, and examine your deeds and return in repentance.”]

Sentence number what? This is how I hold, this is the first sentence. Get up, those asleep, and search, examine your ways and return in repentance. This is already built on a verse, right? Very good.

The Principle: When the Rambam Says Many Words About the Same Thing

Maggid Shiur:

Now what does it mean, Master of the Universe? We already have a great principle in the language of the Rambam, that when the Rambam says many words about the same thing, always one is an explanation of the other. Do you know my principle?

It’s one of my principles that I noticed myself, but it’s one hundred percent true, it’s also divine inspiration. I’m almost certain that when I start to say it several times, everyone in the entire world will start to say it, okay? Because it’s clear.

The Source of This Principle

Maggid Shiur:

It’s not only in Rambam like this. The Rambam himself in his letter to Samuel ibn Tibbon [Samuel ibn Tibbon, the translator of the Guide for the Perplexed] said that this is how one should do when one translates things. I have an explicit proof in the letter of the Rambam that this is the way.

Do you have a concept that is a deep concept, there isn’t one word. Even if there is sometimes one word for a thing, doing teshuva is one word. If you knew what you are, I can say doing teshuva, but doing teshuva the Rambam holds is such a deeper concept. Therefore the Rambam says that sometimes one must translate one word into several words.

And how do you know that this is the translation of this? He says both. This is, I mean that this is explicit in the letter of the Rambam.

How the Principle Works in Practice

Maggid Shiur:

And in any case, whoever learns the Rambam a lot, sees that the Rambam holds in one way. It could be the verses don’t do this, it could be that it’s a normal style of people. When the Rambam says two words that mean the same thing, or many times he says like a traditional word, like “vechizru biteshuva,” such a word that appears in a verse, and besides this he says some other word that doesn’t appear in a verse, or it’s an expansion on this, it means “this one comes to teach about that one” [this one comes to teach about that one]. This is the explanation of this.

“Chapshu bema’aseichem vechizru biteshuva” means what it says now further, okay?

Questions About the Principle

Student:

Not here, I don’t have a principle in this, I don’t know. I don’t have a principle in this. Perhaps there is a principle? I don’t know the principle, I mean that it could be both ways, depending on the style that could be… I don’t know. I don’t have a principle in this.

Maggid Shiur:

Also, here is a very long piece, it’s not exactly… I have here many times just two words that he says. For example, when it says a Torah, many times it says “divrei Torah ve-chochma” [words of Torah and wisdom], it means to say divrei Torah she-hem chochma [words of Torah that are wisdom], okay, and so forth.

I’m telling you just an example of a type of language that the Rambam plays with many times, and the Rambam says clearly in Moreh Nevuchim [Guide for the Perplexed] that chochma and Torah are not the same thing, but there are parts of Torah that are in chochma. No, and so on.

Analysis of the Rambam’s Three-Part Exposition

The Structure: Two Things and Two Explanations

Maggid Shiur:

The Rambam says like this, what is the meaning? “Ve-chazru bi-teshuva” [and return in repentance]. What is the meaning of the awakening? What does awakening mean and what does doing teshuva mean?

I hold like this, I can even say like this, there are the next two pieces, one is an explanation of “uru” [awaken], and the second is an explanation of doing teshuva. Okay? Do you understand what I’m saying?

The first piece says “uru yesheinim mi-shnatechem” [awaken, sleepers, from your sleep], it says twice, “yesheinim nirdamim” [sleepers slumbering], whatever, I’m not going into leshonot nirdafim [synonymous expressions]. After that, the second piece of this says teshuva, “chapshu be-ma’aseichem ve-chazru bi-teshuva” [search your deeds and return in repentance]. These are two things.

Now comes an explanation of the two things. Okay? I think this is perhaps a chidush [novel insight] from today, I don’t remember that I learned it this way. But now comes an explanation of the two things: one paragraph which is an explanation of “uru yesheinim,” and the second piece which is an explanation of “chazru bi-teshuva.” Okay?

The Explanation of “Uru Yesheinim”

Maggid Shiur:

The Rambam says like this, what does “uru yesheinim” mean? How much are you sleeping and how much do you need to get up? He says it explicitly. What I’m saying here is explicit, it’s not any chidush from me, I think it’s clear in the language of the Rambam.

The Rambam says like this: “Ve-zichru borachem” [and remember your Creator] — who should remember borachem? This is a language of the verse, right? The Rambam already brought in Part 1 Chapter 1 “u-zechor et borecha bi-yemei bechurotecha” [Ecclesiastes 12:1 — “And remember your Creator in the days of your youth”], this means doing teshuva.

Who should remember the borachem? Who? Who? Whoever is sleeping. What does it mean in other words? “Uru” means “zichru borachem,” right? To wake up. Who should wake up? Whoever is sleeping.

Who Is “Whoever Is Sleeping”?

Maggid Shiur:

What does whoever is sleeping mean? “Elu ha-shochechim et ha-emet be-havlei ha-zman, ve-shogim kol shnatam be-hevel va-reik asher lo yo’il ve-lo yatzil.” [Those who forget the truth in the vanities of time, and err all their year in vanity and emptiness that will not avail and will not save.]

A large part of the things are verses. This is the sentence, right? It’s all one sentence, and parts are not verses. “Lo yo’il ve-lo yatzil” [1 Samuel 12:21 — “will not avail and will not save”] says Shmuel the prophet about avodah zarah [idolatry].

And “shochechim et ha-emet be-havlei ha-zman” is language… “havlei ha-zman” is not any language of the verse. It says “havalim” [vanities] in Kohelet [Ecclesiastes], but it’s not any language of the verse. I remember, “havlei ha-zman” is even end of… the Rambam says it a few times, yes, the Rambam says this language a few times.

Critical Conclusion: What Does “Sleeping” Mean?

This Is a Matter of Remembering, Not Feeling

Maggid Shiur:

There always it’s an explanation of zechira [remembering], right? Do you catch what’s going on here. What is the meaning of one who is asleep?

Asleep doesn’t mean that he’s not an ehrliche Yid [honest Jew], that he’s not ignited and not warm for Yiddishkeit. Not any matter of feeling, not any matter of action.

What is it a matter of? Machshava [thought], of yedi’a [knowledge], yes? One can say zechira, of remembering. He doesn’t say, but “shochechim et ha-emet” [forgetting the truth], remember.

The Nimshal [Application] of “Being Asleep” – Yedi’at Ha-Emet and the Difference Between Sleeping and Waking

Maggid Shiur:

And I’m catching you what’s going on here. What is the meaning of one who is asleep? Asleep doesn’t mean that he’s not an ehrliche Yid, that he’s not ignited and not warm for Yiddishkeit, not any matter of feeling, not any matter of action. What is it a matter of? Of machshava, of yedi’a, yes? One can say zechira, of remembering. But when one says remembering, then it doesn’t mean to review, it means to grasp, right? You forgot because it’s nishkach mi-libcha [forgotten from your heart], it’s not in your consciousness, not in your awareness, not in your havana [understanding].

What does it mean one is asleep? The Rambam’s nimshal of being asleep is that he doesn’t know, he has forgotten. What has he forgotten? A thing called emet [truth].

What Is “Emet”? – Dvarim Nitzchi’im

Maggid Shiur:

And what did we learn earlier? What does emet mean? Emet is dvarim nitzchi’im [eternal things], dvarim lo zmaniyim [non-temporal things], emet? What is the emet? Emet is the… as it says in Shemonah Perakim Chapter 2, chochma [wisdom] is called emet, yedi’at ha-dvarim ha-nimtza’im she-einam mishtanim [knowledge of existing things that do not change]. Or speaking of the Almighty and His ways, yes? These are the things that don’t change. Or al pi Kabbalah [according to Kabbalah], the Almighty and His sefirot [divine emanations], the same thing. Not the same thing, but also the things that don’t change, or the ratzon [will] doesn’t change, okay, whatever. Be-kitzur [in short], this is the meaning of yedi’at ha-emet [knowledge of truth].

Who Doesn’t Know the Emet? – One Who Lives Be-Havlei Ha-Zman

Maggid Shiur:

And who doesn’t know the emet? One who lives be-havlei ha-zman [in the vanities of time]. Havlei ha-zman [vanities of time] means things that are “ha-yom kan u-machar ba-kever” [today here and tomorrow in the grave]. Today it’s like this, tomorrow it’s like this. Today the halacha [Jewish law] is like this, tomorrow the halacha is like this.

One who learns only nigleh [the revealed/exoteric Torah], he is shochei’ach et ha-emet be-havlei ha-zman [forgets the truth in the vanities of time]. The world is sleeping here properly. Whoever learns only nigleh, shochei’ach et ha-emet be-havlei ha-zman. That’s why it’s called chochmat ha-emet [the wisdom of truth], for a reason, chochmat ha-Torah al amitah [the wisdom of Torah in its truth].

Nigleh deals only, it’s very important, it’s “dvarim ha-meyashvim et libo shel adam techila kedei she-yikneh ha-olam ha-ba” [things that settle a person’s heart first so that he may acquire the World to Come], but it’s not the emet, because emet means things that are not be-havlei ha-zman. The nigleh tells you only how to live in the havlei ha-zman in a good way. It’s very important. Nistar [the hidden/esoteric Torah] means yedi’at ha-emet, things that don’t change, knowing the Almighty and His malachim [angels], like the Almighty and perhaps the heavens, other things that don’t change. No, this is a mashal [parable] for this. It’s much more emet, because you’re not talking about the walls and the lumber, you’re talking about the essence here.

Proofs from the Rambam – “Ya’ir Mishnato” in Hilchot Mezuzah

Maggid Shiur:

Okay, rabbotai [gentlemen], certainly I know, I mean, this is yesod ha-Torah [foundation of the Torah], but the Kabbalah is also an explanation that it’s yesod ha-Torah. Yesod ha-Torah. Yesod ha-Torah. But this is the meaning, that he doesn’t do, he doesn’t do.

As it says in hilchot mezuzah [laws of mezuzah], and I want to know the language, this is a very important language that one must present, that this is the same zikaron [remembrance], it’s “u-zechartem” [and you shall remember]. The Rambam says, where is the language of the Rambam in hilchot mezuzah? I brought it here in my…

The holy Rambam says, derech agav [by the way], it also says in hilchot evel [laws of mourning] the same “ya’ir mishnato” [awaken from his sleep]. But the same thing, very clearly, that what? That a person, someone dies, that a friend of his or a relative of his dies, he should remember “ya’ir mishnato.” The same language appears in hilchot evel, Chapter 13 Halacha 12.

He sees very clearly that “ya’ir mishnato” means, catch that most things that matter die. So says the Rambam, “kol she-eino mitabel harei zeh achzari, ela yifchad ve-yid’ag… kol zeh le-hachin et atzmo ve-yachzor ve-ya’ir mishnato, ve-harei hu omer ‘hikita otam ve-lo chalu’, mi-klal she-tzarich le-hakitz u-le-hachin” [whoever does not mourn is cruel, rather he should fear and worry… all this to prepare himself and return and awaken from his sleep, and behold it says ‘You struck them but they did not become ill,’ implying that one must awaken and prepare].

The Rambam inserted into the language of the verse “le-hakitz” [to awaken]. In the verse it says “chalu” [became ill], one must be frightened, mi-leshon chil u-re’ada [from the language of trembling and fear], and it doesn’t say in the verse “le-hakitz,” and the Rambam added the “ya’ir mishnato,” also in hilchot evel. He himself was mechadeish [innovated] the topic of getting up.

The Clearest Thing in Hilchot Mezuzah

Maggid Shiur:

And in hilchot mezuzah it says the clearest thing, what is the meaning of “sheker ve-chazav ve-hevel” [falsehood and lies and vanity]? The Rambam says, why must a person be nizhar be-mezuza [careful with mezuzah]? That he should see yichud ha-Shem [the unity of God’s Name], “ve-yizkor ahavato” [and remember His love], okay, beautiful verse, “ve-yizkor ahavato,” “ve-ya’ir mishnato u-shgiyotav be-havlei ha-zman” [and awaken from his sleep and his errors in the vanities of time].

And what will he do meimila [automatically]? “Ve-yeida she-ein davar ha-omeid le-olam u-le-olmei olamim ela yedi’at tzur ha-olamim” [and he will know that there is nothing that stands forever and ever except knowledge of the Rock of the worlds].

If a person will see, he will remember the mezuzah, when does one see the mezuzah? When one goes le-asakav [to his business]. If yes, a person goes, meichmat tzad ha-gever [on account of the masculine side], he goes around, buying, doing things, he is asleep, because he does all kinds of inyanim artziyim, zmaniyim [earthly, temporal matters].

He saw the mezuzah, there stands yichud Hashem. Yichud Hashem is the yichud Hashem ve-ahavato [the unity of God and His love], which are the things. Yichud Hashem ve-ahavato means yedi’ot [knowledge], ma’aseh bereishit u-ma’aseh merkava [the Work of Creation and the Work of the Chariot], as it says in hilchot teshuva [laws of repentance] at the end, and as it says in hilchot yesodei ha-Torah [laws of the foundations of the Torah].

These are the dvarim ha-omdim [things that stand], the yedi’a ha-omedet [knowledge that stands], because only whoever knows this, he lives forever, the yedi’ot live forever and so on, yedi’at tzur ha-olamim.

The Rambam says, “miyad hu chozer le-da’ato” [immediately he returns to his knowledge], and his da’at he returns to, says the teshuva [repentance], he returns le-da’ato, he remembers. Ve-zeh holeich be-darchei meisharim [and this one walks in straight paths], this is the meaning of “shofar” [ram’s horn] which opens at a time. Do you catch?

So the Rambam comes with a great chidush [innovation], and this is the nimshal of awakening. It’s like the Rambam thought, a shofar is a thing that if one had been sleeping one would have gotten up. And who sleeps? All people sleep. From what do they sleep? Not because they do aveirot [transgressions]. They sleep, perhaps because of this one does aveirot also because of this. They sleep because they think that temporal things are eternal.

Why is this sleeping we need to understand better? Why is this a topic of sleeping versus getting up?

Questions and Discussion: Why Specifically “Sleeping” and Not “Sick”?

Talmid [Student]:

But most people when they’re awake they also only see the things. I mean it’s not on spiritual things.

Maggid Shiur:

I need to think about this. I think there’s a more basic, I agree with what you’re saying, but I think there’s a more basic mashal, in other words.

The difference of being awake and being asleep is different than for example the difference of being dead and alive, or sick and healthy. Why? It’s a mashal for something else, understand? For example, the Rambam could have said that you’re sick, as he learned in hilchot teshuva, in hilchot shemona perakim [laws of the eight chapters], in hilchot dei’ot [laws of character traits], it’s a choleh [sick person]. Remember that you’re sick. He doesn’t say that, he says that you’re sleeping. What’s the difference? It’s something a different kind of thing, right?

I think that… I remember… there are other things that speak about sleeping. I think that perhaps the thing is that the difference of sleeping and awake is not of healthy and not healthy. Very important. A healthy person is one who has good middot [character traits]. When he sleeps, he perhaps also has good middot. Okay, one must be medayek [precise] though. Not, because he doesn’t do anything. But… but sleeping brings out that a person can have shleimut ha-guf [perfection of the body]. His body is one hundred percent perfect. His being, his middot even, his middot also sleep, when he sleeps, I had, but not active, but perhaps in a chalom [dream] there are still middot.

One must think about this, one must learn a Kabbalah to the middot sleeping, to his sleep or only the after-sleep, the whole thing. Okay, I already know. Al kol panim [in any case], I think… no, this is what I think, not techiyat ha-meitim [resurrection of the dead], but uru yesheinim, almost uru yesheinim. That’s why there’s a level of techiyat ha-meitim, Rav Sa’adya Gaon, this is already the next level. The Rambam is a nimshal on techiyat ha-meitim, which he says it’s not the nimshal, it’s ki-pshuto [literally], he says that this would have been the nimshal if one would have wanted.

The meaning is le-cho’ora [apparently] that what the topic of getting up brings out, that a person can be shleimut ha-ma’asim [perfection of actions] kivyachol [so to speak], his body works, he’s perfect, he’s healthy. What the only problem is that he’s sleeping. In other words, his moach [brain] doesn’t work, his da’at [knowledge/consciousness] doesn’t work. Sleeping lacks only da’at, it doesn’t lack anything. The person sleeps, everything works for him perfectly.

Talmid:

Very good, I think it’s all a mashal, because you’re right, he doesn’t do anything, no actions either.

Maggid Shiur:

But in the bechina [aspect] of beri’at gufo [the creation of his body], the person, he’s completely healthy, on the contrary, the chalakim ha-tachtonim [lower parts] of the person, the koach ha-ichul [digestive power], the ma’arechet ha-guf [bodily system], perhaps even the dimyonot [imaginations], perhaps perhaps of the person.

It could be that this is a sod [secret] against dreams also, because the Rambam doesn’t want to deal with dreams. One must think about this, the sod has to do with the chochma [wisdom] and the bina [understanding], it’s a great chakira [investigation] on the Kabbalah. One must think about this, because when one sleeps one dreams, yes. And there’s a bechina of nevua [prophecy], no, there’s a bechina of others of dreams, like nevuat Bilam [the prophecy of Balaam].

And many people, their hasagat Hashem [apprehension of God] is from sleeping, because then one dreams. There’s a certain shichrur [liberation] from the body, there’s a certain hit’orerut gevurot [awakening of powers] of the dimyon [imagination], one can think be-ofen menutак [in a detached manner] from where one is, and so on. There’s a certain like cheirut [freedom] in sleeping and dreaming, and such chanuchim [educated ones] have dreamed.

And the Rambam wants that I say a great chidush, I have a piece of makor [source] for this in Moreh Nevuchim [Guide for the Perplexed], al pi drash [according to homiletical interpretation], but in Moreh Nevuchim in the sugya [topic] of matan Torah [the giving of the Torah]. The sugya of matan Torah, I don’t remember in 27, there in Part Pesach. Ah, yes, no, the Rambam says that one only heard the kol of the shofar, I had I didn’t remember. Al kol panim, no, I want, but this, I don’t know, there’s a drush [homiletical interpretation] about this that I once wrote, I don’t know.

The Main Chidush: Sleeping Lacks Only Da’at, Not Shleimut Ha-Guf

Maggid Shiur:

Translation

What I’m saying is perhaps, be-derech efshar [as a possibility], this is a chiddush (novel insight), I don’t know if it’s correct, be-derech efshar. But first I’ll say something clear, that the subject of the parable (mashal) that the Rambam (Maimonides) presents about sleeping is that shofar (ram’s horn) is not made, it is also made, of course. But the main thing, what the Rambam adds, what I’m saying, the Rambam adds, certainly everyone knew to do teshuva (repentance) before, and this is perhaps that the part here is the rachamei Rashi (Rashi’s compassion).

But the interpretation (derush) of awakening is, because the difference between a sleeping person and an awake person is only in his mind (be-da’ato), only his brain, only his thought (machshava) doesn’t work. And one must add, I mean that this, yes, what is important to add? Not be-dimyon (in imagination). Dimyon (imagination) in other words, what most people do during prayer is imagined. I love the Almighty, where, this one can do even when sleeping, for this one doesn’t need to blow shofar.

Have you ever dreamed that you love the Almighty? I dreamed or then with hitlahavut (enthusiasm)? One can, one can. One has feelings sometimes when I dream, a person becomes frightened, he becomes scared, he becomes angry, he becomes ahava (love), he feels yir’a (fear), he feels all kinds of feelings. When I dream… very said. Listen also, listen also. No, for this is not, everyone is occupied with your teachings.

Well, mochin (intellect) is the mind not over feelings. No, that’s the meaning. Certainly, feelings must have mochin. Okay, the people don’t understand the Torah, so one must say it clearly. One must say it clearly.

The difference between sleeping and being awake is only in the mind (ba-moach), not in the body (ba-guf). The body works one hundred percent. The power (koach), which the Rambam calls koach ha-zan (nutritive power), certainly works when one sleeps. The koach ha-middot (power of character traits) are not active, but they work, they’re not sick, they’re fine. But the one who sleeps, the nimshal (application) of this is, one whose head doesn’t work, whose seichel (intellect) doesn’t work, this is the only thing that he lacks.

Dimyon Is Not Seichel – An Important Distinction

Maggid Shiur (Lecturer):

And one must add truly apparently that dimyon is very good, and even better, than when he is awake. And dimyon is not just dimyon, rather dimyon is makor avoda zara (source of idolatry). Dimyon is shoresh avoda zara (root of idolatry), shoresh yetzer ha-ra (root of the evil inclination). The Rambam says that the yetzer ha-ra (evil inclination) is the dimyon. And the Rambam says that avoda zara (idolatry), all of avoda zara, Moreh Nevuchim.

The Prophecy of Moses and the Difference Between Dimyon and Seichel — The Core of the Rambam’s Inner Service

The Nimshal of Sleeping: When the Seichel Doesn’t Work

But the one who sleeps, the nimshal of him is one whose head doesn’t work, whose seichel doesn’t work. This is the only thing that he lacks. And one must add truly apparently that dimyon is very good, and it is even better than when he is awake.

Dimyon as Shoresh Avoda Zara and Yetzer Ha-ra

And dimyon is not just that dimyon is no good, dimyon is makor avoda zara, dimyon is shoresh avoda zara, shoresh yetzer ha-ra. The Rambam says that the yetzer ha-ra is the dimyon. And the Rambam says that avoda zara, all of avoda zara… yes, the Rebbe (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) also says so.

Shofar: To Stop Being a Prophet of Dimyon

And this is actually the subject of shofar, to stop being like those nevi’im (prophets), without being him. But I’m not saying this, for this I’m saying a great chiddush. Yes, it’s a bad thing to be a prophet, one must be like Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our teacher). That’s the whole thing.

Practical Interruption

Talmid (Student): The rabbis say, okay, maybe, maybe, maybe. We haven’t finished with that.

Maggid Shiur: No, no, no, I’ll just say, I’ll just a minute. Yes, I’m just saying that… No, no, not yir’a li (fear to me) with an eye, it must be yir’a li, he’arah (awakening/illumination).

The Rambam’s Concept of “He’arah” Against Dimyon

The Rambam has such a word he’arah which he uses just just just as the Rambam said, a whole ha’arah (illumination) against dimyon. The second is in Chapter 51 of Part III [Moreh Nevuchim, Part III, Chapter 51], where the Rambam explains, because hashgachah (Divine providence) comes from thinking about the Almighty.

These are the two ha’arot in Moreh and in them. If I remember, there is perhaps a third, what is called hakdamah (introduction)? I think that these are the two ha’arot, and this is the root…

Talmid: Ah, very good.

Maggid Shiur: I need to add another whole trick to my derush (exposition), perhaps I’ve already spoken about this, that he’arah is awakening oneself, is to grasp the two things that stand in Moreh and in them, which this is the shoresh ha-avodah ha-penimit (root of inner spiritual service) of the Rambam.

The Rambam’s Revealed Service and Inner Service

One must remember, there is avodah nigleh (revealed/exoteric service) which everyone knows, all Rambams must know. There is avodah penimit, avodah sod (esoteric/mystical service) of the first is not to be a prophet of she’ar ha-nevi’im (the other prophets).

The Rambam’s derech avodah (path of service) is, in a certain sense, that the shoresh ha-problems (root of the problems) is to be a prophet of she’ar ha-nevi’im. Therefore the Rambam’s ikkar arichut hilchot nevuah (main length of the laws of prophecy) is always not to connect the prophecy of she’ar ha-nevi’im with Moshe. Nu, did you notice? The main thing, this is the biggest thing, the biggest thing, the biggest thing, the nafka minah (practical difference) always. You shouldn’t think…

The Difference Between Dimyon and Seichel

And the difference is dimyon and seichel. I’m telling you the difference now, okay? Very simple. Rabbosai (gentlemen), learn Chapter 1 everything.

Answer to a Contradiction: Moses’s Aspect of Other Prophets

Talmid: Rabbosai, rabbosai, rabbosai, I know the stirah (contradiction) you’re talking about, it’s not a real stirah, don’t worry.

Maggid Shiur: In nevuat Moshe (the prophecy of Moses) there is also a bechinat (aspect) of the prophecy of the prophets, and one must purify the prophecy of Moses from the aspect of the prophecy of the prophets she’nichlelim bah (that are included within it), as it says in the Gemara that kol divrei nevi’im (all the words of the prophets) are remez (hinted) in the Torah.

But the true prophecy of Moses is not everything that Moshe Rabbeinu said, because Moshe Rabbeinu, the person, also had, of course, kal vachomer (a fortiori argument), yesh biklal matayim maneh (the greater includes the lesser), he also had from the prophecy of she’ar ha-nevi’im. This is my teiretz (answer) based on. And so on.

Moshe Rabbeinu also had the aspect of she’ar ha-nevi’im, and this is what the Rambam speaks about there. But what is called the true prophecy of Moses is only Anochi velo yihyeh lecha (“I am” and “You shall have no other gods” — the first two of the Ten Commandments).

Great Chiddush: The Prophecy of Moses Is Accessible to Every Jew

And the true prophecy of Moses every Jew has. I’m saying a tremendous chiddush, do you grasp? The prophecy of Moses is the thing where there is no difference between Moses and any other person, because there are clear things, and we are all like Moses. And what the only yediah (knowledge) that has a status of the prophecy of Moses is the yediat Hashem (knowledge of God).

Rabbosai, it comes out, it comes out very well. Whoever doesn’t understand, I’ll tell you the simple thing: to awaken, about this one must awaken, when this means to awaken, to understand.

Dimyon as a Mashal on the Truth

Dimyon is a tremendous problem, because they weren’t weak prophets, rather that Moshe Rabbeinu had a true prophecy. It was a dimyon can be a mashal (parable) on the truth, because most people only have dimyon, therefore one gives them dimyonot, it’s a mashal on the truth.

Lemashel (for example), one tells them that when one blows shofar the Almighty hears, the Almighty doesn’t hear, He doesn’t have an ear, He doesn’t need a great out to hear, it’s all shtuyot (nonsense). But one says this to people, because this is a way how to awaken people, people don’t understand this way. This is a dimyon. A mashal is a dimyon. An image.

Dimyon doesn’t mean a sheker (lie). Dimyon means… yes, whatever, this is the Rambam, but this is all the dimyon. Dimyon means an image. Thinking in images, not seeing the reality as it is, rather having a picture of it, like a mouth that puts it out. It’s not a peak way. It can be… anything. Any image. The Almighty stands on a chair. This is a dimyon.

This is the Rambam’s shitah (approach), the makor avoda zara, one of his approaches, makor avoda zara is also the source of very many other problems, is that one takes dimyonot as seriously as seichel.

Question About Bringing Back Prophets

Talmid: The rabbi, you’ll say that in order to bring back prophets one must bring back avoda zara, they speak shtuyot vehavalim (nonsense and vanities).

Maggid Shiur: According to the Rambam certainly. Yes, certainly, according to the Rambam certainly. Yes, yes, certainly according to the Rambam this is not a good thing. The Rambam’s whole thing is that one shouldn’t try to be prophets like other prophets, one should try to be a prophet like Moses, and every Jew can be a prophet like Moses, as it says befeirush (explicitly) in Hilchot Teshuvah Chapter 5. Kol ish (every person) can be a prophet kemoshe (like Moses).

Talmid: Are you asking? Yes, because the people didn’t understand. I heard my shiur about that chapter from Yesodei HaTorah (Foundations of the Torah), and I forgot devarim yesodiyim (fundamental things). There are things that one must inscribe on a list, and who will be the great father on the list? Everyone must already know them. There are a few things.

Chiddush #2: The Prophecy of Moses Is Eternal, Not One-Time

One of the things is, that what the Rambam says that Moshe Rabbeinu, that the reason why one believes in Torah is because the prophecy of Moses is a one-time thing, doesn’t mean that it’s a one-time thing, means that it’s an eternal thing. “Davar ha’omed la’ad ul’olmei olamim” (a thing that stands forever and for all eternity).

They learned a whole interpretation in the Rambam from “achuzat linevuah olamit,” yes, “emunah olamit” (eternal faith). The Rambam said such a language, that for this, yes, it’s a davar ha’omed la’ad, it’s a language that stood in Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah Chapter 7, I don’t remember the language now, that all prophets yesh bahem dofi (have a deficiency) but the prophecy of Moses, “vegam bechi emunah le’olam” (and also in life, faith forever). That it’s emunah olamit.

What does this mean bechi emunah le’olam? Because the sort of things that Moses taught are things that don’t change, they are forever as they are. “Kol asher asah ha’Elokim hu yihyeh le’olam” (all that God has made will be forever) it says in the pasuk (verse). These are things that are eternal.

The Prophecy of Moses Is Universal, Not Historical

And therefore, when the Rambam says that Moshe Rabbeinu is unique, exactly opposite to what the amei ha’aretz (ignorant people) think, this means that Moshe Rabbeinu’s prophecy is a historical thing, that it only happened once in history. Exactly the opposite, for this there is only one, because the truth is only one. There is only one God, only one prophecy of Moses.

Because what is the prophecy of Moses? The prophecy of Moses, this tells you metziut Hashem (the reality/existence of God), the basic reality. There is only one basic reality. About this it cannot change. The Rambam says explicitly in Part II Chapters 41-42 [Moreh Nevuchim, Part II, Chapters 41-42], that the Torah cannot change because the truth cannot change. Not because it only happened once, rather because it is always.

So anyone who will be a prophet like Moshe Rabbeinu, will see the same thing as Moshe Rabbeinu. About all prophets, about dimyonot, there is a klal (rule) “ein shnei nevi’im mitnabim besignon echad” (no two prophets prophesy in the same style), because dimyonot everyone has differently, according to the matzav hazman (situation of the time), according to the matzav hasha’ah (situation of the hour), and so on.

About the prophecy of Moses, which this is basic reality, which everyone can look with their own two eyes, with their own seichel, like Avraham Avinu (Abraham our father), he sees all the same. There is no difference at all between a Jew and Moshe Rabbeinu. Certainly.

Anecdote About Reb Moshiach’l

Ah, this is Chapter 60 in Part I which explains this. But… I told my rabbi, Reb Avraham Yitzchak, exactly, Reb Avraham Yitzchak Greiner told me that he spoke with his rabbi Reb Moshiach’l many times, and one couldn’t speak with him, because every kushya (question) he says, well, it says in Part II Chapter 46. And I remember what it says there. Because it was so for everything. So I also feel this way, in the same mahalach (approach). One must remember, one must remember.

Rabbosai, it is what stands what I say, so the subject of the prophecy of Moses is not exactly the opposite, the subject of the prophecy of Moses is the most accessible prophecy. Of course, I have madreigot (levels) in this, I haven’t answered the question, but it’s the basic reality which every Jew says Shema Yisrael (Hear O Israel), every Jew says Shema Yisrael already echad (one), every Jew has echad to Hashem ve’ahavta et Hashem (and you shall love God), exactly like Moshe Rabbeinu, the reality that Moshe Rabbeinu told is accessible, because we know that echad above means in all times, okay, and you don’t know, but anyway, it’s all lanetzach (forever) means always, not one time, and it remains forever. It means always.

As everyone knows the Torah, the interpretation of the Baal Shem Tov (founder of Hasidism), nitzchiyut haTorah (the eternality of the Torah), and so on. Bekitzur (in short), the story is, that therefore, since all prophets had, as the Rambam says explicitly, all prophets had their prophecy when they slept, and therefore they thought that the Almighty can also sleep.

Eliyahu HaNavi and Yochanan Kohen Gadol Against “Awakening” the Almighty

Ulai yashen veyakatz (perhaps he is sleeping and will awaken), says Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) to the benei haBaal (worshippers of Baal), but in Tehillim (Psalms) it says urah lamah tishan Hashem (awake, why do You sleep, O Lord), and Yochanan Kohen Gadol (Yochanan the High Priest) was very upset. He said, chas veshalom (God forbid) to say this verse, when he was asked, they removed it from the verse. Bitul et hame’orerim (cancellation of the “awakeners”), true? Yochanan Kohen Gadol bitul et hame’orerim, why?

He didn’t hold of hit’orerut (awakening). Hit’orerut is built on dimyonot. It’s that the Almighty sleeps, one must awaken Him. The Almighty sleeps, one doesn’t need to awaken Him. Right?

The True Meaning of “Awakening” Through Shofar

What is the person? A person sleeps, one must indeed awaken him. But not awaken be-derech dimyon, then one can well sleep in dimyon in asiyah (action). Was there a kol shofar (sound of the shofar)? No, rather such a sort of kol shofar, or many people they go into dimyonot, rather such a sort of kol shofar that awakens from dimyon, which this is the remez (hint/allusion) of yesheinim (sleepers). Sleeping means that one imagines, and awake means that one imagines.

The Concept “Remez” by the Rambam

Understand, for this remez, I once said the word remez in the Rambam, when the remez says tekiat shofar (blowing of the shofar) he says, means that he said that af al pi etzah (even though it is advice) one must blow shofar be’olam hadimyon (in the world of imagination), because blowing shofar one needs a physical shofar that one can see, it even has a shiur (measurement), one must be able to see it, one must be able to hear it with the physical eyes. Remez yesh po (there is a hint here).

What does “remez yesh po” (there is a hint here) mean? A hint is a concept from the higher levels, that is remazot veha’arot (hints and illuminations). Remez is another word for ha’arah (illumination). Remez doesn’t mean a symbol, remez means davar hameramez otcha (something that hints to you) to something else. Remez is a very similar word? Yes, a pointing, or a remez is a very similar word to he’arah, to hit’orerut (awakening), to awaken. You understand? Just like “deromez miloin venirmaz” (he hints to him and he is hinted to), I hint to him, he should catch something. You catch?

Remez Yisrael means that the shofar says that the shofar should stop hearing the shofar, to think. You catch? Wow! That is the remez of Moshe, that is the meaning of remez, certainly, zer et hakatuv (the crown of the verse), because the katuv (Scripture) is everyone knows, dibur hakatuv bahove (the Scripture speaks in the present), dibur haTorah kol osher penei adam (the speech of the Torah is all the wealth of mankind).

The Torah Speaks in the Language of Imagination to People Who Are “Sleeping”

The Torah speaks yes in the language of imagination, even Moshe Rabbeinu, right? Why? Because he speaks to simple people who understand they are sleeping. And what is the problem when one sleeps but that one goes with alei hevel varik shelo ya’ul velo yazik (on vanity and emptiness that will not avail or harm)?

What this is, what this is, Rabbi Shmuel HaNavi (the prophet Samuel) said about idolatry, hatohu shelo ya’ul velo yazik (the void that will not avail or harm). Lo yo’il velo ya’aseh (will not avail or do), something is a language, I have here the language, ha’avarot shelo ya’ilu velo yatzilu (the transgressions that will not avail or save), lo ya’aleh velo yatzil (will not avail or save), this is a language from Shmuel HaNavi, and this is a derasha for the Jews.

And this is hevel varik (vanity and emptiness), this is what happens when one sleeps a whole life, shogegin kol shnatam (erring all their years). Shogegin also means the language of meshugah (crazy). There is a machloket rav (great dispute), a question with the Rav, the discussion of what shogegin means, shogegin also means imagination, just like shigayon leDavid (a shigayon of David). He has beautiful imaginations, he still thinks he is also a prophet.

Questions and Comments

Student: And… certainly, there is the aspect of a prophet like that. There is a chelek hatov (the good part) of that shebadimyon (that is in imagination). From… pirkei kodesh (holy chapters). True, true. And… yes, yes, Rashi’s name was mentioned. But it’s already a beautiful thought, it doesn’t come into imaginations. What is important is to remember that…

The Rambam’s Derasha on Tekiat Shofar: Clarity, Soul, and Habit

The Parable of the Shofar – Not Fear, But Clarity

Shogim also means imagination, just like shigayon leDavid, such beautiful imaginations. He thinks indeed that he is also a prophet. And certainly there is an aspect of a prophet like that, there is a chelek hatov shebadimyon (good part of imagination). What is important is to remember that one should not be asleep, and the whole difference between sleeping and being awake is when one is awake one thinks, and when one sleeps one doesn’t think, and the da’at (knowledge) doesn’t work.

And the shofar came, one builds on the remez. I said the remez begins with a mashal (parable). It’s a mashal that a shofar would awaken, one would make a big noise, and one wakes with a shofar because it’s a big noise, you catch? And also not the nimshal (the lesson), because the nimshal is not that it’s a big noise, because it’s true, shofar kol gadol (a great shofar sound), also not the nimshal. The person thinks it’s a great dread, as it says vayecherad kol hahar (and the whole mountain trembled), kol hahar mah shemu’ah mechedah (the whole mountain from the startling news). Not about what one should imagine. The hit’orerut (awakening) from the shofar is not, oh, it’s frightening. The hit’orerut from the shofar is that it’s clear. It’s so clear that all other things are asleep. All the people, he sees just like one looks at the mezuzah and he sees, he sees what he does is devarim hacholefim veholechim (things that pass and go), it’s havlei hazman (vanities of time), it’s hayom kan umachar bakever (today here and tomorrow in the grave). He sees the divrei emet she’omdin la’ad ul’olmei olamim (words of truth that stand forever and ever). Right?

The Rambam’s Three Levels: Uri Yeshenim, Chizru Biteshuvah, Habitu Lenafshoteichem

This is the meaning of the Rambam’s uri yeshenim (awake, you sleepers). The Hebrew meaning, I mean there is no question at all, that I was right in the Hebrew meaning of the Rambam. Afterwards the Rambam says a third piece, this is the meaning of uri yeshenim. What does chizru biteshuvah (return in repentance) mean? Chizru biteshuvah is zichru et bor’achem (remember your Creator). The Rambam says, habitu lenafshoteichem (look to your souls). What does habitu lenafshoteichem mean? Look at your soul.

Why Must One Look at the Soul?

Why must one look at your soul? Master of the Universe, they already taught you. Why? Why is the problem of most people that they look at their? What did the holy Socrates say? That his whole service is that people should care about their soul and not about their body only. What does this mean? The perfection of the body is to be healthy and strong and have all kinds of pleasures of the time. This is sleeping, because just like the body, one doesn’t need a head for this, for this one doesn’t need intellect.

Side Note: Intellect, Imagination, and Business Acumen

By the way, we need to be very clever to do business, but one doesn’t need intellect. It’s all imagination according to the Rambam. It’s a lower level of intellect. Not intellect. The intellect that the Rambam speaks of is not the same thing that they use. It’s not calculation, not to be able to know how to do business, this is all imagination on that level. Or shall I say, specifically, perhaps it’s not called imagination, but it’s a lower level. It’s learning, one has learned clearly enough, we will come again to do chapter 2 and see that there are many levels. Chochmah (wisdom) and seichel (intellect) is the highest level. Calculating things that change is not seichel. Being very clever and understanding how to do business, you’re not a chacham (wise person). Because a chacham is only one who knows devarim nitzchi’im she’einam mishtanim (eternal things that don’t change). Business needs wisdom, right? But that’s not chochmah. That’s a lower level, which can be called seichel ma’asi (practical intellect), or ormah (cunning), you can call it ormah, not chochmah. Chochmah means yedi’at hanimtza’ot (knowledge of existing things), yedi’ot ha’amiti’ot (true knowledge).

Most People Are Mabit Legufam, Not Lenafshotehem

So, because, in other words, most people, therefore in this sense, most people are not mabit lenafshotehem (looking to their souls), because they are mabit legufam (looking to their bodies). This is there nafshotehem, means what you are, your soul. In other words, you are a person. A person is something that has according to the middot (character traits), yes? Begin to be healthy in the middot. Yes? And what will you therefore, you will understand, without habitu nafshoteichem (looking to your souls) you don’t understand what one needs to be good for. One needs to be good because that is what a person is, right?

Veheitivu Darcheichem Uma’alleichem – Derachim Means Middot

Veheitivu darcheichem uma’alleichem (improve your ways and your deeds), make better your derachim (ways). Derachim is a code for middot, right? Remember, hodi’eini na et derachecha (make known to me Your ways) means Your middot, for example, as if a person would have middot, says the Rambam, right? Veya’azov kelchem (and let him forsake), stop your bad derachim, yes?

How Does One Abandon Bad Ways? Through Hergel (Habit)

How does one do this? What does one do? How does one abandon the bad derachim? Through pretending, and we forgot, last week, through doing it many times until one becomes. This is the yesod hayesodot (foundation of foundations) of Hilchot De’ot (Laws of Character Traits) from Shemonah Perakim (Eight Chapters). Darko hara’ah (his evil way), not making a kabalah (resolution), the Rambam doesn’t say to make a kabalah at the kotel, not the other side. We saw, ah, were you here last week?

Again, azivat derachim amoraim (abandoning evil ways), it doesn’t say azivat ma’asim amoraim (abandoning evil deeds), you see? When finally, and catch what’s going on here, in the mashal, when the Rambam said the pious language, he said vechapshu bema’aseichem (search in your deeds), search your bad deeds. But how does one do teshuvah (repentance)? Not through searching the deeds, because teshuvah is not a matter of deeds. Deeds, stop. But the problem is, you are a bad person, you have bad hergalim (habits), right? You need to change, abandon your bad derachim, in other words, your bad hergalim.

Teshuvah Takes Time – Minimum Forty Days

How does one do this? One needs to begin being margil (habituating), we learned last week, take forty days of teshuvah, at a minimum. One doesn’t begin to fulfill the mitzvah of teshuvah before forty days, or ten days let’s say, aseret yemei teshuvah (ten days of repentance), I don’t know, another smaller minimum. It must take time, because one must abandon darko hara (his evil way).

The Rambam in Chapter 3 – Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

Therefore in aseret yemei teshuvah, the Rambam says in chapter 3, I mean the same chapter, right? A bit earlier, the Rambam says, a bit later actually, the Rambam says what? One stands up early and prays more. What does this have to do with teshuvah? It has nothing. It’s a way of making a person a lasting hergel. Ten days a year he stands up a bit earlier and thinks more about the Almighty, he has become accustomed. He is the kind of person who thinks a bit more. Hopefully he has become accustomed a bit to this the whole year also. That’s how it works. Indeed, if one does it for ten days, or fifteen days, or forty days, or Sephardim, etc. This is the hergel, therefore one must do it regularly. Yes, we already learned about this.

Ya’azov Darko Hara – Not Deeds, But Habits

This means darko hara, this you will abandon, not your deeds you will abandon. This is simple, don’t do it. What does abandoning mean? It’s not abandoning. People think that kabalat tovah (accepting good), the Rambam should accept, it doesn’t say in the Rambam to accept. Yigmor belibo (he should resolve in his heart), how does one accept? What does this even mean? Just words. What does it mean, make yourself different hergalim. Once and twice and a third? Yes, first pretend. Yes, yes, once and twice and three times.

Umachshavto Shelo Tovah – The Deeper Layer

Umachshavto shelo tovah (and his thought that is not good), not that you should abandon your derech hara, you should abandon. This is also a meaning for chapshu bema’aseichem means ya’azvu darcho ra (abandon his evil way), and chizru biteshuvah means abandon machshavto shelo tovah. What is a bad thought? A bad thought is thinking that it’s important to learn English. Okay, we’re going to torpedo that now.

What Does Machshavah Lo Tovah Mean?

Machshavah lo tovah, I need to know, machshavah lo tovah is the meaning to think… I’m not sure that machshavah lo tovah means de’ot lo tovot (bad opinions). One must be medayek (precise), it could be machshavah lo tovah means bad plans? Not sure. But in any case, you see that he puts in the word machshavah. He sees a verse, ya’azov rasha darko ve’ish avon machshevotav (let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts). Why must he abandon darko, his hergalim, machshevotav? This is what brings the hergalim, in the more pnimi’ut (inner) sense, the machshavot (thoughts).

It could be that it means de’ot, I’m not sure, but it certainly means the machshavot. We learned here something at length also. His opinions about what is good, exactly, about what is good, not necessarily about reality. This could be, I mean that probably the more simple meaning is about what is good, because reality one already saw earlier. Zichru vera’ayon (remember and see), this means remember the reality.

The Connection Between Machshavah and Hergel

The machshavah letovah (good thought) is that what a person has hergalim, always begins with a certain da’at, right? We spoke about middot being pretending and being margil, this doesn’t mean that there’s no da’at. It means that you see, you understand that it’s good, but you don’t feel it, right? But your certain sense has some da’at that says this is good, and otherwise it doesn’t begin.

This is the meaning of machshavto shelo tovah, begin to see that things are good, what is good, yes, the right things, don’t have bad machshavah, which means an error, and what does tov mean, you think that foolish things are good, begin to know that the good things are good.

Conclusion: A Beautiful Derasha – But Not the Main Topic

This is the derasha of the holy Rambam on tekiat shofar that one must review. And awaken oneself. A beautiful good derasha. It’s very very good. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. But? Nu? What is the truth? This we said, this was my first answer. Yes, it stands, it’s all connected to the same thing, but this is not the topic of my shiur. The topic is what is the mashal of waking up. You can erase when you want. Do you have questions that you don’t want to want?