Street Farbrengen Episode 121 - Lag BaOmer Without Meron: Finding The Point Inside

It’s the first time in modern history.

Lag BaOmer… and you can’t go to Meron.

No HUGE crowds WITH bonfires on the mountain. 

So what’s left?

Maybe that is the message.

What if this year isn’t about going somewhere—
but about going inside?

In this episode, we explore a different take on Lag BaOmer.

Not the hype. Not the noise.

But the idea of a mechitza—a boundary.

Not a wall that separates you from the world…
but something deeper:
a clarity of who you are that keeps the world from defining you.

Is Chassidus something that protects you from the outside?

Or is it something that reveals your inside—
so clearly—that nothing outside can shake it?

From the symbolism of a gal—a boundary marker… to the question of identity, validation, and what it means to live from your core—

this conversation turns Lag BaOmer into something personal.

Because maybe the real question isn’t:

“What’s happening out there?”

But:

Who are you—when nothing out there is available?

Listen now.

Transcript

When Meron Is Closed

SPEAKER_06 0:00

The Balchanta comes and teaches that everything is a Shkaka Pratis and we have to learn from everything that we experience. What do you think it may be that in modern history? I don't know if that's twenty years, thirty years, forty years, that this Lugbomer officially in Maron has been shut down because of the war. What's the message?

SPEAKER_01 1:00

Where instead of going to the Rebbe and expecting a miracle, that you should create your own miracle. I had just came up with that. That just popped in.

The Lag BaOmer Hype Problem

SPEAKER_06 1:13

That's good. That's good. That's good. Obviously, we can't go there, right? Um, of course, there are people going and breaking the rules and you know, and so forth. Uh, but we're not talking about them. But really, what you're saying, in other words, is that maybe that the message is it's time to be focused inside, not on the as the Rebbe sometimes refers to it as the hu-ha on the outside. Sure. So I've been to Olach Bomer a number of times in Maron, and it's very exciting. And anytime Jews get together, it's holy and exciting, but it's exciting. And the excitement comes from the hu-ha, right? So I saw in printed in the Sikhas the year the Rebbe wasn't Rebbe yet, Tashin Yud. And the essence of Lagba Omer, he as is explained in Chasidis in many places, as you can tell by its name. So we don't call it Lamagimal Omer, we call it lug. So it says in uh the altar the Mittler Rebbe says Lugba Omer is Lushan. Um what's the other letter spelled the other way? So there's a Pastic that says Gal Ainai. Vabita ni Floyd's Matura Sachov, for example, and the Ribba has a mimer on that. Open up my eyes. But gal also means a oh you like this, you're a hiker. Means a cairn. And for those people joining us, a cairn means like a pile of rocks. And this was the first, this is what's referred to when Yaakov places a pile of rocks on the border between Lavan and him. And he says, This is gonna be our witness, you're not gonna pass over to my side, and I'm not gonna pass over to your side.

unknown 3:16

Right?

SPEAKER_06 3:16

Okay, so it's like a border marking. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

And the Rebbe says You have them all over uh Rock and County.

SPEAKER_06 3:23

Right. So the Rebbe says this Gal is the idea is the fact that Lagba Umer is the Matin Torah of Chasidis. Right? Chasidis was was given for sure on Matin Torah, but but Giloi came from the Rashbi, was is the matin the is the day of Chasidis of Yasurah of Yesoid, not Chasidis only, but Yasoida Tirah. Okay.

Gal As Cairn And Border

SPEAKER_03 3:57

And he says Chasidis is the mechitza between the world and and you. That's what he says. End of Sikha.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

What's Masha? I don't know if I understand it.

SPEAKER_06 4:19

What's Masha?

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Okay, so that's uh the world the it's a machitza.

SPEAKER_06 4:25

Right, it's a wall between you and the world. And the Rebbe does say in that Sikha that you have to go out into the world. So what what does that mean? Good question, Sherlock. Okay. When I first came across it was Shabbat's, and I was like, wow, this is very strange. How is it a mechitza?

SPEAKER_03 4:49

And there's two ways I think people interact with chasidis.

SPEAKER_06 4:58

The simpler way is it's a mechitza, meaning I can go into this side and I don't have to go on to the other side. But the Rebbe schlugs that up because the Rebbe says you have to go out into the world. So, in other words, you're in the world, but you have a machitza that keeps you from being in the world. So, what do you think that means?

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Well, that I understand a little bit better, just based off of everything we've learned that the world you can't deny that the world is Olah Shekhar. It's full of falsehoods and lies and deceit. And yet here is where you want your Batak Dynam. So obviously, is it a jungle or is it a garden? You know, and what what's your relationship with it is very much dependent on how you see it and also how you engage with it. So if you approach it as the world is a jungle and it's my job in order to make it a garden, then you need a machitza from the jungle aspect of it in order to bring out its potential to be a garden.

SPEAKER_06 6:10

Okay. Sounds nice. And how does Chasid do that?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Well, Chasid does that in a lot of different ways, but tell us what. Again, putting me on the spot. But the the the main way that I would see how it does that is it gives context to how reality actually functions and is, and despite whether you see it that way, if that's its true reality, meaning like that's that's the way that uh of how you actually learn how to engage it in its true form, then you act differently towards it. You you bring out different kaiches in order to be able to engage with it properly, let's put it that way.

SPEAKER_06 7:01

Okay, so I'm not sure if I'm clear. So what's the mechitza?

SPEAKER_01 7:04

The mechitza is the not being affected by the world rather than you affect the world.

SPEAKER_06 7:15

And why specifically mechitza? I mean chasidis.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

Again, because chasidis shows you what the world truly is and gives you context and gives you the ability to see behind the veil of the jungle and see its truck true form. Like a simple example of this, and honestly, I'm I'm talking too much theory, it's already bothering me what I'm saying. But uh just a simple example is the world tells you that the more you work, the more successful you're gonna be. And so, therefore, if you don't work on Chavez and you don't work on all the Yuntiffs and take off an entire month in Tishrei and half a month in uh in Nissan, you're not gonna be able to be successful. And we say, Okay, that's what you say, but that's the last time I looked, all of Lakewood does that.

SPEAKER_06 8:04

So why is that specific to no no no?

SPEAKER_01 8:06

I'm just giving an example of the idea of in that case, you're right, Torah itself and and from Jews in general understand that uh understand that belief. But I'm saying just the idea that the world tells you one thing, and you know that uh the reality is is something else. And you and in that case you get to see it because you said all of Lakewood and all of from Jews are there are plenty of successful, well-off Jews that uh don't get affected by it. So I'm saying that's just the reality.

SPEAKER_06 8:37

Okay, but let's let's let's understand your example because I think you're on to something that you don't really are onto something, and that is yeah, Lakewood who doesn't learn Chasidis Baklal, live that way. So Torah is a mechitza.

SPEAKER_04 8:56

Sure.

Chassidus As A Mechitza

SPEAKER_06 8:56

What's the pinemius that makes it a machitza? What's what's the contribution, if you wish, of this day Lagba Omra Rashbi that makes your life different because you learn Hasidis. So it's interesting listening to the way you said it.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

You said of course they have this belief and that's the difference what do I mean? First of all you're saying it's a belief about the world is the mechit.

SPEAKER_06 9:55

I'm gonna suggest that the essence of Hasidis is not a belief about the world, but a leaf but a belief about yourself and you with your and it's not really a belief, you with touching inside who you are means you have a machiza.

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Could you explain that a little more? Because we've we've spoken a lot about authenticity and being in touch with your core wants, desires, all different levels within yourself. People do that with Tony Robbins and figuring out their, you know, belief system core, live from a place of whatever the modality. Obviously, I'm just picking on that one, but I'm saying I don't I don't know if I fully understand what you're saying is the difference.

SPEAKER_06 10:58

So you're saying that anyone can know themselves and they don't need Hasidis, but it's not simply knowing your psychological makeup. It's how does your nefesh, how does your makeup serve God?

SPEAKER_04 11:26

Go on.

SPEAKER_06 11:32

You're cute. Um in other words, you have two ways of looking at them. The simple shot in the Pasik is that Yaakov and Lavan ain't gonna meet. And he says, You're not gonna go on my side, and you're not I'm not gonna go on your side.

unknown 11:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 11:51

That's why the Rebbe in the statement has to address how what what's the mechit. We say that you have to have a mechitsa, but he keeps pushing to go out into the world. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, right? So so that's why he needs to address how's this, what's the other side and that side. Okay. So for most people, I think, they come to the table already with bias that they're here to just be on one side of the mechitzah. And Chasidis is machazig them that they're better and greater than the other side.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 12:36

Right?

SPEAKER_01 12:36

Fine.

SPEAKER_06 12:38

And it's not an untrue statement, by and large.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

We are the chosen people.

SPEAKER_06 12:43

Right. So that we see that in order to affirm that difference, in order to um preserve that difference, you have mechitas. Right just like a um a ghether from the Rabbanam that say don't do this in order that you won't transgress transgress something that's middle right from the Torah. Okay. When we say that Chasidis focuses on you who you are, it doesn't preclude, but it also doesn't include uh primarily include what you could do at a Tony Robbins event as you brought up as an example.

SPEAKER_03 13:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 13:44

Because Hasidis is saying who you are is fundamentally wrapped up in the whole purpose of creation and connected to the essence of God without canceling who you are.

SPEAKER_00 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 14:10

That's a different kind of machizer.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

Okay.

Identity Without External Validation

SPEAKER_06 14:14

In other words, because of a change of perspective of mo as you call it core and who I am as, you know, I like I don't know, chocolate, not strawberry. That's part of who I am. All of that is put on the on the on the table, connected to the uh to the to godliness. Even as you put it, the shekarha oilam. Ravzusha's famous vote about learn from the thief. And somehow, because of your identity, there is a machitzah around you. That you don't bleed into the world. When I let me tell you, contrast that. You ever notice how some of the chubad, I want I'm not gonna mention any names, some of the chubad websites will put up a grandiose news event that's some Bubov um anniversary event in Borough Park sang the Alta Rebesnigan.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 15:35

Okay. Now why is that news?

SPEAKER_01 15:39

Showing how our influence has infiltrated even that world. I don't even think even that world.

SPEAKER_06 15:46

I don't even think I get a sense it's not that it's kind of um tapping yourself on the back in pride that you've infiltrated there. I get the sense from the wording and from everything else that I see around it that it's kind of an affirmation of who we are.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

I could see that, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 16:11

Okay. That's not machitza.

SPEAKER_01 16:15

Okay, what would be mechitza?

SPEAKER_06 16:17

Not that you need a machitza between Babov and Mechitza, I don't need affirmation.

SPEAKER_01 16:24

So you're saying that the machitza is who you are. Who you are, and so therefore you don't need any external validation? Correct. And that's what you think the machitza is? That's interesting.

SPEAKER_06 16:36

And therefore you're also not affected in the negative.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:41

Oh, that's interesting.

SPEAKER_06 16:44

I mean, if I may extract Musra is the other way around. Musr is taka. The my greatness is I'm not affected by that which is uh and therefore makes me makes me different. This is I'm different. And therefore I'm not affected.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 17:13

And that doesn't mean that you don't have physical taivas.

SPEAKER_01 17:16

No, no, no. Actually, quite the opposite. Now you're giving context to the physical taivas and accepting them and embracing them, so to speak, not necessarily always engaging in them, but like accepting them as part of who you are. It's uh not part of who you are. You know what I mean? It's part of your avoida. Part of your voida. Um that actually is very interesting to think about the the the non alef sicha of Parshis M, where we just finished um the three different levels of the Aleph and Tagola. And again, I'm I have to think it through a bit, but I I I could see where the alufisholam and then going from one step to the other is the process of not needing the external validation, and therefore that's how you end up getting to the level of Pela where the world actually does confirm it, but not because you need it. Not because you need that external validation, something along those lines that might be a bit of an extraction, but based off of what you're saying, that actually fits quite nicely. And again, whatever, this might be just my own um thoughts about it, but the the way the Rebbe starts the whole question is why did we ask the Mitzrim um to borrow their wealth instead of just taking it or forcing it? And part of the answer that he gives, and that's how he gets into the whole different um idea, uh, the idea of the three different levels of of Aleph is because it's the fact that true dirbataktain is the confirmation of the world ultimately that it confirms the reality of Torah that they should want to give to the Jews, not that we should force ourselves upon them to take it. Anyway, just my uh just my thought.

SPEAKER_06 19:13

The question wasn't you said it a little off, I think, because the question wasn't why did we have to ask? I mean, in essence, is why we need to take it, but they gave it willingly and gave more. That was the what he brought out. So they're and which is what you're saying, is that the world went along with it. So are we seeing that now in certain areas of the world when it comes to Israel?

SPEAKER_01 19:45

How so?

SPEAKER_06 19:46

What do you mean how so they're helping out Israel?

SPEAKER_01 19:49

So, yeah, and that in that case I'm sure Yhu can make a beautiful connection to of being part of the the Gula process.

SPEAKER_06 20:01

So let's ask this question. What is something in me that is the other side?

SPEAKER_01 20:13

Yeah, the needing of external validation.

SPEAKER_06 20:16

What? Yeah, the need internally for whatever level of No, you that you're answering me. I'm saying what's an issue of on the other side, and I set up a mechitza. We're saying that you can have two approaches. One is literally a mechitza, the other one is my who I am is the mechitza. Right. Okay. So I'm wondering, like, do I have that in my life? And and Chasidis comes to create that it's almost like a dome around me, so that that I'm that I have a mechitza.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

Interestingly enough, the uh I I have to try to think of an example. I I like I like that idea though, that something practical in your life that you would do that with.

SPEAKER_05 21:19

Well, otherwise Chasilis is not a mechitza.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:24

Philosophy is not a mechitza. Yeah. So I gotta think. Um you know what I just saw?

SPEAKER_06 21:38

The Rumbam, I don't know if uh you're probably aware of this. The Rambam wrote a small safer called Shmonaprakim, eight chapters, where he's going to explain Perkyavis. And he has a Hagdama there, he has a uh preface, introduction, and he He says that an amazing thing. He says that the Gemara says, and the Rebbe quotes this very quite often, that you want to be a chasid, you want to be pious, go learn perkyabas.

SPEAKER_03 22:16

Right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 22:18

Okay. Milsa de Bihasid Dusha. You want to be in the matters of piety, go learn perkyabas, as opposed to, by the way, why is he saying that? Why is the Gemara saying that? As opposed to all the halakhas that we're learning in the Gemara. Halakhas are halakhas. Yeah, I guess I'm not sure. Which is very interesting. Because you think that's what piety is. But in any case, that's a different discussion. So the Rambam writes and brings from the mission, I believe it's in the Perki Abbas, that Chasidis brings to the Ruach Khidish. The Rambam saying, follow the dictates and the advice of Perki Abbas, and you reach Chasidis, which Lugamara says, go learn matters of piety from Perki Abbas, and you'll come to Ruachha Khaidosh.

SPEAKER_00 23:14

Yeah.

unknown 23:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 23:15

And it doesn't mean you're going to stand in the street and predict, I'm assuming, and predict, you know, future events, right? Lakhhura. Lakhhura. Yeah. But also Ruach Khaidosh, whatever he means by that, whether literal or just whatever, is a mechitza. You are living in a different place in time and space if you have Ruach Khadesh, right? Yeah. Okay, now I know, you know, I don't expect first of all I don't know how many of us live Turkey office anyways, but read it every Shabbos. Yeah, you know the Rebba's Madayak that the Alta Rebbe writes in the siddha. It's read between not learned. The Rebbe has a whole thing on that. Anyways. So my point is you could use I could use Chasidis as a way to be a mechitza between me and the negative. Or I can uh be with Chasilis where the mechitz is by definition who I am. I'm a mech I'm separate from. But the Reb is saying going into the world, like we're saying before. And it's not again, we go to this thing that we spoke about so often, and it's so interesting. And the Reb is very unique in this. It's not a cancellation who you are, it's an affirmation who you are. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:03

And it's a it's a place where whatever's going on around you doesn't essentially change your identity.

SPEAKER_04 25:20

Yeah.

What To Do With Lag BaOmer

SPEAKER_06 25:21

Because you're so clear what your identity is. Both on an intellectual level, but more importantly, on a hergish level. And I go back to in my mind to an old friend of mine who said that people, he would say like this, people who don't feel that way probably don't learn a chasidis. He's talking about he's talking about in the Chabad world. And you have to ask yourself, when was the last time you picked up a book of Chasidis? When was the last time you dwelt du dove into it? When's the last time you try to apply it? Siddhis is not like a magic elixir, right? That we've spoken so often about that idea. So so what is Lagboomer?

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Yeah. Lagboomer is you said the matantara of Panemia Satara.

SPEAKER_06 26:13

I know, but Mitsad you, what is it? How do you come to what do you do with it? You have 24 hours, you have the advantage of taking advantage of it. What are you taking advantage of?

SPEAKER_01 26:26

The expression of the machitha of Panemia Satara, which brings out the fact that you are having an experience of your core or you're living through your core. So it's and and it's it's one of those things where it's like Well, how are you using the word core? You're yourself. Again, it's like the I mean, I think the Rebbe actually does talk about this. It's like the one-day year where like everybody like hops. Like nobody nobody hops. Yeah, like everybody is connected to it, and it's Kabbalah, it's Panemia Saturah, it's and the whole Jewish world is like enamored by it and connects to it. No, but I'm asking you personally, what do you do with this day?

SPEAKER_06 27:20

What do you do? Archery. Archery. Okay. So I'm saying I opened up tonight as saying it's the first time in modern history that you can't go to Maroon.

SPEAKER_00 27:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 27:38

So the message is you gotta go inside. So you're gonna tell me all the Jewish world's a bl uh a buzz about Lug Bomer. Yes, I know that there's archery, and I know that there's popcorn and ice cream and junk and bonfires, and it's all exciting to write it to. That's like Maroon. I'm not saying not to do it, but that's like going to Maron.

SPEAKER_04 28:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 28:05

So maybe Gal here ends up to be, interestingly enough, both expressions come together because explanations of Gal. Because one is Gal is the Mechitza, and the other bratnach is Gal ainai. Open up my eyes. Yeah. To have open eyes is as you were saying, but to have open eyes creates the mechitza.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:38

Okay. So do I live?

SPEAKER_06 28:48

Am I living in confusion? Am I living in darkness? Last time we met, I was telling about how confused I was about what the Rebbe had said about um Koyach Nissan.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

So um are we living in am I living in in awareness coming from me?

SPEAKER_06 29:14

You know, you know, modern expression. I I I I I I don't know, I have to find myself. Yeah. Is the most insane s statement, but it's common.

SPEAKER_01 29:25

Yeah, you are yourself, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 29:26

You know what do you have to find? So is that what is that what Lugbo Omer is? I think it's like what we've been talking about. We've been on this theme for a couple of weeks now. Like, who's your Rebbe? The Goyim say, who's your daddy? Who's your Rebbe? Right? Who's your Rebbe? Who who what and why do you have this Rebbe? What's your relationship with this Rebbe? That's another part of Chasid of Lagba Umar. It's Rabbi Shiran Bariachai. What's is there a relationship there?

SPEAKER_00 30:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 30:08

Is it and is this is the other, this may be the other kind of way, isn't that? Is my relationship with the Rebbe that he opens my eyes or he creates a machitza? Obviously, he wants your eyes opened. Yeah. But I'm not asking him it's sad the reb, I'm asking him it's sad me. Is it to open my eyes or like somehow he's a protective? Well, how many times have I told you that if it wasn't for the Rebbe, I probably would chuck out. So that's a machitza.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 30:44

Right.

SPEAKER_01 30:45

So what are you gonna do this lagba, Omer Ruven?

SPEAKER_06 30:48

What am I gonna do?

SPEAKER_01 30:49

Yeah. How are you gonna tap in?

SPEAKER_06 30:53

Are you making fun? No. Oh, okay. Sounded like it.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Well, I'm I I know I I know you just don't like that expression, but the uh the sentiment is absolutely real.

SPEAKER_06 31:03

Um well, I'm gonna double back to the what you had said and what uh about where does this idea that we're saying, including your relationship with Rebbe, where does your my personality and my needs fit in with that? And what are my what is my personality? Right?

SPEAKER_04 31:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 31:36

Um like I'm going through a very difficult thing right now, and I'm s I've never had such a visceral opposition inside like like almost to the point of um it's not a panic attack, but I'm feeling the anxiety, and I'm saying, why am I over anxious over this thing? And I don't know yet. I know that it's there, and I'm not looking for, so to speak, like where's it coming from? I don't know. I once read this book that said, you know, if you have fears, let them out of the basement. Let them let them run around the house. Because if they're downstairs locked up, they're just gonna get bigger and bigger and bigger, right? So you have to know yourself in order to create a machitza.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 32:33

And the is all about self. In my estimation, even though it's all about, you know, worlds and this and that. No, it's the core the the the core of chasidis is who you are. Yeah. So um I don't know what I'm gonna do on Lungboma. I'll sit back for a minute and I'll I'm sure I'll get somewhere before I get there. We have another few hours, you know.

SPEAKER_03 33:02

But um doing nothing misses the day, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_00 33:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:13

Right.

SPEAKER_01 33:15

Um Yeah, it's um well, you said you gave a couple of suggestions of the idea of you know, when was the last time you opened up the Mimer, let alone figured out how it applied to your life, how to take more ownership over Yeah, but for me, I I I do learn my more. So I'm saying there's maybe a different dimension of that on the day, but I hear I have to think about it too.

SPEAKER_03 33:44

Um if that's what are you celebrating? Right? Um Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 33:57

So we should be Muslioch. That we should be more part of the world and not part of the world all at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 34:05

Okay.