Street Farbrengen Episode 128 - When Understanding Becomes a Hiding Place

Gimmel Tammuz.

I've been at many farbrengens.

Formed many explanations.

Heard lots of words.

 I am feeling there is nothing left to say. I feel frozen.

Maybe it's time to stop explaining.

I've spent  years trying to understand, define, and articulate what Gimmel Tammuz means, that I've sidestepped what it actually means to me.

The  explanations have become a hiding place.

Reuven opens up about a letter from the Rebbe that struck him deeply: emunah (faith) is not meant to remain an idea. It is meant to permeate life itself.

What begins to emerge is the need to explain as  a way of avoiding what I actually feel..

A conversation about Gimmel Tammuz, emunah, hiskashrus, individuality, doubt, commitment, and the uneasy possibility that sometimes the words that bring us closer can also keep us at a safe distance.

Transcript

When Gimel Tammuz Feels Robotic

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Sahari and Skimmel Thomas have a kind of a funny weird thing to say. And that is I have nothing to say. I'm kind of exhausted about Gimel Thomas. And I think that's a problem.

SPEAKER_04 0:55

I mean, I I obviously don't think it's good, but what's what's wrong that you're sensing from this? But yeah, there's there is a feeling like I feel like everything has been said, everything has been hashed out for bringed about. Okay, fine, more his kosheras, fine, more. I get it. I get it. I I could almost just like put it in AI and have that like spit out the topics of Gimel Thomas that I know I need to cover and that need to be said. I feel like there's nothing new. So tell me what you what you're doing. So you're like a uh robot.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Is that what you're saying?

SPEAKER_04 1:34

That's what I feel like, yeah. So I feel this Gimel Thomas, I feel a bit robotic, yeah.

A Letter That Reframes Emunah

SPEAKER_00 1:40

So you know, I received a letter from the Rebbe and the and the the Rebbe had a very interesting I I I hate that word. The Rebbe said something to me that something I always talk about but coming from the Rebbe was like it's a different planet. The Rebbe said one has to know or not know, one has to be with a Muna that a moon is not an idea, but that it permeates your entire life. That was the Nakuda of the letter. It doesn't really spend much time more on that. But think about it it's not an idea. It's gotta be throughout your life, meaning in your life, like your lave. So I think and I I got this letter uh as a preparation for Gimaltamas, and I think that that's what we're feeling. That the normal approach is to put everything into a little box of explanation of hasaga, that it has context and um edges, as it's called in chasidis, to explain the things. And we've torn it apart, looked at it from different angles. Um, some of them may be, you know, we think that it was unique over the years, not that I remember what we spoke about, but you know, we unpacked even the idea that it shouldn't be robotic and um maybe that's the issue that now it's time that we go stickusha lumila minus when it comes to Gimel Thomas.

SPEAKER_04 3:54

Okay, I'm with you. What does that mean? I like everything you just said. Sounds very smart. Sounded so good. Wow, like I could I could go home now. I could leave the forbringen and feel like wow, I've just been uplifted. I just felt like Ruben just pulled me out of my stus. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, and then I wake up the same behema in the next morning.

SPEAKER_00 4:21

In other words, I'm gonna approach it in in a way that may sound I'm like I'm afraid to say it, but I'll say it anyways. Does being Makusha to the Rebbe Different than to the Rebbe, the Alta Rebbe, the Rebbe Rashab, etc. etc. Right? Nasi Dor Reino. Does it make any friggin' sense? Not say Hawaii's no. Okay. So why are we trying to explain it? Well, you know, it's like Fiddler on the Roof. You know the song with Fiddler on the Roof? Do you love me? And then the uh then she goes, Do I love you? After 25 years, I've washed your clothes, right? And and and he goes, she goes, I if that's not love, what is right? It's like what do you mean, do you love me? Why are you trying to um as you like to say, nuance the relationship?

SPEAKER_04 5:32

Well you you're saying, well no, Segel is taking it out of nuance, it's trying to define it.

SPEAKER_00 5:38

No nuance is is Adol Segel. It's it's it's dakus dicka sechel, it's it's uh what's the word? It's subtleness is nuance, not out of sechel.

SPEAKER_04 5:50

Okay, okay, fine.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

But even the desire for it, I'm asking you a simple forbringan question. Does it make sense to you? No. To be Makusha to a Rebbe

Why We Try To Make It Make Sense

SPEAKER_00 6:05

that hasn't spoken to you talk you know technically in 30 plus years.

SPEAKER_04 6:10

Yes. It doesn't. I I agree it doesn't make sense.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

No, okay. We have we have okay, it doesn't make sense. So why are we trying to put it into sense? For what reason? Well to convince other people?

SPEAKER_04 6:24

Well, I guess to convince ourselves that we are that we're not nuts? We're not nuts.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

No, okay, putting that aside, go go back What is the need Okay, wait? What is the I'm gonna say to you the need to have it sit in Sachel is there's a motivation there that's that's under the carpet emotion that we're dealing with.

SPEAKER_04 6:52

Yes, the amuna has not permeated throughout your life, like the rabbit told you. That's exactly what it is. Is that if there's a piece of you that does not have that amuna, that Lamila Minhasekel fully on board experience, then you're gonna use Sekel to be the replacement of that.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Okay, you just said it in a fancy terms because you're saying I'm asking you before, does it make sense? And you said no. So therefore it takes a Muna to be wrapped uh tapped in. But I'm uh that's not what I'm asking.

SPEAKER_04 7:30

Oh, I just was trying to connect it. I thought it was a cool connection to you.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Thank you. I'm asking you what's the hechrich emotionally to put it into Sekel. What's the buy-in? You know I'm into the buy-in. What's what do you gain? What are you looking to gain before you get to the answer? What are you looking to gain to make your relationship with the Rebbe fit in whatever your Sahel is, could be different than everybody else's. What's the need for that?

SPEAKER_04 8:08

Validation.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Validation of what?

SPEAKER_04 8:12

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

So what do you mean, you know, you can't do it?

SPEAKER_04 8:14

I don't know. I know. I'm just saying the the feeling that came up was validation. I don't understand why, but that was the that was the feeling that came up.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

There's a validation, you know, you're not a flag waver, just for all the people that are joining us. You're not a flag waver that they could point and say, you're a fool, you're a nutcase, right? You don't um wear yachi even on your yarmulk. I'm not gonna say that's true for some of your family members, but you don't wear that on your yarmutka, so you're like, and you don't have a pen. So you're like you're like acceptable to the matting crowd, right?

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:53

So you don't need validation from them. No. Right. So yourself. You're it's self-validation. What is okay, self-validation? So does that mean you're questioning your own? I'll put it in quotes because I don't really think it's literally.

SPEAKER_04 9:14

You're qu you're questioning your own sanity. Um I do that quite often, actually, yes. I don't usually think of it in terms of this particular topic. I understand. I'm saying that is a common experience in my brain, so I'm not surprised that that would be carried over to this, even though I didn't think of it.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

I I don't buy the other, I don't want to make any connection to the other stuff. What, even if you if if if it's true? What in particular are you questioning?

SPEAKER_03 9:46

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Well, you know, it's funny you you say this because I was I would we the last time we forbranged, I told you about the Maimur that I had been contemplating, and in this Maimur, the Rebbe says the difference between if you remember the difference between you can basically the idea that you can you can control your levushim, your garments, your maqshava di brahmais, your thoughts, speech, and actions, but you can't necessarily uh obliterate or change your midois. But nevertheless, the rebba says in the Mimer, you have to be self-aware of what those Midas are. Yeah. But he doesn't really explain.

SPEAKER_04 10:27

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Right. Okay. You just explained

Validation And The Fear Of Being Crazy

SPEAKER_00 10:30

it. How so? Because I'm asking, you're saying to me, I need to, I know I need to put it into Seiko. And it's fulfilling a need, but I don't know the driving force why. Yeah. That's me the right. I'm comparing it in my mind to like an addict. An addict, usually, like like, you know, this is the the mainstream thought these days, is covering over something that's painful. So you take the drug and you take the alcohol and you abuse it so that you don't have to deal with the pain. Yeah. Okay. Whatever that pain is. The pain could be that it's not physical pain, right? Yeah, I know. And it may not even be aware. Most alcoholics are not even aware that they're doing it for that reason. They just think they're enjoying the the trip. Yeah. Okay. So the this is what maybe if for uh in our case, putting it into SACHL is actually doing. It's covering over an emotion we're we feel uncomfortable with.

SPEAKER_04 11:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

Okay, and logic logically, it comes to mind as we're talking that there's a very simple reason that uh maybe true. We have to explore it. It's kind of like what you said, but it's a little bit more exact and accurate. You said validation. What are we validating?

SPEAKER_02 12:08

Maybe this is a mistake.

SPEAKER_04 12:16

What's mistake you're saying in particular?

SPEAKER_00 12:19

That there's any difference now between Rebbe and Friedekerebbe and Mittlerebbe and Rebbe Marash and the Alta Rebbe, and you don't feel the same way about the Magid, and you don't feel the same way as about the Alta Rebbe, and certainly not about Levi Yitzhak, the Rebbe's father, etc. etc. That it all ends up to be like it was said to me in the letter, a Muna is not an idea. So maybe there is no difference.

SPEAKER_04 12:55

I'll be saying I hear that. It's not that there's no difference to qualify this. There are different personalities.

SPEAKER_00 13:02

I'm not talking about their personalities, so what's the difference? No, I'm just a whole new book out. I saw someone uh reading on Chavez. Um it's called uh by a very uh amazing author in Lubavic, and it's called The Breaking of Modernity. And it's all about the machlikus of Simsum. In the beginning, it's about it's it's basically what Chabad brought to the table. And he he writes about how Simsum is was one of the arguments between the Gra and the Alta Rebbe. I'm just reading the first few pages, right? So it's a whole explanation of the cultural shift and and history and as you call it nuances going on about between the Misnagdam at the time and the Alta Rebbe. And it's all nicely documented. I didn't read it, but and it's historical and it's academic, and the guy has a PhD, and he knows what he's talking about. Um so I'm saying, and it'll talk about the personalities of the Gra and the Alta Rebbe, and it could talk about historical imp importance, like we asked last time we forbra for branched, is Yud Bays Thomas historical or not. Fine. It's you're right, there's different personalities. That's your connection to why the Rebbe is your Rebbe now is considered now than the future Rebbe.

SPEAKER_04 14:34

I'm saying no. Listen, I could I could give you Sekel of why you should choose the Rebbe over all the other Rebeyim.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

No, I'm not we're not talking about one over the other. We're

When Sechel Covers Unfelt Emotion

SPEAKER_00 14:45

talking uh, I'm talking about you're saying Gimel Thomas happened. We know what it's a it is. For those people who don't want to say it, it's a yard site, right? Even though I refuse to have uh an Aaliy on the Shabbat's before. Uh I'm a protester. I protest I didn't protest the Vietnam War because I was Canadian, but I protested other things. So we're talking about why do we need to contextualize it? Let's put it this way. What are we asking? We have gotten to the point we don't have any more sachetica context because we don't have any more questions. We've explained it. So no wonder we're feeling it's robotic. Yeah. There's no soul, there's no oomph, there's no pizzazz, there's no sizzle, right? I can use some other terms, but I won't. So why keep it in SAHL? Drop it. And you're saying use the word validation.

SPEAKER_04 15:46

I'm saying Well, I mean, go to your since you've publicly have shared it with us on Street for Bring and I don't mind reminding you, but what's your I mean I won't lash out? You might lash out, but it's not justified. The but like what's your line that you go to always is is this BS.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

Right.

SPEAKER_04 16:06

So So you could apply that here. It's the same idea.

SPEAKER_00 16:09

I'm saying to you is I'm saying to you, are we technically not wanting to deal with a little voice that says, maybe I said it, this is maybe this is a mistake. Yeah, there is no difference between all of them. Now, what does that mean? If you say all the reb are the same, and the rebbe is just another one on top of the pyramid, right, then what are you actually saying? You're saying everything is an idea, the mimer, etc. Right? And we I I go back to what the Friedrich Rebbe says in Lakuta de Burim. There are four kinds of relationships with a Rebbe. One is teacher and student,

Is There Any Difference Between Rebbeim

SPEAKER_00 16:55

one is his cash's learn what he's learning, one is father and son, and the other one is light and sun, as in S-U-N. How could you have which one is it if we stay in Sahel?

SPEAKER_04 17:12

Rab and Talmud.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

Rabint Talmud. Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 17:14

So what's the difference between the so the Rebbe has nice there's you know, somebody Well, that's why I'm saying the the Rebbe does say that the Rebeim were all Mamalimakum.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

Meaning that they're going to Sekel again.

SPEAKER_04 17:25

I understand I'm going to Sahel, but I'm saying he gave us the Sekel of saying that every Rebbe has what the previous Rebeim had plus. I know I got I got your question. I'm just I'm just deflecting it. Yeah. I'm deflecting it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Shkoyak.

SPEAKER_04 17:39

Well, I mean it's a skoyak, but it's you're talking to a Canadian. You're supposed to be more polite. We play hockey.

SPEAKER_00 17:46

Supposed to be more polite as the we we play hockey. We know how to deflect. I was a goalie. No deflecting. And it's gone. You're a goalie. Interesting. Yeah, I was an all-star goalie. Oh wow.

SPEAKER_04 17:59

Yeah. So okay. Yeah, no, I'm I am deflecting because you're saying there is you're saying you're saying there is sechol to say it, but how does it help our discussion?

SPEAKER_00 18:17

It doesn't help the discussion. So then why are you deflecting? Let's stay on to on course. Because I'm asking you, even if you're gonna give me the sechl that tells it's all Malab Mali Makum, so you could say because of that the the Rebbe is the culmination of all of Chasidis, fine. But I'm still saying, and it's probably true for a lot of people who are listening, the whole entire package ends up to be injected into Sekel. That we have Sechel relationship with the Rebbe. So meanwhile, what does it mean that he's a rebba? I wanna say he's my Rebbe, even though I've said it in the past, I'm just the way I'm feeling at the moment. Uh I even the last time we forbrenged, I said the I was I said, I want to feel the koyach, the power, the unity of Rebbe in me. Right? Which afterwards I thought about it and I said, I wonder how what people really think about that statement. Right? It's it's I don't know if if I've ever heard I'm not saying I'm unique, I don't know if people talk that way, but that's the way I I kind of look at it if you wish to say it that way. Um what what and and maybe the only way for me to feel Lamila Minnesekel is to do Lamila Minasechel. So maybe I should also become a flag waver.

SPEAKER_04 19:57

So what does that mean? Uh because that was your answer. It was let's do Stusta Kadusha, let's go Lamila Minasechel. Meanwhile, the whole chabad is supposed to be Lamila Minasekel in Sekel. So explain that to me also. But anyway, we could put that to the side.

SPEAKER_00 20:17

It doesn't, it doesn't seekel doesn't legitimize the Amuna when you say Lemila Minasechel in Seychel. So if you're using it to legitimize, then you're not then it's philosophy, then it's um then it's that you are covering over the fact that that you think the whole thing is crazy. But I'm talking on the level of hergish now. I'm not talking on the level of Sekel. What what's what's so what's the problem? You want to know the truth? You can say the same thing about God. Um I already did in my head. Right? Now, what's the average person's relationship with God?

SPEAKER_04 20:57

I guess and most Rubinu, I mean, like there's bigger. That's why we end up with Bregen. Yes, there's big, big questions that come up

Four Relationships With A Rebbe

SPEAKER_04 21:05

that this is just a intellectual rendezvous.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

Yeah, I mean and and we're and all those people running Tucker around 770 with flags screaming and yelling that makes uh most of us a little weirded out. And all those people who you can meet on the fruited plane who you're gonna say are a little off their rocker, maybe they got it better than we do. I've thought it often. Yeah. I you know, one of the formulas I think I told you this morning that I'm trying to institute when I have time to dove in is just simply remember in my mind the translation of a word that has at the end of it chuff. Mitzwey sah ch your mitzvous, right? And on and on. What do I mean? Who are you talking to, Ruve? You.

unknown 22:07

Right?

SPEAKER_00 22:08

Mitzvah Sechcha. You're mitzvah. Who's you? Be conscious that you're talking to a you. So unless you're conscious you're talking to a you, in the back of your mind, you're saying, your Sekel is saying, this is crazy. You has never talked to you. Oh, okay, there's a Shaka Pratis, etc. etc. And I get that, and I can believe in it, and can say that this happened because of a Shaka Pratis, therefore there's a God. But I'm saying in my Daven, you. Not your Ashkaka Pratis, you. Yeah. And that could change things. So what is the well I'm asking myself, what is the problem that of being Lamayla minus? This question is not Stamazoya question. Well, what do you mean that's not stamiz? It's asked in Chasidis too, when you really get down to it. Meaning what? The Temaxadik brings in the in the mitzvah of uh, if I'm not mistaken, the mitzvah of Shurasvatvilah, the argument against Kabbalah. Why do you have to know all about the spherois and the and how there are ten spheres and what are you asking when you're Davening? It says, Mikah Shemala Kenu, Kokarena, Alev, and the Safri says, Alev, Loila Midoisov. You pray to him and not his Midois. You don't have to know about the Midois, which is similar to what the Rebbe says. You still have to know the Midois about yourself, by the way. It's interesting. So, anyways, you don't have to know the Midas, you just pray to God Himself. What does that mean? So that's the same question. Why you, in other words, isn't it true that for the most of the people that you meet, I'm not talking about the real mukubalam that we've never met, but the the royvam mukubalim that you meet, that it's also shaping for them some kind of sense of what they're doing when they're davining or when they're doing a mitvah. They're having the participation of this kavana legitimizes the process for them.

SPEAKER_04 24:23

Okay, versus what what should it be? Let's just make sure we're clear about the uh Hey Love Aloy Lamidoysa.

SPEAKER_00 24:31

I don't need to put it him and not his Midois. I don't need to explain anything. But but we're a child, I mean anyway.

SPEAKER_04 24:39

Yeah, but we do know about the spheres, and we are we are talking.

SPEAKER_00 24:42

I'm saying the question is asked in the city.

SPEAKER_04 24:45

So what is the answer that it is not in the negative?

SPEAKER_00 24:50

So the way I understand it is in short, it's kind of what we already said. You're taking Lamila minus Sechel and you're injecting it, your a love, into the very place where you can explain it. Not in order to make your your amuna understood, but to make that the structure of sechal that you have does not could be a could be a vehicle for your amuna, but not to explain it and not to legitimize it. Where they come together. Like we learned before, and we spoke about forbrinked about where the Alta Rebbe said, I only want you. I don't want anything else. And the Rebbe asks, I only want you. You're supposed to dabin for all your needs. And I came to the possible conclusion, he wasn't making a request. He was making a statement. That's what he was holding. I only want you. And was asking for his needs. And that's no contradiction.

Davening To You Not Ideas

SPEAKER_00 26:05

I want you in the place of my needs. That's a Muna coming down into, so to speak, sacled. Your needs are sacred in the sense where you can explain them. Uh so let's go back to to to Gimulk Thomas. You know, when this guy came into Shu in the last two, three weeks, he hasn't been around for a few days, saying that he's Mashiach Amiti. Do you know how many people came up to me to say, you can deal with this, you're a chubadnik. I didn't respond to them, but they you know what they meant. They don't think it's much different, us and the Rebbe and Mashiach. Even and even though they're all breast love, screaming, you know, Rabainu Rabbainu, and waiting to go to Ummar. So I I I'm a little confused on that one, but that's uh that's uh because we say I don't know what the difference is, but it's not that important to me. So all I'm saying is what am I saying maybe it doesn't make sense. Why does it have to? Does a son love a father who perhaps wasn't so great a father?

SPEAKER_04 27:38

Well, I I I like what you were saying. What when I'm thinking about the we've talked about a lot of times, but the four Madrigas that's brought in Lukute de Boram of Khasid and and and Rebbe. Right. So to transcend that level of Rav and Talmud, to transcend the level of Makushur, yeah, which is uh I don't even know if you would consider it um if you would consider it like Makusher is also Seychel, because it's the idea that you're learning what he's learning, whatever. I'm just trying to think it through quickly in my head, yeah. But then to transcend to the level of even father and son is Sechel. How so?

SPEAKER_00 28:27

Because it makes sense.

SPEAKER_04 28:30

I'm not saying it's based on Sechel or motivated by Sekel, but you can so does so that so that's why I was saying, even though I'm glad you actually explained it because that was my question, is the only one that's really a mylum in Hasechol, or and Ma'or?

SPEAKER_00 28:44

And how do you see that of it that way? But it would seem to me yes, because to be or and Ma'or, how do you have any personality? So the fact you're saying that the individualism or and ma' is not individualism at all. Yeah. And then it has to be Mislavesh in your individualism. Yeah. Which is why the Rebbe is a Rebbe for our generation. Because individualism is the catchphrase and the the the base of everybody's, at least in America, of everybody's um place where they're holding. And I think it's pretty true for m for in the Jewish community across the board. And they think that the the Jewish experience is to break their individualism, and the Rebbe was the opposite. He championed for the individualism. So how are you gonna be an individual anna or and mar? Because or or doesn't say I am how can say I am and be different than the Maur. So where's your individualism?

SPEAKER_05 30:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:09

So I guess this They're saying where are you going with this? Is like the individualism is the point. So Gimel Thomas actually is full uh let's think I had a phrase that's not strangely.

SPEAKER_00 30:28

Maybe this is the answer to our my the last thing we left off with the Febragan last time. Then that is could you relate that your individualism is this is gonna sound strange.

SPEAKER_04 30:46

Is Rebbe and it's Lema Sekel to experience that because you're so connected to the Rebbe. No, it's the mile minus sechels because individualism cancels out that you're uh or and mo. Yeah, that's that's what I just said. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:09

Yeah. But

Individualism Inside Bitul And Mission

SPEAKER_00 31:10

you're not canceled out. But that, anyways, is dear but takhtoy, you're gonna see that Gashmias, every single it's a question, it's brought up in Khasis a lot. Every single Nivra has its own or that's being Mahav'i, which means it's mukba. Because it's being Mahava you as opposed to somebody else. Okay. So how is it that in Teva, which is that's what it is, right? The or is making all the objects with their teva, objects and creatures, whatever, and human beings. And how is it therefore possible that Kedah says that you can look at the world and see its continuity and see all the planets moving, etc., etc., and recognize that the Timed Deuskite, the continuity, is Ainsof. Well, how could Ain Sov be in the very place of Teva? Right? Wow. The answer is, I mean, uh as a matter of fact, in the in the mimer that I'm thinking about, where the Rebbe says the an amazing question from two different directions. The Rebbe asks, the Rebbe asks the most amazing questions. It's unbelievable. So the Rebbe asks, anthu afakas esatakunami, you, you, aunt, bring out ten sviras. Lahannahaga, to manage the worlds. Right? That itself means you are in the management of the world. So, what is there any need to bring God into the world's already there?

unknown 32:51

Oh man.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

And he's based on the question of Maimer that says the free kreb, that when you have Mr. Snever, you bring Lamila minateva teva. Why do you have to bring Lamila minuteva? Teva itself is Lamila. You just said, Antu Afika's Nasatakuna.

SPEAKER_03 33:05

You're the ones bringing us so Yeah, uh it's kind of funny because Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:20

Maybe this is that we we we stumbled on the answer. That the Rebbe's our Rebbe because this Rebbe lives in our individualism. Now obviously there's a lot of groupthink that goes on, and there's a lot of bitl in this common sense of the word.

SPEAKER_04 33:52

I'm thinking of it in terms of that's all the Fabrians about gimbal dummy's. It's about being bital to the reba and not the individualism aspect of it.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

I got it. I'm not there.

SPEAKER_04 34:04

I got it, I got it.

SPEAKER_00 34:05

That's insane. The Rebbe doesn't want spaghetti macaronis. Wet noodles. Wet noodles, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:15

No, my my favorite here's my story that I ever saw.

SPEAKER_00 34:18

I met a guy today. I'm sorry.

Paratroopers And Respect For Commitment

SPEAKER_00 34:20

I met a guy today who told me he was a parachuter in the Israeli army in 1967. So I said to him, Did you you you parachute behind enemy lines, right? He looks at me, he says, Babada, of course. I said, that's like uh not a uh uh this is not a he goes to a Chabad house, but he's not from, and he says, I said to him, you know, I I don't know what to say to you, you had Mr. Snafesh. He says, Yeah, yeah. The guy this is who I am. That's what you do. He's an 18-year-old boy in Israel, that's what you do. To be that parachuter, was he an individual? Did he feel his individualness to go? You don't think so? Are you out of your mind? I don't know. How could you not what do you know? If he didn't feel his individualism, he would have run like hell. And yet he was battled to a mission.

SPEAKER_03 35:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

That his individualism connected to. He could have become a tanker, a guy in a tank.

SPEAKER_04 35:49

I mean, uh okay, I'm I'm assuming he chose to do parachuting and not tanking. Okay, I hear you.

SPEAKER_00 35:55

Oh, yeah, it's not easy to be yeah, you have to be into it to be a a a parachute. Okay, so I guess I just didn't know that. Oh come on, think about it. I don't know how to be any yachts, he's just having fun.

SPEAKER_04 36:07

I don't know what was going on in 1967. Anytime. I got I got it. I'm just saying I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

You know. Um, as a matter of fact, I was thinking on Chavez. Uh I've said this maybe to you before. That on Simchustera, there were seven Akafis, right? Two of them were with the Rebbe. The first one and the last one. So they were left five. And one of the Akafas on Simchestera was anyone who was in the Israeli army. At the present or at or before you know, in the past. So these Israelis knew about it. And a lot of Israelis would come up through the subway in Simchestera because they're only holding one day or whatever. But there was no room to move in 770. You literally could not, if you came in through the the door, there literally was no room for people to part. So when it came to the Hakafah, a lot of times I saw that they took the Israeli guy, he made him sh straight like a board, and people passed him over their heads and dropped him into the middle. Okay, that's but the question I had to Rabbi Paltil, not to Yossi Palteel, his father, was I don't understand. I was new, relatively new still to the Chabad paradoxes. I said, I don't understand. I was told we don't have any Israeli flags, we don't we're not allowed to sing Hatikva, all these other things. Why is the Rebbe giving such cover to these Pashra foot soldiers? I I see it as a stir. So Rabbi Paltil answered me and he said, The Rebbe has respect for people who take a stand in life and live for something. Yeah, that's like uh and there's a sikh about that that it's harder to Makarov be a cold person than an antagonist.

SPEAKER_04 38:21

Yeah, indifference is the opposite of love, not uh not hate.

SPEAKER_00 38:26

It was that saying uh uh indifference. Indifference. Yeah. So maybe what are we concluding? So maybe Gimel Thomas in a weird way is not about the Rebbe.

SPEAKER_04 38:46

It's about your individualism and and where are you willing to take a stand with the Rebbe.

Gimel Tammuz As Taking A Stand

SPEAKER_00 38:55

With the Rebbe. Right. And not explaining, oh the Rebbe is so great and the Rebbe's haivakay. All these things are true, but it's all contextualized and say. In the coming months that have nothing to do with the Rebbe. But just Pasha Kapshuto, maybe we're going through it anyways. Pasha Kapshutoi being a Jew walking around on the street. Are you willing to take a stand by being that Jew walking around the street? Because we're not used to this kind of stuff. I I think I told you this. I I I asked um somebody from England, is it so bad in England, like the way they're making it sound? And he said to me, it was always that way. Just now it's organized. Meaning, you know, the Arabs are organized. He says, but he had 13 years old, he was beat up as a buck when he spent the week in the hospital by skinheads. He says, England always had anti-Semitism. Okay? Europe always had anti-Semitism. Generally, America has been kind of quiet. Of course, we didn't live in Alabama, but most of us, but you know, it was very quiet. Okay, you couldn't get into the local um country club. You know, but you felt relatively safe, I think.

SPEAKER_05 40:42

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 40:43

Yeah. So now it's like, are you willing to take a stand? I and it's not a sechel dicka answer. It's a it comes down to what am I and who am I? Right? In a certain way, it feels almost like Monsieur Snafish.

SPEAKER_04 41:03

Maybe that's it. That is what our Monsieur Snafish is.

SPEAKER_00 41:07

It always has been, historically. I mean, think about it. You know, there's people running around now with little caps on their head that they think I do it sometimes. And they people they think that people don't know that they're Jewish, right? And they're not wearing their black hat. Um did Chasidim what did Chassidim wear in Russia? And have a beard in Russia, etc. etc. etc., was every day Mr. Snefish. But they're saying this is who I am, and I take a stand. So maybe that's what Gimbal Thomas is all about. Where am I Mutsuvarts of where am I standing on the ground?

Final Push Toward Lived Identity

SPEAKER_01 42:06

You've been listening to me.