Parshas Pinchas: What Your Rabbi Isn't Telling You About Reality

What if the Torah isn't just a set of divine rules, but the actual software that runs our universe? Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky's revolutionary 8-minute discourse from 5779 (2018-2019) offers a perspective that transforms our understanding of reality itself.

Starting with a famous dispute between Talmudic sages Rava and Abaye about prohibited actions, Rabbi Lopiansky reveals a profound truth: when the Torah forbids something, it's not merely establishing a moral boundary—it's defining the parameters of reality itself. Just as computer hardware functions according to its programming, our physical world operates according to the spiritual principles embedded within it. God consulted Torah before creation, designing trees because blessings needed to exist, and parents because honoring them needed to be possible.

This insight changes everything about how we view transgression. When we violate Torah principles, we're not just breaking rules—we're attempting to operate outside the architecture of creation. It's like a player in Candyland moving their piece off the board entirely; such a player isn't advancing in the game but has removed themselves from it completely. Similarly, those who seek success through dishonest means aren't finding clever loopholes—they're stepping outside the fundamental structure that governs lasting achievement.

The story of Tzlafchad's daughters exemplifies this principle perfectly. These women didn't merely demand land rights; they presented a coherent halachic argument that worked within the framework of Torah's reality. God affirmed their claim not by changing rules but by acknowledging their correct navigation of spiritual truth.

This teaching resonates through every aspect of life, particularly in business ethics. Any gain achieved by violating Torah principles cannot endure because it lacks foundation in authentic reality. As Rabbi Lopiansky notes, "The roosters eventually come home to roost." What seems like getting ahead through cutting corners is exiting the game entirely.

Next time you face ethical decisions, remember: the spiritual realm isn't less real than the physical—it's the most authentic level of reality. When we align our choices with Torah, we're not just being obedient; we're harmonizing with the deepest structures of creation itself.

Chapters

• 0:00 Yom HaShishi Torah Video Series
• 2:10 The Gemara in Masechta Temurah
• 5:50 Torah as Software of Reality
• 11:20 The Daughters of Tzlafchad's Claim
• 21:30 Rav Benesh and Interest Laws
• 25:10 The Spiritual World is Realest Reality

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Back in the Jewish year 5779, around 2018-2019 on the Gregorian calendar the Agudas Yisrael of America launched a groundbreaking campaign that they titled the Yom HaShishi Torah Video Series. The campaign put on by the Agudas was an effort to promote a more profound and more consistent commitment to daily learning of Gemara. Think of the Da'af Hayomi movement. It was basically a video series to encourage people to learn more Torah and more Gemara specifically, and perhaps even Da'af Hayomi with more intensity, more authenticity, with more depth In it. This campaign, the Yom HaShishi Torah Video Series campaign the way it would work was great Jewish speakers were brought in, great Jewish rabbis to give talks about the Torah and about the importance of Talmud Torah. It's very common nowadays to receive these videos. Listen to these talks. This is kind of like the Vayim Mo'in initiative, the Daily Dose initiative, the Motivation Congregation platform, just back in 5779. One of the speakers brought in to give the talk on the week of Parshas Pinchas was none other than the great Urim V'tumim, the man who was greater than a prophet, the Rosh Hashiva of the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, rabbi Aaron Lopiansky, and in his talk a very short, 8 minutes and 22 seconds he delivers the talk that will change your very life, your view on the world, and it will change your reality. I would like to share the idea that he said back in 5779 with you today and I hope to change your reality. He began with a Gemara Masech HaTemurah. Masech HaTemurah can be found in the Seder of Kudshim, the Order of the Holy Things. The word Timura means substitution, and in Mesechda Timura all of the laws of substitutions are delineated, most notably substituting out a carbun. Can you, after having pledged a carbun, switch out that animal for a different animal? When you substitute a non-consecrated animal in for a consecrated animal in the service of the Bairi Olam, what is the status of both animals? Is this even allowed? What about the money that was set aside for such sacrifices and what about the fetuses of such circumstances, all discussed in Mesechta Timura.

Speaker 1: 3:24

In the very beginning of the Mesechta, rava and Abaye have a world famous dispute Specifically About Timura, but it really is About all actions. Their machlokas is about, if the Torah prohibits swapping out An animal, substituting the star player out for the bench player, so then does it actually take effect? How can it, if the Torah prohibits it? Because you're supposed to give the initial pledged karbon in and not bench it for the bench player, six man of the year, karbon. If you do go against the Torah's word, does it take effect? Does the exchange work?

Speaker 1: 4:12

The Lashar of the Masechta for B is summarized in a dispute between Rav and Abaye. That says, omar Abaye, anything that the Torah tells you you cannot do, like substituting out the carbon that you previously pledged Im Ovid. If you do it, what's the law? A great question, a discussion in the poskim based on this gimara and this dispute. As about Rava and Abaye, that will affect your very life, ashkafically, ashkafically and halachically. Abaye answers the question and says Mahani, it does work. If you say it doesn't work, then am I lucky?

Speaker 1: 5:07

Then why is the individual getting whipped? Because of his switching, because of his substitution? You only punish if an actual transaction, a negative or improper action was done. Clearly it does take effect, and that's why we're flogging. The fellow Rava says no, clearly it does take effect and that's why we're flogging. The fellow Rava says no, rava, amar, lomahani Midi, lomahani Midi. Nothing has taken effect. The transaction is nullified. You have sought to go against the Torah and it is inefficacious. The high, delucky. So why do we whip the guy? Why do we flog him if he hasn't done any substitution. The star player has remained in the game. The non consecrated animal has still riding the bench. Because you merely transgressed the statement of the merciful one, you went against Hashem's word. You're a bad fellow, so we whip you. You merely transgressed the statement of the merciful one. You went against Hashem's word. You're a bad fellow, so we whip you. But if you do go against the Torah, nothing has been successfully transacted.

Speaker 1: 6:17

The Rosh Hashiva paused there to explain the rationale, the lumbus behind Rav HaPesach, of why transgressing the Torah and still trying to transact something, why it's ineffective. He took a step back for a moment and explained how generally we think that the Torah, its laws, a book of laws superimposed by God for us to follow, a code of conduct to bring people to its ultimate completion, to bring society to truth and morality. And while all true, this definition still fails to summarize. It also defines what Torah actually is, which is way more than that is reality. The Rosh Hashiva explained God His Ratzon, hashem, the fiery, hot Torah, was there before the world was created and upon it God looked in and then reverse-engineered the world to make a big playing ground, amusement park, of how people can fulfill the word of Hashem. In order for there to be brachos, made trees need to be had. In order for there to be kibbut of v'eim, people need to have parents.

Speaker 1: 7:44

The Torah is the reality, not just. They're governing people that live in a different physical reality, the Kiddush. Is that the real reality? Although you cannot see it, the reality is Torah. It is the very software to the world's hardware. The way we see the world is the same way we see a laptop. We think the laptop is all that there is the way that you feel it's metal or it's plastic, it's screen. Why does it work, though? Everybody knows it's not about what's on the outside, but it's about the wiring. It's about the makeup on the motherboard and how it's been wired to now follow commands. The Torah is the software of the world and the Rosh Hashanah showed that.

Speaker 1: 8:43

Therefore, if you're to deny God, if you're to step out of bounds of the Torah in a very profound way, you're stepping outside of the bounds of reality. It's like when you're playing Candyland with your four-year-old and you're trying to pick cards to get to the very top of the level 10 of the game and beat your four-year-old at Candyland of the game and beat your four-year-old at candy land. Don't buy the new edition because it's already been tainted with different odd-looking people as the characters go back to the old, pleasant, cute, innocent looking figurines in the candy land. But that's neither here nor there. But either way, when you're playing Candyland any board game for that matter if you should take your character and instead of hopping over the purple and green squares, you simply take your figurine and move it out of bounds into the water, or flip the board game over and put it on the other side, would you consider that you're still in the reality inside of the game? Are you still advancing? Are you still even playing? You may be something, but you're not something. It's the same with halacha and Torah. It's the game. Everything is set up for that purpose to move up and get something accomplished and win the game.

Speaker 1: 10:15

Following the ratzan of Hashem. Go against the will of Hashem, try to substitute the Karbon out. Call Milsa to Omar Rachman, eloi Tav. The Torah says don't do it, don't go out of bounds. You're leaving reality. And lo, mahani Rabbi says it's not going to work. It will not work. It is not part of reality anymore. It's not the shot, it is not the shot. The cheaters never prosper because they're going to get caught. But cheaters never prosper Because once you leave the territory of reality, everything crumbles. If you should try to win in business outside of halacha, everything crumbles, loy mehani. It will not work for you. The roosters eventually come home. They come home to roost and your short-term gains. If you've cheated, they will wither away and disintegrate, because it's not part of how God made the game work. Eventually, it's just a matter of time before failure sets.

Speaker 1: 11:31

In Rabbeinu Bechaya, a verse we're looking for in 2726, says this concept. The Rosh Hashiva continued when the Pesach there describing the curses, the blessings that would go on by Hargrizim Har Evel do not marry your sister. Cursed be the one who insults his father or mother. Cursed be the one who moves his neighbor's landmark. Cursed be the one who insults his father or mother. Cursed be the one who moves his neighbor's landmark. Cursed be the one who strikes down a fellow. And cursed be the one who accepts a bribe.

Speaker 1: 12:05

The Torah after the long laundry list probably a bad description there the long list of curses about possible transgressions, the Torah concludes with an A very general. Does not uphold the terms, the words of the Torah. The Roshonim all are bothered. But what is this last curse coming to include? Nearly every transgression has been enumerated, the general curse. What could it possibly be adding? This is the rule of all the mitzvos.

Speaker 1: 13:06

What does it mean to not uphold HaMitzvos B'LiBeau, not to install them in your heart, kalomar? That you should uphold them, that you should know them and believe in them, that they are true and you may not exclude a single one of them from your acceptance? She'en batu elis ha'gut v'ha'nefesh. And to never deny them and say oh, this mitzvah has no value to my body or to my soul, but she'en be'kula mitzvahs achas levatolo. Never to say that, god forbid, a single commandment is just meaningless or superfluous. Zehu asher lo yokim. What does it mean to uphold the Torah, lasos osam sheyikayim b'levo? To install it in your heart. To uphold it in your heart, emunah chazakah shiroi la'asosam.

Speaker 1: 14:12

True belief that is strong, that it makes sense, that it's proper to do Torah For the Torah and its wisdom. They are worthwhile observing, as you will see that they are all full of meaning to the people who engage in the study of them. The Torah is worthwhile to engage in. It must be installed as true and as the real way, the reality, the core reality, the touchable software of the world. The law here is don't just follow the Torah because God wants you to, but follow it because you understand that this is the rules of the game. This is reality itself, the very software, the profound depth, maybe even the very authentic reality.

Speaker 1: 15:23

Rabbi Ruchem would shry about this concept. Volba said over from Rabbi Ruchem that all of his shmoozing come really to drive home this aspect, the Torah's reality, that it's real, that it has mamushus, it has substance. It's not a fake, imaginary world of which good things happen to those that merit them, but good things happen to those that keep the Torah. There's a rhythm here, there's a code of laws here that governs the world and it is a deeper reality. That is reality, even though at times we can't maybe understand it. In short, install in your mind and in your heart that the Ruchnius world is real. It's very real. Now you'll ask, what does all this have to do with?

Speaker 1: 16:29

Parshos Pinchas has nestled in in between the Carbonos, the laws of inheritance, the laws of zealotry and its rewards, is a story of some females who stepped forward and burst into the study hall to declare that it's not fair, that we don't have a share in the land to declare that it's not fair, that we don't have a share in the land. Everyone is receiving parts of the land, divvying it up according to lots and a lottery, but the Benost Slavchad step forward and say it's not fair. Loma, yigara, moses, it's not fair. Why are we being left out and not getting a portion in the land? There's this fascinating pill pull, a standoff between very smart, well-educated, incredibly pious and upstanding females and really Moshe, god, the Torah having not originally given them a piece of the land, but after Moshe takes the complaint to the Almighty Hashem responds Very good and well, have these daughters of Tzalavchad spoken? Give them a share in the land? Now, in the standoff, what were the sides? How is it that they did not get a share in the land? But then God acquiesced is it God forbid? And then changed his mind and said you know what? We should just give them some land. Is it to quell their feelings of sadness that they didn't earn a piece of real estate, a place to call their own? No, there was Cain Dopos. They spoke good, gut gesagt. What changed?

Speaker 1: 18:37

Rabbi Lopensky used this yeso to answer the question that, once you understand that the laws of nature, the laws of business. The laws of reality are Torah. Well then, you understand how Rashi explains that the girl stepped forward with a halachic issue. It can't be. They said that we're not going to get land. Rashi, citing the Gemara and Baba Basar Kufi attest, said the girl stepped forward and said for one or the other, we are either not children, so then we should have the law of Yibam that should kick in and we should get a share in the land, or, if we are children, the nachala inheritance from our dad should kick in either way. So they had a catch-22 in halacha. They came forward and said their peace and God said Cain, dovros, cain, but no Slavcha Dovros, no Santitin. The authenticity and the reality that you're putting forward of a halacha, you're elevating it to a place of how it makes sense that you should get. It's a gutta pshat, so you get A gutta mahalach. It's the reality, it's the halacha, cain Dovros. You've brought this to the table that the reality is like such, so it goes forward, it goes through. Nosantitin, give them a peace, because this is the reality.

Speaker 1: 20:11

The Rosh Hashiva's father-in-law, rav Benesh Finkel. He said the Rosh Hashiva in Mir where his father Rablai Zay. He said the Rosh Hashiva in Mir where his father, rav Lezayudel, was, the Rosh Hashiva, when Rabbi Rocham was there, rav Benesh, a Talmud of the Chavetz Chaim and of Rav Yitzchak Zev Saloveitchik, the Briskirov, an incredible man who was famous in his scrupulousness in halacha, and particularly anyone who knew him. The Rosh Hashiva said about his father-in-law, Riv Binyamin Baneishvinkal, that he was very particular about the laws of Ribbous, extremely wary not to get involved in them. He once said in a situation where there was some sort of bank overdraft a possible ribis issue that he quipped, that the hardest chazal that he has to understand is a gemara above a basra 75b. That talks about an ezer huneshech, about the laws of usury.

Speaker 1: 21:18

The Reb Shimon said over that those who lend at interest lose more than what they gain. It won't work for them if you take interest and, moreover, the money lenders, those that do lend out $10,000 on a 10% interest rate to get back more than what they lent. They render Moshe the holy teacher and this true Torah and they say if Moshe were our teacher, had he known how good of a profession it is and how lucrative it is to loan money and get it back with interest, he wouldn't have written it in the Torah. That's what the Bali Ribbis say, for Benesh had a hard time, the hardest time, understanding that Chazal, for how could anyone ever have a Havamina? He couldn't understand that a regular person could ever think that you should possibly get ahead in business by cheating. Someone would actually say that, oh, this is a mahalik. This is an approach, this is an avenue, this is a new business venture that I'm going to try called cheating. I'm going to do something that's against the will of the Torah. That's not reality. It is, as Rava said at the beginning of our talk lo, mahani, it will not work. It's not that it just won't take effect. It, mahani, it will not work. It's not that it just won't take effect, it's lo, mahani, it will not work. It's a matter of time before the gezela, the stepping out of bounds of reality, crumbles for you. Even if it's immediate, a big hit of cash back, it's all going to disintegrate because it's outside of Torah, it's outside of the candy land boundaries, it's not part of reality. So of course, it's not going to work. How could you ever think about actually having lasting wealth and doing it outside of the Torah? It's all going to melt. It's not going to work.

Speaker 1: 23:23

Every law there, like Rabbeinu Bechaya told us, has to understand that it is the truth, it is the software, it is the way Halacha is reality. We sometimes just don't see that. It's sometimes too deep for us Because we're the characters, the little Candyland people hopping along, we don't always understand the deeper game. When you understand that Torah is reality, reality, it's the realest reality, the reality, so many, the Mamori, chazal, all of the Pesukim, every Halacha, it all makes so much sense. Of course blue makes you think of the Kisay HaKovod and the Teheilas. And of course you have to pray and follow the rules of business and you get rewarded with long life and longevity when you have gratitude. And of course, if you follow all of the proper business ethics, with a thoughtful analysis and careful preparation and consideration and then following the rules, of course, mahani, things work, they work for real.

Speaker 1: 24:40

I hope that I've been able to say over the rest of Shiva's peace that night In somewhat of a clear way. I hope I've understood it and given it over clearly. But if I didn't just remember this, the things that are anti-Torah, they are not just ineffective, they will not last, they will not work because they're outside of reality, because the realist reality is that of the Torah. The real reality is the Ratzan Hashem. The real reality, the game of life, the software of the world. It is halacha, it is Torah, it is Jewish law. Remember that and let that be the governing idea in all of your decisions and forever remember, forever remember, reiterate, chazer, that the realest thing, the realest thing, is the spiritual world. That's the real world. The realest thing is the spiritual world. That's the real world. And with this in mind, we should be careful not to stray out of bounds, because stepping outside of halacha, doing something that is not what Hashem wants, is literally like stepping out of the world, stepping out of reality.