#55 - Perek Daled B - Mesilas Yesharim Explained

In two short sessions a week Rabbi Dovid Schoonmaker will elucidate and bring to life the eternal words of the Mesilas Yesharim. Rabbi Dovid Schoonmaker is the Rosh Yeshivah of Shapell's / Yeshivas Darche Noam in Yerushalaim.

Transcript

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We learned last time that what gets a person to Zahirus is the Dine Torah and the Torah. But that's Alder Klali says, but a Bafrat, what you specifically have to speak about and think about, Rabina is going to explain now. Amnam, Alderak Prat, Hamabilizah, who is bonus. Oh, that word again. His boninus. His bonus is but reflection. Reflection. Knowing, reflecting on. Not gobbling down information. Not just making sure I understand it and moving on as fast as possible. Not even just hazering it. Reflecting. His bonus. Letting be bold ideas come out to me. I'm his bone. I think about it. I delve into. I'm his bone, I reflect on. Okay, I emphasize. Not learning it fast. Not even learning it being. Not even hazering it. Reflection. His bonus al Homravoda. And the depth of the judgment on it. You know, I'd love to avoid these lines, friends, but we gotta read Mesila Sharm, and he's gonna talk about this. Vyatsi Loza, so how does a person get around his head? When one learns the mysim sifra kodesh, which wake ones up. There are many, many parts in Tanakh which can wake somebody up to Vodas Hashem. Look at what the Navi's been crying. Look at, someone said to me one time, My God doesn't punish, Yafemod. Problem is it's not God, right? Because God of Humish, the God, our God, right? Shem al Ken or Shem Echwad does punish. You don't like it, too bad, right? I'm down for it, but then Bonusam is the one who runs the world, not you or me. And it says a parsha Bakhu Kaosai, and it says a parsha Kisabu, and it says in Yeshua, and it says a shoktim, and it says in Shmu, and it says in Malacham, Shmu'alahama, it says in Malakam. Read it again and again. There's punishment. Vas canon ton. What can we do? Right? So when a person learns those books, it he wakes him up, hopefully, right? To that. Alright. You don't have to dwell on it, you don't have to get depressed, you don't have to get down, etc. But we can't ignore the reality. Okay, so let's go on. Morozin. Vineh. There are thoughts, thoughts, or points of focus, maybe. I don't have a great translation for haarod, but something like that. In different levels. This is so important. The Schlameh Hadas to the Schlamehadas, the police of people of complete dea, people whose heads, we would say in our language, people who really had their heads on, screwed on tight in a tarodika way. I would say in another way, as we'll see, they're really down with the first paragraph of Silas Sharm. And to everyone else. And now, for a good part, or even all of the rest of the paragraph, we're going to see Missil Sharm is going to go into the haros for the Schlame Hadas, for the lesser people, and for the Hamonam. I love this. We said last section how we have to learn from Rabaino. This is one of the places we have to learn the most from Rabaino. I can't talk to today's children. We can't talk to today's Jews. I can't do Kirov. I can't talk to that secular Jew on the on the plane next to me, even though I'm wasting time anyway. Because he speaks a different language. You have to figure out the way if you care about people. I can't explain. I can't explain Yiddish Kai to my family. There's so many problems which exist with Balichuva with their families, which could be avoided in an easy way if the Balichuva would explain to their families what they're doing. Don't make your families into there are toxic relationships. I'm not saying. Obviously. And there are toxic people out there, religious, toxic people, unreligious toxic people, toxic, toxic. Yeah? Lo, lo chaser. But but did you ever really try? It's not about being the car of your family. Okay, we don't wanted to get into that. Good. But did you explain to them what you're doing? Why you want to be in tar in why you want to target a family? What does it mean to you to have a big family? Why? I can't explain to them. No, maybe you don't have clarity yourself. Get clarity. And now and now get clarity. And now think, what do my parents, what do they value? Where can I find a place which might seemingly archaic, arcane, crazy, too focused on minouche lifestyle fit things that can make them understand it so that they'll feel better about it and I'll feel better about my relationship with them. So but I can't, but I can't. Today's children, uh-uh-uh, they've had the iPhone on their hands that's there too. We can't talk to them. Now, I'm not saying you have to, and I I probably wouldn't want to either have an institution, you know, Bork Hashem and Zoka to work with higher level people who have an attention spin. Okay, but now if there are people you're dealing with don't have attention spin, so figure out how to talk to them if they don't have an attention spin. Just like maybe someone thought how to speak to you or me when we weren't where Hui should be. Let's say someone had said back then, I can't talk to you. Now, I'm I know I'm going off the page a little bit, but I'm not really. Because Rabainu is spending time in his incredible work, right? Where every word was judged. Like Risara Salantar said, every word to the first 11 Praqim is exact. After that, I can't tell you because I don't understand it. But every word that the Msill, every word that Risural Salantar, the great Gaon and father of the Muslim movement, every word he understood Messilh Sharm, he knew was exact, Rukhala saying exactly what he said. So he's taking enormous amount of time. I'm just jumping in, and taking us through what these people have with them. And that's really the message of Baysach. Kinneged Arba Bonim, the returbar, how shem that the Torah spoke against Kenneged Arbaban. There's the way you speak to a Tom, there's the way you speak to an Anu Day Shool. There's the way you speak to a Chachim. By the way, I want to say another pepe of mind. Some people, sometimes people are only worried about the Tom and the Day Show, and then don't worry about the Chacham. The kid off the dark gets all the attention. The kid who we call is like a Minsuiyan who's been doing well, nah, he doesn't get any attention. He doesn't deserve resources, right? We only have to take care of the kids who are off the dark. You have to take care of the kids off the dark. You have to care of the bain in them with the middle class. But Cliesterol needs the the brilliant minds also. I I read sometimes, I'm I'm I'm I'm so hurt. You know, you say the brilliant kids are just sitting in class getting bored and no one's taking care of them? People have to self-school? What about them? Natural abilities, help. Come on. We all know that. But anyway, we have to talk to everybody. Yeah, so that's so easy for me to say, right? But but but I think that really, but I'm happy I I spent this time on this thing because I think that's really the message that comes out from here. Urbainu was trying to explain who how can I get I have to teach people about the Khomeravoda. I have to get people more into the hearers, I have to get people to evaluate their ways, and I realize that there are three ways to affect it. I'm gonna write for each one. Let's jump in a little bit. What arouses those who have who have their heads really on tight? Shhlami Hadas, the person of complete minds. Mashid Barerlahem, the thing that it's clear to that word we had at the in the birur, it becomes clear to them, right? And if remember we said from a footnoter, it becomes confirmed by them. Or no, I think Yatame was confirmed. Mashid Barlehem, Kiraka Shlamas, only shlames, lolalza. The only thing that's worth it really desiring in the world, the only thing I'm really after, the only thing I really care about is shlamis, is being a complete human being. And there's nothing worse than being far away from them. That's it. If I'm close to shlamis, it's good. If I'm far from it, it's bad. Why is that so important? What does that have to do with Zerus? Now that's one thing. They understand they have this big picture that they understand that what it's about is Ruchnias. What it's about is Anik Kirvasilakimitov. What it's about is the Rabonushalm. That's what I want in life. Anik Kirvasilakimitov, being close to Hashem. That's shalom us. And all my Midas and all my mysim, etc. And now the next step, that's step one that they have, that big, big idea. And then they also know Heyothem Tsoy love. How do I get there? Ha Maisim Hatov, Amidas Hatovas. There's good actions and good midas. Kas is an unbelievable, unbelievable machitza between me and Hashem. My taiva is an unbelievable machitzah between me and Hashem. Right? My Taiva Sachilah is an unbelievable machitza between me and Hashem. My Maism, my lack of chesed is an unbelievable machitza between me and Hashem. These are all boundaries and and and blocks and clipas and walls, which are going to stop me from being really connected. I don't want that. That's what he says to himself. And she says to himself. So know what happens? So he's not going to take the easy road. Kik fight barlem. Because they understand Shimsoimal Yimatulem, if they're if they're down, if they're weak on these things, if these means, we've discussed the idea a lot, but let's see it again. If these means are lessened by them, or they're chalash, I come to Davning and I just, you know, get through. My day starts after Davning, who hasn't been there. A little bit of Koal, a little bit of Sarus, a little bit of Simchan Davning, right? He need lo Yasung Shlamisaviti. This Davning, listen carefully, here's the here's the this davni is not a Davni which is gonna which is going to produce shlamus, right? Now, it's not important, friends, listen carefully. It's not important that we understand how Davning produces shlamis. That might be helpful, but you don't have to understand how tfillin produces shlamis. I'm not saying that maybe it will produce more shlamus, but you know that tfillin is part of the picture. And I know there's cavanin tfillin, and I know there's kashir tivaniashem, and I know there's putting on tfilin just because it's a habit that I have since I'm 13, right? And now I know there's something called Avasashem, there's something called Yras Hashem. We know an enormous amount. I don't do I know the inner cavanas of Tfillin, what it means a lot. No, but that's already tremendous. I know there's a way to do a mitsu with love. I'm doing this because I love a Qadashborhu. I'm doing this because I fear Kudashborhu. I'm doing this because he would command in me. I'm doing this because, etc. That is enormous, right? And I do it chazak. I do it with my mind and with focus, right? I don't get into any deeper kavanas. There are deeper kavanas, there are many, many kabbanas to fill in, obviously, all different levels. I don't know too much about it, but I know it says in the parshis, I know it's a perspective, right? Okay, let's go one level up. You want to hear a little bit more? As a perspective, t fill in is the idea of Shmaya Soshamalkinus. The ideas of Yetsias Mitzraim, they're by my eyes and my heart, my head and my heart are close to the ideas of Yetzia's mitzraim of Ashkacha Sashem, of Schlita Sashem. Okay, good. What do you need more than that? And I focus on that. Again, I'm not saying that I do this, but hella I. But that's how I put on Tfillin. Bachhozik, because it's Tfillin. Now here's the point. Because Tvillin is going to produce Schlemus to me, which is going down. I don't see the whole picture of how it produces it and what it produces, but this Tfillin is what's going to make me really, really close to Hashem one day. It's it's working in this world also, as we discussed, but specifically, it's really working for the next world. And I don't want to, and I and I don't wanna. Here's the point it's not that I'm convincing myself, it's that when my mindset is such that this tfillin is such, I don't want to do it. Then you say to me, well, just do tfilin lighter. Just just just ease up, you know. Don't get good tfillin, just get just be yotzizin, like I say, yotzizin. No, I'm not gonna be yotzizin because I'm a shlamas adas. I know he knows what it's about, he knows what it's doing. Right? Eli gor mehem, ki fima shigoro he bistadusam, because if I don't, the pro the product is gonna be less than in some chaser shlamis. The idea of being chaser shlamis, I'm gonna get to the next world, I'm gonna be lacking. Ah, not me. I don't want that, you know? I don't want to be unconditioned. Because they're always thinking, the Schleimayadas are always thinking about what it's gonna look like in the end, and they have their eye on Olam Haba, and they have their eye on the idea of clear curves abhorrent, and they want this, okay? It's a big, big, it's a big, big um uh it's a big, big uh simah, but that's what it's about. But that again, if you're if we're not there, that's okay. He's gonna tell us eight's for the next level. But the idea is I want to be Zaheer, I want to go this process all the time of what am I doing? Am I doing what Hashem's Rudson is? How am I living up? What is Hashem's Ratsun? How am I living up to it? How can I get back to that? Right? That's the process of Zaherus. And what's over me and gets me, but Dark Kineas' hear us, is the idea that I want to be Shalom. I have to give a tremendous mushroom, which it could be we've given before, but it's worth saying again, because I think it's so true. Those who, those who some of you like sports, some of you don't like sports, some of you understand sports, or you don't like sports, but after say like this that when you imagine like a really high-level athlete, an Olympic athlete, or a real top competitor in any sport, they're looking for their edge. The mushroom like this is true. Swimmers shave their legs, male sim swimmers, right? Not because they want to look nice, right? They shave their legs. Uh, I said this and a Talmud pointed out to me they shave their whole bodies. You know why they shave their whole bodies for an extra one hundredth of a second or two hundredths of a second? Have you ever swam and felt really held back by you know all that all that skin on your legs? Whoa, what a drag. I feel like I'm going through molasses. No, you don't. You don't feel it at all. You and I don't feel it at all. That's what I have to worry about. I have to worry about being overweight, I have to be worried about being tired, I have to worry about moving my arms. The skin on your legs? Come on. But that's an ad. That's an addition. This is maybe gonna give me the two hundredth of a second. And if I drink avocado-oriented, you know, shakes as opposed to coffee, that's gonna keep me playing until I'm 38, 39, 40. You know, long athletes are are have a lot more longevity than they used to have because they understand all these things and they're doing these steps all the time because they want to stay competitive for winning for money, right? For for a lot of reasons. So, so and they're always looking for that ad advantage. No question about it. We all we all understand that. Business, I know less about the business world, but I'm sure people in business are always looking like what's what's my angle? You know, how can I do marketing a little cheaper and a little more more bang for my buck? Can we monetize this? And how can we do it in the most efficient way possible? And they go to efficiency experts, you're always looking for that little step. And I don't want someone saying, well, you can just do it an easy way out. I don't want to do it. I don't want to make my ice cream with less quality because what it's about the ice cream being tasty for people. And a lower eventually, I know that a lower quality product is gonna mean less money or less, you know, Ticanobria, whatever you, whatever your thing is. But the but the the the athlete model is uh you want to go to an actor or a musician. Musician knows if I use this type of musician for sure using the best equipment. You know, the the truest sound is with this uh affordable, uh affordable or even something not affordable, this violin. So sometimes you can't afford it, but everybody wants a stratavaries. But this violin makes the best sound. I want to be I want to be world-level, I want to do it. We all understand those, mashallah, and it all makes sense. Believe me, if we were if any of you are in that field, it all makes sense. Getting that extra edge makes so much sense. People, so I'll give you the one more sports mushroom, which I always gave, maybe I've given it here, but so worthwhile. If you watch a tennis player, I want to explain something to everybody about about the world of sports, okay? You don't know it. There are teams. Teams are taking teams are like conglomerates, they're making tons of money, there are tons of people involved as managers and general managers and coaches and and and and and stadiums and that they have and and and contracts and uh billions and billions of dollars are going. And now you have your Joe player, okay? Good. Tennis is a guy, and he or a guy, a woman, and he's the whole thing, and he has to pay. That's why people put uh so once the tennis makers make money. Well, it really depends how good you are, but until you then the top hundred don't make any money. You know why? Because you have to pay for your travel fares and you have to pay for your hotels, and no one's paying for you, it's just you, right? This is at least that was when I checked. So now, but now the highest level players have coaches. Now, when you have a coach, you want the coach being at your game. You pay for the coach, you pay his salary, you pay his travel fees, you pay his, you pay his hotel fees. Now, if I was coaching for one of the best players in the world, I don't think I would go economy and I wouldn't stay in a low-level hotel. So I'm sure they're staying in a high-level hotel, and they're probably flying business at least, my assumption. So you're paying an enormous amount of, now you're better than that guy. That guy was probably someone who is a good player once upon a time, and the best level guys are better than those guys were. But still, he's a coach. He's got he has an objective look. I think that my backhand or my forehand, so you have this guy, he's paying an enormous amount of money. And often they have more than one coach and they have different advisors and things like that. And it's not a team, it's not that the Knicks are paying for him, he's paying out of his pocket for that. And what for that for that guy to give me that little, little, little edge. You know, you have to you have to make your slice, your drop shot is a little too high over the net. You're gonna bring it down. Like again, again, again. I don't know how they coach, but that's the point. It's for that little edge. And the last thing, the play, if the coach comes and says, Look, here's the two possibilities, your drop shot could be this good or it can be that good, but we're gonna have to work on it. Give it to me, coach, because I want to be world-class. And we all understand that. That's what they're there, that the that's what they're there for. To push their, to push their people to the highest level so they can play at the highest level, continue to play at the highest level, and they don't want any coolas, right? So imagine that. I hate to give this example, which is no get to me, also for sure, but like how does this compare with we come into shul on a Monday and we're so full of glee that there's a chassin there? And now we don't have to say long tachnan. Do you think long tachnan, do we think long tacten is not part of the picture? It's not part of shlamas, it's just there in the center. There's nothing there. Slow down sometime. Say one time. I've slowed down a little bit, my long tachtnun. It's meaningful, but you have to slow down. No, it's not that's not part of the picture. Bar Hashem, there's a chasin there. Now, really, what would a shalim shlemaid say? No long tachnan today? I vei. I vei. I was so looking forward to the long tahan. Now, what happens though? They says, Oh, the bar Hashem, there's a chassin there, which means now I have to be happy with the chasin. And the reason it's a Gvaldi, you know, we're walking into here, the matzav of simcha of the, and then I'm also a shy to it, right? Because if I want to be shy, if I wasn't part of it, I won't be part of them. It's a whole different process. We're just, it's like uh, it's like a token, right? The chassin is a token to us. Bar Hashem, I don't, by the way, he gets covered the bark shem. But bar Hashem, I don't have to say it now. What's the shaykhs of the chasin? Who cares? You know, nothing to do with me. He's just a mantyr, right? He just he just takes, he just ex gets rid, exercises the pages from the center. No, he doesn't. There's a smart and white is you. So that's a high level, right? But that's the level of that's the level of the Ovidashemamiti of the Shlemey Adas who's looking at Schleimas. And and let me just emphasize where this will end. No one should think it's only Bain al Mukhaver, Bainamu Malcolm. Of course, Bain al Mukhaver also. I have a chance to misemea yid. I have a chance to make a yid, and and I have to be careful from from upsetting someone. Oh boy, am I gonna be careful. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. I don't I don't want an enemy, uh, a yiddish enemy. I don't I don't want to do anything, I don't want to say lush and hara. I would say lush and haraby, make a macholocus with you? What am I crazy? It's against everything my life stands for. But again, not because you don't like my collocus. That's another thing. Because I'm looking for Schleimus, and I know part of the picture of Schleimus is making Yidden happy because they're my family for all the reasons I know it, etc. So I'm my my focus on Schleimus makes me be so careful. Ben on Clavero. And I'm and always thinking, you know, how can I be better to people? How can I make more people, Ms. Mech? How can I this? I'll end with a quick story that my reverie Biakov Friedman told me he was once in the in in the Chutzlarts, and he's such an o'er sister, he's not so comfortable often in in uh Chutzlarts. He said the time he was comfortable was when he was with Lagoner Bshmul Kamanetsky. Shlita, and he said they were standing outside a wedding, and every single person that came by gave a good word to man, woman, children. He had something for everybody. Your son in law, your son, you're this, you're that, you I don't know, he has a good word. That's part of that shlamus, right? The shlamus of I can make people yet and happy. That's that's a shalamus. What an opportunity. Every year that comes in front of me is an opportunity to make him happy, to reach more of my shlamas by making him feel good.