Friday, February 24, 2012

A Powerful & A Wonderful Mashal & MP3 audio

I was zoche to hear the following Mashal and parable from the Lizhensker Rebbe of Jerusalem at Shalosh Seudos:

In the name of the Buczaczer Rav:

The pasuk says: Lecha Hashem HaChesed Ki Atah Tishalem LeIsh KeMasayhu - To You Hashem is chessed - loving kindness for You pay a man according to his deeds and actions.

The question is, why is this described as Chessed? Chessed means to act lifnim mishuras hadin - past the letter of the law, whereas paying a person for what they do is midas hadin - following the letter of the law, he gets what he deserves?

He answered based on this parable:

There was once a petty thief, who was seized by a string taavas genayva - a tremendous desire to steel! If I steel, he reasoned why just steel from anyone let me at least steal from the best? He decided to steal from the king and rob the royal treasury! He began to stake out the palace, it was surrounded by a tall gate, a deep moat, savage hounds guarded the grounds and ferocious guards stood armed at the gates. I dont stand a chance, he thought. Then he noticed that the opening through which refuse and garbage was thrown out was left unmanned and unguarded. And so he stole up the pipe, and climbed up the passage, when he reached the grating where the palace refuse exited he could not budge it open, so he continued ascending upwards and as he climbed higher and higher he finally reached the roof. He got out and began looking for a way in when he saw a golden nail. Well at least I will have this trophy for my efforts he thought as he proceeded to pull out the golden nail imaging how much he might get for it when he sold it. Meanwhile down below the king was entertaining his court. A beautiful large magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling burning with thousands of festive candles and tapers. It was off course held up to the massive ceiling by a single strong golden nail, the very same golden nail our thief had just succeeded in pulling out. The entire chandelier collapsed and set the palace aflame. As the tongues of fire licked the court, the king and his men ran for their lives. The royal guards surmised that there must be an assassin hiding on the roof, when they got there they found the lone thief holding the golden nail cowering. They grabbed hold and began interrogating him. They decided that anyone attempting to commit regicide should be put to death. The king however asked to meet his enemy, he wanted to see face to face who wanted to take his life. However, when he realized that this was just a petty thief and no assassin, and that his blunder by stealing a nail caused all that ruckus he laughed a bitter laugh and declared, Why this fool had no idea of the terror and destruction he caused the royal court, he is just a petty thief! He does not deserve beheading or hanging! A thief's crime deserves a thief's punishment!"

So too when a person down here sins, he is seized by a powerful desire, tempted by the evil inclination and so he sins. Not knowing that his "small petty sin," actually causes a mighty conflagration in the King's Heavenly Court on High, he has no clue nor inkling of the massive destruction his 'little aveiraleh' has caused! When the Satan accuses and prosecutes asking for the death penalty the King has mercy on the Jewish soul and so He says: 'True this person sinned and caused a great massive destruction in the higher worlds above, however he is just a petty fool, a baal tayvanik, he is not evil, in fact he had no idea of the consequences of his petty actions. Therefore a baal tayvanik deserves only a punishment vefitting his actions, not their far reaching consequences."

This is the meaning of our verse, To You O Merciful Hashem is Chessed - true loving kindness because You pay a man his punishment only according to his deeds and actions, You have mercy and go beyond the letter of the law, You do not punish based one the grave consequences as well.

Also for Parashas Teruma:

Audio MP3 Chassidus on the Parsha Terumah "Building a House of Love" / "A Supernal Wedding" / "Born through Torah"
 
Description: Includes teachings from the Divrei Yissachar Strozhnitzer Rebbe father of my Rebbe the Clevelander Rebbe, Degel Machne Efraim & Rav Baruch of Mezibuz

http://www.ishiur.com/Shiurim/Chassidus-on-the-Parsha-Terumah-3413.html

Good Shabbos!






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