The third week begins. The week of Yaakov's Tiferes, Kovod, Rachamim, Emes and Torah. The Rambam explains how we are supposed to keep to the middle path. We should not go to extremes.

This posed a problem for someone who came to speak to me, as you will find out in this episode...extremely intriguing.

A fortnight has gone by. I have no doubt in my mind that many of you will have had the fleeting thought...Fortnite? The game that took the world by storm. If I had a penny for every Bar mitzva boy that I know of, who almost messed up because he was too busy playing Fortnite instead of practising his leining, I'd have...wait...er...43p.

What is the nature of this addiction? Take a look at the 12 step recovery programme for AA and you will see a startling lesson that we already noted - you have to be ready to 'let it go'....

Except here we have a unique opportunity to upgrade to the 49 step Programme. It's time to realise that a 'power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity'.

If Yitzchok was the master of self-discipline, Yosef was the master of self-control. The former was the perfect burnt offering - the עולה תמימה; the latter was the perfect Tzaddik. 

Yosef is thrown consistently to the bottom of the pile... and consistently rises to the top. The slave becomes the master. Rejected by family, rejected by his own master, somehow his 'chen' (to be explored more in future episodes) allows him to do on a microcosmic level, what the people, for whose presence in Egypt he was the catalyst, did on a macrocosmic level. They went from the lowest point - slaves - mired in the lowest levels of negativity that Egypt could offer, to become a Mamleches Kohanim - a kingdom of Priests.

And that is the Sefira too...if we learn to control the baser desires which control us, like Yosef; If we recognise that our skills and achievements are from G-d, like Yosef - then we are on the path to royalty. 

Ever gotten into an argument? Perhaps once or twice. A day. How many times was your intention pure? Once or twice. Full stop. 

Aharon's essence tells us to avoid machlokes at all costs - lover of peace and pursuer of peace. But he tells us more. We must be thankful for the challenges we get in life, we must admit Who gives them to us. Those challenges which we face up to, need Gevurah to negotiate. Gevurah as epitomised by Yitzchok.

Astonishingly, it is Yitzchak who ends up the hero, in the mode of Aharon himself - reestablishing a peaceful relationship between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven, when Avraham and Yaakov seem to give in to G-d's desire to wipe out our people. Yitzchak - the last person on earth that you would associate with getting in the way of Divine Justice.

But we've seen this before - he who laughs last...

One was never allowed into the land of Israel. The other was never allowed to leave. One is called the perfect burnt offering. The other is referred to as being imperfect. One has failing eyesight. The other's eyesight never fails him.

Opposites? Or two sides of the same coin? And both sides is 'heads'. Moshe, the one who apparently couldn't speak well, is the only one in history to have been synonymous with פי הגבורה - from the Mouth of the Mighty One. But Gevurah? Hey, that's Yitzchok's Midda, isn't it?

That's the point.They share something special. Negation of the self, be it through the slaying of the ego, we see perfect humility, the power to bless and eternity.

We've spoken about heroes before. Heroes within our people. Heroes without. And it got me thinking. There are heroes that we find every 7 years - the Pasuk calls people who keep the Shemitta laws as being heroes of strength, doing G-d's will. It was only in the last Shemittah year that I saw the clips of what it was that they gave up and give up every time (including those who perhaps are of a less religious level). I couldn't do that! 

And what are they meant to do whilst they watch their livelihood go to rack and ruin? Sit in the tent of learning. Literally ready to give up everything for the truth of Torah, of a relationship or chavrusa with G-d. To see their fields turned into a desert, in order to be real.

The fight for truth can be seen within an interesting and subtle interplay between the Satan and Yitzchak at the Akeida. (The very blindness, according to the midrash which allows the blessings to be given to Yaakov, rather than Eisav stems from here - don't be fooled into thinking that Yizchak was tricked...but that's for another time). It is what gives rise to Yaakov being able to learn in the tents of Torah years later. It is the secret of Choni Hama'gel's yearning for a real chavrusa...

...till death do us part

How is it possible that the man who represents strict justice and discipline is called Yitzchok - 'he will laugh'? Another paradox, which I guess we are getting used to...

The clue is understanding how he connects with Rebbi Akiva, serving Chachamim and being ready to give up absolutely everything, because we have a right to nothing...

Pesach is over, and we have packed away all the mismatched crockery and assorted mugs. So that's it for another year? But wait... there is an interesting custom that arises.. especially as it is Erev Shabbos. We bake Challos, variously with the imprint of a key, or one embeded, or in the shape of the key. What is the secret of this Schlisel Challoh - especially when we just spent the last week running a mile at the mention of anything chometz-related?

The key... is the key. Simcha in its controlled form - Chesed shebigvura - kindness within correct boundaries. Then we know we really left Egypt, and are on the correct road.

I would like to dedicate this shiur to Ruchama Hinda Bas Yitzchak Meir - an incredible woman whose gevura meant that she never gave up on anyone, never complained and epitomised chesed with everyone with whom she came into contact. 

Dr Seuss makes his maiden appearance in these podcasts. Here, we examine what the difference is between real kingship and a rule which is there only to serve the self. Surprisingly, the real king is actually a servant. Or perhaps, not surprisingly, once we have realised that without his people to declare him as king, he is, in fact, nothing.

And when this is paired with the day's trait - humility - we begin to see the beauty in the words of the Kotzker Rebbe concerning true broken hearts.  Then we can take the message to heart.

7th Day Pesach - Yesod (foundation - represented by Yosef) - the climax. We sing out in Shira. This is the foundation of everything - we have crossed the Yam Suf, and our Emunah is cemented as we are born as the Jewish nation - through the embryonic waters of the Yam suf. Everyone present could point at G-d and say, 'This is my G-d'.

What did the sea see? Either the heroism of Nachshon, who jumped in. Nachshon, who is the forerunner of Moshiach - the final link in the chain of Megillas Rus. Or the coffin of Yosef - the symbol of Yesod - foundation - astonishingly,the Midda of today!

So why is the Kinyan Torah of the day 'fear', if we have been talking of love and connection? The secret is in understanding the link between seeing, fearing and believing...

You'll have to hear this one, though...