Sicha Insight, Rabbi Avraham Lipszyc

Did G-d presently do an action in preparing the Land of Israel to eventually absorb the people of Israel, or did G-d just verbally designate the Land of Israel to eventually absorb the people of Israel?

If G-d did an action, why is not clearly stated in the verse?

If G-d's action was only in the celestial realm, nevertheless, should this not have a visible effect on its terrestrial counterpart?

Does the existence of the heavenly Temple depend upon a present existence of the earthly Temple?

Lastly, in cases where "mere designation" is a "significant matter" would this apply even if the designation was through mere speech, or is an action necessary?

These are the questions the Rebbe will clarify in this sicha.

The Rebbe in his questions upon how commentaries understand what Rashi is doing, then goes on to give an entirely new understanding to Rashi

Why not "humiliate" the stones of the altar ramp? Why is this not an issue for any other steps in the Holy Temple?

Is there such a thing as humiliation if the 'object' is not capable of feelings? Or is the humiliation on the 'user' of the item?

Is it just about outright humiliation, or even a behavior that could be 'interpreted' as humiliation?

Is the honor of a fellow Jew just an issue of a human being who has feelings, or is it also the honor of G-d, in Who's "likeness and image" we are created?

These are the issues explored in this sicha.

How can the Torah bring about unity, when the Torah demands opposing opinions, of which each is, "These and these are the words of the Living G-d"?!

"Two verses that contradict each other until a third verse comes and resolves the contradiction,” in which neither verse is negated, but rather, both are defined in unity.

The power of connecting with the “Truth of Truths,” is beyond just the finite human intellectual capacity, but rather it depends upon Humility. For only through humility can one overcome his own natural inclinations of the mind and heart, and to open himself up to Divine Eternal Truth of Truths.

Synopsis: Moses says to Pharaoh that the Plague of the Firstborn will happen “כחצות -About Midnight,” Rashi gives two understandings of this timing: Understanding “Midnight” to be a verb (the splitting of the night), or a noun (the moment in time of midnight). Rashi is telling us that Moses was talking only to the Astrologers in saying that the plague will happen “About midnight,” who are capable to understand a “moment” of time (“About midnight”), however, not the precision of the, “As a Thread of Hair” of time (“At midnight”). Hence, Moses gives the precision of time to the astrologers, however, changes G-d’s precision of, “At midnight (the, “As a Thread of Hair” of time)” to “About Midnight (the “moment” of time).” And being that only G-d knows this precise moment, hence the wording, “ So said the L-rd, ‘At the dividing point of the night, ‘I’ will go out into the midst of Egypt,’”

Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva (and Rabbi Yoseph HaGelili) argue about how many plagues G-d smote Egypt with. There are three prohibitions concerning chametz on Passover: Eating, Enjoying, and Owning (Rabbi Yoseph HaGelili maintains that chametz is permissible to enjoy, but not to eat). Rabbi Yehuda mandates eliminating chametz by burning, while the Sages say that it suffices to crumble it into the wind, or throw it into the ocean. The Jerusalem Talmud states an argument whether it is permissible to feed one’s chametz on Passover to an ownerless animal. The Sages sometimes count the Egyptian Exile (Egypt, Elam (Media), Babylon, and Edom (Rome))  as one of our Four Exiles (See Daniel Chapters 2 & 7), and sometimes not (Babylon, Media, Greek, and Edom (Rome)).

However, in essence, all of the above is but one argument, concerning how deep the impurity of the exile effects, whether in the material of the form, or in the original mass itself, thus, how deep our service must be, and thus, how high the redemption will reach. The outcome being, that we are capable to liberate ourselves even from the rawest definition of Self.

Why did Joseph refuse to have children during the "Years of Famine"?

Was it because he thought that his family, the Jewish people, were in distress, and the law forbids marital relationships in times when, "Israel is in distress"?

No. It is because Joseph, the Righteous, did not want to give offspring to the dominion of the "Left Side" which rule in the time of, "Years of Famine."

The unchangeable LAW is the, "Esau Hated Jacob," and therefore we can NEVER rely on the compassion of the gentile.

Nevertheless, "this time" Esau's compassion heated up and he kissed Esau wholeheartedly, for it is within the capacity of a Jew to have this temporary effect upon the gentile

It is the self-negation of ego, which is the "water" of the Torah, that keeps "snakes and scorpions" away

So too, it is the purity of the olive oil kindled for the Chanukah Lights that brings an end to the rebels against G-d in the darkness of the marketplace.

Jacob remained within the "aloneness" of G-d, from which he elevated even the most insignificant pitchers

So too, it is from the "Shabbat Food" of Moshiach's table, that we illuminate the darkness of these final moments of exile