Pesach Sheni and the Power of Lamah Nigara

Topics

• Pesach Sheini and the Question of “Lamah Nigara”
• The Difficulty in the Question
• The Sifsei Chachamim’s Explanation of Rashi
• The Rambam in Hilchos Korban Pesach
• The Rambam on “B’yoyim Hahu”
• The Sifri and Or HaChaim
• The Chizkuni and Tumah Hutrah
• Tumah Hutrah B’Tzibbur and the Meaning of the Lechem
• Why Could They Complain?
• The Question of the Temimim
• Other Ways to Understand Their Complaint
• A Kohen Cannot Be Bought
• Ein Od Milvado Beruchniyus
• Hillel and the Poor
• The Rambam and Fulfilling One’s Tafkid
• Reaching Beyond One’s Present Level
• The Pasuk in Devarim
• What We Learn from Rashi
• Science, recording, and lo ba-shamayim hi
• Hashem yir’eh la’levav and modern technology
• Rabbi Chatzkel and domem
• The Wanting of a Stone
• Reb Michal Feinstein on “You Did Not Go Up”
• Ma’aseh, Kavana, and Ratzon
• Bent Torah Is About Ratzon
• Rebbe Yeruchem: Bakshu Fanav Tamid
• Chanukah and Mesiras Nefesh
• “Velo Alisem” and Ratzon
• A Ma’aseh from a Beruchim
• Baruch Sha’amar and the Meaning of Seeking
• Why Everything Depends on Desire and Effort
• Gashmiyus and Ruchniyus
• The Size of the Luchos
• Dirshu and Bakshu
• The Chofetz Chaim's Mashal
• The Gevir and the Meaning of “Almost”
• Bakshu Panav Tamid
• Pesach Sheni and Rashi
• A Hasidic Idea from the Badditcher
• “Imdu ve’eshma”
• A Different P’shat
• Another P’shat from Rabbi Tzadok
• Tefillah and the Answer of Ruchniyus
• A Small Gift: Nadav and Avihu
• Korban Pesach as a Tikkun for Eitz HaDaas
• Ta’avah de’Kedushah
• Toivah of Kedushah and the Touch of Le’einai
• Korban Pesach and Hisoirus
• Korban Pesach, Pesach Sheni, and the longing for Hashem
• Life, tefillah, and reaching beyond one’s kochos

Transcript

# Pesach Sheini and the Question of “Lamah Nigara”

It will be coming to us. I’ll answer. I know all the questions; they’re there. Okay, let’s start.

We have in the parashah of Pesach Sheini, in Perek Tet. The pasuk says, “Vayedaber Hashem el Moshe b’midbar Sinai,” and then there were people who could not bring the korban because they were tamei. They came and complained: why should we have less than everybody else? Why should we be missing out?

Moshe Rabbeinu tells them, “Stand here, wait, and we’ll see what Hashem will command for you.”

# The Difficulty in the Question

All the Rishonim, including the Redak and the second sefer of the Rambam, ask: I understand if you are tamei, that is the halachah. If you are tamei, you cannot bring the korban. But what kind of question is, “Lamah nigara”? What exactly are you asking? The halachah says clearly that a tamei cannot be makriv the korban. That is the halachah.

I’ll give you an example. Imagine a person is ba’al mum, missing a hand. Could he walk into the Beis HaMikdash if he is a kohen and say, “Lamah nigara”? What do you want? That is the halachah. If you have a mum, you cannot do the avodah; if you are tamei, you cannot do Korban Pesach. So what kind of question is “Lamah nigara”?

The Rishonim explain the question of “Lamah nigara” this way: you yourself are saying it because you are tamei, and after it is already established that you are giving the answer yourself, “Lamah nigara”? Imagine a lady comes and says, “Lamah nigara? How come I want to be like the man?” What is the answer? You are not. That is the answer. The answer is that the pasuk is not that way. So how could they come and say, “Lamah nigara”?

# The Sifsei Chachamim’s Explanation of Rashi

The Sifsei Chachamim explains that this is what Rashi meant to answer in pasuk zayin: “Ain kachim krovim bitumah.” Why did he tell them that? Kachim cannot be brought in tumah. You are tamei.

They answered: “Yizarek adam aleinu v’kohanim tahorim, v’yei’achel habasar aleinu v’kohanim tahorim.” We won’t do any of the avodah here, which means the zrikas hadam will be on us with kohanim tahorim, and the achilah will be on us with kohanim tahorim. Yet we will be menuyim; we will at least be part of the chaburah.

They wanted something. “Lamah nigara” — give us something.

So the Sifsei Chachamim says that this part of Rashi is to answer the question: how could they come and say they want to have a part in the Korban Pesach? Don’t they know that a tamei cannot? What do you want? And the answer is: you’re right, they knew that they could not have zrikas hadam, and they could not have the achilah. But at least let them be menuyim. Korban Pesach works that way: you can be part of the chaburah, and then the people in the chaburah eat the Korban Pesach. So let them at least be part of the chaburah.

# The Rambam in Hilchos Korban Pesach

This is how the Sifsei Chachamim learns the Rambam in Hilchos Korban Pesach, perek vav, halachah aleph. He says a very, very interesting peshat, very interesting. Usually it is only aleph sefer, but here he comes out...

# The Rambam on “B’yoyim Hahu”

Of his derech, he explains the pesach. He says that this is the pesach in the pesach. When it says, why does it say *b’yoyim hahu*? They were tamei, so they couldn’t make the Korban Pesach. It’s a Rambam. So why *b’yoyim hahu*? Don’t say *b’yoyim hahu*; just say Korban Pesach. And then it says *b’yoyim hahu* again. What is the *b’yoyim hahu*? What is the hadgashah, the emphasis, of *b’yoyim hahu*?

The Rambam says that their shevi sholehem was on the 14th. So, yes, they couldn’t eat the Korban Pesach because it was the 14th. But at night, when the people are doing the eating, they are already tahor. They wanted to be able to eat, as they say, half credit. You’re right: by the shechitah we’re not tahor, but by the achilah we’re tahor. So that is the peshat in *b’yoyim hahu*.

Very nice Rambam. The Rambam is on Korban Pesach, but they wanted something. They were saying, listen, just because we can’t do the Korban Pesach because we’re tamei—what are you saying? The last day was the last day of Erev Pesach. I mean, they missed it by shechitah. Yes, right. But the chiddush is that the Rambam learned that that was their ta’anah. I understand. The chiddush is that that is what they were complaining about. The Rambam and the Gemara were because of this.

# The Sifri and Or HaChaim

The Sifri and the Or HaChaim learned a little differently. They learned that they claimed, for a charev mitzvah is geireretz mitzvah; mitzvah is not geireretz haderech. Why did they become tamei? They became tamei because they were carrying the aron of Yosef. According to one man de’amar, they were carrying the aron of Yosef, and according to another man de’amar, they were carrying the aron of Nadav and Avihu. They carried out the bodies of Nadav and Avihu, right.

There are two peshatim in the Gemara in Sukkah. Either they became tamei—no, no, no, they had to carry them out of the Kodesh. Someone had to schlep them out. They died in the Mishkan, and someone had to carry them out. So according to one man de’amar, who carried the aron of Yosef? He’s tamei. According to another man de’amar, they carried Nadav and Avihu. So they claimed, *lama nigara*, because of a mitzvah. How could it be that we went and did a mitzvah? We did what the Ribono Shel Olam asked us. We chose to help carry the aron of Yosef. How could it be that this should cause us that we shouldn’t be makriv the Korban Pesach? That’s how the Sifri and the Or HaChaim learned.

# The Chizkuni and Tumah Hutrah

The Chizkuni learns that the pesach is a little different. You know what they were complaining about when they were in Mitzrayim? They were tamei. The first year they were tamei. Tumah hutrah. *Lama nigara*? I don’t see it. What was all the time? All the time was tumah. All of a sudden now it’s a problem, the tumah?

The Chizkuni learns that they were—do you have it with you, the Chizkuni? *Lama nigara.* Okay.

While he finds it: ah, some mefarshim want to say that. Some mefarshim want to say that they were tamei for tzaddikim. Go ahead, read it. Okay, but whatever it is, they were saying: why is it different than Pesach in Mitzrayim? I don’t understand. All of a sudden, all of a sudden it’s a problem. That was what they were complaining about. That was their question.

Tumah hutrah is different because you need tzibbur. Here there wasn’t tzibbur. If you look at the Shem MiShmuel, the Shem MiShmuel explains, *ma yitzaveh Hashem lachem*—*lachem* is you, individuals. The question of chiluk was tumah hutrah, but this is not tzibbur.

# Tumah Hutrah B’Tzibbur and the Meaning of the Lechem

Everywhere. Tumah hutrah b’tzibbur is everywhere. There was no Israel in B’tziraim. The question was that they were asking: let it be tumah hutrah. The terrorists said it’s not; it’s only b’tzibbur, a few people. That is how the Shem MiShmuel learns the lechem. It wasn’t a plural, it wasn’t many, it was just lechem, a few.

Okay, so we have here many, many peshatim, you hear? And some want to say what he said. They complained. It’s an interesting lechem. They didn’t say... So some want to say, Hashem—we will soon learn. The Arizal HaKadosh brings this down. The Shlah speaks about it at length, that they wore gilgul. They both had gilgul of Adam. All right, we’re going to discuss this a little later. So if you behave and you learn through the Rishonim, the difficult part, you’ll get a prize at the end. I’ll tell you about the Arizal HaKadosh, the peshatim, the Shlah, and the Chida. I’ll tell you some interesting Torah. Interesting Torah. All right?

# Why Could They Complain?

So again, the question was: how could someone complain if that’s the halachah, that’s the halachah? Could a woman say... They try to. The women’s liberation movement tries to say... And the truth is, for them, you don’t even have to give an answer, because the answer is self-evident. These people are a lower class, a degenerate class of humans. No, usually they are. They have emotional, psychological problems, and therefore they need to be liberal; they need to be able to be shavah b’shavah. Yeah, that’s right. Rashi’s daughters used to wear tefillin officially. All right, but that’s not the point, because all sh’eilah. It’s not important. It’s irrelevant for the conversation.

The point being that a person whose tumah should not come to complain, because that’s the halachah. So we said over many terutzim. Terutz number one: they didn’t want to have the actual korban to be... We’re starting over again. How could you complain? So that’s why you can’t have the korban pay. What are you complaining about? That’s the halachah.

So the Sifsei Chachamim explains that that’s what Rashi means by saying that they’ll have the blood sprayed for them, on others, by others, and then the Kohanim will eat it. They’re not going to have anything to do with the avodah. They’ll just be part of it. They’ll be considered part of the chaburah.

Second terutz we said, from the Rambam, that it was the seventh day. The seventh day was the day of shechitah, so by night already they were pure. So it’s a problem, because the shechitah was pure, but the achilah was pure. So that’s what the pasuk means. I’m sorry, we said from the sipur in Aruch HaShulchan that the pshat is... So how could it be that somebody... Donny, I have to repeat it for you, I’m sorry. I have to. Donny, come special to learn. I come special from Lakewood, and Donny comes special to learn.

Tell me: a person who has no hand, can claim that he wants to do avodah in the Mikdash, to be a Kohen Gadol? I have no hand. You know they have this today, it’s very interesting. Guys who don’t have feet still want to run the races and play the golf; they go with the golf cart, you know. They tie the lamani gara, lamani gara. Lamani gara. We should guide you. Special Olympics. Olympics. No, if you want to have a special Olympics, for that it’s fine, but you can’t. What do you want? Imagine a baseball player: he has no feet, he has no hands, lamani gara. I’m here, welcome. He doesn’t have the keilim; what do you want? You’re tamei. If you’re tamei, you’re tamei. What do you want? Then you yourself say, we are tamei, we don’t care.

Yitzi, I wanted to know: when somebody—no, no, when somebody is an invalid, he’s missing his legs and his arms, or whatever, should he be part of the sports world? Should he come and say, lamani gara? Listen, what do you want from me? I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that. I want that.

# The Question of the Temimim

I want. You don’t have the kelim, you can’t do it. If you tell me, what do you want? So the Sifsei Chachamim says in Rashi that this is what Rashi means: “Yizareik adam aleinu v’kahanim tahorim, v’yokhlu haPesach v’yokhlu hu.” Not us. We won’t have anything to do with the Avodah. But at least let us be menuyim. Let us be included, included in the chaburah.

The Rambam in Korban Pesach says that it was the seventh day, and “v’yokhlu haPesach v’yokhlu hu,” because that night already, the night after seven, they were already tahor. So the shechitah was b’zman tumah, and the achilah was b’zman taharah. The question, then, is: let us at least be able to eat, because it is b’zman taharah. That is how the Rambam learns their question. No, that is what he is saying: we cannot be makriv. You are right, we cannot do the shechitah, but at least let us do the eating, because it is b’taharah.

# Other Ways to Understand Their Complaint

Now, the Sipur Nara Chayim learned that they complained: “Hayitachen? We carried the Aron of Yosef,” or, according to one man de’amar, “we carried out Nadav and Avihu. Lama nafsid? Asinu mitzvah, mitzvah goreret mitzvah, and it is not mitzvah goreret aveirah, it is chisarון ruchniyus. How could it be? I want to be makriv korban Hashem.”

The Chizkuni learns that they complained about something very simple. They said: I don’t understand. Until now, they anyway did it b’tumah. The Korban Pesach was nikrav b’Mitzrayim b’tumah. Why? Because there was too much of a tzibbur, or, as we spoke, perhaps there was not even a nisayon yet. The Chizkuni says there was no issur; the Pesach in Mitzrayim was not asur b’tumah. It was only l’doros that it became asur b’tumah. All of a sudden now it is asur. Last year we were temei’im, everybody was able to do it, and they made a whole Pesach seder out of it. And all of a sudden now we are single people? How come we can’t do it this year? Yechidim. Why not? Pesach Mitzrayim was b’tumah. Sure it was. This is all nice drush, but pashut pshat? But they weren’t single people. What do you want? They were single people. The Chizkuni says clearly...

Listen, I didn’t invent the Chizkuni. I didn’t find it. I didn’t write it. I didn’t even recognize it. It is just what is written there, and he is right about it. B’tumah, in Mitzrayim they did it b’tumah. So they complained: what is new now that all of a sudden we can’t do it b’tumah?

All right. This Rabbi Pesach is Pesach from the Rishonim. Now let me tell you what the Ba’alei Mussar say. The Ba’alei Mussar say no. You are right, the question has no pshat. There was no reason in the world they should ask to be makriv Korban Pesach knowing that they were temei’im. So why did they ask? Afal pi kein, afal pi kein: “Ribono shel Olam, we want it. Why am I angry? You are right, there is no makom for us to be makriv Korban Pesach. But what can we do? We want. We want. We want so much. What do we do? What do we do?” This is all the Ba’alei Mussar speak.

Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen puts a very nice Kabbalistic touch to it. He says like this: Pesach Rishon was his’orerus de’le’elah. Hashem told them to be makriv. Pesach Rishon came about through his’orerus de’letata; it had to come from the Torah root, from people from here: we want, we want Pesach Rishon. Pesach Rishon, his’orerus de’le’elah; Pesach Rishon, his’orerus de’letata. We’ll soon explain why. But before we get to the why, let’s discuss this topic.

Could a person have his’orerus de’letata even for something which is not shayach? Imagine a person says to himself, I want to do that avodah of the Beis HaMikdash. Yes, but you’re not a kohen. Could a person say that? What do you say, Rafal? Could a person stand by the thing? You know the famous story, that a guy once...

# A Kohen Cannot Be Bought

Once there was a man who went to a Rav. You know the story: he wanted to be a Kohen, and he was ready to pay all the money in the world for it. The Rav said, “I can’t make you a Kohen.” The man pleaded, begging with his bag of money. “Why do you want this?” the Rav asked. He answered, “Because my father was a Kohen, my grandfather was a Kohen, my great-grandfather was a Kohen — I also want to be a Kohen.”

What is the point of the story? You know the story already. But the point is that you can only be a Kohen if your father is a Kohen. You can pay all the money in the world, but if you are not a Kohen, it will not help. If you are not a ben Kohen, it is not going to work.

Imagine a person comes and says: the ruchniyus, the ruchniyus. I can tell you that I am very jealous of Kohanim. Very jealous. I am tremendously jealous. He is a Kohen, and I am tremendously jealous. Why? I do not care about the first aliyah; that does not bother me. I do not care about pidyon haben either, those silver coins do not bother me. But Birkas Kohanim — that I am jealous of. Whenever I see Birkas Kohanim, I get jealous. I am serious. I am being very straight with you.

We have it. I sit there and say, “I wish I was a Kohen. I wish, I wish, I wish I could get up and say, ‘Klal Yisrael, I love you,’ and I am ready to be mevarech them.” Tremendous zechus. Tremendous zechus. I wish I had that all my life. If there is anything I am jealous of, I am not jealous of your cap, your gartel, your ring. Beautiful, beautiful — not jealous of it. You know what I am jealous of? I am being honest with you: I am jealous. I do not know, if you buy me a rugelach, I think I will go there.

The point is: can a person come and say, “I do not have the rights, I do not have the chutzpah, the halachos are not behind me, yet I want, I want, I want — Yisrael, I want”? Could you do such a thing?

# Ein Od Milvado Beruchniyus

I saw in Sefer Melitz Yosher, from the Rebbe Melamed, that he brings from Rav Chatzkel. His whole sefer is to quote Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, all the things Rav Chatzkel said, word for word, every nekudah. A beautiful sefer. A beautiful sefer. A great tzaddik; he was a talmid of Rav Chatzkel Levenstein. He writes that Rav Chatzkel Levenstein said that from this parashah we learn that just as there is a yesod of ein od milvado in this world — that you receive whatever you have bitachon in — so too there is a yesod of ein od milvado beruchniyus. Beruchniyus too.

“Ribono shel Olam, I do not know. I do not know how I can get there. I do not know; it does not make sense, I do not see any possibility. But I know ein od milvado. You can help me. In beruchniyus, You can help me.” It is a chiddush, you hear? Ein od milvado is even in beruchniyus. And we learn it from this parashah. It is a nice Rav Chatzkel; keep it in mind.

# Hillel and the Poor

I want to tell you something further. He brings there that Rav Chatzkel says: the Gemara in Yoma, daf lamed vav amud beis, says that Hillel is mechayev the aniyim. Hillel is mechayev the aniyim. How is Hillel mechayev the aniyim? He was very poor. He was an ani. What did he do? He went up on the roof and froze. So Hillel is mechayev the aniyim.

He asks a very nice question: any ani is going to say, “I am not Hillel. What do you want from me? If I could be Hillel...” And the teretz is: yes, you could. If you really wanted, you could. Whoever wants can get to wherever he wants. There is no excuse of “I am not Hillel.”

# The Rambam and Fulfilling One’s Tafkid

The Rambam brings in the Seder Torah. Everybody talks about this Rambam. What does it mean that you can be like Moshe Rabbeinu? Literally? Mamash like Moshe Rabbeinu? Some say, Rav Chanan says, it does not mean mamash like Moshe Rabbeinu, but it means you can fulfill your tafkid like Moshe Rabbeinu. Which means you will still be the same simple Jew, saying Tehillim or whatever you do. No, really. But that is your tafkid, and you can fulfill your tafkid. And Hashem will look at you and say, “Look at him — he is just like Moshe Rabbeinu.” But it does not mean literally to be as great as Moshe Rabbeinu.

# Reaching Beyond One’s Present Level

From here you see that perhaps a person can go on the *ma’alah* from his *tafkid shalom*. Perhaps the Rambam is saying—I do not know whether he can be in *hanhaga* like Moshe Rabbeinu; that is a somewhat touchy topic—but one thing is clear: you do not have to learn that a person can fulfill his *tafkid* only in *sheleimus*. Rather, a person can go beyond his *tafkid*. A person can reach high *madreigos* if he wants.

That is what we are learning here from Abkhasya. A person who is *tamei* can come and say, “I want more. I am not satisfied.” They could go home and say, “*Patur*.” Especially why did they become *tamei*? Because of a mitzvah. So they could say, “What do you want from me? I am finished.” *Klapei Shmaya*, they were clean; they did nothing wrong. *Yotzei lechol ha-dei’os*. Yet what do they say? We want more.

You see that a person can go *me’al*, above his capability and his *matzav*, and ask for more. That is what Rabbi Chatzkel is learning. That is the *peshat* of Hillel: look at yourself and say, yes, like the *Rambam* says, *chayav adam lomar, matai yagia ma’asei lema’asei avosai Avraham Yitzchak v’Yaakov*. You can be like Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.

We are learning here that a person can be more than just Aaron Wolfin and Nissan Gavrielov—what is your first name again? Baruch. You can be much greater. That is what it says: a person can come and say, “I know this is what it looks like, that I cannot do more, but I can. *Lamah nigara*, Hashem? I want more.”

# The Pasuk in Devarim

I want to tell you a tremendous *yesod*. The pasuk in Devarim, perek lamed, pasuk yud-bet, says a *chidush niflah*. Perek lamed, pasuk yud-bet—*chidush niflah*. You ready? Oh yes. I am not looking at Devarim; I am looking at the Bible. Who is going to get it for us? Read the pasuk, perek lamed, pasuk yud-bet.

Now, what is this mitzvah referring to? Some say it is referring to teshuvah, and some say—Rashi learns—that it is referring to all the mitzvos. A mitzvah means all mitzvos. Go ahead, read. Keep in mind the word *rechoka*, and by the *tamei* in the parashah over here it says he is *b’derech rechoka*. Keep that in mind. Wait a minute, go ahead. Who is going to jump to the skies to get it for us? Says Rashi, because if it were not in the skies, he would have to go get it. Go ahead, read it. Read the Rashi. That is it—he got the top of the Chumash. What do you want? You have to get the Chumash with the Rashi. It is all right.

# What We Learn from Rashi

Rashi says: so what do we see from here? We see a tremendous thing. It would be *shayach* to go. Could you imagine? Now we know that people went to the moon. Imagine 200 years ago telling a person that he would have to go to the moon to get the Torah—he would think you are crazy. Today we have an airplane. Imagine before the airplane: who would think you are crazy? You are going to get to the skies to get it?

I want to tell you something, a very interesting point. I said that I grew up in a home where every other word was, “What would the Chofetz Chaim say?” What would the Chofetz Chaim think? We all know that when the tape recorder came out—not the MP3, the tape recorder—when the tape recorder came out...

# Science, recording, and lo ba-shamayim hi

The Chafetz Chaim said that there is a reason for this science, for this invention. Why did Hashem give it to people? A Jew should be able to recognize and realize that it is possible to say one word here and that it is recorded and kept. It does not go to ibud; you can keep it, and it remains. A person speaks of this world, but do not think the Ribbono Shel Olam does not record it and keep it, and then play it back to you when you come to Shamayim. This is why Hashem gave us this invention of science.

I always thought to myself that if the Chafetz Chaim would have seen the way they landed on the moon, he would have said: why did they land on the moon? Because it is possible. *Lo ba-shamayim hi* means that if it were *ba-shamayim*, you would have to say that you have to jump to the shamayim to get it. So why is it? Why does Hashem need, or why does Hashem give the koach, for NASA astronauts to go to the moon? What do you have from the moon? It is bad enough that they destroyed this world; they have to go there to destroy the moon also? Maybe on the other side of the ocean. But *ba-shamayim* means that if it would be in the skies, you would have to go get it. Who is going to go get it?

And you know what the answer is? Hashem showed you that if the ratzon is there, they can make a rocket. You hear? The rocket goes to the moon. If you want it, you are able to get a rocket. The reason why Hashem gave us the invention, perhaps, is like the tape recorder, to teach a Yid: *lo ba-shamayim hi*. You would have to jump to the shamayim, but you can do it. If you want, you can do it.

I was thinking further: the satellite—why does Hashem give the invention of a satellite? You know what a satellite is? They send this machine to the moon, to the orbits, and it takes little pictures. Every movement that anybody makes, every detail—it is amazing. If they want to spy on you, they come and see every time you move your hat or your jacket; they can see it. And you know why? Because if a Yid ever thought to himself, do you think Hashem sees everything? So Hashem gave us this invention to show you: if NASA can do it, why can’t I do it?

So you know what the next invention coming is? A machine that will be able to tell the inside, the feelings, and the ergesh of a person.

# Hashem yir’eh la’levav and modern technology

Before we have that, I just want to talk one second. I just want to tell you, unless you say that there is a pasuk about that. The pasuk says that by Shmuel, when he wanted to nominate Eliav to be the melech, what did he say? *Neged Hashem meshicho*, this is it, this is the one opposite the anointed one. So Hashem said this is not it. Why? *Adam yir’eh la’einayim, vaHashem yir’eh la’levav.* Hashem sees. So maybe only that—maybe Hashem lets everybody see outside, but on the inside Hashem is not letting anybody go there. Maybe.

But they do have interesting technology that is able to monitor brain movement and feelings. I do not know if they can identify what the feelings are, but I think they can even identify sad feelings and happy feelings. They are able to do it with the brain waves. It is coming, it is coming, Rabbi Yisai. And then you cannot come and say, well, how does the Ribbono Shel Olam know what I am thinking? The teretz is that if you can go to the corner store and for 25 cents they will tell you what you are thinking—put your finger in the machine and they will tell you you are thinking happy thoughts and sad thoughts—so what is your kasha that the Ribbono Shel Olam knows? *Hashem yir’eh la’levav.* It is coming soon in the supermarket nearest to you.

# Rabbi Chatzkel and domem

Now, Rabbi Chatzkel goes one step further. He says: take a look. We are not even talking about people. How about domem? How about objects? Could an object go beyond its koach? Yaakov Avinu—that is his raya. The stones, what did they want? The stones wanted that they should be a lion if tzadik is roshai. Stone. So what did Hashem make? It all turned into one big stone. How could such a thing be? And the teretz is because they wanted it.

# The Wanting of a Stone

However you explain a stone wanting, it is very hard to explain. In Kabbalah, though, it is explainable. I can explain it to you. The point is that the wanting, the *la yaniyach*, changes its whole *mahus*. A daime, a chair, a table—its whole *mahus* changes.

About what? Yes, I did not know this. It says Chazal, the stone family—it is old. I did not know this. I will look at it afterward. I will talk about it. I will look it up. I did not know this Chazal. Good, same gemara, beautiful, excellent. Mitzvashem after the shiur, we are going to look it up, you hear?

The rock is able to say what? That is something else already. That is already something else. This is a point that it is *shayach* for a rock to say, “I want to be the one to kill Goliath. I am going to be the one. I will do what I have to do, *favaynis Hashem*,” and therefore it happens. Unbelievable.

# Reb Michal Feinstein on “You Did Not Go Up”

I once heard a gevaldige pshat from Reb Michal Feinstein. Reb Michal Feinstein was the nephew of Reb Moshe, and he was a giant in learning, a giant. He was the son-in-law of the Brisker Rav, the oldest son-in-law. Reb Michal was from the Mir, from the Gra. He said: let us take a look at Parashas Shemos, Chumash Devarim, perek hei, pasuk hei. Moshe says, “I am standing as an arbitrator between me, you, and Hashem.” Go ahead, yes? “To tell you the *dvar Hashem*,” continue. “He erased them, because you were scared.” And you did not go up to the mountain.

Now let me ask you a question: was this a fact, or was this a *ta’ana*? Was this a complaint against us? Pashut, it is a complaint, right? He is saying, you did not go up, and I had to stand in between you, right?

Ask Reb Michal Feinstein: I do not understand. There was a mitzvah not to go. It was a *hagbalah*. What was the pasuk talking about? Of course I did not go up; I was not supposed to go.

He says, you know, I thought you were not supposed to go. You should have gone anyway. You should have gone anyway. You should have wanted. The *ta’ana* is, even though there is not a *ta’ana*. Why did you want? You should have wanted. You should have wanted.

You are right, the mitzvah, the Torah says not to make a karban on Pesach. But they came and complained, they wanted. Remember I told you this *dvar*? And what happened? Hashem changed around the whole Kabbalah, because they said, if you want, if you want, if you want. That is right, it says. That is right. You should have wanted it.

I know, that is what he is saying, it is a chiddush. No, that is a chiddush. The chiddush is, I am ready to get chiddush. I wish I could be there. No, no, no. It is like somebody who stands there who is not a Kohen and says, “I wish, I wish I could go up to be duchan.” I know the mitzvah is not to do it, so I will not do it, but I can wish. So I want to say, I am ready to get Pesach. Yes, I want to say, I am ready to get Pesach. You ready?

# Ma’aseh, Kavana, and Ratzon

Ma’aseh, actions, are not defined by the act, but by the *kavana* and the *ratzon* that you put into the act. You could not go, you hear? But wanting to go—that is as if you went. And vice versa: you could go, and if you did not care so much about it, it is considered like you did not go.

What do I mean? I will tell you what I mean. They say over that Reb Chaim Brisker would say the following. What is called, what is called, what is called, what is called—Reb Chaim Brisker would say the following. What is called...

# Bent Torah Is About Ratzon

A bent Torah is not someone who knows how to learn, or even someone who learns. He said: just as a ganav is not someone who knows how to steal, but someone who steals, so the fact that a person knows how to learn does not yet make him a bent Torah. He has to learn.

And I want to add one step further: you know what makes a bent Torah? Not someone who knows, and not even someone who does, but someone who wants. That makes it better. The fact that you want to be mevakesh, you want it very much, that creates the bent Torah. That is what creates an eved Hashem.

It is not about wanting to come to daven, or even about davening; it is how much ratzon and how much feeling you put into the tefillah. It is not the act, it is what is in the act. It is how much regesh and ratzon you put into the act.

# Rebbe Yeruchem: Bakshu Fanav Tamid

I’ll tell you where I got this from. Rebbe Yeruchem, at the end of Parshas Balak, I believe on page Reish-Yud, says the biggest sod: “Dirshu Hashem ve’uzo, bakshu fanav tamid.” “Bakshu fanav tamid” — we are soon going to get back to this Rebbe Yeruchem. There are a lot of interesting points in it.

Rebbe Yeruchem says that the ikar is the bakshu tamid; you have to always be mevakesh. It is not enough just to do; you have to be mevakesh.

So he says that just like somebody who does not have and is mevakesh will get it, as we see from the parashah of Pesach Sheini, so too, lehefech, if a person is misrashel from some mitzvah she’yesh lo, if a person is misrashel in a mitzvah, this is how he ends the sichah. What are we saying? He is saying two things: just like when you do not have and you want, Rebbe Yeruchem gives, and it is called you want, I’ll give you; so too, if you have it and you do it, but you are misrashel in it, Rebbe Yeruchem takes it away.

So I learned this yesod: it is not about what you do, it is about why and how you do it.

# Chanukah and Mesiras Nefesh

Do you know that even on Chanukah we learned this? Why did Hashem take away the avodah? The Bach says because they were misrashel in the avodah. And how did they get back to avodah? The Bach says because they went with mesiras nefesh to get it back.

So avodah is all about not the doing, but the mesiras nefesh, how much you want, how much you wanted to.

# “Velo Alisem” and Ratzon

So I am saying this same yesod in “velo alisem.” I am explaining “velo alisem” because there was no ratzon. Maybe if you had ratzon it would be what? I do not know what it would look like, but it would be something different. Now it is noticeable: “velo alisem.” But I was not allowed to. But you did not want to. Had you wanted it, it would be considered what? “Alisem.”

Good, good. You hear, Reb Yitzchak? It is good. You are walking away with big stuff. This is a good goodbye present to you.

A person could do, but his heart is not in it; it is considered like not done. A person cannot do because he could not do.

# A Ma’aseh from a Beruchim

But you know what? Since you guys are such good guys and you stuck with me till here, I’ll tell you a nice ma’aseh. I am sorry to tell you that this ma’aseh is not from the storybooks that make things up. This story is from a beruchim, and a beruchim would not make up anything. It has to be real for it to be said over.

A beruchim says a very nice ma’aseh. You hear? A beruchim says that there is a rishon called Baruch She’amar. You know about this? There is a rishon called Baruch She’amar. So you think his first name was Baruch and his last name was She’amar.

# Baruch Sha’amar and the Meaning of Seeking

Sounds like Baruch Hai, or something like that—maybe Baruch Sha’amar. It’s a nickname, says Rabbi Yerucham. Why was he called Baruch Sha’amar? It’s here, Rabbi Yerucham. He used to come in with Baruch Sha’amar.

No, he says like this. Listen carefully to what he says. He says, Rabbi Yisrael, this Baruch Sha’amar was a yeled katan, an orphan. He knew nothing, nothing, nothing from his father and mother. The only thing he knew was Baruch Sha’amar. So he went into the Beis Knesses, opened up the Aron Kodesh, and cried and said, Baruch Sha’amar. He became one of the Rishonim, you hear?

So I want to explain the story. He understood that his whole Torah came from that Baruch Sha’amar that he said. Therefore he named the sefer Baruch Sha’amar. Yes, sefer berishon echad. It’s from the Rishonim. But you hear, Rishonim, Baruch Sha’amar. Do you hear what this is? I mean, you knew this. I just came for this. There was a sefer, the Rishonim, Baruch Sha’amar. You hear? Why? He opened up the Aron Kodesh, cried, and said Baruch Sha’amar. He said Baruch Sha’amar, and he understood. I’m explaining to you the story. He understood that all of his greatness came from that, only because he was mevakesh. Mevakesh, mevakesh. Because he was mevakesh, you hear? Rabbi Yerucham.

## Why Everything Depends on Desire and Effort

All right. Why is it that way? Why is it that everything is talui on the ratzon? Why is it lefum tza’ara agra? Why is it all about how difficult it is, how much yegiah, how much mesiras nefesh, and how much do you want? Why is it that way?

So let me read to you the beginning of that, Rabbi Yerucham. Ah, I got it: “Dirshu Hashem v’uzo, bakshu panav tamid.” Ma’ayin inyan dirshah zu? Lama tzrichim levakesh es Hashem? Why does Hashem make it this way? Could you imagine? You have a shidduch, married to a lady, and the only way you could get to talk to her is if you put effort into it. You have to try hard, and you have to put in all your mesiras nefesh. Why can’t you just be nimtza? I don’t understand. If you like me and I like you, just be nimtza, no?

Well, imagine if your wife tells you, “You want to talk to me? Not that easy. I want you to walk down the block in the freezing snow, and then call me on the phone from over there.” Why? “I want to see how much bakashah, how much you really want.” I can tell you that the next day there will be a divorce in the rav’s house. That’s how the wife talks. No makom for shalom bayis. So why would Hashem do that to us? “I want to see, I want to see. I’ll give you yisurim. I want to see how difficult.” What do You want from me? I love You. What are You doing to me? What do You want?

He doesn’t ask you. Of course, Rav Yerucham doesn’t give this mashal, right? I just have to say that this is for El Simcha, to give you guys a little bit of entertainment. But the mashal is good. You hear the mashal.

All right. Why do you need to ask Hashem? Without finding yourself, you will not be able to find Him. And so it says, why do you need to call Hashem? I have to call Hashem? Hashem knows that He’s right here. Hashem knows everything that’s in my heart. I have to go call Him? So what do you need it for? Hashem is here. I have to call, I have to...

Okay. And if so, why do you need to ask Hashem? To find Him in general. You don’t have to say it like that. It says, Rav Yerucham, you don’t have to say it like that, because that’s how it is. Yeah, this is the way it works. That’s how it is. Because Hashem doesn’t do anything. Hashem does not give anything to anybody unless he first asks for it. Only after a person puts in a lot of effort. That’s when Hashem gives it, you hear? The way it works with ruchniyus,

# Gashmiyus and Ruchniyus

Not like by gashmiyus with your wife. With your wife, there is no reason that you have to show mesirus nefesh to get it. But by the Eibershter, you have to show an old davar ruchni. And he gives a gevaldige raya.

# The Size of the Luchos

How big were the Luchos? Anybody know how big the Luchos were? No? Six tefachim. It is a Gemara, a measure: six tefachim. Want me to bring you some water? Right, it is an amah, true. You are right. Six tefachim. He is right. I am sorry, I made a mistake. Six tefachim. Six tefachim. Six tefachim.

Says the Chazal, the Tanchuma, Eikev, eis yud alef: two tefachim Hashem gave to Moshe, two tefachim Hashem held in His hand, and two tefachim were in the middle. You ever hear of the sugya? Shh. You ever hear of the sugya of shnei yirchos and betelos? And kol d'alim gavar? You ever hear of that sugya? Yes. Anybody who learned by my father knows it, because my father drilled it into your head. Yes. All right, for the last ten years you are probably learning that sugya of kol d'alim gavar. Ten years ago, almost. But a good year or so, yizku, has learned those Gemaras, right? Yes.

So let me tell you: that is exactly how Matan Torah worked. Kol d'alim. Hashem wanted to see if Moshe Rabbeinu was going to grab it and take it. Yes. Says Rabbi Yerucham, you know why? Because daimei imanu, we think the Torah is not a gift to the people. Not so. Shezeh hu to yizgadel. HaKadosh Baruch Hu eino nosein ela im mevakshem imanu. Hashem only gives if you want. The derishah—you have to seek it. Ilmalei Moshech ha'atfah, if Moshe did not grab it, lo natanah lo HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Ah. It is Hashem avot. What? Hashem avot. He puts it out. He wants to see: are you going to put in the effort to grab it, to take it? I am not giving it to you. Torah is not given to you. Torah is Hashem giving you the ability to take it, with hamalus, with hamalus, with hamalus, with yegiah. Rizik, rizik.

# Dirshu and Bakshu

Rabbi, what is the chiluk between the word dirshu and bakshu? What does the word bakshu mean? Dirshu Hashem, bakshu panav tamid. What is bakshu? And why the word tamid? What is the word tamid? By the way, I hope you all know where it comes from, right? Bnei Haidu. Where is the beginning? Where do you say it? In Haidu. Where does it come from? It comes from Divrei Hayamim, right? People think it comes from Tehillim. It does not. It comes from Divrei Hayamim. Divrei Hayamim. No, Tehillim is different. Haidu is different. I am sorry, it is different. It is perek tezayin, pasuk ches: dirshu Hashem, and what is shh? Bakshu panav tamid. Okay?

So the question is: what does it mean, bakshu panav tamid? What does it mean? So let me tell you, rabbei. Let me tell you. What does the word mevakesh mean? There is a gevaldige vort from the Chofetz Chaim. I heard this from my zayde. My zayde told me from the Chofetz Chaim. A good vort. It says, yismach lev mevakeshei Hashem. What is called a mevakesh Hashem? What does it mean? Now what is yismach lev? You should be happy, those who are mevakshei Hashem.

# The Chofetz Chaim's Mashal

It says the Chofetz Chaim with a mashal: there was once a big gevir in the town, and he said that whoever wants to marry his daughter—he is afraid that he only wants to marry his daughter because of the money, right? So what does he have to do? If you wanted your son to marry my daughter, you have to come up with half the money for the chasunah. Like this I know you are not doing it for the money. That is right. I guess in those days already they started with this half, half. And who pays for the chasunah? The chasunah. All right, good.

Kitzur, they made a shidduch with Ploni, Chaim, David, whatever. Okay? And Chaim David put down a down payment, some of the money, and in two months he promised to give another third, and then in four months the last third. All right? Lemaiseh, when he came after two weeks, or a month, or whatever it is, he could not come up with the money. He says, give me another...

# The Gevir and the Meaning of “Almost”

Another month passed, and he still couldn’t come up with the money. A third time, after several attempts, the gevir said, “Obviously you can’t do it. The shidduch is finished.”

Later, the girl married someone else, and they had a baby boy. They made a bris in town, and they began inviting everyone who had some connection to this gevir. The gevir said, “Why don’t you invite Chaim Tobit? He was almost your mechutan. He almost had his son marry your daughter.”

The answer came back: “No, I only invite people who are actually connected to me.”

“So,” he said, “but he almost married your daughter.”

The gevir replied, “If I would invite every fellow who wanted to marry my daughter and almost did, I’d have to invite the whole town. Either you’re my mechutan or you’re not my mechutan. That’s it. Either yes or no. If I invited everyone who almost married my daughter, I’d be inviting every guy in town.”

He said that this only works in this world. In the next world, almost and wanting are just as good. Who should be happy? Even those who didn’t reach it. Even the wanting to marry, even the wanting itself.

“You like it?”

“Yeah. In this world, almost doesn’t count. Could you imagine giving a fellow a pair of shoes that you fixed, and he says, ‘I couldn’t do the job. I almost got it. I almost fixed it.’ So what, you can pay me anyway? Buddy, it’s either a full job or nothing.”

And the father says, be happy. The Chafetz Chaim says it too: in the next world, you get a salary. In this world, they don’t get a salary for that world. Either you finish the job and you get paid, or you didn’t finish and you don’t get money for effort. What isn’t there, isn’t there. The father says you get a salary for that world; be happy.

# Bakshu Panav Tamid

All right. Now I understand Pesach. Sometimes it’s out of your reach. It’s out of your reach. But I felt Pesach came back to you. You have to want it anyway. And that is tamid: don’t give up. Don’t give up, don’t give up, don’t give up. Tamid, bakshu panav, tamid, tamid, tamid. The bikush, the search, the fight to get there, the whole life, tamid. It’s not, “Today I tried.” Try again. “I tried again.” Try again. Your whole life was given, day after day, to reach: bakshu panav, tamid, tamid.

That’s what I want to add to the Chofetz Chaim’s beautiful mashal.

# Pesach Sheni and Rashi

So now we have learned that if a person comes and says, “I want,” the answer is, “Yes, my child, you will get.” And therefore, maybe this is even a whole new parsha: Pesach Sheni.

You look at Rashi. Rashi’s mashal is that Pesach Sheni was in the workings anyway. No, it says clearly in Rashi’s mashal that Pesach Sheni was supposed to be given anyway. There’s that guy through whom it came. The Tzadik HaKohen learns that actually it came through their effort, through their ta’anah and through their teshukah. He is mechadesh, you hear? He is mechadesh. Yitzchak Shuz Din, he calls it. Yitzchak Shuz Din, korban Pesach. A new din, a new parsha, korban Pesach — the Tzadik HaKohen.

What does he do with this Rashi? All right, we’ll talk about that maybe a different time. Maybe there is a way to learn the Rashi even according to the Tzadik HaKohen’s peshat. But either way, it’s not just that there would have been a parsha of Pesach Sheni anyway. He is mechadesh. What? What were they mechadesh? Hono hidash. Now if you want, shhh.

# A Hasidic Idea from the Badditcher

Now, if you want, I can tell you a Hasidic idea from the Badditcher. I heard this from my grandfather: what was to be renewed? Even someone who is far away—far away as you are—can always come and say, “I want to be a sheikh; why should I stay?” The vilty hacker, you like it?

Now I told you, pay attention to the words. A person can be far, far, far, very far, says the Badditcher, and still he can always come and say: no matter how far you are, no matter where you are, no matter how far a Jew is, he can always say, “Hashem, all I know is Baruch She’amar; that’s all I know. Hashem, give me Torah, give me Torah, give me Torah.” This was nitchadesh in the parashah. With this I want to explain a few nice diyukim.

# “Imdu ve’eshma”

You notice what Moshe tells them: “Imdu ve’eshma, mah yitzaveh Hashem lachem.” First of all, “Imdu”—what do you mean, “Imdu”? They should stand here and wait? You have to let me talk? “Imdu,” stand here, right? I mean, where else should I stand? What is “Imdu”? Stand, wait, “ve’eshma”—come on, what is the “Imdu”?

Second of all, by B’not Tzelafchad, if you notice, he didn’t tell them, “Wait here and I’ll give you an answer.” When they came to complain that they wanted yerushah, it says that he went to ask Hashem. That’s all it says, nothing more. He doesn’t go back and tell them, “Listen, wait, and Hashem will...” So the Torah Temimah explains, “Al tara b’sicha me’isha.” Here they’re men, so you can talk to them and tell them, “Wait here.” Over there he was a rav; Moshe Rabbeinu was a d’mur. “Al tara b’sicha me’isha.” “V’tikra B’not Tzelafchad”—what does Moshe tell them? Nothing. He just says, “V’tikrav,” he brought mishpatim, “hayakim mishpatim lifnei Hashem.” He doesn’t tell them, “Wait here, I’ll give you an answer.” And the answer is: “Al tara b’sicha me’isha,” so you don’t want to talk to them so much, okay.

# A Different P’shat

The truth is, I would say a different p’shat. You know how I would say p’shat? I would say like this: what did they want? They wanted yerushah. Yerushah means something for yourself. I don’t know what Hashem will answer, but Hashem came over here that they wanted ruchniyus, and they said, “Lamah nigara.” Moshe was muftach that they would get an answer. He didn’t tell them, “I’ll go ask Hashem.” He told them, “Imdu ve’eshma”—stand here and listen to what Hashem wants from you. Hashem will tell you. Beautiful. Ani, ani, beautiful. That holds the emes p’shat: their want was so strong that Moshe Rabbeinu was 100% positive that they would be “imdu ve’eshma, mah yitzaveh Hashem lachem.”

And I want to say a little bit further. “Mah yitzaveh Hashem lachem”—what does “lachem” mean? The teretz is: “lachem,” special to you. This wasn’t according to the way Rabbi Tzadok learns; this was a direct response to them, because you want it, you want it, there’ll be a teretz, there’ll be some p’shat.

# Another P’shat from Rabbi Tzadok

Then I’m going to tell you over another p’shat from Rabbi Tzadok, that says “Imdu.” What is a “lachem imdu”? If you take a look, it says “Imdu.” So I want to say p’shat: Rashi says that asher yehudisha praises a person who gets a response right on the spot. You know, a lot of rabbanim, you ask them questions, you know what they say to you? “I’ll get back to you tomorrow. Let me look into it. I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t have to say, “I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” What does he say? “Imdu ve’eshma.” Stand right here; don’t go anywhere. You get your answer right on the spot. Rashi says asher yehudisha praises a person who’s able to say right now, “We’ll talk to Hashem; Hashem will talk to me.” So maybe that’s why it says “Imdu.” “Imdu” means don’t go anywhere; stand right here. He didn’t tell them, “I’ll get you an answer”—I’ll get you the answer when? Now. Now. Stand here; don’t go anywhere.

Rabbi Tzadok says a little different. You know, Rabbi Tzadok says, listen carefully: it was b’kedai just to come for this. You ready?

# Tefillah and the Answer of Ruchniyus

Shon tefillah. Amidah means prayer. Imdu — pray to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Start davening, and you’ll get your answer. Misha metz palel HaKadosh Baruch Hu, tuch tshuka, hu ratze ruchnis. That’s a good answer. Don’t worry. I’ll tell you, ma yitzaveh Hashem etchem. There will be an answer. It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable. You’re listening. Take it in. Imdu, stand here and daven, ve’esh ma’a. Then you’ll hear what Hashem says, because Hashem doesn’t say no.

I told this over to you: Moshe Rabbeinu davened, ke-minyan ve-etchanan, one more, Hashem would have what? Listen to him. Why? So the Kli Yakar says, not because of the s’char ha-tefillah. Everybody thinks it has to do with the s’char ha-tefillah. What is it? Because he wanted to go in there to Yisrael, to be mekayem mitzvos ha-teluyos ba’aretz. When a yid asks through tefillah, “I want ruchniyus,” the answer must be yes. The answer must be yes. The answer must be, yes. That’s why Hashem had to tell him to stop.

This, Rabbi Yisra’el, is the taich of Pesach Sheni.

# A Small Gift: Nadav and Avihu

Now let’s go a little further. I told you if you’re good boys, you’ll get the presents. I’ll give you a little matan, a gargir, a gargir. Okay, a gargir. You ready? Here we go.

We spoke that the people were tamei l’nefesh adam. So we said: from that Arizal, Adam — Adam is Adam HaRishon — that Nadav and Avihu were gilgulim from Adam HaRishon. So anachnu tamei l’nefesh adam, because the original nefesh was from who? It was Adam.

The Shloh says that Nadav and Avihu’s avodah was l’sakein, to fix Adam HaRishon’s chet. He explains, b’karvasam lifnei Hashem va’yamusu, and he goes with the mahalach that all the mekubalim go with, that they didn’t really do the many things the Gemara says — this aveirah, that aveirah — that’s not really what it is. What was the real problem? B’karvasam lifnei Hashem: they got so close that they became, as it were, disintegrated, part of ruachniyus. That’s how the Shloh and all the mekubalim explain it. That’s how they explain b’karvasam lifnei Hashem va’yamusu.

So what’s the pshat? Adam HaRishon and Nadav and Avihu are the tikkun, and the tikkun is because of b’karvasam lifnei Hashem. B’karvasam lifnei Hashem — what does the Shloh mean? What does the avodah mean? What does all of it mean?

# Korban Pesach as a Tikkun for Eitz HaDaas

Now I want to tell you another thing. There’s a beautiful piece from the Chida in Nachal Kedumim. The Chida says that the Korban Pesach is a tikkun for the chet of Eitz HaDaas. It’s a tikkun for the chet of Eitz HaDaas. In Nachal Kedumim, the Chida says that Korban Pesach is a tikkun for Eitz HaDaas. He explains that that is the pshat in v’ya’asu Bnei Yisrael es ha-Pesach. What does v’ya’asu mean? V’ya’asu — they did do, or v’ya’asu — they should do? It is v’ya’asu, that they should do it. He says, in a chiddush, that they would be commanded a second time for Korban Pesach. Originally they only had to bring one Korban Pesach, and that would have been the second chet of Eitz HaDaas. Then they did the eigel, and because of the eigel they had to come and do a second, the second Korban Pesach. So v’ya’asu Bnei Yisrael es ha-Pesach — a second tzivui. It was a tzivui.

So how does the Korban Pesach become the tikkun for Eitz HaDaas?

# Ta’avah de’Kedushah

Rebbe Yeruchem, in the Litvishe world, and there are many sefarim in the Chassidishe velt that speak about a very nice topic called ta’avah de’kedushah. Ta’avah de’kedushah. What does that mean? I’ll tell you how I said it in Lakewood, and everybody’s ears almost fell off. I said that the biggest ba’al ta’avah that I know is Reb Elyashiv. Biggest ba’al ta’avah. For you guys I would say the biggest ba’al ta’avah is Reb Ovadia Yosef. That’s how you talk about gedolim? Yes. They had ta’avah for learning. And for gashmiyus it’s not possible. It’s not shayach. It’s called ta’avah de’kedushah. There’s a certain thing called ta’avah de’kedushah. Ta’avah de’kedushah.

What was Eitz HaDaas? Michsavah le’einayim. Mitzar echad? There was ta’avah for what? There was ta’avah de’kedushah. I don’t believe for one second that Adam HaRishon tore kapo.

# Toivah of Kedushah and the Touch of Le’einai

He did not want to eat from the Eitz HaDaas because he thought that was daas, ladas toiv vara, yisra ke’Elokim. But there was one word that was a problem: **chisavahi le’einai**. By Shimshon we find that he also used such a lashon: **yesharahi be’einai**. The **be’einai** connotes that there was a touch — a touch of what? Of regularity, of time.

Rav Yerucham speaks at the end of Parashas Korach. He says in Yisra’el that toivah is a very dangerous thing because it can be used for the right thing, but in a split second it can mutate into toivah for bad things. He says Korach, he explains, was **toivah de’kedushah**. Korach meant tremendous. It gave, like, a mutation to kinah and toivah and other things. This is called toivah of tovah.

Now, **chisavahi le’einai**: the toivah was more, more. Adam was not satisfied and got angry with the ruchniyus that he had. He needed more, more chisavah, but it was le’einai. So what was Nadav and Avihu? Nadav and Avihu is **be’karvasam lifnei Hashem**. The toivah was for what? To get closer to the Aibershter, closer and closer and closer, more and more.

I want to tell you, Rav Yerucham speaks about them running up the ramp. Remember the story in Yoma and Tamid that they ran up the ramp, right, and he pushed his friend? He says, you think they were running up the ramp? It was because of the toivah of kedushah. They wanted, they wanted. But one mutation of toivah, for the sake of something, of kovod or whatever it is, made retzach. It took it and mamash made it, and he was able to kill the other guy. But the yesod, he says, was toivah of kedushah.

So Eitz HaDaas was toivah of kedushah, yet at one point there was a mutation of what? Le’einai. Nadav and Avihu were what? Toivah to the point of **be’karvasam**. They wanted more and more. They wanted to become mamash a part of the Aibershter. And he says this lastly — wait, that’s what we’re saying — but daas was le’einai. There was a touch, a touch of ratzon atzmi there. There was something else there. A touch.

# Korban Pesach and Hisoirus

Okay, Korban Pesach. No, you’re not interested in this? It’s not for you? Tell me about Korban Pesach. Were they temei’im or tehorim? The Chizkuni tells us they were temei’im. They were temei’im. Not only were they temei’im, we know that they were mem-tes sha’arei tumah, mem-tes sha’arei tumah. Yet we find **halalu ovdei avodah zarah, halalu ovdei avodah zarah**, even after the Korban Pesach. So then what happened? Halalu ovdei avodah zarah means that they were p’sul l’ovdei avodah zarah. So what changed with the Korban Pesach?

I want to say a word from the Gra. The Gra says, it is brought down in the Haggadah of the Gra, from the son of the Gra, b’shem the Gra: Why do we eat matzah? **Ki lo hispik b’tzeikam lehachmitz, ad sheniglah aleihem Hashem v’hotzi’em.** What does **ad sheniglah aleihem Hashem** mean? What does it mean? It has nothing to do with the pasuk. Why do we eat matzah? Because the bread did not finish baking. So why does it have to do with ad sheniglah aleihem Hashem? What does it mean?

He says from the Gra that Klal Yisrael had no idea why they would want all this. But the Ribbono shel Olam revealed Himself, **at sheniglah aleihem**. And at that moment that they saw Hashem, they said, we’re dropping everything and we’re going. He uses the lashon of the hisoirus, the chuka. They became awakened with a certain chuka: this is what we want, we want Hashem, and we’re going.

Korban Pesach was about hisoirus. But who began that hisoirus? **Hisoirus de’le’ela**. The Ribbono shel Olam did it. That’s what Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen tells us. We started with Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen: hisoirus de’le’ela.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. So the inyan of Korban Pesach is what? All about hisoirus, hisoirus, chuka, Hashem — even in the dumps of tumah. Yeah, in the dumps of tumah. What happened to Pesach Sheni? Pesach Sheni is, I want to end, so it’s much less than the tumah of Yisrael.

# Korban Pesach, Pesach Sheni, and the longing for Hashem

The tomb of Mitzrayim was the tomb of all the dirt of Mitzrayim, and yet the hisorerus, the teshuqah to do the Korban Pesach, the hakdamah of Korban Hashem, dragged us out of Mitzrayim, and we were able to do the korban. So, *anachnu temei’im le-nefesh adam* — it is only, “*Adam, lamah nigara?*” We also want; we also have the same hakdamah of Korban Hashem.

The mefarshim point out that it is only kodshim kalim. Why is it called Korban Hashem? Rav Gifta speaks about it in the sefer. Korban Hashem is only kodshim kalim. Why is it called Korban Hashem? The teretz is that it is more about Hashem than about the korban. We want Hashem. Hisorerus, teshuqah — we want Hashem.

Korban Pesach is the tikkun of the Eitz HaDaas, because it is about hisorerus to grow and to be misdabek with HaKadosh Baruch Hu. “Lech lecha acharai, l’midbar, be’eretz lo zeru’ah, lech lecha acharai.” The yesod of Korban Pesach, you can see, is that in Mitzrayim we followed Hashem. “Ritzoneinu liros malkeinu” — we are following Hashem. We are being misdabek in HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

Pesach Sheni was this yesod: “Lamah nigara?” We want Korban Hashem; we want to have sheichus to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. So what are we saying? With temei’im? In Mitzrayim they were temei’im. Which temei’im? Temei’im me-tesha’arei tumah. And still, they were able to say, “Nitorarnu cheshik ba’HaKadosh Baruch Hu,” and even though we are in that state, “lamah nigara?” Why are we any different?

This, rabosai, is the yesod of Pesach Sheni, Korban Pesach, the tikkun for the Eitz HaDaas, and this is the yesod that we have to learn.

# Life, tefillah, and reaching beyond one’s kochos

Life is “ba-shamayim hi.” The tirda of life is as if, “mi ya’aleh lanu ha-shamaymah hi?” It is not easy. Like it is easy to go to the moon, that is how easy it is to live life through its struggles, through its problems, and still keep the mitzvos. What is the answer? The answer is, “af al pi kein, you can do it.” That is the answer. Just as if it were “ba-shamayim,” you could do it, so too you can do it.

But the Torah here in Pesach Sheni gives you good advice, and that is: “Lamah nigara?” Come to Hashem and ask Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam, I need Your help, I need Your help.” What does Hashem do? He opens up new parshiyos, opens up new chapters, He opens up new worlds, so that a person can go and have this ruchniyus that he needs. You ask Hashem, “I need this ruchniyus, I need this learning, I need this; it is out of my reach.” No, it is not.

What do you do? You go to the Melech, Melechei HaMelachim, “imdu ve’eshma,” through tefillah. “Imdu ve’eshma,” through tefillah. You go and what do you do? You daven to Hashem, and you spill out your heart, as Rabbi Tzaddik says, and what do you have from it? You have from it “ma yitzav Hashem lochem,” a guaranteed answer on the spot. Rabbi Yehoshua might even be mechadesh an entire new parshah, an entire new mahalach, how you are able to get this avodah.

This, rabosai, is the lesson of Pesach Sheni. Be mekabel, be mekabel rabosai, above your kochos, things that you could not keep until now. But what? Daven. Daven to Hashem. You will see, He will help you. “Imdu ve’eshma,” He will be there for you. Yodak bimatzliach, and zocheh to be maleh to the madreigos that you have to.