Class One. Emuna is discussed in this class. The Ma’amar explains that a Goy has Emuna only on the level of Mimalei Kol Almin. He explains that even on this level there is a difference between Knowledge and Emuna. By Yidden there are three levels of Emuna: 1) From Mimalei, (here also the Yid’s Emuna...

Rosh means: 1) The Shechina 2) The highest levels of the Neshsma, This is explained in the context of three examples: 1) HaChacham Ainav biRosho (Roe’ Es HaNolad). 2) ViGula Al Rosha (Geula because the Shechina (which was in Galus with us) departs from Galus or the Neshama that though in Golus has Pintele that...

Class One. A meeting of Neshama and Guf must happen. The question is how compromised will the neshama become by the Guf. Four worlds, four degrees of compromise. Class Two. The four levels (the conclusion): Atzilus is like Oros and Kailim, Neshama and Guf (the body itself is alive). Briah is like Livush HaMiyuchad, thought,...

Class One. This class is about Dira BiTachtonim, 1) as the lowest world (the last to be created) it stands to be the purpose quite logically. 2) The higher worlds, though after the Tzimtzum, are A. have more light, B. Are created based on the return of the light, C. indirectly reveal the Etzem from...

There are two half Shekels: 1) The half that man gives: on the one hand everyone gives the same ten: the עשר כחות הנפש; on the other, there are a rich 10 (Atzilus) and a poor 10 (Asiya). 2) The divine 10 which are always the same. They follow the person’s 10 in regular people...

Class One. Class Two.

21. Ki Tisa 5734 (1st Ma’amar) Shekalim Ma’amar.This Ma’amar is unusual in the Emunah discussion.Avraham gives us Emunah on the levels of Mimalei and Sovev, and then fortifies it with ורעה אמונה Hisbonenus (in what motivates the thief).Moshe is told כי תשא את ראש he raises our heads- beyond the Hisbonenus (after Avraham’s Emunah that...

22. Ki Tisa 5734 (2nd Ma’amar) Parshas Tisa, Shushan Purim Ma’amar.This Ma’amar explains that Mordechai’s idea was Torah on the highest level: מאן מלכא רבנן, still he also needed a Bittul which is even higher than that.This is due to the fact that the levels of Torah of מאן מלכא רבנן has with it תוקף...

17. Ki Tisa (Shekalim Ma’amar) 5735

19. Ki Tisa 5736 (A Shkalim Ma’amar)We learned this Ma’amar backwards: first we learned all of the Biur (most of the Ma’amar) then we went back and asked each question (there are 11 of them) and found their answers throughout the Ma’amar.This Ma’amar holds that entire building of the Mishkan including collection Machatzis HaSheekl and...

20. Ze Yitnu 5736 (Another Shkalim Ma’amar)The Pardes explains that מחצית השקל doesn’t mean a half Shekel, but the halving of a Shekel; which sets up a meaningful exchange: the upper half inspires the lower half Shekel to be given and reunite (on a higher level) with the upper half of the Shekel. The Pardes...

Ze Yitnu 5737, Class One.Imtroduction, this is two Ma’amarim in one: an easier more typical Machatzis VaShekel Ma’amar and a very subte and deep (and unsusual) Machatzis HaShekel Ma’amar (based on a Yerushalmi that connects Ze Yitnu to Krias Yam Suf [Atik]).This class is the typical one:We give the lower half Shekel He gives the...

Ze Yitnu 5738 (Ma’amar of Parshas Shekalim). 1) Two half Shekels, you give a half and get whole (and there are many versions of this. In this Ma’amar, they are): the half of the Neshama in the body brings to us the half that is above the body.2) Everybody is the same (they give “only”...

This standard מחצית השקל מאמר has a typical approach with a completely novel aspect: The typical: no one is whole without another, thus we give half and the other half comes from outside of us. The atypical aspect is that we are commanded to give the “higher” half of Shekel called שקל הקדש the lower...

כי תשא means raising Yidden up in Teshuva, lifting in a way that is infinitely higher than before (even above the head). It must be done through Moshe. תרומה להי’ה means lifting from the bottom up, Teshuva, תרומת הוי’ה is bringing the infinity of the בעל תשובה into the finitude of the צדיק because he...

1) When counting is good את שדרכו למנות it makes it eternal and infinite, and when counting is no good, כל שדרכו למנות, counting limits and reduces. Counting lifts up and makes us whole. Yidden are a half חצי צורה and they are made whole by doing their own maximum. This raises their heads and...

Everyone gives half a Shekel which is ten Gaira. Still one is rich and another poor, because though each gives ten Gaira they are rich (in Atzilus) and poor (BYA). The higher ten is Adam (and people like him) the lower ten is ordinary people. The joining the higher and lower ten need to be...

This Ma’amar explores that Machatzis HaShekel has a message ‘klali’, we are a half and the other half is our schar- connection to Hashem. Three steps: 1) Bittul until Mesiras Nefesh as is indicated in the idea of 1) Ze Yitnu, giving with no constraint, 2) a half 2) Above the bittul is the ‘ten’...

The details of the Parsha of Machatzis Hashekel that are irrelevant beyond Moshe’s time (and beyond the Beis Hamikdash) need analysis. How are they also an eternal lesson? The Rebbe explains the idea that Torah is a Hora’a and a illuminated lesson for us to practice, not only to understand in some spiritual way. The...

Another Maamar Ki Tisa, this time on the Parsha. Ki Tisa here means T’shuva which is higher than the Avoda of a Tzadik or Beinoni and is the only reason there is even a possibility of sin by the average Jew. T’shuva is higher than 1) Right and Left: Mitzvos Asei and Lo Tase, 2)...

Machatzis Hashekel is a Klalis (all important) idea in Torah, as it is “Lichaper Al Nafshoseichem” (to atone on the Soul). It is different than Teshuva because Teshuva is the complete breaking down of the person, while Machatzis HaShekel and the Aron haKodesh (Torah) are only halving oneself. The idea is not to be broken...

Part One. Part Two.