Can You Correct A False Start?

1:42A boyfriend and a baby came out of it, even though she didn't go to the mikveh and she was a niddah. These people, it is said, are already coming into the world as criminals. So, you might say, "Oh, this neshamah is already coming into the world with its hands tied behind its back. How is this person ever going to become a tzaddik?" This person already came from a nidah; he was already born into the world from a sin, a big sin. How is it, or why does Hashem even allow these people to come into the world? Based on the commentary on the sefer of the Book of Job, chapter 14, verse 4, it is written in the story of Avraham Avinu. One of the things that we learn is that Avraham Avinu's father, Terach, was not only a Rasha before he did Teshuvah, but also a Machti Et HaRabim. He was causing the people to sin. Why? He was the Walmart of idolatry. He not only served idols himself, but he sold idols to people. He was a Machti Et HaRabim. He was causing the public to sin. That's Avraham Avinu's father.

3:09If that's not bad enough, the Arizal says that Terach was with Avraham Avinu's mother while she was niddah. And from that intimate act, Avraham Avinu was born. Meaning Avraham Avinu himself was a product of niddah. Now, even though it wasn't matan Torah yet... It wasn't a time of Torah yet. We know that Avraham Avinu had the entire Torah and so on, but the point is that it was an act that was not viewed favorably by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Meaning that Avraham Avinu fits this description, before he became Avraham Avinu, that the Gemara in Masechet Nedarim says. meaning his neshama came to this world with his hands tied behind his back. And then the Arizal elaborates, he says that from there we learn that when the neshama overcomes the obstacles by making itself holy, by sanctifying itself, not only does it elevate itself to a higher level and correct the deficiency that it has, originating from a forbidden relation, but if it elevates itself further, it can attain even greater spiritual heights.

4:35Not only does it elevate itself to a higher level and fix the deformity, if you will, that it has because of coming from a forbidden relation, but if it elevates itself, it also rectifies the previous generations. It also fixes those that came before it. Meaning, Avraham Avinu fixed the deficiencies of his father Terach. What do we learn from this so far? The more righteous you are, the more your parents will benefit. Even if your parents weren't exactly like Avraham Avinu. Why? The more you sanctify yourself, the more your neshama, even though you came from a state of nidah, you came from something impure, can be elevated. Don't think for a second that that's a negative thing. Why? Because you have an opportunity that others do not. What is your opportunity? You can elevate your neshama to a level where you not only elevate yourself, but you can also rectify those who came before you. You have the potential to ascend spiritually and effect positive change for previous generations.

5:49As we learn, he says, from the pasuk in the book of Iyov, chapter 14, verse 4, "Who can produce purity from impurity? No one." Now, the Arizal continues and says that, where is our proof of this? Our proof is that throughout history, we see that many of the Tzaddikim came either from Reshaim or Am Ha'aretz, complete ignoramuses, or outright Goyim, people that weren't even Jewish, idol worshippers in some cases. Some examples are Shmaya and Avtalyon. Shmaya and Avtalyon lived several generations before Rabbi Akiva. They were so extraordinary and so holy that, literally, the rules changed for them. Both of them were born Goyim. They became the biggest rabbis of their generation, giants, Kodesh Kodeshim. Rabbi Meir Baal HaNess was a convert. Rabbi Akiva was a convert.

7:15Ruth, the Moabite, the grandmother of the Mashiach, converted herself. The wife of Yehoshua Bin Nun, the convert. Many, many other tzaddikim throughout history, not just at that time, but even now, you see that HaKadosh Baruch Hu made these tzaddikim come from places that you would never imagine because our logic is, wait, he is a big rabbi because his father was a big rabbi and his grandfather was a big rabbi all the way to David HaMelech. Not necessarily. His father could potentially be a massive killer. His father could be a mass murderer. And he is tzaddik, yesod olam (righteous, foundation of the world). Why? He chose to elevate his neshama. We're very excited to offer you the new B'ezrat Hashem app 3.0. It's a newer, faster app, full of Torah, lots of kedusha in the shiurim that we give, myself, Rabbi Efraim, Rabbi Chaim, where you'll have also newer features where you're able to use the app

8:31While you're using other applications on your phone, you'll be able to share the lectures directly from the app. You'll be able to donate online and support our Kiruv and our Torah work that we're doing. And the most exciting feature is that you'll be able to actually ask questions directly on the app and get answers from the rabbis directly from the app. This is something unprecedented, and b'ezras Hashem, we will be able to offer it. Thank you again for all of your support. Check it out. Make sure you have the Kosher Torah that will re-energize your neshama each and every single day. Kol tuv b'hatzlacha.