How Holy Can We Get?
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Transcript
0:07hamidrash sefer al agudat ezov writes a sipur meza'aze'a, a story that shakes up anybody. It says that the mother of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha went to the mikveh one time and experienced a difficulty, to say the least.
1:19Suravya Yishmael ben Elisha zama v'natah d'hamikveh, shei dipht d'hamikveh, eizeh lo kedai yiga d'hamikveh, eizeh mamash tes mehel, reva milion dolar, d'puls, d'eizeh salon ein d', d'eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh eizeh. Tami goes back into the mikveh. Again, the whole process goes to the mikveh, comes out as a donkey, a chamor. Again, she goes back into the mikveh, comes out as a horse. Goes back into the mikveh, comes out another animal, a non-Jew, a goy, etc., all types of things. How many times? 80 times.
2:19It is said in the Midrash that she went to the mikveh that night, up to the point that the Malachei Hasharet, the angels in Shamayim, went and cried out to Hashem, Hashem Yitbarach, "Hashem, please, please, have mercy on this poor woman, have mercy on this poor woman. Look at the mesirut nefesh she has, she tried the ninth time to look at impurity, eight times going to the mikveh.” Hashem had mercy, and why did He? I sent the angel Gavriel himself to the mikveh. As soon as I saw the mikveh, the first thing I saw was the angel Gavriel. And that’s why Chazal say, the face of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha was identical to the face of the angel Gavriel. Identical, same face. Gemara Masechet Berakhot, daf 7a, says Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha went into the Holy of Holies. He got to the level, I can't even explain to you. Why? The Gemara says Rabbi Yishmael reached a point where Hashem Himself confronted him. Hashem, Yitbarach, confronted him. He said, "My son, bless Me."
3:40Hashem asked Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha to give Him a berachah. Ashem asked Rabbi Yishmael for a blessing. Tell me this. This tells us, my friends, that perhaps a person can reach such a high level, that maybe Hashem, blessed be He, might say, "I want your blessing." Do not overlook the name that might tell you a blessing. First and foremost, a blessing from a Rabbi. That's the connection and return to Heaven. But, my friends, this indicates to us, it is to tell us what kind of holy person you can become.
4:41Of course, with great potential comes a great responsibility. Hashem not only expects us to protect our brit, protect our eyes, protect our tzitzit, protect our dat, He expects us to do it even more so because we are created in B'tzelem Elokim. You have the capacity to be just like the righteous ones, but why? Because you are created in the image of God. You are created B'tzelem Elokim. You have enormous potential. But that's also why the punishment is so severe. Because when a person violates the Brit, when a person violates their eyes, they are not just causing damage to themselves, but also causing damage to the souls that are around them. Understanding the severity of these actions is crucial, as we are all interconnected in this spiritual journey. It is our responsibility to maintain integrity and holiness, not just for our own sake, but for the entire community.
