Shiur Torah vs. Talk Show

1:29No, it works that way. Mussar is something you must think about and meditate over, and think about and meditate on, and think about and meditate on, and review and review and review for seven years for each character trait. Seven years for each character trait. Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, who had Ruach HaKodesh, was a huge Talmid Chacham. He said it's much more difficult for me to fix one midah, one character trait, than to finish the entire Shas, the entire Gemara. If you do Daf Yomi, you finish the Shas once every seven years, approximately. It's even more difficult to fix one midah. Why? It's not like I just learn about anger and I'm no longer angry. It's not like I just learn about laziness and I'm no longer lazy. It's not like I just learn about generosity and all of a sudden I'm the most generous guy I know. I took food off my plate and gave it to a homeless guy. No! It takes time, it takes effort. That's a chacham. That's a chacham. Why? He learned it and he's trying to find different ways.

2:41Apply this knowledge, apply this new wisdom. That's a haha, and that's how we know that wisdom is not based on knowledge, but rather, it's based on middot. If wisdom was based on knowledge, the whole Mishnah would look very different. Why would it say that a learned person is someone that has a lot of information? That's it, end of middot. Just read a lot of books. That's it, finished. Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who have read a lot of books but are worse than horses. There are plenty of people who have read tons of books, and some of them have written many books. You look at them, and you look at a pig, and it's the same thing. They still have no manners; they still eat like they've never seen food before in their life. You ask them for a favor, and they make it seem like you're asking them to give birth. Types of things? Not much. It's like a pot. I want to deal with this person. Why? But you've written ten books already. What's wrong with you? You didn't apply the information right. They know the information, not because I'm applying it. They know the information; they read it in a book, but it's superficial. It's like telling a story about Harry Potter, you know, going into the story and believing that some kid actually really flew in the air on a broom or something. It's nice, whatever. It's entertainment.

4:07And that's why I always tell people, sometimes they come to me and say, "Oh yeah, you know, I listened to what you said in this clip or this shiur. I was very offended." I say, "Shalom, I offended a Jew. Shalom, what did I say?" They respond, "Oh yeah, you said 'mechalel Shabbat mot yumat.'" I reply, "Oh, I said it? No, the Torah said it." They argue, "Yeah, but it's not right." I respond, "What do you mean it's not right? Go tell God. What do you want me to tell you? Go complain to Hashem. It's not my fault. He didn't ask me for permission." Yeah, but I was very offended that you said that, you know, somebody that's a Mechalel Shabbat, you can't drink their wine if they give it to you. Because my father doesn't keep Shabbat, so what, I can't drink his wine? It's very offensive what you're saying. I said, in the beginning, I tried to explain to him the significance and the halachic implications of Shabbat desecration in relation to consuming wine. Explain to them this, this. But sometimes the person is a ksil. Ksil is like a tembel. It's like somebody that's a fool. He just doesn't understand. You tell him, tell him, tell him. It doesn't matter what you tell him. You can tell him this way, that way, top, bottom, left, right, in, out, north, west, east. It doesn't make a difference. You can tell the guy in every way. In English, in Hebrew, in every language possible. Start inventing languages. Talk to him in emojis.

5:17Talked to him in the morning. He still doesn't understand. That guy, Kassim. Kassim, doesn't understand. So what do you do then? I say, I'm sorry, listen, I can't help you. I can't help you. Why? You don't understand. It's not that I didn't try. I tried. No, I'm very offended. Listen, I'm not looking for fans. And that's usually the response. I'm not looking for fans. Because they always threaten, oh, I'm not going to watch anymore. Don't watch. Will you do me a favor? I'm not looking for fans. Oh, you're not going to donate? You never did before, so who cares? Don't donate. Oh, you're going to tell people? Go ahead, tell people. What are you trying to tell them? I'm not looking for fans. This is not a talk show. It's not a talk show. I'm not David Letterman. I'm not looking for ratings. Whether there's gonna be a hundred people that watch it or a hundred million people that watch it, I did what I can. The rest is up to Hashem. If you want to better yourself, listen to the shiur and apply it. If you want to remain a kesil, don't watch and stay a kesil. There's plenty of place in Gehinnom for you too. What's the problem? What, do you think I'm working for the fence? And that's the problem, Rabotai, when you tell some of these things to most people that speak today, and some of them call themselves rabbis.

6:42Try and listen; what you said is very offensive. What happens mere seconds later? "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'll come out with a new video, and I'll fix it." And some of them come out with a correction letter, "Yes, what I said in this video about Shabbat may have been offensive to people. But you know, it's in halacha, but I didn't mean to, and I'm sorry." What do you mean? What are you sorry about? Is that what God said or not? Is it your opinion, or is it God's opinion? If it's your opinion, you should say, I'm sorry. If it's God's opinion, you have no right to say, I'm sorry. But why do people say, I'm sorry? Because they're looking for fans. They're looking for popularity contests. They know that if they say, I'm sorry, more people are going, oh, look, he's so sensitive. Look, he's one with the crowd. He really wants people to be attentive and watch him. Yeah, he wants you to be more generous. That's all he wants. He cares less about whether you do teshuva or not. Just do teshuva on one thing: give more money. That's why all religions, all religions have one common mitzvah. Whether it's idolatry from the Christians, idolatry from the cow in India, idolatry from the snakes, idolatry from the Buddhas, idolatry from everywhere, even Muslims. Every religion has the same mitzvah in common, one mitzvah. What? Give money.

8:13Am Yisrael, Am HaKodesh, which has the truth, doesn't need to care about tzedakah. Why? Because we need to care about teshuva. That's what every single prophet came to the world to do. They told Am Yisrael to do teshuva. Every prophet, without exception, came to the world to tell Am Yisrael, do teshuva. What did they do many times? Kill them. Did the prophets care? No. Why? Because they came here to fulfill their mission of urging teshuva. That's it. That's why I came to the world, to help people do teshuvah. That's it. Well, if they're gonna kill you, so what? They kill me. They're not gonna like you, so what? They don't like me. So what? It's not a popularity contest. You're not looking for ratings. You're not looking for YouTube views. You're not even looking for donations. If you need it, Hashem will provide it. I Natural people simply just don't understand. If you want to be a speaker, you have to understand that you have a huge responsibility. You can't just speak freely and think you can just give your opinion. If your opinion is not in line with Hashem's opinion, you are not allowed to state it.