Excerpt from a teaching by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach:

So what makes me real? You know, if I meet a girl who's not my soul-mate, then it's a little bit [real] [pagan!]-not so much but a little [?] my real soul-mate-it is mamash real.  I am getting to the point.  And gevaldt, daMalka m'sha ke sh'mi ohev alekha bavtikha-the blessing which happens to me when I'm connected--to that little bit of earth, to that realness.  It's not one blessing; it's seven blessings-endless.  It is endless.  Endless, endless.  So I just want to bless Bahira and Shelley-I want to bless you, not with seven blessings-every blessing should be seven times a million blessings-infinite, endless and endless.

I just have to share with you one more thing.  Yosef HaTzaddik-everyone knows-was mamash-he never did anything wrong.  Mamash holy.  The wife of Potiphar-he held out-and I want you to know, the Gemora says, it was not just a little affair.  For 12 years she came three times a day to prison, and there was no way for him ever to get out of prison.  And three times a day she came and said, "Listen, just one time, and I'll let you out of prison."  12 years.

And he was so strong.  But it's still [within] setting limits.  But a Tzaddik is holy-he's holding out.  When did Yosef HaTzaddik reach beyond himself? You know when? Not with the wife of Potiphar.  To tell his brothers, "I'm your brother.  I'm not angry at you."  He didn't even say, "I'm angry at you."  Nothing.  He says, "It was from G-d.  You sent me here because I had to save the world."

Do you know how much it took out of him? I mean-just remember, they're selling a boy of 17? I mean, there's no excuse.  "It's okay, I forgive you!" He didn't say that.  He says, "V'atah al-tay-ahtzvu..." I'm begging you, don't even be sad-because God sent me here.  There was no other way.  If you remember, there was a famine in the whole world, and Yosef saved the world.  Not only Egypt.

But now listen to this-deepest depths.  It says, "V'yigash elav Yehudah [B'raisheet 44:18][okim Yosef?]  If you remember the whole story, and I hope you know [it] the Bible a little bit, Yehuda comes up to him.  You know what Yehuda says to him? "I want you to know-I took the guarantee for my brother-in this world and the coming world."  Yosef HaTzaddik hears, gevalt-Yehuda steps beyond himself.  You're giving up this world and the coming world for your brother? I never reached that level.  [quote] You mean to say there is a way of reaching beyond me? I wanna do it right now!"

You see, Yehuda is the real Meshiach-because the Messiah is not someone who's holy.  He's like the barber-the doctor-barber-beyond himself.  For my brother, I gave up this world and the coming world-anything.  Gevalt.  [Strums guitar] Okay, Let's sing this song one more time; then we'll go to sleep.  [Plays his melody for "Shomer Yisrael."  After a few bars he stops.]

Is the tape still on? I want to say something very important.  Forgive me, but when something comes to me, then I don't want to lose it.  Let me share with you something so deep.  Who was the first person in the world to really reach beyond himself or herself?

What? Maybe. You know who was the first person to reach beyond? No? Okay. No.  Sounds good.  No, let me tell you.  So what did he do to reach beyond? Okay, chevra, we're getting a little out of hand.

The person who reached beyond herself was our mother Rachel, who gave over the sign to Leah.  So Rachel gave over the sign to Leah-gevalt! Because when she gave over the sign to Leah she knew Ya'akov would never marry her.  Only a miracle later on-because basically you're not permitted to marry two sisters-only Ya'akov mamash heard a voice from Heaven-like, mamash, he had permission from kud'sh'brich-hu sh'khin-tei-he heard God's voice, telling him, "Marry Rachel," right? (Without getting involved into the depths.)

Now listen to this unbelievable thing.  Remember, "V'yigash elav Yehudah"? [B'raisheet, 44:18]-Yehudah came and stood before Yosef, and he told him the whole story of the family.  You know what he told him? I want you to know-you know why we are here? Because the mother of Yosef reached beyond herself.  So Yosef heard, gevaldt, my holy mother reached beyond herself-I better reach beyond me, too.  So deep; it's so deep, friends.  [Long pause.]

I want you to know one more thing, 'cause some of you mentioned Kayin and Hevel [Cain and Abel].  Here-remember, we learned it Friday night-or Shabbos morning-that Yisro was the soul of Cain and Moshe was the soul of Abel.  How did they fix each other? Can you imagine Yisro reaching beyond himself, coming to Moshe? Gevaldt, what did it take out of him? He was established.  He was the priest of the pagan world! He was like the Pope.  He was the top man in the world, right? He's leaving everything behind him and coming to Moshe!

How did Moshe reach beyond himself? (I mentioned it Shabbos morning a little bit.  Isn't it the biggest chutzpah in the world? Yisro is only one day a Jew and already is giving Moshe advice how to run the show? He's one day in Israel, and he's coming to Moshe, "You're not doing this so good, you should do something else-"  I just mentioned Shabbos morning, imagine someone would come to Israel, and the next day he'll go to Rabbi Goren and say, "Listen, I don't like the rabbinate-you have to do something else."  I mean, he won't make it even to the steps!

Moshe says to him, I'm talking to God all the time.  I mean, you're a pagan-I mean, you're just one day a Jew, and who are you to tell me?  [This is, of course, an imaginary inner dialogue.]  Can you imagine how much Moshe reached beyond himself? Takes a lot of "beyond yourself" to take advice from somebody else.  And you can tell him, "Who are you to tell me."  You know why parents never listen to children? Because it takes reaching beyond yourself.  Beyond yourself.

So the beginning of the parasha is, Cayin is reaching beyond himself, and Moshe is reading beyond himself.  And I want you to know, friends, without reaching beyond ourselves, there'll never be peace in the world.  Peace is not a process.  It's beyond yourself-beyond ourselves.  Without getting involved into politics, I want you to know, when Sadat came to Begin, he mamash reached beyond himself.  He mamash reached beyond himself.  Mamash like Yisro's coming to Moshe.  Cayin comes to Hevel.

You know what we should have done? We should have also reached beyond ourselves.  I want you to know something.  I spoke-at that time I was very close to Begin.  And I told him, you know what we should have done? The worst thing you could have done next day was take Sadat to give a speech in the Knesset.  What speech? What speech? Politics.

Because I suggested-who am I? Humble Jew, right?-I suggested he stay for 24 hours.  The next day, let's get together 10,000 young people and mamash dance with Sadat from the hotel to the Holy Wall.  That's all! You know what I suggested after that? We have enough aeroplanes.  Let's take Begin, Sadat, and all the 10,000 kids and go straight to Cairo, and dance from the airport in Cairo to the home of Sadat.  And let's just dance in the streets of Cairo.  Let's not talk about-what are we talking about politics? We're not talking about politics.

So you know what happened? The whole thing fell apart.  (Whispers) The whole thing fell apart.  Just want to bless you and me and the whole world-and Israel-that whenever-you see, Yosef, he saw Yehuda's reaching beyond himself-I'm doing it also v'lo-yachol Yosef [B'raisheet 45:1]-what's happening? He couldn't control himself.  Gevaldt! If you're doing it, I'm doing it!

Moshe says, "Yisro/Kayin is reaching beyond himself-Moshe Rabbeinu comes up with all of Israel, gives him-it never happened-Moshe Rabbeinu never went out with all of Israel.  And I mentioned Shabbos morning something else.  We never find in the Torah Moshe and Aharon giving a feast.  One time, when Yisro came, and says, "  made a feast. Gevalt.  Gevalt, gevalt, gevalt.

I want you to know friends, and this is the sad truth.  Somebody talked to me about Ba'al T'shuvas today -young people [who] come back to Yiddishkeit.  You know what the problem is? The rabbis don't come out and make a feast for us.  Imagine, every young person who comes to Israel-all of Israel would be by the airport to greet you, and all of Israel would make a feast for every Jew who comes back.  All of Israel would be in the Holy Land, already.

I want you to know what's heartbreaking-and I don't want to say anything bad-our brothers come from Ethiopia-we didn't make a feast for them.  I want you to know, whenever I meet my brothers and sisters from Ethiopia, I apologize to them in the name of all of Israel.  I apologize to them in the name of all of Israel.  We haven't learned yet from Moshe Rabbeinu how to receive Yisro.  We don't even know how to greet our brothers and sisters.  We haven't learned it yet.

I just want to bless you and me-and all of us-we should mamash the portion this Shabbos should shine into us-shine into us in the deepest way.  The end of the parasha is just be so real, and out of this realness expand, and the beginning is reach beyond yourself-it's not even expansion-deeper than anything.

And I thank you friends.  Good Shabbos, Good Yontif, Good Purim.  And thank you, Yossele, for inviting me, and thank you Devorale, and thank you everyone, and um, we should see each other with great joy.,

What? You wanna hear a story about Purim? Ah, now you're telling me! Devorale, for you! Lowered the standards and approached me, humble Jew. [Laughs] Yeah, and she went as far as asking me, tell me something about the Bahb-about the Bahble.  Yeah, the famous best seller of Moshe.

I have to tell you something.  I once went into this huge temple-I was supposed to meet the rabbi, and I was late.  And he was giving a lecture.  I'm going, I'm sitting there, and he was giving a lecture on the Song of Songs.  He didn't know what the song is, and the Song of Songs definitely.  Neither one he spoke about it.  And I'm sitting next to a little Yiddele, and I ask him "What's the rabbi talking about?" He says, "Ah, he's talking about the Song of Songs."  I say, "What's that?" "Oh," he says, "it's a recent best seller."  Anyway, so I'm talking about Brother Moses' recent best seller.

Risa asked me a very deep question.  I'm going later on to Purim.  I just want to answer Risa because later maybe somebody else will want to know about it.

*		*		*		*		*		*		

I have to tell you, just because you asked me, I'll tell you-a fast prison story.  It's my favorite prison story.  I don't want to say anything bad-Um...in the blessed year before the L-ord-1979-1969...you know a lot of young people, as I said before, went into stuffing themselves with drugs.  In a city, about two hours away from New York-without saying anything-a very wealthy family-the grandmother died-and she left a quarter of a million or maybe a million dollars for her grandson to be given to him on his 21st birthday.  But the parents-and he' also the president of a temple-and the mother is the president of Hadassah of New England-very outstanding people-felt the son isn't ready for the million dollars.  And it's still better if she has it in HER pocket, than in his pocket, since she loves him so much.  It was mamash ugly.

Okay, the boy was smoking a little hashish sometimes, you know.  But he has his head on his shoulders as much as his father.  You know what they did, on his 21st birthday? They called the police on him and had him arrested.  The boy was so heart-broken.  His parents got wild! They put him in-how do you call that? In...um...[clicks his fingers] when you're alone-how do you call that? They put him in solitary confinement.  His girlfriend called me up.  And she says, "I want you to know-you don't know my boyfriend, but he knows you.  He was once in the House of Love and Prayer."  And, uh, "The rabbis in that city-they all know his father, he's the president of the temple, I mean, how would they go against him? He needs just someone to talk to."

Listen to this.  I had to leave the next morning-I had a plane 9 o'clock to Paris.  And the whole thing-I had to be there.  I said to her, "I'll tell you something.  If you can arrange for someone to drive me right now from New York there, I'm ready to sit with him all night.  And drive me tomorrow morning straight to the airport."

Anyway, she came, picked me up, to drive me to the prison, but I didn't know in order to go to prison, you need a written statement from the lawyer.   Now basically, a rabbi can go into prison any time.,  Anyway,  but I had no identification that I'm a rabbi, and I didn't have a letter from the lawyer! Anyway, you know, at night in prison, everybody sleeps-I'm getting there about 11 o'clock, and this nebach, nebach sad little guard sittin' there in prison, half asleep.  I knock.

And he says, "What's going on here?" I say, "Listen, my dear friend.  I am a rabbi, and I have to see one of my parishioners.  His name is this-he's in solitary confinement-and it's a question of life and death.  This boy needs me."

"Uh," he says to me, "Do you have identification?"

I say, "You crazy? Look at me! What do you think I am, a garbage collector or a shoemaker? What do you mean-I am a rabbi, and I wanna see him!"

Mamash, "Okay, okay!"  I put the fear of God into him.  He says, "Okay, okay, okay!" [Laughs]

Anyway, I want you to know.  What the saddest thing was-I forgot to tell you-his parents sent food to him in prison, and he refused to eat their food.  You know? Just-he says, "I have nothing to do with you anymore."

Anyway, I had my pockets, mamash, you know, I had a coat, and I had mamash full of food.  All kinds of things-[falafel?] vitamin pills-just for him.  And he didn't-you know-he didn't investigate what I have.  And also I had a package in my hand.  And I had a lot of Reb Nachman-few things.  Anyway, I want you to know, he brings him out and this boy was such a high person.  I want you to know, I spent with him four hours.  We didn't talk about the word "prison," about parents, about hashish, about nothing.  I was mamash, I was learning Reb Nachman with him for four hours.

Every few minutes one of the guards came in, listened a little bit, and walked out.  I had to make that flight.  Okay, about, let's say, 3:30, I finish, I give him all the food, and he was hiding it, also in a little coat or something.  We walk out.  And here is where the story really begins.  And the guards are sittin' there, right? I said to him, "Tell me something."  (I said it in front of the guards.)  "Tell me the truth ,brother.  Are those guards still human beings? Or have they lost everything? Or is there hope for them?"  So he says to me, "You know something? I think there is hope for them."  

So I said to the guards, "You know something? I came all the way to spend a little time with you here in this prison.  And this young man and I were just learning the deepest secrets of the Torah.  Why don't you all join us for a few minutes? Mamash, we made a circle-the prisoner, humble me, and the guards-and we were singing a little bit, and I was giving them Reb Nachman Torahs, and they were mamash crying geferlach (terribly), you know? They were mamash crying.  Mamash got to them.  It was the most unbelievable thing.  It was like after Meshiach has come.  Okay, naturally, we hugged each other, I kissed them.  They locked the door.  I walk out.  I look back.  The prisoner and the guards were standing there waving.  Unbelievable! Listen, I'm telling you, it was like after Meshiach has come.  I couldn't believe it.  Couldn't believe it.  Anyway, good Purim.  [The people respond, "Good Purim!"]

Okay, Yossi, you tell me what you want me to learn about.  Anything. [No answer] Okay, I'll tell you.

Let me tell you one beautiful thing.  What is the greatest sign of love in the world? I want you to open your hearts to it.

The utmost evil is lashon hara, right? To say bad things about another human being.  What's the other side? The other side is not, "I'm not saying anything bad."  It's just, "I'm not saying anything bad," right? The other side is when you tell me-you know-somebody else did something wrong, I'll tell you, you know something? It's all my fault.  It's all my fault.

I want you to know the deepest depths.  When Aharon HaKohen, the High Priest, walked into the Holy of Holiest, he didn't ask for forgiveness; he didn't say anything.  And there are millions of teachings on it.  You know what the real truth is? According to the Gemora-the Gemora says, "Shtika kohedor."  When you say nothing, it means you admit it.  You know what? Aaron HaKohen walked into the Holy of Holiest-he says, "If there's anybody here who did something wrong, it's all my fault. Because if I would be better, they would be better."

And here I want you to know something so deep.  You know why Adam was driven out from Paradise? Adam and Eve? You know, when G-d says to Adam, "Who did it?", he should say, "G-d, it's all my fault."  This is the way you love your wife? You tell G-d it's my wife's fault? You don't cover for her? Out of Paradise.  Get out of here.

And I want you to know the deepest depths.  This is really a deep Torah-le.  The beginning of the wedding is that the groom covers the face of the bride.  You know what he's telling her? "I will cover for you."  Because every bride and groom is the fixing of Adam and Eve, right? He says, "I'll cover you up.  I take it all upon myself." [Clears throat]

I want you to know the deepest depths.  In the Sukkah-I want you to know, in the Sukkah, everybody knows-Pesach, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the four mothers-maybe they're coming, if they want to, but it's not part of Pesach.  In the Sukkah, after Yom Kippur, Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov come-and the holy mothers.

I want you to know something.  You know what Sukkah is? To cover, right? I want you to know, a rebbe teaches me right and wrong.  You know what parents are all about? Parents standing before G-d and say, "It's all my fault.  If I would be better, my children would be better."  You know, Yom Kippur, I'm standing before God and I say, "G-d, forgive me."  On Sukkos, Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov, and the four mothers come, and they say, "Master of the world, it's all our fault."

And here, I want you to know something even more awesome.  On Simchas Torah, I dance with the Torah-but the Torah's covered.  Do you know what it is? The Torah stands before G-d, and the Torah says, "G-d, it's all my fault."  The Torah covers for me.

The Torah says, "G-d, if you wouldn't have written into me, 'Keep Shabbos,' then this person would be okay, so it's all MY fault," right? The Torah covers for me.

I want you to know something.  You know why I dance with the Torah? 'Cause if the Torah is so holy that the Torah covers for me, then I really wanna learn that Torah, right? The Torah which only accuses me, makes me feel guilty, I'm not so eager, right? Gevaldt-I didn't know the Torah was so holy, right? [Whispers] I didn't know the Torah was so holy.

And I want you to know something awesome.  It is based on a Torah from the Holy Kuzimer.  The Kuzimer says, "Why did Moshe Rabbeinu break the tablets?" Moshe Rabbeinu comes down, and we made the Golden Calf.  He broke the tablets.  Why'd you do that? So he says like this, "Moshe Rabbeinu says to G-d, 'You want me to give the Jews the Torah which will make them into sinners? I'm not interested in giving them that kind of a Torah.'"  He broke the Torah.  [Whispers] Is that a gevaldt? Awesome.  "I don't want to give them a Torah which makes them guilty and feel bad.  I want a Torah which gives them strength."  Awesome, awesome, awesome.  

And here I want you to know the deepest depths.  On Purim we're sending each other's gift, not face to face.  On Yom Kippur it's just the High Priest, as I mentioned before.  On Purim it's every person.  You know what I'm saying to you? Not face to face.  I'll cover for you.  Don't worry about it.  I'll cover for you.

And here I want you to know the deepest, deepest, deepest depths.  In the whole story of Esther, G-d's name is not mentioned.  You know what it is? [Whispers] 'Cause G-d is covering for us.  G-d is not mentioned in there.  I'll cover for you, right?  Gevaldt.  Do you realize? [Back to a normal voice] And you have to realize the Gemara says that on Purim we mamash received the Torah.

Because I always think G-d tells me, "Do this, do this."  G-d is covering for me! Ah, it's a different G-d.  I didn't even know.  I didn't know what kind of a G-d I have, right? And I didn't know what kind of a friend I have.

Now listen to this unbelievable thing.  The groom puts the veil over the face of the bride, telling her, "I'll cover for you.  Don't worry about it."  You know what the bride does? She walks around him seven times.  "I'll protect you also.  I'll cover for you."  And gevaldt, you know, then we say seven blessings.  If they love each other that much, they deserve seven blessings, right?

You know how deep this is, friends? Mamash it's clear to me.  The Holy Baal Shem Tov one time came to a city, and there was this preacher there, and he was telling Yidden, "Mamash, you're sinners," you're this, you're that, "and you deserve to be wiped out-"  He's mamash telling them--he's laying the fear of G-d upon them, and the Holy Baal Shem just went, "I can't take it any more," and the holy Baal Shem says to him, "Can't you make a living in another way than to say bad things to Jews?" [Laughs] I heard the story from the old Lubavitcher Rebbe [the Freyediker Rebbe].  The Baal Shem Tov says-he went on the bima-and he says, "G-d in heaven, I swear to you, he's lying.  I swear to you he's lying.  They are the best people in the world.  The best."

And here I want you to know, why is Purim higher than Yom Kippur? Purim-Yom Kippur, I'm standing before G-d, and I'm telling G-d how bad I am.  Then, I need Aharon HaKohen to cover for me, Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov to cover for me on Sukkos, and the Torah covers for me.  You know, on Purim I'm standing before G-d and it's clear to me. Mamash, I don't have to say a word to G-d.

You know, I want you to know something.  If I love my children very much-and I hope you all do-if my little girl says something bad about herself, I won't let her.  I won't let her.  I say, "How can you say something bad about my sweetest girl?" Right? So, you see, on [Yom Kippur] we are close to G-d-we are close enough to G-d to tell him everything we do wrong.  But we're not that close yet.  On Purim, we're so close, G-d says to me, "Don't tell me anything.  Just tell me, 'Good Purim.'"  GOOD PURIM!

[Musical interlude]

I wanna say one more thing.  I want you to know something.  If I love somebody a little bit, then, let's say, the girl I love the most, let's say, her name is Chanele, when you talk about Shprintzele, I talk of Shprintzele, right? And, you say Rivkele-it's Rivkele! If I love a girl the most-her name might be Chanele-and you talk about Shprintzele, I'm still thinking of Chanele.  You say "Rivkele"-yeah, but I'm thinking of Chanele. You say Sarale, and I think the whole time Chanele, right?

If you love G-d a little bit, when you mention G-d's name, it's G-d; when you mention somebody else's name, it's somebody else.  On Purim, when you love G-d the most, whatever you say is G-d, right? Every word is G-d.  You say "Achashveros"-is G-d.  Haman is G-d; Mordechai is G-d-there's nothing else.  [Strums guitar a bit]

I have one more Torah, which is also beautiful.  You know, the truth is, the Torah is G-d talking to us, right? Why do we mention G-d's name? Because we don't hear G-d is telling it to us-we read it in a book-and there it says, G-d said so.  On Purim we are so high, I mamash hear G-d telling me the story of Esther.  Our G-d doesn't say, "G-d"; He is telling the story, right?

So you see, it's clear, the real Kabbalos HaTorah-the real Receiving of the Torah, is when we read the Megillah of Esther.  Mamash, I hear G-d talking to me.  So sure, G-d doesn't say, "G-d did-"  I'm talking, right? If I tell you a story, and I say Shloime walked, Shloime ate, Shloime breathed-yeah, sure, I'm talking to you, right? [More guitar]

I have to tell you just one thing.  Gerry, you know, I don't know how you handle when it comes to making noise by Haman-you know what most people do? The noise is endless, right? And then they don't hear the Megillah properly, and then they stamp with their foot! I heard a gevalt Torah in Bobov.  The first year the Bobova Rebbe came to America-I watched him.  Comes to Haman [makes a thud], and he said a gevalt Torah.  

Imagine- why do you do it like this? Because it's clear to you-you didn't do it the first time, right? [Laughter] So you think if you do it a hundred times you will do it? Or [either] you can do it or you can't do it, right? And, you know, what is Haman, Amalek?-Takes away our self-confidence-says you can't do it anyway; I'm stronger than you, right? On Purim it's clear to me-Haman is in my hands; I wipe him out-that's it.  So the Bobova Rebbe says that in Bobov, by his father, in Sanz, what are you doing it a hundred times? You give one zetz and that's it, right?

First of all, it's so much class, right? It's mamash class, right? [A clamor of laughter-this appeals to people] What? Yeah, that's it, you give one zetz, you know? I watched the Bobova Rebbe, you know, the way he was reading the Megilla-mamash like a prince, right? And us shleppers go [Shlomo gestures and mimes], and then you go like this, and the way they go like this-and they don't listen to the Megillah, and they make-get crazy.  In Bobov, it's so beautiful.  The people with their foot-one-and the kids with their gregger-one time.  It's very beautiful.

I had the privilege-Boruch HaShem-of breaking through in my shul, you know? It's mamash beautiful.  First of all, it's class, and second, it's mamash Haman-ch'-like an atomic explosion. [...strums]

Which one? Oh, you're talking to Danny now? Ahh.  Yeah.  I think last year they taped my Megilla reading, yeah.  I heard it in Bobov when he came to America.  But in my shul-Oh you want to hear the Megilla reading with one zetz! Okay, we'll have to do something.

Okay, and also something which is very important.  You know, everybody's sending Shaloch Manos to friends.  What about your own wife, your own children? You know, we are so busy doing things for the world, we forget the closest, right? Baruch HaShem, I got through to my chevra on the Moshav.  You wouldn't believe how beautiful it is to watch them.  Every little child brings Shaloch Manos for their parents, you know? It is so sweet! And so beautiful, you know? What?

You know what the cutest thing in the world is-last year when my cutest little Dari gave Neshamale Shaloch Manos for me, you know? And I gave Neshama Shaloch Manos back from my little Dari, you know? Oh, it was so sweet! Tch! I told you, this is deeper than the High Priest on Yom Kippur, you know, it's just-  It is touching the deepest, deepest depths of our neshama, you know? It's not asking for forgiveness on Yom Kippur-it's just tch!...

Imagine husband and wife, all they talk about [is] forgiving each other-what a relationship is that, right? [Laughs] You see, I'm not-let me tell you something! Let me make it clear to you-I'm only saying this now because it's Purim, right? When it comes Yom Kippur, I'll tell you-gevalt! It's Yom Kippur-heilege-gevalt! [Laughter]

And I have to tell you a Bobova Torah, which is true.  Bobova Rebbe says, "By us Yidden it's like this:  when it comes Pesach, Pesach is the greatest thing in the world.  I mean, how can you compare anything to Seder Night? Really.  You don't know what Yiddishkeit is.  Comes Shavuos, you say, 'What's Pesach, right? Shavuos! Mamash, I'm standing on Mt. Sinai-this is it, right?' Then comes Rosh HaShanah.  I say, 'Listen, really, leave me in peace with Shavuos.  Rosh HaShanah I blow the shofar! This is when I-when my soul is the deepest.'  Comes Yom Kippur, I say, 'What are you talking about? Rosh HaShanah is cute.  Yom Kippur! Mamash, it's the holy of holiest.'  Then comes Sukkos.  'What's so big about Yom Kippur? Ach! Sukkos is-I'm sitting in the Sukkah, mamash, I'm sitting and completely surrounded by G-d's light-I mean, what are you talking about Yom Kippur?' Then comes Simchas Torah.  I say, 'What's Sukkos? They sit and they eat? It's nothing.  Simchas Torah, when I dance with the Torah, that's the highest thing in my life.'  Then comes Chanukah.  I say, 'What's Simchas Torah? I mean it's cute-you're dancing-Chanukah, I'm kindling G-d's light in the world! On the darkest night I'm kindling Meshiach's light! So what are you talking to me about Simchas Torah, right?' Then comes Purim.  I say, 'Listen to me-what's Sinchas Torah? What's Chanukah? How dare you? Purim is Ad-lo-yada-it's beyond everything, beyond everything.'"

And the Bobova Rebbe says, "You think we are lying? It is true.  On Pesach, it IS the highest Pesach in the world.  On Shavuos, it IS the highest Shavuos in the world.  It's all true.  It is mamash true."

And you know, someone asked me, "What's an assimilated Jew?" So I said to him, "I can say it in millions of ways, but an assimilated Jew [is someone who] who doesn't have the taste that Pesach is not Shavuos, Shavuos is not Sukkos-it's a holiday, right? It's not 'a holiday,' right? Pesach's Pesach-something else, right?" And you know what in a good-in most Hebrew Schools, sadly enough, they gave it over to the kids-it's a holiday.  In most Hebrew Schools they tell the kids, it's a holiday, another holiday, another holiday.  It's not "another holiday," right?

I'll tell you something-and let me give you over one Torahle from my father before I say good-bye to you.  You know, my father, Baruch HaShem- I mentioned it yesterday-I had the privilege-my father was just...Devorale, if you ever saw my father-no, you didn't-I'm sorry I didn't invite you to my house then for Shabbos-I should have.  That time I wasn't into inviting guests so much for Shabbos yet.  Took me a long time to learn.  What? Yeah.  Took me a long time to learn, yeah.  Only when I went out to the House of Love and Prayer and realized it's the only way of saving Yidden-by inviting them for Shabbos.  Now, today, everybody is doing it, but at that time I was mamash the first, you know? Like, it was revolutionary.  Everybody was spitting in my face, even for saying it.  At every concert I was begging, at every shul I was begging people, invite people for Shabbos-there was no other way! There IS no other way.

One rabbi says to me, "We'll never invite you again.  You made us feel very uncomfortable."  Any way-[laughs, and people laugh with him] "We came here to enjoy ourselves, not to hear you preaching!" Okay, forget it.  "Shir HaMalot."  He lost the job also, mazal tov.  So there.  I'm not singin', he ain't a-preachin'.  Mazal tov.  I think he is selling horses now in Israel.  I'm joking [more laughter] I'm joking.  I'm joking.  But it's a good joke. [Laughs some more]

You know, the joke is like this.  A rabbi went to Israel, and he is selling horses.  So people are saying, "What's going on here?" He says, "In America horses tell the rabbi what to do.  So why shouldn't in Israel rabbis-yeah.  The horses-In America horses tell the rabbi what to do, so why shouldn't in Israel a rabbi tell horses what to do? You know?" [Dead air] No, I didn't say it right.  Something-[laughter] something is missing. Anyway, I want you to know-[more laughter] Who cares?

Okay, I want to tell you my father's Torah.  My father was always giving over to my brother and me, you have mamash to take care of all the Jews, you know? So my father says to me, "There are two kinds of assimilated Jews.  One you can help, and one-forget it.  Maybe Meshiach will help them, but I don't think you can.  My father explained it to me like this.  Imagine in B'nai Brak an assimilated Jew is driving his car-or let's say half assimilated-I don't want to-it's not I'm not judging them.  I'm just telling it the way my father told it to me.

"A Jew is driving his car, and there is a red light.  And he sees a Yiddele with a shtreimel, with seven children, crossing the street, right? And he thinks, 'I wish I could run them over, those disgusting Jews-khhh! Can't stand them.'"  My father says, "This kind of a Jew, forget it."  But then he says, "Someone is driving Shabbos, and he see a shtreimel and the seven children walking in the street, going to shul, and suddenly he has tears in his eyes.  'Master of the world, I wish it would be me and my seven children.'"  "Ah," my father says, "all he needs is to be invited to a Shabbos.  He wants to have Shabbos-he doesn't have it; give it to him.  The other one doesn't want it, you know? So what are you giving it to him? He doesn't want it, right?"

You know, in Netanyah, there is this big street now.  One time my chevra and I stopped, and we bought pizza.  And I said to the person selling the pizza, "Hey, korei l'cha? What's your name?" Chatzkele.  I said, "Chatzkele, when are you coming to my moshav for Shabbos?" Do you know something? He put down the pizza, burst out crying.  Mamash burst out crying.  I said to him, "My Chatzkele, ma kara l'cha? What's happening?" He says to me, "Do you know, I'm in Israel for thirty years-and I'm waiting for somebody to invite me for Shabbos.  And you are the first invitation I got."  Isn't that unbelievable? He says, "I'm waiting for thirty years for an invitation."  You never know, right? Mamash, you don't know.

[Begins strumming] Okay, let's sing one more song.  [Launches into a melodic Dovid Melech Yisrael.  Plays for two minutes, then-] I heard one story in  Bobov, which, like-I told it all over the world.  You know, Bobov, they weren't so rich, in Poland.  By the old Bobova Rebbe, Reb Shloimele, a hundred years ago.  How much money did they have to buy beer? Though they had one big barrel of beer, and everybody was supposed to get a little drop.  So there was one husky Chasid standing there, and drinking from the beer the whole time! Doesn't let anybody get close.  So the Bobova Rebbe says, "Hey, Avramele.  You're not the only person in the world.  How about loving your neighbor as yourself? Somebody else wants beer also."

He says, "Rebbe, that's a good commandment for all year.  But Purim I have to get drunk.  So I gotta drink."  The Rebbe looked at him for a long time.  He says, "If you love your neighbor like yourself, you can get drunk by giving a glass of beer to somebody else."  L'Chaim! L'Chaim! [Crowd calls back "L'Chaim!"] Good Purim! Gevalt! Thank you folks. [Crowd calls back even louder, and clapping, too, "Good Purim!] Hahaha. [Crowd laughs back] Peace.  Peace to the pizzas.

[End of tape]

--Transcribed from a tape copied for me by Avraham and Leah Sand of a teaching Shlomo gave in Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday, February 2, 1986, probably the evening, 24 Shevat, 5746, one day after the reading of Parashat Yitro and one week before Rosh Chodesh Adar.  Begun in Mevo Modi'im on Purim Day, 2002, and completed in Tzfat on 13 Adar I, 5763/February 14, 2003, by Reuven Goldfarb


