Rav Shalom Arush Shiur Translation: Tazria/Metzora 5780

B”H

I thank G-d that this week I merited, we merited, to have a lesson every day. Truly every day we had a lesson, Baruch Hashem (Thank G-d). Many of my students know well that for decades I had the merit to run from town to town, from village to village, from place to place, to give lessons and to L’afitz (spread forth Chassidic teachings), Baruch Hashem, look at how much we have merited. And now, Yishtabach Shemoh (May His Name be praised), Hashem has closed. So He prepared these devices, with which we can connect together, Yishtabach Shemoh. I truly feel you all, and I want to transmit to you a message every day, to strengthen you every day, to listen to daily live lessons, calling the Emunah line: 026444250; dial “9” and receive an automated call immediately before a live transmission, or dial “4” in order to listen to listen to past recordings. So that I can talk to you every day, because you are very important to me.

We haven't told jokes in a long time, and we need to start returning to them, in order to replenish inventory. Well, in the meantime, we'll tell some old joke. Someone who very much loved the sea, very much, told his friend that because he loved the sea so much, so he named his children with names that are references to the sea. One he called “Gal” (wave); the other “Hofit” (coastal); the third “Yam” (sea); and another called “Jacob.” So a friend of his asked him: “How is Jacob related to the sea?” He answered, “Well, he’s the lifeguard.” 😊

Very well, truth be told, Hashem brought upon this virus and shut down the world. From that point on, I have begun, with the kindness of Hashem (Blessed be He), to draw into the Jewish people the “Law of Thanks.” Truly, it had not been for long, because just as we started this whole wave came, and we stopped. And I have prayed so much regarding it, the “Law of Thanks,” that everyone should merit knowing it… because people need great salvations… all the time. Even now, I just received a letter from a Jew telling me that last Shabat he felt that he was really suffocating to the point that he couldn't swallow anything – he couldn't even eat. So he went to a corner, performed the Law of Thanks, slowly, according to his ability, and it all passed!

People keep telling me, “I did the Law of Thanks and it worked.” Therefore we need to strengthen everyone. In order for us to learn the Law of Thanks, we have to make some introductory remarks, because I want everything to be understandable to everyone.

So let us begin with the words of Rabbi Nathan, Rabbi Nathan of Breslov. This discourse is on what I based myself, and based on this, three books of gratitude have been written so far: "Sha’arei Torah (Gates of Gratitude)," "Amarti Tordah veNoshanti (I Said “Thank you” and Was Delivered," and "Nifla’ot HaTodah (The Wonders of Thanks)," all based on this discourse.

I will to read to you what Rabbi Nathan wrote, literally word for word: "Because in really if all..." What is all referring to? The people of Israel, everyone - "... were to hear the righteous voice of the true Tzadikim, to go according to this path, to always believe in Hashem (Blessed be He) that everything is for the good ..." What does Israel need? To hear the voice of the righteous, who teach us to believe that everything is for the good.” You should all know that is the essence of Emunah! Saying, "I believe in Hashem" is good. However, if a person is sad and broken and depressed and discouraged, it is a contradiction, a real contradiction to that statement. It’s as if one would say he was satisfied from hunger but had not eaten for two weeks.

Therefore, Emunah is to believe that everything is for the good. Like I said in class last week, that complete Emunah is to be happy with one’s lot. Also today, someone also strengthened me. He told me what he was going through, and that it was hard for him, and that he has problems with marital peace. So I told him that first of all, the first thing is to accept it all with Emunah, with love, and only then is it possible to begin to address your problem. He then tells me, “No, I am not capable of it.” So I said to him, “Go pray for half an hour saying, "Master of the world, Father in Heaven, give me complete Emunah to believe that all is for the best! Have mercy!" The connection with the Creator, the Holy One Blessed be He, the King, with Father in Heaven, begins with believing that He loves you with infinite love, complete love, and He does everything for your benefit!

I always have to remind people – it’s true, you can't understand what's good about it, but you have to believe. That is why we have stated, “[Have] Complete Emunah… Emunah!” Because with his intellect, a human being is not capable of believing what is the good?! A person that has no spouse – that’s good?  What do you mean?! A person being sick – that’s good? – and so forth… [therefore] that's the path. That's why I always mention this point - I don't understand but I believe that it is for the good! That’s just the way it is.

However, for a person to receive such Emunah, many prayers are needed, because that’s Gan Eden in this world (“Heaven on Earth”), to accept with Emunah that everything is for the best and to be happy with one’s lot – that’s Gan Eden, as simple as that! Without explanations and without anything [else], you will simply feel like Heaven on Earth!

And this is the gate through which you will enter to God, this is the doorway through which you can approach God, this is the beginning! You want to start believing in Hashem? Pray for this!

And so I told him that for half an hour he would ask of Hashem: "Father in Heaven give me complete Emunah to be happy with my lot!" Each person regarding his issue: if he is sick, he should be happy with his lot – this sickness. If he has no spouse, he should be happy with his lot of not having a spouse. Each person has to be happy with his lot, with what is going on with him, that's the key.

I thank Hashem that I had the privilege last week to teach this lesson, to be happy with one’s lot, that this is called complete Emunah, because that is the key to this whole thing.

If we want to go into this matter of saying thank you truthfully, don't say thank you and cry: “Thank you ... thank you ...” like a complainer. Rather say thank you! And be happy with your lot! Really be with your lot! That's the key!

So now let's go back to what R. Nathan said, it's very important that the discourse that R. Natan said will engraved in each and everyone’s heart, and truly believe in it. "Because really, if everything were to hear the true Tzadikim, and go on this path, to always believe in Hashem (Blessed be He) that everything is for the best, to give praise and thanks to the Hashem always ..." To give! To give praise, to praise, as in the Aleinu Leshabeach, and thanks - to always thank Hashem (Blessed be He)"... bein b’tivo bein be’ako" – this is Aramaic for “whether in good times or in hard times,” or in simpler terms, "whether for the good or for the bad." And this is the direct consequence [of complete Emunah], if you say you believe everything is for the best, what is the consequence? To say thank you for everything! To say thank you for the good, for every moment, to say thank you for every breath and for everything. It’s obvious that it needs to be said. However, you also have to say thank, if you believe that everything is for the best, for what the world calls “not good.” You have no spouse, thank you for not having a spouse. You have no children, thank you for not having children. Then what would happen? R. Nathan writes, he brings the verse here in Psalms: "... as it is written with Hashem I will praise the matter..." - Hashem being the name of mercy - "... with Elokim I will praise the matter..." - Elokim being the name of judgement. King David said that if Hashem (Blessed be He) is merciful to him, he praises Him. And even when Hashem (Blessed be He) acts sternly, he praises Him. These are two paths: the first path is believing that everything is for the best. The second path is to say thank you for everything, whether for the good, or for the bad.

And now there is the promise: "... for sure all the troubles and all the exiles would have been completely nullified and there would already be complete redemption!” Listen well! And that's what gave me the the strength - this discourse - to go and look for all the possible ways to spread the concept of giving thanks! Says R. Nathan: "For sure (!) all the troubles would have been eliminated!” And we are now talking about the present, if the people of Israel were to say “thank you,” all the troubles now would be eliminated! And all the exiles completely finished! And there would be complete redemption! I know you've heard it many times, but in any event, everyone needs to be reminded.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov writes unequivocally in Likutei Moharan in straightforward fashion: "Know that the essence of the exile is only due to lack of faith." Rabbeinu writes straight out: what is the reason for the exile? Lack of Emunah.

And now that we have talked and expanded a little bit on the subject that Emunah is to believe that everything is for the best, if you don't believe that everything is for the best, know that you lack Emunah! Don't fool yourself into saying that you believe but there is something that is not good - there is no such thing! Because the Creator of the world, Father in Heaven, does only good.

Just like every normal father and every normal mother, who do only good to their children, so too our Heavenly Father is no worse - He does only good to his children.

All the while I kept writing in the books, whoever has studied a little of them knows, whether “The Garden of Emunah,” “Garden of Gratitude,” “The Garden of Miracles,” or “Nifla’ot HaTodah” (Wonders of Thanks), whoever read knows that I kept repeating that one should say half an hour of thanks daily. For example, a person who does not have a pairing needs half an hour to say, "Master of the world, thank you for not giving me a spouse. Does it hurt me? Thank you Father in Heaven for hurting me in this area. Father only does what is good for his child! Father does only what is the best for me! Thank you for hurting me! It’s simple, because I believe Father does only good for me. It’s simple: half an hour of saying thank you.

And from this I was privileged to write the book, “The Garden of Miracles,” which is mostly stories about people saying thank you and being saved. Anyone who knows the book, and anyone who doesn't, should read this book and not leave it!

After the book came out, a certain woman who is our student, and we know her closely, her sister became ill with a terminal illness (it should not happen to us or anyone else of Israel). And her sister said, “What would she I tell her? To now say half an hour [of thanks]?” She told her to say eight times Mizmor L’Todah (Hymn of Thanks, Psalm 100) because the Hymn of Thanks is a hymn in which in it we thank, Psalm 100, and the number eight represents the concept of being above nature. That's how she thought about it; that's how Hashem placed the thought in her mind. And the sister - the doctor told her that there’s no explanation, “Here are the pictures before and after. I have no explanation, you had a miracle happen here and that's that.”

When I heard of this, that by simply reciting Mizmor L’Todah eight times, she had a miracle, I said: “Well, let's make a “law of thanks,” and shorten the process. Instead of half an hour of saying “thank you,” people should say only fifteen minutes of thanks, and then say eight times Mizmor L’Todah, Psalm 100.

And since I started publicizing this, I no longer called it "I said thank you and was saved [the Hebrew title of “Garden of Miracles"], I called it, "The Law of Thanks!" We say thank you and nullify the troubles, that's the law! Law! That's how the Creator of the World conducts His world! That is how Father in Heaven conducts his world: we say “thank you” and eliminate all troubles!

And I began to receive, here I have a booklet full of stories we have collected, literally stories upon stories, that people who have said they followed the law and eliminated their troubles. I put it all in front of my eyes, and said, “Well, let's start this law.”

My son told me, “Listen, every time I went through what was going on with this virus, I kept seeing with my own eyes how the law worked, and how everything happened with zeal: miracles and wonders.” That's how more and more people are being told about it.

So that's the law, say fifteen minutes of thanks for the troubles you have, the sickness you have, or that you have no livelihood, any and all problems in life. It’s worth it for you all to buy the books, so that you will have many examples.

For example, in the book, “Garden of Miracles,” there are 190 stories, of all kinds, of people who said thank you and were saved. And there, like I said, I wrote to say a half hour of “thank you,” and now we've shortened it. Say fifteen minutes thanks and eight times Mizmor L’Todah.

So this is, this is the law of gratitude, and it is very important to me, that we start now, and each one will begin to use this law, and see with your own eyes! Because it works 100 percent! Some people have already come and said to me “Honorable Rabbi, the law works 100 percent!”

One of the miraculous stories I heard, from a student of mine, he had a very terrible kind of evil inclination. And he meditated (did hitbodedut) about it for half an hour every day, and nothing helped him. He said that it only made the evil inclination overcome him more, the terrible lust. I said to him: “Listen, do the law of thanks and you will see that it will pass.” He said to me, “But what is the connection?” I said to him, “First of all, say thank you that you have such a test! Is it correct that you have anguish (Yissurim) from it?”  He said to me, “I have terrible anguish from it! I don’t want to sin before Hashem! I don’t want to! It pains me! But I can't! I can’t overcome my lust!” So I said to him, “If so, does it hurt you? We have a general principle: for any kind of anguish - and you have anguish - if you have anguish, receive it with love! Do the law of thanks.” So he sat down and said, "Thank you, Holy One Blessed Be He, regarding this matter, regarding how in Your wisdom it was decreed that I have to manage with this lust, and that I am anguished from it because I do not want to go against Your will. Thank you Holy One Blessed Be He for the anguish that I have, thank you..." For those fifteen minutes he said thank you, and said the eight times Mizmor L’Todah. He then came and told me - it works!

Of course, I told him to continue, because when he was just praying it didn't help him, he didn’t succeed! Lust just overcame him. He accepted the affliction with love, not the transgression! No! Regarding the test that you go through, you have to find a way to manage, in whatever ways you can to overcome the challenge - do something, accept whatever resolution, pray endlessly… However, the anguish you have from the lust, and the madness that goes with it, for that say thank you.

Because a person who has lust has anguish - you have an evil inclination and that is anguish. The moment that he accepted the agony with love, he then prayed afterwards and it already helped.

In other instances, the people who come and ask me regarding a father that is sick, or a mother who is sick, are they supposed to say thank you? So I ask them: “Do you have anguish from this, that your wife is ill?” So they say, “I have great anguish from it.” So I tell them that they’re not saying thank you for the person being sick, you're saying thank you for the anguish they have for having their wife being sick.

You can't say thank you for someone else's anguish! You say thank you for your own agony! And if you have no anguish from it, you should pray for the person with simplicity that Hashem should save them.

The thanks is just for your own agony! And you accept the agony with love, and you say, "Master of the world, is it your wish that I have this agony? I accept the agony with love! Thank you for the anguish!,” And do so for fifteen minutes; along with eight times Mizmor L’Todah. That's the concept.

I once spoke with a woman regarding her daughter that had gone to an insane asylum. She told me really that there was nothing that she didn't do! Went to the graves of the Tzadikim, did Pidyonot (“redemptions”), and nothing helped. She studied the book, "Garden of Gratitude," and said thanks half an hour every day about the anguish she has since her daughter became ill. After three months, the girl was 100 percent recovered!

So again, don't say thank you for the anguish of the other, say thank you for having the anguish regarding what's going on with the other. One person, his father is far from the path of the Torah, so do not say thank you that he is far from the path of Torah, say thank you for the anguish that I have that my father is far from the path of Torah. Say thank you for your agony! Never say thank you for another's agony, it's stupidity! The other is suffering! Pray for him that he should not suffer! In no way should you say thank you for the anguish of another! Say thank you for the anguish that you have! And you accept the agony with love.

Because what is the “Law of Thanks?” That you accept your agony with love! And that is how it is written in the Gemara, that it is the law, that is how the Creator of the World conducts the world, that as soon as one receives the agony with love - the agony is abolished. “Sama D’Yissurei Kibuli!” Do you want a drug to eliminate your agony? Receive them with love! An explicit Gemara!

Now it is very important for me to reintroduce this law, to place it within the people of Israel with every strength.

For example, I have told of the time when I was really coughing a lot [well before Corona began], and really did the law, and everything disappeared, may His name be praised.

Just call the Hafatzah (distribution) line, and tell the stories: 0522240696. Did you say thank you? Did the troubles become nullified? Tell it! You don't have to say your name, you can remain anonymous, but it's very important to tell, to strengthen the people of Israel.

So today we went back to reinforcing the need for the “Law of Thanks.” I thank Hashem that I explained it a little bit, and Yallah (Come on!) everyone now with the law! The Law of Thanks! And people will find their spouses, they will have children, healing, deliverances! The law works! May His name be praised forever!

I thank God that I am privileged to continue to teach you all lessons, I am truly happy with you, and love you very much, and I think of you and pray for you, even today I was in the holy grave of Samuel the Prophet, and I also prayed for the people of Israel a little bit, whatever I merit to do, Baruch Hashem. I truly said to Hashem: "Master of the world, we for thousands of years have hope that everyone recognize You, that everyone know You, everyone accept You as king, everyone believe in You! Everyone, everyone! For thousands of years! We have, for thousands of years, said, “Yitgadal veYitkadash Shemeh Rabbah” (May His name be made great and holy [the beginning of Kaddish]), “Return us, our Father to Your Torah,” we pray for Teshuvah (repentance) in all kinds of ways, for thousands of years! It is time for You to do everything now! We have prayed! We have asked! As I have written in a commentary to the Siddur, “Remember the kindness of the fathers,” the Holy One Blessed be He does not just remember what our fathers did, rather He also remember the merit of all those killed for the sanctity of His name. How many were killed for the sanctity of His name, how many millions… pogroms and the Holocaust, what did not happen! And Hashem remembers the merit of all the Tzadikim, and also what they promised, all that he remembers, all the Tzadikim from our father Abraham to this day he remembers them. He also remembers everything that each and every one of the people of Israel did, the prayers, the thank you’s and the thanks giving, and the good tears, and all the commandments they did gladly, and the Torah they learned joyfully, and the anguish they received with love, everything that the people of Israel did from Abraham our father to this day, he also remembers.  "... Therefore there are treasures! ...", I told the Creator of the world, “... there are treasures!” Of Teshuvah (repentance), and prayers, and tears, there is everything!

Now it's time for You to take it all, and put it all to work! We prayed, now You should do it all! The books and pamphlets should come, and the lessons, everything should come to all the people of Israel all over the world! Do not give up on a single son of yours, a single daughter of yours, so that everyone will repent!" And in this way everyone should pray, at least ten minutes each day. And everyone should see how to become a partner in Hafatzah (spreading forth teachings). I heard yesterday words from the tzadik the Moharosh from Yavniel (may his memory be for blessing). He said, that a person even after he has left this world, should tell Hashem that he is ready to reincarnate only to be assured that he would L’hafitz (spread forth)! He is ready to return even a number of incarnations, the main thing is to be assured that in every incarnation he will spread forth!

How important is the matter of Hafatzah, that even if though the idea is to strive not to be reincarnated, if he is assured that he will spread forth,  then he is ready to reincarnate. So we see how important it is, so now in this incarnation – go spread! Spread!