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Are You a Bull, a Sheep, a Donkey, or a Garment?

Many people get lost in life -- in aggression, passivity, or treachery. But some can’t figure out where they are lost

1 hr 1 min

Class Summary:

"You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray and ignore them; return them to your brother... So shall you do with his ass, so shall you do with his garment, and so shall you do with every lost thing of your brother... -- Deuteronomy 22:1-3 " "Obviously, the duty to return a lost object to its owner is not limited to oxen, sheep, asses and garments, but applies—as the verse concludes—to “every lost thing of your brother.” The Talmud explains that the Torah cites these examples because each of them teaches us another of the laws regarding lost objects. However, while it deciphers the laws to be derived from “ox,” “ass” and “garment,” it does not succeed to do so in the case of the “sheep.” “The lost sheep is a difficulty,” it concludes the Talmud, meaning that the legal significance of the word “sheep” in the verse proved difficult for the sages. " "Accordingly, the mitzvah of returning a lost object applies not only to the physical property of one’s fellow but to his spiritual possessions as well. If you encounter a life gone astray—a confused mind, a dysfunctional heart, a soul that has lost its moral compass or spiritual sensitivity—restore it to its owner. You may not remain indifferent to the spiritual plight of a brother any more than you may ignore his wayward ox. " "The Zohar tells us that the Torah has both a body and a soul. The “body” of the Torah is its “physical” part—the historical events it recounts and the laws it legislates. But implicit in this body is a “soul,” a mystic dimension in which every story has its sublime analogy and every legal nuance its spiritual counterpart." "Specifically, the four examples of “lost objects” enumerated by Torah correspond to four prototypical maladies of the human soul. Join us on a fascinating journey into the psychology of aggression, passivity, treachery and meekness. "

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  • P

    profound -10 years ago

    return
    one of the most profound messages that youor anyone else has ever delivered. How appropriate and helpful a guide for the New Year. You have allowed me to identify all four challenges in myself and have given me an opening to see tyhem objectively and hopefully work on them. Thank you!

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  • S

    Sarah -11 years ago

    Beautiful
    Thank you, I'm so excited I found this. These shiurim are out of this world. Much strength and brachos to you.

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  • GA

    gideon azari -11 years ago

    Are You a Bull, a Sheep,
    Hi some time one person can be all: Bull,donkey,sheep,and A garment all this crrekters ar imbued in uman,but they arnot strong as a whole only in differant level in each person.Regarding to the sheep if we can add that the shep reperesent teheia tmim am Hasham when you take this postion you will be neve lost,But if you decided not to go that you will be like a lost sheep.

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  • AYK

    Avraham Y. Kahana -12 years ago

    Rambam's point in considering it as a good thing/blessing
    How can it be that Rambam did think that eventually eating from the tree of knowledge constituted a good thing/a blessing when, after that event we have to add to our difficulties finding out what is true and what is not, when before chet etz hadaat we did not have that problem? The benefit he argues we gained may be theoretical, but concretely we are now im more troubles than before!!!

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    • A

      Anonymous -11 years ago

      Re: Rambam's point in considering it as a good thing/blessing
      That is his question: The Torah seems to be saying that through this act Daas of Tov and Ra was given to Adam and Eve. That would seem like a grand blessing!



      Indeed his answer is like you say that it brought only confusion and degradation.

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  • M

    Michale -12 years ago

    How important are ethics in today's society?
    I took a title for my question from the painting for this article. Yes, how are ethics important today? How more require following ethics leaders, Rabbis or people? I think, everyone has right answer, correct one, and not "comfortable" one. That is: of course, a leader, a rabbi has to show example in any aspect of live.



    I has discovered some Web site with video where at the Hasidic meeting of 11 Shevat (01/16/2011) Rabbi Dror Yisrael Cohen, from the settlement Avivim, read a halachic ruling (Psak Dean) that the Rebbe is undoubtedly the Moshiach ("Moshiach vada") http://www.moshiach.ru/mosh... />


    In the "Laws about Kings, their wars and King Moshiach" (11:4) RAMBAM wrote: "But if King comes as descendant of King David, who had devoted himself, like David, his ancestor, to comprehension of Torah and commandments according to the written and oral Torah, and make all of Israel to follow it and become stronger in the pursuit of it, and will conduct God’s war, then he is presumably Moshiax ("behezkat Moshiach"). And if he succeeded in this, and won all the people, and built the Temple in its place, and gathered the people of Israel from exile, this man is certainly Moshiach ("Moshiach Vada ')."



    We did not see yet that it happens. I wish to get a comment / answer for this question.

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    • M

      Michale -12 years ago

      Re: How important are ethics in today's society?
      I have received the following response from Rabbi Menachem Posner, Chabad.org to my question about this ridiculer activity:

      ----------------------------------------------------------------

      B"H



      Dear ...

      As I am not familiar with the administrators of http://moshiach.ru/" target="_blank or Rabbi Dror Yisrael Cohen. However, neither of them represent the belief of mainstream Chabad and certainly not the Chabad leadership. Concerning these activities, we at Chabad.org and the mainstream adherents of Chabad follow the directive of the Central Committee of Chabad Rabbis in the US and Canada that what those people profess is "clearly against the Rebbe's wishes."



      Please let me know if this helps.



      Yours truly,



      Rabbi Menachem Posner

      ----------------------------------------------------------------

      Dear TheYeshivaNet,



      Through your Web site I would like to ask the highest representatives of Chabad to make clear that site http://moshiach.ru/" target="_blank will be closed or exposed as "Fabricator" because their representatives gave several "speeches" in media/press, they also have big auditorium of people, mainly Russian in Israel and in Russia. I don't know how but some US Jews have similar thoughts. I tried to explain all people I met different view, but I don't have access to media. This will be great cause for the Rebbe and his followers to clear his name. Also, please, publish some article through your Web site. These people are making big damage for Chabad, they must to be stop.

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