Why Does G-d Want Us to Pray #1 | Likkutei Torah Pinchas

Rabbi Yosef Shusterman
24 Jul 202419:57

Summary

TLDRThis video script delves into the significance of the second MIM in Jewish tradition, contrasting it with the first. It explores the concept of sacrifices, the commandment's dual nature as immediate and enduring, and its symbolic representation of time. The discussion extends to the philosophical underpinnings of creation, the descent of the divine into the world for the sake of elevation, and the ultimate purpose of existence. The script challenges the audience to contemplate the intricate relationship between the Creator and creation, the role of 'foreigners' in the divine plan, and the pursuit of unity with the divine will.

Takeaways

  • πŸ“œ The script discusses the second MIM (presumably a religious teaching or commandment), emphasizing the importance of daily rituals involving sacrifices of sheep, both in the morning and afternoon.
  • πŸ”„ The repetition of phrases and the change in expressions within the script suggest a deeper meaning, indicating that the commandments are not only for the present but also for all generations to come.
  • πŸ‘ The terms 'corbon' and 'carbon' are used to describe the sacrificial offerings, with 'corbon' implying a taking of life and 'carbon' referring to the morning and afternoon offerings.
  • πŸ”‘ The script delves into the concept of 'good smell' as a metaphor for divine enjoyment, contrasting with the unpleasant smell of burning sacrifices.
  • 🧐 It raises questions about the nature of the sacrifices and their connection to requests, pondering the relationship between material offerings and spiritual intentions.
  • πŸ•Š The purpose of creation is explored, suggesting that the world was created with a certain level of concealment of divinity, making its inhabitants 'foreigners' in relation to the divine.
  • πŸ‘‘ The script touches on the divine desire to be a 'Melech' (King), indicating that the creation of the world was a means to establish subjects who are not an extension of the divine but who willingly submit.
  • 🌏 It explains that the concept of 'Yesh' (existence) and 'Ayin' (nothingness) are part of the divine plan, where 'Yesh' represents the life of the world and 'Ayin' signifies the concealment of divinity.
  • πŸ”‘ The script suggests that the ultimate goal is to elevate the 'Ayin' back to 'Yesh', transforming the seemingly foreign entities into a unity with the divine.
  • πŸ€” It challenges the listener to contemplate the infinite nature of the divine, which is beyond human comprehension, and the impossibility of fully understanding concepts that transcend time and space.
  • 🎲 The script concludes with the idea that the divine plays with the world, using the metaphor of 'play' to describe the enjoyment derived from the interaction between the divine and its creation.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of repeating the command for the daily sacrifices?

    -The repetition emphasizes the importance and the immediate and ongoing nature of the commandment. It signifies that the sacrifices are not only for the present but also for all generations.

  • What does the term 'command rash' imply in the context of the script?

    -The term 'command rash' suggests an immediate and enduring command, indicating that the command applies not just for the present but also for future generations.

  • How is the concept of 'carbon' related to the sacrifices mentioned in the script?

    -The term 'carbon' is likely a mispronunciation or misinterpretation of 'corban' or 'offering', which refers to the sacrifices brought to the altar, symbolizing a connection between the act of giving and the divine.

  • What is the connection between the sacrifices and the 'good smell' mentioned in the script?

    -The 'good smell' is symbolic of the divine pleasure derived from the sacrifices. It contrasts with the literal smell of burning offerings, suggesting a deeper spiritual meaning behind the act of sacrifice.

  • Why does the script mention the concept of 'foreigners' in relation to God's creation?

    -The concept of 'foreigners' is used to describe beings that are not an extension of God but are created by Him. They are 'foreign' in the sense that they do not inherently share God's divinity but are subject to His will.

  • What is the purpose of the descent of God into the world according to the script?

    -The descent is for the purpose of elevation. It signifies God's will to create a world where He can be a king, with subjects that are not an extension of Himself, thus creating a dynamic of rulership and submission.

  • How does the script explain the concept of God's name being the same as His will?

    -The script suggests that God's name and His will are synonymous, indicating that His very essence and desire to create the world are intertwined, reflecting His omnipresence and omnipotence.

  • What is the significance of the term 'Y' in the script?

    -The term 'Y' likely refers to the concept of 'Yichud', which denotes the unity and singularity of God. It signifies the idea that before the creation of the world, only God existed, and His will was the only force at play.

  • Why does the script discuss the idea of God wanting to be a king?

    -The idea of God wanting to be a king is used to illustrate His desire to have subjects, which necessitates the creation of a world with beings that are not an extension of Himself. This creates a dynamic where God can be recognized as the supreme ruler.

  • What is the script's explanation for the creation of a world that seemingly denies God's existence?

    -The creation of such a world is part of God's plan to have a diverse and complex creation where beings can choose to recognize or deny His existence. This allows for the possibility of free will and the potential for spiritual growth and connection with God.

  • How does the script connect the sacrifices with the concept of 'playing'?

    -The script uses the metaphor of 'playing' to describe the divine enjoyment derived from the sacrifices. It suggests that the act of offering sacrifices is a form of interaction or 'play' between the divine and the created beings.

Outlines

00:00

πŸ“œ Exploring the Second MIM and Sacrificial Offerings

The speaker delves into the second MIM, a religious concept, emphasizing the importance of daily offerings as sacrifices. They discuss the repetition of commands and the significance of the number 'one' in the context of sacrifices, highlighting the immediate and perpetual nature of these commands. The discussion also touches on the concept of 'corbon' as a sacrifice involving animals, and the symbolic meaning of the 'good smell' that arises from the burnt offerings, which represents a form of divine enjoyment.

05:01

πŸ”₯ The Divine Pleasure and Creation's Purpose

This paragraph explores the idea of divine pleasure derived from the 'good smell' of sacrifices, contrasting it with the unpleasant odors of burning fat. It then transitions into a philosophical discussion about the purpose of creation, the descent of the divine into the material world for the sake of elevation, and the concept of God's will and desire to create as the source of all existence. The speaker also explains the notion of God's kingship over subjects, which are essentially 'foreigners' in the context of creation, and the process of elevating these 'foreigners' to a state of unity with God.

10:02

🌏 The Descent and Ascent of Divine Will in Creation

The speaker continues the discourse on creation, focusing on the descent of the divine will from the level of 'Y' (nothing but God) to the level of 'Melech' (King), which involves the concealment of divinity to create a world with 'foreigners'. The paragraph discusses the concept of God's kingship and the necessity for subjects who are not an extension of God but willingly submit to His rule. It also addresses the idea of God's enjoyment in creation and the role of humans in elevating the world back to a state of unity with the divine.

15:03

πŸ•° The Infinite Concept of Time and Divine Will

In this paragraph, the discussion centers on the infinite nature of God's will and the concept of timelessness in creation. The speaker explains that God's will to be a 'Melech' (King) existed before the creation of the world, which is a timeless concept rather than a chronological one. They also touch upon the human inability to fully comprehend the infinite due to the limitations of the finite human mind, and the importance of recognizing and elevating the world back to its divine source.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘MIM

MIM is an acronym that stands for 'Mishnah, Imrei Moshe,' which refers to a traditional Jewish study text that includes the Mishnah, the Talmudic teachings of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, and the commentary of the Vilna Gaon. In the context of the video, it's used to denote a specific lesson or study session, indicating the continuation of a study series.

πŸ’‘Sacrifice

In the script, 'sacrifice' refers to the religious ritual of offering something, often an animal, to a deity. It is mentioned in the context of the daily offerings of a sheep in the morning and afternoon, which is a practice rooted in ancient Jewish sacrificial rituals as part of the worship in the Temple.

πŸ’‘Commandment

The term 'commandment' is used to describe a religious or divine directive. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of the repeated command to offer sacrifices, emphasizing the importance and the enduring nature of these religious duties across generations.

πŸ’‘Concealment of Godliness

This concept refers to the hiding or veiling of divine presence or power in the world. The script discusses how the creation of the world involves a concealment of God's presence, making it seem as though God is a 'foreigner' to His own creation, thus setting the stage for the spiritual journey of recognizing and revealing the divine in all aspects of life.

πŸ’‘Descent for the Sake of Elevation

This phrase captures the idea that a spiritual or existential 'descent' or lowering of oneself is done with the intention of achieving a higher purpose or 'elevation'. The script uses this concept to explain the purpose behind the creation of the world and the spiritual mission of humanity to elevate the mundane to the divine.

πŸ’‘Foreigners

In the script, 'foreigners' is used metaphorically to describe entities or beings that are not inherently connected to God, yet are capable of recognizing and connecting with the divine. This term is used to illustrate the initial state of creation where beings seem separate from God but are destined to reunite with the divine essence.

πŸ’‘Elevation

Elevation, in this context, refers to the spiritual process of raising the mundane or material to a higher, more divine state. The script discusses how the purpose of creation involves elevating the world from a state of concealment to a state of revelation of God's presence.

πŸ’‘Will

The 'will' in the script is discussed in relation to God's desire or intention to create the world. It is portrayed as a fundamental aspect of God's nature and the driving force behind the creation and ongoing sustenance of the universe.

πŸ’‘Enjoyment

Enjoyment is mentioned in the context of God taking pleasure in the sacrifices offered by humans. It is used to illustrate the concept that God derives satisfaction from the acknowledgment and devotion of His creations, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between the divine and the created.

πŸ’‘Creation

The concept of 'creation' in the script refers to the act of bringing the world into existence by God. It is discussed in terms of the divine intention to have subjects or entities that are not part of God's own essence, thus creating a world with the potential for recognizing and elevating the divine.

πŸ’‘Subjects

Subjects in the script are those who are under the rule or authority of a king. In the context of God's kingship, subjects are necessary for the fulfillment of His will to be a king. The script discusses how creation provides the possibility for God to have subjects who are not an extension of Himself but who can choose to submit to His rule.

Highlights

Introduction of the second MIM, a daily reading practice.

Explanation of the sacrifice of one sheep in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The significance of the word 'command' implying immediate and perpetual action.

The concept of 'carbon' as a representation of the morning and afternoon sacrifices.

The connection between 'carbon', taking an animal, and the act of offering.

The idea of a 'good smell' in the context of sacrifices and divine enjoyment.

The purpose of the descent of the divine into the world for the sake of elevation.

Discussion on the concept of 'Y' representing the only existence of the divine before creation.

The necessity of subjects for the divine to be a king, and the concept of 'foreigners' in creation.

The process of elevating the 'foreigners' to become one with the divine through 'botle'.

The three stages of divine existence: complete above, giving life to the world, and dealing with the world.

The role of the divine willpower in the creation of the world and the concept of 'Mel'.

The descent from the level of 'Y' to the level of 'Mel' and the purpose behind it.

The infinite nature of the divine and the limitations of human comprehension.

The concept of time in relation to the divine and the creation of the world.

The divine's desire to play with the created world and the enjoyment derived from it.

The challenge of understanding the divine's perspective on creation and enjoyment.

Transcripts

play00:03

page

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[Music]

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154 last time we learned the first MIM

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on so now we're doing the second one

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okay this is we every day we

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read my corbon my bread for

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my offering for

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you should

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tell this is the sacrifice you should

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bring

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for one sheep in the morning one sheep

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in the afternoon he says to

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understand the

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says and then it says right away a

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second time what is it saying it

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twice also the way the changes the

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expression first it

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says and then it

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says so one play the same says means to

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be then it says should

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say it says you should do

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it

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also is plural

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is singular so number one the says twice

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the word one time it says bring

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sacrifice it then says do it same thing

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the same POS

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says and and also one plural One

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Singular so it's all mixed up in the

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same

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follow any place where the ter says

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when the ter uses the word command rash

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brings us down many times it means

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immediately and for all generations

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meaning it's not only for Now command

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them for now but for all generations

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also that's the double expression

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of that refers to the immediate

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that that refers to the that are brought

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in the time

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of which

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is which is the concept of so he says

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like

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this is commandment it means now and for

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all times so he says the first one is

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representing the time of the

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BD and the second refers even when

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there's no B MD

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so what is the of is the of Ding and

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that's why he says he's going to explain

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this all did we finish the about

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theal most of it part of it most of it

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this is the purp no it's

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not purpose not to finish a the purpose

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to

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learn I said there didn't finish when

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they learned the M they D didn't finish

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it why I didn't want any ah I finished

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the m

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[Music]

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that's corresponding with

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the which you're bringing

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sheep

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and so ding is

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requests a corbon is taking anim what

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does an animal have to do with

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requests what's the

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is instead

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of what carus is ding instead of the

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morning carbon and the afternoon carbon

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right so what's the connection between a

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carbon which is taking an animal and

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killing it and putting on the to level

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of which it requests what's the

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connection between the

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two also to understand what it says

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by a good smell and the

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says

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okay means a good smell meaning that

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what's the smell the stink you know

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burning hide stinks it means said that

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you listen to me I had

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enjoyment smelled this beautiful

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smell what type of enjoyment the have

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smelling stinky stinky coras that are

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burning on the M the B and the fats you

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know it's an awful

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smell see so there a bunch of questions

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over here number one besides the

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original questions but the question is

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how are kabanas instead daving instead

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of kabus a completely different aspect

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and also kabus is a good a good pleasure

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good smell what good smell is there from

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cab

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he says like

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this

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like the ultimate purpose of The Descent

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of the into this

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world come into a body

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is is a descent for the sake of

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elevation we learned that many

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times before we say

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was only him and his name that's it what

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does mean his name he

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say is the same

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as his

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will which is the source of all

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creations said before hasem created the

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world there was him and his name so is

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explaining what is his name

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name is is the same numerical

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value means hashem's desire to create

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the world so another before the world

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were created what exist AEM and his

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desire to create

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World it enters simplistic

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will that he should be a king wanted to

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be a king now in order to be a king we

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learned you need to have subjects the

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definition of subjects are not your own

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children which are an extension of you

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foreigners mean foreigners that are not

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you and yet they subjugate themselves to

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you now if Hashem is the only existence

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that exists how can you have foreigners

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that subjugate themselves to Hashem so

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therefore there has to be this concept

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of creation of world which Hashem

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created the world in a way that there's

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so much concealment of godliness that

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they in their world they're foreigners

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cuz they they don't steal the existence

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of hem so they're foreigners and Hashem

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wants that to create a world that these

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foreigners are

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all like we

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say meaning there's nothing but

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him and what is the life of the world

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that's only the level of in other words

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like this

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there so you

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say means the life of the world and that

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then he says

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me okay so what does that mean there's

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three stages here there's there's the

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way is completely

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above only against then you

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have hasem is giving life to the world

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which seemingly is an opposite concept

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of Y because y means nothing but

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him the life of the worlds meaning now

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there are

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worlds which means a concealment of

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godliness which means now they are

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seemingly

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foreigners so how do why is there coming

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from to which opposite means there's

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only a means there a world existing and

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he's dealing with the

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world so why from does it come so the

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answer is M he wants to be a

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king hasem wants to be a king and

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therefore you can be a king if you're

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y you the only existence who you are

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King

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over after

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we

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say what do we

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say to bring down that level

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of that is speaking about the world of

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hem that he

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created

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okay the luxuries of Life the

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necessities of life that's all included

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now we

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say that we should feel that this thing

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that we just ate is coming from

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hem he

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says created the

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world it was only him in the level of

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wanting to create a

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world then the level of being King is

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included in himself and therefore he's

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called which is

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only the revelations of were part

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of in other words let me just read this

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so he say like

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this before created the

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world there was only him and his Ro to

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create a world cuz he wanted to be

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me but that because it's only thing that

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existed is AEM is

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only was part of him and is is part of

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him the Son and the son

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now that he created the world so now

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that Ray leaves the sun now that becomes

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a tangible level of

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elus that now from our perspective there

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exists the world from our perspective we

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are

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foreigners we're not in extension of

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Hashem and therefore Hashem wants that

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us as foreigners should now become botle

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to

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Hashem I thought that when we

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say because if there's a or the sh of

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somebody in that Apple that food or

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something that you ate it should be

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elevated like the story from like the if

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there's a who first of all who I don't

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know I'm not saying it's not who told

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you that I don't

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know in which Center did you hear that

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in

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his with Senter did you hear

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that I don't remember I don't remember

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either okay so when you remember you let

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me know what there's no such I don't

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know I can't say there's no such

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thing in order to say no such thing you

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have to know everything in the

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world unless unless if something is so

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stupid that it can't be terrorist say

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it I told you the story of

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Biser who was very close to the somebody

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once told him there's a

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tasis and the yeah he said there's no

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such

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tasis and he said it's not because I

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know all T but such a stupid thing tus

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could have never

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said understand I'm not saying it's not

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true maybe it's

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I um

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okay then

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after C effect

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which

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is separate

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entities and therefore this are now the

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created worlds which is already creating

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foreigners which are really not

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foreigners but in their perspective they

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are

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foreigners right so that is a

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tremendously great descent from that

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level of

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why did to lower all these levels to

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come down into a level of and

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concealment that should become

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bottle to become one with so another why

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did hem lower himself all the way down

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from that the only thing that existed

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was AEM in his will to create World

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which is then only existence with Hashem

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and why in the world did he create a

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world which is so far and concealment of

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Hashem that they they even deny the

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existence of hem why is that because

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hasem wanted to have a to be a

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m by the way this you to

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understand before the world was created

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does not mean in

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time because before the world was

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created there is no time

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so he can't say them before and after so

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before means it's a higher

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level not time wise

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before that's number one and this also

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answers the question

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we Master of the world who ruled before

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anything was created if there's anything

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that was cre nothing's created how can

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you be a Mel Mel means there subjects

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that are B so this really answers I

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mean's a lot of the the point is that it

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means that refers to this level of that

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he

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says that's the way the willpower of of

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existed

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[Music]

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in so that level existed even before the

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world

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he was when

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he he a Mel what when he

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was when he was by himself he had the

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will the will to be a

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Mel

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later there was no later at that

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time's nobody how you be a

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by

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us what's

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called the potential doesn't mean I did

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it the the potential is lacking the P

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the

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actual means it happened

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already like we said what year did Happ

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conly

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okay because that level is above

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elus it's tail Which is higher than

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tickling right so that level is

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constantly happening because there's no

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time

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there we we we can't get that our brains

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are not

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capable yeah brain not

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the can get it because then gets it then

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Li they get it but we as humans with not

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such

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lofas yeah don't cannot perceive a

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concept of above time and

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place we can't it's physically

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impossible because the finite mind

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cannot understand something infinite we

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can speak it we can say it we can talk

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it but we don't get

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it cuz it's impossible for a finite mind

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to understand the infinite concept that

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doesn't exist we don't know what

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infinite is

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either we can't grasp infinite by us

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infinite is all the way trilli you know

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but that's not

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reality we can speak about infinite we

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can say what it is and know but we can

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get

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it but the beginning of creation he

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says meaning like he says the idea that

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he wanted to be a Mel

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and he

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says and therefore this is a

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tremendous that now the level

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of comes to

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create what's the purpose of it

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is that the yes in other words made

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yes and our job is to make the yes back

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into

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the meaning the yes should be

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B the primary level of

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alah the which formed to play with you

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know

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the

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says why did for him to play with

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it what do you mean plays games I mean

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it's you know what does it

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mean that's the level of enjoyment

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playing means enjoyment

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Related Tags
TheologyCreationCommandmentsDivine WillSpiritual DiscourseReligious StudiesScriptural InterpretationSacrificeElevationConcealment