Four Who Entered the Pardes - VII

1. Review of Tosefos on Acher's roots
2. Zohar's explanation of the perspectives of the four who entered:

• Ben Zoma entered with earth - complete self-nullification (leading to a side discussion on the sin of Adam)
• Ben Azai entered with wind - the struggle to comprehend the challenges of good and evil
• Acher entered with fire  - the creation of clear and distinct lines of delineation
• Rebbe Akiva entered with water - love and the power of unity
• Kabbalistic interpretation of how Acher could have seen deep within his being told that he could not return, was hidden the power to return

Four who Entered the Pardes - VI

1. Review of Gemara
2. Different views of the source of the name Acher
3. Why is there no "sitting" in heaven
4. The role of MTT in the Olam HaYetzirah, the World of Formation, and how it led to Acher's mistake
5. Tosefos telling over the expanded story from the Yerushalmi

Four who Entered the Pardes - V

1. What Acher saw when he arrived in the Pardes
2. The "punishment" given to MTT
3. Acher hears heavenly voice saying he will never repent
4. Acher leaves the fold and goes to find a harlot
5. Rabbeinu Chananel and Tosefos of why MTT was punished
6. Discussion about how our attitudes influence how we experience and interpret events
7. Where did free-will play a role in Acher's decision making

Four who Entered the Pardes - IV

1. Why didn't Ben Zoma stand for Rebbe Yehoshua
2. What distance separates the upper water from the lower waters?
3. Explanation of the Ben Yehoyada as to the meaning of three finger-breadths
4. What did Elisha ben Avuya see when he entered the Pardes?

Four who Entered the Pardes - III

1. Why didn't Rebbe Akiva want them to say water water?
2. The challenge of changing one's consciousness from a separation mindset to one of unity
3. The two halachic questions posed to Ben Zoma
4. May one castrate a dog?
5. Is a pregnant virgin permitted to marry a Kohen Gadol (High Priest)
6. Interpretation of Rabbeinu Chananel that the question is with regards to someone becoming pregnant through abnormal means becoming ritually impure
7. The Mitzvos in the Torah only address conventional situations

Four who Entered the Pardes: II

1. Rav Chaim Vital on the symbolism of the word שיש (marble)
2. Rav Dessler explaining the challenge of comprehending disembodied concepts.
3. Rav Dessler explaining the need to remove the self when engaged in contemplating the higher worlds.
4. Zohar on the unique approaches of each of the four sages and how they contributed to the results they got
5. Discussion on the meaning of the Four Worlds
6. Discussion of the four approaches to study of PRD"S
7. Suggestion as to why the approach of Elisha (Acher) led to his downfall

Four who Entered the Pardes: I

For those of you listening online, I would welcome any feedback you have. I received some valuable feedback yesterday and have made some adjustments.

1. The story of the four Sages who entered the Pardes and how each was affected.
2. An explanation from the Nazir (Rav Dovid Cohen) on why some are described as glancing, while Rabbi Akiva is described as entering.
3. What is the Pardes? How do we you get there?
4. Descriptions by Rabbeinu Chananel and the Maharsha as to what they each did and what went wrong (or right).

Four Who Entered the Pardes: Introduction

Chaggia 14B - Review of Previous Shiur

Chagiga 14A-B

1. There were honest people in Jerusalem only with regards to their Torah ignorance, but dishonest in business
2. Tanaaim traveling and discussing Maaseh Merkavah (Kabbalistic secrets) and the responses to their studies
3. Did these responses really occur, or were they visions?
4. Why did they see a rainbow?

Chagiga 14A - The 18 curses of Yeshaya

Chagiga 14A - The Hair and Thrones of God

1. Examining different verses about God's hair color
2. Discussion that these are visions that were planted in the brain by God and not an actual view of God
3. How man thrones are there?
4. A Kabbalistic explanation of the argument as to what the thrones symbolize
5. Discussion of the Kabbalistic concept of Malchus

Chagiga 13B - River of Fire

1. How is the river of fire created?
2. The function of the river of fire after people die
3. The connection between דונור  and ירדן
4. A suggestion as to how to connect the creation of the river and its connection to Yarden
5. The 974 lost generations...what exactly happened to them? Why?
6. Sources the explain where those generations manifested themselves in history

Chagiga 13B - The Wings of Angels

1. Which wings were missing from the angels after the Churban (destruction)
2. The symbolism of the missing wings according to the GR"A and Michtav M'Eliyahu
3. The symbolism of the missing wings according to R' Chaim Vital
4. The explanation of the Malbi"m as to the function of the wings covering the face and legs
5. Each experience of prayer and Mitzvah should have a different intent

Chagiga 13B - The Four Faces of the Merkavah (chariot)

1. Explanation of the Malbim with regards to the symbolism of each face (sidebar discussion on the need to create vessels (כלים) in order to receive Chesed (God's kindness)
2. The symbolic explanation of the Shela HaKadosh as to finding the name of Avrohom in the faces of the Merkavah
3. A suggestion as to the distinction between the big and little faces on the Merkavah