Bayis - A person's Home - Part 1

00:00 This evening, we will, im yirtze Hashem, begin a new series on the topic of a house. Bayis, a Bayis Yehudi, a house of a Yid. In the sicha of the Rebbe, Shabbos Parshas Miketz, תש"ח, late 1957. The Rebbe was then doing a fundraising b'negia to building. This was taking place in Eretz Yisrael. The Rebbe then explained what is the meaning of a house, what is its deeper meaning. And over the years, the Rebbe would elaborate quite often what does the person contribute to the house, to the home in which he lives. What does he need to fulfill in his personal home. In this sicha Shabbos Parshas Miketz, the Rebbe said that there is a difference between a house and a garment. A garment is referred to as makif hakolev. It is something that encompasses the person, but it is custom-made for the specific person. Although it encompasses the person, nevertheless, it is within a certain structure. On a spiritual level, although it is something encompassing, y-yet it is something that relates to the chain of creation. This is a level of godly energy, a revelation that relates to Ishtalshlos, the chain of creation. On the other hand, a house is not custom-made for one person individually, that it should fit his size. In a house, many people can go in. Many people could be in a house, could live in a house because a house can encompass a greater measure amount of people. In a spiritual sense, this is a revelation that encompasses a, a

02:35 whole segment or more yet of the entire chain of creation. This is the difference between a garment and a house. And the Rebbe refers to the Talmud as it's mentioned in the T-Talmud that kol adam sheein lei bayis eini adam. A person that does not have a house is not a person. This is the expression mentioned in Chassidus. Although the Gemara specifically says, kol adam sheein lei karka eini adam. A person that does not have karka, land, space that he owns, he's not considered a person. So the Rebbe says the source why in Chassidus it is mentioned bayis, the Tzemach Tzedek cites. This is mentioned in the commentary of the Taysfas, which were commentators on the Talmud. And there it is mentioned that karka means to build on it, land, space to be able to live there. And therefore, kol adam sheein lei bayis, someone that doesn't have a house, which is where a person lives, is not considered a person. The reason for that is, the Rebbe explains, al pi Chassidus, because the meaning of a house relates to the essence of the person, to the essence of a soul. And therefore, by having a house, a person receives a shleimus, a completion in his title as a person. And the Rebbe says that this is in accordance to what was mentioned earlier, that a bayis, a house, is something that can encompass many people because it is not limited to just one person. Therefore, the Rebbe says it reflects the concept of essence.

04:58 That it's not only reflecting the inner character traits of a person's soul, but also the character traits of the person's soul that hover over the person. Basically, not as much the character traits of the inner part of the person, but basically the parts of the neshamah that hover over the person that are not enclosed in the body of the person. And therefore, kol mi sheein lei bayis eini adam. A person that does not have a house is not a person. In a sicha on the twentieth of Av, marking the yahrtzeit of his father, the Rebbe in the year תש"ח, 1968, said in one of the talks in the sichas that from this we come to uchtavtam al mezuzos beisecha uvesharecha. That a person inscribes on the mezuzahs, which is posted on the doorpost of a person's house. And the Rebbe continues, the true house of a Yid, uvesharecha, also the gates that are outside of the house, that also belong to a Yid, which this is the house, the kviyus, the permanent residence of a Yid, where they find themselves. So every Yid has, since the kviyus, the most permanent place for a Yid is Eretz Yisrael. Every Yid has a ama al ha-ama l'chol ha'poches be'eretz Yisrael. At least one ama al ha-ama, which is one and a half feet by one and a half feet in Eretz Yisrael. As it was mentioned in poskim b'negia to many halachos in a practical sense, ubefrat. When a person builds something, a ingan of kedusha in

07:07 Eretz Yisrael, especially when it is something relating to teilah and relating to tefilah. Im yirtze Hashem, in the next installment, we will continue on this topic.