(The tape recorder gets rigged up again at the conclusion of the meal that followed the previous teachings and story. At first it’s a scarcely audible jumble of words and phrases about how a human being gives help reluctantly)) “…two hours later you bother me again?” “I’ll tell you, listen to me now, Harry, we’re such good friends, who cares about yesterday, today. Right now I need this money.” “Okay, but I gave it to you.” [The dialogue continues in this way, and eventually "Harry" gives his friend the loan — $2000 — but ends by saying,] “Please don’t call me for another year.” Compassion, right? This is a human being.

But you know the way G-d, when we deal with G-d? G-d nebich gives me a little piece of cake, a little bit [shtain?] dinner. So I come to G-d with the holiest. I say, “U-v’nai Yerushalayim — can you please rebuild Jerusalem? Can you please bring the Messiah?” [Does G-d say,] “What is this Chutzpah?” You know? “I mean, really, because I gave you a little bagel, therefore you bother me right away about Yerushalayim?”

But now listen to the other side. I want you to open your hearts. Remember I told you I met this girl yesterday — can’t say on Shabbos — it was Shabbos — last night I went out, I met this girl. And she was very sweet, she was smiling. And we walked into this coffee shop, and I said, “Can I take you out for coffee?” She says, “Why not?” You know? We’re going in there, and I say to her, “Um…uh, you wanna give me the sugar, you know, for the coffee?” She says, “Okay.” And I say to her, “Listen, you know, you’re so beautiful. Maybe you can give me some more sugar. Would you like to marry me?” You know?

Now listen to this very careful. If she doesn’t love me, you know? “Listen, what kind of chutzpah is this?” You know? “I didn’t know you five minutes ago.” Right? “Okay, you’re taking me out for coffee, and I give you sugar, therefore? Chutzpah!” Right? If she loves me, do you know what she’ll say? “You couldn’t have asked at a better moment,” right?

Now listen to this, sweetest friends. If you don’t love a person after doing one favor, you say, “Really, I mean, really, take off, such chutzpah!” You know? “I just did you a favor — that’s it! Don’t talk to me for another year.” If you love somebody very much, it’s the other way around! If you do them one favor, you can’t wait till you do them another favor, right? ‘Cause it’s so beautiful to do somebody a favor, right? When you love somebody — Listen, my Neshameleh, when she’ll ask me, let’s say in the morning, she’ll say, “Daddy, give me apple juice.” Ten minutes later, she’ll say, “Give me this juice.” I’ll say “Chutzpah — I just — “? I’ll say, “I’m so glad, gevalt!” I’m jumping out of my skin, right? Can you imagine, ten minutes later, she’ll say, “Take me to Israel.” So I’ll blow my mind, my Neshama wants to go to Israel! Right?

So I want you to know, bentching is — bentching is, mamesh, that we are so close to G-d, we have just a little taste how much He loves us, that I can eat one bagel, and ask, “U-v’nai Yerushalayim. Please, Rabayna shel olam, bring the Messiah. Fix the whole world.”

But again, you have to realize — and here I just want to tell you this one very important thing. This is one of the top Torahs of Reb Nachman. You know, most of us think always of life in terms of, “What am I doing with my life? How much money do I make? What’s my future? What’s my past?” This is cute, right? It’s the outside of it. Inside — life itself is so deep, right? [Long pause]

Chevra, I don’t know what to say. Mamesh, my head doesn’t work.

Anonymous helpful person: Reb Nachman. Top Torah.

Reb Shlomo: Ah, it’s a gevalt! Thank you very much.

Same person: You’re welcome.

[Shlomo continues] Reb Nachman says, at that moment, when you put food in your mouth, if you want to you can receive life on the highest level. Listen, I can take a bite off an apple and receive eternal life, right? Or I can just receive the apple. It’s up to you.

So the story is that — all Breslov Chasidim were big shleppers, you know? Most of them. So Reb Nosson, the greatest pupil of Reb Nachman, was once invited by Reb Nachman’s grandson, who was very wealthy. He didn’t feel right to go there, but he was invited. The whole day he was crying inside, “Gevalt, my rebbe was so holy, and here this one is into money and everything.” So he says, “I came to the house,” and he regretted that he went. He wasn’t accustomed to this kind of riches. And then he comes to the food. And he says, “Oy vey.” You know? “With this kind of golden plates and golden spoons, you’re not gonna — who knows? Forget it!” But then he says, “Reb Nachman’s grandson walked in, and he made a motzi,” and he says, “the way he put the food in his mouth, I swear to you, I haven’t seen it since Reb Nachman.” Mamesh, the utmost — you know? With the utmost readiness to receive life on the highest level.

Gevalt, I’m keeling over. Yitzchak, can you start bentching? And I’ll just bentch fast, yeah?

Jerry: Time for you.

Shlomo: Yeah, but I want to answer back, yeah?

Yitzchak: Okay, say Rabbosai n’varech. [Shlomo leads the call and response at the beginning of the bentching. And the chevra begins to sing....]

Quick segue to the concert and the introduction by Rabbi Leo Abrami of Temple Beth Ami, the host congregation.

Rabbi Abrami: Now that Shlomo has brought you all here to our congregation for a lovely evening, and I would like to tell you, very briefly, that this concert and this workshop this afternoon, this gathering, would not have been possible if it had not been for the good will — and the faith — of one of our friends here — two friends — Jerry and Linda Strauss. And I would like therefore to introduce to you, Jerry Strauss. [Applause] I would like to mention also the fact that Mrs. Yudel — Serena Yudel — worked many hours this afternoon to prepare this lovely dinner we had tonight, so we want to thank Mrs. Yudel also [applause begins] and all the others for making this possible.

From the series, Reb Shlomo at Congregation Beth Ami, 4676 Mayette Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 . Sunday, November 30, 1980 (22 Kislev, 5741), Parashat Miketz. (Two days before Chanukah, the week of Parashat Miketz.)
Recorded and transcribed by Reuven Goldfarb.
Transcription dedicated to the complete refuah of Yitzchak ben Leah — Jerry Strauss, Shlomo’s great friend and supporter — who organized the concert and learning at which these teachings were given over.
Copyright held by the estate of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

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Categories: Sabbath, Shabbat
Tags: Bentching, Grace after Meals, Jerusalem, Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810) (Rebbe Nachman), Sabbath, Shabbat