As we enter the period of Bein HaMetzarim—the “Three Weeks” of mourning—we are often told to look back at the glory of the Temple and the tragedies of our history. But in the latest episode of the Shuva Israel Podcast, Rabbi Moshe Yoel Pinto, Shlita, shares a warning from the Talmud that changes everything: Do not pray in a ruin.
The Three Dangers of the Past
The Rabbi decodes the story of Rabbi Yossi, who entered a ruin in Jerusalem to pray. Eliyahu HaNavi rebuked him, citing three reasons: Suspicion, Collapse, and Harmful Spirits.
Rabbi Moshe Yoel explains that these aren’t just physical dangers; they are spiritual ones. When a person “enters a ruin”—meaning, when they live in the past, constantly reminiscing about when they were wealthier, holier, or more respected—they invite Suspicion (people doubt their current state), Collapse (their current life falls apart because they aren’t invested in it), and Harmful Spirits (negativity and depression). To find G-d, you must stand “on the road”—in the middle of your current daily routine.
The Staff vs. The Wheelchair
A major theme of this episode is our relationship with our spiritual leaders. The Rabbi quotes the Chidushei HaRim: A Rabbi is a staff, not a wheelchair.
A staff is something you lean on to help you walk faster and stronger on your own two feet. A wheelchair is something that carries you while your legs atrophy. Too many people treat the Torah and the Tzadik like a wheelchair—they throw every question and every effort onto the Rabbi, losing their own intellect and initiative. True redemption only comes when you use the “Staff” of the Torah to walk your own path toward the Almighty.
Personal vs. Collective Redemption
Why do we say at the Seder, “Next year we will be free,” even if we are already living in freedom? Rabbi Pinto explains that there is a Collective Exile and a Personal Exile.
Even if the world is in darkness, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai innovated a legal reality: A person who is awake and connected to a “Small Group of Light” can recite the morning Shema even when it is still technically night. You have the power to define your own “Dawn.” You do not have to wait for the entire nation to be redeemed to find your own personal light and closeness to G-d.
The 21-Day Twin
The Maharsha reveals a stunning connection: It takes 21 days for an egg to hatch. This corresponds to the 21 days of mourning (from 17th Tammuz to 9th Av) and the 21 days of holiness (from Rosh Hashanah to Hoshana Rabbah).
On the surface, they look different—one is “Black” and one is “White.” But internally, they are identical. They both lead to the same goal: Clinging to the King. The Three Weeks are not a time to be “sad”; they are a time to be “alert,” to search our souls, and to realize that the King is in the field, waiting for us to reach out.
This week, step out of the “Ruins” of your past. Take up the “Staff” of the Torah and walk toward your own personal dawn.
🎧 Listen to the full masterclass on the Shuva Israel Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5xH8MT7BN2dBO9H8XjqY9k?si=859cd456279e48c2
Stay connected. Stay holy. Shuva Israel.
