Diaspora Yeshiva Toras Yisrael | Mount Zion, Jerusalem
Torah From Zion
Rav and Talmid – Two
September 29th, 2024 / 26th of Elul, 5784
The Key – Receiving Torah as if From Sinai
In the previous chapter, we saw that the seemingly impossible could happen: A talmid [student] could reach a higher level in Torah than his rebbe [teacher].
Although this seems nonsensical, the fact is that Rabbi Akiva expounded halachos [Torah laws] to the extent that Moshe [Moses] Rabbeinu could not understand him and felt hurt by this. In explanation, we said that Hashem will not withhold good from those who go with him b’tmimus [in perfect innocence] (from Tehillim / Psalms 84:12). He wants us to reach great heights in Torah, and will help us to reach them in accordance with our capabilities.
Another explanation we brought is that since the rebbe serves as the pipeline of shefa [abundance], which flows from Hashem to the talmid through him, if the talmid considers his rebbe to be saying not his own words but rather words of Hashem Himself, and when he is in his rebbe’s presence he feels as if he is present at Matan Torah [the Giving of the Torah], such a talmid can ascend higher than his rebbe, because he is in effect receiving Torah from Sinai. At Sinai, each Jew received Torah in accordance with his capabilities, and now as well, this talmid will receive Torah at his level — not necessarily his rebbe’s level, but perhaps even higher.
Prophecy also depended on one's preparation
The Ran (Drasha 8) says this about nevuah [prophecy], too. The difference between Moshe’s nevuah and that of Aharon [Aaron] and Miriam’s was that when Hashem wanted to communicate with them, He had to call upon Moshe as well. On their own, Aharon and Miriam were not capable of receiving nevuah at that time. Meaning, receiving nevuah parallels receiving Torah — it all depends on how much the recipient is capable of receiving.
Also, the other prophets saw b’askpeklaria lo meira (Yevamos 49b). Rashi and Rabbeinu Chananel, whom the Ramban cites, explain that the difference is in the sharpness of focus of the nevuah. Moshe saw his prophecy clearly, whereas the rest saw riddles — matters that were not fully clear.
The Rama (Toras Olah, 1:14) writes that even though prophets were only able to receive nevuah after nullification of their material being, ultimately, their nullification was still lacking in caparison with Moshe’s. Since they did not reach total hisbatlus, what they saw was a picture of themselves. Moshe, on the other hand, purified himself entirely. The difference between Moshe’s nevuah and theirs can be highlighted by the analogy of a pane of glass, which can be used either for a window or a mirror. What’s the difference between a window and a mirror? Just a very thin layer of silver or black paint. That’s all it takes to shut light from coming through one of its sides. Only if there is absolutely nothing on the other side of the glass can one see through it perfectly.
Since the other prophets weren’t 100 percent pure, when nevuah came upon them, the felt a bit of gashmius [materialism]. To that extent, they saw themselves in their nevuah. That’s called apeklaria lo meira.
We see once again that receiving heavenly shefa depends on one’s level of purity. It’s not a yes-or-no question, does he receive shefa or not, but rather how much is he capable of receiving, as in the case of Aharon and Miriam (explained in the previous chapter). The prophet’s level of hisbatlus will also determine the clarity of his nevuah, will it be sharp or blurry?
This explains why Avraham Avinu (our father Abraham) served Hashem for 70 years until Hashem appeared to him and commanded him to leave his land and his father’s home (according to Bereishis / Genesis Rabba and Pesikta Zetresa, as brought by Ohr Hachaim and other others). We can rest assured that Avraham worked very hard during those years to prepare himself for nevuah, and probably had a yeshiva for nevuah as well where the talmidim worked constantly to prepare themselves to receive heavenly shefa.
Nevuah without preparation damages a navi
Only, if Hashem revealed Himself to a prophet, but that prophet was not ready to receive prophecy, this revelation would cause him to go crazy. Normally, prophetic revelation only came to one who was ready for it, but there are a few notable exceptions, and they indeed wrought havoc.
One instance was when a group of Tannaim brought themselves to a state of prophecy by uttering certain holy Names of Hashem, as documented in Maseches Chagiga (14b): Four entered the “Orchard.” They were Ben Azai, Ben Zoma, Acher and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva told them: When you reach near the pure marble stones, do not say, “Water! Water!”, because it states “a speaker of lies shall not abide before My eyes” (Tehillim / Psalms 101:7). Ben Azai glanced and died, and of him it states: “difficult in the eyes of Hashem is the death of his devout ones” (Tehillim 116:15). Ben Zoma glanced and became mentally unstable, and of him the verse states: “When you find honey, eat [only] what is sufficient for you, lest you be satiated and vomit it up” (Mishlei 25:16). Acher chopped down saplings in the Orchard. Rabbi Akiva emerged in peace.
The Maharsha explains (ibid.) that those who did not leave in peace were not sufficiently prepared for such Divine shefa. Since each of them was lacking this perfection in a different way, they were each damaged in a different way. For example, Rabbeinu Chananel explains that “Ben Azai glanced and died” means that he continued to say the holy Names, trying to see with an aspeklaria hameira, for which he was not prepared. Rabbi Akiva, however, reach what Acher reached but was not hurt because he was ready for it, and when he reached a level he was not prepared for, he stopped himself and went back.
Another instance is when Hashem revealed Himself to the Bnei Yisrael at the Giving of the Torah. They were not prepared for this, but in this case, there was, in a manner of speaking, “no choice” but to appear to the nation, even in their unprepared state, so that they would gain yiras Shamayim [fear of Heaven] for all eternity, as it states of Matan Torah: “In order that His fear be upon your faces so that you do not sin” (Shemos / Exodus 20:17).
In this case as well, damage was caused, as the Sages state (Shabbos 88b), that for every dibbur [word] that the Bnei Yisrael [the Children of Yisrael] heard from the mouth of Hashem, their soul left them, and a heavely dew revived them. The Malbim (Shemos 20:15) explains that their souls left them since they received prophecy without preparing in advance. “Since they were not ready for prophecy, and their materiality was a separating wall between them and the Holy One, their soul could not separate while it was still within the body, therefore it divested itself entirely and separated from their bodies, just as at the time of death.”
Ascending to higher levels requires preparation
In short, Hashem does not hold back His good from one who goes on the straight path. Hashem will even honor the highest request we make, but we have to do the work. We have to prepare ourselves, because otherwise we will suffer. Therefore, a talmid [student] will only reach beyond the level of his rebbe if he prepares himself to receive Torah from Hashem’s mouth even more than his rebbe does. If not, he surely will not ascend higher than his rebbe. Still, strictly speaking, a talmid can do such a thing, to reach very high levels, even higher than his rebbe.
Ascending to higher levels requires a framework
Moshe had a framework, the framework of Torah, of “halacha l’Moshe MiSinai.” No creativity in Torah can exist outside of this framework. What this means for us is that we can only be mechadeish within the parameters of what we get from our rebbe, based on the foundations he built for us.
Afterwards, there is plenty of room for us to develop, similar to the myriad inventions an innovations that stemmed from the wheel. Even though the inventor of the wheel never thought of those later innovations, all the latter inventors began with his idea.
So writes the Ohr Hachaim (Vayikra / Leviticus 13:37), that while Moshe Rabbeinu received the Torah shebek’sav [Written] and Torah sheb’al peh [Oral], he did not receive the integration of the two, meaning he did not know where the chiddushim [revelations] of Torah sheb’al peh are alluded to in Torah shebek’sav.
Even though Moshe knew all the Torah that the talmidim [students] would be mechadeish, where these chiddushim appeared in the Torah he did not know. Meaning, all of Rabbi Akiva’s chiddushim fit into that framework, which includes the crowns on the letters, etc.
The Torah framework contains open space. This is where a talmid can come forward with his chiddushim. When matters are not stated explicitly, a talmid must work to develop the ideas that exist within the framework, and to add onto them layers of his own understanding. He must not simply remain with what he learned, but rather aspire for more, to develop and elevate himself.
Know what the framework gives us
The first framework we encounter in life is Hashem. He is everything, and throughout our daily tefilla [prayer] we mention Hashem, and that He is master of all, so we accustom ourselves to think this. Even so, a farmer can find himself wondering — why do we say “hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz [the blessing, ‘Who brings forth bread from the Earth’]?” Is it Hashem Who took this bread from out of the ground? Didn’t I do anything? Didn’t I plow, and plant, and water the fields, and protect the fields from harm, and then later harvest and thresh and grind flour until finally making bread? Didn’t I do all that?
The answer to the farmer will help us in understanding what is a “rebbe muvhak” [one’s principal teacher/Rabbi]. Really, all comes from Hashem. He is the One Who made the wheat and gave it power to grow. Yes, you had to toil to reach the stage of bread, but Hashem provided you with the basis for all your toil and the fruits that stemmed from it. So too, a rebbe muvhak is the one who provides you with the basics, the main principles. You are expected to develop onwards, but the foundation will always be the rebbe’s. The rebbe plants the seeds of Torah in you, and you can foster the growth of these seeds with your own Torah study.
If so, a talmid first needs a basis in Torah, the guidance of what to say and what not, what first and what last. Sometimes, on bookshelves in a Jewish home, the works of Rishonim and Acharonim are jumbled together. From this we can infer that this baal habayis does not know the value of each work, and does not have the proper perspective on each one’s contribution to Torah study. A rebbe teaches that.
Torah has its standards
As the talmid begins diggins into a sugya [subject], he will develop sevaros [ideas]. What will be their value? What grade will these sevaros get? Are they deep or shallow? In Torah it is very important to know the value of each sevara. Chavrusos [learning partners] may be learning away intensely, offering sevaros that they think are very good. But these sevaros have to be put through the test of Torah.
This is the first look at the framework: Learn according to the framework and get the basics from the Rav. Get a derech halimud [a learning method]. Know what is the kasheh [difficulty] and what is the teirutz [solution], what is a sevara, what is a stira [contradiction]; learn nuances and develop sechel hayashar [straight thinking]. Learn what is emes [truth], and what is emes l’amito [truth of its truth]. Learn how to hone in on the nekuda [point] — the inner matter that stands at the heart of a sugya.
The empty part of the framework – your place to be mechadeish
No less important than the first part of the framework is the second part: be original, develop new ideas or explanations. This is called “being mechadeish within the framework.” This isn’t an optional point, something that gets us “extra credit.” Being mechadeish is an obligation. You cannot remain complacent with what you receive from your rebbe. You are expected to aspire for greatness, to be mechadeish and reach heights in Torah study.
Here’s what Rav Chaim Zimmerman would say: If he saw sefarim [books] that simply summarized sugyos [subjects], presenting various ways of learning it that were already known, not trying to bring out any new aspect, or a new support for one of the existing approaches, he would say that these sefarim were worthless.
A pearl diver plunges into the water — that is the analogy for a talmid entering a sugya. Dive into the length and breadth of the sugya. What do you find? A pearl, a bit of a shell? If the talmid knows that this is expected of him, to discover something and bring it to the surface, this will give him the incentive to push, grow and develop.
What is the way to develop into a learner who can be mechadeish in Torah according to the proper lines? This can be compared to one learning to be an artist, a painter. An art student begins by copying from existing paintings. Eventually, if he succeeds in bringing his unique talent to the fore, he can produce works of art on his own.
How is it that some artists can sell their works for millions? They learned the secrets, they penetrated into the inner world of artistic expression and once inside, they developed an approach of their own, with new concepts, and now their works bear their imprint. This is the only way to grow. You keep advancing, taking what you learned, developing and channeling it in new ways.
Being mechadeish within the framework – the key to survival within the framework
Sometimes, the yetzer hara [evil inclination] succeeds in weakening a man, getting him to question his worth. He finds himself thinking: what can I really add with my chiddushim? Here I am, within the confines of Shas [Talmud] and poskim [halacha], and I feel like I’m suffocating.
Let’s begin our answer with a parallel case: There are people who grew up unconnected to Judaism, and at a later age they discover Torah and want to actualize their Jewishness, only they keep bumping into forbidden things. It’s frustrating. They feel they can’t do anything.
We answer them: You can do whatever you want! There’s just one condition, that whatever you do is guided by the Torah system. You have all the freedom you want, just don’t go against the Torah.
Now, is this a good answer? Is it true? How will it be received?
On the one hand, you say you’re “only placing one condition,” but that condition contains who knows how many more conditions? After all, the laws of the Torah are many and all-encompassing.
On the other hand, a person feels automatically that it’s not so limited, not so suffocating. Didn’t he just say that I can do whatever I want, have all the freedom I want? And doesn’t the Torah really do that? The Torah is structured perfectly so you can do what you want. You can even marry an ervah [forbidden], only the Torah points out when this is allowed, and even a mitzvah. If a brother dies without children, then the erva of eishes ach [brother’s wife] is a mitzvah [commandment / good deed]. You can eat all sorts of things, you can violate the Shabbos — when it’s a matter of pikuach nefesh.
The mooment the yetzer hara knows that there are situations in which all the so-called prohibitions become permitted, that there are “built-in loopholes,” the yetzer doesn’t fight so hard, and you have the ability to deal with it.
The same applies to Torah study — a talmid needs motivation, so we tell him: “You’re so clever, don’t just stick with what you received. Grow, the world is open before you, produce, bring forth chiddushim, you’re brilliant! No one can stop you, you have the whole Shas and Rishonim waiting for you, just produce, be creative!”
Can anyone call this stifling? You have all the space in the world!
I often cite the machlokess [dispute] among the Acharonim about “learning and teaching Torah.” We ask in davening [praying] that Hashem help us to learn and to teach, but to what exactly do these two terms refer?
Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe V Siman 20:5) holds that “learning” means to learn foor one’s own enrichment, and “teaching” means to spread Torah by teaching it to others. The Bircas Shmuel, however, holds that even “teaching” means learning for one’s own enrichment, meaning when you learn in order to teach others, this hones your own learning, and forces you to grow and reach new insights. “Teaching” is one way of growing.
Learning with a plan to teach the material definitely helps a talmid, but there are other ways, too. You can write down chiddushei Torah. Whatever causes you to sharpen matters in your brain, the main thing is to grow, and this growth is available for all and it’s our obligation to grow. The only question is how.
This is is the big chiddush that the Diaspora Yeshiva brought to the world, that the Torah is not limited to a certain group of people, or to a few shitos halimud [learning approaches]; rather, the Torah is lying in a corner, and whoever wants to take it can come and take it, make progress in it and grow and be mechadeish in his way.
I recall years ago, before we opened the yeshiva, a Yid came to me and said he has a sefer of all the chiddushim, either of Rav Baruch Ber or Chaim Brisker, I don’t recall which, and he was ready to teach them. I told him that this wasn’t for us. We don’t want to hear you say over their ideas; we want to know how we can grow. Or course, we want to hear their shiurim [measurements a.k.a. lessons], but there are those who get stuck in this and end up just saying over the ideas of other people. We’re not interested in that. We want to understand and grow.
The way to grow in Torah
It’s not so hard to be mechadeish in learning. Here’s how to start preparing oneself: The talmid should make sure to learn with others, and amid pilpul [sharp analysis]. Next is to learn with excitement. If you have these two ingredients, the rest comes on its own.
After 120, we’ll be asked, were you kovea itim — did you set aside times for Torah study? Why is it so important to be kovea itim? Because we have a rule, if you are intent on your goal, and you review the material again and again, chiddushim must result! It cannot be otherwise.
How do you reach a chiddush? You have a piece of Gemara and it leads you to a certain conclusion, so move on to the next section, and when you get to the next conclusion, check if it matches up to the conclusion you arrived at before. If it fits, wonderful, but if not, you now have to create a sevara, you have to come forward and say something, i.e., you have to grow, and this is the way, through understanding that you have no choice but to say over a sevara. This forces you to think. There is simply no other way.
Excerpted with permission from Imrei Mordechai, Vol. 2, A Collection of Inspirational Insights from the “Mussar Shmoozes” of HaGaon Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein Ztzvk”l, The Imrei Mordechai Institute, Diaspora Yeshiva Toras Yisrael, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, Kislev 5779.
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