Part II
The main theme of HaRav Scheinberg is that yiras
Shomayim is essential to success in learning Torah
generally and to success in determining halochoh
particularly. He explained the gemora that says that a
talmid chochom must be like the Aron Hakodesh
— golden on the outside and on the inside —
because such a result is an indication of the amount of
yiras Shomayim the person has. He also explains that
yiras Shomayim will drive a person to persist in his
learning in order to arrive at the truth. Discovering the
truth takes effort, and one will only invest the effort if he
is driven by yiras Shomayim. Even great geniuses like
Do'eig and Achitofel will not arrive at the truth unless they
are driven by yiras Shomayim. Once someone's efforts
are based on yiras Shomayim he will also merit special
siyata deShmaya that will ensure that he reaches the
truth. This was illustrated with the story of HaRav Yisroel
Salanter and HaRav Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor, and the remarks
of the Urim veTumim about the Shulchan Oruch
and the Ramo.
*
Yiras Shomayim and siyata deShmaya go hand in
hand, and psak halochoh is impossible without them. In
his commentary on the Rambam, the Raavad (Hilchos
Lulav 8:5) describes how Ruach Hakodesh was
present in his beis medrash for many years and this
gave him clarity to decide and determine halochoh. To
learn properly and accurately, so properly and so accurately
that the halochoh can emerge clear and unchallenged;
this excellence is only possible with yiras
Shomayim.
The Rambam writes in Hilchos Dei'os (5:1), "Just as a
chochom is recognizable through his wisdom and his
attitudes, and through them he is distinguished from the rest
of the people, likewise, he is required to be recognizable
through his deeds, his eating and drinking . . . his speech
and manner of walking, his dress and his way of doing
business. All of these actions must be extra pleasing and
perfected."
This is the significance of what Rovo is teaching us when he
says, "Any talmid chochom whose outside is not like
his inside is not a talmid chochom." In spite of whatever
he may learn, whatever he may know, whatever he may teach
— without yiras Shomayim he is not really a
talmid chochom because his learning does not result in
any clarification of the truth. His learning sheds no light.
His knowledge is not clear. His teachings do not tell us what
to do. Neither do his actions. Hashem will not be with anyone
who lacks yiras Shomayim.
In the fifth perek of Ovos, the mishnah
contrasts the vast difference between Bilaam's
talmidim and the talmidim of Avrohom Ovinu: the
talmidim of Bilaam are jealous, arrogant and greedy;
whereas Avrohom Ovinu's talmidim are content, humble
and generous. The mishnah purposefully avoids making a
direct comparison between Avrohom Ovinu and Bilaam
themselves.
According to the Chasam Sofer, this mishnah is
teaching us not to rely on appearances. Appearances are
deceiving. In spite of any superficial guise of perfection,
talmidim will inevitably emulate their rebbe.
If the rebbe is genuine, the talmidim will
strive for perfection. If the rebbe is flawed, the
talmidim will detect, adopt and magnify their
rebbe's faults.
Bilaam was ingenious, famous and highly respected in the eyes
of his peers. He was the greatest philosopher of his
generation. On the other hand, Bilaam's private life was
corrupt. Ultimately, as the mishnah testifies,
Bilaam's moral bankruptcy was reflected in his
talmidim.
Therefore, the mishnah highlights the contrast between
the talmidim of Avrohom Ovinu and the talmidim
of Bilaam. Chazal do this in order to teach us that the best
way to know a talmid chochom is through his
talmidim.
*
Prayers for yiras Shomayim must come from the heart.
Truthful prayers produce truthful Torah. If we pray and learn
in these ways, siyata deShmaya will be forthcoming,
allowing us to decide the most subtle and complex
questions.
Many of us learn Torah, but the privilege of understanding
the full depth of what we learn is limited to a very few.
This is why the brochoh of Ahavoh Rabboh is so
important. During Shacharis, before Shema, we
pray that Hashem should please, "Instill in our hearts to
understand and expound upon, to listen, learn, teach,
safeguard, observe and fulfill all the words of Your Torah's
teaching be'ahavoh."
Ahavoh for Torah must fill the innermost recesses of
our hearts. Our hearts must want to understand what we are
learning. We must want to expound upon what we learn; to
listen to what the Torah is teaching us, and learn it well.
We must want to teach what we have learned, and safeguard it
from errors and mistakes. Then of course, we must observe and
fulfill all that we have learned and taught.
Even if we learn correctly, teach properly and live according
to the teachings of the Torah — this is not enough.
Therefore, we ask for even more, an even greater spiritual
attainment. Our prayer of Ahavoh Rabboh continues,
"Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah and attach our hearts to
Your commandments. . . ."
Many times, we can be outstanding enough in our learning to
be creative and original, to be mechaddeish. However,
if our eyes are not enlightened to see the light and truth of
Torah, then our mitzvos are superficial.
If our hearts are not bound to the will of Hashem
Yisborach, then what Rovo teaches us, "Any talmid
chochom whose outside is not like his inside is not a
talmid chochom," becomes extremely relevant.
Therefore, our prayer continues, " . . .unify our hearts to
love and fear Your Name." Our prayer is a prayer that our
inside should be like our outside. It is a prayer that we
should have hearts imbued with ahavoh and
yir'oh, and that our hearts should guide our learning
and guide our actions. If so, then yiras Shomayim and
siyata deShmaya will be part of our lives and part of
our Torah.
*
The Maharshal, at the end of the preface to his sefer Yam
Shel Shlomo on Bava Kammo, writes about the impact
of a certain incident that he calls "ner mitzva veTorah
ore." He once had the privilege of receiving unique
siyata deShmaya and as a result, he wrote his
sefer.
In the preface, the Maharshal did not explain exactly what
happened to him. However, the Chida, in his sefer Shem
HaGedolim does record the incident: "One night a miracle
happened to him. Only having a small candle that could last
but an hour, he began to learn. Prolonging his learning for
many hours, his candle continued to shine [so to speak] until
the end of time."
The Maharshal however, does explain very clearly what he felt
as a result: One night it was as if min haShomayim the
Shaarei Orah, the Gates of Light, were flung wide open
for him. This gave him the clear understanding that he had
approval, and that he would receive the strength to delve
properly into Torah, to judge, to permit, to forbid and to
decide. That he was to become outstanding, to write his
sefer, that it would be a gift for Hashem. That he
would go on a straight and truthful path, whether the path
would be long or short.
In conclusion, the Maharshal writes that at that moment, he
understood that Hashem Yisborach would give him
success. Furthermore, he knew Hashem desired his success,
because Hashem, from His Chochmoh, bestows wisdom to
those who fear Him.
Toward the end of Shacharis in Uvo Letzion we
pray to Hashem and ask, "That He may open our heart to his
Torah, and instill in our hearts ahavoh for Him and
yir'oh for Him; to do His will and serve Him with a
full heart, in order that we do not labor in vain nor bring
forth confusion."
This prayer is an affirmation and a request; an affirmation
that we know that Hashem will only impart His secrets to
those who fear Him, and a request that our hearts be desirous
of yiras Shomayim. Since yiras Shomayim is such
an essential ingredient for success in learning, we should
never overlook the importance of this prayer.
In order to illustrate just how important this prayer is, in
the Siddur HaGra — Ishei Yisroel, the commentary
Siach Yitzchok quotes a Midrash Agodoh
Bereishis: "Even if a person has learned Mikro,
Mishnah, Sifro, Sifrei and all Talmud — but
has no yiras Shomayim — then for naught he has
plunged into deep waters. All his efforts that he expended
are for naught."
Without yiras Shomayim, our learning will be in vain
and will bring forth only confusion. We must sincerely want
yiras Shomayim. We have to want it so much that we
pray for it. Our prayers have to be so sincere that Hashem
will answer them.
Therefore, the Siach Yitzchok continues to explain
that even if a person has a perfect understanding of Torah,
but if he does not have ahavoh and yir'oh he
can transgress the Torah in many basic ways — even
without realizing it. According to the Siach Yitzchok
this is what the mishnah in Ovos (3:9) means
when it teaches us, "Anyone who does not have yir'as
cheit as a prerequisite, his chochmoh will not
last . . . [and likewise] anyone whose chochmoh
exceeds his good deeds, his chochmoh will not
last."
We must pray that our learning will not be in vain and
sincerely hope that our conclusions will not lead to
confusion. We have to pray for yir'as Shomayim and
hope that we will be zoche min haShomayim to the
siyata deShmaya that we so desperately need.
We must pray to be able to serve Hashem with a full heart;
perfect in its desire to do the Will of its Creator. A full
and perfect heart desirous to know exactly what Hashem
expects of it, even if it takes, as Rabbeinu Yonah wrote, "to
labor for days, and years, to comprehend a [seemingly]
trivial matter — and conduct himself according to the
truth."
