Knowledge of God through Torah Study (Why We Learn Torah Series - Part 7)

Rav Aryeh Leibowitz

We have explored the value of human intuition and the study of science and nature for acquiring knowledge of Hashem.  However, these are not the fields of study that will lead man to the ultimate truth.  Only Torah study can provide man with the complete and absolute truth.[1] 

This principle is expressed in Tehillim 19.  The Psalmist begins with seven verses extolling the virtue of studying the world as a means to gaining a deeper perception of God.  The psalmist proclaims that the sky with all of its planets and stars “declare the glory of God (מספרים כבוד קל).”  The nights “reveal knowledge” (יחוה דעת), and the sun, although it does not speak, demonstrates God’s greatness (אין אומר ואין דברים בלי נשמע קולם בכל הארץ יצא קום).”    But after these seven verses, the Psalmist proclaims, “The Torah of Hashem is perfect (תורת ה' תמימה)” and, “The statues of God are trustworthy, they make the fool wise (עדות ה' נאמנה מחכמת פתי).”  The message of the psalm is that with all of the value of nature notwithstanding, Torah study is the greater value.  It is specifically Torah study that has the ability to take a person’s perception to a whole new level.[2] 

Perhaps this message is also the intention of the Mishna in Pirkei Avos 3:7,

One who is walking along the path and is studying [Torah], and then interrupts his learning and says, “How beautiful is this tree! How beautiful is this plowed field!,” such a person is considered to be guilty with his life.

The Mishna is not teaching that the contemplation of nature, or even the appreciation of its beauty is of no value.  Rather the Mishna is comparing the study of nature with the study of Torah.  One who is walking on the road and contemplating God’s creations is certainly behaving meritoriously.  However, not if he interrupts Torah study, which is the surest path to the truth.[3]

The most direct avenue to knowledge of God is the study of Torah.  We suggested earlier that the study of Torah provides access to God’s perspective.  Well, the more one becomes familiar with how God “thinks,” the more he actually knows God himself.   Lehavdil, when one studies an author’s writings it does not only provide insight into the thinking of the author, but also provide a prospective on the author himself.  Similarly, the study of God’s Torah does not only familiarize the reader with the thinking of God, but actually provides a perspective into the essence of God Himself. 

But with God this principle is much truer than with a regular author.  Unlike the average author, God created the Torah with the express intent of it being a medium for knowing Him and His world.  Chazal teach that the word “Anochi (אנכי)” in the beginning of the Ten Commandments – God’s opening declaration to the Jewish nation – is an acronym for “I have attached my essence to this writing (אנא נפשי כתבית יהבית).”  The idea being that Hashem created Torah as a medium for knowing – to some degree – His essence. Indeed, we are told by Chazal “These words [of Torah] should be placed upon your heart – For through this you will come to recognize God” (Sifrei, Ve-Eschanan 8).  

That Torah provides a window into the essence of God is also expressed in Bamidbar 12:8, where the Torah states about Moshe that he saw the “picture (תמונת ה' יביט)” of God.  The Chofetz Chaim comments on this verse that Torah is like a photograph of Hashem, as it reveals God’s attributes and presents a person with a greater understanding of God.  Along these lines, the Maharal of Prague suggests that Torah is called a tree, in the famous verse “עץ חיים היא,” because a tree is a direct outgrowth of its roots. So too, Torah is a direct outgrowth of the root of all creation – God.   Again, we find a cryptic line in the Ramban’s introduction to his commentary on Torah that the verses of the Torah are the “names” of God.  The Maharsha explains (Berachos 21a) that a name generally serves to be a description of something.  The Torah is, in a sense, a description of God and hence Ramban refers to its verses as the “names” of God. 

In conclusion we see that one who studies Torah comprehensively and deeply will gain tremendous insight into the essence of God.  In fact, studying Torah is the most elevated pursuit of man, and is the most “human” thing that a person can do.  This is because Torah study is an exercise in man using his most elevated faculty and applying it to acquire the most elevated knowledge in creation.[4]

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[1] Do not err and think that the passages from the Rambam quoted earlier from Hilchos Yesodei ha-Torah and Hilchos Teshuva about studying science to acquire love of God imply that the study of nature is supreme.  When one reads the full context of Hilchos Teshuva it is clear that the Rambam is not coming to solely encourage the study of nature.  It is clear from the preeceding halachos that Torah study is what the Rambam is encouraging.  In the above quoted passage the Rambam is merely adding that it is also worthy to set aside time to study nature as well.   

This reading is buttressed by some of the other writings of the Rambam on the topic of cultivating love of God.  In these contexts, the Rambam implicitly encourages Torah study as that which will cultivate love of God.  This is seen, for example, in his Sefer Ha-Mitzvos #3, “The third commandment is that we were commanded to love God.  This is accomplished by contemplating and understanding His commandments and His deeds until we come to an understanding of Him.”  Understanding God’s “deeds” may very well be a reference to studying the created world, although it could also refer to history.  However, the charge to understand God’s “commandments” is seemingly a directive to study Torah.   In the Moreh Nevuchim, the Rambam goes even further as he states that it is specifically the study the Torah that will bring a person to love of God, and he makes no mention there of the study of nature (Moreh Nevuchim, III:52),  “The principle that we are taught by the Torah, which are knowledge of [God’s] existence and His unity, are principle that will [also] teach us love [of God]… Love [of God] comes via the principle of the Torah.”  It emerges from the Rambam, that although he encourages the study of science, a field that can teach a person the truths of reality and even a bit about the truths of God Himself, the ultimate source for knowledge of truth is the Torah. 

[2] Indeed, the number of verses here are of significance.  The number seven is generally associated with the natural order, and hints to the seven days of creation.  For this reason there are seven verses describing the natural world and its ability to proclaim the glory of God.  But the number eight reflects a step beyond nature.  Hence, the eighth verse in this psalm corresponds to Torah, which is beyond the natural world.  See Maharal, Tiferes Yisrael, Chapter 2, and Derech Chayim 6:2). 

[3] The study of science and nature has its limits, but the study of Torah takes precedence over the study of these other fields.  The Maharal (Derech Chaim 6:2) suggests that for this reason the Torah’s description of creation starts with the letter beis (ב'), whereas the Ten Commandments begin with alef (א').  This letter choice serves to hint that Torah takes precedence over nature.  

[4] This provides a new perspective on those who spend large amounts of time studying in-depth Gemara.  Many such people often place a tremendous stress on abstract areas of study.  They sit for hours trying to figuring out an abstract, non-practical minutia of law.  They will spend hours trying to decipher a position in the Gemara that is ultimately rejected.  Why is this?  On one hand, one can say that this shows a real dedication to God and to Torah study.  When a person benefits practically from something so then there is always another motivation for one’s involvement.  Indeed, studying something just for the sake of study is the ultimate sign of dedication to the cause and of a love of the law giver.  But we can now understand an additional perspective.  The more abstract and sophisticated the study, the more it reflects man’s unique elevated capabilities.  From a certain perspective, the more the study is non-practical, the more it reflects one’s humanity.  Such study highlights man’s unique abstract mind and his ability to transcend the practical.  Indeed, Laws that are today less applicable, and especially those that are more abstract, such as many of laws of ritual purity, are specifically reflective of man’s elevated level.  What makes man’s mind so unique is its ability to consider abstract thoughts.   An in-depth study of an abstract concept or topic is distinctly human.  Studying abstract Torah is using one’s most elevated faculty – his mind – to study the most elevated field of study – Torah – in the most elevated way – abstract thinking.

Why We Learn Torah: Part 6 - Acquiring Knowledge of God Himself

Rav Aryeh Leibowitz

Man can arrive at an understanding of many of the truths of our world, but to grasp the ultimate truths and to gain the clearest perception of reality, a person must turn his attention to understanding the greatest reality that exists.  That is, the source of all reality – the Creator.  Knowledge of the Divine is mankind’s greatest intellectual pursuit.

The acquisition of any wisdom distinguishes man from the rest of creation, but use of the intellect in pursuit of the Divine is what most distinguishes man from the rest of creation and earns him his most exalted position in the hierarchy of creation. 

Intellect is what distinguishes mankind from the other species of living beings.  For man is an intellectual being.  And the meaning of intellect is the ability to form in the mind concepts and ideas… The most elevated intellectual conception is when man forms in his mind the unity [or uniqueness] of God, and other related divine knowledge.  Indeed, all other wisdom is only to develop the mind to be able to grasp knowledge of God. (Rambam, Introduction to the Mishna)

When man utilizes his free will and applies his abstract thinking in pursuit of divine knowledge over other fields of knowledge, he is engaging a deeper level understanding of life and a truer perception of reality.  For this reason, the Rambam writes in Moreh Nevuchim (III: 54) that the study of divine knowledge is what makes man – man.

True human perfection is [achieved] when man attains intelligence, which is, formulating conceptual thoughts.  Through this one learns knowledge of the divine truths, which is the ultimate goal and that which completes and perfects man.  This is uniquely human, and through this he can gain eternal existence.  This is what makes man, man. 

While it is not possible to fully know God, man is nonetheless charged to seek out knowledge of the divine to the best of his ability.  But how does one attain knowledge of God?

Human-Conceived Knowledge of God

Man’s mind operating on its own can, to a degree, bring man to a knowledge of God Himself.  The power of human intellect to come to truth in the realm of knowledge of God Himself, is confirmed by the Ramchal,

These truths [about God] are known to us through a tradition from our forefathers and the prophets…. However, logical reasoning and analysis can also lead one to know these truths… (Derech Hashem 1:1)

Perhaps the most accessible source for this knowledge of God is the natural world. Studying nature and the world can lead a man to an appreciation for, and a knowledge of, God Himself.  The Navi Yeshaya states (40:26), “Raise up your eyes and see who created this all of this.”

Similarly, we find in the earlier referenced passage from Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch,   

The revelation at Sinai was not essential for the recognition of the fact that there must be someone who is the omnipresent creator, regulator, and ruler of the world. The realization that there must be a God could come to anyone who thoughtfully contemplates nature, and the heavens in particular.

Contemplation with the human mind and the study of nature does not only bring belief that God exists.[1] It can even lead a person to knowledge about God’s essence.  Rabbenu Bachya ibn Pekuda writes,

Intellectual contemplation of God’s creations is an attainable way of clarifying God’s existence, and it is a clear path to know God’s true essence (Chovos Ha-Levavos, Section 2, Introduction)

Rabbenu Bechaya goes as far as to say that this form of contemplation is an absolute obligation upon man.  He argues that if God gave man intellect that is powerful enough to recognize God through analysis of nature, it is logical to assume that man must not ignore this God-given gift of intellect, and therefore man is obligated to use it to gain a better perception of God.  If man ignores this responsibility, he is rejecting his own humanity.

When man thinks and contemplates he is elevated above the animals (in a degree that is commensurate to his level of understanding), and if he ignores his intelligence, he is not like an animal, but is much worse than one. (Chovos Ha-Levavos, Section 2, Chapter 1)

In fact, the Midrash teaches that Avraham Avinu arrived at a level of understand of Hashem by pondering the world around him.  When Avraham was a mere three years old, he started to think, “Who created the Heavens, the earth, and me?”  His first reaction was to worship the sun, but after more thought and contemplation he recognized that there must have been a being that created the sun.  This process of thought eventually brought him to belief in God.

Due to the tremendous potential latent in the study of nature, the Rambam encourages a person to study nature.  Such study does not only educate man about God, says the Rambam, but it also cultivates tremendous love of God. 

What is the path to love and fear [of God]?  When one contemplates [God’s] deeds and His wondrous and great creations, and he sees [God’s] infinite wisdom that knows no bounds – he immediately [reacts with] love, praises, and glorifies [God], he also is overcome with a tremendous desire to know God…  Based on this [working assumption] I will explain some of the general principle of God’s works [i.e. nature] in order that there will be an opening for one who understands to love God.  This is what our sages teach regarding love [of God], “Through this you will come to recognize the One who said ,There should be a world [i.e. the Creator].”  (Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei ha-Torah, 2:2)

For the next few chapters of Hilchos Yesodei Ha-Torah the Rambam provides a description of cosmology and other scientific fields connected with nature.  The message of the Rambam is very clear – study nature and through this gain a true perception of the world, an appreciation for the essence of God, and a burning love for Him. 

The connection between knowledge and love is reiterated by the Rambam at the end of Hilchos Teshuvah, where he writes that love is the result of knowledge.  

Love of Hashem is a function of one’s knowledge of Him.  That is, commensurate to the degree of one’s knowledge [of God], will be his love [of God] – If [he knows] less, [his love will be] less, and if [he knows] more, [his love will be] more. (Rambam, Hilchos Teshuva, 9:4)

The Rambam ends by encouraging a person to study those things that will lead him to knowledge and ultimately love of God.

Therefore, a person needs to set aside time to understand and conceptualize those areas of wisdom and knowledge that will enlighten him about his Creator.  This should be done commensurate to one’s cognitive abilities, as I explained in Hilchos Yesodei Ha-Torah.

Seemingly the Rambam refers to the above quoted passage that encourages a person to study nature and the world around him.  Thus confirming that the study of nature can lead a man to understanding Hashem.

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[1] It has even been argued that certain knowledge of God is self-evident and obvious.  R. Elchonon Wasserman writes,

When one considers it he will find that belief that God created the world is obvious to any intelligent person… How can any intelligent person say that the world emerged on its own… In fact, the real question is the opposite: How did some of the greatest philosophers ever err and think that that the world emerged on its own… 

It is absolutely and completely obvious that God revealed and informed man what He wants, that He revealed His [divine] will through a spiritual medium, and this is the divine Torah.   (Kovetz Maamarim, Maamar al Emunah)

Why We Learn Torah: Part 5 - God's Persepective

Rav Leibowitz

The truer perspective of reality that is gained through Torah study is likened by Chazal to the “perspective of God.”  As creator of the world, Hashem possess the most correct and truest perspective on reality.  Chazal teach that God gave man Torah so that man could acquire this perspective.  By studying Torah man begins to see the world from God’s perspective. 

The study of Torah is more precious to God than sacrifices, for when man studies Torah he knows the perspective of God (Avos de-Rebbi Nosson, Chapter 4)

The Torah records God’s perspective on reality, which is the reality.  When one studies Torah he aligns his thinking with the thinking of God, and his perspective with the perspective of God.    As we noted above, this is even true regarding the study of more “mundane” areas of Torah.  Even the study of tort law seeks to show Hashem’s perspective on torts, and this is the ultimate and absolutely true perspective on what ought to be.

Halacha is the wisdom and will of God – that which God wills to be when Reuven claims x… [God’s wisdom teaches that] the ruling should be y.  And even if this case never transpires, and these claims are never actually judged, since this is what God wills to be, in accordance with His wisdom (that if one claims x the ruling should be y),  behold when a person [learns this and] knows and understands in his mind this ruling as it is established in a Mishna, or Gemara, or codes – this person understands and grasps [with his intellect,] and unifies his intellect with the will and wisdom of God [to a degree]… This is an amazing unification [i.e. internalizing God’s will and wisdom] that is not comparable to any other… (Sefer Likutei Amarim Tanya, Chapter 5)

As the word of God, the divinely authored Torah provides a perspective into the “mind” of God.  A person who wishes to better know how an author thinks will read everything written by the author.  Every additional book or article provides more insight into the mind of the writer.[1] So too, a deep understanding and familiarity with the “work of God” provides a perspective into the mind of God.  By studying the laws of damage or theft, as outlined by God, one begins to understand God’s perspective on justice. 

Torah study provides a window into the reality of the world – in a sense revealing a glimpse into how God sees the world.  It sharpens man’s perceptions and aligns his impressionable thinking with God’s absolute thought.   It is man’s greatest path to truth, and to his own elevation.

Blueprint of Creation

Our Sages teach that the Torah was Hashem’s blueprint for creating the world.  The Midrash states, “Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world” (Bereshis Rabbah 1, 1).  Classically this is understood to mean that the Torah contains the DNA code for the entire creation.  However, it is important to stress that God did not need a blueprint or any architectural plan to create the world.  This point of this teaching is that the Torah contains within it the key to understanding the world.  Torah did not serve as God’s blueprint so that He could create the world.  Rather, it is the blueprint for us.  If we want to understand the world, then we have the Torah to consult.

The Maharal even suggests that this is an understanding of the teaching that Torah was “created before the world.”  The verse in the very beginning of the Torah reads, “Bereshis bara…” – “In the beginning, [God] created…”  The Hebrew word for beginning – בראשית – is interpreted by Chazal to be a reference to Torah: אין ראשית אלא תורה – Torah is the true beginning.   Indeed, the verse in Mishle 8:22 quotes the Torah as proclaiming, “ה' קנני ראשית דרכו” – Meaning that it was created before the world.  The Maharal explains that this concept of being created before the world means that Torah contains within it the “order of creation and how it runs.”[2]

Hashem gave man the Torah so that man could read God’s “book” and understand the world.  Through the study of Torah man gains a perspective of how the world ought to functions and how it is sustained.

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[1] Torah Temimah, Shemos 20:2, Anochi #3

[2] This specific quote is from Netzach Yisrael, Chapter3, but the Maharal discusses this concept in many places in his writings.  See also Netiv ha-Torah, Chapter 1 for a fuller treatment.   

Why We Learn Torah: Part 4 - The Absolute Truth of the World

Rav Aryeh Leibowitz

Torah study is the most valuable pursuit because the greatest clarifier of truth is Torah.  Truth in our world is a rare commodity.  In fact, our sages teach that the Hebrew word for “world” – עולם – comes from the same word as “hidden” – נעלם.  The truths of our world are not immediately perceptible.  They are hidden, and need to be uncovered.  The Talmud (Bava Metzia 83b) explains the verse in Tehilim 104:20, “You bring darkness and it is night (תשת חושך ויהי לילה),” as a reference to physical world.  Our world is one of darkness, where perceptions are dulled and the truth is concealed.  However, “Torah is light (תורה אור)” (Mishlei 6:23), and contains the ability to enlighten those who study it.[1]

Torah is the greatest tool for attaining a correct perception of reality.  This is readily seen in the realm of ethics and morals.  Left to their own devices, human culture throughout history has arrived at different moral “truths,” cultural relativism dictating what is just and what is not.  However, the teachings of the Torah define the objective truth of morality.  Understanding and internalizing the Torah’s definition of what is “just” and what is “right” sharpens one’s perception of the reality, as it direct him to true morality.[2]

For example, the Torah teaches that abortion is a "form" of murder and is generally deemed to be an immoral act, unless the life of the mother is at stake.[3]  The immorality of non-halachically sanctioned abortion is not a subjective human opinion that is subject to cultural influences.  It is an absolute moral truth of Hashem.  This being said, the Torah student can and should be sensitive to a woman’s psychological pain in carrying a baby she does not want.  The Torah student should also have genuine concern over the baby’s future if it will be born to a mother who is not able or willing to care for it.  However, these appropriate concerns – also reflective of the Torah’s values – do not change the objective truth as defined by the Torah.

The same is true in regards to philosophic and emotional truths.  For example, the Torah and Chazal teaches us that Hashem not only created man, but also maintains a providential relationship with man after creation.  This basic philosophic truths has a great impact on daily life, yet has been repeatedly denied throughout the ages by those who did not look to the Torah as their guide.[4]   Similarly, the Torah and Chazal teach that God is incorporeal, containing no form or image.  This truth is the reality, and one who does not study Torah will not necessarily gain this correct perspective on reality.  

In the realm of emotional truths, the Torah also clarifies what is truth.  For example, the Torah teaches that it is not morally proper or even healthy for one to keep his hatred for another inside him.  Moreover, sometimes anger is best to be expressed, as the verse reads, “Anger is better than laughter” (Koheles 7:3), and the Talmud state that sometimes feigned rage is advisable if it can serve pedagogic purposes. 

Less obvious, are the truths taught by the Torah in realms that are not moral, philosophic, or emotional. Yet, even in regards to its various laws, the Torah teaches man the ultimate truths of the world, and attains for him correct perceptions.  Take for example, the laws of ritual purity (tumah and taharah).  The intricate system of purity laws are not a contrived body of laws that are disconnected from reality. Quite the contrary, they reflect a reality that is unperceivable to human eyes, and is only accessible via the study of Torah.  When one studies the intricate laws of tumah and taharah, one gains access to a truth that governs our world and is yet invisible and unknowable to the average human. 

This should not be too surprising to us.  We know that the world contains scientific truths.  Many of them imperceptible to some of our sense.  For example, the laws of physics teach that wood does not conduct electricity, whereas metal is conductive.  Hence, if an electrical charge comes into contact with a piece of scrap metal there will be a transference, but if it comes into contact with a wooden tree stick there will not be a transference.  This reality is not perceptible by many of our sense.  But just because we cannot see it with our limited human eyes, does not mean that electrical conductivity is not a truth of reality.  Indeed, one who studies physics gains perceptions of truth that the average person is not aware of.

Similarly, there are meta-physical truths that also function in our world, although they are not readily perceptible.  When a dead body (avi-avos ha-tumah) comes into contact with that same piece of scrap metal the metal will contract ritual impurity, i.e. there will be a transference.  However, if a wooden stick touches a dead body there will not be any transference of tumah.  Much like the scientist who only knows about the electrical transference if he has studied physics, so too, only one who has studied Torah is aware of the tumah transference. 

The same is true regarding the study of more mundane topics, such as the laws of damages.  When one studies the Torah’s perspective on damage payments, one becomes educated regarding what is the correct and true monetary payment for a given damage.  The Torah’s laws on damage payments are not part of a haphazard or arbitrary system, but reflects a divine conception – the truest perception – of tort law.  The amount of payment and the criteria that require payment are all details of this divine truth.  One who studies and comprehends these laws has internalized a truth of the reality. 

The more one studies and understands Torah the more one understands the truth of reality and the more one’s perception of the truth is refined.  Consider the difference between the astronomer observing a star in the sky, as opposed to the average person incidentally looking up at the stars.  While the average person merely sees a small flickering light, the astronomer sees gases, chemical reactions, etc.  Both are observing the same phenomena, but it is the educated astronomer with his refined perception who had a greater view of the true reality.[5] 

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[1] So are the mitzvos, as the verse in Tehilim 19 states, “The mitzvos of Hashem are clear, they enlighten the eyes (מצות ה' ברה מאירת עיניים).” 

[2] Rabbi Ovadia Bartenua explains in his commentary on tractate Avos that the tractate begins with tracing the transmission of Torah from Sinai in order to teach that the Torah’s morality and ethics – the topic of Avos – is not based on the subjective perspective of the rabbis, but is based on the objective truth of the Torah.

[3] I write “form of murder” and “generally deemed” as there are a range of opinions on this complex issue, and there are even opinions that permit abortion in limited cases.

[4] This is not the place to discuss in detail the apparent opinion of the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim that not all human beings are governed by divine providence.  Indeed, many interpret the words of the Rambam to not be completely denying every human being a providential relationship with Hashem.  

[5] Similarly, we can consider the difference between the layman and the well versed retired judge reading about a Supreme Court decision.  While the layman only understands what the final ruling was, the well versed judge is aware of the various arguments and counter-arguments, the reliance on precedence, and the novel constitutional interpretations that are the basis of the ruling.  The layman knows the results, while the well versed retied judge sees the truths that underlie the ruling.

Why We Learn Torah: Part 3 - Clarifying Truths

Rav Leibowitz

We are now ready to suggest an approach to understanding the value of Torah study and mitzvah observance.  To begin we must remember that we suggested earlier that man’s greatest faculty is his sophisticated mind that man can apply consciously and utilize to consider not only the practical but also the abstract.  Man’s elevated mind provides him with the ability to acquire wisdom and through that clarify the truths of reality.  We noted that the ultimate goal of acquiring wisdom is to acquire the ultimate truth, which is attainment of the correct perception of reality.  Or as the Rambam put man’s goal: “To form in his mind the truth of reality to the best of his ability and to understand all that he can possibly grasp.”  At that time we questioned what field of study would yield the greatest wisdom and hence lead to the clearest perception of reality? 

The answer is Torah study.  Hashem gave man the Torah so that man could study it with his elevated mind and through that better understand himself and the world around him.  Torah teaches man truth and defines for him how to live a life that reflects these truths.  For this reason, the Tanna, Ben Bog Bog encouraged his students (Avos 5:22) to expend all their energy studying Torah, “Turn it over and over, for all is in it.”  Study Torah as deeply as possible, for all truths are found in Torah.

Human-Conceived Truths of the World

This does not mean to say that Torah study is the only path to uncovering truths in the world.  Hashem created man with intellectual abilities, and man’s raw intellect can be used to arrive at many truths.  When man’s mind is free of foreign influences, it is able to lead man to many truths. 

This point is made by Rav Sa’adiah Gaon in the introduction to his magnum opus on Jewish thought, Emunos ve-Deos.  After praising Hashem for blessing man with a mind and the power of intellect, Rav Sa’adiah identifies three intellectual forces that are found within man’s mind that lead man to truths,

It is appropriate to mention that which leads man to truths and correct perceptions, for they are the sources for all information and the wellsprings of all knowledge… There are three such things that lead man to knowledge: The first is observation and sense perception (ידיעת הנראה), the second is intellectual intuition and rational insight (ידיעת השכל), and the third is inferential and logical reasoning (דבר שההכרח מחייב אותו)... (Rav Sa’adiah Gaon, Emunos ve-Deos, Introduction)   

Man was blessed by God with a mind that empowers him to arrive at truths on his own.  Often this is achieved through contemplation on nature.  Studying the natural world or other creations of God is an avenue that will lead man to some of the truths of reality.  By utilizing his ability to observe the world around him and draw logical inference, man can arrive at an understanding of nature and achieve a perception of truth via-a-vis the physical world around him.  A student of biology will learn through his study of biology truths about the human body and its processes, and a student of geology will gain through his study a perception of the structural elements of earth.  Hence, science and nature are certainly most fitting fields of study, for they will lead man to a true perception of the physical reality.  Acquiring this perception is a uniquely human endeavor and therefore assists man in assuming his elevated level in creation.

Beyond the actual truths of the natural world, Chazal teach us that even certain moral and emotional truths can be learned from studying nature.   Chazal state (Eruvin 100b), “We can learn modest from the cats, chastity from the doves, proper behavior from the chicken, and respect for other’s property from the ants.”

In addition to studying nature, man can also use his intuition and rational insight to arrive at certain self-evident truths.  We find an illustration of this in the Torah’s report of Moshe’s harsh criticism of the Jewish soldiers who returned from their war against Midian without killing all of the Midianites (Bamidbar, Chapter 31).  R. Yeshaya Horowitz (Shel”a, d. 1630) asks (Matos, Derech Chaim Tochachos, s.v. ויקצף) how Moshe could be so critical if he never explicitly commanded the soldiers who to kill and who to spare. The Shel”a answers that they should have used their logic and arrived at the correct conclusion on their own. They did not need a direct commandment, if their own logic would have arrived at the same conclusion.  

This approach of the Shel”a to the events with Midian was first stated in the Sefer Chasidim (#153)

We find in the Torah that anyone who is able to understand [a commandment], even if it is not actually commanded, is deserving of punishment for not realizing it on his own, as we find, “And Moshe was critical of the soldiers…” (Bamidbar 31:14)… Why didn’t they answer him, “You never commanded us!”… It must be that Moshe knew that they were wise and learned enough to apply a logical (lit. an a fortiori) argument…

According to the Sefer Chasidim and the Shel”a, a person is held accountable for sins or other non-desirable behavior if logic dictates that such an action should not be committed.  In the same vein, we find that Bilaam accepted blame upon himself when he hit his faithful donkey by stating, “I sinned, because I did not realize.”

Jewish Sages throughout the ages have drawn on this principle to explain the culpability of various people in history who were never explicitly commanded to refrain from sinful behavior.  For example, Rabbenu Bechaye (Bereshis 18:20) explains that for this reason the people of Sedom were deserving of punished for not helping one another.  He states that even though there was not yet any commandment to give charity or help another, such behavior is something the human mind should figure out on its own.[1]

An earlier explicit formulation of this principle was expressed by R. Nissim Gaon of Kairouan (d. 11^th century), in the introduction to his Sefer Mafteach Man'ulei Ha-Talmud.  He writes,

All commandments that are products of logic and intuition, are already incumbent upon all – from the very day man was created on earth by God [i.e. before the giving of the Torah].  [These commandments] are [binding] upon him, his children, and for all generations.

Man’s raw intellect can teach a person wisdom and clarify for him truths.  He can conceive of moral truths and arrive at emotional insights.  The proper appreciation and regulation of kindness, modesty, compassion, empathy, and shame are some of the truths that man can arrive at through his mind.  In turn, man will then be empowered to make life-decisions that lead him to live an ethical, moral, and emotionally sensitive life.  For this reason, all of mankind – Jew and gentile – by dint of their being human, are obligated to live an elevated life that is defined by the above mentioned wisdom.  It is not surprising therefore that we find many people, divorced from any direct Torah influence, that live lives of morality, ethics, and emotional sensitivity.[2]

However, not all truths are self-evident and attainable through pure intellect, nor are they all perceivable through the study of nature.   While man can perceive on his own some of the truths of the physical world, and even some emotional and moral truths, many truths, especially the most elevated ones, are not attainable with the human mind operating on its own. 

Moreover, even those truths that are theoretically attainable through the human mind alone, are not readily acquirable on a practical level.  Indeed, there are great challenges that must be overcome if man is to arrive at truths on his own.  Many of the self-evident truths are only arrived at by man, if his mind is unfettered by other influences.  Personal agendas, carnal desires, foreign philosophies are but a few of the influences that are able to corrupt a person’s reasoning.  Shelomo states in Koheles, “God created man straight, but they sought their own machinations” (Koheles 7:22).  Even the most self-evident truths cannot be properly attained unless one’s mind is free of these other influences.

An additional problem is that when these truths are arrived at without Torah, man lacks direction of how to implement them in his life.  While he may be able to acquire a perception of truth, it is not always forthcoming how these truths can be translated into practice and implemented in a way that will lead a person to living an elevated life informed by the wisdom he has learned. 

Rav Shimshon Refael Hirsch notes the ability to learn truths from nature, but also records its shortcomings,

The realization that there must be a God could come to anyone who thoughtfully contemplates nature, and the heavens in particular… [But] the heavens and the world about us cannot answer the question of what man should do with his freedom of will and action.  By merely looking at the heavens and the earth, man will never discover the Divine Law, which sets a purpose for his being in this world.  Whatever answer he would derive from this kind of study would only enmesh him in hopeless confusion. (Commentary on Tehillim 19) 

In summary, we note that the human mind operating on its own is not enough.  This is because it is limited in three ways.  (1) It is only able to arrive at certain truths, (2) and even those truths can only successfully be attained if man is impervious to the many outside influences that can easily pervert his perception.  Lastly, (3) these truths have the potential to remain only as knowledge, and never translate into practice or become part of man’s actual life.  Therefore, we must conclude that the mind alone is not to serve as the lone source of truth.  Man must study Torah, as it alone can overcome these three shortcomings. (1) Torah is not limited, and contains within it all necessary truths.  Moreover, (2) it is objective and absolute, and therefore transcends outside influences.  Lastly, (3) Torah concretizes its wisdom and provides specific instruction for how to implement and live the wisdom of the Torah.

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[1] It’s interesting to note the different formulation of R. Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv, d. 1893) in his letter of approbation for the Chafetz Chaim’s Ahavas Chesed.  He states the Sodomites’ behavior went against basic human decency that should have been part of their natural human identity.  The same, he says, is why Kayin was able to be punished, even though there was no direct commandment not to kill.

[2] It goes without saying that much of the world today is heavily influenced by the ethics and wisdom of Torah.  Certainly most of the “Western world” is founded on so called “Judeo-Christian” ethics.  See the beginning of the Ramban’s Toras HaShem Temimah where he notes that influence Torah has had on the world at large, and how the most uncivilized and most unprincipled cultures are those that were never influenced by Torah. 

Why We Learn Torah: Part 2 - Following Hashem's Advice

Rav Aryeh Leibowitz

Hashem's Torah is the ultimate manual for spiritual life, and our working assumption should be to follow it to the best of our ability.[1]  This is Hashem's advice:

[You shall] keep all of the statutes and laws that I commanded you… And these words [of the Torah]… should always be on your heart.  You should teach them to your children, and you should always speak about them: when you are sitting in your home, when you are walking on the way, when you go to sleep and when you awake.  (Devarim 6:6-7)

Doing the mitzvos and studying the Torah is not only what Hashem wants us to do, but He makes it very clear that this is what is best for man. 

Guard and internalize [through study] all of these things that I am commanding you, for then you will have goodness. (Devarim 12:28)

Hashem could not have been clearer of what He advises man to do than his direct statement to Yehoshua,

You need to be dedicated to observe all the laws [of the Torah], which Moshe, My servant commanded you.  Do not veer from it, not to the right hand or to the left.  Then you will have success wherever you go.  This book of the law should never leave your mouth, rather you should study it day and night, so that you can observe all that is written within.  Then you will be prosperous and have great successes” (Yehoshua 1:7-8)

The instructions from The Expert and The Engineer are very clear: Learn Torah and do mitzvos.[2]  This is the most basic and fundamental perspective that we must internalize.  We must have faith in Hashem in the value of learning Torah and performing mitzvos.  This is the most elementary reason to pursue Torah and mitzvos.[3]

It has been suggested that this is the reason that the Torah gave us certain laws that are defined as “chok” – a mitzvah that’s purpose we do not understand.  The message of the chok is that we must realize that we do not need to understand everything.  Seen in this light, the chok is not to be looked at as simply a unique category of mitzvos.  Rather, the chok’s existence teaches us how to relate to all the mitzvos, even those we feel we do understand.  The chok teaches that Hashem is privy to information that is beyond the ken of the average man.  Hence, the ultimate reason we do the mitzvos is because we know that Hashem commanded them and that they are truthful and correct.[4]

This too is an understanding of the Jewish nation’s response of, “We will do and we will understand (נעשה ונשמע),” when Hashem offered them the Torah.  They accepted upon themselves the yoke of the commandments based on a faith that God knows best.  Whether they would understand or not, they were committed to living by the diet prescribed by the ultimate Engineer and Creator, simply because of who He is.

 

A similar perspective is found in the pietistic work, Sefer Chasidim, attributed to R. Yehudah He-Chasid (d. 13^th century).  The Rambam famously wrote (Hilchos Teshuvah, Chapter 10) that a person should perform the mitzvos not out of a desire for reward, but due to a realization that the Torah is the ultimate truth – עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת.  The Rambam’s formulation was borrowed by the Sefer Chasidim, but altered to reflect the perspective that Hashem as the ultimate source of truth.  Also arguing that a person should not serve Hashem for reward, the Sefer Chasidim (#14) changed the Rambam’s עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת, which focuses on the truth of Torah, to עובד באמת מפני שהקב"ה אמת, where the stress is on the truth of Hashem.  According to the Sefer Chasidim (#14) it is one’s realization that Hashem is the ultimate truth, and knows best, that ought to underlie one’s dedication to Torah and mitzvos.[5]

If man truly wishes to fulfill his potential and achieve his elevated position in the hierarchy of creation he should pursue Torah and mitzvos, as per Hashem’s prescription.  Like the car manual that sits in the glove compartment waiting to be read, the Torah “is resting, waiting, and ready for any Jew… Whoever wishes may come and acquire it!” (Rambam, Hilchos Talmud Torah, 3:1).  The Torah sits waiting to be consulted.

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[1] When we want to have our car run smoothly, we consult the manual – written by the engineer – and we follow it to the best of our ability.  This often involves time and money, but we sacrifice these precious things, because we know the manufacturer knows best.  So too, Hashem is the manufacturer of man.  Should we not try to follow His manual to the best of our ability – even if it requires sacrifices?  With the car example, we all know that paying fifty dollars to change the oil is an expense, but nothing compared to the cost of replacing the engine when it breaks because it never received an oil change.  So too, the sacrifices we make for a Torah lifestyle are nothing compared to what we gain.

[2] Indeed, Hashem’s diet will also provide us with many other things, such as peace, success, prosperity. 

If you follow my Ways (i.e. learn Torah) and perform my commandments… then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield her produce… dwell in your land safely… And I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you (Vayikra 26:3-9)

[3] The same is true in regards to those who have studied Hashem’s Torah, and transmitted the Torah tradition from generation to generation.  The great scholars of the generations are also deserving of our confidence, as we turn toward them for advice and guidance.  When we are looking to Hashem, the creator of man, and trying to get the most out of our lives, why would we not trust the experts in God’s will?  If we are willing to follow the advice of the Mayo Clinic, and trust their medical expertise even when it requires us to make many sacrifices, should we not be willing to do the same with those who have amassed expertise in the divine?  Are R. Akiva, Rava, the Rambam, the Chasam Sofer, or R. Moshe Feinstein less worthy of our confidence in spiritual matters than the staff of Harvard Medical center or the members of the American Heart Association are in physical matters?  Certainly the intensity of study, the whole-being dedication, and the purity of character that R. Akiva, R. Yochanan, Rashi, Rav Akiva Eiger, or R. Shlomo Zalman Aurbach poured into their study of Torah should be as comforting to us when we seek expertise as the effort expanded by our doctors in medical school is when we seek medical expertise?!

[4] See R. Ya’akov Kaminetsky’s Emes Le-Ya’akov, Chukas.  Perhaps we can add that maybe for this reason the Parah Adumah needs to be tamimah.  Tam means without chochmas, (as the Sefas Emes explains regarding the pasuk, “Tamim tehiye im Hashem Elokecha”), and to serve Hashem because simply because He told us to.

[5] One also can’t help but notice that the Sefer Chasidim also changed “doing the truth” (עשה) to “serving faithfully” (עובד).  

Why We Learn Torah - Part 1: Trusting God

Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz

We established that for man to attain his elevated level as the pinnacle of creation he must use his mind and intellect to pursue wisdom.  Through the acquisition of wisdom man clarifies the truths of reality.  He is then empowered to make free willed decisions to live his life in line with the wisdom he has acquired and the truths he has clarified.

What is the best source of this wisdom?  What is man to pursue with his mind?  What body of knowledge will instruct man to live an elevated life?  What actions are reflective of true wisdom and truth?  Or in more existential terms: How does man actualize his potential and fully assume his humanity?  What best enables man to be “wise and good?”  What is the best way to engage one’s neshama, overcome the downward pull of his lower forces, and attain one’s higher tzurah?   

The answer to the above questions is very straightforward: Torah study and performance of the mitzvos.  In the realm of wisdom, Torah is the field of study that will most readily provide man with the truest and highest wisdom.  Torah can also inform man which decisions he should be making in life.  The performance of mitzvos are the pursuits that reflect the wisdom of the Torah, they develop man’s ethical and spiritual character, and lead man to an elevated existence.    

Hence, we find that Torah is compared to rain and dew, “May my teachings drop like the rain, may my utterances flow like the dew.” (Devarim 32:2) Just as rain and dew are vital components in the process of seed development and assist the ground in bringing out the potential from the seed, so too Torah (and the mitzvos found within) is a vital component is human development and assists a person in actualizing his potential and attaining his elevated level. 

Hashem's Diet

In the coming chapters we will explore why Torah study is so critical for a person’s development.  We will suggest in future chapters an approach to understanding the value of Torah study.  However, before we begin, it is worthy to address if we really need to answer this question. 

It is intuitive to us that man’s physical body was designed by Hashem that it requires many things for sustenance.  For example, man must consume vitamins, proteins, etc. in order to physically exist and have the strength and ability to accomplish the pursuits of the body.  Similarly, Hashem designed man’s meta-physical self that it too requires many things in order to exist and function.  Just as the physical body has things that sustain it, power it, and develop it, so too the elevated spiritual neshamah has similar needs.

What sustains the physical body?  Many things can provide the body with sustenance.  But if a person wants to maintain his health and achieve longevity, he knows that it behooves him to not only eat what tastes good, but that there are specific dietary parameters he ought to follow.   Whether its whole grains or dietary fibers a responsible person makes sure he consumes what his healthy for his body.  He makes sure he has covered the different food groups and is careful with portion control. 

Man’s meta-physical needs operate in a similar way.  If man wants to live a spiritually fulfilling lifestyle, maintain a healthy neshamah, and ultimately attain his elevated position in the hierarchy of creation, he must ensure that he is “consuming” a healthy diet.  Just as we saw with phsycial nutience, many things can feed a person’s spiritual appetite. But if a person wants to maintain spiritual health and longevity it behooves him to know what is truly healthy.  

Hashem created man in a way that Torah and mitzvos are the specific “foods” that will sustain his neshamah.  These are the “whole grains and dietary fibers” for the intellect and meta-physical soul.   

The world cannot exist without wisdom.  Just as a thirsty person starves for water, so too intelligent people starve for Torah and wisdom.  (Radak, Yeshaya 55:1)

To take the analogy one step further, we must note that there are many different “healthy foods” that are necessary for man’s spiritual health.  To cover all of his “food groups,” man must pursue the many different mitzvos and study the many areas of Torah that are available to him. 

Trusting the Engineer

One might ask: How do I know that these are the best “foods” for my neshamah and spiritual health?  Let’s answer this by returning to our example of the car.  If a person owns a car and wants to know what oils, what parts, what gasoline will best serve the car and ensure for maximum performance, where would he turn?  Would he not consult the car’s engineer?  The one who designed the car is likely the best source for this information.  But what if he is unable to reach the engineer, or does not know exactly how to contact him?  Would it not behoove the car owner to consult the manual written by the car’s engineer and place in the glove compartment for the car owner’s personal use?!  Even if one doesn’t know the difference between a strut or a shock, or cannot explain the purpose of a carburetor, he can still rest assured if he carefully follows the instructions of the car’s engineer.  Perhaps with time, the car owner will gain a deeper understanding of the car’s inner workings and appreciate why the specific instructions are correct. 

Hashem created our bodies and even provided us with a manual with specific instructions how to best operate our “self.”  Does it not behoove us to follow His instructions? If he informs us that Torah study and mitzvos are the best diet for maximizing our performance, would it not be foolish to ignore Him?[1]   Many of us do not know why spelt flour is better than white flour, or why exactly getting a good night sleep is healthy.  Yet we value these choices because of our faith in medical research and researchers.  Should we not give Hashem and Chazal the same vote of confidence? 

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[1] It is quite shocking how much responsibility we take with our cars.  Before changing a part or servicing our vehicle, we do research, consider our options, etc.  We take such care because we don’t want to turn around seven years later and find that our car is falling apart because of a lack of proper maintenance.  But with our most precious possession – our lives – we often “go with the flow.”  We eat what we wish, we do what we want, and then we are surprised when years later we are physically unhealthy, and spiritually unhappy, unfulfilled, and uninspired.