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Bo- The wisdom of action
For this year’s Parsha Lesson I will be applying the lesson that can be derived from the Dvar Torah to the world as we know it today.
Background
At the end of this week’s Parsha, Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher) that the amazing story of the Jewish people being freed from the land of Mitzrayim (Egypt) should be as a ‘sign on your arms’ and on your head. This refers to the mitzvah of tefillin. Tefillin contain the parshiyos (portions of the Torah) which discuss the Jewish people being freed from Mitzrayim, which is written on parchment and inserted into various ‘cavities’ in the tefillin boxes. Tefillin are then donned when praying or learning Torah. In earlier generations some holy people would wear tefillin all day.
The Ramban explains that the purpose of this mitzvah (commandment), as well as the other multitude of mitzvos which are connected to ‘remembering the going out from Egypt’, is in order that the story of our Exodus should never be forgotten and should always be remembered. Therefore, we have the holiday of Pesach and Sukkos. It is because of this reason, as well, that we affix mezuzas on our doorways and are commanded to say the Shema two times every day. And so on and so forth- for all of the many mitzvos which are a ‘remembrance of our Exodus from Mitzrayim.’
Question
Why is all of this necessary? And let us say that there was a mitzvah to say Shema, and that is all. Would we run the risk of forgetting about our Exodus!? We would still be saying over the basic story every day! Twice!!
In fact, Hashem could merely command all parents to sit their children down and teach them the story, in depth, as part of their education, and that would seem to be wholly sufficient if one wanted to preserve the memory of this great Exodus.
So why is it that there are so many different types of mitzvos, that we perform, to remember the story of our Exodus from Mitzrayim? What is the purpose of all of this?
Answer
The purpose of this world is not to merely come to the dry, hard, cold facts and ‘knowledge’ of something, but rather to take that which we know in our minds and implant them into our heart. This is the entire ‘work’ and job of this world, as the Ramban explains: to know Hashem.
This ‘knowing’, means to know in a way which is real and alive, to have the matter be known to you as something which you experience. The way in which this knowledge is inculcated into the person most profoundly is when the person ‘sees’ themselves acting on the realness of this knowledge. When the person takes something they know to be true, mentally, and puts it into practice in the ‘real world’, this mental knowledge becomes real to the person. This transforms the physical body, into which your neshama (heavenly soul) was fused. In the process of growing and transforming one’s self in this way, the person attains even greater wisdom and insight into Hashem and the world.
The flipside is also true. If something is only intellectual, if it is not put into practice- it is not real. The person will stray from this intellectual knowledge, and find themselves quickly questioning and denying and being ignorant of that which they had, at one point, known- intellectually.
Lesson for our world
After World War II, and having really gained steam and picked up momentum in the ‘60s and ‘70s, there has been a great falsehood which has taken root in the Western World. This falsehood is that Man can attain great knowledge and be developed and refined and advanced in his ideas, knowledge and ‘evolution’- but yet indulge in the most degenerate and low behaviors.
There is a belief that one can preach certain ideas, and recognize the truth of deep insights into man’s behavior and psychology, and insights into the world- but yet behave as a hedonistic homosapien who is cravenly trapped by the pleasure of the moment- and that there will not be any problem. That Man can have it all. Man can be so sophisticated and lofty in his knowledge and wisdom, but yet also revel in the lowliest of physical pleasures and pursuits- without his low actions detracting from his nobility and wisdom in the slightest.
In fact, there is a certain philosophy which has taken hold of the ‘chosen’, ‘upper crust’, that specifically because they are so woke, specifically because they are so sophisticated in their knowledge, they are therefore capable of shamelessly indulging every pleasure of the moment and will not suffer any of the problems that previous, less sophisticated generations of people would suffer from their indulgences. They think that they are now so much more sophisticated and intelligent and wise than previous generations and that they are therefore able to have ‘two tables’: the benefits and happiness of a life lived wisely and to also indulge in physical pleasure and pursuits. There is a sense amongst this class that they have 'hacked' life.
This lie is given its voice from the tremendous wealth and ease of living that technology has afforded us. Now, Man will not die of starvation on account of his immaturity and character flaws. Man can be materially successful while still having an underdeveloped and poor character. But this denies the entire picture of humanity. Happiness, peace and tranquility within families and communities, a sense of meaning and satisfaction from life, these are all woefully missing from the world today.
This false ideology, that Man is newly immune and ‘above’ any need to put into practice wisdom about character development and ‘goodness’, is very much the cause for so much of the depression, discord, hopelessness and ills of society today. When man separates the mind from the heart, when Man proceeds to explore knowledge and wisdom as a purely intellectual pursuit, without any bearing on one’s behavior, Man, in truth, becomes quite foolish and a completely undisciplined animal. All of the lowliest and degenerate parts of Man quickly overtake him and he is unable to act with reason. Such a person has empowered the ‘horse’ (the animalistic, physical body) to dictate to the ‘rider’ (the neshama, the reasoning of the person) how life will be lived. And the results, as one would expect, are disastrous.
We must all realize, and put into practice, how the wisdom of previous generations, which dictate man’s perfecting himself with a well disciplined character, as the key to a successful and happy life. This is not only as true now as ever- it’s necessity is clearer now than ever.
Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Eli Meir Kramer
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