Pirkei Avos- Love of Torah
For this year of Parsha Lesson, I will be focusing on one area of character growth, to think about in the week ahead and the benefits that a person would have from becoming better in that area.
Background
From the holiday of Pesach until the holiday of Shavuos there is a custom amongst the Jewish nation to learn Pirkei Avos every Shabbos. Pirkei Avos is a compilation of the ethical teachings and profound wisdom of the Torah. There are 6 Shabbosim and there are 6 perakim (chapters) of Pirkei Avos. This week we are up to the 4th perek.
In the first Mishna in the 4th perek, Ben Zoma (R’ Shimon ben Zoma, he lived in Eretz Yisroel right after the destruction of the 2nd Beis Hamikdash) teaches ‘Who is wise? One who learns from all people.’ Rabbeinu Yonah (born 1200 Girona, Spain. Died 1263 Toledo, Spain) explains that what this means is that this person loves wisdom so much that they do not mind learning from people “lower” than them. Someone who does not love wisdom for the wisdom itself would say- ‘this person is not as honorable as me, what can I learn from him?’
In fact, Rabbeinu Yonah says, this is THE barometer of wisdom. If one person knows all of the wisdom in the world but does not love the wisdom, they are not wise but rather they are foolish. If someone knows only a bit of wisdom, but the person loves it- they are a wise person.
Question
Why would this be? If wisdom is a question of mental insight and understanding, why would it be that love of wisdom or not is the barometer of what it means to be a wise person?
If someone knows wisdom but yet doesn’t love it- while they may be lacking in something which would be important and beneficial, why would that mean that they are not wise? Especially being that in talking to them they seem to know so much wisdom!
Answer
To answer this question I would like to first ask another question.
Earlier in Pirkei Avos, in the 1st perek, Mishna 13, Rabbeinu Yonah describes someone who ‘knows all of the Torah’, yet he stops learning Torah and says ‘why do I need this bother to keep learning, and why should I contemplate when I don’t understand it?’
We can certainly understand why it is important to keep learning Torah, to keep growing, and if this person feels that Torah is a burden and bother that they will not be able to continue. But why does Rabbeinu Yonah throw in that this person says- ‘why should I contemplate when I don’t understand it?’ He feels it is a burden, who says that he doesn’t understand it?
Apparently this person- who feels that the Torah is a burden and that they can’t keep learning it- is someone who doesn’t understand it. Someone who does understand it will never feel this way. They will love the Torah and keep learning and keep growing, even if they have already learned the entire Torah.
Of course this is all according to a person’s level of understanding. For someone who has a deeper level of understanding, a finer sense of the logic, they will ‘not understand’ even if they understand much better than someone else who understands less than them. And vice versa- if someone is of coarser intellect and does not have as fine, subtle understanding of the matter at hand will understand, and have love for the Torah with a more cursory level of understanding. And, of course, as one learns more and develops their level of understanding things that they “understood” will become not understood as they are attuned to the finer points of logic.
Lesson
The most important question a Jewish person who wants to grow and who wants to come closer to Hashem must ask themselves is: how much do I love Torah and the learning of Torah? The Torah is the thinking of G-d Himself. Our entire mission in this world is to come closer to Hashem. Molding one’s mind and thinking in the same manner as Hashem is obviously the most important, and most consequential part of this mission.
When one loves Torah, one loves Hashem. As Rabbeinu Yonah teaches us, when one loves Torah that is indicative of whether or not they really understand it, according to their level of understanding.
How important it is to push one’s self to understand whatever part of Torah they are learning.
Benefits of this…
When one has the big picture of life clear, it makes the journey and path of how to get to the goal much clearer and self-evident. When one therefore realizes how important it is to grow in one’s Torah knowledge and understanding, and how important it is to love Torah- they will be inspired and motivated to attain that for themselves.
When one is informed and knowledgeable of the fact that the understanding of Torah, each person according to their level, is THE key and determining factor as to whether one will love the Torah- that person will be empowered and capable of turning their relationship with the Torah around for the better.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful Shabbos!
