Posted on 06/02/16
This week’s Parsha, B’chukosai, renders for us a horrid description of what lies ahead along the path of Jewish history. Before elaborating on the details, the Torah indicates the cause of this horror and to what we should attribute its occurrence.
How fortunate we are that if we have to suffer from such periods at least we know what needs to be rectified and how to avoid it or at least minimize it! So what is the cause of these occurrences?
The short answer is that the cause of these horrific periods of Jewish history find its source in our slacking off in our diligence in Torah study. The long answer explains how the weakening our Torah study leads to such devastating conditions.
The Torah says “And if you will not engross yourself in Torah study then you will soon refrain from observing the Torah and that will lead you to despising others who do observe the Torah which will in turn lead you to hating the Rabbis and their authority which will in turn lead you to obstructing others from observing the Torah which will then lead you to denying the validity of the mitzvos until finally you will deny the very existence of HaShem.” Once we arrive at that final stop we can already appreciate why we will suffer such horrid experiences. However, the difficulty that must be addressed is how does so much destiny rest on our engrossing ourselves in Torah study? Is the entire nation expected to be Torah scholars? Is it not sufficient that there are institutions of higher learning for the elite who will study and the lay people will go about their business without diligent Torah study? If the laity have questions they will go to the rabbis?
The answer to this question lies in the Zohar’s (Kabbalistic source) explanation of the relationship between Torah and the Universe. The Zohar teaches us in its inimitable style how HaShem created the Universe. “He peered into the Torah and created the Universe.” This might be understood using the analogy of how the image of the movie is projected on the screen. The beam of light peers through the film and creates an image upon the screen. HaShem’s peering is the creative act. By peering through the Torah, that creative act generated what we know as the Universe. Hence, the Torah is the basis of all reality as the film is the basis of the image upon the screen. The Zohar continues “Through the Torah HaShem created the Universe and through His people's studying the Torah they sustain the world.” We can understand this second statement using the same analogy. The film is required for the creation of the image and the film is required for the maintenance of the image. However, here is the difference. In the movie it is the same projector that created the image as the one that maintains the image. However, as the Zohar points out, the creation of the Universe was through HaShem’s projection through the Torah. The maintenance of the Universe is through our projection through the Torah.
Given this perspective it is no longer a wonder why it is so critical that the Jewish people must be engrossed in the study of Torah. It is not merely in order to know what to do. For that we can go to a Rabbi or scholar. Rather, it is for the very sustenance of the world.
One more point must be made in order to complete this idea.
Every member of the Jewish people has their unique portion in the Torah. The Dean of the Yeshiva has his portion and you have yours and I have mine . Everyone's portion of Torah is unique portion that nobody else has. For the Torah to be complete everybody’s portion is needed.
Given this perspective we can appreciate how the destiny of the world is dependent upon our level of our involvement in Torah study. When we fail to engross ourselves in Torah we cannot generate our own portion of Torah. Although there are greater scholars than me, nevertheless my portion will never be uncovered by anyone else but me.
When someone whose background did not afford them the opportunity to study and only at the age of 28 begins his journey of Torah study he has only to apply himself to his level of Torah study. As he uncovers his portion of Torah he brings the Torah to a greater level its completion.
So as we approach the holiday of Shavuous (beginning next Saturday night) which celebrates HaShem’s giving us His Torah let us reach out to this Torah, grab it, engross ourselves in its wisdom and uncover that which only we can uncover.