BS’D
We gain access to Hashem’s Infinite wisdom mainly through Torah study. Chazal teach us Torah is the main mode of communication Hashem uses to speak to us (and that we communicate back to Him via Tefillah).
We may wonder how reading or studying Torah ‘stories’ can assist us to understand life and make decisions? Torah is a garment containing within it signposts to direct us on our own journey. These signposts are clothed in a language we can understand. In other words, embedded within the Torah are fundamental secrets about life that are garbed in the form of true stories.
The Zohar HaKadosh teaches that if Hashem’s Divine wisdom was not ‘hidden’ in this way, we would not be able to bear the powerful light it brings forth. The Torah is therefore written with layers of wisdom (including pshat, drash, remez and sod) to enable each of us to slowly unveil the Divine wisdom hidden within it at our own appropriate pace and level.
How does Torah enable us to grow in our Emuna? We are able to better understand the manner which Hashem wants us to live when we learn the ways of our forefathers and mothers and adapt their values and principles. In particular, sefer Bereishit is filled with stories of the Avot and Imahot, and yet only cites three direct mitzvot (peru revu, brit milah, and gid hanashe). Yet, it is precisely by studying the Avot and Imahot’s travails, experiences, mistakes, challenges and by emulating their strength and chesed, that we are able to obtain direction and clarity.
Chazal teach that the Torah has 70 faces. The Torah speaks differently to each of us since every person has their own individual path to travel. To maximize clarity about our own individual life’s purpose and the choices we face, and to avoid possible confusion caused by merely emulating our neighbors, we can strive to study, investigate and apply the Divine messages embedded within each Torah portion.
We can celebrate with wonder the fact that exact same words of the parsha provide an individual gift, uniquely wrapped, tailor-made and chosen just for us!
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Today’s daily dose of emuna is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Yochanan ben Carmela. May Hashem shower him with a complete healing refuat hanefesh v’refuat haguf among all of Klal Yisrael who are sick and in pain b’karov, b’rachamim, Amen.
