Description: Chapter 4 - 05
Derech Hashem
Chapter 4 – 05
One of the mitzvos that Hashem gave us which is higher than all others, is the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. Why is it greater than other mitzvos? Torah has two parts to it, both of which elevate us and bring us close to Hashem. There is the mitzvah of learning and toiling and speaking the Torah. Then there is the wisdom that Torah imparts to us, which enables us to achieve greatness.
Hashem wrote the Torah in His infinite wisdom, and followed it with the Nevi’im and Kesuvim, and gave it to us. The nature of the Torah is that if we learn it and try our best to understand what we are learning, and we learn in purity and holiness, (meaning we are careful to keep our hands clean when learning, and we are careful not to learn in a place which is unclean and is assur to say Torah there, and we don’t interrupt our learning with mundane and foolish things,) with the right intent – to fulfill Hashem’s will, it has the power to elevate us tremendously. Torah innately brings us close to Hashem, causes our neshamos to shine powerfully and brightly, and perfects us.
The more we try to understand the Torah, the meforshim of the Torah, the mishnayos and the gemarah, and all that is written in Torah, the more perfection we achieve. The more Torah wisdom we acquire, the greater we become. Certainly if we merit to begin to understand the secrets of the Torah, the hidden aspects of Torah she’baal Peh, we perfect ourselves in a way above and beyond anything else. This empowers our neshamos to become higher and closer to Hashem, and brings us to the highest levels of perfection and connection.
Not only does learning Torah perfect us, but it also perfects the whole world around us. Every single detail of creation is elevated when we learn and toil in Torah.
Whatever level of holiness and enlightenment we achieve, is all based on how much Hashem turns His countenance to shine light upon us, ha’aras panim, which means allows us to perceive Him and recognize His presence in this world. The more we feel controlled and limited by our physical self, is because of the lack of Hashem’s ha’aras panim. He’s hiding from us. The more Hashem reveals Himself, the more purity and perfection we achieve. It’s important to realize, that Hashem never actively hides Himself. On the contrary, any person who tries to come close to Hashem, Hashem shines His countenance upon that person! The only hindrance to experiencing this closeness comes from ourselves. If we fail to come close, then Hashem is hidden from us – the hindrance does not come from Him. Hashem is always ready to enlighten and elevate all those who try to come close to Him.
The system of mitzvos which Hashem created have this inherent power. If we keep the mitzvos, every single action we do, will brings us closer, up a level, to connect and benefit from the closeness of Hashem. Each level gives us another part of ‘ha’aras panim’ the shine of Hashem’s countenance, meaning the ability to see Hashem in the world and bask in His presence. The avairos have the opposite effect. Every avairah takes us one step further from Hashem, and creates a barrier between us and the light, and strengthens our inherent physically and our failings. Each avairah brings darkness to us.
This is the nature of mitzvos and avairos, and the part they play in our lives.
This concludes the fourth chapter of Derech Hashem.
The fifth chapter is titled, ‘The different parts of the world and what their purpose is in detail.’ Here the Ramchal will discuss how we relate to each aspect of the world, both those inherently physical and those inherently spiritual.
Derech Hashem
Chapter 4 – 05
One of the mitzvos that Hashem gave us which is higher than all others, is the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. Why is it greater than other mitzvos? Torah has two parts to it, both of which elevate us and bring us close to Hashem. There is the mitzvah of learning and toiling and speaking the Torah. Then there is the wisdom that Torah imparts to us, which enables us to achieve greatness.
Hashem wrote the Torah in His infinite wisdom, and followed it with the Nevi’im and Kesuvim, and gave it to us. The nature of the Torah is that if we learn it and try our best to understand what we are learning, and we learn in purity and holiness, (meaning we are careful to keep our hands clean when learning, and we are careful not to learn in a place which is unclean and is assur to say Torah there, and we don’t interrupt our learning with mundane and foolish things,) with the right intent – to fulfill Hashem’s will, it has the power to elevate us tremendously. Torah innately brings us close to Hashem, causes our neshamos to shine powerfully and brightly, and perfects us.
The more we try to understand the Torah, the meforshim of the Torah, the mishnayos and the gemarah, and all that is written in Torah, the more perfection we achieve. The more Torah wisdom we acquire, the greater we become. Certainly if we merit to begin to understand the secrets of the Torah, the hidden aspects of Torah she’baal Peh, we perfect ourselves in a way above and beyond anything else. This empowers our neshamos to become higher and closer to Hashem, and brings us to the highest levels of perfection and connection.
Not only does learning Torah perfect us, but it also perfects the whole world around us. Every single detail of creation is elevated when we learn and toil in Torah.
Whatever level of holiness and enlightenment we achieve, is all based on how much Hashem turns His countenance to shine light upon us, ha’aras panim, which means allows us to perceive Him and recognize His presence in this world. The more we feel controlled and limited by our physical self, is because of the lack of Hashem’s ha’aras panim. He’s hiding from us. The more Hashem reveals Himself, the more purity and perfection we achieve. It’s important to realize, that Hashem never actively hides Himself. On the contrary, any person who tries to come close to Hashem, Hashem shines His countenance upon that person! The only hindrance to experiencing this closeness comes from ourselves. If we fail to come close, then Hashem is hidden from us – the hindrance does not come from Him. Hashem is always ready to enlighten and elevate all those who try to come close to Him.
The system of mitzvos which Hashem created have this inherent power. If we keep the mitzvos, every single action we do, will brings us closer, up a level, to connect and benefit from the closeness of Hashem. Each level gives us another part of ‘ha’aras panim’ the shine of Hashem’s countenance, meaning the ability to see Hashem in the world and bask in His presence. The avairos have the opposite effect. Every avairah takes us one step further from Hashem, and creates a barrier between us and the light, and strengthens our inherent physically and our failings. Each avairah brings darkness to us.
This is the nature of mitzvos and avairos, and the part they play in our lives.
This concludes the fourth chapter of Derech Hashem.
The fifth chapter is titled, ‘The different parts of the world and what their purpose is in detail.’ Here the Ramchal will discuss how we relate to each aspect of the world, both those inherently physical and those inherently spiritual.