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Saturday, July 15, 2017

[DRASHOS] Avos 1.1 - 77.3

The Mishnah says Moshe received the Torah and transferred it Yehoshuah Because only regarding Moshe can we say that he received all that was being given. Moshe perceived his nevuah in a different manner than any other prophet. He saw through אספקלריא המאירה - a lens that lets through all the light. All other prophets saw through אספקלריא שאינה המאירה - a lens that does not let the light through. Like a mirror that contains a backing behind the glass.

 

The difference between Moshe and the others is not his great holiness and wisdom, rather his complete and absolute humility. His total selflessness literally allowed him to perceive without any of his personal interference. There was NOTHING to cloud his vision. There was nothing of his own personality filtering, augmenting or adjusting the message. His prophecy was direct, clear, and without any influence at all.

The other prophets were not as completely selfless as Moshe, and therefore their vision was "mirrored" through their own mind, understanding, and personality. - We must note that this did not alter the message of their prophecy at all, as Hashem knew the "personality filter" of each Navi and gave the prophecy to each one accordingly, so it will be understood in the manner Hashem intended. 

 

This is why the Mishnah does not continue using the word קבל - (which connotes a full reception of all that is being given from hand to hand) after Moshe, but instead says that Moshe transferred it to Yehoshua (which implies a changeover in transmission as opposed to just giving it over). Also from Yehoshua to the zekainim and from them to the nevi'im the status remained the same and therefore the mishnah does not say ויהשוע מסרה… , until the Anshei K'nesses Hag'dolah, who were not all nevi'im and therefore it was transferred to them.

 

While we are certainly not nevi'im hoping for אספקלריא המאירה , we have a very applicable lesson to draw from here. Every time we learn something new, we have the opportunity to really learn and grow from the new Torah we are learning or we can cloud, squeeze, or filter it through our own previous knowledge or feelings or personality. Often people listen to or read divrei Torah with a filtered lens. One is listening for something nice to say over. Another is listening to prove or confirm a previous idea of his own. A third person may be waiting to hear something that he can comment on to show his own knowledge. 

 

Every word of Torah is its own bit of G-dly wisdom. It is its very own special d'var Hashem. The Mitzvah of Talmud Torah is ושננתם - the words should all be like separate, individual sharp needle points. Each one distinct on its own. When we listen or learnn divrei Torah selflessly, just to hear and understand Hashem's words, we can perceive so much more! To believe that you can learn something totally new is a bit self-depreciating. This is part of the what the mishnah tells us later - איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם  - it's one thing to want to learn from all people, but it's an entirely different matter to believe that you can really learn something absolutely NEW to yourself! - And not only that, but to think that you can learn that from ANYONE!?

 

So many people trade in a life's worth of new pearls of wisdom, because they can't humble themselves to truly and purely listen to what is being taught.

Let's be smart - play dumb. :-)



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Posted By KH to DRASHOS at 7/15/2017 10:47:00 PM

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