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The first step
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TOPIC: The first step 2163 Views

Re: The first step 12 Sep 2024 13:36 #421346

  • BenHashemBH
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Frankly (see what I did there? ), I was planning to post here today as well. 

BezH making my way through Shas and this morning I learned in Menachos daf chaf tes amud beis (39b) the Gemara about Moshe seeing Hashem attaching the crowns to the holy letters of the Torah and the explanation that Rabbi Akiva was going to expound on them many generations in the future. After Hashem showing Moshe the 'classroom' of Rabbi Akiva and Moshe not understanding the Torah being learned, Moshe asks why Hashem isn't giving the Torah to Rabbi Akiva, instead of himself. Hashem responds "Quiet"! Then Moshe asks to see Rabbi Akiva's reward and Hashem shows him Rabbi Akiva's flesh in the Roman meat market (after the Romans tortured him by combing his flesh with iron combs). Moshe exclaims "this is Torah and this is its reward?!" and again Hashem responds "Quiet! This is part of My greater plan to which you are not privy".

See Artscroll note 17 for the sources that explain this Gemara. There are 50 gates of understanding and Moshe was on the 49th. The answer to Moshe's questions resided on the 50th level where Hashem did not permit him to probe. Hashem tells Moshe "Quiet!" because a person is not allowed to explore intellectually that which he is constitutionally incapable of understanding (Gemara Chagiga 11b-12a, 13a). This boundary varies for each person and a person can broaden his intellectual horizon, but there is always a point beyond which a person will force himself into mental desolation. For Moshe this was the fiftieth gate.


So perhaps there is an innate challenge to discussing these matters publicly (and this was said in other context several times here) because the intellect and boundary varies from person to person. One cannot 'explain' to another with logic or understanding when they are on different levels, because one of them will not be capable of gaining from it and will instead be left with mental desolation. 
Not judging who is at which level here, I obviously have no idea, but interesting to learn this Gemara and thought others might appreciate it too.

Kol Tov
Today is yesterday's tomorrow.
The yetzarim a person has the most trouble dealing with are his most powerful God-given tools for developing his potential and achieving shleimus.
In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.
It doesn't matter how big the number is, only that today it is going up by one.

A little about what I'm doing here: guardyoureyes.com/forum/19-Introduce-Yourself/412971-I-Want-to-Help-Others
Last Edit: 12 Sep 2024 13:43 by BenHashemBH.
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