More On Knowledge And Experience

This is a continuation of this post and also an answer to an email that I received.

The highest value in Torah is the study of Torah. ותלמוד תורה כנגד כולם. Every male Jew, regardless of his status, level of intellect, family situation, financial situation etc. etc. has a mitzva to master the ENTIRE Torah. This law is codified by the Baal HaTanya in his Shulachan Aruch [and affirmed by Rav Moshe Feinstein]. We [unlike other religions] don't differentiate between the clergy and the layman. All are equally required  to study and understand. Tanach, Medrash, Bavli, Yerushalmi etc. etc. Every free second should be spent in expansion and deepening of one's knowledge and understanding. Women are not obligated as men are but since they must believe in Hashem, it is incumbent upon to them to learn anything related to hashkafa and emuna that will make them better Jewess' [and they almost must master halachos relating to them - Shabbos, kashrus, lashon hara, sheker, tfilla etc, etc, loooong list]

That is the IDEAL. The reality is that most people aren't living the ideal. People spend plenty of time involved in activities that are not related to anything spiritual. I am not referring to work or family time or eating etc. Those ARE spiritual activities for they are mandated by the Torah. Facebook, twitter, surfing the net, blabber-blabber-blabber on the phone, newspapers, movies, watching sports etc. are generally not.

Most people have already made up their minds about religious matters. Many keep mitzvos by rote but openly don't believe in many things the Torah says. Others believe but in a very weak and tenuous way. The gemara I referenced in the aforementioned post guides us not to argue with such people. It will just make them bigger heretics. Most people are not particularly interested in changing. To change ones beliefs and practices requires great sacrifice and most people don't want to sacrifice. I have been following the same people for decades and I see in most of them the same basic person throughout. Change is really hard. It requires hard work, persistence, great self-understanding and most of all a willingness to admit personal fault in behavior and attitude. What can I say? I just rarely see it. People are set in their ways. True, tenacious truth seekers are the exception rather than the rule.

If someone asks a question and sincerely wants an answer - then he deserves one. Many times, in my experience, people just want to pick a fight. Such people don't deserve an answer. They deserve a niggun. MAYBE that'll help.

We also have to understand that all of the knowledge in the world is not enough. One must be constantly aware of the presence of the G-d in his or her life. That is called יראת שמים - The word יראה comes from ראיה. He should be so evident that it is as if we see him before our very eyes. If one learns without yiras shomayim then his learning is not worth anything [even though he should still learn because, as the gemara says המאור שבה יחזירו למוטב]. Every day we ask three times פתח לבי בתורתך - Our HEARTS must open up to Torah. The goal of Torah is that it should penetrate our heart. It must impact one's emotion in addition to the mind. It should also get into our kishkes ותורתך בתוך מעי - the Torah should be in our stomachs. Just as the stomach send the nutrition to the rest of the body, so should Torah effect our entire beings [מו"ר שליט"א].

So the goal is broad, deep knowledge that leads to an intense, constant spiritual experience. The bottom line is expressed in a pasuk -

אִם תְּבַקְשֶׁנָּה כַכָּסֶף, וְכַמַּטְמוֹנִים תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה; אז תבין יראת ה', ודעת א-להים תמצא