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Thursday

י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Thursday
י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

153. Novelty (a) / חידוש

It is well-known that a person who formulates novel Torah thoughts is held in high regard in Heaven. But one is only expected to act within his capabilities, as long as he toils with all his might to generate novel Torah thoughts — which means to raise and answer difficulties in Tanach and Talmud, or to suggest new interpretations of Tanach and Talmud on any of the four levels of understanding: plain meaning, allusion, exegeses and esoteric understanding (PARDES). This is a very great correction for all types of sin and iniquity. In particular, it is very important to create novel Torah thoughts during the Shabbos, as the holy Zohar extols regarding the reward the person receives for doing so and regarding the high honor and greatness that is bestowed upon the souls of the person’s father and mother in the upper worlds.

A person who is not capable of generating new Torah thoughts in his own mind nevertheless has a way to fulfill this as well. Such a person should learn sefarim that contain Torah novellae (Chiddushei Torah) that have already been printed, and anything that one learns and understands of ideas that he had not previously known is considered a “novel” Torah thought for him. This is something that every person who has the ability to learn should strive for — if he cannot generate his own novel interpretations of the Torah, then at least on Shabbos he should learn something new that he has never learned before. And if one does not know how to learn from a book, then he should strive to listen to lectures where there will be new thoughts that he did not know. Learning the holy Zohar, as well, even if the person does not understand it, is considered generating Torah novellae. Whether one does much or one does little — [they are equal] as long as one directs his heart to Heaven.

“My brothers and my nation, take this sefer Torah, and with this, and like this learn well, so that you should have it good; listen and enliven your soul, and achieve gladness and joy in this world and the world to come” (From the author’s intro.)