LETTER OF APPROBATION

IYYAR 5780

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) wrote in his Derech Chochma educational essay, how a diligent Torah scholar should prepare his study schedule. At his conclusion, he teaches that after properly mastering Bible studies, Mishna and Talmud, so too Torah law as per Rambam and Shulchan Aruch, one should dedicate all, or most, of his time to the exalted study of Kabbalistic Lore, the Inner Sanctum of Torah wisdom, the heart and goal of all Torah study. So too, the Vilna Gaon taught (as testified in Even Sheleima 8:21) that all of the plain Pshat studies should eventually be understood as per the inner Kabbalah reasonings. Only then can one perceive the true understanding of the ideas involved.

The great majority of humanity err. Their lives are based on providing food and drink, getting married, raising a family, making a livelihood and concluding their lives with material success. However, they do not get to the core of life, i.e., the comprehension and appreciation of the Great Reality, the Eternal presence, the Divinity. This simple but most true understanding is based on Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah (1:1-4) and by the Biblical injunction, “Know the G-d of your forefathers and serve Him” (1 Divrei HaYamim 28:9), to wit, study the teachings which will bring you to a fuller appreciation of the true unimmutable Being, whilst all of humanity is transient, fleeting by without genuine everlasting importance.
Due to these appreciations, the individual studier has everlasting life, eternity, as noted by Rambam, in his foreword to Mishna Perek Chelek (Targum Harav Kapach, Sanhedrin, p. 138 right column):

ואמרו ‘נהנים מזיו השכינה’, כלומר שאותם הנפשות נהנות במה שמשכילות מן הבורא, כמו שנהנות חיות הקודש ושאר מעלות המלאכים במה שהשכילו ממציאותו [ית”ש]. והנה האושר והתכלית הסופית היא להגיע אל המעמד הזה המרומם ולהמצא באותו המצב וקיום הנפש

That lesson is inculcated by the Zohar (II Pekudei 247b):

האי חיוותא קדישא קיימא, כד נשמתא סלקא ומטאת לגביה, כדין שאל לה ברזא דחכמתא דמאריה, וכפום ההיא חכמתא דרדיף אבתרה ואדבק, הכי יהבי לה אגריה. ואי יכיל לאדבקא ולא אדבק, דחי לה לבר ולא עיילא, וקיימא תחות ההוא היכלא בכסיפו, וכד נטלי גדפייהו אלין שרפים דתחותה, כדין כלהו בטשי בגדפייהו, ואוקדון לה, ואתוקדא ולא אתוקדת, וקיימא ולא קיימא, והכי אתדנת בכל יומא, נהירת ולא נהירת. ואף על גב דעובדין טבין אית לה. בגין דלית אגרא בההוא עלמא, כאינון דמשתדלי בחכמתא, לאסתכלא ביקרא דמאריהון, ולית שיעורא לאגרא, דאינון דידעי חכמתא, לאסתכלא ביקרא דמאריהון, זכאה חולקיהון בעלמא דין, ובעלמא דאתי, דכתיב (משלי ג, יג) ‘אשרי אדם מצא חכמה, ואדם יפיק תבונה’.

Judaism is not only to teach us what is proper behavior, what to do and what to beware of, but it is even more so to know the Creator, to understand our role and relation unto Him. All of life, all our experiences, all our vicissitudes and personal problems are so geared to strive to attain our contact with Him, to wake up from our mundane activities and probe out in our search for “getting connected” with the Absolute.

Rabbi Avinoam Fraenkel has succeeded remarkably in three fields. First, his great erudition, (his B’kiut) in manifold texts. Second, his wise comprehension of their inner truths (Iyun). Third, his clear-cut and expert presentation of these truths (capability of presentation). True, these commentaries which he penned should have been in Hebrew, so to benefit the Israeli scholars (those who are ignorant of the English language). Nevertheless, we cannot forget the fact that there are hundreds of English-speaking Talmidei Chachomim dispersed in the Diaspora, who too are searching for G-d, hungry for spiritual sustenance, reaching out to the Inner Sanctum.

Our age is blessed by the undoubtable fact that many Torah students are awakening to get to the higher rung of the ladder. And all of us are blessed that G-d, the Master of Souls, has granted us Rabbi Avinoam Fraenkel to expertly aid in this endeavor. For those who understand the great need to get to the inner “heart of matters,” his wonderful translations and commentaries are a must. The light of the developing Geulah is more and more evident with the passage of time, and this is evidenced by the unraveling of the Kabbalistic studies. See Zohar III 124b:

והמשכילים יזהירו כזוהר הרקיע, בהאי חבורא דילך, דאיהו ספר הזהר, מן זוהרא דאימא עלאה, תשובה, באלין לא צריך נסיון, ובגין דעתידין ישראל למטעם מאילנא דחיי, דאיהו האי ספר הזהר, יפקון ביה מן גלותא ברחמי.

Moshe Zuriel

13 Beit Hillel Street, Bnei Brak, Israel

Former Mashgiach of Yeshivat Sha’alvim