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"She is a Tree of
Life to those who grasp Her There is life of the body and there is life of the soul. Many of us drudge our way through life without any real joy, passion or hope. We wake up each morning just to go through the doldrums of the day and cannot wait to get home at night just to go to sleep to forget about the repetitive, oppressive state that we call our lives. Those who live like this have no life so to speak. Life is worth living, yet in order for one to live, one must start living. Passion makes the world go round. Without passion, life becomes one boring repetitive act after another. With passion, every day is new. Every moment is an opportunity. Every experience is full of meaning. Life of the soul makes or breaks the life of the body. One with passion is alive; one without it should be considered the walking dead. Torah is wisdom and wisdom is Torah. People can study Torah and not even know it is Torah they are learning. Whenever one learns a lesson about proper character; whenever one learns a truth about life, the universe and the ways of nature, one who learns these things is as if one has learned Torah. For the Torah is the foundation of the world. Everything in creation came forth from the Torah and everything in creation is sustained by it. The Torah is the Tree of Life; it is the fountain of blessing. One who bonds with Torah bonds with life. This is the promise of Heaven. Within every sub-atomic particle there is some innate aspect of information and knowledge that tells it what it is supposed to do and where is it supposed to be. This innate knowing is the Spark of the Creator, which directs all elements of creation. All comes forth from and is directed by the Creator. Yet, everything in creation has its own identity and is thus the creation and not the Creator. Everything comes forth from the Creator but is separate from Him. This is the reality of things. Every element within creation has within it great potential to operate in accordance to the fullness of its design. The Spark of the Creator that enlivens all is called the Presence of G-d, in Hebrew, this is called the Shekhina. The Shekhina is the source of wisdom, Torah and Life. One who seeks to know Torah will thus come to know both life and G-d. One who seeks to know wisdom will find both Torah and life. For Torah is wisdom, Torah is the envelope of the Divine; Torah reveals the Shekhina. Thus, Torah is life and life is Torah. One who knows the one will by nature come to know the other. Torah is referred to as the Tree of Life. For as a tree grows from the earth and provides fruit for nourishment and shade for rest, to too does Torah provide wisdom for nourishment of the soul and direction that provides rest for both body and soul. One who grasps Torah receives all this and more. Yet, the Tree must be nurtured and cared for, if it is to thrive and grow. One must embrace well the Torah and nurture its wisdom for one to see its benefits. Doing the right thing in a world that no longer knows right from wrong is a hard thing. Yet, the right thing still must be done, regardless of whether or not it is recognized by those who con no longer tell the difference. One who embraces Torah will come to know wisdom. With wisdom, one will come to realize what is right to do, how it is properly performed and when is the right time to act. No book can teach these lessons. Only life can dictate the Ways of Heaven. One who eats of the fruits of Heaven will know the Ways of Heaven and how to live them here on Earth. Embrace the Tree and become enriched thereby. Do it, and see for yourselves the rewards. Grasp again the passion to live.
Comments? Questions?
Yeshivat Lev Torah -
Collel Benei N'vi'im |
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