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"Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear HaShem and turn away from evil." Proverbs 3:7 Vision is a wonderful ability; however, what our personal vision is limited to how much we see. There is much to see that is outside the scope of our vision. This is true of our physical vision and our inner vision as well. What we can see we can know, what we cannot see we cannot know through seeing. “Seeing is believing” is a nice statement, but it is also a very untrue statement. There is much to be believed that is not seen and there is much that is seen that should not be trusted. There is much that we know and much more that we believe we know but in fact know not. There is much that we know only upon the surface without our realizing how much depth there is that is unseen by us and unknown to us. What one does not know indeed can hurt one. There is much more in life that we do not know than that which we do know. Therefore, there are many dangers and pitfalls in life that we must be careful to spot and avoid. Many are the students of wisdom. Many seek to know the unknown and to offer instruction to others about that which is unknown to them. Yet, how can the blind lead the blind? How can those who lack insight and true vision serve as guides to others equally lost and misguided? Arrogance rules the blind, especially when they claim that they can see, even more so when they proclaim their false ability to see to others in order to elevate themselves as leaders so that they can lead in their blindness. Yet, what can we do? Those who are blind often wish to remain such. Those who usurp positions of leadership and authority are often supported by many who share their lack of vision. Many are the lost sheep. Many of those who want to stay lost. Seeing the unseen cannot be done with physical eyes. The ways of Earth will never be understood unless viewed with the Eyes of Heaven. The Eyes of Heaven look within and see from within the Inner Light. The Inner Light is the Wisdom of Torah. Thus, to know the world one must know Torah. In order to see one’s way clearly through life here on Earth, one must be able to see and thus navigate life with the vision of Torah directing one’s heart, the seat of Inner Light. The greatest arrogance is for one to claim to know that which one does not know. Wisdom is of Heaven, it is given to us as a gift from HaShem. No one can ascend to Heaven and grab wisdom, no one can possess wisdom by their own right; no one can demand a gift of Heaven. Heaven’s gift of wisdom is freely given but it also to be graciously and humbly received. If the gift is not to be properly received, it will not be offered in the first place. Fear is the emotional awareness that doing something can be harmful. Most of us today have lost all sensitivities as to what harms us and what helps us. We seldom recognize what is harmful and we even less seldom care. This is the path of foolishness and outright stupidity; yet individuals do have the choice to embrace either wisdom or stupidity. Fear of HaShem is expressed in one’s choices in life, in all areas, not just the religious. When one acts with thought-out discipline, makes the right choices merely because they are the right things do to and acts properly with others and oneself, these are the highest forms of expressing one’s fear of HaShem. One naturally turns from evil because one recognizes intuitively how that causes one harm. Naturally, one who turns from evil will also turn to good. One who knows not wisdom will seek it and thus find it and live by it. One who believes oneself wise will seeks nothing, find nothing and in the end have nothing. Seek to achieve and you will. Seek nothing and that is what you will in the end become (be it above or below).
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Yeshivat Lev Torah -
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