March 14, 2019 · 00:03:15
I hope that everyone is doing well today. Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire Tanach one perek at time. Today we’re discussing Mishlei, perek beis. The chapter opens with Shlomo speaking as if to his child, whom he urges to accept his words and take his advice. You should seek wisdom as you would for silver and hidden treasures. Your search for understanding will bring you to know and fear God. Shlomo explains that Hashem is the One who grants wisdom, but you must first seek it out. The wisdom of the Torah will shield you from harm’s way. Passuk 10 says, “Ki tavo chochma b’libecha v’daas lenafshecha yinaam – Wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will delight your soul.” This is really a beautiful thought. By deeply connecting to true chochma, we’ll experience deep levels of noam, pleasure, resonating throughout our being. The Metsudos explains that once chochma enters into your heart, you’ll be filled with an amazing desire and longing for more knowledge. The Sifrei Mussar tell us that often a person can know something intellectually, but not take it to heart. Shlomo is teaching us that it’s not enough to merely ‘know’ something. We need to inculcate what our knowledge into the very fiber of our beings. Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say that the longest distance in the world is the distance between the head and the heart! Yes, they are only a few inches away from each other, but it can take a lifetime for them to connect. It is not enough to be merely intellectual J