Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Heart to Know and Ears to Hear: 5b

When a person prays at the grave of a tzaddik he should be focused on the inner meaning of the teachings of the tzaddik and to use the inspiration as a vessel to receive a deeper understanding of those teachings. The same is true when one studies the Torah teachings of a great sage. By focusing on the inner meaning of the teachings he can become a vessel to bring forth deeper meanings that have not yet been discovered. Even if he is learning what he has learned before and it is already familiar material, he can receive new understanding. When he connects to the mind of his teacher he can understand even thoughts that were not incorporated in the words of his works.

Letters are precise and confining, and the light they contain is more than can be seen in black on white. As the Talmud teaches, "One who gives, gives with a generous eye." The sagacious author has put more of himself into the words than meets the eye. By allowing oneself to completely connect to the words one can discern what he hid within.

A person can feel the truth in what he is learning, that he has touched on the inner words of the author. He feels as if he is standing before the sage hearing things that have never yet been revealed. He feels the joy of the author that he has found a befitting vessel to absorb his words and who is discovering new insights.

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