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The Heart of the Torah

Rabbi Danny Mirvis

ever again has there arisen “bet” (of “Bereishit”) and finishes with the Second, the continuity of Torah goes hand
in Israel a prophet like letter “lamed” (of “Yisrael”). in hand with the love of our fellow man.
Moshe, whom Hashem had Torah study which is not accompanied by
“Nknown face to face. (As evi- The Kli Yakar concludes his commen- pleasant character traits and concern for
dent) by all the signs and the wonders that tary of the Torah by explaining that bet others is flawed. Torah without a heart is
Hashem had sent him to perform in the and lamed are the only two letters of the not Torah. The love of our fellow man is
Land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his Hebrew alphabet that form complete not only essential to truly receiving Torah,
servants and to all his land. And by all the words when placed before the three let- but is particularly vital in passing it on
strong hand and by all the great power ters that comprise Hashem’s four-letter as well.
that Moshe performed before the eyes of name (“yud” followed by “hay” followed by
all Israel” (Devarim 34:10–12). “vav” followed by “hay”) i.e. bet yud (“bi” – in Third, our devotion and commitment to
me), bet vav (“bo” – in him), bet hay (“bah” Torah should be as constant as the beating
With these words, which describe the – in her), lamed yud (“li” – to me), lamed vav of the heart. Whilst an emotional connec-
supremacy of Moshe’s prophecy, we com- (“lo” – to him) and lamed hay (“lah” – to her) tion to the Torah is essential, emotion can
plete V’zot HaBracha and our annual Torah are all complete Hebrew words. Bet and be fickle and must be accompanied by
reading cycle. Whilst celebrating this lamed are therefore the two letters that commitment.
milestone on Simchat Torah, we do not represent the unity of Hashem’s name and
wait for the next Shabbat to recommence come to teach us that everything begins As we renew our Torah reading cycle, we
with the book of Bereishit, but straight and ends with Hashem. should renew our passion and love for
away return to the very beginning of the Torah, our commitment to Torah and our
Torah: Other commentators point out that the love for our fellow man.
letters lamed and bet spell out the word
“In the beginning, G-d created heaven and “lev” (heart) i.e. the heart is the link
earth” (Bereishit 1:1). between the completion of the Torah and
its recommencement and the heart per-
This immediate recommencement of the forms this linking role in numerous ways.
cycle comes to highlight the continuity of
Torah, our love of Torah, and that however First, our Torah learning cannot be a
many times we may have completed the purely academic or intellectual exercise.
Torah, there is still more to learn. To ensure the continuity of Torah and Rabbi Danny Mirvis
to ensure the recommencement of our is the Deputy CEO
Numerous explanations are given for the Torah reading year after year, we must be of World Mizrachi.
fact that the Torah begins with the letter emotionally connected to Torah as well.

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