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62 | A New Light Chapter Two: | 35

Find the Differences They only pretended to eat. Therefore, from the aspect of actual
accomplishment, there was no value to Abraham’s kindness. It was
Let me tell you a story. an entirely empty deed. But Abraham thought that the angels were
human beings. As such, he did not know that they had no need
I knew Yossi and Danny as two students who attended my classes. of his kindness, and he wanted to help them and perform a kind
One day they had showed up for my weekly talk, and from then deed for them. Therefore, the Torah is praising Abraham for his
on I grew used to seeing their faces among the other regular intent, because in actuality there was no deed. And the Torah
participants. After just a month passed, I could see a difference tells this story at length because it wants to impart the message
between the two—a difference that grew more pronounced as time that the principal factor is a person’s intent—even if in actuality he
passed. They were both interested and paid attention. They both accomplished nothing!
smiled with satisfaction and pleasure, and it appeared that the words
that Hashem put in my mouth spoke to their hearts. Nevertheless, I Therefore, when a person learns the Torah’s description
recognized that there was a vast difference between them. of the sacrifices, it is as though he brought a sacrifice
(Menachot 110a)—and that is because of his intent as
I am not only talking about the fact that Yossi’s kippah grew he learns. His eagerness to be able to do this and his
larger and his tzitzit longer. I am speaking of their states of mind. resolve to do it constitute the principal aspect of learning
Each came to me from time to time for counsel or for a blessing. I Torah: [the intent] to translate the learning into deed.
saw that Yossi was aware. He understood what I was saying. He told
me that he saw a great difference in his relationship with his wife, Regarding that, the verse states, “To You, Hashem,
with his overall happiness, with his relations with his peers at work, is the kindness, because You recompense a person in
and that he truly felt that Hashem is with him. His questions were accordance with his deed” (Psalms 62:13). That is because
elevated. They were the questions of a person who is working with in His vast compassion Hashem, may He be blessed,
the lessons that he is learning, that he is internalizing. His questions rewards a person for his deed alone, as though it is the
dealt with subtle and exalted concepts. person who is performing the action.

On the other hand, I barely saw any change in Danny. It was Commentary: Here Rabbi Tzadok brings additional support for
as though he had not attended the classes at all, as though he this concept. The Gemara states that the verses, “This is the Torah
had not heard a thing. He would return with the same problems. of the sin-offering” and “This is the Torah of the guilt-offering,”
He remained angry and bitter with the people around him, he mean that “whoever studies the Torah about the sin-offering is
continued to blame everyone else for his problems and he continued considered as though he brought a sin-offering, and whoever
to blame himself, he was far from faith, far from feeling thankful, studies the Torah about the guilt-offering is considered as though
far from enjoying a happy marriage. The problems that he had he brought a guilt-offering” (Menachot 110a). Why is the person’s
suffered from before he came to my classes still existed and had not learning considered equal to performing the deed? After all, he
even diminished. I asked myself: does he hear what I am saying? is only sitting in front of a text! It is because, while he is learning,
He sits before me in class, he looks at me and I speak to him. Is it he wants to implement what he is learning: he is eager and
possible that he hasn’t absorbed anything? I asked him if he had resolved to act. And that in itself is considered as though he has
read my books. He told me that he had, but what does that have acted!
to do with his problems? He was able to repeat what I had written,
but he lacked awareness. Awareness is connection. Awareness is Another crucial principle that we derive from Rabbi Tzadok’s