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there. But the more one elevates himself, repudiating the transient
pleasures of this world, the closer he is to Hashem, and he merits
acquiring both Torah and yirat Shamayim.
In order to ascend, one must live with constant contemplation, not like the
unthinking animals. David Hamelech said, “When I behold Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers…” We must always contemplate Hashem’s
wonderful world, and allow this study to bring us to a new level of
greatness.
Rut and Orpah parted for eternity. Rut merited producing David
Hamelech, whereas Orpah produced Goliat. Orpah failed to evaluate her
actions, and did not disdain earthly pleasures. She therefore returned to a
life of promiscuity.
How did Neron merit producing the Tanna, Rabbi Meir? It was through
contemplating his actions and understanding that there is no value to
anything in this world when it is disconnected from Torah.

“Now, O Israel, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear
Hashem.” Moshe implies that yirat Shamayim is a relatively simple
matter. Why, then, do we have such difficulty acquiring it? The way to
“Now, O Israel, what does Hashem, your G-d, do so is by contemplating one’s actions and renouncing the pleasures of
ask of you? Only to fear Hashem, your G-d, to this world. Many Torah scholars lack yirat Shamayim, for they are rooted
go in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve in the pleasures of this world. Only by contemplating Hashem’s
Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and with wonderful world can the Torah effectively detach a person from the
all your soul” frivolities of this world.

(Devarim 10:12) My grandfather, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, zy”a, said that in order to
succeed in acquiring Torah and yirat Shamayim, one must eradicate his
natural love of money and material pursuits. All of his interests should be
directed heavenward.
The more one is drawn by the magnetic force of earthliness, the filthier is
his neshamah. It is all the harder for such a person to rise in spirituality.
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