Rabbi Elazar Said: "Be Diligent In The Study Of Torah; Know What To Answer An Unbeliever. Know Before Whom You Toil, Who Your Employer Is, And Who Will Pay You The Reward Of Your Labor."

Rabbi Elazar Said: "Be Diligent In The Study Of Torah"

Rabbi Elazar's teaching reflected his nature - that of "a spring which flows with ever-increasing strength,"[48] constantly surging towards new frontiers. Rabbi Elazar emphasizes that the desire to cross new thresholds of experience should be tempered with diligent review of previous study.

An example can be brought from Rabbi Elazar's personal history. The Talmud relates[49] that Rabbi Elazar ben Arach went to the lands of Progissa and Diomisis, the wines and waters of which were pleasant. Indulging himself in these delights, he ignored his Torah studies. When he was called to read from the Torah the verse Hachodesh hazeh lechem ("This month shall be for you"), he read instead Hacheresh hoyeh libem ("Their hearts have become dumb"). His colleagues, seeing the depths to which he had fallen, prayed on his behalf, and his knowledge was restored.

(Sichos Shabbos Parshas Kedoshim, 5746)

Know Before Whom You Toil

As explained in Tanya,[50] knowledge refers to an inner bond. Every person has the potential to develop such an inner bond with G-d. Although he labors for Him as a servant, there is nothing preventing him from establishing a deeper connection.

This also affects the nature of a person's relationship with G-d with regard to reward and punishment. Although there are many intermediaries by which G-d dispenses the reward granted for observance, a person must know "who his Employer is, and who will pay him the reward of his labor," and realize that the source for the reward is always G-d Himself, and not the intermediaries.

(Ibid.)

   

Notes:

48. (Back to text) Above mishnah 9.

49. (Back to text) Shabbos 147b.

50. (Back to text) The conclusion of ch. 3.