"Yaakov has taken everything that belongs to our father, and from what belongs to our father he has amassed all his wealth" [Vayeitze 31:1]
The following question was once posed to the Vilna Gaon: The Midrash Rabbah states in relation to the abovementioned verse: "There is no honor except for [that accrued by] silver and gold". Yet, in Shemos Rabbah [ch 38] it states: "There is no honor except for [that accrued by] Torah, as the verse states: "The wise inherit honor". The question is, is it the Torah or one's wealth that brings a person honor?
Wherever we find the word kavod [honor] spelled without a vav, answered the Gaon, we are meant to apply Chazal's statement "There is no honor except for [that accrued by] silver and gold". For that type of honor is superficial and false.
However, continued the Gaon, when kavod is spelled in its complete spelling - with a vav - Chazal's statement "There is no honor except for [that accrued by] the Torah" applies. For the honor that comes from the Torah is genuine and full.
Source: Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein
1 comment:
Beautiful and TRUE!
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