Here's How Torah Can Change You

"The ultimate purpose of learning Torah is to change your character"

~ The Gaon of Vilna

I wonder how many of us, when we think about the Hebrew Bible, believe that this is the reason to read and learn Torah? For me, it was definitely not what I had in mind when I used to read the portion of the week in synagogue. My reading of the sometimes tedious English translation of the Hebrew text was more about learning our story and history as a people than it was about anything else. And frankly, much didn't seem to relate to my contemporary life. Sacrifices? Archaic practices? Not a part of my life. So, at that time, the Gaon's recommendation would have seemed far- fetched and would not have resonated with me at all.

How can reading an ancient text possibly change me as a person?  

More recently, I understand the immense wisdom the Gaon was referring to. Studying Torah has changed me in immeasurable ways, along with my study of Mussar.

So, let's unpack this a bit.

A big clue to a different way of thinking is in our use of the word 'ancient'. The Torah is considered a "Torah of Truth" because it contains an eternal wisdom. In other words, the Torah is not ancient at all, but relevant for all times and places. We need to look beyond the mere story line for these messages. The Torah has deeper messages for us, and ones that are not based on facts, but on truths.

This is an essential understanding.

Because our rational minds dominate our thinking, we begin questioning the Torah's 'facts', as in, really....the world was created in six days? Really? Noah built an ark that was enormous enough to contain all the animals and his family? Really?

Answers to these questions will not change your character, nor are they even relevant since Maimonides [Rambam] says Torah speaks in the 'language of man', and is allegorical, figurative and not to be taken literally.

So, for example, just take the Noah question. Don't focus on the fact, but on the deeper meaning the Torah is offering you. What was it like to be the one person going against the flow? In what situations have you been able to do that? How public do you make your beliefs? And if so, could you sustain it for a long time (the time it would take to build an ark for example)? Would you be able to stand up to ridicule for doing something that was inspired by a Higher Source? Would you feel responsible for those who didn’t? How would you convince family members to go along with you?

In Mussar language, how do you balance the traits of Kavod HaShem (honoring God) with honoring those around you? How can you retain a sense of Anavah (no perfect translation but humility is most often used) when knowing that you, and only you, received a Divine message? How can you know you're not crazy? When do you know to listen to your inner voice?

These are just some of the ways that the Torah can prompt your ability to reflect on your own life.

 The Torah can inspire us to think in these ways every week. By mining our tradition for weekly guidance on moral, ethical, and spiritual ways of living our life, we will be grounded in a deeper reality that is unchangeable.