Chapter I

בינו בוערים בעם וכסילים מתי תשכילו

"Understand, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will
you become wise?"1

How can a senseless person gain understanding, or a fool become wise? Actually, every person, no matter how dense, can comprehend Torah if he truly wishes to. No matter how foolish a person may be, he can become wise in the ways of G-dliness if he is truly eager to do so. As stated in Pirkei d'Rebbe Eliezer:2 "A Jew who lacks knowledge and does not know how to study is obligated to be taught by Jewish scholars until he gains understanding, as it is written: 'Understand, you senseless among the people.' "

The Zohar3 relates that one of the members of the "Holy Fraternity" [friends and disciples of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai] once visited Rashbi [an acronym for Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai].

He encountered Rabbi Shimon as he was in the midst of commenting on the verse:4 "A senseless man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this." Rabbi Shimon commented: "How foolish are those people who neither know nor care to know G-d's ways and the purpose of their own existence. All that interferes with their knowing G-d's paths is their folly of not studying Torah. Would they only study the Torah they would be in possession of G-dly knowledge."

Indeed, herein lies the contrast between Jews and the "righteous scholars of the nations."5 To some degree the "righteous scholars of the nations" also comprehend G-dliness. They possess a certain philosophical understanding of the world's creation, and believe in the Creator of the universe. But their belief and understanding is in no way similar to that of the Jewish people.

Among the sacred names by which G-d is known are Havayah [the Tetragrammaton] and Elokim. The name Elokim denotes G-d as He is manifest through nature. A characteristic which G-d placed in nature is that creation conceals its Creator. The name Havayah denotes G-d as He is loftier than nature, and is indicative of the supernatural.

Herein lies the difference between the Jewish people and the "righteous scholars of the nations." The latter comprehend nature and believe it was created by G-d. Jews understand that nature itself is supernatural, and thus perceive G-dliness and Divine Providence at every turn. They believe in the name Havayah, as indicated by the verse:6 "They believed in Havayah." Thus, they differ from the "righteous scholars of the nations," whose belief extends only to G-d as signified by the name Elokim, and who have no conception of G-d as He is denoted by the name Havayah.

In summary: Through earnest desire, even a senseless person can achieve understanding and a fool wisdom, as stated in Pirkei d'Rebbe Eliezer and the Zohar. Herein lies the difference between Jews and the "righteous of the nations." Jews understand that nature is G-dly, and believe in the name Havayah. The "righteous scholars of the nations" believe and understand only [G-d as He is manifest in and concealed by] nature, which is denoted by the name Elokim.