Rava was wont to say: “The ultimate purpose of wisdomis teshuvah and good deeds… as it is written:1 ‘Fear of G‑d is the beginning of wisdom; it is good understanding for all who put it into practice.’ [The verse] does not say ‘for all who study it,’ but rather ‘for all who put it into practice.’”2

From the phrase, “The fear of G‑d is the beginning of wisdom,” it can be inferred that “the ultimate purpose of wisdom is teshuvah.” And from the phrase, “for all who put it into practice,” it can be inferred that the ultimate purpose of wisdom is “good deeds.” This point is explicitly indicated by the [above] verse, which uses the wording: “for all who put it into practice.” This emphasis is underscored by the Oral Law3 which states: “[The verse] does not say ‘for all who study it,’ but rather ‘for all who put it into practice.’”

My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, delivered a renowned maamar on Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach, 5689, {later reprinted in Sefer HaMaamarim Kuntreisim,}4 beginning with this statement of our Sages. {There he cites the source: Berachos 17a. One can infer that citing the source alludes to the concept that 17 is numerically equivalent to the Hebrew word tov (טוב), meaning “good.” Within the category of good itself, it is connected to side a, i.e., the very beginning of the matter.}

[In that maamar,] he relates that “wisdom” refers to the Torah. The intent of the adage: “The ultimate purpose of wisdomis teshuvah and good deeds” is, as Rashi explains in his commentary, that the purpose of Torah study is that it be accompanied by teshuvah and good deeds. [The maamar] then raises the question: The fundamental dimension of the Torah is knowledge, intellectual comprehension — which is implied by the term wisdom. For this reason, the mitzvah of Torah study involves study in a manner characterized by understanding and logical thought.5 , 6 What then is the relationship that wisdom, understanding, and comprehension share with teshuvah and good deeds? [On the surface, teshuvah and good deeds] are not related to understanding and comprehension.7

Summary

The maamar focuses on Rava’s oft-repeated saying: “The ultimate purpose of wisdomis teshuvah and good deeds,” and asks: Te­shuvah and good deeds are seemingly unrelated to wisdom. How is it that they are considered wisdom’s “ultimate purpose?”