You can obtain faith through the wisdom of the Torah. Through such scholarship, you can attain some understanding of God, and this is certainly good. But better still is the faith that shines by night. This is pure faith, without any sophistication or proof. This true faith is a light — “Your faith by night.”
Such faithless scholars are like those infected with a brain disease called Ra'asan.182Ketubot 77b. This is counted among the 24 skin rashes, and is said to preclude marital relations. It may possibly be identified with syphilis.
It is written, “And my heart saw much wisdom”183In the Hebrew, the word “much” is omitted. (Ecclesiastes 1:16). True wisdom includes faith and is called sight. Sight is RAiYah. On the Other Side, it becomes RaAsan, an affliction of the brain.
It is written, “Adam knew his wife, Eve” (Genesis 4:1). Holy intercourse is called knowledge. The knowledge of those contaminated with Ra'asan is tainted and degraded. “They have a worm in their brains.” Their sexuality is caught up with the forces of the evil husks. Therefore, these faithless scholars are in the category of sexual immorality. Their minds are filled with filth and skepticism. Such immorality is a perversion of sight.
It is written, “And you shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes” (Numbers 15:39). The Talmud explains that “after your heart” is atheism, and “after your eyes” is sexual immorality (Berakhot 12b). One is dependent on the other.
אֱמוּנָה בְּחִינַת אוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תְּהִלִּים פט): "וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת".
It is written, “To declare … Your faith by night” (Psalms 92:3). Faith is a light.
וֶאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהוּא עַל־פִּי חָכְמָה בְּחָכְמוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וּמַשִּׂיג אֶת ה', וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ אֱמוּנָה, הֲגַם שֶׁהוּא טוֹב, עִם כָּל זֹאת – עִקַּר אֱמוּנָה הוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא מַאֲמִין בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּלֹא אוֹת וּמוֹפֵת וְחָכְמָה!. וְזֶה הוּא עִקַּר אֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, וּבְחִינַת אוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת" כַּנַּ"ל.
You can obtain faith through the wisdom of the Torah. Through such scholarship, you can attain some understanding of God, and this is certainly good. But better still is the faith that shines by night. This is pure faith, without any sophistication or proof. This true faith is a light — “Your faith by night.”
וְיֵשׁ חָכָם שֶׁהוּא חָכָם אֲפִלּוּ בְּחָכְמוֹת הַתּוֹרָה וְאֵין לוֹ אֱמוּנָה בַּה'.
A man can be well-versed in the Torah and still have no faith in God.
וְאֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרָאִים 'בַּעֲלֵי רָאֲתָן'.
Such faithless scholars are like those infected with a brain disease called Ra'asan.182Ketubot 77b. This is counted among the 24 skin rashes, and is said to preclude marital relations. It may possibly be identified with syphilis.
כִּי חָכְמָה אֲמִתִּית דְּהַיְנוּ עִם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרָא רְאִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קֹהֶלֶת א): "וְלִבִּי רָאָה חָכְמָה" וְכוּ'.
It is written, “And my heart saw much wisdom”183In the Hebrew, the word “much” is omitted. (Ecclesiastes 1:16). True wisdom includes faith and is called sight. Sight is RAiYah. On the Other Side, it becomes RaAsan, an affliction of the brain.
וּלְעֻמַּת זֶה הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה, נִקְרָאִים בַּעֲלֵי רָאֲתָן וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם שֶׁרֶץ בְּמֹחָם (הַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם טֻמְאָה וּכְפִירָה בְּמֹחָם).
A scholar without faith is said to be infected with Ra'asan. Rashi comments, “They have a worm in their brains” (Ketubot 77b).
וּצְרִיכִין לְהַרְחִיק מֵאֲנָשִׁים אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בַּעֲלֵי רָאֲתָן, אֲפִלּוּ מִשְּׁכוּנָתָם, כִּי הַהֶבֶל פִּיהֶם מַזִּיק לְאָדָם כָּשֵׁר, שֶׁיִּפֹּל לְתַאֲוַת נִאוּף.
You must keep far away from those tainted with Ra'asan. Their very breath can cause you harm and arouse sexual desires.
כִּי זִוּוּג דִּקְדֻשָּׁה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת דַּעַת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בְּרֵאשִׁית ד־א): "וְהָאָדָם יָדַע" וְאֵלּוּ הַבַּעֲלֵי רָאֲתָן שֶׁדַּעְתָּם מְקֻלְקָל וּפָגוּם וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם שֶׁרֶץ בְּמֹחָם עַל־כֵּן זִוּוּגָם נֶאֱחָז בַּקְּלִפָּה וְעַל־כֵּן הֵם נוֹאֲפִים (כִּי נִאוּף תָּלוּי בָּעֵינַיִם).
It is written, “Adam knew his wife, Eve” (Genesis 4:1). Holy intercourse is called knowledge. The knowledge of those contaminated with Ra'asan is tainted and degraded. “They have a worm in their brains.” Their sexuality is caught up with the forces of the evil husks. Therefore, these faithless scholars are in the category of sexual immorality. Their minds are filled with filth and skepticism. Such immorality is a perversion of sight.
כִּי חָכְמַת אֱמֶת שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רְאִיָּה כַּנַּ"ל בְּחִינַת עֵינַיִם, עַל אֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים נֶאֱמַר (אִיּוֹב לא־א): "בְּרִית כָּרַתִּי לְעֵינַי" וְכוּ'.
Sight is true wisdom. It is an aspect of eyes. It is written, “I have made a covenant with my eyes” (Job. 31:1). This verse speaks of a true scholar.
אֲבָל הַבַּעֲלֵי רָאֲתָן הֵם נוֹאֲפִים.
But those infected with Ra'asan are immoral and pervert the eyes.
וְזֶה שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (עַל בַּמִּדְבָּר טו־לט): "וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם" – זֶהוּ מִינוּת "וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם" – זֶהוּ נִאוּף (בְּרָכוֹת יב:) כִּי זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה כַּנַּ"ל.
It is written, “And you shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes” (Numbers 15:39). The Talmud explains that “after your heart” is atheism, and “after your eyes” is sexual immorality (Berakhot 12b). One is dependent on the other.
וְעַל־יְדֵי חָכְמָה עִם אֱמוּנָה נִצּוֹל כַּנַּ"ל.
The best protection against such immorality is wisdom with faith.