Our Double Advantage
When the Torah describes the Jews who took part in the construction of the Mishkan and its keilim, a term is used that is found only here: chachmei lev, the wise of heart. This is the title the Torah gives to all the Jews who were involved in any aspect of producing the Mishkan, its keilim and the garments of the kohanim.
What makes a person “wise of heart” that this term is found only by builders of the Mishkan? Also, why are they called wise of heart and not wise of mind? Isn’t the mind the seat of wisdom?
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz explains that since the heart is the seat of desires, “wise of heart” means that these were the people who most wanted and yearned for wisdom. Only such people could merit to receive from Hashem the wisdom needed to fulfill the multi-faceted tasks involved in constructing the Mishkan.
Proof of this idea can be found in Melachim (I, 3:7-12), when Hashem appeared to the young Shlomo Hamelech in a dream and offered to grant him one request. Shlomo asked for wisdom. Thanks to his strong yearning to achieve wisdom, he merited it.
The Ramban (Shemos 35:21) says that the builders of the Mishkan initially did not possess the knowhow to undertake this project, but because of their intense desire, they found within themselves a way to do it. Everyone has abilities inside, and if he really wants to, he can tap into them and make them come alive.
We see from the Ramban that these wise of heart, in addition to receiving a special gift of wisdom from heaven, actually merited to discover within their own nature awesome abilities that had been lying dormant.
This is a powerful lesson for all of us: If we want to grow in Torah with all our might, we will certainly succeed, because we have a double advantage. Just like the wise of heart, we can tap into dormant abilities, and also merit siyatta deShemaya to discover new abilities. If a person really wants to grow in Torah, Hashem will help him. Our double advantage is so powerful that the Chazon Ish used to say that every yeshiva student must be considered as if he may go on to be the gadol hador!
The Netziv (Haamek Davar Shemos 28:3) offers a different explanation of the words “wise of heart.” These Jews possessed the special wisdom that pertains to the heart, namely yiras Shamayim (fear of heaven). The Baal Haturim (ibid.) notes that the words “wise of heart” are connected numerically to the word “fear.” This fear of heaven was especially important for those building the Mishkan. All of their actions needed to be done with perfectly pure intent; otherwise, kedusha would not descend upon the Mishkan.
Rav Leib Chasman notes that not only for the builders of the Mishkan was it necessary for their wisdom to be combined with fear of heaven. Any form of wisdom needs fear of heaven as well. Otherwise, there is no guarantee that it won’t become a source of destruction for the world.
When the wise of mind is wise of heart as well, his wisdom can have only positive results. When wisdom is in the hands of those devoid of fear of heaven, however, their hearts will lead their wisdom wherever they see fit, with motivations usual being greed, if not outright sinister agendas.
In our era, this is openly apparent to any thinking person, Jew or gentile. Many technological advances have been channeled to negative purposes, such as greater weapons of destruction, leading to many more victims of war.
Even the wisdom of Torah needs fear of heaven. The sages state that the purpose of Torah is to bring a person to teshuva and good deeds (Brachos 17a). Our intention in learning Torah should be either to know how to fulfill the mitzvos, or to bring us closer to Hashem, or any level of lishma (learning only because Hashem commanded us). If a person begins a learning seder solely to enjoy some mental gymnastics, he is not using the wisdom of Torah properly and it could even lead him in negative directions.
Once, someone voiced praise about a certain person to the Chazon Ish, saying that he was a great talmid chacham.
The Chazon Ish commented that one must first know if this person has yiras Shamayim, because of not, his Torah will not have any effect upon him.
Another time, when asked advice on how to find a proper spouse, the Chazon Ish stressed that it is crucial to ascertain that a candidate has yiras Shamayim. “That’s the main thing,” he said.
May we be zoche to be wise of heart!