Chazon Yoshiyahu
Holy Letters to Guide Souls on the Path to the Tree of Life
From our Master, the Light of the World, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto Shlita
Tuesday, 9th of Shevat, 5783
“And Israel Saw…”
The Torah says: “And Israel saw the great hand which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed in the Lord, and in His servant Moses.”
The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh (a classic commentary) explains a subtle distinction here. Before the Splitting of the Sea, the Israelites possessed “Fear of Punishment” (Yirat HaOnesh). However, the “Fear of Exaltedness” (Yirat Haromemut—Awe of God’s Grandeur) only came to them after the miracle at the sea.
The words of the Ohr HaChaim teach us that “Awe of Exaltedness” is naturally imprinted in the Jewish soul. It became part of our spiritual DNA at the Splitting of the Sea. While the miracles in Egypt (the Ten Plagues) were great, the Splitting of the Sea was the moment that elevated the nation from the mentality of slaves (who fear the whip) to free men who stand in Awe of the King. One cannot run away from a master, but one chooses to stand before an Exalted King.
Depth vs. Shallowness
We must understand a great foundation in life: As the verse says, “He shall be like a tree planted by streams of water.” A person must strive for depth.
A major struggle of our generation is shallowness. People want quick faith, quick Torah, and quick results. This leads to a lack of deep spiritual roots. To reach “Awe of Exaltedness,” one must look beyond nature and see the hand of Hashem in everything—both in the open miracles and in the hidden struggles.
Yosef HaTzaddik (Joseph) is the prime example. He succeeded because he had depth. Even when he was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and imprisoned, he did not lose his faith. He understood that what looked “bad” was actually a step toward the ultimate “good.”
When a person is intelligent, he realizes that even in times that seem dangerous or difficult, he can elevate himself. The Ten Plagues struck the Egyptians and healed the Jews, but it was specifically at the sea—where they felt trapped—that they achieved the highest level of faith.
The Measure for Measure of Our Generation
God leads the world through “Measure for Measure” (Middah Kneged Middah).
In previous generations, 20 or 30 years ago, there was a certain fear of Heaven and respect for holiness. But today, the boundaries have been breached. Because people have broken the boundaries of respect for the foundations of Judaism, the world itself has lost its boundaries. We see nature acting wildly, wars, shattered economies, and anxieties that did not exist before.
The concept is simple: Because the generation breached the boundaries of respect for the sacred, God breached the boundaries of nature against them.
We see fears today that never existed before. Why? Because we are in a time of confusion. The “flood” of Noah was water; the “flood” of today is confusion and mental instability.
The Three Levels of Fear
There are three types of Fear:
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Yirat Haromemut (Awe of Grandeur): The highest level (Pure Awe of God).
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Yirat HaOnesh (Fear of Punishment): The lowest level (Fear of consequences).
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Yirat Talmidei Chachamim (Reverence for the Wise): This is the middle level—the bridge.
The Gemara asks, “What does the word ‘Et’ come to include in the verse ‘You shall fear (Et) the Lord your God’?” It answers: “It comes to include Torah Scholars.”
This is the key to our generation: The “fear of Torah Scholars” is the bridge between the low “fear of punishment” and the high “awe of God.” You cannot jump from the bottom to the top without the middle step.
The Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination) knows this. Therefore, it works tirelessly to destroy the image of Rabbis and Torah scholars. It creates mockery, cynicism, and disrespect toward leaders. Why? Because if the Yetzer Hara can break the bridge (respect for Rabbis), the person can never reach the true Awe of God.
The person is then left only with his own ego, thinking he is righteous while actually being immersed in imagination and arrogance.
The Solution: Hold on to the “Ark”
We are living in a new era. The world of 20 years ago is gone. The rules of stability have changed. We are seeing a “Mabul” (flood) of confusion.
Therefore, we ask the Holy Community: Strengthen the foundations.
We must hold on tight to the “Ark”—which is the reverence for our Sages and Rabbis. Just as Noah’s Ark saved him from the flood, clinging to the guidance of a Rabbi saves a person from the flood of modern confusion.
Do not let the “street” or the media cool your enthusiasm. The Evil Inclination tries to show faults in the righteous to distance you from them. If you distance yourself from the guide, you distance yourself from God.
A student stands by his Rabbi. This relationship is the “Merkavah” (Chariot) to holiness. Sometimes the path is short, sometimes long, but we must rise above our own understanding to survive this period.
May we be worthy of true salvation and truth.
With Great Love,
(Rabbi) Yoshiyahu Pinto
