Hayom Yom 9 Elul - Even a limited mind can propose deep arguments

The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman

אַאַזְמוּ"ר אָמַר

My grandfather, [the Rebbe Maharash, discussed

בְּיַחַס לְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּהַעֲמָקַת הַדַּעַת בְּעִנְיַן קְשֵׁה הַהֲשָׂגָה

the expectation that a chassid devote time to] profound meditation on a difficult concept, saying:

אִם הָעִנְיָן נוֹגֵעַ אֲזַי מְבִינִים וּמַשִּׂיגִים בְּכִי טוֹב

“If the matter at hand genuinely affects a person, then he will understand and grasp it very well.

וּרְאָיָה מִן הַתּוֹרָה בְּדִינֵי נָשִׁים וכו

“Proof of this can be found in the Torah, in the laws concerning women

וְטַעֲנוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁיְּכוֹלוֹת לִטְעוֹן

and the legal arguments that they could put forth —

וּמְדַבְּרִים בָּזֶה תַּנָּאִים וְאָמוֹרָאִים וְהַגְּאוֹנִים

arguments that are debated by the Tannaim, the Amoraim, and the Geonim,

שֶׁכּוּלָּם הֵם בַּעֲלֵי הַשְׂכָּלָה מוּפְלָגָה

who were all prodigious intellectuals!

וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת

Now, the Torah is a Torah of truth,

וַהֲלֹא הָאִשָּׁה אֵינָהּ בְּעֶרֶךְ לִטְעוֹן טְעָנוֹת אֵלּוּ

yet women [at large] are not capable of advancing such [intricate] arguments.

אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת הוּא

But the truth is that

דְּכַאֲשֶׁר הָעִנְיָן נוֹגֵעַ הִנֵּה גַּם חֲלוּשֵׁי הַדַּעַת מַמְצִיאִים שִׂכְלִיִּים עֲמוּקִים

when a matter genuinely affects a person, even a limited mind can propose deep arguments.”

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English

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