27 May A CENTRAL THEME OF SHAVUOS

Shavuos is the
celebration of the great
gift of the Torah that
Hashem continues to
give us. The Rambam, in
Hilchos Chanukah, says
that the central theme
of the Torah is shalom,
peace. As the posuk
declares, “Derachehah darchei no’am v’chol
nesivosehah shalom – Its ways are ways of
sweetness and all Its paths are paths of peace.”
In sync with this is the Gemora in Masechtas
Berachos [64a] that teaches us, “Talmidei
chachamim marbim shalom b’olam – Torah
scholars increase peace in the world.”
While this saying is almost a cliché, what does
it really mean? How do Torah scholars make
more peace in the world?
The simple explanation of this Talmudic
dictum is that one who embraces the Torah
ideologies of b’tzedek tishpot amisecha,
to judge your friend favorably; v’ahavtah
l’rei’acha k’mocha, to love your friend like
yourself; and the admonitions of lo sisna es
achicha bilvavecha, not to hate your friend
in your heart; lo sikom v’lo sitor, not to seek
vengeance, or nurse a grudge; lo seilech rachil
b’amecha, not to be a talebearer amongst your
people. Or to embrace the positive commands
such as azav tazov imo, you should offer a
person assistance; noson titein, to give charity;
im kesef talveh es ami, to give loans; b’yomo

titein s’choro, to pay workers on time. One
who is absorbed the Torah way of life promotes
peace in the world.
The great Rav Chatzkel Abramsky, zt”l,
zy”a, explains it differently. A true talmid
chacham, whose soul is full with the joys and
accomplishments of Torah, does not allow
trivialities (which are the causes of most
fighting and feuding) to bother him. He is
so full with the pleasures of Torah that he is
able to let the foolish annoyances from other
people just slip off his back without making
a big deal.
The Tuvcha Yabi’u cites an example of this
idea. The great Rav Shach, zt”l, zy”a, once
had to be in Bnei Brak and he davened at the
central synagogue. He innocently took a seat.
A man entered and angrily berated Rav Shach
for taking his seat. Immediately, instead of
being annoyed or hurt, Rav Shach instantly
stood up, gave the man a hug and a kiss, and
apologized profusely saying that if he had
known it was his seat he would have never
sat in it. The Tuvcha Yabi’u elaborates that
Rav Shach was so full with his Torah that the
annoyance of being screamed at didn’t even
register upon him. This, says Reb Abramsky,
is how talmidei chachmim promote peace in
the world.
Others explain that there is a certain amount
of machlokes that is billeted for any given
time. We can fulfil this machlokes by learning

the arguments of Rav and Abaya, Beis Hillel
and Beis Shammai, Rav Yochanan and Reish
Lakish. When talmidei chachamim study
these arguments, they deduct from the amount
of arguments that have to be in the world, thus
causing there to be less fighting in the domestic
arena or about inheritances and partnerships.
I want to advance my own idea of how talmidei
chachmim promote peace in the world. I once
heard Rav Goldschmidt, zt”l, zy”a, author of
Dear Daughter and Dear Son, advise young
single men what to seek in a mate. He told
these young men that they should look for a
young woman who has sechel hayashor, one
who thinks straight. He advised that when a
person thinks straight, they can successfully
navigate their differences. When I heard this, I
wondered how one develops a sechel hayashor,
and learns to think straight. I propose that by
learning the shakla v’tarya, the give and take
of many Gemoras, it trains one’s mind to think
straight, for the Talmudic mind is a straight
thinking mind. And, by acquiring this sechel
hayashor, talmidei chachmim promote peace
in the world.
Finally, when one learns, they bring the
Shechina into the home. As it says in Pirkei
Avos, “Afilu echad yosheiv v’oseik b’Torah,
Shechina k’negdo – Even one who sits and
learns the Torah, the Shechina is before him.
With the Shechina comes the blessing of
peace for the Shemo shel haKadosh baruch
Hu, the Name of Hashem is shalom, peace.

Thus, learning Torah is promoting peace in the
world.
May our celebration of Shavuos bring a
renewed commitment to Torah and with its
learning bring Its blessings of peace, and long
life, good health, and everything wonderful.