ועשה כרוב אחד מקצה מזה וכרוב אחד מקצה מזה מן הכפרת תעשו את הכרבים על שני קצותיו (שמות כ”ה י”ט)
“And you shall make one cherub from this end and one cherub from this end; from the lid shall you make the cherubim at its two ends”
Doubtlessly, gaining an understanding of what we learn is one of the most important facets of Torah study, if not the most important. At the beginning of Parshas Mishpatim, Rashi writes that Hashem told Moshe that he must teach Bnei Yisroel “טעמי הדבר ופירושו” – the reasons for the matter and its explanations. And indeed, we all dedicate a great deal of time and effort towards understanding what we learn; for many, this is what makes learning Torah meaningful, challenging, and pleasurable. But at times, a person might be too quick to understand. One of the stages of the learning process is the stage at which the learner does not understand. If one tries to rush and skip that step, he might not ever reach the end.
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The simple reading of the passuk above suggests that the cherubim were secondary, either in importance or chronologically, to the lid itself. “From the lid, shall you make the cherubim…” The lid of the Aron and the cherubim were made by hammering away at a single piece of gold; the Torah could just as well have said, “From the cherubim, shall you make the lid…”, or alternatively, “You shall make the lid and the cherubim…” As the passuk is written, the implication is that the cherubim are intended to be an extension or elaboration of the lid. But why should that be? Why must there first exist a lid, and only then the cherubim?
The Sefer Torah written by Moshe was kept in the Aron (the holy Ark) (Rashi 25:16), but interestingly enough, the word of Hashem did not emanate from the Aron itself, but rather from between the cherubim: “ודברתי אתך מעל הכפרת מבין שני הכרבים אשר על ארון העדת את כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל” – And I will speak to you from above the lid from between the two cherubim on the Aron of testimony, all that I will command you regarding Bnei Yisroel. (Shemos 25:22) The Sefer Torah in the Aron represents the Torah at its source: closed off, unconceivable. The cherubim represent the transmission of the Torah to Yisroel; they face each other as Hakadosh Baruch faces Yisroel, and as a teacher faces his student. The word of Hashem was therefore communicated from between the Cherubim; there the Torah is revealed, attainable. Accordingly, the passuk with which we began takes on a new meaning. “From the lid, shall you make the cherubim…”—before we attempt to understand the Torah (symbolized by the cherubim), we must first relate to the Torah as being closed off (symbolized by the lid of the Aron). Just as the cherubim were made “from the lid”, so too any understanding we will achieve in Torah stems from a recognition that the Torah is in truth beyond us.
In this manner, it would be appropriate to say that in Torah, the preface to comprehension is incomprehension. If we expect to understand whatever we learn immediately, that is an indication that our approach to Torah is “off”. First, we should recognize the incredible depth and complexity of what we are learning; only then will we understand. I personally took this approach in learning from my own Rebbeim.
I regarded their teachings as being beyond me, not to be understood at first. And I believe that it was only due to this approach that I merited the degree of understanding that I subsequently attained. Regretfully, most people take the opposite approach. They believe that they understand everything, completely and immediately. Seconds after listening to shiurim from tremendous talmidei chachamim, deep thinkers, they are already prepared to pass on the “vort” to others. In truth, that is the biggest proof that they do not understand! And they never will, so long as they are unwilling to accept that the Torah is above them.
