So when we try to solve a puzzling statement from the Rambam or a thorny piece of Gemara, we should not explain according to what we find in our own understanding, because it is very far from the Torah. Only the Torah itself can explain the matter.
This is why Rav Chaim of Brisk was displeased also with those who wish to explain Yaakov Avinu’s behavior according to their own sense of mussar or avodah, even though the interpretation may be beautiful and sweet. He insisted on interpreting only according to dinei haTorah, which indeed apply to Yaakov Avinu as well as to us.
However, the above-quoted interpretation of Yaakov Avinu’s act is mentioned also by leading Acharonim. And Rav Chaim Brisker was assumedly not displeased with what these outstanding Commentators wrote.
What is the difference? These Acharonim, too, were very far from Yaakov Avinu, so how could they explain Yaakov’s action according to what they themselves considered appropriate? Perhaps what they consider a praiseworthy feeling is not so in the eyes of Yaakov Avinu?
The answer is that the nature of the created world came from Hashem just as the Torah did. It is written: ץֶרָד אַסָה יָמְכָחְּה’ ב – Hashem established the world with wisdom.
The world, too, expresses the wisdom of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. It is written further: ּוׂשֲעַם נִיָמָׁר ה’ שַבְדִּב – The heavens were created by the word of Hashem.
This verse expresses the idea that nature, the created world, is essentially the word of Hashem, just as the Torah is. Accordingly, just as we may interpret the deeds of the Avos according to a halachah of the Torah, since Hashem’s Word applied to Yaakov Avinu just as it applies to us, so we may interpret based on a feeling or understanding we have due to our essential nature. It is like a pasuk in Chumash in that way. It applies to Yaakov Avinu just as it applies to us.
Accordingly, what made Rav Chaim of Brisk displeased?
His complaint was against us of recent generations. Because nowadays we have gone so far downhill that we don’t know any more if our feelings are coming from our essential nature as created by G-d, or whether they are of our own making. So many changes have taken place with us due to yeridas hadoros, so many illusory ideas and selfish traits have mingled into us, that we might mistake them for essential human nature.
But in earlier generations, even in the time of the early Acharonim, although they, too, had grown very far from the Avos, they still held on to their essential human nature. We have lost touch with it. We can’t tell our G-d-made nature from our humanly acquired traits.
This was the approach of Rav Chaim Brisker to interpreting the Torah. There were other Gedolim who disagreed, and were of the opinion that we can still explain the Torah according to our human understanding.
The pivotal issue is whether we, in our current, lowly state, are still able to identify the pure, natural points within us that were created by Hashem’s Word, which bear, in that sense, a resemblance to the words of the Torah itself, or whether we have assimilated extraneous matters to the point that we can’t tell anymore what is our essential nature and what are our acquired traits. the latter is the case, we can interpret the Torah only by means of the Torah itself.
