By Rabbi Nissan Telushkin for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
An author once came to Rabbi Menachem Mendel, the “Tzemach Tzedek” (1789-1866), and asked him for an approbation (“haschama”) of his writings on the Torah.
After reviewing the manuscript, the Tzemach Tzedek told the writer that, indeed, he had penned original thoughts, but specifically for that reason he would not grant the man’s request.
“It is known that even seemingly novel ideas were already revealed at Mount Sinai, and are not really new,” Rabbi Menachem Mendel said. “However, the ideas in your manuscript were not sourced at Sinai.”
The Jewish nation was freed from Egypt in the springtime, a season when everything is renewed. But we need to remember that it was a renewal, and not essentially new. While we should strive for Torah study that is refreshing and reenergizing, it must have its foundation at Sinai.
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