A Fiery Torah

The Gemara states that HaShem gave the Jewish People the Torah because they are strong-willed and by studying the Torah, they will become subdued and their hearts will be humbled. The Gemara in Kiddushin states that HaShem said, “I created the Evil Inclination, and I created the Torah as its antidote.” These statements in the Gemara indicate that HaShem only gave the Jewish People the Torah to subdue their strong will and the Evil Inclination. Yet, the Gemara in Pesachim states that one of the seven things that were created prior to the creation of the world was Torah, and the Medrash states that HaShem looked into the Torah in order to create the world. How, then, could the Gemara state that HaShem only gave the Jewish People the Torah to subdue their will and the Evil Inclination? Perhaps the answer to this question is that the Gemara here refers to the fire that is contained in the Torah. If the Jewish People were not strong-willed, then HaShem would not have had to incorporate the fiery aspect in the Torah. Due to the strong-will of the Jewish People, HaShem created a fiery Torah, which could subdue the Evil Inclination and the strong will of the Jewish People.

 

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