A number of men once came to me to receive a blessing in the merit of my forefathers, zy”a. Upon entering my room, they kissed my hand in reverence. Throughout their visit, they demonstrated tremendous faith in Hashem and the berachot of tzaddikim.
After they left, I was informed that these men were hardened criminals who caused people to quake in fear. Only before me did they act with submission and belief in Hashem. This left me puzzled. How could a person be a believer on the one hand, while being a low-life and Torah transgressor on the other? This self-contradiction comes from one source – a lack of Torah study.
When a person does not toil in Torah, the Yetzer Hara wreaks havoc with his sensitivities. One day, he can be a believer in all things holy, and the next day, he can transgress the worst sins.
I remember the Jewish congregation in Lyon. There were certain members who would drive up to the Beit Hakeneset on Shabbat. At first, I could not settle this paradox. These people wanted to pray with a congregation on Shabbat, but they desecrated Shabbat in the process. Upon second thought, I understood that their inner desire was to come close to Hashem, but since they were not involved in learning Torah, they did not seek Hashem’s will in the correct manner.
Of course, I asked these people to desist from desecrating Shabbat. Baruch Hashem, after much cajoling, when they finally realized the contradiction in their deeds, they returned to their Heavenly Father. They repented their wrongdoings and became Shabbat observers, who set aside specific times for Torah study.
