456. Small Talents

Concerning choice: If a person is born with small talents, how can it be said that he will be a wise disciple? After all, his brain is too small to understand words of Torah.

Midrash Rabbah says about this (portion, “This Is the Blessing”), “The Creator said to Israel, ‘Be sure, the whole wisdom and the whole Torah are easy. Anyone who fears Me and performs the words of Torah, all the wisdom and all of the Torah are in his heart.’”

He interpreted this in the “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot” as follows: There is no prerequisite for excellence here, for only by the Segula [merit/power/cure] of fear of heaven and observance of the Mitzvot [commandments] we are rewarded with all the wisdom of the Torah. This is the meaning of “Everything is in the hands of heaven but the fear of heaven,” for only in fear of heaven is there choice, and everything else, the Creator gives.