In this week's parsha in response to being told the commandments the Jewish people proclaim, "We will do and then we will hear (or understand)". This statement, seems to be backwards. First they should understand then they will be able to carry out the commandments.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that when someone puts Tefillin on, first they place one on the arm then one on the head. This highlights the importance of action over understanding, but it also points out a deeper epistemological lesson.
Many of life's essential elements must be experienced in order to be fully understood, such as being married, raising children and going skiing.
You can read every book and watch every movie but until you are married you have no idea what it is like ( the same with skiing,roller coaters and many other fun activities). The deepest way to understand what it is like to understand the mitzvot is to do the mitzvot. Skiing simulators are not the same as the real thing.
At a deeper level the statement “we will do and then we will understand” relates to this world and the next world. This is the world of action, we don't fully understand the consequences of what we do, but this world is our chance to take action by doing mitzvot, in the next world we will understand the significance of each Mitzvah (Commandments) that we performed.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe points out that when someone puts Tefillin on, first they place one on the arm then one on the head. This highlights the importance of action over understanding, but it also points out a deeper epistemological lesson.
Many of life's essential elements must be experienced in order to be fully understood, such as being married, raising children and going skiing.
You can read every book and watch every movie but until you are married you have no idea what it is like ( the same with skiing,roller coaters and many other fun activities). The deepest way to understand what it is like to understand the mitzvot is to do the mitzvot. Skiing simulators are not the same as the real thing.
At a deeper level the statement “we will do and then we will understand” relates to this world and the next world. This is the world of action, we don't fully understand the consequences of what we do, but this world is our chance to take action by doing mitzvot, in the next world we will understand the significance of each Mitzvah (Commandments) that we performed.
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