Why a Gaon Needs a Rebbe

Asked by a mitnagdic rav why a gaon who had mastered the whole Torah needed to travel so much and submit to a Rebbe, Rav Meir Dan answered with the teaching of Chazal that thunder was created to straighten the crookedness of the heart. At first this seems puzzling. A person full of Torah, tefillah, love and fear of Hashem and fear of sin should be able to remove the crookedness from his heart by himself, without waiting for a day of storms. From this, Rav Meir Dan explained, we learn that this crookedness, the source of all poison and bitterness, cannot be cured by the person alone. He needs help. The chassid does not wait for a stormy day. He travels to his Rebbe, who guides him and prunes the wild growths that wrap around his heart and soul. He learns what submission is, takes in his Rebbe's Torah like a pupil before his master, and learns from his manner, his conversation and his conduct. His Torah is not diminished by this; only his stature is straightened.