A Setting Worthy of the Diamond
Rav Meir held that the beauty of Torah should be shown in a setting that honors it, like a diamond that needs the right mounting.
A teaching ofRav Yehuda Meir Shapiro of Lublinהרב יהודה מאיר בן יעקב שמשון שפיראProfile ›
Rav Meir linked the spirit of Chachmei Lublin to the path of splendor and majesty in Chassidus, whose aim is to beautify Torah and mitzvos. He compared each mitzvah to a diamond, which shines fully only when it is placed in a fitting setting. When the Sadigerer Rebbe visited the yeshivah, he told him that its purpose was to show the true splendor of Torah. Torah, in his view, should not be learned in neglect, because the way it is housed teaches others how much it is worth. This teaches that how we do a mitzvah, and not only that we do it, can reveal its value.
Source: His words to the Sadigerer Rebbe, as reported in F. Avrohom, 'The Lubliner Rov, Reb Meir Shapiro and his mentor the Rebbe of Chortkov', Part I, Dei'ah veDibur, 14 Adar I 5765.
Choose one mitzvah you already do, such as lighting candles, davening or giving tzedakah, and improve its setting today. Prepare a clean, quiet place for it, set aside unhurried time, or use a nicer vessel. Notice whether the act feels different when it is given room. A diamond does not change, but its setting lets others see what it is. Your small effort shows yourself, and those who watch you, how precious the mitzvah is.