Kol HaTor was first published in the mid-twentieth century, after being passed down by descendants of Hillel Sklov for many generations. It was originally released in an abridged version by a member of this family and re-released about twenty years later in a more complete edition. However, until 1994, a section of the fifth chapter was suppressed because of fears it would be unsuitable to religious audiences.
In it, the authors teach of the Vilna Gaon’s doctrine regarding the study of mathematics and hard sciences. It was already well known that the Gra viewed these activities very favorably and encouraged the best of his students to master them. However, the language in Kol HaTor is quite emphatic, linking excellence in such secular studies to the process of redemption. This section of the book is entitled “The Gate of Be’er Sheva,” alluding to the seven (sheva) major branches of science recognized by the Gra and his students.
The text references the verse in Devarim (4:6) that speaks of the nations of the world recognizing the greatness of Torah reflected in Israel who are acclaimed as “a wise and learned nation, a great people.” This recognition occurs only once Israel has returned to our land, achieving great prestige and accomplishments that will be driven by technology and science. The authors attribute to the Vilna Gaon the statement that the revelation of the redemptive process is accompanied by advances in Torah scholarship, including discovery of secrets hidden in the Torah, and these will go hand in hand with advances in science and the study of nature.
The Gaon is supposed to have bewailed the state of Jewish scientific knowledge in his generation, born of concern that Torah learning suffers when its students are not knowledgeable in practical matters. Furthermore, he feared that it was a desecration of the reputation of Torah and its scholars in the world when these could be seen by the gentiles as primitive and unschooled in the matters that are important to society at large.
From these aforementioned teachings regarding the attainment of secular wisdom, the students of the Vilna Gaon drew the following conclusions: that mastery of science and mathematics is conducive to Torah scholarship, that Israel’s wisdom would increase in proportion to the ingathering of exiles returning to the Land, that the center of Jewish wisdom of every variety should be Jerusalem, and that the reputation of Israel as wise among the nations will advance as the Land of Israel itself develops and flourishes. The ultimate purpose of the Final Redemption of Israel, and of mankind in general, is to elevate us from the state of exile that Israel experiences intimately but which all of us have suffered since Adam was banished from Eden.
As an integral part of this process, which is an integral aspect of natural law, wisdom increases both above and below in preparation for humanity to transcend its debased state. The higher wisdom, of course, is the Torah, and this is chiefly the province of the Moshiach ben David. The lower wisdom is the seven sciences, and as the body of Israel is liberated through the agency of the Moshiach ben Yosef, this scholarship will also increase ahead of the redemption.
