Wisdom as gateway to yiras Hashem

במד' חצבה עמודי' שבעה כו' ע"ש.

In the Midrash on "She has hewn her seven pillars," see there.

The Sefas Emes opens from the verse in Mishlei that wisdom "hewed out her seven pillars."

כי כל החכמות הם עמודים להיות נבנה בית ה' והוא היראה שדרשו עליו בגמ' בפ' והיה אמונת עתיך כו' אי יראת ה' היא אוצרו אין ע"ש במס' שבת דאמרו וי מאן דלית לי' דרתא ותרעא לדרתא עביד.

For all forms of chochmah (wisdom) are pillars upon which the House of Hashem is built — and that House is yirah (fear/awe), about which the Gemara expounded on the verse, "And the faithfulness of your times… if the fear of Hashem is his treasure, yes," see there in Maseches Shabbos, where they said: "Woe to one who has no courtyard yet makes a gate for the courtyard."

All the branches of wisdom are merely supporting pillars; their purpose is to build the true edifice, which is yiras Hashem. The Gemara warns that wisdom without fear of Heaven is like building a gateway with no courtyard behind it — a means with no end.

כי התכלית מכל המדות לבוא על ידיהם ליראת ה'.

For the purpose of all the middos (traits) is to arrive through them at yiras Hashem.

Every good trait is only a vehicle; the goal toward which they all lead is the fear of Hashem.

יש ע"י אהבה ויש ע"י פחד ויש ע"י אמת ושאר המדות.

Some reach it through ahavah (love), some through dread, some through emes (truth), and the rest of the middos.

Different people arrive at yiras Hashem by different paths — through love, through awe, through truthfulness, and so on.

ויראת ה' נק' אוצר ורמז ליום השבת ירא שבת שאחז"ל עליו מתנה טובה בבית גנזי.

And yiras Hashem is called a "treasure," alluding to the day of Shabbos — "fear of Shabbos" — of which Chazal said, "I have a goodly gift in My treasure-house."

Yirah is the hidden "treasure," and it hints at Shabbos, the precious gift Hashem says He keeps stored in His treasury.

ועיקר היראה השלימה הוא בחי' ראיות כבוד ה' כמ"ש וירא אליכם כבוד ה' והוא שנאמר עליו יראת ה' לחיים.

And the essence of complete yirah is the aspect of seeing the glory of Hashem, as it is written, "and the glory of Hashem appeared to you" — and it is of this that it is said, "the fear of Hashem leads to life."

The highest form of fear is born of actually perceiving Hashem's glory; this elevated yirah is the one that "leads to life."

כמ"ש באור פני מלך חיים.

As it is written, "in the light of the King's face there is life."

Beholding the radiance of the King's presence is itself the source of true life.

ואמונת עתיך כו' הם בחי' ששת ימי המעשה.

And "the faithfulness of your times…" are the aspect of the six weekdays (sheishes yemei hama'aseh).

The "faithful times" listed in the Gemara's exposition correspond to the six working days of the week.

ולכן כ' פתח אהל מועד תשבו שבעת ימים כי כל הז' ימים הם להיות הכנה לפתוח בית ה' בחי' תרעא לדרתא:

Therefore it is written, "At the entrance of the Ohel Moed you shall dwell seven days," for all seven days are a preparation to open the House of Hashem — the aspect of "a gate to the courtyard."

The seven days of inauguration at the Mishkan's entrance correspond to the seven "pillars" of wisdom: they are all preparatory gateways whose purpose is to bring one into the true "courtyard," the House of Hashem that is yiras Shomayim.

Summary: All branches of wisdom and all good middos are merely pillars and gateways; their entire purpose is to build the true edifice — yiras Hashem. The Gemara warns against a gate without a courtyard, wisdom without fear of Heaven. The supreme form of yirah comes from beholding Hashem's glory, the "light of the King's face" that gives life, and it is hinted at in Shabbos, the treasured gift, while the six weekdays and the seven days of the Mishkan's dedication are the preparatory gateway leading into that holy courtyard.