One of the featured speakers at the recent Memorial Day Hakhel Event in Flatbush was Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman, Rav of K’hal Nachlas Dovid and author of the multi-volume Sifrei Koveitz Halachos. The topic of his lecture was “The Halachos of Talmud Torah.”
He began his lecture by declaring that Talmud Torah (the mitzvah of studying Torah) is an inyan (topic or matter) that is the most widely known and observed mitzvah in the Torah. The Pele Yoetz, however says that Talmud Torah is one of the most ignored mitzvahs.
The Shulchan Aruch (the Code of Jewish Laws) based on the Rambam’s Hilchos Talmud Torah declares that every Jew is obligated to fulfill the mitzvah of studying Torah, whether rich or poor; whether healthy or sick; whether one has a wife and children to support; and one has an obligation to set a kavuah (a fixed time to study Torah during the day or night.)
Dispute About the Lechem Hapanim (the Permanent Bread)
There is a dispute in the Gemora about the Shulchan Hatamid (the Table) in the Beis Hamikdash (the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) that held the Lechem Hapanim (the Permanent bread). On Shabbos the Kohanim (the Jewish priests) would remove the Lechem Hapanim and other Kohanim would place the new holy bread.
One opinion says that as one set of Kohanim were taking out the week-old bread, simultaneously another group of Kohanim were at the same moment replacing the Lechem Hapanim bread at the very moment so that there should not a moment when the Shulchan/Table was lacking the Lechem Hapanim. This is the psak, opinion of the Rambam.
Rav Yossi disagreed and said that one could remove the Lechem Hapanim in the morning on Shabbos and place new bread on the Shulchan later closer to nightfall, so long as the precept is not out-of-mind.
Likewise, one’s obligation to study Torah is fulfilled, Rabbi Kleinman said by establishing a kavuah, a set time tin the morning and night, so long as this obligation to learn Torah is not out of one’s mind each day.
The Ignoramus’ Recital of the Shema Yisroel
Rashi teaches that an am ha’aretz (an ignoramus) can fulfill his obligation to study Torah by his obligatory recitation of Kriah Shema (the recitation of the Shema Yisroel) in the morning and later at night. If the ignorant Jews hear this halacha, it could inspire him to encourage his children to strive to become Talmidei Hachamim (Torah scholars). It may even inspire the am ha’aretz to push himself to learn more than just relying on his recital of Shem Yisroel twice a day.
The Mishna Berurah says that the basic mitzvah of Talmud Torah has no shiur, measurement and the obligation to learn Torah is all-day long if he has any free time. The obligation for fulfilling the mitzvah of Talmud Torah is something that each and every one (Jewish males) of us have.
Many times, we have the perception that learning Torah in depth isn’t for us. We sometimes think that this is for those with white beards (the elderly who are retired with plenty of free time) or for those who are tzadikim (extremely pious). But this, Rabbi Kleinman, said is a mistake. We limit and underestimate ourselves. Everyone with an ArtScroll Gemora can learn the entire shas in less than the seven a half years [of the Daf Yomi cycle.]
Rabbi Kleinman declared that Moshiach is coming. Do you think Moshiach is going to care about what type of cars that we drive? Or what type of house we live in? He is going to want to know how long we learn [Torah] each day! If you want to see Moshiach, those who learn the most Torah will most certainly be in the front of the long line.
Reprinted from this week’s edition of The Jewish Connection.
