On a Shabbos afternoon, Shimon and Mendy were learning b’chavrusa in a Beis Midrash. After spending fifteen minutes trying to understand the p’shat in a Tosafos of a very difficult sugiya in Baba Kama, Shimon finally sat back, threw his hands up in the air and said “Ok, I give up. This Tosafos is too hard.” Mendy paid no heed and continued learning the Tosafos - now for the 14th time.
After a few minutes, Mendy noticed that Shimon was just observing the birds outside and not paying attention at all to Mendy. “What? You’re not even going to try?” he asked.
“I want to,” started explaining Shimon, “but it’s Shabbos. And working so hard on understanding this Tosafos is taking away from my menucha and oneg of Shabbos. Let’s pick something lighter to learn now.”
“I hear what you’re saying. Also for me this Tosafos is very hard,” said Mendy, “but I think the mitzva of ameilus b’Torah (toiling in Torah) overrides the obligation of having menucha and oneg on Shabbos. So I think we should get back in understanding this Tosafos.”
Question: Should Shimon and Mendy continue learning that Tosafos, or pick something lighter to learn?
(The “Hints & Answers” section is on page 4)
Hints & Answers
SHMIRAS SHABBOS: Rav Yaakov Emden (1697-1776) writes in his classic work, Siddur Yavetz (Seder Shabbos, K’vias Midrash, 8), “Even the study of Torah should be a delight for a person on Shabbos, and it should not be like a heavy burden and difficult work.”
*Note: Menucha’s answer are not to be taken as final decisions in halacha, but rather as a springboard for discussions and further study.
