[Avodah] More on Mitzvos and Iyun

[Daniel Eidensohn]

T613K at aol.com wrote:
> RMB wrote:
> >> Lomdus is Torah lishmah,
> knowledge for the sake of knowing Retzon haBorei.  It has no visible 
> impact on the middos ....<<
>
>
>  
>  
> >>>>>
> I think this is a subtle denigration of talmidei chachamim in general 
> -- saying that their midos are no better than anyone else's and that 
> learning Torah doesn't improve their midos.   Possibly you feel a bit 
> sour because you have been disappointed by certain particular talmidei 
> chachamim.  But I don't think that as a general rule, it is accurate 
> to say that Torah learning lishma has no effect on one's midos.
>
>
> *--*
One of my rebbeim explained the above. If a person truly learns lishmah 
than he does not sin and obviously his middos are perfected. However the 
actual practical lishmah simply means one is not learning for the sake 
of obvious reward or titles. Such a motivation does not necessarily lead 
to perfection of middos. RMB's comments are obviously true to anyone who 
has spent time in yeshiva. I am surprised that Rav Bulman's daughter 
never heard her father make identical statements. It was something that 
troubled him greatly and he frequently commented on it. Thus one needs 
to differentiate the theoretical possibility of Torah study perfecting 
one's middos with the reality that typically it didn't.


chag someach

Daniel Eidensohn