[Avodah] Learning is Good

[Joel Rich]

------------------------------

I was recently thinking about whether I would learn as much if it were not
a positively required mitzvah to learn torah (except to the extent of
knowing practical applications). Given that according to the Gra the
mitzvah of limud torah (for men) applies anytime you’re not doing something
else that has a higher mitzva priority at that time, limud torah must be a
very high priority. However, if I were in the category of not commanded and
doing it (eino metzuveh voseh), what priority would limud torah have?

Starting with the cognitive (versus emotional) evaluation, how do we view
the category of eino metzuveh voseh? As my father used to say, if you don’t
know where you’re going, any road will get you, so for me the first step
would be to prioritize goals. ?) Would it be logical to assume that a
mitzvah that we are not metzuveh in is a lower priority than one in which
we are metzuveh (as in gadol hametzuveh voseh yoter mmi sheino metzuveh
voseh)?

One goal definition might be to be the best servant of HKBH (eved hashem)
that we can be. Using this as a general organizing principle should help us
prioritize our daily efforts. While there’s no simple algorithm, we often
have to choose between competing goods (even something as simple as if we
decide we want to do acts of kindness, how do we evaluate which ones to do

Further how might we evaluate what can make us a better eved hashem? Might
we use connection with HKBH or perhaps the Rambam‘s first mitzvah of
knowing HKBH as partial measures?. If so, perhaps limud torah gives us the
best access to the “mind of God” even if we weren’t metzuveh but perhaps
studying biology, kabala or doing acts of chesed would work as well,
depending on the individual?

After thinking about this, I realized that this is really a practical
question regarding women’s study of Talmud. Given that a woman would be
eino metzuveh voseh, should Talmud study be viewed as a high priority in
required (or suggested) women’s education? Similarly, how do couples
allocate their joint time and responsibilities given that the husband is
metzuveh in talmud torah and the wife is not? (Actually, a subset of the
more general question as to how halacha/hashkafa informs of division of
responsibilities in any family model)

Before I expand on the topic, I’d appreciate others’ thoughts?

After I wrote this, I found this from R’ Amital:
The study of Torah brings you closer to God. No one understands how this
works. But if you focus your study on Jewish philosophy, Tanakh, or other
subjects – you will fail. The Oral Law is the basis for everything – faith,
Torah, yirat shamayim, love of mitzvot. Afterwards, of course, it is
necessary to supplement with aggada and mussar, Tanakh and philosophy. But
the foundation of all foundations is the Oral Law.


KT
Joel Rich
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20230614/a7e843c7/attachment-0002.htm>