One of the most challenging aspects of a working man is setting aside time to learn Torah.[1] [2] Nevertheless, Chazal[3] say, “When they escort a person to his final, Heavenly judgment after his death, [the Heavenly tribunal] says to him, ‘…Did you set aside fixed times for Torah study daily?’” That’s why the Gemara[4] says, “Torah study requires constant strengthening.”[5]
Each person is obligated to set aside time from his day to learn Torah.[6] This applies to one who works and is not sitting and learning an entire day.[7] The ideal time during the day is right after shacharis[8] [9] and at night should be between mincha and ma’ariv - if one davens them together at nightfall.[10] The idea of a set time is that it is dedicated to learning only and one will not give it up for any other activity.[11]
What about those of us that don’t have the time to learn during the week? For this reason, “Shabbosos and Yomim Tovim were given to (Yisrael) only for the study of Torah…[12] Therefore workers and laymen, who are not engaged in Torah study during the week, are more obligated to engage in the study of Torah on the holy Shabbos, each man according to his understanding and ability.”[13]
HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l[14] maintains that one is allowed to work as much as he wants, even to buy more than his basic necessities. One can learn one mishnah in the morning and another at night and fulfill the mitzvah of Talmud Torah, but he will not become a talmid chacham this way. One who works more than necessary is not called a ben torah.[15]
Many people have a limited amount of time to learn after a long day at work. Some sit down to learn Gemara. The Mishnah Berurah[16] says, “…Laymen should not study only Gemara, as they will not fulfill their obligation by doing so. Instead, they must study specifically the works of the Poskim (i.e. books of halacha),[17] [18] each person in accordance with his level.[19] The Gemara[20] gives us an incentive, “Whoever learns halachos is assured that he is destined for the World to Come…”
Yet the Chofeitz Chayim asks, “Why are we told specifically to learn halachos? If a person doesn’t the learn halachos, how will he be able to fulfill the mitzvos? In order to fulfill the mitzvos of tzitzis and tefillin, for example, one has to carefully learn in detail all the laws pertaining to these mitzvos… Fulfillment of the mitzvos is inconceivable unless one first learns all of the laws connected to them.”[21] For, “The only way a person will be saved from his Yeitzer Hara is through learning halacha.”[22] [23]
Elsewhere, the Chofeitz Chayim[24] says, “Talmud Torah - the mitzvah of learning Torah – is substantially enhanced by studying as much as he can together in a group and that by virtue of that paired-learning or group learning Hashem’s Name is sanctified even more when these men come together in common service Hashem… We also find that one of the forty eight principles by which Torah is acquired is with a study group.”[25]
A person attends a daf yomi shiur in the morning and halacha shiur at night. Something came up and he can only attend one of them. Which one should he choose? One should be more meticulous about studying Torah at night[26] than about doing so in the daytime.[27]
It can happen that one has to stay at work from early in the morning until very late at night and he has to forgo his usual set time for learning. In this situation, one can fulfill the mitzvah by learning a little in the morning and a little at night, even a posuk or a halacha,[28] or a perek of mishnah.[29] One who is so busy that he cannot even learn a perek of mishnayos can be yotzei with saying shema in the morning at shacharis and at ma’ariv.[30]
If something happened which prevented him from his regular designated time of study, he should make it up as soon as possible, but the latest before going to sleep. Even if one cannot study at all, because of some event beyond his control, he should not depart from his place after davening until he has at least learned one posuk or one halachah.[31]
When one is not working to support his family he should be learning.[32] However, this is very hard for most people to fulfill since people need to relax as well.[33] There are many people who do not set aside time for learning. One of the reasons for this is that they do not recognize the greatness of this mitzvah.[34] [35]
It is recommended that the set time for Torah study, if at all possible, be in a particular, designated place, and that the place should preferably in Shul. Some opine that the learning should be in a beis medrash.[36] As R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said to his sons: Arise early and stay late when going to the shul in order that your days should be prolonged.[37]
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[1] Based on: http://bit.ly/1Ach73i, Sent May 15 and from Select Halachos Relevant To The Workplace Part 1 by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, see link: http://bit.ly/1GgjzI7. See also http://bit.ly/2g04N4i
[2] An ideal time to learn is early in the morning when one is not busy with work etc.
[3] Shabbos 31a. See also Mishnah Berurah 155:2 and Aruch HaShulchan 155:1.
[4] See Rashi to Berachos 32b “צריכין חזוק”.
[5] See Maharsha to Sotah 37a.
[6] The Rambam says, “Every Jewish male is required to study Torah, whether poor or rich, healthy or in pain, young or very old and weak. Even a poor person who lives from charity and makes the rounds of homes [to collect for himself]… must establish fixed times for study” (Mishnah Torah, Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:8. See also Tur, Orach Chayim 145 and Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 246:1).
[7] Shulchan Aruch HaRav 156:1; Aruch HaShulchan 156:2 and Yoreh De’ah 246:7.
[8] Refer to Berachos 64a, Beis Yosef 155, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 155:1, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 155:1 and Mishnah Berurah 1-2. See also Chafetz Chaim on the Torah volume 2, Maasai L’Melech, pages 287 – 289 (Israel Bookshop), where he speaks about learning immediately after davening.
[9] Since one may get carried away with his work and miss learning for the daytime (Mishnah Berurah 155:2).
[10] Bei’ur Halacha 155 “עת ללמוד” and B’Toraso Y’heigyeh 1:18, page 338:3. Refer to Chesed L’alafim 1: page 9 (new print).
[11] Yosef Ometz, page 265, Kaf HaChayim 155:13.
[12] Yerushalmi Shabbos 15:3 (78a) and Beis Yoseif 288.
[13] Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 77:24.
[14] Igros Moshe Yoreh De’ah 4:36:5. Refer to Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 246:21.
[15] Igros Moshe, Yoreh De’ah 4:36:15.
[16] 155:3. See also Kiddushin 30a.
[17] So that they will know how to act in practice, as study is not primary; performance is” (Avos 1:17. See also Yevamos 109b and Kiddushin 40b). On the subject of Torah learning, the Chofeitz Chayim would mainly encourage people to learn the Shulchan Aruch and become expert in all of the laws (see note 21).
[18] In addition, one has an obligation to complete the weekly Torah portion (i.e. parsha) with the congregation by reading twice from the mikra (i.e. Torah) and once from the Targum (Onkelos) [See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 72:11 and see Halachically Speaking 1 by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, pages 181 – 187].
[19] See Berachos 8a and Nidchei Yisrael, chapter 13 “וכתב רבינו יונה”.
[20] Megillah 28b and Niddah 73a.
[21] Chafetz Chaim on the Torah - Volume 1 (Israel Bookshop) Maasai L’Melech, pages 243 – 244.
[22] Chidah to Pesach Einayim, Eiruvin 64a.
[23] However, the Vilna Gaon advises us, “When studying practical halacha, it’s better to learn only a little of the Torah but review it many times so that one knows every halachic detail clearly, rather than learn a lot but not know the halacha clearly.” [Chafetz Chaim on the Torah - Volume 1 (Israel Bookshop), page 273. See also Eruvin 54b.]
[24] Mishnah Berurah 155:2, Bei’ur Halacha “ויקבע”. See also Nidchei Yisrael, chapter 14 “עצם הלמוד” and “וכל שכן”. In addition, see “ומפני שראיתי”, where he enumerates five advantages to learning with a group.
[25] Avos 6:6.
[26] As the Gemara states, “Night was only created for the purpose of Torah study” (Eruvin 65a).
[27] Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 238:1.
[28] Magein Avraham 155:1, Aruch HaShulchan 2, Be’er Moshe 3:176 and Yechaveh Da’as 6:52.
[29] Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:4.
[30] Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 246:1, Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:4. See also Shach, Yoreh De’ah 246:1.
[31] Mishnah Berurah 155:4 and Orach Chayim (Mechaber) 238:2.
[32] Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Hilchos Talmud Torah 3:6.
[33] Refer to an article on http://bit.ly/1z7XtSo regarding the concept of Leisure. Also refer to Tradition 44:2.
[34] See note 4. See also Bei’ur Halacha 155 “עת ללמוד” and Shulchan Aruch HaRav 156:1.
[35] Nevertheless, those same people don’t seem to realize that they say every morning in Eilu Devarim, “Torah study is equivalent to them” - i.e. the mitzvos (Shabbos 127a). Read Ascent to Greatness by Rabbi Rodkin.
[36] Kaf HaChayim 155:7. Refer to Rav Akiva Eiger, Yoreh De’ah 246:2 in regard to a person who gets paid to learn and if it is counted towards setting aside time to learn. This is common for a kollel person etc. See Kaf HaChayim 155:4.
[37] One who prolongs his stay in the shul is rewarded measure for measure by having his life prolonged (ArtScroll Berachos 8a, note 21).