Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Laws of Torah Study 4:14
שולחן ערוך הרב, הלכות תלמוד תורה ד:יד
ואין צריך לומר הלומד כדי להתגדל ולהיות לו שם כשם הגדולים אשר בארץ או כדי להתפרנס במלמדות או דיינות והוראות וכך אמרו חכמים אל תעשם עטרה להתגדל בהם ולא קרדום לחתוך בהם שכל הנהנה מדברי תורה נוטל חייו מן העולם אלא דבר בהם לשמם ולשם פועלם בה'. ואעפ"כ מי שאין בו יראת שמים לדבר לשמם אלא להתגדל או להתפרנס מוטב שיעסוק בתורה שלא לשמה משיתבטל ויפרוש כי מתוך שלא לשמה יבא לשמה כמ"ש למעלה:
Needless to say, a person who studies in order to become great and to have a name like that of the great scholars of the land, or to earn a livelihood in teaching, judging or instructing, keep in mind that the Sages say not to make [words of Torah] into a crown through which to glorify yourself nor into a hatchet to cut with, for all who profit from Torah take their life out of the world. Rather speak [words of Torah] for their own sake and for the sake of them serving God. But even so, one who does not fear God [enough] to speak words of Torah for their own sake but instead learns in order to become great or to earn a living, it is better that that person learn Torah not for its own sake rather than not learning at all or separating from learning, for through the process of doing it for ulterior motives, that person will come to do it for the right reasons, as discussed above. [AJWS translation]

Suggested Discussion Questions:

1. What is the ideal motivation for Torah study? Why?

2. What is a lesser motivation? Why is it inferior to the ideal reason?

3. How do motivations affect actions? When are you motivated by the right reasons? What about the wrong reasons?

Time Period: Modern (Spinoza through post-WWII)