Give Me a Chavruta or Give Me Death: Analyzing the Classical Mode of Torah Study

The Gemara cites other expositions that deal with Torah study. Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17)? This verse comes to tell you that just as with these iron implements, one sharpens the other when they are rubbed against each other, so too, when Torah scholars study together, they sharpen one another in halakha. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: Why are matters of Torah compared to fire, as it is stated: “Is not My word like fire, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:29)? To tell you: Just as fire does not ignite in a lone stick of wood but in a pile of kindling, so too, matters of Torah are not retained and understood properly by a lone scholar who studies by himself, but by a group of Sages. And this is what Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “A sword is upon the boasters [habaddim], and they shall become fools [noalu]” (Jeremiah 50:36)? This verse can be interpreted homiletically: There is a sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars, a euphemism for Torah scholars themselves, who sit alone [bad bevad] and study Torah. And not only that, but those who study by themselves grow foolish from their solitary Torah study, as it is stated: “And they shall become fools.” And not only that, but they sin, as it is written here: “And they shall become fools,” and it is written there: “For that we have done foolishly [noalnu] and for that we have sinned” (Numbers 12:11). And if you wish, say instead that it is derived from here: “The princes of Zoan have become fools [noalu]…they have caused Egypt to go astray” (Isaiah 19:13). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: Why are Torah matters likened to a tree, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to them who lay hold upon it” (Proverbs 3:18)? This verse comes to tell you that just as a small piece of wood can ignite a large piece, so too, minor Torah scholars can sharpen great Torah scholars and enable them to advance in their studies. And this is what Rabbi Ḥanina said: I have learned much from my teachers and even more from my friends, but from my students I have learned more than from all of them.

Rabbi Chama son of Rabbi Chanina said: What is the meaning of the verse (Mishlei 27:17), “As iron sharpens iron, [so one person sharpens another]”? This is to teach you that just as one piece of iron sharpens the other, so also do two Torah scholars sharpen each other in Halakha.

Rabba bar Bar Chana said: Why are the words of the Torah likened to fire, as it is said (Yirmeyahu 23:29), “Is not my word like as fire? says the Lord”? This is to teach you that just as fire does not ignite of itself, so too the words of the Torah do not endure with one who studies alone.

This is in agreement with what as Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Chanina, said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “A sword is upon the boasters (ha-baddim), and they shall become fools (ve-no’alu)” (Yirmeyahu 50:36)? A sword upon the enemies of Torah scholars [a euphemism for Torah scholars themselves], who sit alone [bad be-vad] and study Torah. And furthermore, those who study alone grow foolish; and what is more they are guilty of sin. For here it is written, “And they shall become fools (ve-no’alu),” and there it is written, “For that we have done foolishly (no’alnu) and for that we have sinned” (Bamidbar 12:11). If you wish, you can infer it from the following verse (Yeshayahu 19:13), “The princes of Tzo’an are become fools . . . they have caused Egypt to go astray.”

Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: Why are the words of the Torah likened to a tree, as it is said, “It is a tree of life to them that grasp it” (Mishlei 3:18)? This is to teach you. just as a small tree may set on fire a bigger tree, so too it is with scholars, the younger sharpen the minds of the older. This is in agreement with what Rabbi Chanina said: “I have learnt much from my teachers, and from my colleagues more than from my teachers, but from my disciples more than from them all.”

Ultimately, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, Reish Lakish, died. Rabbi Yoḥanan was sorely pained over losing him. The Rabbis said: Who will go to calm Rabbi Yoḥanan’s mind and comfort him over his loss? They said: Let Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat go, as his statements are sharp, i.e., he is clever and will be able to serve as a substitute for Reish Lakish. Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat went and sat before Rabbi Yoḥanan. With regard to every matter that Rabbi Yoḥanan would say, Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat would say to him: There is a ruling which is taught in a baraita that supports your opinion. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Are you comparable to the son of Lakish? In my discussions with the son of Lakish, when I would state a matter, he would raise twenty-four difficulties against me in an attempt to disprove my claim, and I would answer him with twenty-four answers, and the halakha by itself would become broadened and clarified. And yet you say to me: There is a ruling which is taught in a baraita that supports your opinion. Do I not know that what I say is good? Being rebutted by Reish Lakish served a purpose; your bringing proof to my statements does not.

(2) Rabbi Chama Bar Chanina opened with the following verse: Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). Rabbi Chama Bar Chanina said: A knife will only become sharpened only at the side of another. So too, a Torah scholar can only become sharpened by a friend...

(9) Moses and the levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: Silence! Hear, O Israel! Today you have become the people of the LORD your God:

The Gemara interprets the word hasket in this verse homiletically, as an acronym of the words as, make, and kat, group. Form [asu] many groups [kitot] and study Torah, for the Torah is only acquired through study in a group...

(9) Whoever loves money will not be satisfied with money; whoever loves abundance, not with yield. This too is meaningless.

Rav Ashi says: Anyone who loves to study in abundance, i.e., with many colleagues, to him shall be increase, i.e., he will succeed in his studies. .... Ravina says that there is a different interpretation of the verse cited earlier (Ecclesiastes 5:9): Anyone who loves to teach in abundance, before the multitudes, to him shall be increase, as his Torah knowledge is enhanced through those lectures. And that is the parallel to that which Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: Much Torah have I studied from my teachers, and I have learned more from my colleagues than from them, and I have learned more from my students than from all of them.

(14) Rabbi Nehorai said: go as a [voluntary] exile to a place of Torah and say not that it will come after you, for [it is] your fellow [student]s who will make it permanent in your hand and “and lean not upon your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

The Sages taught: In the case of a student who was exiled, his teacher is exiled to the city of refuge with him, so that the student can continue studying Torah with him there ... Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the case of a teacher of Torah who was exiled, his school is exiled with him.

... They said Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of students in an area of land that stretched from Gevat to Antipatris in Judea, and they all died in one period of time, because they did not treat each other with respect.

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says: Even a father and his son, or a rabbi and his student, who are engaged in Torah together in one gate become enemies with each other due to the intensity of their studies. But they do not leave there until they love each other...

(6) ...Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: appoint for thyself a teacher, and acquire for thyself a companion and judge all men with the scale weighted in his favor.

..."Acquire for yourself a friend" - some say books and others say an actual (human) friend, since "two are better than one" (Kohelet 4:9).

Ḥoni sat and ate bread. Sleep overcame him and he slept. A cliff formed around him, and he disappeared from sight and slept for seventy years. When he awoke... he went home and said to the members of the household: Is the son of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel alive? They said to him: His son is no longer with us, but his son’s son is alive. He said to them: I am Ḥoni HaMe’aggel. They did not believe him. He went to the study hall, where he heard the Sages say about one scholar: His halakhot are as enlightening and as clear as in the years of Ḥoni HaMe’aggel, for when Ḥoni HaMe’aggel would enter the study hall he would resolve for the Sages any difficulty they had. Ḥoni said to them: I am he, but they did not believe him and did not pay him proper respect. Ḥoni became very upset, prayed for mercy, and died. Rava said: This explains the folk saying that people say: Either friendship or death, as one who has no friends is better off dead.