(יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
(א) אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. הַפֵּאָה, וְהַבִּכּוּרִים, וְהָרֵאָיוֹן, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה. אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהַקֶּרֶן קַיֶּמֶת לוֹ לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּבּוּד אָב וָאֵם, וּגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וַהֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם:
(1) These are the things that have no measure: Peah [corner of the field which, while harvesting, must be left for the poor], Bikurim [First-fruits that must be brought to the Temple and given to the priest], the appearance-sacrifice [brought to the Temple on Pilgrimage Festivals], acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah. These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.
Eilu D'varim (trans. Mishkan Tefillah)
These are things that are limitless, of which a person enjoys the fruit of this world, while the principal remains in the world to come. They are:
honoring one’s father and mother,
engaging in deeds of compassion,
arriving early for study, morning and evening,
dealing graciously with guests,
visiting the sick,
providing for the wedding couple,
accompanying the dead for burial,
being devoted in prayer,
and making peace among people.
But the study of Torah encompasses them all.
Hirsch Siddur
"But the study of Torah is equal to them all"
Gates of Prayer
"And the study of Torah is equal to them all because it encompasses them all."
My People's Prayerbook
"And the study of Torah is like them all"
Hirsch Siddur Commentary on Eilu D'varim
The mitzvot enumerated here, most of which are services to be rendered to one's fellow-men, are rewarding through the joy inherent in the very act of their fulfillment, while attendance at houses of study and devotion at prayer constitute their own spiritual reward because they serve to edify, purify, and exalt us. Through their beneficial effect upon our relationships with our fellow-men and upon our own steady progress towards personal perfection, the "interest" of such acts can be enjoyed even here below, while the "principal" of spiritual and moral achievement which accompany us to the hereafter will remain ours for eternity. But no other mitzvah holds such a liberal portion of "interest" to be enjoyed on earth and of "capital" remaining for eternity as does the genuine and industrious study of the Torah.
In connection to the mishna’s statement about the importance of Torah study, the Gemara relates the following incident: And there already was an incident in which Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were reclining in the loft of the house of Nit’za in Lod, when this question was asked of them: Is study greater or is action greater? Rabbi Tarfon answered and said: Action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered and said: Study is greater. Everyone answered and said: Study is greater, but not as an independent value; rather, it is greater as study leads to action.
Arnie Draiman, "For or Against?: K'neged Kulam,"
Times of Israel, March 5, 2018.
Most everyone traditionally translates “k’neged kulam” as “being equal to”. So, in this case, we have Torah study as “being equal to” the other 9 items listed. (The image often used is “the scales of justice” where you put those 9 items on one side, and Torah study on the other, and the scale is balanced).
I never liked that. How can honoring parents, burying the dead, visiting the sick, et al together be equal to studying Torah. Especially since there are many people who feel that only Torah study is what is important, since it is (minimally) ‘equal’ to all of the others.
So, I wanted to look more closely at the word “k’neged.” Indeed, it is most often used in the Torah and in rabbinic sources (and modern Hebrew) to mean opposite, opposing, against, across from – as when Moshe is told that he will not enter the Promised Land but only see it from across the way; or today, when two sports teams play against each other.
However, another use of the word “k’neged,” is loosely translated as ‘being present’ (in Hebrew: nochach). We see this in Eve being created for Adam (as an “ezer k’negdo” – a helpmate, being present as partner with Adam), as well as in the verse from Psalms (Tehillim 16:8) Shiviti Hashem l’negdi tamid – I have placed Gd eternally before me (I make sure that Gd is always present with me).
Therefore, I can say about the study of Torah, that it is not “opposite” the other 9, as if on a balance but rather, that the study of Torah must be present in each one. You have to keep Torah present – in front of you, before you, when you are doing these other things.
So that doing bikur holim (visiting the sick) and other gemilut chasadim (acts of lovingkindness) are done from a Torah perspective, with Torah in mind, and NOT “plain” like “social action” activists who may have forgotten (or never learned) the roots of this in Torah/Judaism.
Talmud Torah K’neged Kulam – the image that I prefer, is that the study of Torah is kept in front of your eyes, “sitting” across from you, and becomes incorporated in each mitzvah that you do.