Talmud Tuesdays - Session 135

וּכְבָר הָיָה רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן וּזְקֵנִים מְסוּבִּין בַּעֲלִיַּת בֵּית נַתְּזָה בְּלוֹד נִשְׁאֲלָה שְׁאֵילָה זוֹ בִּפְנֵיהֶם תַּלְמוּד גָּדוֹל אוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה גָּדוֹל נַעֲנָה רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן וְאָמַר מַעֲשֶׂה גָּדוֹל נַעֲנָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְאָמַר תַּלְמוּד גָּדוֹל נַעֲנוּ כּוּלָּם וְאָמְרוּ תַּלְמוּד גָּדוֹל שֶׁהַתַּלְמוּד מֵבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה

Kiddushin 40b:8

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.

דברים רבה ח׳:ג׳

(ג) זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כד, ז): רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ, מַהוּ רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא הַטִּפֵּשׁ הַזֶּה נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְהוּא רוֹאֶה אוֹתָן שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִים בַּתַּלְמוּד וְהוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ מָה הֵן אוֹמְרִין, הוּא מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ, וְאֵין שַׁעַר אֶלָּא סַנְהֶדְרִין, דִּכְתִיב (דברים כה, ז): וְעָלְתָה יְבִמְתּוֹ הַשַּׁעֲרָה אֶל הַזְּקֵנִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַטִּפֵּשׁ הַזֶּה נִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְרוֹאֶה אוֹתָן עוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶן הֵיאַךְ אָדָם לָמֵד תּוֹרָה תְּחִלָּה, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ תְּחִלָּה קוֹרֵא בַּמְגִלָּה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּסֵּפֶר, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּנְּבִיאִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּכְּתוּבִים, מִשֶּׁהוּא גּוֹמֵר אֶת הַמִּקְרָא שׁוֹנֶה אֶת הַתַּלְמוּד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּהֲלָכוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ בַּאַגָּדוֹת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ כָּךְ אוֹמֵר בְּלִבּוֹ אֵימָתַי אֲנִי לָמֵד כָּל זֹאת וְחוֹזֵר מִן הַשַּׁעַר, הֱוֵי בַּשַּׁעַר לֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְכִכָּר שֶׁהָיָה תָּלוּי בָּאֲוִיר, טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יוּכַל לַהֲבִיאוֹ, וּפִקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר לֹא אֶחָד תָּלָה אוֹתוֹ, מֵבִיא סֻלָּם אוֹ קָנֶה וּמוֹרִיד אוֹתוֹ. כָּךְ כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר אֵימָתַי אֶקְרָא כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, וּמִי שֶׁהוּא פִּקֵּחַ מַהוּ עוֹשֶׂה, שׁוֹנֶה פֶּרֶק אֶחָד בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם עַד שֶׁמְסַיֵּם כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא, וְאִם נִפְלֵאת הִיא, מִמְּךָ, שֶׁאֵין אַתָּה עָסוּק בָּהּ, הֱוֵי כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת.

Devarim Rabbah 8:3

(3) This is what is written: Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate (Proverbs 24:7). What "Wisdom is too lofty for a fool" mean? Rabbi Tanhuma said: This fool walks into a synagogue and sees those that are involved in Talmud[study], and he doesn't understand what they are saying. He is embarrassed, as it says: "He does not open his mouth in the gate." The gate is Sanhedrin, as it is written: "his brother’s widow shall appear before the elders in the gate" Deuteronomy 25:7 (they are studying Levirite Marriage). Another Interpretation: The rabbis tell of a fool who walks into the synagogue and sees those that are involved in Torah [study]. He says to them: "How does one learn Torah at first?" They say to him: "First you read Megillah (Esther), then the Torah, then the Prophets, then the Writings. When he completes the Written Torah, he studies the Talmud, then the laws, then the allegorical passages." When he hears this, he says in his heart, "When am I going to learn all of this?" and leaves the "gate" [i.e. the synagogue], as the verse says: "He openeth not his mouth in the gate". Rabbi Yannai said: This is comparable to a loaf suspended in the air. The fool says, "who could bring it down [to earth]?" The alert one says, "No one took it?" He gets a ladder or pole and brings it down. Similarly, all fools say, "When will I read the entire Torah?" Whereas the alert one, what does he do? - he studies one chapter each day, until he concludes the entire Torah. God says: "It is not mysterious", and if it is, it is "from you" [i.e. due to you]. This explains the verse (Deut 30:11) "This commandment[...]".

משנה אבות ב׳:ד׳

(ד)...הִלֵּל אוֹמֵר, אַל תִּפְרֹשׁ מִן הַצִּבּוּר, וְאַל תַּאֲמִין בְּעַצְמְךָ עַד יוֹם מוֹתְךָ, וְאַל תָּדִין אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ עַד שֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, וְאַל תֹּאמַר דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁמֹעַ, שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהִשָּׁמַע. וְאַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאִפָּנֶה אֶשְׁנֶה, שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִפָּנֶה:

Pirkei Avot 2:4

(4)...Hillel said: do not separate yourself from the community, Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death, Do not judge your fellow man until you have reached his place. Do not say something that cannot be understood [trusting] that in the end it will be understood. Say not: ‘when I shall have leisure I shall study;’ perhaps you will not have leisure.

דברים ל׳:י״א-י״ד

(יא) כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃ (יב) לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יג) וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (יד) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ {ס}

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

(11) Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. (12) It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” (14) No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

רש"י על דברים ל׳:י״ב

(א) לא בשמים הוא. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיְתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם, הָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ לְלָמְדָהּ:

Rashi on Deuteronomy 30:12

(1) לא בשמים הוא IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN — for were it in heaven it would still be your duty to go up after it and to learn it (Eruvin 55a).

עירובין נ״ד ב:כ״ה-נ״ה א:ג׳

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אָמַר, מֵהָכָא: ״אֱמוֹר לַחׇכְמָה אֲחוֹתִי אָתְּ וּמוֹדָע לַבִּינָה תִקְרָא״ — עֲשֵׂה מוֹדָעִים לַתּוֹרָה. רָבָא אָמַר: עֲשֵׂה מוֹעֲדִים לַתּוֹרָה. וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר אַבְדִּימִי בַּר חָמָא בַּר דּוֹסָא, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִיא וְלֹא מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִיא״. ״לָא בַּשָּׁמַיִם הִיא״, שֶׁאִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם הִיא — אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ, וְאִם מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִיא — אַתָּה צָרִיךְ לַעֲבוֹר אַחֲרֶיהָ. רָבָא אָמַר: ״לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִיא״ — לֹא תִּמָּצֵא בְּמִי שֶׁמַּגְבִּיהַּ דַּעְתּוֹ עָלֶיהָ כַּשָּׁמַיִם, וְלֹא תִּמָּצֵא בְּמִי שֶׁמַּרְחִיב דַּעְתּוֹ עָלֶיהָ כַּיָּם. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ״לֹא בַּשָּׁמַיִם הִיא״ — לֹא תִּמָּצֵא בְּגַסַּי רוּחַ, ״וְלֹא מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִיא״ — לֹא תִּמָּצֵא לֹא בְּסַחְרָנִים וְלֹא בְּתַגָּרִים.

Eruvin 54b:25-55a:3

Rabbi Eliezer said that we learn this same idea from here: “Say to wisdom, you are my sister, and call understanding, your kinswoman [moda]” (Proverbs 7:4), which means: Establish signs [moda’im] that convey knowledge of the Torah. Rava said with regard to this verse: Set appointed times [mo’adim] for Torah study. And this idea, that one must exert great effort to retain one’s Torah knowledge, is in accordance with what Avdimi bar Ḥama bar Dosa said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “It is not in heaven…nor is it beyond the sea” (Deuteronomy 30:12–13)? “It is not in heaven” indicates that if it were in heaven, you would have to ascend after it, and if it were beyond the sea, you would have to cross after it, as one must expend whatever effort is necessary in order to study Torah. Expounding the verse differently, Rava said: “It is not in heaven” means that Torah is not to be found in someone who raises his mind over it, like the heavens, i.e., he thinks his mind is above the Torah and he does not need a teacher; nor is it to be found in someone who expands his mind over it, like the sea, i.e., he thinks he knows everything there is to know about the topic he has learned. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “It is not in heaven” means that Torah is not to be found in the haughty, those who raise their self-image as though they were in heaven. “Nor is it beyond the sea” means that it is not to be found among merchants or traders who are constantly traveling and do not have the time to study Torah properly.

חגיגה ט׳ ב:י׳-י״א

אֲמַר לֵיהּ בַּר הֵי הֵי לְהִלֵּל, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשַׁבְתֶּם וּרְאִיתֶם בֵּין צַדִּיק לְרָשָׁע בֵּין עוֹבֵד אֱלֹהִים לַאֲשֶׁר לֹא עֲבָדוֹ״, הַיְינוּ ״צַדִּיק״ — הַיְינוּ ״עוֹבֵד אֱלֹהִים״, הַיְינוּ ״רָשָׁע״ — הַיְינוּ ״אֲשֶׁר לֹא עֲבָדוֹ״! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״עֲבָדוֹ״ וְ״לֹא עֲבָדוֹ״ — תַּרְוַיְיהוּ צַדִּיקֵי גְּמוּרֵי נִינְהוּ, וְאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה שׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים, לְשׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה וְאֶחָד. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: וּמִשּׁוּם חַד זִימְנָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ ״לֹא עֲבָדוֹ״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִין, צֵא וּלְמַד מִשּׁוּק שֶׁל חֲמָרִין: עַשְׂרָה פַּרְסֵי — בְּזוּזָא, חַד עֲשַׂר פַּרְסֵי — בִּתְרֵי זוּזֵי.

Chagigah 9b:10-11

The Gemara records another discussion between bar Hei Hei and Hillel. Bar Hei Hei said to Hillel: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between he who serves God and he who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18). There are two redundancies here: “The righteous” is the same as “he who serves God,” and “the wicked” is the same as “he who does not serve Him.” Hillel said to him: The one “who serves Him” and the one “who does not serve Him” are both referring to completely righteous people. But the verse is hinting at a distinction between them, as one who reviews his studies one hundred times is not comparable to one who reviews his studies one hundred and one times. Bar Hei Hei said to him: And due to one extra time that he did not review, the verse calls him a person “who does not serve Him”? He said to him: Yes. Go and learn from the market of donkey drivers. One can hire a driver to travel up to ten parasangs for one dinar. However, he will travel eleven parasangs only for two dinars. This shows that any departure beyond the norm is considered a significant difference.

משנה אבות א׳:ו׳

(ו) יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה וְנִתַּאי הָאַרְבֵּלִי קִבְּלוּ מֵהֶם. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת:

Pirkei Avot 1:6

(6) Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite received [the oral tradition] from them. Joshua ben Perahiah used to say: find for yourself a teacher, and make for yourself a friend, and judge all people favorably.