Life Lessons From A Torah Scroll

Rabbi Abbahu ben Zutarti said that Rabbi Yehuda bar Zevida said: The Sages sought to establish the blessings of Balaam that appear in the Torah portion of Balak, as part of the recitation of Shema. And why did they not establish it there? Because extending Shema would place an encumbrance on the congregation.

It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda said: This was the custom of Rabbi Akiva, when he would pray with the congregation he would shorten his prayer and go up, due to his desire to avoid being an encumbrance on the congregation by making them wait for him to finish his prayer. But when he prayed by himself he would extend his prayers to an extent that a person would leave him alone in one corner of the study hall and later find him in another corner. And why would he move about so much? Because of his bows and prostrations.

The synagogue attendant takes a Torah scroll and gives it to the head of the synagogue and the head of the synagogue gives it to the deputy, and the Deputy gives it to the High Priest, and the High Priest stands and receives the scroll from his hands. And he reads from the scroll the Torah portion beginning with the verse: “After the death” (Leviticus 16:1) and the portion beginning with the verse: “But on the tenth” (Leviticus 23:26), and furls the Torah scroll and places it on his bosom and says: More than what I have read before you is written here. The Torah portion beginning with the verse: “And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (29:7), he then reads by heart.

Why must he say all this? It is so as not to cast aspersions on the Torah scroll, because people might think that the portion he read by heart is not written there.

“And on the tenth,” from the book of Numbers (29:7), he reads by heart. Why? Let him furl the scroll to that portion and read it from the text. Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said that Rav Sheshet said: It is because one may not furl a Torah scroll in public, out of respect for the community.

A dilemma was raised before them: Should one stand before a Torah scroll? Rabbi Ḥilkiya and Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Elazar say that this dilemma can be resolved by an a fortiori inference: If one stands before those who study the Torah, is it not all the more so true that one should stand before the Torah itself? Rabbi Elai and Rabbi Ya’akov bar Zavdi were sitting and studying Torah. Rabbi Shimon bar Abba passed before them and they stood before him. He said to them: You are not obligated to do this, for two reasons. One reason is that you are ordained scholars and I am only an associate, i.e., he had not been ordained. And furthermore, does the Torah stand before those who study it? Since you are engaged in Torah study at the present moment you are not required to stand before a Torah scholar. Rabbi Shimon bar Abba holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar says: A Torah scholar may not stand before his teacher when he is studying Torah, because he is engaged in honoring the Torah itself. Even so, Abaye cursed anyone who acted in accordance with this ruling, as he would give the appearance of one who disrespected his teacher.

What is the reason that the Rabbis said that he receives forty lashes less one? If it had been written: Forty by number, I would say that it means forty as a precise sum; now that it is written: “By number, forty,” the reference is to a sum that approaches forty. Likewise, Rava said: How foolish are the rest of the people who stand before a Torah scroll that passes before them, and yet they do not stand before a great man, when a Sage passes before them; as in a Torah scroll, forty is written and the Sages came and subtracted one, establishing the number of lashes as thirty-nine.

Rav Huna said: Nine plus an ark join to form a quorum of ten. Rav Naḥman said to him: Is an ark a man, that it may be counted in the quorum of ten? Rather, Rav Huna said: Nine who appear like ten may join together. There was disagreement over which formation creates the impression of a greater number of individuals: Some said nine appear like ten when they are gathered. And some said this nine appear like ten when they are scattered.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi further advised: And be careful to continue to respect an elder who has forgotten his Torah knowledge due to circumstances beyond his control. As we say: Both the tablets of the Covenant and the broken tablets are placed in the Ark.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: One who is standing over the deceased at the time of the departure of the soul is obligated to rend his garment. To what is this similar? It is similar to a Torah scroll that was burned.

Ulla says: The Torah scholars who are in Babylonia rise in deference before one another and rend their garments in mourning over one another’s passing.

Mar Zutra said: With regard to wrapping cloths of Torah scrolls that have become worn out, they may be made into shrouds for a corpse with no one to bury it [met mitzva], and this is their most appropriate manner for being interred. And Rava said: A Torah scroll that became worn out is interred and buried next to a Torah scholar.

Rabba bar bar Ḥana says: When Rabbi Eliezer fell ill, his students entered to visit him. He said to them: There is intense wrath in the world. They began to cry and Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him: Why are you laughing? Rabbi Akiva said to them: And for what reason are you crying? They said to him: Is it possible that a Torah scroll is afflicted with pain and we will not cry? He said to them: It is for that reason that I am laughing. As long as I would see for my teacher that neither does his wine ferment and spoil, nor is his flax stricken, nor does his oil spoil, nor does his honey turn rancid, I would say to myself: Perhaps, Heaven forfend, my teacher has already received his world in reward for the mitzvot that he fulfilled, and will not receive a reward in the World-to-Come. But now that I see my teacher overcome with suffering, I am happy. He is receiving punishment in this world for the few transgressions that he might have committed, ensuring that he will receive a complete reward in the World-to-Come.

Rabbi Eliezer raised his two arms and placed them on his heart, and he said: Woe to you, my two arms, as they are like two Torah scrolls that are now being rolled up, and will never be opened again. I have learned much Torah, and I have taught much Torah. I have learned much Torah, and I have not taken away from my teachers, i.e., I have not received from their wisdom, even like a dog lapping from the sea. I have taught much Torah, and my students have taken away from me only like the tiny amount that a paintbrush removes from a tube of paint.

The Sages taught: “And afforded him [lo] honor in his death” (II Chronicles 32:33). This is referring to the honor given to Hezekiah, king of Judea, that at his burial 36,000 men with bared shoulders went out before him. This is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: But didn’t they also do this before Ahab? Rather, they laid a Torah scroll upon his bier and they said: This one, i.e., Hezekiah, fulfilled that which is written in this, i.e., the Torah scroll. The Gemara asks: But nowadays as well, we do this? The Gemara answers: Nowadays, we take a Torah scroll out but we do not lay it on the bier of the deceased. And if you wish, say instead that nowadays we also lay a Torah scroll on the bier of the deceased; but we do not say: This one fulfilled that which is written in this.

They found Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon, who was sitting and engaging in Torah and convening assemblies in public, with a Torah scroll placed in his lap. They brought him and wrapped him in the Torah scroll, and encircled him with bundles of branches, and they set fire to it. And they brought tufts of wool and soaked them in water, and placed them on his heart, so that his soul should not leave quickly. His daughter said to him: Father, must I see you like this? He said to her: If I alone were being burned, it would be difficult for me, but now that I am burning along with a Torah scroll, He who will seek retribution for the insult accorded to the Torah scroll will also seek retribution for the insult accorded to me. His students said to him: Our teacher, what do you see? Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon said to them: I see the parchment burning, but its letters are flying to the heavens.

The Sages taught: One time, the evil empire of Rome decreed that Israel may not engage in Torah. Pappos ben Yehuda came and found Rabbi Akiva, who was convening assemblies in public and engaging in Torah. He said to him: Akiva, are you not afraid of the empire? Rabbi Akiva answered him: I will relate a parable. To what can this be compared? It is like a fox walking along a riverbank when he sees fish gathering from place to place. The fox said to them: From what are you fleeing? They said to him: from the nets that people cast upon us. He said to them: Do you wish to come up onto dry land, and we will reside together just as my ancestors resided with your ancestors? The fish said to him: You are the one of whom they say, he is the cleverest of animals? You are not clever; you are a fool. If we are afraid in our natural habitat which gives us life, then in a habitat that causes our death, all the more so. So too, we, now that we sit and engage in Torah, about which it is written: “For that is your life, and the length of your days” (Deuteronomy 30:20), to this extent; if we proceed to sit idle from it, all the more so.

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 ones 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 Ḥiyya bar Abba say in the name of Rabbi Yochanan said: Anyone who prolongs his prayer and expects it to be answered, will ultimately come to heartache. As it is stated: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). And what is the remedy? He should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “But desire fulfilled is the tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12). And tree of life is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and those who support it are joyous” (Proverbs 3:18).

The Sages taught: “And you shall place [vesamtem] these words of Mine in your hearts” (Deuteronomy 11:18). Read this as though it stated sam tam, a perfect elixir. The Torah is compared to an elixir of life. A parable that illustrates this: A person hit his son with a strong blow and placed a bandage on his wound. And he said to him: My son, as long as this bandage is on your wound and is healing you, eat what you enjoy and drink what you enjoy, and bathe in either hot water or cold water, and you do not need to be afraid. But if you take it off, the wound will become gangrenous. So the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Israel: My children, I created an evil inclination and I created Torah as its antidote. If you are engaged in Torah you will not be given over into the hand of the evil inclination, as it is stated: “If you do well, shall it not be lifted up?” (Genesis 4:7).

MISHNA: What is the order of fast days? They remove the ark to the city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark. And on the head of the Nasi, and on the head of the deputy Nasi, and every community member places ashes upon his head.

For everyone to write a Torah scroll for himself: That we were commanded that each man in Israel must have a Torah scroll. If he wrote it with his own hand, this is praiseworthy and very dear; and as they, may their memory be blessed, said (Menachot 30a), “If he wrote it,” meaning to say, with his hand, “Scripture attributes it to him as if he received it from Mount Sinai.” But one who is unable to write with his hand must pay someone to write it for him. And about this it is stated (Deuteronomy 31:19), “And now, write for yourselves this poem and teach it to the Children of Israel,” meaning to say, write for yourselves Torah which contains this poem.

(18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by the Levitical priests. (19) Let it remain with him and let him read in it all his life, so that he may learn to revere his God, to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching as well as these laws.

Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, entered the study hall and taught: A person should always be soft like a reed and he should not be stiff like a cedar. And therefore the reed merited that a quill is taken from it to write with it a Torah scroll, phylacteries, and mezuzot.

Rav Yehuda in the name of Rav says: Any letter that is not encircled with blank parchment on all four of its sides, i.e., where its ink connects to the letter above it, below it, preceding it, or succeeding it, is unfit.

Rav Yosef, on the day of Shavuot, would say: Prepare me a choice third-born calf. He said: If not for this day that caused the Jewish people to have the Torah, how many Yosefs would there be in the market?