The Inner Dimension of Tanach - Yehoshua 1:3 Secular Studies and Light of the Redemption

This Passuk in Yehoshua 1:8 and the ensuing Gemara in Menachos is one of the most famous topics in all of Tanach and the tip of the hotly engaging debate that divides much of the Jewish world today: should one engage in secular studies or the study of Torah only?
The commentaries and Poskim on this Gemara are many and I certainly don't intend to give a full summary or even a halachic conclusion on the matter, but I would like to examine this Gemara as it relates to Penimius Hatorah and the understand the depth of the discussion and the camps in the debate.
Let's start off with a few basic questions.
There seems to be three opinions in the Gemara when it comes to the obligation to study Torah.
A) The most stringent opinion says that the Torah must be studied at every waken opportune moment.
B) The next opinion says that as long as you set aside fixed times in the morning and evening that suffices.
C) The last opinion holds that really just saying Shema is enough.
Well that's quite a difference! It's far reaching implications have real life effects on institutions, families, communities and countries. One might argue that one of the most dividing topics in Israeli society is this very issue.
How did we become so vague on one of the most defining values in Jewish life?
Additionally, there is a rule when it comes to the hidden part of the Torah, Toras Nistar, in fact there is never really a debate. Each side of the discussion is just highlighting a part of the truth of a greater whole. With that being said, how to we reconcile these seemingly three highly divergent opinions?

Aside from that most fundamental question, there are other glaring questions on the Gemara itself.
1) Why is the passuk that it at the very center of this machloches in Sefer Yehoshua? Shouldn't something so central to Jewish life be in the Chumash itself?
2) Is it good to teach ignorant people these leniencies or not? How can both of these opinions be true at the same time?
3) What is the nature of Rabbi Yishmael's response? Is he just trying to be pithy, finding a time that is neither day or night? Why not speak directly and say, no, you're not allowed to study it? What deeper message is he trying to impart?
4) What exactly does it mean in the last section where the Gemara understands that the passuk is neither an obligation or a mitzvah, but rather a blessing? How does that change our understanding of things at all?

I want to start off by sharing a yesod from the Komarno Rebbe which I believe will really enlighten this sugya and our entire understanding of Tanach as well.
He describes that Sefer Yehoshua is really the antecedent to the Messianic era itself. The book is not merely describing the conquest of Eretz Yisrael in a historical perspective, it is hinting to the future era that all of history is unfolding.
Keeping that in mind, the Komarno continues to describe that there are three realities to the world:
1) Kedusha - everything good, holy and pure.
2) Raah - everything evil, degraded and impure.
3) Klepis Nogah - lit. shells of light, that middle category of things that are themselves neutral, with the capability of going either way.
So to give a simple example:
Tefillin = Kedusha
Pork = Raah
Chocolate Cake = Klepis Nogah
It could be used for good to enjoy Oneg Shabbos or for bad becoming an unhealthy food addiction.
The Komarno goes on the describe that the really struggle in the world is not between Kedusha and Raah, that world is already defined. The really struggle is what we are going to do with Klepis Nogah. That gray area in the world that is up to us to sift out and lift up before it drags us right down.

The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, shared with us a three stage process to be able to elevate up the Klepas Nogah of the world.
1) Hachnaah - Humility - to humble oneself in the process, create space between you and the drives that pull you toward hedonism and materialism.
2) Havdalah - Separation - Once you have humbled yourself, you can begin to discern out the good from the bad in the situation. Using the Torah as your guide, you can take the light while pushing off the darkness.
3) Hamtaka - Sweetening - Once you have carefully discerned the elements at play, you can now bring the neutral item up to the level of kedusha and in turn raise up yourself and world around you.
Sounds pretty simple, no? But what does this have to do with Yehoshua and the Gemara in Menachos?

As we have described in the past, this is the very mission of Yehoshua and the conquering of Eretz Yisrael.
Moshe was Kedusha. His world was completely good. And he battled pure Ra'ah. Whether the enemy was Pharoah, Bilaam and Amalek, the world of Moshe Rabbeinu was effectively black and white.
The world of Yeshoshua was specifically in the world of Klepis Nogah. His task in life was to enter Eretz Yisrael and infuse the rocks and stones with Kedusha. To turn planting, building and waging war into acts of holiness and sanctity.
So it makes sense that the verse describing Talmud Torah that is so widely debated is specifically in Sefer Yehoshua. In the Chumash itself we have commandments to learn Torah with clarity, like the world of Moshe Rabbeinu. But specifically in Sefer Yehoshua and new nuanced view is needed. And with that background, we can dive into the Gemara itself.
The three levels of learning are describing three stages of development regarding Torah and the integration with the physical world.
In the stage of Hachnaah, humility, unceasing, relentless Torah study is needed. One has to completely subsume themselves in the learning. One has to nullify their Daas to the Daas of Rabbeim and Chachamim. This first step is integral to begin the process. Without this stage, one is too attached to the outside world. Secular influences and physical drives cloud his mind and he can never truly gain clarity.
But this isn't necessarily the end goal. The second opinion of the Gemara describes the Mitzvah of Talmud Torah as setting aside times during the day and night but allowing for other time to work and engage in worldly pursuits. This is the Baal Shem Tov's level of Havdalah. You can use your discerning mind and the process of Halacha to carefully balance your time. With the background of Torah, you can carefully engage this world without being dragged into it.
But the highest level hasn't yet been reached. The Gemara remarks in the final opinion that one can fulfill their obligation of Talmud Torah with Krias Shema alone. Perhaps we could suggest that this is the culmination stage of Hamtaka, sweetening. A place where you can readily engage the physical world and raise it up to the highest level of Kedusha. This stage life is not a balancing act being pulled in multiple directions.
Every part of one's life is now viewed as an integrated whole where there is no difference in one's Avodah whether they are learning, working, dealing with home or community matters, it's all manifested into Hashem Echad.
This is not to suggest that someone on this level doesn't have to learn, quite the opposite, learning is still a Mitzvah of the highest importance. But they have raised up the time that they aren't officially in learning to Kodesh Hakadshim ax well. This is the ultimate goal!

With this we can understand why there is a debate whether one should teach these leniencies to more ignorant people. It really depends on how they react.
For some people, it will be an excuse for laziness, passivity and neglect. They will relish in getting away with the minimum amount of effort and spend the rest of their time engaging in the pleasures of this world with hedonistic intent.
On the other hand, for some more simple Jews, this more lenient stance of Talmud Torah will be breath of fresh air. They felt stifled by the learning Torah only approach and by allowing them to live life in greater balance and integration, their entire life can be elevated in it's Avodas Hashem.
It could really go either way. Each leader has to understand his generation and the individual people's character to properly assess which path is going to be best for them.
And with this in mind, we can gain a deeper understanding of the response of Rabbi Yishmael. He didn't say one cannot learn secular wisdom. His response was that if you find a time that is not day or night then you can learn it.
On a higher level, Rabbi Yishmael was saying it really depends on the individual. If you are a person that is very much still connected to this world, when a nice car rolls by or a smell of a hamburger wafts in your direction, it really speaks to you, then secular wisdom is not for you.
You are still bound by the space and time of this world. Secular wisdom would drag you into it and ultimately lower your level of Kedusha.
But if you are a person who has gone through the stages of Hachnaah and Havdalah and already done the work needed to humble yourself and create proper boundaries to this world, then "secular" studies can not only be allowed, but in fact appropriate and holy.
If you can transcend time and indeed rise to the challenge of finding time that is neither day or night, unraveling the nature of creation itself and seeing the entire universe as a harmonious song bringing glory to it's creator, then indeed studying science, mathematics, history and literature is not secular at all. If properly used, it can be bring a person to the level of Hamtaka and bring them to perhaps an even higher spiritual level than ever before.
But which path is for you? The answer is that it depends on your personality, the Shoresh of your Neshama and the stage of life that you are in. Having a Rav or spiritual mentor can help guide you in the process and gain clarity on what the right path is for you and this stage of your life.
It is this sensitive, nuanced approach that Yehoshua gave us for all generations and the Gemara fleshes out with all of it's details and perspectives. This is why Hashem gave it to him as a blessing. It can't be a straightforward obligation or mitzvah. It depends on the person and the spiritual blessing that Hashem sends to every individual.
Stay tuned as we soon begin Chapter 2 and we will see how the paradigms of the Komarno Rebbi and the Baal Shem Tov will further shed light on the fascinating story of the Jewish spies and their interaction with Rachav the prostitute.
Until next time, wishing you a Chasiva V'Chasima Tova and all of Klal Yisrael should be written for a year of life, blessing and happiness!

Doron Lazarus
Ramat Bet Shemesh