During the years I spent teaching Talmud to High School students, I was often asked why so much emphasis is placed on its study. We can just look up the halacha in the Shulchan Aruch, often went the argument. Now, while teaching older students, I am constantly surprised to learn that this attitude, which demonstrates a lack of understanding and appreciation of limud ha-Torah, continues to prevail. I am not speaking now of unlearned people. In many instances those asking this question or similar ones are individuals who have spent numerous years beyond High School learning Talmud in Yeshivos. Yet somehow, a proper understanding of the role of limud ha-Torah has escaped so many of our students. Below is an attempt to identify why this is and how we can correct it.
Anyone familiar with the basic layout and structure of the Talmud can probably understand a students essential frustration. Before a particular halacha is firmly and formally stated, the Talmud busies itself with extensive analysis, much of which is oftentimes rejected. Additionally, the Talmud regularly takes painstaking efforts to resolve questions that appear to have no practical application to the reader of the modern era. For example, why should a High School student be concerned with the halachic consequences of a divorce bill that is written on the side of a cow? It would certainly seem that Halacha could be better learned from the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries rather than the Talmud and its commentaries. Similarly, if the student is in fact to learn Talmud, would his time not be better spent concentrating on those Tractates such as Brachos and the like which deal primarily with laws whose every day application is readily apparent?
Simply stated our students are asking: If the goal in learning Talmud is to know what to do, then why spend so much time discussing positions which are rejected or those laws which are seemingly irrelevant in todays day and age?
Our students have taken for granted the notion that the ultimate goal of studying the Oral Law is to know how to act according to Halacha. At first glance it would appear that this position is well founded. With regard to Torah study the mishna in Avos (1:17) teaches that The main goal is not study but deed and it is generally well established that an essential goal in learning Torah is leAsuki shmaitsa aliba de-hilchasa for the sake of establishing the laws. It is for this very reason that we are taught (Avos 2:5) lo am ha-aretz chosid - one cannot be righteous without knowing the laws in which he is obligated. Moreover, the Ramban in a famous letter to his son writes and be exceedingly careful to learn Torah constantly so that you may be able to fulfill it and when you get up from your book, search in what you have learned to see if there is something which you can fulfill. At first glance, therefore, it would appear that our students assumption has validity. However, elsewhere, the Talmud teaches us that the sole purpose for the Torahs inclusion of the laws of ben sorer u-moreh - the rebellious son - was so that Man could study and receive reward (Sanhedrin 71a). It would seem, then, that the maxim the main goal is not study but deed must be reexamined.
While determining the practical halacha is certainly an important goal in Torah study, an additional, and seemingly paramount goal of learning, is perhaps best expressed by Rashi (Deut 6:4-9). And what is love (of G-d)? because through this, the study of Torah, one will come to recognize the Holy One blessed be He and you will cling to His ways (See also Rambam Sefer Hamitzvos Aseh #3). Only through Torah can one fulfill the underlying mitzvah of the entire Torah and all of its precepts - Love of the Almighty. This, therefore, is what is meant when the mishna states that the main goal is not study but deed. Through the study of Torah we gain an understanding of the Divine will and only then can we properly serve Hashem and live our lives to their fullest. The goal in learning Torah, therefore, is to plumb the depths of the Torah to uncover the will of God, inculcating those ideas within us so that we may live our lives accordingly. It is this ideal of Torah study which we must better convey to our students.
Once we have accounted for the goal of Torah study we must explain the process by which this goal is accomplished. That is, what type of learning brings about a profound understanding of Hashem and helps one grow closer to Him. With this, we will also be able to appreciate the import of learning Talmud along with all of its discussions, rejected opinions, and temporarily irrelevant halachos. Additionally, we will be able to appreciate why the Talmud is structured as it is.
The Talmud is, in essence, a record of the halachic debates that took place among the Tannaim and Amoraim. A hallmark of these discussions is the heavy reliance of the sages upon their ability to reason. Repeatedly, in the Talmud we observe that Chazal derived halachos based on the use of reason (See for example BK 46b). In many instances these discussions were in fact disputes which arose over the proper interpretation of an earlier authoritys statement. This begs the question, why our master teachers the sages - would have made statements that would be left to interpretation. Why not be exceedingly clear and precise to avoid any possible misinterpretation? From the Talmud itself it is apparent that this was often done lechaded bo es ha-talmidim, to hone the minds of the students (See for example Megilah 25a). By being brief, occasionally cryptic and at times, intentionally misspeaking during their lessons, our sages forced their students to develop their reasoning skills and master the Torah to understand lessons.
This phenomenon is perhaps best accounted for by Rabbi Tzvi Lampel in his work, The Dynamics of Dispute (p162): this [intentionally making false statements] was meant to train the scholars in quick, deep, and profound reasoning in mastering the sources. The goal of learning Torah is not merely to know the answer to questions, but even more important, to master the methods of arriving at them. This was accomplished through the system of honing the mind through intellectual battle. So integral is the pursuit for the perpetuation of Torah, it was intentionally employed even at the risk of halachic error. Similarly, even after the Talmud was put in writing, its language was kept terse so that it cannot be understood without elaboration. It is up to the students of the Talmud to supply that elaboration through their mastering its style of intimations and the sources it hints to
Thus, in addition to the reliance upon the use of reason by the sages themselves, we see that their lessons were often taught in a way that necessitated the use of reason to be understood by us. In keeping with this approach, the Talmud was redacted in such a way as to necessitate the use of reason and logical thought in order to properly understand it. The Talmud itself (Yerushalmi San 4:2) extols this aspect of study when it recounts that Yannai said, had the Torah been given clear-cut, we would not have a leg to stand on
But how do we explain to our students the great importance of reasoning such that the entire system of the Oral Law and its transmission depend upon it?
Reasoning is what distinguishes man from animals as it involves the use of the sechel - that part of man which we identify as being the Tzelem Elokim (See Seforno Genesis 1:26). When man is involved in the use of reason, he is using his Tzelem Elokim. An individuals shlaimus or spiritual perfection is commensurate with the degree to which he uses his Tzelem Elokim. That is, Man uses his sechel to uncover truths (See Generally Guide to The Perplexed). In fact, the Torah is given to Man to understand and follow through the use of his intellect. In this vein, we are told lo ba-shamyim he, the decisions of Torah law are not in the heavens; rather they are the domain of those who have mastered Gods Torah. As such, our sages realized that the method and process of learning the word of G-d must be one which involves use of the sechel.
The Torah tells us (Devarim 4:29) But if you search there for the Lord your God, you will find Him if only you seek Him with all your heart and soul. The Rav (Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik) ztl explained that Judaism insists that G-d reveals himself to the man who seeks after and thirsts for G-d. The goal of one who learns Torah, therefore, is to become what the Rav ztl termed a mevakesh HaShem - one who seeks out Hashem and yearns for His presence and illumination. Talmud study, structured as it is, is the perfect forum for such a God seeker to engage in His search. Difficult as it may be, this is what we must convey to our students.
