People are living longer. Many men can retire at age 65 and have at least 10 to 20 productive years ahead without the yoke of parnassa. Those who were unable to devote themselves to Torah learning because of the need to support their families can now return to the beis medrash. There is ample time, using this golden stage of life, to attempt to acquire the most esteemed accolade: talmid chacham! There are currently structured programs in Baltimore providing opportunities throughout the day for growth in Torah. No longer must we suffice with grabbing a Daf Yomi shiur in the morning and listening to our Rav explain a halacha between Mincha and Maariv.
The purpose of this article is
to motivate men who have the time and love Torah to come together and learn it b’chabura. As Rabbi Moshe Heinemann
said, “The mitzva
of limud Torah is greatly enhanced
when it is done b’chabura.”
The Chofetz Chaim wrote a book
called Shem Olam. He devotes the entire chapter 21 to this issue and lists the
following advantages of learning in groups.
·
Kiddush Hashem. The more men in the Torah group, the greater glory,
exponentially, for the King. Rabbeinu Yona writes that, during the learning,
the Source of Life receives a crown, and His entire kingdom is lauded.
·
Your Torah words are written down in the book of Zichronos.
·
If 10 men come to the group, the Shechinah precedes them, meaning that you give the Shechinah even more comfort.
·
It’s the only way to acquire Torah, as stated in Avos 6:6.
·
There is more accountability to others when you miss.
·
You will feel the loss more on the days that you miss, since the
group has continued without you.
·
You can fulfill the positive mitzva of teaching Torah any time you
explain to a friend who does not understand; you become his rebbe.
·
It is a segula to be
able to zero-in on the truth of Torah. Learning alone is a segula to become dull-witted in Torah.
·
Hakadosh Baruch Hu corrects your mistakes.
·
His words are fire. Learning Torah in a group is a bonfire!
·
You fulfill a positive commandment based upon Dvarim 27:9: “Group
together and be attentive to words of Torah, oh Israel.”
·
People who are not able to learn very well on their own must hire
teachers and join groups to increase their diligence.
·
These groups stimulate Divine tolerance towards Israel.
·
After all the harassment and troubles that Israel will suffer at
the end of the exile, they will not merit to be redeemed except in the zechus of 10 men who sit near each other
and learn Torah together.
Another important consideration
is that the Talmud states that the flawless mitzva of learning Torah is when it
is verbalized (Eruvin 54a).The concept of Shome’ah
k’oneh (listening counts as speaking)
applies here (Gra”z Talmud Torah 2:12), meaning that when your chavrusa or instructor speaks words of
Torah to you, it is considered as if you yourself spoke those same words – with
one caveat. The sound must be directly from his live flesh and blood. Digital
impulses via any device that sound like his voice do not suffice for this
perfection.
We know that learning Torah is
the most productive vocation that exists. Let us come together as a community
and spend structured days involved with our most cherished possession!
Rabbi
Edelman is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Gevuras Ari, a subdivision of Mercaz Torah
U’Tefillah (Eichenstein’s). He
is also founder of the
educational resource Rebbes’ Mussar Stories at www.mussarstories.com.
