The gemora says in Megilla (3a), "We desist
from Torah study ("bitul Torah") in order to come and
hear the reading of the Megilla." This is learned by a
kal vochomer from the case of avoda in the
Beis Hamikdosh: If the avoda which is so
important may be abandoned, how much more the study of the
Torah. The gemora then questions whether avoda
is more important than Torah study from a posuk in
Yehoshua (5:13) and by citing a contradictory
statement by an amora. This is reconciled by
distinguishing between the case of an individual where
avoda and Megilla reading take priority over
Torah study and the case of the public where the Torah reigns
supreme.
What is meant by the concept of bitul Torah to hear
the Megilla? Surely the reading of the Megilla
is itself Torah! It is part of the kisvei hakodesh and
requires inscribed lines (sirtut) like a sefer
Torah. The Rashash asks this question and refers us to
Shulchan Oruch Yoreh Deah 246:3 (it should say 246:4),
where the mechaber declares it to be "the duty of
every man to divide up his learning into three equal periods
for the following categories: the written Torah, the
Mishna and Talmud . . . however, this only
applies when a man first starts to learn, but when he grows
in Torah . . . let him spend all his days delving into the
Talmud alone according to his abilities and
temperament."
We need to understand further why the cessation of Talmud
study for the sake of hearing the Megilla -- part
of Torah shebichsav -- is considered bitul
Torah for the person who has grown in Torah and no longer
needs to divide up his time as above.
I heard in the name of mori verabi hagaon hatzaddik
the Bircas Shmuel zt"l that bitul Torah is not
referring only to someone who does not learn at all, but also
to a person whose quality of learning is deficient. His
talents and capabilities call for great depth in his Torah
studies, yet he is lazy and does not toil enough: such a
person is also mevatel talmud Torah. This is the
meaning of the statement that we are mevatel Torah
study for the sake of the Megilla reading. Although
Megillas Esther is part of the Tanach and by
reading it we are observing the mitzva of limud Torah,
in relation to the enterprise of Torah learning which
involves in-depth study of halocho and pilpula
deOraisa, stopping this to hear the Megilla is
considered a bitul since this activity lacks the
profundity of Torah learning be'iyun.
This point also sheds light on the continuation of the above-
cited gemora regarding the angel who tells Yehoshua,
"This evening you neglected the offering of tomid shebein
ho'arbayim and now you have been mevatel the study
of the Torah." Yehoshua replied, "In regard to which of them
have you come?" He answered, "I have come now" (i.e.
on account of the study of the Torah which you are neglecting
now).
Straightaway, "Yehoshua tarried that night in the midst of
the valley," and Rabbi Yochonon said, "This shows that he
tarried in the depths of the halocho."
Yehoshua was certainly not mevatel Torah learning
altogether, even in the middle of war. The angel's complaint
was only against the lack of the in-depth halachic study
expected of Yehoshua. This explains Rabbi Yochonon's
statement [emphasizing that he learned in-depth].
Let us further consider the fundamentals regarding the
acquisition and study of Torah shebe'al pe.
In Medrash Tanchuma Parshas Noach (3) it says, " . .
. The only person who learns it [Torah shebe'al pe] is
he who loves Hakodosh Boruch Hu with all his heart and
all his soul and all his might as it says, `And you shall
love Hashem your G-d with all your heart and all your soul
and all your might.' From where do you know that love denotes
Talmud? See what is written afterwards: `Let these
words which I have commanded you today be upon your hearts'.
Which words? The Talmud which is upon the heart. `And
you shall recite them to your sons,' this refers to the
Talmud which requires recitation. This teaches you
that the first section of Krias Shema contains no
statement of reward in this world, something that we do find
in the second section: `And it shall come to pass if you will
surely hearken . . . that I will give the rain of your lands'
-- this refers to granting reward to those who fulfill the
commandments [the Torah shebe'al pe according to
another version] and do not study the Talmud. In the
second section it says, `With all your hearts and all your
souls', but not `with all your might.' This teaches you that
whoever loves wealth and pleasure cannot learn Torah
shebe'al pe since it involves a lot of hardship and lack
of sleep."
The Medrash is to be explained as follows. In the
first section the Torah does not mention any reward in this
world, but the second section does. This is because the first
section deals with Torah shebe'al pe which cannot be
studied if one is immersed in the pleasures of olom
hazeh. The second section, which talks about Torah
shebichsav does not contain the phrase "with all your
might," but mention is made of the material benefits of Torah
observance in this world, because even the wealthy can study
Torah shebichsav.
According to this, the Torah in the first posuk of
krias Shema ("And you shall love Hashem . . . and with
all your might") is not telling you that you must love Hashem
and His Torah even at the cost of giving up your life, but
that the only way to love Him and acquire the Torah is
through mesiras nefesh and the "killing" of the
material aspect of ourselves.
In the beginning of the above Medrash it says, "Torah
shebe'al pe is described as follows: `The measure
thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea'
(Iyov 11:9) and it says, `It is not found in the land
of the living' (ibid. 28:13). Is it then to be found
in the land of the dead? This teaches you that Torah
shebe'al pe is not to be found in the person who seeks
pleasure in the world, the desires, honor and glory of this
world, but only in the person who "kills" himself for it . .
. `according to these words I have made a covenant with you'
(Shemos 34:27). `These words' refer to Torah
shebe'al pe which is difficult to learn and entails a lot
of hardship, for it is compared to darkness, as it says, `The
people that walked in darkness have seen a great light'
(Yeshaya 9:1) -- these are the Talmud students who
have seen a great light, Hakodosh Boruch Hu having
illuminated their eyes in matters of issur vehetter
and tumo vetaharo. In the future world, `They who love
Him will be as the sun when it goes forth in its might'
(Shofetim 5:31)."
We see clearly from this Medrash that Torah
shebe'al pe is difficult to learn because of its method
of acquisition. In the beginning it is like great darkness,
and only Hakodosh Boruch Hu lights up the eyes of
those who walk in darkness. If someone thinks that learning
comes easily, it is a sign that he has not even begun to
study. That is why it says in the first section, "with all
your might," since you have to dedicate your whole essence to
Torah shebe'al pe and whoever loves wealth and
pleasure cannot learn it.
The Medrash continues, " `The people who walk in
darkness have seen a great light.' This refers to the light
created on the first day which Hakodosh Boruch Hu has
reserved for those who toil in Torah shebe'al pe day
and night and in whose merit the world exists . . . and
Hakodosh Boruch Hu has made a covenant with the Jewish
people that the Torah shebe'al pe will not be
forgotten by them and their descendants until the end of all
generations . . . therefore Hakodosh Boruch Hu
established two yeshivos for the Jewish nation, where the
Torah would be studied day and night . . . and those two
yeshivos experienced neither captivity nor apostasy . . .
they were not controlled by Greece or Edom and Hakodosh
Boruch Hu took them into exile twelve years before the
destruction of Yerushalayim with their Torah and Talmud
intact."
Hakodosh Boruch Hu took the yeshivos out of
Eretz Yisroel before the churban to save them
from destruction chas vesholom and in order that the
Torah not be forgotten amongst the Jewish people. Since then
until our time no nation has ruled over them or forced them
into apostasy: "and even in the days of Moshiach they will
not experience the Messianic travails" (the Medrash
ibid.).
The reward of the ben Torah in this world is that no
nation or power or government can dominate the yeshivos. We
saw this clearly in the time of Hitler ym"sh who
destroyed Europe and the Jewish nation, whereas the yeshivos
remained in the hands of Hakodosh Boruch Hu Who saved
them miraculously. They will not even be affected by the
Messianic travails.
It is up to all of us to dedicate our hearts and souls to the
study of Torah so that we may be worthy of serving in the
army of the King of Kings Hakodosh Boruch Hu and to
toil in Torah shebe'al pe be'iyun and in depth, for
this is its essence. Torah study which lacks the required
intensity of iyun is bitul Torah, and the world
exists due to the merit of Torah.
[Based on a student's notes on a shmuess.]
HaRav Reuven Gershonowitz, zt"l, was
niftar on 5 Nisan, 5755.
