![]() ![]() When one tries to get very intellectual and analitical, one could loose their dveikus. However if one learns it as a way of CONNECTING with the tzaddikim of old (be it the neviim or tanaim and amoraim, of rishonim and achronim) then any limud will leave you fulfilled!Īnother issue may be that our limud may just not be "spiritual" enough, and it may be especially true when learnig Gemara. ![]() If one learns any part of Torah without complete emuna, any limud will leave you feeling empty, be it Tanach, Gemara of even Chassidus. Furhtermore, I'd suggest that the chareidim of old disagreed with the maskilim because the maskilim wanted to learn Tanach as a way of "Bible criticism". I think it's required reading for you if you're bothered with these issues. He also quotes what these poskim suggest as a limud for laymen. Let me try to adress a few issues: First of all, Rav Ariel Bar Tzaddok just put up a very good article that deals with learning gemara: He quotes some opinions (of very important contemporary poskim) that learning Gemara without extracting Halacha from it is like bitul Torah (may be that's why you feel empty). Thank you CE! I feel exactly the same! Moreover, when I was in yeshiva, I would often feel a very unpleasant emptiness after a good gemara seder, and was afraid to ask my rabanim about it. But maybe things are different today? Maybe because my Gemara skills aren't great, or because I'm a working man without the time for real in-depth Gemara study, the rules are different? I don't know, but my chavrusa won't let me change the seder anyway – so I continue, tomorrow morning I'll open up to Eiruvin, daf lamed. The Yorei Shomaim wanted us to spend our days with Chazal, learning Gemara. I know that I'd rather be learning Chumash or Tanach in depth – that's something I really enjoy! But, on the other hand, I know that this was a matter of great dispute between the maskilim and the chareidim of old… Tanach or Shas? The Maskilim said Tanach, the Tzaddikim said Shas. Sometimes, I feel guilty about it, other times I feel foolish in persisting. ![]() Is there not a better use of that time? Am I being foolish learning something that doesn't speak to me, when I could be learning something that does? I feel like a guy that got invited to the greatest event in history, but after driving around in circles, I just can't find the entrance. So, I do it day after day, and often wonder if I am getting anything out of it. Sometimes I am inspired by an insight into Chumash or Navi, or a piece of aggadeta, but it's not every day, and it's not really what Gemara is anyway – technically, if I wanted those things, I could just learn Tanach with miforshim and Ein Yaakov. I learn Gemara every day, and I've done so for years, but I usually walk away feeling somewhat empty. By studying Gemara a person's mind becomes one with G-d's will in a perfect unity, making the person's mind G-dly.īut then there are the facts on the ground. In Tanya, R' Schneur Zalman of Liadi states that the Talmud is a manifestation of G-d's will, even higher than the level of Chochma (wisdom). Without it, it would be impossible to understand Torah correctly, as much of our understanding of Torah is only hinted at – or not even mentioned all – in Torah Sh'biksav and is only explained in Shas. Our learning Gemara connects us all the way back. Moreover, Gemara, Torah Sh'Baal Peh, is the other – equally essential - half of Tanach, and was equally given to Moshe at Sinai. In truth, Gemara is the ikkur limud haTorah for Klal Yisroel throughout the history of our galus. The Gemara contains great secrets, often hidden in the aggateda, as Chazal reveal an inch but conceal miles. There we are taught how to think, we are taught the structure of Torah, and we are able to connect our thoughts with thousands of years of Jewish thinking. Gemara contains the thinking of Chazal, who are basically the founding fathers of our Torah Shebaal Peh, and our Yiddishkeit. From Gemara we understand more than the halachaic nitty-gritty with assorted anecdotes. There's no question that Gemara is the primary limud haTorah. And it is a wonder, as from where do we have this as later it only says, "We may not eat an afikoman (a dessert or other foods eaten after the meal) after the Pesach sacrifice" - which means not to eat, but to drink is permitted.Our friend ASJ has been asking me to share my struggles with Gemara, so I finally gave in. Our rabbis learned, "We say the Great Hallel over a fifth cup - these are the words of Rabbi Tarfon, and there are those that say, 'The Lord is my shepard, I shall not lack' (Psalms 23)." And Rashbam the textual variant, "We say the Great Hallel on the fourth cup," as 'who mentioned the name' of the fifth cup and if it is coming to say forbidden to drink after the four cups.
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