Torah Study (לימוד התורה)

Core definition

Torah study (limud haTorah, talmud) is the intellectual avodah of studying and understanding the Torah thoroughly — its revealed part (the laws governing conduct, man to Elokim and man to man) and its hidden part (the spiritual knowledge-matter behind the revealed) — pursued not for knowledge alone but as the primary vessel for drawing Divine revelation from above to below. In the corpus's Talmud-Ma'aseh exposition: "Talmud: the avodah of working with the intellect — studying Torah and understanding thoroughly what one studies," encompassing both the revealed — "the part giving to understand how the Jewish people, in all its layers... conduct themselves in all times of life" — and the hidden — "every meaning in the spiritual sense and loftier understanding" [31621/maamar_022 :: Page 226 summary].

How the Rebbeim develop it

Talmud vs. ma'aseh. The Gemara's question in Kiddushin 40b — what is loftier, talmud or ma'aseh? — is read as the polarity of two complete paths: "Talmud is head-avodah; ma'aseh is heart-avodah." R. Tarfon holds ma'aseh is great, for the heart's temimus-like earnestness; R. Akiva holds talmud is great, "for talmud is a vessel to 'great is Havayah, and greatly praised.'" The elders concluded "talmud is great — because talmud brings to ma'aseh": both are "two pillars of light," but the study "brings to ma'aseh" because of the ma'or in the Torah — "the source of luminosity in the Torah" — of which the Holy One says, "the ma'or in it brings them near to Me": the luminosity draws the student nearer to Elokim, the Giver of the Torah [31621/maamar_022 :: Page 226 summary, Section 8].

Study as a drawing from above to below. Torah is "a drawing from above to below — but comes through avodah specifically": in his study man "shall draw the revelation of Divinity" — a power given to Israel at Sinai ("and Elokim spoke all these words, saying" — "saying," to the generations). The many's study draws a loftier light than the individual's; the thirteen principles with which the Torah is expounded draw the thirteen attributes of mercy, "the influence also in the physical — in the seen and revealed good" [31621/maamar_024 :: Page 268 summary]. The study "in public" is singled out: "through the study of Torah in the generality, and the study in public in particular — through this is the revelation of supernal light from above, which effects an awakening to change his nature and his habit" [31621/maamar_024 :: Page 268 summary].

Torah study with compulsion and bitul. "Also even the study of Torah: the principal is with compulsion": as the Tzemach Tzedek told the chassid who complained he does not want to study — "when one does not want, and one studies — this is the true fulfillment of the mitzvah of studying Torah" [31621/maamar_022 :: Page 230 summary]. And "in order to truly receive the light of the Torah, and understand and feel the greatness of the Divine unlimitedness, the study of Torah must be with bitul — surrendering oneself to the Giver of the Torah," for "the Torah went forth from Chochmah" (Etz Chaim), and Chochmah is "the power of mah (surrender)" — hence the student must know "that the words of Torah he speaks are Elokim's words" ("and I have placed My words in your mouth"; Dovid: "Your utterance — my tongue has sharpened") [31621/maamar_022 :: Page 230 summary].

The fixed study as the lamp's vessel. In the soul-as-lamp parable, "the vessel = fixing times for Torah — in halachic knowledge and awe — which unites them into a lasting light": the wick (the animal soul) and the oil (good deeds) need the vessel of fixed study; "through the fixed study of Torah" comes "the elevation of his essential standing in spirituality and physicality alike" [31673/maamar_026 :: Summary (Siman on the soul as lamp)]. The purpose of the soul's descent is itself formulated as "the fulfillment of the mitzvos and the study of Torah below, in this world specifically" [31621/maamar_024 :: Page 268 summary].

Key distinctions

Talmud vs. ma'aseh. Talmud is the avodah of the brain — intellectual exertion to comprehend the revealed and the hidden; ma'aseh is the avodah of the heart — fulfillment with heartfelt temimus. Ma'aseh is "a vessel to 'Yours, Havayah, is the greatness — this is the work of creation'"; talmud is "a vessel to the generality of 'great is Havayah'" [31621/maamar_022 :: Section 7–8].

The individual's vs. the many's study. Like prayer, Torah-study has the individual/many difference; the many's study draws a loftier supernal light ("Ten who sit and are occupied in Torah — the Shechinah rests among them") [31621/maamar_024 :: Page 268 summary].

Knowing the deed vs. the light of Torah. Study serves both to "know the deed" — the precise halachic details many lack — and beyond that, to draw "the revelation of supernal light from above, effecting an awakening to change his nature and habit" [31621/maamar_024 :: Page 268 summary].

Related concepts

Mitzvos (deeds); Tefillah (prayer — the heart's avodah alongside Torah); Bitul (self-nullification); Kabbolas ol (the compulsion in study and deed); The thirteen attributes of mercy (drawn through the thirteen principles); Ma'or (the Torah's luminosity).

Sources