Lengthen your lifespan!

Hi,

"Rav Yehudah said: Three things abbreviate a person's days and years: If he is given a Torah from which to read and he refuses, if he is offered a cup [of wine or grape juice] with which to bless Gd and he refuses, and if he acts in the manner of high office."

(Talmud, Berachot 55a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

48 Ways: #36 - Distance yourself from honour

Hi,

Pirkei Avot 6:5 teaches that Torah is acquired in 48 ways, which it lists for us. The thirty-sixth of the 48 is mitracheik min hakavod, to distance one's self from honour.

Certainly, one who is motivated by a search for honour will be vulnerable to mistakes in his learning as he looks for ways to find honour instead of making sure his learning is solid. Further, one who seeks honour will grow frustrated, for it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find sufficient honour to justify his efforts. Further, one who seeks honour through Torah actually cheapens the Torah he studies.

More, though: Beyond the trait of not seeking honour, one must actively avoid it in order to succeed in his studies, for one who allows himself to indulge in honours will find his time, energy and focus for Torah study reduced. Others may be obligated to honour him, but he is obligated to avoid accepting it (politely, of course).

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sensitivity to the community's needs

Hi,

"When R' Akiva prayed with the community, he would shorten the time he used for the amidah and end it, so as not to strain the community [who waited for him to finish before proceeding]."

(Talmud, Berachot 31a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Respect for one's mentor

Hi,

"R' Eliezer said: One who prays behind his rebbe [mentor], greets and responds to his rebbe, disagrees with his rebbe's school, or says something he did not hear from his rebbe, causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel."

(Talmud, Berachot 27b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honoring people with dementia

Hi,

"The Tablets and the Broken Tablets were both placed in the Ark; this teaches that one should not disgrace a Torah scholar who has forgotten his learning due to circumstances beyond his control."

(Talmud, Menachot 99a)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

The value of bekius [broad but superficial study]

Hi,

"I heard regarding the Gaon, Light of the Diaspora, our Master Rav Chaim, that a certain man in his city was expert in Shas [the Talmud], and the Gaon would honor him, standing before him. His students were surprised at this.

"He told them, with his customary clarity: Is a Sudilkov edition of Shas not a Shas? True, the Amsterdam edition is checked and without errors, and so it is finer, but this is also a Shas."

(Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Chafetz Chaim), Shem Olam II, Chapter 5, final footnote)

[I am not sure who "Rav Chaim" is - perhaps it is Rav Chaim Ozer?]

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Eat nicely!

Hi,

To preserve the honor of Torah, its representatives should not behave crudely. Therefore:

"A Torah scholar should not eat standing up, should not lick his fingers (from his food) and should not chew his cud before others."

(Derech Eretz Zuta 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Using Torah as a song

Hi,

"One who recites a verse from Song of Songs and makes it a sort of song, or one who recites a verse at an inappropriate time, brings evil to the world. The Torah clothes itself in sackcloth, stands before Gd and says: Master of the Universe! Your children have made me like a lyre with which the nations play for idolatry!

"Gd replies: My daughter! If so [that you protest], what should My children do when they are glad?

"Torah responds: Master of the Universe! If they are scholars, let them involve themselves in Torah, mishnah, talmud, halachah and aggadah. If they are not learned, let them involve themselves in the laws of Pesach on Pesach, the laws of Shavuot on Shavuot, and the laws of Succot on Succot."

(Kallah Rabti 1:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Showing respect

Hi,

"Rabbi Elazar said: A Torah scholar [lit. "student of a sage"] who does not stand before his mentor is identified as wicked, and will not live long, and his learning will be forgotten."

(Talmud, Kiddushin 33b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The danger of trivializing Torah

Hi,


"King David was punished for calling the words of Torah "songs," as he did in the verse (Psalms 119), 'Your laws were songs for me in the house of my dwelling.'

"Gd said to him: You call these words songs? Regarding those words it is written (Proverbs 23), 'Blink your eyes and they disappear (meaning that understanding them requires great concentration)!'"

(Talmud, Sotah 35a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Respect for a Torah scroll

Hi,

"Once the Torah scroll is opened [for reading], speech is prohibited - even speech regarding a matter of Jewish law."

(Talmud, Sotah 39a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai