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Importance of Torá Study
by Haham Eliezer Papo, Sarajevo (Ottoman Turkish Empire) 5545 / 1785 CE
Who is not aware of the greatness of the Torá? Yet, people do not pay enough attention to their responsibility to teach it to their children. Indeed, a child's Torá education should begin at conceptionThe parents should pray that the Almighty grant them holy, integent and upright children. The mother should strive to hear words of Torá during the pregnancy.
Once a child is born, the parents should keep him in a Torá environment. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah became a great Sage thanks to his mother. During her pregnancy, she went to the Study Hall to listen to the voice of Torá and asked the scholars to pray that her child would become a great scholar. After his birth, she brought him to the Study Hall to hear the Torá being learnedThe words thus became implanted in his mind.
Torá songs should be sung to soothe a crying baby. Love songs and Gentile songs damage a child's soul.
Once a child is able to speak, the father should teach him verses and lessons from the Torá. When the child grows older, he should be brought to a teacher. Yet even after he begins studying with a teacher, what he learns at home influences a child the most. A parent should study with his child daily, on Shabbat, and whenever he has free time. If he is unable to maintain this responsibility for whatever reason, he should hire a Torá scholar.
It is the lot of ignorant people to toil day and night to earn a living, and to undergo considerable personal sacrifice and suffering. Yet they walk in darkness, permitting that which is forbidden and forbidding that which is permitted, untouched by the light of Torá. They awaken early and go to sleep late, wasting their lives on trivialities. Woe unto them in this world and woe unto them in the World-to-Come!
This is not so of Torá scholars. The merit of Torá provides them with a livelihood in this world. They develop upright qualities, avoid anger and melancholy, and direct their attention to the Worldto-Come instead of worrying about matters of this world.
A pure person who realizes the greatness of Torá will sacrifice himself to provide his children a Torá education. At least one of his children should become a Torá scholar.
Great is the benefit which scholars provide their parents through their Torá and service of God. Rabbinic scholars are careful to honor their parents in both life and death; their merit elevates the soul of their parents. The parents of a Torá scholar benefit the child, themselves, and serve the will of their Creator.
Although your first responsibility is to your own children, people who are able to teach other children as well are fortunate. The others may succeed more than your children, and you will rejoice in their accomplishments. One who teaches Torá to others is considered as their natural parent (Sanhedrin 19b).
Some scholars think that studying Torá with young children is a waste of time. They reason that when they learn by themselves, they can cover more of the Talmud and the Codes and write their own Torá insights, whereas if they spend time with young students, they are merely reviewing material on the simplest level.
It is therefore important to know that in God's eyes, it is much greater to teach children even the alef-bet than to study the most complex Torá laws. Keep in mind also that if you were unable to teach your children Torá, you would want others to assume this responsibility. This is especially true when it comes to teaching orphans.
Our Rabbis of blessed memory taught: "Be careful with the children of the poor, because the Torá will emanate from them" (Nedarim 81a).
They also taught: "Be careful with the children of the ignorant, for the Torá will proceed from their midst" (Sanhedrin 96a). Community leaders must tirelessly and wholeheartedly day nor devote themselves to the responsibilities of Torá education. They 99b). We should hire qualified teachers for each subject and appoint proper supervisors.
The world exists through the merit of the breath of young children who study Torá (Shabbat 119b). Their studies are not to be disturbed for any reason. Any effort or expense to promote Torá study among children benefits their souls and pleases our Creator. God.
Never lose hope on any child nor decide that since he will never become a scholar, it would be better for him to leave school and begin working. This is nonsense. Whoever spends time studying Torá will undoubtedly progress. Even if he does not become a scholar, he will at least become educated.
A man is obligated to teach his children Torá until they grow up even if he is so poor that he is unable to support his family. The Torá will help them in their businesses to earn their livelihoods honestly, pleasantly, abundantly and with dignity. Even if they do ers it as not become great sages, they may become readers of the synagogue services, teachers or communal workers.
To be sure, it is impossible to have a world without merchants. If everyone became Torá scholars, they would have nothing to eat. Our Rabbis taught that "The world cannot exist without spice dealers and tanners-happy is the spice dealer; woe unto the tanner" (Kiddushin 82b). The world needs both sages and merchants. Fortunate are people who dwell in the House of Study.
If you are a businessman, try to devote as much time as possible to Torá study. Do not miss public prayers; have daily fixed times for Torá study; dedicate yourself to raising your children to become scholars. Support and serve Torá sages with all your might.
"Woe unto people for the shame of the Torá" (Avot 6:2). Our commentators explained this statement with a parable. If you were told to count old pieces, and that you could keep whatever you counted-you would certainly not tire from counting them day and night! If you were to stop counting, it would indicate that the gold meant nothing to you. This is analogous to Torá study. One who fails to study indicates his lack of interest in Torá. There is no greater shame to the Torá than this.
Rabbi Yishmael's nephew learned the entire Torá and then asked his uncle if it was permissible for him to study Greek sciences. Rabbi Yishmael replied, "The verse states: 'And you shall meditate on it (the Torá) day and night'. Go and find an hour which is neither day nor night and you may study Greek wisdom then" (Menahot 99b). We are accountable for the tiniest moment wasted which could have been spent in Torá study.
All of the evils which befall us and delay the arrival of the Messiah are the result of wasting time which could have been devoted to Torá study.
I call out to you, children of the living God! Let us be strong for our God. Let us respect the honor of our Creator! Let us respect our souls and our spirits! Let us believe in our sacred Torá and in the words of our holy Rabbis. Let us resolve not to waste time! Perhaps God will then bring about the flowering of our redemption, and send the Messiah.
A merchant should not say: "I have learned Psalms and studied some Zohar. A Rabbinic scholar has the time to engage in Torá study all day, but I cannot." This attitude is wrong. Our Rabbis taught that if one reviews even one verse with devotion, God considers it as though he were studying the most complicated sections of the Torá. Review what you know one thousand times rather than sitting idle.
Women should greatly encourage their husbands and children to study Torá, especially on long winter nights, Shabbatot, holidays and whenever they are free. The wife of a Rabbinic scholar should try to make it easy for her husband to learn.
Whoever engages in Torá study is elevated, since study leads to action. Follow the words of the Torá and our Sages, deviating neither to the right nor the left. You will merit blessing in this world and the World-to-Come.
"The study of Torá surpasses all" (Peah 1: 1).
This is from Haham Papo's Pele Yoetz (An Encyclopedia of Ethical Living) which is available in all Jewish bookstores. The Pele Yoetz was first printed in Constantinople, Turkey in 5585 /1825 CE. It was popular among both Sephardim and Ashkenazim across Europe and Asia. The work has been printed in Hebrew, Ladino, Judeo-German, Arabic and German.