הלכות תלמוד תורה ד׳Torah Study 4

Halacha 1א׳

אֵין מְלַמְּדִין תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְתַלְמִיד הָגוּן נָאֶה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. אוֹ לְתָם. אֲבָל אִם הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא טוֹבָה מַחְזִירִין אוֹתוֹ לַמּוּטָב וּמַנְהִיגִין אוֹתוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה וּבוֹדְקִין אוֹתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסִין אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּמְלַמְּדִין אוֹתוֹ. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים כָּל הַשּׁוֹנֶה לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן כְּאִלּוּ זָרַק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כו ח) "כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד". וְאֵין כָּבוֹד אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג לה) "כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ". וְכֵן הָרַב שֶׁאֵינוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ טוֹבָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁחָכָם גָּדוֹל הוּא וְכָל הָעָם צְרִיכִין לוֹ אֵין מִתְלַמְּדִין מִמֶּנּוּ עַד שׁוּבוֹ לַמּוּטָב. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ב ז) "כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה יְבַקְשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ כִּי מַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת הוּא". אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אִם הָרַב דּוֹמֶה לְמַלְאַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת תּוֹרָה יְבַקְּשׁוּ מִפִּיהוּ אִם לָאו אַל יְבַקְּשׁוּ תּוֹרָה מִפִּיהוּ:

Torah should only be taught to a worthy pupil whose conduct is exemplary or whose disposition is simple. One however who walks in a way that is not good should first be reclaimed, trained in the right way and tested (as to his sincerity); then he is admitted into the Beth Hamidrash (College) and given instruction. The sages say: "To teach a pupil who is unworthy is like casting a stone to Mercury (the idol), as it is said, "As one puts a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool"** The stone does not stay long in the sling; it is soon shot out, so honour given to a fool does not stay long with him. (Prov. 26:8). There is no honour but the Torah, as it is said, "The wise shall inherit honour" (Prov. 3:35). So too, if a teacher does not walk in the right way—even if he is a great scholar and all the people are in need of him—instruction is not to be received from him till he reforms; as it is said, "For the priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts" (Mal. 2:7). Our sages applied this text thus: "If the teacher is like an angel of the Lord of Hosts, they may seek the Law from his mouth. But if he is not, then they shall not seek the Law from his mouth."

Halacha 2ב׳

כֵּיצַד מְלַמְּדִים. הָרַב יוֹשֵׁב בָּרֹאשׁ וְהַתַּלְמִידִים מֻקָּפִים לְפָנָיו כַּעֲטָרָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהוּ כֻּלָּם רוֹאִים הָרַב וְשׁוֹמְעִים דְּבָרָיו. וְלֹא יֵשֵׁב הָרַב עַל הַכִּסֵּא וְתַלְמִידָיו עַל הַקַּרְקַע אֶלָּא אוֹ הַכּל עַל הָאָרֶץ אוֹ הַכּל עַל הַכִּסְאוֹת. וּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיָה הָרַב יוֹשֵׁב וְהַתַּלְמִידִים עוֹמְדִים וּמִקֹּדֶם חֻרְבַּן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי נָהֲגוּ הַכּל לְלַמֵּד לַתַּלְמִידִים וְהֵם יוֹשְׁבִים:

How is instruction to be imparted ? The teacher is seated in the schoolroom facing the class, with the pupils around him like a crown, so that they can all see him and hear his words. The teacher is not to sit on a stool while his pupils are seated on the floor. Either all sit on the floor, or all on stools. Formerly the teacher used to be seated, while the pupils stood. But before the destruction of the Second Temple, it already had become the universal custom that pupils, while being taught, should be seated.

Halacha 3ג׳

אִם הָיָה מְלַמֵּד מִפִּיו לַתַּלְמִידִים מְלַמֵּד. וְאִם הָיָה מְלַמֵּד עַל פִּי מְתַרְגֵּם [הַמְתַרְגֵּם] עוֹמֵד בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הַתַּלְמִידִים וְהָרַב אוֹמֵר לַמְתַרְגֵּם וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם מַשְׁמִיעַ לְכָל הַתַּלְמִידִים. וּכְשֶׁהֵם שׁוֹאֲלִין לַמְתַרְגֵּם הוּא שׁוֹאֵל לָרַב וְהָרַב מֵשִׁיב לַמְתַרְגֵּם וְהַמְתַרְגֵּם מֵשִׁיב לַשּׁוֹאֵל. וְלֹא יַגְבִּיהַּ הָרַב קוֹלוֹ יוֹתֵר מִקּוֹל הַמְתַרְגֵּם. וְלֹא יַגְבִּיהַּ הַמְתַרְגֵּם קוֹלוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁשּׁוֹאֵל אֶת הָרַב יוֹתֵר מִקּוֹל הָרַב. אֵין הַמְתַרְגֵּם רַשַּׁאי לֹא לִפְחֹת וְלֹא לְהוֹסִיף וְלֹא לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה הַמְתֻרְגְּמָן אָבִיו שֶׁל חָכָם אוֹ רַבּוֹ. אוֹמֵר הָרַב לַמְתֻרְגְּמָן כָּךְ אָמַר לִי רַבִּי אוֹ כָּךְ אָמַר לִי אַבָּא מָרִי. וּכְשֶׁאוֹמֵר הַמְתֻרְגְּמָן הַדְּבָרִים לָעָם אוֹמֵר בְּשֵׁם הֶחָכָם וּמַזְכִּיר שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל אֲבִי הָרַב אוֹ שֶׁל רַבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ אָמַר רַבָּנָא פְּלוֹנִי אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר הָרַב שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל חָכָם. שֶׁאָסוּר לִקְרוֹת לְרַבּוֹ אוֹ לְאָבִיו בִּשְׁמוֹ:

If it was his custom to teach the pupils personally, he may do so. If however, he taught through a Meturgeman (an interpreter), the latter stands between him and his pupils. The teacher addresses the interpreter, who declaims what he has just heard to all the pupils. And when they put questions to the interpreter, he asks the teacher. The teacher replies to the interpreter who addresses the answer to the one who put the question. The teacher should not raise his voice above the interpreter's voice. Nor should the latter raise his voice above that of the teacher, when he addresses a question to him. The interpreter may not detract aught from the teacher's words, nor add to them nor vary them—unless he is the teacher's father or instructor. In addressing the interpreter, the teacher uses the introductory formula: "Thus my revered preceptor said to me" or "Thus my revered father said to me". But when the interpreter repeats the words to the listener, he recites them in the name of the sage quoted, and mentions the name if he were the teacher's father or teacher, and says "Thus said our Master so-and-so" (naming him). He does so, even if the teacher abstained from naming the sage on the ground that it is forbidden to mention one's teacher or father by name.

Halacha 4ד׳

הָרַב שֶׁלִּמֵּד וְלֹא הֵבִינוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים לֹא יִכְעֹס עֲלֵיהֶם וְיִרְגַּז אֶלָּא חוֹזֵר וְשׁוֹנֶה הַדָּבָר אֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים עַד שֶׁיָּבִינוּ עֹמֶק הַהֲלָכָה. וְכֵן לֹא יֹאמַר הַתַּלְמִיד הֵבַנְתִּי וְהוּא לֹא הֵבִין אֶלָּא חוֹזֵר וְשׁוֹאֵל אֲפִלּוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים. וְאִם כָּעַס עָלָיו רַבּוֹ וְרָגַז יֹאמַר לוֹ רַבִּי תּוֹרָה הִיא וְלִלְמֹד אֲנִי צָרִיךְ וְדַעְתִּי קְצָרָה:

If the teacher taught and his pupils did not understand, he should not be angry with them or fall into a rage, but should repeat the lesson again and again till they have grasped the full meaning of the Halacha (rule) he is expounding. So also, the pupil should not say "I understand" when he has not understood, but should ask again and again. And if the master is angry with him and storms at him, he should say "Master, it is Torah. I need to learn, and my intellectual capacities are deficient."

Halacha 5ה׳

לֹא יִהְיֶה הַתַּלְמִיד בּוֹשׁ מֵחֲבֵרָיו שֶׁלָּמְדוּ מִפַּעַם רִאשׁוֹנָה אוֹ שְׁנִיָּה וְהוּא לֹא לָמַד אֶלָּא אַחַר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים. שֶׁאִם נִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִדָּבָר זֶה נִמְצָא נִכְנָס וְיוֹצֵא לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְהוּא אֵינוֹ לָמֵד כְּלוּם. לְפִיכָךְ אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים אֵין הַבַּיְשָׁן לָמֵד וְלֹא הַקַּפְּדָן מְלַמֵּד. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּזְמַן שֶׁלֹּא הֵבִינוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הַדָּבָר מִפְּנֵי עָמְקוֹ אוֹ מִפְּנֵי דַּעְתָּן שֶׁהִיא קְצָרָה. אֲבָל אִם נִכָּר לָרַב שֶׁהֵם מִתְרַשְּׁלִין בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּמִתְרַפִּין עֲלֵיהֶן וּלְפִיכָךְ לֹא הֵבִינוּ חַיָּב לִרְגֹז עֲלֵיהֶן וּלְהַכְלִימָן בִּדְבָרִים כְּדֵי לְחַדְּדָם. וּכְעִנְיָן זֶה אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים זְרֹק מָרָה בַּתַּלְמִידִים. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין רָאוּי לָרַב לִנְהֹג קַלּוּת רֹאשׁ לִפְנֵי הַתַּלְמִידִים וְלֹא לִשְׂחֹק בִּפְנֵיהֶם וְלֹא לֶאֱכל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת עִמָּהֶם כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא אֵימָתוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן וְיִלְמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּמְהֵרָה:

A disciple should not feel ashamed before his fellow-students who grasp the lesson after hearing it once or twice, while he needs to hear it several times before he knows it. For if this makes him feel ashamed, he will go through college without having learnt anything. The ancient sages accordingly said, "A bashful man cannot learn, nor a passionate man teach" (Ethics of the Fathers 2:6). These observations only apply when the students' lack of understanding is due to the difficulty of the subject or to their mental deficiency. But if the teacher clearly sees that they are negligent and indolent in their study of the Torah and that this is the cause of their failure to understand, it is his duty to scold them and shame them with words of reproach, and so stimulate them to be keen. And in this regard, the sages said "Arouse awe in the pupils". It is thus improper for a teacher to indulge in frivolity before his pupils, or to jest in their presence, or eat and drink with them—so that the fear of him be upon them, and they will thus learn from him quickly.

Halacha 6ו׳

אֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הָרַב כְּשֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לַמִּדְרָשׁ עַד שֶׁתִּתְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ עָלָיו. וְאֵין הַתַּלְמִיד שׁוֹאֵל כְּשֶׁיִּכָּנֵס עַד שֶׁיִּתְיַשֵּׁב וְיָנוּחַ. וְאֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין שְׁנַיִם כְּאֶחָד. וְאֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶת הָרַב מֵעִנְיָן אַחֵר אֶלָּא מֵאוֹתוֹ הָעִנְיָן שֶׁהֵן עֲסוּקִין בּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ. וְיֵשׁ לָרַב לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת הַתַּלְמִידִים בִּשְׁאֵלוֹתָיו וּבַמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה בִּפְנֵיהֶם כְּדֵי לְחַדְּדָן. וּכְדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע אִם זוֹכְרִים הֵם מַה שֶּׁלִּמְּדָם אוֹ אֵינָם זוֹכְרִים. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ רְשׁוּת לִשְׁאל אוֹתָם בְּעִנְיָן אַחֵר שֶׁאֵין עוֹסְקִין בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְזָרְזָם:

Questions are not to be put to the teacher immediately on his entering the school, but only after his mind is composed. Nor should a pupil put a question as soon as he has come in, but only after he himself is composed and rested. Two pupils are not to put questions at one time. The teacher is not to be questioned on a topic not pertaining to the lesson, but only on the subject that is being treated, so as not to embarrass him. The teacher however should set "pitfalls" before his pupils, both in his questions and in what he does in their presence, in order to sharpen their wits, and ascertain whether they remember what he had taught them or do not remember it. Needless to add, that he has the right to question them on a subject other than that on which they are at the moment engaged, in order to stimulate them to be diligent in study.

Halacha 7ז׳

אֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין מְעֻמָּד וְאֵין מְשִׁיבִין מְעֻמָּד וְלֹא מִגָּבוֹהַּ וְלֹא מֵרָחוֹק וְלֹא מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הַזְּקֵנִים. וְאֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין הָרַב אֶלָּא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהֵן קוֹרִין בּוֹ. וְאֵין שׁוֹאֲלִין אֶלָּא מִיִּרְאָה. וְלֹא יִשְׁאַל בָּעִנְיָן יוֹתֵר מִשָּׁלֹשׁ הֲלָכוֹת:

No questions should be asked standing, nor answers given standing; nor should they be addressed by any one from an elevation, or from a distance, or when one is behind the elders. The teacher may only be questioned on the topic that is being studied. The questions are to be put in a respectful manner. One should not ask concerning more than three Halachoth (rules) in the topic.

Halacha 8ח׳

שְׁנַיִם שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ. שָׁאַל אֶחָד כָּעִנְיָן וְשָׁאַל אֶחָד שֶׁלֹּא כָּעִנְיָן נִזְקָקִין לָעִנְיָן. מַעֲשֶׂה וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה נִזְקָקִין לַמַּעֲשֶׂה. הֲלָכָה וּמִדְרָשׁ נִזְקָקִין לַהֲלָכָה. מִדְרָשׁ וְאַגָּדָה נִזְקָקִין לַמִּדְרָשׁ. אַגָּדָה וְקַל וָחֹמֶר נִזְקָקִין לַקַּל וָחֹמֶר. קַל וָחֹמֶר וּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה נִזְקָקִין לַקַּל וָחֹמֶר. הָיוּ הַשּׁוֹאֲלִין שְׁנַיִם אֶחָד חָכָם וְאֶחָד תַּלְמִיד נִזְקָקִין לֶחָכָם. תַּלְמִיד וְעַם הָאָרֶץ נִזְקָקִין לַתַּלְמִיד. שְׁנֵיהֶם חֲכָמִים שְׁנֵיהֶם תַּלְמִידִים שְׁנֵיהֶם עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ שָׁאֲלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בִּשְׁתֵּי הֲלָכוֹת אוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי תְּשׁוּבוֹת אוֹ בִּשְׁתֵּי שְׁאֵלוֹת שְׁנֵי מַעֲשִׂים. הָרְשׁוּת בְּיַד הַמְתַרְגֵּם מֵעַתָּה:

Two individuals put questions. One of these questions is germane to the subject under discussion, while the other is not. Heed is given to the question that is germane. One question refers to a legal rule, the other to exegesis; the former receives attention. One question is exegetical; the other homiletical; the former is taken up. One question is homiletical ; the other appertains to an inference a fortiori; the latter is answered. One question refers to an a fortiori inference, the other to an inference from similarity of phrases; the former is dealt with. Questions are put by two person, one of whom is a graduated scholar, the other a disciple; attention is paid to the scholar. One of them is a disciple, the other is unlettered; heed is given to the disciple. Where both are graduated scholars, disciples or unlettered, and the questions of both concern two legal rules, or two responses, or two practical issues, the interpreter may in these cases give the preference to either.

Halacha 9ט׳

אֵין יְשֵׁנִים בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְכָל הַמִּתְנַמְנֵם בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ חָכְמָתוֹ נַעֲשֵׂית קְרָעִים קְרָעִים. וְכֵן אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה בְּחָכְמָתוֹ (משלי כג כא) "וּקְרָעִים תַּלְבִּישׁ נוּמָה". וְאֵין מְשִׂיחִין בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד. אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁנִּתְעַטֵּשׁ אֵין אוֹמְרִים לוֹ רְפוּאָה בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שְׁאָר הַדְּבָרִים. וּקְדֻשַּׁת בֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ חֲמוּרָה מִקְּדֻשַּׁת בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת:

No one should sleep in the Beth Hamidrash (House of Study). If a student dozes there, his knowledge becomes a thing of shreds. Thus Solomon, in his wisdom, said, "And drowsiness shall clothe one in rags" (Prov. 23:21). No conversation may be held in the House of Study, except in reference to the words of the Torah. Even if one sneezes there, the others do not wish him 'good health'. Needless to add, other topics must not be discussed. The sanctity of a Beth Hamidrash is greater than that of synagogues.