יורה דעה רמ״וYoreh De'ah 246

Siman 246 of 402 in Yoreh De'ah — 26 se'ifim

Se’if 1א׳

כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּב בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, בֵּין עָנִי בֵּין עָשִׁיר, בֵּין שָׁלֵם בְּגוּפוֹ בֵּין בַּעַל יִסוּרִים, בֵּין בָּחוּר בֵּין זָקֵן גָּדוֹל. אֲפִלּוּ עָנִי הַמְחַזֵּר עַל הַפְּתָחִים, אֲפִלּוּ בַּעַל אִשָּׁה וּבָנִים, חַיָּב לִקְבֹּעַ לוֹ זְמַן לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ א, ח). וּבִשְׁעַת הַדַּחַק, אֲפִלּוּ לֹא קָרָא רַק קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע שַׁחֲרִית וְעַרְבִית, לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּי ךָ (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ נט, כא) קָרִינָן בֵּיהּ (הַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי פֶּרֶק א' וּסְמַ"ג עֲשִׂין י"ב). וּמִי שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִלְמֹד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל לִלְמֹד אוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַטְּרָדוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, יַסְפִּיק לַאֲחֵרִים הַלּוֹמְדִים. הַגָּה: וְתֵחָשֵׁב לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ לוֹמֵד בְּעַצְמוֹ (טוּר). וְיָכוֹל אָדָם לְהַתְנוֹת עִם חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁהוּא יַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְהוּא יַמְצִיא לוֹ פַּרְנָסָה וְיַחֲלֹק עִמּוֹ הַשָּׂכָר, אֲבָל אִם כְּבַר עָסַק בְּתוֹרָה אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִמְכֹּר לוֹ חֶלְקוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל מָמוֹן שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ לוֹ. (תא"ו נָתִיב ב' מִשַּׁ"ס דְּסוֹטָה).

That Every Person is Obligated in Torah Study, and How One May Study for Payment. Containing 26 Sections: Every Jewish man is obligated in studying Torah, whether poor or rich, whether completely healthy or suffering, whether young or very old. Even a poor man who frequents doorways (to beg) and even one with a wife and children is obligated to set a time for himself to study Torah, by day or by night, as it says, "And you shall meditate in it day and night." (And in a pressing time, even if he only read Shem"a in the morning or evening, it is called "It shall not depart from your mouth" (HG"M 1 & SM"G Asin 12). And one that it is impossible for him to learn because he does not know how to at all or because of troubles that he has, should support others who study. Rema: And it will be considered for him as if he learned himself (Tur) And a person is able to make a condition with his friend, that he will study Torah and he will support him, and he will split the reward with him. But if he already toiled in Torah, he is unable to sell him his portion for the money he will give to him. (Toldot Adam VeChava, Netiv 2, from the Gemara in Sotah)

Se’if 2ב׳

יִלְמַד אָדָם תּוֹרָה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה, שֶׁאִם יִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה תְּחִלָּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה מֵאַחַר שֶׁרֵחַיִם בְּצַוָּארוֹ. וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ בְּלֹא אִשָּׁה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיִּצְרוֹ מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו, יִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה תְּחִלָּה.

A person should learn Torah first and then marry a woman, because if he married a woman first, it would be impossible for him to study Torah after with a millstone hanging around his neck. But if it is impossible for him to live without a wife because his inclination overpowers him, he should marry a woman first.

Se’if 3ג׳

עַד אֵימָתַי חַיָּב לִלְמֹד, עַד יוֹם מוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּפֶן יָסוּרוּ מִלְּבָבְךָ כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ (דְּבָרִים ד, ט). וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, הוּא שׁוֹכֵחַ.

Until when is one obligated to study? Until the day of one's death, as it is stated: "Lest they be removed from your heart, all the days of your life" (Deuteronomy 4:9). And any time that one does not engage in Torah study, one forgets.

Se’if 4ד׳

חַיָּב אָדָם לְשַׁלֵּשׁ לִמּוּדוֹ, שְׁלִישׁ בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, דְּהַיְנוּ הָאַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים; שְׁלִישׁ בְּמִשְׁנָה, דְּהַיְנוּ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וּפֵרוּשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב בִּכְלַל זֶה; שְׁלִישׁ בְּתַלְמוּד, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיָּבִין וְיַשְׂכִּיל אַחֲרִית דָּבָר מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ, וְיוֹצִיא דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר, וִידַמֶּה דָּבָר לְדָבָר וְיָדוּן בְּמִדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בָּהֶם עַד שֶׁיֵּדַע הֵיאָךְ עִקַּר הַמִּצְוֹת וְהֵיאָךְ יוֹצֵא הָאָסוּר וְהַמֻּתָּר וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, דְּבָרִים שֶׁלָּמַד מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה. כֵּיצַד, הָיָה בַּעַל אֻמָּנוּת וְעוֹסֵק בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ ג' שָׁעוֹת בְּיוֹם וְט' בַּתּוֹרָה, קוֹרֵא ג' מֵהֶם בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, וּבג' תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וּבְג' יָבִין דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים, בִּתְחִלַּת לִמּוּדוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּגְדִּיל בַּתּוֹרָה וְלֹא יְהֵא צָרִיךְ לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְלֹא לַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, יִקְרָא בְּעִתִּים מְזֻמָּנִים תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכַּח דָּבָר מִדִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, וְיִפְנֶה כָּל יָמָיו לְתַלְמוּד בִּלְבַד לְפִי רֹחַב לִבּוֹ וְיִשּׁוּב דַּעְתּוֹ. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁבְּתַלְמוּד בַּבְלִי שֶׁהוּא בָּלוּל בְּמִקְרָא, בְּמִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד, אָדָם יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל הַכֹּל. (טוּר בְּשֵׁם רַבֵּנוּ תָּם וְעוֹד פּוֹסְקִים עַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִי' רמ"ה ס"ו). וְאֵין לְאָדָם לִלְמֹד כִּי אִם מִקְרָא, מִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד וְהַפּוֹסְקִים הַנִּמְשָׁכִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וּבָזֶה יִקְנֶה הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֲבָל לֹא בְּלִמּוּד שְׁאָר חָכְמוֹת. (ריב"ש סִימָן מ"ה וְתַלְמִידֵי רַשְׁבָּ"א) וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם מֻתָּר לִלְמֹד בְּאַקְרַאי בִּשְׁאָר חָכְמוֹת, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ סִפְרֵי מִינִים, וְזֶהוּ נִקְרָא בֵּין הַחֲכָמִים טִיּוּל בְּפַרְדֵּס. וְאֵין לְאָדָם לְטַיֵּל בְּפַרְדֵּס רַק לְאַחַר שֶׁמִּלֵּא כְּרֵסוֹ בָּשָׂר וְיַיִן, וְהוּא לֵידַע אִסּוּר וְהֶתֵּר וְדִינֵי הַמִּצְוֹת (רַמְבַּ"ם סוֹף מַדָּע ס"פ ד' מהל' יְסוֹדֵי הַתּוֹרָה).

One is obligated to divide his learning schedule into thirds: one third in Written Torah; that is, the twenty-four [books of the Tanach]; one third in Mishna, that is, the Torah She'b'al Peh, and the explanations of the Written Torah are included herein; [and] one third to Talmud, that is understanding and conceptualizing the end of a matter from its beginnings, to derive one matter from another, to compare cases, and to reason through the principles by which the Torah is expounded, until he knows how the core of the mitzvot is determined and how rulings regarding what is forbidden and permitted emerge, and similar matters received through tradition. For example, if a person is a craftsman and works three hours a day and devotes nine hours to Torah, he should spend three hours on Scripture, three on Mishnah, and three on Talmudic analysis. When does this apply? At the outset of ones learning; however, when one grows in Torah and no longer needs to learn the Written Torah nor needs to constantly review the Torah She'b'al Peh, he may read as fixed times the Written Torah and the words of Torah She'b'al Peh, so that he doesn't forget one thing from the laws of the Torah, and avail the rest of his days to Talmud alone, to the extent of his abilities and ability to focus. Rema: There are those who say that through studying the Babylonian Talmud—which contains within it Scripture, Mishnah, and Gemara—one fulfills all aspects of this obligation (Tur in the name of Rabbeinu Tam, and as explained above in Siman 245:6). A person should not study anything except Scripture, Mishnah, Talmud, and the halachic authorities who follow them, and through this he will acquire both this world and the World to Come. However, one should not engage in the study of other wisdoms (secular knowledge) as a primary focus (Responsa of the Rivash §45 and the students of the Rashba). Nevertheless, it is permitted to study other branches of knowledge on occasion, so long as the works are not heretical. This is what the sages referred to as "a stroll through the orchard" (tiyul b’pardes), and one should not stroll in the orchard until he has filled his belly with meat and wine—that is, until he has thoroughly learned the laws of what is permitted and forbidden, and the laws of the mitzvot (Rambam, end of Sefer HaMada, chapter 4 of Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah).

Se’if 5ה׳

מָקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לְלַמֵּד תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב בְּשָׂכָר, מֻתָּר לְלַמֵּד בְּשָׂכָר, אֲבָל תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה אָסוּר לְלַמֵּד בְּשָׂכָר. לֹא מָצָא מִי שֶׁיְּלַמְּדֶנּוּ בְּחִנָּם, יִלְמַד בְּשָׂכָר. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לִלְמֹד בְּשָׂכָר, לֹא יֹאמַר: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלָּמַדְתִּי בְּשָׂכָר כָּךְ אֲלַמֵּד בְּשָׂכָר, אֶלָּא יְלַמֵּד לַאֲחֵרִים בְּחִנָּם. וּמַה שֶּׁנָּהֲגוּ הָאִדָּנָא לְלַמֵּד הַכֹּל בְּשָׂכָר, אִם אֵין לוֹ בַּמֶּה לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס, שָׁרֵי, וַאֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ לוֹ, אִם הוּא שְׂכַר בַּטָּלָה דְּמוּכָח, שֶׁמַּנִּיחַ כָּל עֲסָקָיו וּמַשָּׂאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ, שָׁרֵי. וְכָל חִדּוּשֵׁי סוֹפְרִים, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁנִּתְקַן מִדְּרַבָּנָן, מֻתָּר לִטֹּל שָׂכָר לְלַמְּדוֹ. (הַגָּהוֹת מַיְמוֹנִי פֶּרֶק א').

In a place where it is customary to teach the Written Torah for payment, it is permitted to teach for payment. However, the Oral Torah is forbidden to be taught for payment. If one could not find someone to teach him for free, he should learn for payment. Even though he was required to learn for payment, he should not say, "Just as I learned for payment, so too will I teach for payment," rather, he should teach others for free. And the current custom to teach everything for payment is permitted if one does not have anything to support himself, and even if he does, if it is clear that the payment is for lost time, that one ceases all of his business and dealings, it is permitted. (And all innovations of the scribes, meaning what was instituted from the Rabbis, it is permitted to take payment to teach it.) (Hagahot Maimoni, Chapter 1)

…and 21 more se'ifim in this siman.

Become a premium member

Or start free — a free account opens your first 5 gematria searches in full. Create free account

The daily learning is free on your account, every day.

Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah — Torat Emet 357 edition, via Sefaria — public domain

English: Sefaria Community Translation — CC0