Anonymous

What Torah Should One Learn Daily?: Difference between revisions

From Halachipedia
m
Text replacement - "S"A" to "Shulchan Aruch"
m (Text replace - " D(.*)H " to " s.v. ")
m (Text replacement - "S"A" to "Shulchan Aruch")
Line 14: Line 14:
* The Shach 246:5 quotes the דרישה who writes that some people only learn Gemara, Rashi, and Tosfot and they don’t fulfill the statement of the Gemara Niddah 73a which says that a person should learn Halachot every day meaning Halacha Pesukot (Halachic rulings of the poskim). He adds that the Rabbenu Tam’s idea that Gemara Bavli includes everything only refers to those who can learn 9 hours a day but those who learn 3 or 4 hours shouldn’t just learn Gemara. Mishna Brurah (Introduction to Mishna Brurah, vol 1) quotes this and expands on it.  
* The Shach 246:5 quotes the דרישה who writes that some people only learn Gemara, Rashi, and Tosfot and they don’t fulfill the statement of the Gemara Niddah 73a which says that a person should learn Halachot every day meaning Halacha Pesukot (Halachic rulings of the poskim). He adds that the Rabbenu Tam’s idea that Gemara Bavli includes everything only refers to those who can learn 9 hours a day but those who learn 3 or 4 hours shouldn’t just learn Gemara. Mishna Brurah (Introduction to Mishna Brurah, vol 1) quotes this and expands on it.  
* On the other hand, Birkei Yosef YD 246:4 laments the fact that many people only read the abridged halachot as they dispair from the difficult study of talmud because they are decreasing torah (against the principle of "VeYagdil Torah VeYadir") and causing the reasonings of halachot to be forgotten.  
* On the other hand, Birkei Yosef YD 246:4 laments the fact that many people only read the abridged halachot as they dispair from the difficult study of talmud because they are decreasing torah (against the principle of "VeYagdil Torah VeYadir") and causing the reasonings of halachot to be forgotten.  
* Kitzur S”A 27:3 writes that someone who can’t learn as his main focus but can at least set aside times to learn, at those times he should learn Halacha which every Jew needs to know and Mussar which subjugate the Yetzer Hara. S"A HaRav (Talkut Torah 246:2) seems to say that Mussar is included in the category of Talmud.
* Kitzur S”A 27:3 writes that someone who can’t learn as his main focus but can at least set aside times to learn, at those times he should learn Halacha which every Jew needs to know and Mussar which subjugate the Yetzer Hara. Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Talkut Torah 246:2) seems to say that Mussar is included in the category of Talmud.
* S”A HaRav (Hilchot Talmud Torah 2:1) explains that Mishna includes the Halacha Pesuka of the Mishnayot and Britot which explain the details of the 613 מצות and nowadays Mishna includes the Halacha Pesuka of the Shulchan Aruch and Rama. S”A HaRav adds that Talmud means understanding the reasons of the halachot in the משניות and Britot and nowadays that means the Rosh and Bet Yosef who explain the reasons of the halachot. </ref> See further in the next section regarding Halacha and Mussar.  
* S”A HaRav (Hilchot Talmud Torah 2:1) explains that Mishna includes the Halacha Pesuka of the Mishnayot and Britot which explain the details of the 613 מצות and nowadays Mishna includes the Halacha Pesuka of the Shulchan Aruch and Rama. S”A HaRav adds that Talmud means understanding the reasons of the halachot in the משניות and Britot and nowadays that means the Rosh and Bet Yosef who explain the reasons of the halachot. </ref> See further in the next section regarding Halacha and Mussar.  
# <span id="chokleyisrael"></span> Some have the righteous practice of learning Chok LeYisrael which is a daily learning regiment set up by the Arizal that includes pesukim from Torah, Nevuim, Ketuvim, Mishnayot, Gemara, Zohar, Halacha, and Mussar. <Ref> The source for such a schedule is the Arizal (Shaar Mitzvot VaEtchanan). Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 27:3 writes that it's praiseworthy to learn the Chok LeYisrael daily. Further on the topic, see the Machzik Bracha 156:6, Sh”t Shalmat Chaim Zonenfeld Y”D 89, Kaf HaChaim 132:6, 155:3, and Sh”t Yabia Omer (Y”D 4:31(5), O”C 9:108(79)). </ref>
# <span id="chokleyisrael"></span> Some have the righteous practice of learning Chok LeYisrael which is a daily learning regiment set up by the Arizal that includes pesukim from Torah, Nevuim, Ketuvim, Mishnayot, Gemara, Zohar, Halacha, and Mussar. <Ref> The source for such a schedule is the Arizal (Shaar Mitzvot VaEtchanan). Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 27:3 writes that it's praiseworthy to learn the Chok LeYisrael daily. Further on the topic, see the Machzik Bracha 156:6, Sh”t Shalmat Chaim Zonenfeld Y”D 89, Kaf HaChaim 132:6, 155:3, and Sh”t Yabia Omer (Y”D 4:31(5), O”C 9:108(79)). </ref>
Line 26: Line 26:


==Learning at day and night==
==Learning at day and night==
# One should establish a fixed time to learn after davening. One should make certain that that time is fixed and one doesn't miss it even if one thinks one can make a lot of money by missing it. If one has a great need that one needs to leave for, one should learn at least one pasuk or one halacha. After finishing whatever was pressing one should complete one's daily standard amount. <reF>Kitzur S"A 27:1</ref>
# One should establish a fixed time to learn after davening. One should make certain that that time is fixed and one doesn't miss it even if one thinks one can make a lot of money by missing it. If one has a great need that one needs to leave for, one should learn at least one pasuk or one halacha. After finishing whatever was pressing one should complete one's daily standard amount. <reF>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 27:1</ref>
#It’s important to learn at night and not waste it all with sleep, eating, and talking because one accomplishes most of his learning at night <ref> Rambam (Talmud Torah 3:13). S"A 238:1 rules this with the language one must be very careful to learn torah at night, more careful than the day! </ref>, that learning is not easily forgotten and is considered like the Avoda of the Korbanot. The joy of Torah is specifically felt for learning at night and Hashem grants a special Chesed for one who learns at night. <ref>Avoda Zara 3b. The gemara in Eruvin 65a says that night was created specifically for Torah study. The gemara in Chagigah 12b says that one who studies Torah at night will enjoy Hashem’s grace by day, as the pasuk in Psalms 42:9 says “By day, G-d will direct His grace, and at night, His song is with me.” </ref>.  
#It’s important to learn at night and not waste it all with sleep, eating, and talking because one accomplishes most of his learning at night <ref> Rambam (Talmud Torah 3:13). Shulchan Aruch 238:1 rules this with the language one must be very careful to learn torah at night, more careful than the day! </ref>, that learning is not easily forgotten and is considered like the Avoda of the Korbanot. The joy of Torah is specifically felt for learning at night and Hashem grants a special Chesed for one who learns at night. <ref>Avoda Zara 3b. The gemara in Eruvin 65a says that night was created specifically for Torah study. The gemara in Chagigah 12b says that one who studies Torah at night will enjoy Hashem’s grace by day, as the pasuk in Psalms 42:9 says “By day, G-d will direct His grace, and at night, His song is with me.” </ref>.  
#There's a special practice to "join the day and night" with learning or davening by learning during sunset and sunrise. <ref> Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur S"A 1:6), Bear Hetiev 238:1, and Mishna Brurah 1:2 in of the Shlah HaKadosh in fulfillment of the pasuk in Yehoshua 1:8 "you shall meditate on it day and night." </ref>
#There's a special practice to "join the day and night" with learning or davening by learning during sunset and sunrise. <ref> Yalkut Yosef (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 1:6), Bear Hetiev 238:1, and Mishna Brurah 1:2 in of the Shlah HaKadosh in fulfillment of the pasuk in Yehoshua 1:8 "you shall meditate on it day and night." </ref>
# If one has a certain daily schedule of learning and hasn't completed it yet, one should finish it at night. However, preferably one should make a stipulation not to accept the daily schedule as a neder, but rather bli neder in case one misses a day. <ref> S"A 238:2, Mishna Brurah 238:5, Kitzur S"A 71:1 </ref>
# If one has a certain daily schedule of learning and hasn't completed it yet, one should finish it at night. However, preferably one should make a stipulation not to accept the daily schedule as a neder, but rather bli neder in case one misses a day. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 238:2, Mishna Brurah 238:5, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 71:1 </ref>
==Learning Tanach at night==
==Learning Tanach at night==
# According to the Kabbalah, it's preferable not to learn Tanach at night. <Ref> Birkei Yosef 1:13, 238:2 in name of the Arizal, Ben Ish Chai Pekudei #7, Kaf HaChaim 237:9. </ref> However, some argue that one may be lenient. <ref> Shaar HaTziyun 238:1 in name of the Pri Megadim. </ref> However, since it's not forbidden but only preferable, if not learning Tanach will cause [[Bitul Torah]] (Chas VeShalom) one may learn Tanach. <ref> Piskei Teshuvot 238:1 </ref>
# According to the Kabbalah, it's preferable not to learn Tanach at night. <Ref> Birkei Yosef 1:13, 238:2 in name of the Arizal, Ben Ish Chai Pekudei #7, Kaf HaChaim 237:9. </ref> However, some argue that one may be lenient. <ref> Shaar HaTziyun 238:1 in name of the Pri Megadim. </ref> However, since it's not forbidden but only preferable, if not learning Tanach will cause [[Bitul Torah]] (Chas VeShalom) one may learn Tanach. <ref> Piskei Teshuvot 238:1 </ref>