Your Heart's Desire

Question

The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:4, 2:1) citing the Sifri (Eikev 48 (11 22) sof d"h Ki Im Shamor) explains that every father must teach his son (and himself) the entire Torah to the best of his abilities: "So that you do not say 'I learned the halachos and that is enough for me' – to correct this mistaken idea the Torah states 'For if you will surely keep all of this commandment' – learn all of the commandment; the Midrash (i.e. the Scriptural derivation of each halachah), the halachah itself and Aggadah" [see also the preceding drush there and Perush Sifri D'Vei Rav on the Sifri].  However, the Gemara (Avodah Zarah 19A) tells us that "One cannot learn Torah except in a subject which his heart desires to learn," and Rashi (there, d"h Makom She'libo Chafetz) explains that a student who is taught one section of the Torah when he is interested in a different section will not be successful because his heart is not in the learning.  How then is someone who has an inclination towards specific areas of the Torah (or someone only motivated to learn bekius and not iyun) expected to learn all of the Torah, and how do we resolve these sources?

Rav Yaakov Hillel 

To answer this question we must clarify a couple of points.  The first point is that every Jew is obligated to learn the entire Torah b'iyun to the best of his ability (see Rambam, Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:8, 1:11-12 and the Shulchan Aruch Rabbeinu Zalman Hilchot Talmud Torah 1:4, 2:1). 

In the Hakdama to Sha'ar HaMitzvot [Amud Aleph], the Arizal states that it is a positive commandment from the Torah that one must toil to learn all four parts of the Torah – Pshat, Remez, Drush and Sod, all this both with bekiut and iyun -- to the best of his abilities with a Rav, and that one who did not do so -- even if he neglected only one of the four sections -- has failed to fulfill the mitzvah of Talmud Torah and will have to be reincarnated to complete it (see also Sha'ar Hagilgulim, Hakdama Yud Aleph and Yud Vav).  We can deduce from this that every Jew is obligated to the best of his capabilities to learn Torah in its entirety. 

Having understood this, it is now obvious that statements made by certain Gedolei Achronim that people can follow their intuition and personal leanings and feelings about which areas of Torah they feel are appropriate for them, and which learning methods they should follow, must be understood in their proper context.  For example, the Shevet Mussar (Perek Aleph Ot Yud Gimmel) wrote that a person can devote his learning time to topics that he feels attracted to, whether Gemara or Drush or Remez or Kabbalah, and the Hosen Yehoshua (Ma'amar Aleph, Perek Zayin) wrote that those with a temperament more suited to learning bekiut will not do well learning b'iyun.   

As we said, their words cannot be taken literally.  Our Sages (Avot 5:21) have already guided us with their eternal words concerning the progress and order of one's learning, in relationship to one's age as well.  "From the age of five until ten – Scripture, from ten to fifteen – Mishnah, from fifteen onwards – Talmud."  After one is expert at in-depth study of the Talmud, he can start learning Halachah.  Kaballah is prescribed at a later age, as explained by some mefarshim that from the age of 40 onwards one can start learning Kaballah.  Guiding people in Halachah and general advice is recommended from 50 onwards, as the Mishnah says, "at 50 – one attains Binah."      

We can understand further concerning the order of one's learning from the Midrash in Mishlei (Perek Yud) which describes how a person is judged in the World to Come concerning his study of Torah.  First he is asked if he learned Mikrah, then he is asked concerning Mishnah and Talmud and Aggadah, and after a long list of sections of the Torah, finally he is questioned concerning the study of Kabbalah.  If you learned so much, did you learn Kabbalah as well?  This implies that only after a person has learned the full expanse of the Revealed Torah is he expected to have devoted time to the secrets of the Torah.  Rav Chaim Vital writes in his introduction to Eitz Chaim (end of page two): "a person shouldn't enter into the orchard of Torah secrets until he has filled himself with the basics, Mikrah, Mishnah, Talmud etc.  It could be compared to someone who has a soul without a body."  See Biur Halachah (155, d"h eit lilmod), who quotes this Midrash, and infers from it that everyone, even those who are not full-time Torah students, must find the time to complete their quota in all areas of Torah.

We learn from this that it is crucial for us to be aware of the fact that there is an order as to how we must advance in our study of Torah.  We can learn from the order of the questions that the neshama is asked by the Beit Din Shel Ma'ala, that he was expected in his lifetime to cover all sections of Talmud Torah, going from Tanach to Mishnah to Gemara, with Kaballah at the very end exclusively for those who made it so far.  

Now it is quite obvious that a person cannot say "libi chafetz b'kabala."  One has to be a talmid chacham, well-versed in Shas b'iyun, in order to learn halachah, and all the more so to study Kabbalah.  Only those who have studied for years in a Yeshiva and a Kollel will be capable of understanding Halachah, let alone making Halachic decisions.  I can certainly recommend to Yeshiva students or to young Avreichim learning in a Kollel who spend most of their day studying Gemara biyun and b'bekiut, that they establish a daily seder in an appropariete halachah sefer (such as Mishnah Berurah or Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Kaf HaChayim, Ben Ish Chai) in order to be well-versed in practical Halachah, which is a daily necessity.  But no youngster should delude themselves into thinking that reading through the Beit Yosef and Shulchan Aruch in a superficial fashion could be considered "learning halachah," or that he really understands what he is reading.  Learning Kabbalah in this fashion is even more dangerous, because Kabbalistic literature is written in a coded language whose true intent is often the exact opposite of its apparent meaning; one not schooled for years in in the analytical skills of Shas and Poskim, and guided in his learning by a well-versed Kabbalist renowned for his righteousness and good midot, will totally misunderstand what he reads -- and quite possibly entertain thoughts of kefira, imagining that they are the ultimate truths.  This warning has been repeated in almost all the Kabbalistic sefarim. 

In accordance with this, it is now clear that the Shevet Mussar who suggested that one can follow his preferences and choose to learn any section of Torah he wants, even Kaballah, obviously means that one who has already studied the entire Torah as above, if he now wants to put his main emphasis on a certain section of Torah, may do so.  He certainly did not mean that someone who is unlearned in the Revealed Torah can choose to learn Kaballah, as we already stated in the name of Rav Chaim Vital in his introduction to Eitz Chayim. 

Concerning the advice of the Hosen Yehoshua about learning iyun or bekiut, it is also not to be taken literally.  Chazal have already told us "Always, a person should learn bekiut first, and later on iyun (Shabbat 63A)."  The ideal for a Talmid Chacham is to be charif u'baki – a scholar who has vast knowledge as well as depth of understanding.  They also said, "Bekiut (Sinai) versus iyun (Oker Harim), bekiut is more important since everyone needs it (Horiot 14A)."  Some opinions hold (Sefer Torat Chacham from Yosef Yedid HaLevi) that this saying of our Sages was before written books on the Oral Tradition were available to everyone, but in our times since all the classics – such as Shas, Midrash, Poskim, Responsa, etc. have been printed, the main emphasis should be on iyun, so that we understand correctly what we read in the books.  If a person is superficial in his understanding, whatever he learns could very likely be incorrect.  In our times, there is no chance of the Oral tradition being forgotten and lost forever, chas v'shalom. Everything has been printed and is available in vast quantities.  Our main goal is to be able to understand what we read in depth.  To preserve our "bekiut," we can buy a Shas. 

In accordance with all the above, we must conclude that the Hosen Yehoshua who recommended that each person should learn in accordance with his preference, whether iyun or bekiut, meant that first he must study in accordance with the system of learning in the Yeshivot – seder iyun and seder bekiut until he covers many tractates of the Talmud and knows them thoroughly in accordance with the explanations of the Rishonim and Achronim.  After that, when he is probably in his early thirties, he can study in accordance with his preferences, whether iyun or bekiut.  At this stage of his life, he could also decide to start learning Halachah.  

To summarize, an experienced learner who has already invested many years learning in a yeshiva both iyun and bekiut, and is now capable of understanding in depth everything he studies, can focus on bekiut, if he is inclined to it.  But someone who is not on this level of understanding in depth, besides the fact that he has not fulfilled his obligation of Talmud Torah according to the sources cited above which require both iyun and bekiut, is also totally unequipped to correctly understand any area of Torah, and as such I certainly cannot recommend that he choose bekiut as his primary study. 

The popular concept of "libo chafetz" is often misunderstood and misapplied in our times.  Although Rashi (Avodah Zara 19A), Maharsha (there) and Knesset HaGedolah (246:2) explain that it means that a Rebbe should teach his talmid the Masechet he wants to learn, or that a talmid should head for a Yeshiva where he wants to study to achieve true success in learning, however, this is not to be taken literally in our times, where talmidim go to established Yeshivot to learn Torah from recognized Roshei Yeshivot who have their way of teaching planned, what they learn and how they learn, etc., in accordance with the tradition that they received from their Roshei Yeshivot.  Now it is obvious that a recent ba'al teshuvah or a young bachur who can barely read a Gemara cannot go to learn Kodashim in Brisk simply because he feels like it.  First of all, the Yeshiva would not accept him, and for good reason; such a match would not be good either for him or for Brisk.  In most recognized Yeshivot, there is a pre-planned order how they teach and learn.  The first stage is to become a me'ayen, to learn how to learn.  If not, everything he learns will superficial and incorrect.  Therefore every young bachur (or ba'al teshuvah for that matter) must learn tractates from Nashim and Nezikin first to hone his iyun skills and glean general information (bekiut).  Once someone has reached the stage where he is able to understand Talmud correctly and in depth, then comes a stage when he can choose which part of Torah to focus on, Halachah or Kabbalah, bekiut or iyun etc.  But even then no one can learn Kaballah until he has "filled his stomach" with Shas and Poskim, and he must first learn Mikrah, Mishnah, Talmud (Eitz Chaim, Daf Aleph, Sof Amud Dalet and Bet Reish Amud Alef).  The Ramak stated clearly that Kaballah is only an appropriate limud for one who has already seen the "light of pilpul," which means that he has learned Talmud in-depth through discussion and debate with his teachers, chevrutot and talmidim.  

Much of the "libo chafetz" craze that exists today is because people are convinced that life is all about doing what is easy and convenient.  One person declares that he is certain that he came into the world to be an askan and not to learn Torah at all because askanut comes easily for him while learning is hard.  Another wants to learn mussar all day because he enjoys it, and thinks (incorrectly) that he doesn't have to smash his brains over it (See Author's Introduction to Mesilat Yesharim on that point).  But the truth is that we didn't come into this world to do what is easy and convenient for us; on the contrary, the nisyonot we are meant to surmount and the tikunim we are meant to effect in this world are found in the areas that are difficult for us.  This proves that what we like and what we find easy are not the right criteria in deciding what and how we are meant to learn. 

If longstanding desires to learn aspects of the Torah for which we are not ready yet are not justified by "libo chafetz," all the more so we must beware of the impulsive whims and fancies that pop into the heads of Torah students who have not reached maturity in their learning.  Sometimes a young student acts on these impulses, seeking out "new horizons," looking for methods and aspects of Torah study which are not available in Yeshivot and not recommended by the great Rabbis and teachers of Torah.  He is convinced that the Yeshiva in which he is learning is not right for him, that the Rosh Yeshiva doesn't teach the right way, he argues that the Masechet being learned is not what really interests him, his chevruta is not suitable, nor are the seating arrangements in the yeshiva to his liking.  The obvious solution is that he should learn in a different yeshiva with a different method of teaching, and obviously with a better chevruta and a more comfortable seat.  The main thing for this disgruntled student to remember is what it says in Mishlei 17:24 "The one who really understands, knows that chochma is available for him," and wherever he is, he can learn and grow.  But on the other hand "The eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth" (he always needs a different Yeshiva, a different Rebbe, a different chevruta, etc.).

One who already completed a proper yeshiva education and after marriage went on to learn in a Kollel for a good few years, and at this stage is in fact an experienced learner, can look for the next stage in his learning (with guidance from a Gadol) in accordance with the concept of "libo chafetz," but not young students who have not reached this point in their development.  Anyhow, until this very day, there are no yeshivot for bachurim which allow each bachur to learn what he likes as he likes.  Usually, feelings of "libi chafetz" before a person has achieved a mature level of Torah study as above originate from the yetzer hara, which tries to persuade us to give up and "do something else" when our learning (and our other avodot) are not easy and instantly enjoyable.           

Avot D'Rebi Nasan (Reish Perek Vav), compares Rabbi Akiva to someone hewing stones who is stubbornly hacking away at a mountain to knock it down.  A bachur who enters Yeshiva looks at the mountains of sefarim facing him and wonders how he could possibly learn the entire Torah.  But in truth, the Torah is given as a matana to those willing to toil for it.  For a young student of Torah, part of that toil is sometimes learning areas and aspects of Torah that are not his "first choice" (or even his second choice) because they are crucial for his development.