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Thursday

י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

Thursday
י"ח אדר ב’ התשפ"ד

חיפוש בארכיון

476. Torah (5)

The Sages have said “Be careful with the children of the poor for Torah will come out from them.  Be careful with the children of simple people for Torah will come out of them.”

The leaders of each city are required to exert themselves exceedingly with all their souls and all their might for the sake of the study of Torah.  They should set up teachers for the very young, and encourage them with good words, treats and prizes, in order that they should ascend the levels in the order of study.  The value of the simple speech of young children who study Torah is well-known.  The Sages say that the entire world exists upon the simple speech of the young children who study Torah.  One does not cancel the study for small children even in order to build the Beis Hamikdash.  There are many similar benefits mentioned with regards to teaching small children Torah.  According to the greatness of the Mitzva and the benefit that is brought out from it, it is fitting for the leaders of the cities to strengthen themselves in it with all their souls and all their might in order to set up a flag of Torah. They should not feel all the hard work and expense because of the magnitude of the good which they are doing for their souls and the pleasure that they are giving to their Creator.

This is an important rule: a person should never give up hope of mercy, as some people say “This child will never be a wise man and if he goes to learn Torah he will be neither here nor here. Thus, it is better to send him out to learn a trade so that he will be able to bring food for his household.”  In truth this is nonsense, for anyone who sits over the Torah will definitely gain and not lose out.  If he does not turn out a wise man, at least he will know how to read and not be an ignoramus.  Learning to be a merchant needs neither wisdom nor time for he can learn it quickly and the money will come by itself and it may be that his work will be done by other people.

“My brothers and my nation, take this sefer Torah, and with this, and like this learn well, so that you should have it good; listen and enliven your soul, and achieve gladness and joy in this world and the world to come” (From the author’s intro.)