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an excerpt from

The Laws of Torah Study
‫הלכות תלמוד תורה‬

The Amount Of Torah Study Necessary To Fulfill The Mitzva

How much time must one spend studying Torah each day in order to fulfill the mitzva? Must one dedicate all of one’s
available time to the task or is it sufficient to set aside a certain amount of time daily, and if so, how much? There appear to
be two conflicting passages in the Gemara with regard to this question. One is found in the Gemara Berachot:

h Masechet Berachot 35b :‫מסכת ברכות דף לה‬1 .1

The Sages taught: What is the meaning of that which the verse states: “And you shall gather ‫ יד) – מה‬,‫ “ואספת דגנך” (דברים יא‬:‫תנו רבנן‬
your grain”? Because it is stated: “This Torah shall not depart from your mouths, and you ‫ “ֹלא ָימ ּו ׁש ֵס ֶפר ַה ּת ֹוָרה‬:‫תלמוד לומר? לפי שנאמר‬
shall contemplate in it day and night” (Yehoshua 1:8), I might have thought that these matters – )‫ ח‬,‫ַה ֶ ּזה ִמ ִּפי ָך ְו ָה ִגי ָת ּב ֹו י ֹו ָמם ָו ַל ְי ָלה” (יהושע א‬
are to be understood as they are written; one is to literally spend his days immersed exclusively in ”‫ “ואספת דגנך‬:‫יכול דברים ככתבן? תלמוד לומר‬
Torah study. Therefore, the verse states: “And you shall gather your grain, your wine and your .‫ דברי רבי ישמעאל‬,‫– ַה ְנ ֵהג בהן מנהג דרך ארץ‬
oil,” follow in their regard, the way of the world; set aside time not only for Torah, but also for ‫ אפשר אדם חורש‬:‫רבי שמעון בן יוחי אומר‬
work. This is the statement of Rabbi Yishmael. ‫ וקוצר בשעת‬,‫ וזורע בשעת זריעה‬,‫בשעת חרישה‬
,‫ וזורה בשעת הרוח‬,‫ ודש בשעת דישה‬,‫קצירה‬
Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: Is it possible that a person plows in the plowing season and ‫תורה – מה תהא עליה? אלא בזמן שישראל‬
sows in the sowing season and harvests in the harvest season and threshes in the threshing ‫עושין רצונו של מקום – מלאכתן נעשית על‬
season and winnows in the windy season, and is constantly busy; what will become of Torah? ‫ “ ְו ָע ְמד ּו ָזִרים ְוָרע ּו ֹצא ְנ ֶכם‬:‫ שנאמר‬,‫ידי אחרים‬
Rather, one must dedicate himself exclusively to Torah at the expense of other endeavors; .)‫ ה‬,‫ּו ְב ֵני ֵנ ָכר ִא ָּכֵרי ֶכם ְו ֹכְר ֵמי ֶכם” (ישעיהו סא‬
as when Israel performs G-d’s will, their work is performed by others, as it is stated: “And
strangers will stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners will be your plowmen and your

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