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for this purpose. This is also the basis for the question posed to Rabbi Yishmael in Menachot 99b: He had
already mastered the entire Torah, so perhaps it was permitted to study Greek wisdom.
By contrast, when the Gemara and Rambam indicate that one must learn Torah every day, they are
referring to the dimension of learning Torah lishma, for its own sake, independent of any aspect of
knowing the practical halacha. This was also the response given by Rabbi Yishmael in Menachot 99b:
Since the obligation of Torah study for its own sake applies at all times, one would not be permitted (in
his opinion) to study other subjects.
The Beit HaLevi then uses the same principle to explain a famous passage in the Gemara in Nedarim:

h Masechet Nedarim 81a .אפ םירדנ תכסמ 8 ..
As Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: What is the meaning י ִ מ“ :בית מ יאמ :בר רמא ,ומווי בר רמאמ
of that which is written: “Who is the wise man that may הו י ִּ פ ר ֶּ ב ִ ּ מ ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א ַ ו תאֹז ת ֶ א ן ֵ בָי ְ ו ם ָ ָ ח ֶ ו ׁשי ִ א ָ ו
understand this, and who is he to whom the mouth of the וימרי( ״ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָ ו ו ָ מ ְ ב ָ א ו ָ מ ַ ע ּ ו ָ מ ִּגַי ְ ו וי ָ ֵ א
Lord has spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land is םיאיבנ ו םימ ח אשנ וז רבמ ?)אי ,ט
perished and laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passes ךורב שומקו ושריפש מע ,ווושריפ א ו
through” (Yirmiyahu 9:11)? This matter, the question as to ם ָ בְז ָ ע ַ ע הו ר ֶ מאֹּי ַ ו“ :בית מ ,ומצעב אוו
why Eretz Yisrael was destroyed, was asked of the Sages, i.e.,
“the wise man,” and of the prophets, “he to whom the mouth ּוע ְ מ ָ ׁש אלֹ ְ ו ם ֶ ויֵנ ְ פ ִ י ִּ ת ַ תָנ ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א י ִ ת ָ רֹו ּ ת ת ֶ א
of the Lord has spoken,” but they could not explain it. The א “ ונייו .)בי ,םש םש( ״ ּ ו ָ ב ּו ְ ָ ו אלֹ ְ ו י ִ ֹוק ְ ב
matter remained a mystery until the Holy One, Blessed be רמא !״וב ו ו א “ ונייו ,״י וקב ועמש
He, Himself explained why Eretz Yisrael was laid waste, as ןי רבמ ןיאש ]רמו [ :בר רמא ,ומווי בר
it is written in the next verse: “And the Lord said: Because .ו יחת ורותב
they have forsaken My Torah which I set before them, and
have not obeyed My voice, nor walked therein” (Yirmiyahu 9:12). It would appear that “have not obeyed
My voice” is the same as “nor walked therein.” Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: The expression “nor
walked therein” means that they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah before commencing their
studies, and they are therefore liable to receive the severe punishments listed in the verse.

According to the Gemara, the reason why the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed and the Jews were sent into
exile is that they did not recite Birkot HaTorah, the blessing recited daily on Torah study, prior to learning
Torah. This passage is difficult to understand. What is the significance of the people not reciting Birkot
HaTorah, and why is this transgression sufficiently severe to warrant the Jewish people being exiled
from Eretz Yisrael?
The Beit HaLevi explains this passage as follows:

a Beit HaLevi, Shemot 24:7 .אפ םירדנ | יולה תיב 8 .
And in Nedarim it states: Because they have forsaken my Torah, תא םבזע לע׳“ :אתיא )אפ ףד( םירדנב הנהו
that they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah. And it .״הליחת הרותב ןיכרבמ ויה אלש – ׳יתרות
also says there: And for what reason is it not common for Torah םימ ח ימימ ת ןיא ומ ינפמ“ :םש רמא ן ו
scholars to give rise to Torah scholars from among their sons? ?םימ ח ימימ ת םוינבמ ןיאצוי ןייוצמ
Because they do not first recite a blessing over the Torah… But יפלו …״ו יחת ורותב םי רבמ ןיאש
according to what was explained earlier, one can explain that םירבוס ויה םהד ,רמול שי ליעל ראובמה
they thought that Torah study was not an independent mitzva;
,המצע דצמ הווצמ וניא הרותה דומילד

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