“And you shall teach [Torah] to your children, and you shall discuss it, when you sit at home, when you travel, when you lie down, and when you rise.” – from the Shema, the central prayer of Judaism (Deut. 6:7)
“This book of the Torah shall not depart from your mouth; and you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.” (Joshua 1:8)
“Let my people know!” – Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz
The Torah was given to Moses at Mount Sinai over five thousand years ago and it tells the story of the Jewish people and the laws we should follow to serve our Creator. This Holy Book is not just for Jews but the whole word. It contains 613 mitzvot (commandments) for Jews to follow and 7 for non-Jews. It’s God’s instruction manual for life.
If you purchase a dishwasher and don’t read the instruction manual, you won’t get the most out of your dishwasher and may do serious damage. If it’s important to read and heed the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings for a kitchen appliance, how much more crucial is it to study and follow your Creator’s instructions and warnings for how to be a happy and good person, and fulfill your own unique mission in the world.
HOW CAN I FOLLOW 613 COMMANDMENTS??
There are two kinds of commandments: positive “thou shalt” and negative “thou shalt not.” Torah study is one of the 248 positive commandments. It is considered equal to all the others because it leads to righteous deeds such as honoring parents, performing acts of lovingkindness, and bringing peace between people. Whatever your reasons for learning Torah, and no matter at what age you start, it will improve your character and you will be a blessing to those around you. It says in the Talmud “The reward for a mitzvah is another mitzvah.” (Avot 4:2) The good deeds that follow when do you a good deed bring blessings in this world and even greater reward in Olam Haba, the World To Come.
No Jew can do all 613 commandments. Some are only for men or only for women. Many others must be fulfilled at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which hasn’t existed for almost 2000 years. Don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the mission; start small and pick one mitzvah that has meaning to you. Learn all about it and perform it to the best of your ability. Doing one mitzvah will lead to doing others. Find the entire list of the 613 commandments here.
WHAT EXACTLY IS THE TORAH?
The word Torah refers variously to: the Five Books of Moses, the Hebrew Bible, the Oral Law (Talmud) and a vast repository of religious Jewish knowledge compiled over thousands of years.
WHO SHOUD LEARN?
“Five years old is the age to begin studying Scripture; ten for Mishnah; thirteen for the obligation of the commandments; fifteen for the study of Talmud…” (Pirkei Avot 5:21). Both men and women should learn Torah. Traditionally Jewish men focus their learning on deep study of the Talmud, an intricate and vast exegesis of the entirety of the law. Jewish women’s learning has often been more related to Shabbat/holiday observance and home-based rituals and activities, but everybody is encouraged to learn as much Torah, Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Talmud and other texts and teachings as possible. The best way to keep up your Torah study is to allocate specific times of day, every day, for this holy activity. Right this very moment you are fulfilling the commandment to learn Torah!
WHAT ABOUT NON-JEWS?
Gentiles are commanded to follow the seven Noahide laws, given by God to all humanity. Like the 613 laws for Jews, the seven laws for non-Jews are more like categories of law and require a lifetime of deep study. Both Jews and non-Jews should learn with a chevrusa (study partner) under the tutelage of a Rabbi/sage.
WHAT ARE THE SEVEN NOAHIDE LAWS?
1. Know that there is One God and don’t worship idols
2. Do not curse God.
3. Do not murder
4. Do not eat the limb of a still-living animal.
5. Do not steal.
6. Do not practice sexual immorality.
7. Establish a justice system and courts of law.
ARE THERE TIMES WHEN I SHOULDN’T LEARN TORAH?
The Torah is a holy book which should be treated with reverence and respect. There are certain times and situations when it is not appropriate to learn Torah:
– In the bathroom
– If you’re naked or near a naked person
– If you’re near feces
– On Tisha B’Av, a national day of mourning when we afflict ourselves by refraining from enjoyable activities such as eating and learning Torah.
WHY IS IT CALLED LEARNING RATHER THAN STUDYING?
Learning Torah is as close as you can get to hugging God (Tanya chapter 4)
Generally when we refer to Torah study we called it “learning,” from the Yiddish word lernen. When we study we get information; when we learn we internalize the lessons and change our behavior and way of thinking.
An old open Torah case with scroll, Qualiesin, Wikipedia (Left) & Synagogue, Brighton, Pixabay (Right)
May we all be blessed and strengthened to study God’s holy book and serve our Creator with joy!
Main image: An opened Torah scroll (Book of Numbers part), and a reading pointer (yad). Image via Mourad Ben Abdallah
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