Q&A: Neglect of Torah Study
Neglect of Torah Study
Question
Is there an obligation that when you have free time you need to study Torah during it? I like listening to music, watching soccer—right now it’s the Champions League, etc.—and honestly I could be studying Torah instead during that time. And if we’re not talking about an actual obligation, is there some other way to look at it?
Thank you, Rabbi.
Answer
In the article I showed that, at least according to some of the medieval authorities (Rishonim), the concept of neglect of Torah study is not a halakhic one but an extra-halakhic one. One fulfills the obligation to study Torah with the morning and evening recitation of Shema. Anything beyond that is a non-obligatory commandment fulfillment, or perhaps only a worthwhile value. Therefore, neglect of Torah study is at most an impairment of that value.
Some later authorities raised a contradiction between the passage in Menachot 99 and the passage in Berakhot, and resolved it by saying that the obligation to study is when you have time, but you are allowed to do other things as well (and there are some disagreements about which things and how much). The broad approach is that it is permissible to do normal things in order to enjoy yourself and relax, in a reasonable measure (I don’t have a mathematical line).
You can read here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%94%D7%A4%D7%A0%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%91%D7%94%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94/
And in Column 479 (in chapter 2), and here: https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=f18e4f052adde49eb&q=https://mikyab.net/%25D7%259B%25D7%25AA%25D7%2591%25D7%2599%25D7%259D/%25D7%259E%25D7%2590%25D7%259E%25D7%25A8%25D7%2599%25D7%259D/%25D7%25A1%25D7%2591%25D7%25A8%25D7%2595%25D7%25AA-%25D7%25AA%25D7%2595%25D7%25A8%25D7%25A0%25D7%2599%25D7%2595%25D7%25AA-%25D7%2595%25D7%259E%25D7%25A2%25D7%259E%25D7%2593%25D7%259F-%25D7%2594%25D7%2594%25D7%259C%25D7%259B%25D7%25AA%25D7%2599/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj044Tc1uCEAxXQV6QEHdxdBQEQFnoECAcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1Tsj8bFKPTNkiwdDQ1aLhv
And also here: https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=f18e4f052adde49eb&q=https://mikyab.net/%25D7%259B%25D7%25AA%25D7%2591%25D7%2599%25D7%259D/%25D7%259E%25D7%2590%25D7%25A8%25D7%2599%25D7%259D/%25D7%259E%25D7%2591%25D7%2598-%25D7%25A2%25D7%259C-%25D7%259C%25D7%2599%25D7%259E%25D7%2595%25D7%2593-%25D7%25AA%25D7%2595%25D7%25A8%25D7%2594-%25D7%259C%25D7%25A0%25D7%25A9%25D7%2599%25D7%259D-%25D7%2595%25D7%259C%25D7%259E%25D7%2593%25D7%25A0%25D7%2595%25D7%25AA-%25D7%25A0%25D7%25A9%25D7%2599%25D7%25AA/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj9hsSY1-CEAxWEIRAIHeb3D10QFnoECAAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1WVA0iagdiWb0K-h-ANq7d
Discussion on Answer
That’s something you should ask Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who said that the morning and evening recitation of Shema is enough. He would probably answer that this is a non-halakhic exposition. One should speak of them, and it is preferable not to neglect Torah study even beyond the actual obligation.
That is somewhat difficult, since it is written: “And you shall speak of them” — and not of idle matters.