Q&A: The Rabbi’s View on Torah Study in the Person
The Rabbi’s View on Torah Study in the Person
Question
The Rabbi proposed that studying areas of knowledge (philosophy, psychology, etc.) for someone who is shaped by them is considered “Torah study in the person,”
a few questions, please:
A. The study of the psyche (psychology, in the non-Hebrew term) fascinates me. Is that considered “Torah study in the person” for me?
B. This sounds innovative… Does the Rabbi know of another Torah scholar who thinks this way, or is this a “minority opinion”?
C. Why is this called “Torah study”? What is “Torah” בכלל (I innocently thought it meant understanding the Bible)?
Thank you very much for the effort.
I wish the Rabbi to continue instilling knowledge in us, with robust health and long life.
Answer
Thank you.
The criterion is not what you enjoy, but what builds you and your worldview.
Maimonides, for example, thought this way. The beginning of the Laws of Character Traits, and a large part of The Guide for the Perplexed, are nothing but the study of wisdoms, which in his time were more limited in scope.
Torah study means studying the word of God, and especially His will. Now you need to decide where that is revealed to you.
Discussion on Answer
It builds a Torah worldview. It isn’t reasonable to say that every piece of information you accumulate about the world is Torah.
Sorry for pestering…
What does it mean that the study builds me and my worldview?
Psychology gives me knowledge about the human being and his inner world—is that what you mean?