Torah Toil

Rav Yitzchak Hutner, zt”l, wrote a letter of approbation for this work. In that letter, he lamented that the contemporary generation had, in some respects, replaced yegiyas haTorah, toiling in Torah, with mere source-hunting. A student might find a source, such as the Chasam Sofer, and thereby know that the Chasam Sofer addresses a certain topic and even have a superficial sense of what he says. But instead of striving to truly understand the Chasam Sofer, the student is satisfied simply with having located the source and grasped its general thrust.

Rav Hutner clearly wanted Torah students to engage in deep understanding of the Gemara and its commentaries. But would he concede that looking for sources itself constitutes yegiyas haTorah? A straightforward reading of his letter suggests that he did not view source-hunting alone as genuine toil in Torah.

However, a sugya we recently studied may suggest otherwise. The Gemara in Menachos (7a) relates that the great scholar Avimi forgot Maseches Menachos and went to his student, Rav Chisda, to relearn it. The Gemara asks: why didn’t Avimi simply summon Rav Chisda to come to him? The Gemara answers, “Avimi thought this way would be more beneficial.” No further explanation is given. Was Rav Chisda’s beis midrash quieter or more conducive to learning?

Rashi offers a different explanation, citing the Gemara in Megillah: “If a person says, ‘I toiled and I found it,’ believe him.” According to Rashi, Avimi deliberately expended the effort to travel to Rav Chisda’s beis midrash. The Gemara in Megillah teaches us that success in Torah comes through toil. Even the act of walking is considered yegiah. Although the walking itself does not directly enhance one’s understanding of the Gemara, it still counts as toiling for Torah.

The commentators note an interesting linguistic point regarding the phrase in Megillah: “I toiled and I found it,” matzasi. “Finding” is a term usually used to describe discovering a lost object. The Gemara could have said, “I toiled, and I acquired it.” The meforshim explain that Torah is given by Hashem as a gift to those who toil. It is not a purely logical or cumulative process like mathematics or science, where effort reliably produces understanding. A person can spend hours or days struggling over a Torah concept and still not grasp it. Understanding ultimately comes as a gift from Hashem, bestowed upon those who exert themselves. Accordingly, as long as one toils, even in preparation for Torah, he earns the gift. From this perspective, effort expended in seeking sources should also qualify as yegiyas haTorah.

Perhaps, then, Rav Hutner meant that searching for sources does count as toil but only if it culminates in actual study. If the effort ends with merely locating a source, without engaging it deeply, that is not true toil in Torah. The goal then was not knowledge of Torah but the appearance of knowledge.

From this emerges a practical lesson. If someone has the option of attending a shiur via Zoom or traveling to hear it in person, he should choose to travel. The physical effort involved constitutes yegiyas haTorah, and that toil enhances success in learning.

Additionally, Pirkei Avos (3:6) teaches that when people study Torah together, the Shechinah dwells among them. One who studies alone forfeits this special opportunity. Of course, if a person cannot learn in a group, he should certainly learn alone, and at times, learning independently requires great self-discipline and motivation. Still, Pirkei Avos makes clear that when learning in a group is possible, it is preferable.

The Chofetz Chaim writes in Biur Halacha (siman 155):

“Regarding the essence of Torah study: even though one who learns alone fulfills the positive commandment of Torah study, nevertheless, ideally, it is a mitzvah to beautify it as much as possible by studying in a group, for through this there is greater honor to Heaven. As our Sages said in several places, ‘In the multitude of people is the King’s glory.’ And all the more so when ten study together, for then the Divine Presence precedes them, as it is written, ‘Hashem stands in the congregation of Hashem.’ And our Sages further said, ‘Torah is only acquired in a group.’”

Thus, beyond the added yegiah involved in traveling to hear a shiur in person, one gains the additional blessing of learning in a group, both of which enhance success in Torah learning. Whether through searching for sources, walking to a shiur, or learning in a group, the defining question remains the same: are we exerting ourselves in pursuit of Torah itself? When we do, we merit the Divine gift that makes Torah truly ours.