6823 —לימוד בישיבה כל היום לאחר סיום בית הספר – תורת חיים כפשוטו

B"H, 26 Nissan, 5719
Brooklyn.

Shalom u'Vrachah!

In reply to your letter of Thursday, in which you write that you are finishing school, and give your view regarding the continuation of your studies.

It is understood, and also obvious, that you should study in a yeshivah in which our holy Torah, the Torah of life,^[1] is studied all day long. For our holy Torah is also a Torah of life in the plain sense: "the guide to a happy life in all its details, both materially and spiritually"; as it is written, "If you walk in My statutes," which our Sages explained (cited in Rashi's commentary)^[2] to mean "that you toil in the Torah"; "then I will give your rains in their season," etc.,^[3] and all the blessings enumerated in that portion.

As to what you write, that some say one must know everything: in general, it is impossible for a person to know everything, for even the most learned, among the Jewish people as well as among the nations of the world,^[4] know only a small part of what can be known. In any case, at your age you need, and are obliged, to devote all your time [at least for a number of years] solely to the study of the Torah, which was given to us by the Creator and Ruler of the world. May it be G‑d's will that you study with diligence and assiduity, and succeed.

It would be proper for you to keep the institution of reciting the monthly portion of Tehillim^[5] – as Tehillim is divided according to the days of the month – every day after the morning prayer, at least^[6] from now on.

With blessings for good news^[7] in all the above.

Notes

1. The Torah of life (תורת חיים): הק' = הקדושה, "holy". "Torah of life" is the language of the prayer, in the blessing "Sim Shalom": כי באור פניך נתת לנו ה' אלקינו תורת חיים ואהבת חסד, "for by the light of Your countenance You gave us, L‑rd our G‑d, the Torah of life and the love of kindness." The Rebbe adds that the Torah is a "Torah of life" not only in the spiritual sense but "also in the plain sense": the guide to life in this world, materially and spiritually.

2. "If you walk in My statutes" (אם בחקותי תלכו): וכמ"ש = וכמו שכתוב, "as it is written"; רז"ל = רבותינו ז"ל, "our Sages". Vayikra 26:3: אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו ועשיתם אתם, "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them." Rashi there: יכול זה קיום המצות? כשהוא אומר "ואת מצוותי תשמרו", הרי קיום המצוות אמור. הא מה אני מקיים "אם בחקתי תלכו"? שתהיו עמלים בתורה, "Could this mean the fulfilment of the commandments? When it says 'and keep My commandments', the fulfilment of the commandments is already stated. How then do I explain 'if you walk in My statutes'? That you toil in the Torah."

3. "Then I will give your rains" (ונתתי גשמיכם וגו'): Vayikra 26:4: ונתתי גשמיכם בעתם ונתנה הארץ יבולה ועץ השדה יתן פריו, "Then I will give your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the tree of the field shall yield its fruit." The blessings of the portion, material blessings included, depend on toil in the Torah; this is what makes it a "Torah of life in the plain sense".

4. The nations of the world (באו"ה): באו"ה = באומות העולם, "among the nations of the world".

5. The monthly portion of Tehillim (השיעור תהלים חדשי): The book of Tehillim is divided into thirty portions according to the days of the month; the institution is to say each day, after the morning prayer, that day's portion, so that the whole of Tehillim is completed every month. See Hayom Yom, 1 Shevat: אמירת תהלים האמור (בכל יום אחר התפלה)... ובפרט לגודל הענין של אמירת תהלים בצבור וכוונתה הפנימית, הנוגע לכלל ישראל ממש בגשמיות, בבני חיי ומזונא, וברוחניות, "The recitation of Tehillim mentioned (every day after the prayer)... especially in view of the great importance of reciting Tehillim with a congregation, and its inner intention, which concerns the whole Jewish people materially – in children, life and sustenance – and spiritually."

6. At least (לכה"פ): לכה"פ = לכל הפחות, "at least".

7. Good news (בשו"ט): בשו"ט = בשורות טובות.

Summary

Answering a young man who is finishing school, the Rebbe writes that he should now study in a yeshivah where Torah is learned all day: the Torah is a "Torah of life" also in the plain sense, and its blessings, material ones included, come through toil in Torah. No one can know everything; at his age he must devote at least several years entirely to Torah. He also asks him to keep the daily recitation of the monthly portion of Tehillim.