Torah Study - Part 5

00:01 The hemsech in reference to the earlier installments regarding setting up designated times for Torah study on a daily basis, we now continue with installment number five, where we will also refer to some anecdotes between the Rebbe and individual people relating to Krias Itim L'Torah. There were many generations during which we didn't find such a love for Torah together with spreading the Torah to all corners of the world as it was seen by the Rebbe. The amount of Torah which the Rebbe delivered in early hours and late hours, in public and in private, in quantity and quality, unprecedented. At every farbrengen, the Rebbe would speak Torah for many hours and would reveal eye-opening insights without need for any reference notes. The Rebbe would discuss all sections of Torah, the Talmud and the Shulchan Aruch, as well as Kabbalah and Chassidus. There were farbrengens which extended for eight hours straight. The expression on the Rebbe's face at the conclusion of a farbrengen was as he had just begun. The Rebbe did not endure or put up with wasting time, and he urged everyone to fulfill every moment possible with the study of Torah and it being disseminated everywhere. In his letters, the Rebbe urged quite often to have or establish designated times for the study of Nigleh and Chassidus, the revealed part of Torah and Chassidus, which is deeper level of Torah. Or in other occasions, the Rebbe would stress the study of the necessary halachas which relate in a practical sense. Many people who merited to

02:03 enter the Rebbe's room for a yechidus, to have a private audience with the Rebbe, related the unique pleasure and glow which was observed on the Rebbe's face when he would be informed about their Torah shiurim and in particular regarding an increase in the shiurim. The Rebbe referred to the project of designated times for Torah study as a channel for brochos in success in one's personal needs as parnassah, livelihood, health, family strengthening, and the building of Eretz Yisrael. One of the Rebbe's ten-point mitzvah campaign is Mivtza Torah, which the Rebbe initiated in 5744, 1974, to reach out to every Yid and make sure that one has a designated time for Torah study on a daily basis. We cite here a response from the Rebbe to one who reported that he organized Torah shiurim in the shuls of Crown Heights in 5744, 1970. The Rebbe wrote the following, Thank you for the good news, and it should be successful in a manner of an increase in quantity and quality. On another occasion, when the Rebbe was notified about an established shiur, the Rebbe responded, It would be noteworthy to contribute snucker during the weekdays before the shiur begins. It was in 5743, 1963, a communal activist who was very involved in communal affairs told the Rebbe he doesn't have time to learn. He's very involved in tzarchitzibert, needs of the community. The Rebbe advised him as follows, Your office has two doors. One leads into your room, and the other door is between your room and the

04:09 secretary's room. When the clock reaches 2 p.m., close both doors and sit down to learn. To another person, the Rebbe advised that he should learn at least 15 minutes a day in the middle of his business day, to stop the business and make a shiur 15 minutes at that point. When the person asked the Rebbe, Is the intention of the Rebbe that I should convert my office to a Beis Medrash, to a study hall? The Rebbe responded, To convert from an office to a Beis Medrash is not an issue, but there is an issue when you convert a Beis Medrash to an office. In response to an economical issue in one of the Meisdres institutions, the Rebbe responded, From the perspective of above in heaven, there is no shortage of good things that they should be blessed with, but one needs to prepare vessels to receive the broches, and they are the shiurim of Torah which are studied in public. This shiur should take place exclusively between Mincha and Ma'ariv, because prior to Mincha, not everyone has yet arrived in shul, and after Ma'ariv, people are already rushing to go home. In conclusion of this installment, we will quote from a letter which the Rebbe wrote to a Chassid in England in the year 5710, 1959. The letter was written in English, and we'll read a paragraph that addresses this topic. The Rebbe writes that you write that when you get an opportunity, you learn a little Chassidus. This was relating to a shiur Chassidus.

06:08 I hope that this means that you are also trying to create opportunities, even though you may be pressed for time. For in this connection too, the Mishnah applies. When a person fulfills Torah in a situation of poverty, eventually he will be able to fulfill Torah in a very rich and comfortable way. The Rebbe refers here in regards to the union of time, that the person doesn't have time. There's a poverty in time. There's a shortened time. So the Rebbe says when you will try and learn Torah in the time that you have now, eventually you will be able to learn and fulfill Torah in a more broad sense way. So the Rebbe says so that a little Chassidus will become a lot of Chassidus. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.