RaYBaSH’s Ponderings of the Perkei Avot
Chapter 4:18
By: Yehudah ben Shomeyr
“Rabbi Nehora'i would say: Exile yourself to a place of Torah;
do not say that it will come after you, that your colleagues will help
you retain it. Rely not on your own understanding.”
Another passage says that it is so important to have a fixed time to study Torah,
you have to make time. You can’t excuse your self and say,
“when I have time I will study”, for then you may never have it.
You schedule appointments with VIP’s and nothing can alter that time.
How much more so in regards to the Torah? Not only set a time and keep it,
but Exile yourself. Lock the door and throw away the key until you have served
your allotted time daily with the Torah. Exile yourself from all distractions
and interruptions, just as you would if you were entertaining and important client.
Our focus text not only tells us to study Torah but to study it with friends.
If you are in a place with no friends then get commentaries.
Rashi and the Rambam are sometimes called a Torah students best friends.
It’s so important to have other opinions and interpretations to consider and
someone to bounce your own thoughts off of. Not only to expand your
knowledge but to keep your thought from going way off track, way into
left field in regards to your interpretation.
Notice that Israel has never been closer to God but in exile.
Notice that Prophets have received their most powerful revelation
while in exile. So exile is not always a bad thing,
especially when we exile ourselves with Torah as our
companion.
Shalom,
-- Yehudah ben
Shomeyr
