Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Yoma 35 Why didn't you learn?

The Gemora states that Hillel obligates the poor people to learn torah, Rebbe Elozar obligates the rich and Yosef Hatzadik obligates the reshoim for each one of them had an excuse and didn't use it. The Tosfos Yeshonim (printed on 36a) brings the Gemora in Sanhedrin (7) that this is the initial din on a person in the world to come - why didn't you learn Torah.

Tosfos in Kiddushin asks from the Gemora in Shabbos that explicitly states that the first question one is asked is did you deal honestly in business? Rav Shach explains Tosfos' answer that one always has an excuse as to why he didn't fulfill any particular mitzva for he didn't know the halochos so well which caused him to stumble. On that, we are told that the first punishment will be on bittul Torah for that was the cause for the sin. The Mesilas Yeshorim explains the words of Chazal that Hashem created the evil inclination and He created the antidote as well, which is the Torah. The Torah is the only remedy for the yetzer hora and if a person sinned, it is ultimately because of the lack of learning.

1 comments:

Avromi said...

yes its there on daf 31 - not sure if thats the poshut pshat by the way. it seems that he is not saying it in tosfos.