Two Laws a Day - The Wise and the Fool Who Learn Torah

Rabbi Chanan interpreted it concerning a mound of earth. One who is a fool says, "Who is able to clear away this?" One who is clever, what does he say? "Behold, I will clear away two basketfuls today and two basketfuls tomorrow, until I have cleared all of it." So too, one who is a fool says, "Who is able to undertake to learn the whole Torah? Nezikin is thirty chapters, Kelim is thirty chapters!" One who is clever, what does he say? (Others have not learned Torah) "Behold, I will learn two laws today and two laws tomorrow, until I have learned the whole Torah." Rabbi Yochanan said, "Wisdom is too high for a fool" (Proverbs 24:7). Rabbi Yannai said: It is like a loaf pierced and hanging in the air of a house. One who is a fool says, "How can I take it down?" The clever one, what does he say? "Did not another hang it up? Behold, I will bring two reeds and join this one to that one and bring it down." So too, one who is a fool, what does he say? "Who is able to learn the Torah that is in the heart of a sage?" One who is clever, what does he say? "And he did not learn it long ago? Behold, I will learn two laws today and two laws tomorrow, until I learn as much as he." Rabbi Levi said: It is like a perforated cask, and the owners hired laborers to fill it. One who is a fool, what does he say? "What benefit is there for me, that I put into this one and it goes out from that one?" One who is clever, what does he say? "Do I not receive the wage for every single barrel?" So too, one who is a fool, what does he say? "What benefit is there for me, that I learn Torah and forget it?" One who is clever, what does he say? "Does not the Holy One, blessed be He, give the wage for the toil?" Rabbi Ze'eira said: Even the matters that you see as thorns in the Torah are heaps upon heaps of heaps, and they are able to destroy the world and to make it into a mound. This is what is written, "And it shall be a mound forever" (Deuteronomy 13:17).