The Fiery Law and Standing in Fire to Study Torah

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, V'Zot HaBerachah 3:3

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"From His right hand, a fiery law for them" (Deuteronomy 33:2). This teaches that the Torah was given only with the right hand. Rabbi Yohanan said: Whoever wishes to occupy himself with the Torah should regard himself as though he were standing in fire. Therefore it is said, "a fiery law."

Themes

FireTorahBibleHumorWit

Biblical References

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Sifrei DevarimThe Law of Fire That Protects Torah StudentsThere's a passage in Sifrei Devarim 344 that speaks to this very idea. It's connected to (Deuteronomy 33:3), which refers to "the law of fire." But what does "tBen SiraOrigin of Souls of SiraBen Sira, in his wisdom, captures that feeling perfectly. He says, "My inward parts were hot as an oven for her, to behold her; Therefore I possessed her as a gKalach Pitchei ChokhmahJudgment as Fire That Rages in Youth and Subsides with AgeWe all have. But where does it come from, and what happens to it as we age? The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, or "Hall of the Openings of Wisdom," wrestles with thisBereshit RabbahBefore The World Was CreatedA God of pure, untamed power, riding not on a cloud, but on the very wings of the wind. Fiery lights blazing all around, crimson fire swirling. Four immense stoThe Midrash of PhiloPhilo Grapples With Moses and the Nature of CreationTake the writings attributed to Philo of Alexandria, for example. Now, there’s some debate about whether these are actually from Philo himself, but the collectiThe Midrash of PhiloPhilo on How We Understand Ourselves Before GodPhilo of Alexandria, a Jewish philosopher living in Roman Egypt, grappled with these ideas centuries ago. And while we don't have a complete "Midrash of Philo"