“And a woman, if her bloody discharge will flow many days not at the time of her menstruation, or if it will flow beyond her menstruation; for all the days of the discharge of her impurity she shall be like during the days of her menstruation; she is impure” (Leviticus 15:25). “And a woman, if her bloody discharge will flow many days,” this is what the verse said: “His head is the finest gold; [his locks are curls, black as a raven]” (Song of Songs 5:11).
“His head [rosho],” this is Torah, as it is written: “The Lord made me at the beginning [reshit] of His way” (Proverbs 8:22),1This chapter of Proverbs is stated as though from the perspective of wisdom, which is understood to refer to Torah. as Rav Huna said in the name of Reish Lakish: The Torah preceded creation of the world by two thousand years, as it is stated: “I was with Him, as a protégé; [I was a delight day after day]” (Proverbs 8:30), and the day of the Holy One blessed be He is one thousand years, as it is stated: “For one thousand years in Your eyes [are like yesterday]” (Psalms 90:4).
“The finest gold,” these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “They are more desirable than gold, than quantities of fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). Matters that were created from the beginning were engraved in the finest gold.2Some interpret this as a reference to the Ten Commandments. According to the Sages, they were engraved upon tablets of sapphire, which were as valuable as fine gold (Etz Yosef).
“His locks are curls [taltalim],” this is the scoring.3Indentations made in the parchment to ensure that the lines of the Torah are written straight. “Black [sheḥorot] as a raven [kaorev],” these are the strokes of the letters – this is the statement of Rabbi Eliezer. Rabbi Yehoshua says: In whom are the piles4Taltalim is expounded as tilei tilim, piles upon piles. [of halakhot] sustained? It is in one who begins early [mashḥir] and ends late [maariv] in their [study].
Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami said: Matters of Torah require beginning early and ending late, as it is stated: “Who prepares for the raven its prey, [when its young cry to God, wandering without food]?” (Job 38:41).5Some assert that this verse addresses the unstated question: If a person commits himself to Torah study how will he earn a living? The verse indicates that just as God supports the ravens He supports those who study Torah and rely upon Him (see Etz Yosef).
Learn from Elijah. Through his beginning early and ending late in Torah, did I not already appoint ravens for him, as it is stated: “The ravens would bring him bread and meat….” (I Kings 17:6). From where would they bring it to him? It was from the table of Yehoshafat.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Ami said: Matters of Torah require beginning early and ending late. From where will sustenance come? “Who prepares for the raven its prey, [when its young cry to God, wandering without food]?” So too, if a person does not become cruel to his body, to his children, and to his household, like this raven, he will not merit matters of Torah.6If a person does not fully dedicate himself to Torah study, even at the expense of his livelihood, he will not excel in Torah scholarship.
Rabbi Asi was inquisitive. He saw a certain raven. It prepared a nest, produced eggs, produced fledglings. He took them and placed them in a new pot and sealed it over them for three days.
After three days, he opened it to see what they were doing. He found that they had produced excrement, the excrement produced gnats, and [the ravens] were flying above them and eating them. He read this verse in their regard. “Who prepares for the raven its prey, [when its young cry to God, wandering without food]?”
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The song of Torah is only at night, as it is stated: “Arise, sing out at night” (Lamentations 2:19).7This means that the primary time for Torah study is at night, when people are generally not working. Reish Lakish said: During the day and at night, as it is stated: “You shall ponder it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Reish Lakish was interpreting verses and when he would arrive at these verses: “She rises while it is yet night” (Proverbs 31:15), [and] “Arise, sing out at night” (Lamentations 2:19), he said: Rabbi Yoḥanan taught me well.
He then said: Do you not see how my Torah study shines on my face? Why? It is because it is during the day and at night.