It's an age-old question: how can we possibly dedicate ourselves fully to learning when life keeps pulling us in a million different directions?
Well, Midrash Tehillim offers some fascinating and comforting insights. It starts with a simple premise: we desire to be in the Torah of the Lord. But, as Rabbi Eliezer points out, the people of Israel essentially cried out, "Master of the Universe, we WANT to engage in Torah day and night, but we have no free time!"
So, what’s the divine solution? According to Rabbi Eliezer, God says, "Perform the mitzvah of tefillin, and I will consider it as if you were engaged in Torah day and night." Tefillin, those black leather boxes containing scriptural passages that are worn on the arm and head during morning prayers – they're not just ritual objects, but a shortcut, in a way, to fulfilling that deep desire to be immersed in Torah.
Rabbi Yochanan takes it a step further, drawing a direct line from the verse "And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes" (Exodus 13:9) to the idea that wearing tefillin is equivalent to studying Torah constantly.
But wait, there's more! Rabbi Yehoshua refines the idea. He suggests that Rabbi Eliezer's statement primarily refers to the nights, when tefillin aren't worn. The obligation to wear tefillin, he reminds, is "at its appointed time from days to days" (Exodus 13:10). So what fills the gaps?
His answer? Reciting the Shema, the central declaration of Jewish faith: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4). If you say the Shema morning and evening, the Holy One considers it as if you've been engaged in Torah study all day and night. Bar Kapara even specifies reciting two chapters of the Shema in the morning and two in the evening to fulfill this commandment.
And Rabbi Berechiah adds a historical perspective, noting that even the patriarchs established the Mishnah (early rabbinic teachings) where they would "sit during the day for the portion that is taken from the night and during the night for the portion that is taken from the day.” It’s like they were always catching up, always striving to balance the scales of study.
Now, what about other kinds of wisdom? Greek wisdom, for example? This is where it gets interesting. Rabbi Yehoshua, when asked about studying Greek wisdom, initially suggests finding a time that is "neither of the day nor of the night," alluding to the verse "And you shall meditate therein day and night" (Joshua 1:8). But then he clarifies: don’t let ANY study, even a craft, distract from Torah, even for an hour. "Therefore," he says, "choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19).
The passage circles back to the importance of reciting the Shema. We're told that the morning prayers involve two blessings before and one after the Shema, and the evening prayers have two before and two after. Why? To ensure that the recitation of the Shema, day and night, is equal, echoing that continuous meditation mentioned in Joshua 1:8.
Finally, Rabbi Yossi takes it even further, citing Psalms 119:164: "Seven times a day I praise you because of your righteous ordinances." He suggests reciting the Shema at least seven times a day!
So, what does it all mean? It’s not about cramming every waking moment with literal Torah study. It's about finding ways to infuse our lives with its essence, through mitzvot like tefillin, through the powerful words of the Shema, and through a constant striving to connect with the divine.
Maybe, just maybe, in the midst of our busy lives, we can find those pockets of time, those moments of intention, that allow us to truly "choose life" and connect with something bigger than ourselves. It's a journey, not a destination, and one we're all on together.