That feeling isn't new. Our ancestors wrestled with it too, especially when it came to learning and observing mitzvot, commandments. to a passage from Sifrei Devarim, a collection of legal interpretations on the Book of Deuteronomy. It grapples with a crucial question: when exactly are we obligated to learn and keep mitzvot?
The text poses a thought experiment: what if the obligation to learn Torah only applied to mitzvot that were relevant before entering the Land of Israel, Eretz Yisrael? We're talking about things like bechorot (the laws of the firstborn), sacrifices, and tithing animals. Makes sense. These were all practices the Israelites would have been engaging with even while wandering in the desert.
But what about the mitzvot that only became relevant after they settled in the land? Things like the omer offering (a grain offering brought on the second day of Passover), challah (the portion of dough given to the priest), the offering of the Two Loaves on Shavuot, and the showbread in the Temple? Were those somehow less important to learn right away?
Sifrei Devarim answers with a resounding no. It derives from the verse "if hearken you shall hearken to My mitzvot" that ALL mitzvot are included. The double language of "hearken you shall hearken" amplifies the obligation, extending it beyond the immediately obvious.
But the questioning doesn't stop there. What about mitzvot that are specific to agricultural life in the Land of Israel after conquering and settling it? We're talking about leket (gleanings left for the poor), shikchah (forgotten sheaves), pe'ah (the corner of the field left unharvested), terumot (priestly gifts), ma'aserot (tithes), shmita (the sabbatical year), and Yovlot (Jubilee years). Did people get a grace period on learning these?
Again, the answer is no. The text finds the inclusion in the phrase "to My mitzvot which I command you this day." The words "this day" are understood not as a literal 24-hour period, but as a constant and ongoing present. The obligation to learn is immediate and continuous.
What does this tell us? It speaks to the dynamism of Jewish law and learning. It's not enough to learn what’s immediately applicable. There's a constant expectation to grow, to anticipate, and to be prepared for the future, even if that future seems distant. We are encouraged to learn all mitzvot, even those that don't immediately impact our lives. Why? Because learning itself is a mitzvah, and because a time may come when that knowledge becomes essential.
It's a reminder that our journey of learning and observance is a lifelong process. And while it might sometimes feel like we're just catching up, maybe that's precisely the point. The striving itself is what matters. The commitment to constantly learn and grow, to be ready for whatever comes next, that's what truly connects us to the chain of tradition and to the Divine. So, what are you waiting for? What will you learn today?