Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod Tet, Part 2
Introduction
This section continues to expound on the end of the verse from yesterday s section (Psalms 112:1).
אמר ר’ אבדימי בר חמא כל העוסק בתורה הקב"ה עושה לו חפציו שנאמר כי אם בתורת ה’ חפצו
אמר רבא לעולם ילמוד אדם תורה במקום שלבו חפץ שנאמר כי אם בתורת ה’ חפצו.
R. Avdimi b. Hama said: He who occupies himself with the Torah will have his desires granted by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: But he who [is occupied] with the Torah of the Lord, his desire [shall be granted].
Rava said: One should always study Torah in a place which his heart desires, as it is said, But whose desire is in the Torah of the Lord.
These are two slightly different takes on the meaning of this verse. Rava s derashah is the same that we saw above where it was attributed to Rabbi Judah Hanasi. But R. Avdimi breaks up the words differently he who studies the Torah, will have his desires granted.
ואמר רבא בתחילה נקראת על שמו של הקב"ה ולבסוף נקראת על שמו שנאמר בתורת ה’ חפצו ובתורתו יהגה יומם ולילה.
Rava also said: At the beginning [of this verse] the Torah is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, but at the end it is called by the name of he [who studies it], for it is said, Whose desire is in the Torah of the Lord and in his [own] Torah he meditates day and night.
Rava reads the pronoun at the end of the verse as referring to the one who studies the Torah, not God (as it surely means according to its simple meaning). Thus, once one begins to study Torah intensely, it becomes his, and it is called by his name.
ואמר רבא לעולם ילמד אדם תורה ואח"כ יהגה שנאמר בתורת ה’ והדר ובתורתו יהגה.
Rava also said: One should always study the Torah first and meditate in it afterwards, as it is said, In the Torah Law of the Lord, and then, and in his [own] Torah he meditates.
Study here probably means something akin to learning or even memorizing. First a person should memorize or at least learn the simple readings of the verses. Once he has attained that level of learning, he should delve deeper and meditate upon its meaning.
ואמר רבא לעולם ליגריס איניש ואע"ג דמשכח ואע"ג דלא ידע מאי קאמר שנאמר (תהלים קיט, כ) גרסה נפשי לתאבה גרסה כתיב ולא כתיב טחנה
Rava also said: A person should always recite, even though he is liable to forget and even if he does not fully understand all the words which he says, as it is said, My soul recites for desire of Your rules at all times (Psalms 119:20). Recites is what Scripture says, it does not say grinds.
Recites in rabbinic lingo refers to rote recitation of rabbinic dicta. Grinds refers to understanding them, and refining them to make sure they are correct. Rava exhibits his preference for the former, at least in terms of educational priority.
רבא רמי כתיב (משלי ט, ג) על גפי וכתיב (משלי ט, יד) על כסא בתחלה על גפי ולבסוף על כסא
Rava pointed to the following contradictions: Scripture says, Upon the highest places, (Proverbs 9:3) and then it says, On a seat (vs. 14).
At the beginning [the student occupies] any place, but ultimately [he will occupy] a seat.
Rava refers to a seeming contradiction between Proverbs 9:3 and 9:14. Where does one who studies wisdom/Torah dwell? On the highest places or on a seat? He resolves this by detecting a progress in a student s learning. When he begins he is in the highest places, perhaps out of excitement for beginning to learn. But when he proceeds, he moves down to a seat, a position of honor, where others will be able to learn from his Torah.
כתיב (משלי ח, ב) "בראש מרומים" וכתיב "עלי דרך" בתחלה בראש מרומים ולבסוף עלי דרך
It is written, In the top of high places (Proverbs 8:2) and then it says by the road! At first he is in the top [out of the way] high places, yet ultimately [he will] be by the road.
Again, Rava notes a progression in the position of a student of Torah.
עולא רמי כתיב (משלי ה, טו) "שתה מים מבורך" וכתיב "ונוזלים מתוך בארך" בתחלה שתה מבורך ולבסוף ונוזלים מתוך בארך
Ulla pointed to the following contradiction: It is written, Drink waters out of you own cistern (Proverbs 5:15) and then it says, and running waters out of your own well! At first drink from your own cistern, and by the end running waters from your own well.
Ulla learns another educational message from Proverbs. First drink from your cistern, where waters are gathered from elsewhere. Then, once your learning has progressed, running waters of new Torah will emerge from your well.