Daf Ditty Eruvin 54: Healing the Broken Soul

Make Yourself a Desert Wilderness

Being like a Midbar can also mean developing a sense of openness. Especially in today’s crowded, overstimulating world, how do you clear your mind, open your heart, and find your sense of awe? For me, it can be standing to pray, sitting to breath and meditate, or going outside for a run in nature. It can be taking a few minutes of transition to set my intention or review the last thing I did.

Julie Hilton Danan

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The Gemara relates more of Berurya’s wisdom: Berurya came across a certain student who was whispering his studies rather than raising his voice.

3 She kicked him and said to him: Isn’t it written as follows: “Ordered in all things and secure” (ii Samuel 23:5), which indicates that if the Torah is ordered in your 248 limbs, i.e., if you exert your entire body in studying it, it will be secure, and if not, it will not be secure. The Gemara relates that it was similarly taught in a baraita: Eliezer had a student who would study quietly, and after three years he forgot his studies.

The Gemara cites instructions issued by Shmuel that are similar to those of Berurya. Shmuel said to Rav Yehuda: Keen scholar [shinnana], open your mouth and read from the Torah, open your mouth and study the Talmud, in order that your studies should endure in you and that you should live a long life, as it is stated: “For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:22). Do not read: “To those who find them [lemotzeihem],” but rather “to those who express them [lemotzi’eihem],” with their mouth.

The Gemara cites additional instructions issued by Shmuel: Shmuel said to Rav Yehuda, his beloved student: Keen scholar, grab and eat, grab and drink, as the world from which we are departing is like a wedding feast, whose joy is only temporary, and one who does not take pleasure in it now will not be able to do so in the future.

Similarly, Rav said to Rav : My son, if you have money, do well for yourself. There is no point waiting, as there is no pleasure in the netherworld, and death does not tarry. And

4 if you say: I will save up in order to leave for my children, who told you the law of the netherworld, i.e., how do you know which of you will die first (Arukh)? People are similar to grass of the field, in that these blossom, i.e., grow, and their actions are blessed, and these wither and die.

Having expounded the verse “For they are life to those who find them” as referring to the Torah, the Gemara cites another teaching related to this verse that praises the Torah. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who is walking along the way without a companion and is afraid should engage in Torah study, as it is stated with regard to the words of Torah: “For they shall be a graceful wreath [livyat ḥen] for your head, and chains about your neck” (Proverbs 1:9). The word livyat is understood here as a reference to levaya, accompaniment, so that the verse is interpreted to mean that Torah is a graceful accompaniment to one who is traveling.

One who feels pain in his head should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “For they shall be a graceful wreath for your head.” One who feels pain in his throat should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “And chains about your neck.” One who feels pain in his intestines should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “It shall be health to your navel” (Proverbs 3:8). One who feels pain in his bones should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “And marrow to your bones” (Proverbs 3:8). One who feels pain in his entire body should engage in Torah study, as it is stated: “And health to all their flesh” (Proverbs 4:22).

Torah cures many ailments.

שח ושארב קוסעי הרותב - Headache – שח ב ג ר ו נ ו י ע ס ו ק ב ת ו הר - Throat the in Pain – שח יעמב ו קוסעי הרותב הרותב קוסעי יתומצעב ו שח - Stomach the in Pain – הרותב קוסעי ופוג לכב שח - Pain in one's bones

5 רמאנש לכלו ורשב אפרמ - - Torah actually cures one's entire body

is better than any medicine, because most medications only work for הרות We see that the is הרות specific parts of the body - and also sometimes have negative side effects - while completely beneficial for everything.

Rav Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ḥiyya, said: Come and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is unlike the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He. The attribute of flesh and blood is that when a person gives a drug to his fellow, it is good for this part of his body and it is harmful to that other part of his body. But the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not so; He

6 gave the Torah to the Jewish people, and it is a drug of life for one’s entire body, as it is stated: “And health to all their flesh.”

And Rabbi Eliezer also said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “His cheeks are like a bed of spices” (Song of Songs 5:13)? If a person makes himself humble like this garden bed upon which everyone treads, and like this spice with which everyone perfumes himself, i.e., which benefits not only the one who wears it, his Torah study will endure. But if not, his Torah study will not endure.

Rava said to him: If a person makes himself humble like this wilderness, which is open to all and upon which everyone treads, the Torah will be given to him as a gift [mattana]. And once it is given to him as a gift, he inherits it [neḥalo] and God [El] makes it His inheritance, as it is stated: “And from Mattanah to Nahaliel.” And once God has made it His inheritance, he rises to greatness, as it is stated: “And from Nahaliel to Bamoth,” which means heights.

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Learning a Lesson from Travels in the Wilderness

Steinzaltz (OBM) writes:12

A fairly common occurrence in the Babylonian Talmud is a segue from the discussion of halakha to aggada. Our Daf in its entirety, is made up of a collection of homilies based on passages in Tanakh. As an example, the Gemara brings Rav Mattana’s drasha (=exposition) on the passage (Bamidbar 21:18) U’mi-midbar Mattana – describing the Jewish People’s travels through the desert to a place called Mattana on their way to the Land of Canaan. Rav Mattana explains this to mean that if a person behaves in a humble manner, that he allows himself to be like a wilderness which is open for all to walk through, he will be rewarded with success in his studies.

To illustrate this homily further, the Gemara tells the story of the son of Rav Yosef bar Hama who was estranged from his friend and teacher, Rav Yosef. The day before Yom Kippur he went to Rav Yosef to try and come to some reconciliation. As he arrived, he found Rav Yosef’s servant preparing a drink for his master, and Rava offered to prepare the drink in his stead and bring it to

1 https://steinsaltz.org/daf/eiruvin54/ 2

8 Rav Yosef. Rav Yosef – who was blind – tasted the drink and immediately commented that it was diluted more than usual, just like Rava the son of Rav Yosef bar Hama used to prepare it.

This allowed Rava the son of Rav Yosef bar Hama to introduce himself. Rav Yosef asked him to interpret the passage in Bamidbar (21:18) that listed the stops of the Children of Israel on their way to Israel. Based on wordplay, making use of the root of each place-name, Rava the son of Rav Yosef bar Hama presented the following explanation:

Rava said to him: If a person makes himself humble like this wilderness, which is open to all and upon which everyone treads, the Torah will be given to him as a gift [mattana]. And once it is given to him as a gift, he inherits it [nehalo] and God [El] makes it His inheritance, as it is stated: “And from Mattanah to Nahaliel.” And once God has made it His inheritance, he rises to greatness, as it is stated: “And from Nahaliel to Bamoth,” which means heights.

And if he becomes haughty, the Holy One, Blessed be He, lowers him, as it is stated: “And from Bamoth to the valley.” And if he repents, the Holy One, Blessed be He, raises him back up, as it is stated: “Every valley shall be exalted” (Isaiah 40:4).

In effect, Rav Yosef’s request to interpret the passage offered an opening for Rava the son of Rav Yosef bar Hama to apologize.

The disagreement that led to their estrangement is described in the Gemara Nedarim 55a, when Rava sent a question to Rav Yosef. Unhappy with the answer that he received in response, he said that it was useless to him, as the original question still remained. Rav Yosef took offense, saying “if you don’t need me, don’t send me any more questions.” From the apology that appears in our Gemara, clearly Rava came to recognize the folly of his arrogant behavior.

Rabbi Shmuli Passow writes:3

Embodied Judaism

The phrase itself conjures an image of hippie-ish Jews at a retreat center shaping themselves into yoga-like shapes of Hebrew letters. Indeed, a quick Google search for those words brought up links for a six-week yoga journey through the Hebrew month of Elul, programs that draw on the Feldenkrais method to illuminate classical Jewish texts, training workshops for teachers to integrate Jewish wisdom into their classes, and more.

Embodied Judaism is often thought of as a contemporary innovation, influenced perhaps by Eastern spiritual practices. But in fact, there are plenty of ways in which our ancient texts express a deep understanding of the connection between Judaism and our bodies.

Our daf, we encounter several statements about the embodied experience of Torah study, including descriptions of the healing effect of Torah on the body and exhortations to engage the

3 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/eruvin-54/

9 entire body in the learning process. If this seems pretty far afield from the topic of Eruvin, you’re not wrong. We arrive at this discussion in a typically circuitous talmudic way.

Yesterday’s daf begins with an inquiry about how to measure the borders of a city for the purpose of constructing an eruv. It cites a dispute between Rav and Shmuel about the correct spelling of a word in the mishnah, which in turn launches a conversation about the proper ways to speak and the importance of correct pronunciation. After several twists and turns, the Gemara relates a story about Beruriah, the wife of Rabbi Meir:

Beruriah came across a certain student who was whispering his studies rather than raising his voice. She kicked him and said to him: Isn’t it written as follows: Ordered in all things and secure (II Samuel 23:5), which indicates that if the Torah is ordered in your 248 limbs, i.e., if you exert your entire body in studying it, it will be secure, and if not, it will not be secure.

We already met Beruriah back in Tractate Berakhot — she is one of the few named women in the Gemara, and also one of the few who has any sort of voice. The stories told about her emphasize her extraordinary mind and vast knowledge of Torah. In most places she appears, Beruriah is shown subversively using the methodologies of Torah scholars to critique their behavior. And in all those cases, the Talmud presents her as being in the right.

In this encounter, Beruriah does three brilliant things.

First, she champions what would now be called a kinesthetic learning style, in which learners process information through movement and touch. Some people naturally learn best in this way, but research has shown that movement helps almost all learners retain information better.

Second, Beruriah creates a spontaneous midrash on this verse from II Samuel. In its original context, the verse has nothing to do with either bones or Torah study. It is a statement made by King David describing the covenant that God made with him. Beruriah offers a completely new reading of the phrase “an eternal covenant, ordered in all things and secure.” Based on another verse from the book of Malakhi, she interprets the word covenant to refer to Torah. Next, based on the seemingly extraneous description of the covenant being ordered “in all things,” she interprets those words to refer to the bones of the body, concluding that Torah should be studied out loud so that its words can penetrate.

Finally, Beruriah gets the attention of the scholar in this story in a truly embodied way: by kicking him! It is almost as if she makes her point about the importance of using one’s entire body in learning and teaching before she even opens her mouth.

While the term “embodied Judaism” may have originated in the modern era, this story, and the many that follow on this daf, demonstrate that our sages did not live entirely in their heads, valuing solely the intellectual process of Torah study.

On the contrary, they understood deeply that the body must be involved in the learning process — and that in turn, Torah and its wisdom can help our bodies be strong and healthy. So whether you call it embodied Judaism or rabbinic Judaism, here’s to an integrated approach to Jewish learning.

10 EAT AND DRINK WHILE YOU CAN

Rav Mordechai Kornfeld writes: 4

Shmuel told Rav Yehudah, "Grab and eat, grab and drink, because the world is passing quickly like a wedding party."

What was the point of this advice?

RASHI explains that Shmuel's point was to warn his student not to wait until tomorrow to use his money, because a person has no assurance that he will be alive tomorrow to enjoy his money.

It seems that Rashi does not mean simply that a person should take advantage of his money and use it before he dies. Rather, Rashi means that since a person does not know when he will die, all of his activities should be done with the realization that tomorrow he might die. This realization will lead him to concentrate on performing Mitzvos and taking advantage of the time that he has in this world for Avodas Hashem. As the Gemara says in Berachos (5a), when a person's Yetzer ha'Ra starts to entice him, he should remember the day of death.

S’FAS EMES explains that Shmuel was advising Rav Yehudah not to spend time and money on luxuries, such as on acquiring more tasty food and things that he does not need. Rather, he should "grab and eat" without being so particular about what he eats or drinks. Rashi later (DH she'Masrachas) also expresses this idea when he says that a Talmid Chacham should not waste his time on acquiring fancy foods.

Perhaps Shmuel was addressing a dilemma that people often face: Should one save his money so that when he retires, he will be able to learn Torah unencumbered by the burden of a livelihood, or should he continue to work hard even when he is old and even though he has enough for himself, in order to save money for his children to provide for their needs?

Shmuel says that one should "grab and eat" -- that is, one should use his money for his own Torah learning and Mitzvah fulfillment while he is alive. Shmuel's theme is similar to the theme of Rav in the following Gemara, who says that one should not leave his money to his children, because Hashem will take care of them, and instead he should use his money for his own Torah learning and Mitzvah fulfillment.

4 https://www.dafyomi.co.il/eruvin/insites/ev-dt-054.htm

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Desert Learning: Historical Experience versus Didactic derivation from Sacred Text

Rav Avrohom Adler writes:5

The Rambam, in his introduction to the Mishna, expounds on how Bnei Yisroel used to learn in the desert. For example, they learned one day the verse, “In Sukos you should dwell for seven days.” Moshe would then teach them the laws pertinent to this topic. He would say that only males are commanded to sit in a Sukah, and that people who are sick or on the road are exempt as well. The Sechah must be something that grows from the ground. It is an obligation to eat, drink (as part of a meal), and sleep in the Sukah. The walls cannot be less than ten handsbreaths high, and the Sukah cannot be less than seven by seven handsbreaths.

The Rambam also points out that being that the Torah was taught clearly by Moshe Rabeinu, there was no doubt regarding the definition of verses that he clearly defined. For example, he says, when we find in the Gemora in Sukah that there is seemingly a debate about the definition of a “pri eitz hadar,” which we know to be an esrog, the debate was not regarding what fruit we should use for this mitzva.

The fact that the Torah refers to an esrog was clearly taught by Moshe Rabeinu.

Rather, the debate in the Gemora is how we can derive from the Torah itself that this is true, if we would not have a tradition telling us that it is an esrog.

5 http://dafnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Eiruvin_54.pdf

12 Those that Study and those that Support Torah6

Rav Yosef said to him, “Do not sit down until have explained the following verse [Bamidbar 21: 18 – 19]: And from the wilderness to Mattanah; and from Mattanah to Nachaliel; and from Nachaliel to Bamos?”

Rava replied, “When one makes himself as the wilderness, which is open to everyone (willing to teach them Torah), the Torah is given to him as a gift, as it says: And from the wilderness to Mattanah (a gift). And once it is given to him as a gift, Hashem makes it his inheritance, as it says: and from Mattanah to Nachaliel (inheritance from Hashem). And after Hashem gives it to him as an inheritance, he ascends to greatness, as it says: and from Nachaliel to Bamos (to heights). And if he becomes haughty, Hashem will lower him down, as it says: And from Bamos to the valley. And furthermore, Hashem sinks him into the ground, as it says: overlooking the surface of the wilderness. However, if he repents, Hashem will raise him up once again, as it says: every valley shall be raised. The verse prior to these verses states: A well dug by princes, carved out by nobles of the people, through the lawgiver with their staffs, and from the desert to Mattanah.

The Vilna Gaon says that this verse must be explained according to our Gemora as well. He explains: The well is referring to the wellsprings of Torah. The princes are those that delving into the depths of Torah. The nobles are those people who are engaged in business activities and support those who are studying Torah.

The verse concludes that both those that study Torah and those that support others who are studying have a portion in Torah. The Chozeh mi’Lublin adds: Since the verse concludes with the words: and from the Desert to Mattanah, and we derived from there one is obligated to make himself similar to the wilderness; opened to teach Torah to all, this must be true for the supporters as well.

One who is supporting Torah must view his support as if the Torah scholar is receiving it from the wilderness, and not directly from him. He should not expect a return on his investment in this world; the reward for supporting Torah is given out in the World to Come; the same time that those who study Torah receive their reward.

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A Desert Gift

Rav Moshe Taragin writes:7

Perhaps the principal feature of Torah evoked by the desert is the humility which must accompany its study. Our Daf declares that a person must behave as a desert to properly acquire Torah. Just as a desert allows passage, similarly a Torah student must allow himself "to be trampled upon," so to speak, to suitably acquire Torah.

The obvious dangers of celebrating victimization notwithstanding, this Gemara intuits humility as a precondition to Torah study and associates this dependence with the desert framework of Matan Torah. In fact, the conclusion of the Song of the Well claims, "From Matana to Nachli'el and from Nachli'el to Bamot (mountain peaks) and from Bamot to Guy." Noticing the vertical sense of this pasuk, the Gemara comments, "If the acquisition of Torah induces vanity or conceit (bamot = cliffs = high self-regard), he is then degraded by God (plunged into the guy = valley)."

Presumably, the preconditioning of Torah success upon lack of pretension is experienced in two different manners. Firstly, Torah is Divinely awarded in response to personal virtue - humble deportment being an essential component of moral integrity.

An interesting Midrash in Ki Tissa describes Moshe's frustration after forty days of tenaciously attempting to receive the Torah. Despairing at his own perceived ignorance, he bemoans, "I have spent forty days and nights pursuing Torah and I know nothing." At this point, God awards him with comprehensive Torah knowledge – presumably in response to both his dogged efforts as well as his impressive humility. Had he gloated over his accomplishments, he would not have received

7 https://www.etzion.org.il/en/desert-gift

14 this grant; acknowledging his "inadequacy," he merits a complimentary divine endowment. Certainly, the metaphor of Torah as a gift, or matana, implies its nature as a gift in response to moral caliber.

In addition, humility enables Torah growth in a more rational and logical fashion. Torah acquisition is not merely an intellectual exercise. We uncover and retain Torah knowledge in direct proportion to the degree that we value it as Divine.

Another Midrash in Ki Tissa claims that had the nation received the entire Torah directly from God, no Torah would ever be forgotten. If we truly recognized the eternity of each word of Torah and its Divine author, we would never allow ourselves to forget it nor apply anything less than maximal effort in its study. Failure in Torah study – whether in comprehension or retention - is not merely an intellectual limitation; each lapse represents a partial neglect of Torah's Divine source.

A stunning Gemara in Temura (16a) narrates Yeshoshua's final moments with his rebbi - Moshe. The latter inquires as to whether his student is troubled by any final Torah uncertainties which can be aired while Moshe still lives to respond. Yehoshua exclaims that he is confident in his Torah knowledge and poses no questions to Moshe. At that moment, Yehoshua wavered and forgot 300 halakhot and was plagued by 700 additional questions. Beyond viewing this regression as punishment for momentary hubris, we may impute this Torah debility to partial displacement of Divine awareness. Yehoshua, famed for his humble subservience to Moshe, momentarily introduced a touch of self-importance and thereby displaced the presence of God. Reduced focus upon the Divine image devalued his Torah and severed it from his identity.

A similar phenomenon can be detected in Parashat Matot, in this instance regarding Moshe Rabbeinu. After the army returns from the defeat of Midyan, Moshe is angered by certain deviations from his original orders. After the Torah records his censure, Elazar the Kohen Gadol relays halakhot relevant to the purification of Midianite vessels. The Gemara comments that Moshe, in his fury, temporarily forgot the laws of foreign vessels. Once again, we may view this lapse as a cognitive reality rather than a punitive measure. Anger is fed by self- regard and ultimately induces displacement of Divine presence. As the Gemara claims, "Whoever angers is considered an idol worshipper." If anger constitutes momentary insanity, it is only enabled by "looking aside" from God. During his anger, Moshe shed "traces" of his unparalleled focus upon Hashem, and in that moment a fraction of his Torah knowledge departed.

Humility is not merely a moral prerequisite for passionate and devout Torah study. It serves as an academic facilitator, emptying the mind and heart of self-interest and allowing the Divine focus necessary for Torah excellence.

II. Tenacity and Self-Sacrifice

A parallel Gemara in Nedarim (55a) invokes the desert context and articulates a message which is structurally similar to our daf with one subtle distinction. Whereas Eiruvin endorses pliant and yielding behavior (literally allowing trespass as a desert), Nedarim advocates self- transformation into hefker (lack of ownership). Perhaps the message of Nedarim is similar

15 to Eiruvin, with minor differences in metaphor. Understandably, ownerless tracts easily allow trespass. Perhaps the imagery of Eiruvin may have invited exploitation and was replaced by a more legal description.

Alternatively, by invoking a different term, Nedarim may be voicing a different quality of Torah. Hefker may refer to the barrenness of the desert and the absence of comfort or amenity. This Gemara may be encouraging unrelenting effort, coupled by the willingness to endure sacrifice and deprivation, to enable superior Torah experience. This is certainly the intention of the continuation of the Midrash in Bamidbar (1:1):

Whoever does not transform himself into hefker as a desert cannot acquire the inner wisdom of Torah.

This Midrash casts a desert as a region liberated from human comfort – both material and psychological. By extension the message becomes, "If a person conditions himself as a desert - empty of any luxuries - he will succeed at Torah growth." From this vantage point, the desert climate exemplifies the notion that Torah cannot be acquired through the pleasures normally associated with urban life and the comforts which civilization offers. Its pursuit must be relentless, inflexible, fierce, even harsh. Commitment to Torah cannot be leisurely or relaxed. As such, this Midrash aligns with the Gemara in Berakhot (63b) which demands self-annihilation in the pursuit of Torah (Torah can only be acquired by "killing oneself"), and the famous Mishna in Avot (4:6) which describes ideal study accompanied by meals of unadorned bread, simple water and meager living conditions. The Midrash does not sound the stridency of Berakhot (killing oneself) or the economic hardship of the Mishna in Avot, but it does place Torah accomplishment in the wild and jagged sands of the inhospitable desert.

A different Midrash, on Bamidbar 19:26, resonates with the same message but offers slight differences:

Why was the Torah delivered in a desert? Just as a desert is not tilled or harvested, similarly, a Torah student is liberated from worldly burdens. Or say as follows: Torah can only be required by a person who dissociates himself.

In other words, Torah can only be acquired by a person who dissociates himself from worldly striving.

In general, this Midrash reiterates the notion of a desert as detached from human experience - both benefit as well as burden. Assuredly, there are subtle but significant differences between the two versions posited by the Midrash in Bamidbar. The initial comment of the Midrash views human liberation as a CONSEQUENCE of Torah study rather than as a precondition. Commitment to an eternal ideal emancipates a talmid chakham from worldly nuisance. In a sense, this release is provided as reward for religious sacrifice, but it is also a result of proper orientation of the human imagination. Life's hindrances and annoyances are weighty or insignificant to the degree that we assign them emphasis. Torah study attunes the human heart to eternity and hopefully supplies the perspective to designate proper proportion to daily challenges. Establishing proportion is the first step toward liberation from the heavy toll of daily life.

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The second layer of the Midrash envisions "desert disassociation" as a prerequisite for Torah merit in the more classic aforementioned manner. By isolating oneself from mundane experience, one can pursue Torah with greater verve and unconditioned intensity. Perhaps this Midrash evokes the epiphany of Moshe at the burning bush, the flight of Eliyahu from Achav, and the yearning of Yirmiyahu, all of whom saw in the desert a great release from the corruption of urban experience.

HEALING ONESELF WITH TORAH

Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi teaches that one who has a headache should toil in Torah. Similarly, one who has a sore throat, a sick stomach, or aching bones should toil in Torah. The Gemara concludes that one whose entire body is sick should toil in Torah.

(a) The Gemara in Shevuos (15b) teaches that one is forbidden to heal himself with words of Torah. How, then, can Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi say that one who is sick should toil in Torah in order to cure himself?

(b) Furthermore, if learning Torah heals the entire body as the Gemara concludes, why does Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi need to mention specific types of illnesses (headache, sore throat, stomach ache, aching bones)?

He should simply say that if one is sick in his entire body, he should toil in Torah, and we would know that learning Torah is certainly effective for illnesses that affect only part of the body!

MAHARSHA suggests two answers for the first question.

1. The Maharsha says that the prohibition to heal oneself with words of Torah applies only when one recites a verse with the specific intent that it serve to heal him. When one learns Torah primarily for the sake of learning, but also with the secondary intention that it help cure him, it is permissible.

PERISHAH (YD 179:17) similarly explains that the prohibition applies only when one pronounces a verse from the Torah and superstitiously expects it to heal him, like an incantation. However, when he studies Torah in order to do the Mitzvah of Hash-m and he trusts that Hash-m will heal him in the merit of the Mitzvah, it is permissible.

2. In his second answer, the Maharsha suggests that the Gemara is not discussing a person who is sick. The Gemara does not say that one who is "sick" ("Choleh") should learn Torah, but rather it says that one who is "Chash b'Rosho... Chash b'Grono... Chash b'Chol Gufo" should learn Torah. "Chash" means that he is fearful and worried of getting sick and he feels an illness approaching.

17 In such a case, he is permitted to use Torah study as a preventative measure. Using Torah study for this purpose is not included in the prohibition of healing oneself with words of Torah, as the Gemara says in Shevuos. (The Maharsha cites proof for this understanding of "Chash" from the Gemara in Shabbos 31a.)

Both of these answers are implied in the words of the RAMBAM (Hilchos Avodas Kochavim 11:12), who seems to combine the two answers when he requires both conditions to permit one to use Divrei Torah for healing.

He who delivers a prayer of charm upon a wound and reads also a verse of the Torah thereon, likewise one who reads a Verse so that a babe shall suffer no fear, or who puts a Sepher Torah or phylacteries upon a child so that he might fall asleep, such are not alone included among the enchanters and charmers but are even included among those who deny the Torah, for they are employing the words of the Torah as a cure for the body, whereas they are not so but only remedies for the soul

New sects, claiming remedial elements for physical ailments in Judaism, calling it “science”, evidently disagree with Maimonides and the Talmud. Yet, let Israel study this text. For physical ailment we have medical science. G. even as it is said: "And they will (shall) be life for thy soul" (Pro. 3.22).

But a normally healthy person who reads Verses of the Torah or chapters of the Psalms, so that the righteousness of reading it shield him to escape suffering and accidents, lo, this is permitted.15Ibid. 90a: 101a; Shubu’ot, 16b; Tosefta, Sanhedrin, Chapter, 12; , 121b. C. G.

The suggest two answers for the second question.

1. Maharsha points out that the illnesses mentioned here (headache, sore throat, stomach ache, and aching bones) are the only illnesses of the body for which we find no other cure in the Gemara. Therefore, the Gemara specifies the illnesses of these bodily parts, and then it makes a general statement that Torah is a curative for the entire body.

18 2. MAHARAL (Nesiv ha'Torah 1), as part of a lengthier explanation, suggests another answer. He explains that the Gemara refers to spiritual illnesses for which it is permissible to use the Torah to heal (the Maharsha to Shabbos 67a gives a similar answer).

When the Gemara says that one whose head is ill should toil in Torah, it refers to one who has sinful thoughts and attitudes that are antithetical to the Torah. Such a person can cure his spiritual illness by toiling in Torah.

When the Gemara refers to "one who has a sore throat," it alludes to one who sins with his throat (such as by speaking Lashon ha'Ra). He can cure his illness by learning the Halachos of that transgression.

"One who has a stomach ache" refers to one who sins with the internal parts of his body, which are the source of his bad character traits, such as Kin'ah (jealousy) and Ta'avah (lustfulness), which are also cured by toiling in Torah.

The bones of a person are the medium through which he brings forth his thoughts and desires to action. When one's actions are sinful, he is considered to be ill in his bones. Toiling in Torah is a remedy for this illness as well.

The Gemara concludes that one who is ill in all of his body should toil in Torah. The Gemara is adding that not only does the Torah cure the illnesses of the soul, but it also cures the illnesses of the physical body (which, until now, the Gemara was not discussing).

Spiritual Healing

19 Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman writes:8

If you’ve ever walked down the condiment aisle of a grocery store, you’ve probably been overwhelmed by the ever-expanding number of varieties of mustard or salad dressing. But for some reason, ketchup has stayed essentially the same since it was created. How come?

According to Malcolm Gladwell, what makes ketchup so amazing is that it hits all five of the basic tastes at once — we get sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami (that proteiny, full-bodied taste in chicken soup and soy sauce). There really aren’t many other foods that hit all five. So the reason ketchup has stayed the same is that it encompasses all five of our major taste-senses.

And in fact, that’s the reason kids like ketchup so much. When they’re faced with a new and potentially scary food, they can use the fact that ketchup gives us everything we need in order to make this new food palatable.

So the “essence” of ketchup seems to be two-fold. First, it encompasses all the major taste-senses. And second, its universality allows it to be an outstanding complement to a whole range of foods, providing stability and comfort when we are faced with a new taste. How is Torah Like Food?

The often made comparisons between Torah and food. It’s not hard to see the connection — in the Rabbis’ mindset, both Torah and food provide sustenance, both are seen as gifts from God, and both help give us strength.

But it’s not just the idea of “food in general” the Rabbis focused on. They often looked at very specific foods (and usually ones that everyone ate, and knew some facts about), and asked, “How is Torah like this particular food?”

For example, when children start to learn Hebrew, the teacher is supposed to put a dab of honey on each letter. Why? Because “Torah is as sweet as honey.” Notice that the focus is on the main aspect of honey –when we’re comparing Torah to honey, it doesn’t really matter that honey is made by bees, or that it takes a long time to make, or there’s always a little extra drip that you have to find a way to get off the spoon. No, the Rabbis want children to focus on the sweetness of honey, and hope that Torah feels just as sweet in their mouths. Torah as a Fig-Tree

Let’s look at another example — this time using a food we don’t know as much about. Rabbi compares Torah to a fig tree and asks, “How is Torah like it?”

“Why are the words of Torah like a fig tree? As a fig tree yields its fruit whenever it is shaken, so does Torah always give us new teachings whenever it is repeated.” (Our Daf)

8 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/rabbis-without-borders/torah-as-food/

20 What is the “essence” of a fig tree that allows it to be compared to Torah? Because the more you shake a fig tree, the more figs come down. So just like a fig tree, the more we grapple with Torah (“shake it,” if you will), the more insights will come out of it. In fact, we can find something specific about almost any food — its “essence” — and we can try to ask, “How is Torah like it?”

So even though this may border on the heretical, let’s ask: how is Torah like ketchup? How is Torah like Ketchup?

We certainly know a lot more about ketchup than we do about fig trees, and as we’ve seen, the Rabbis had no problem comparing Torah to a wide range of foodstuffs. And the eternal and universal nature of ketchup certainly has echoes of what Torah could be. So how is Torah like ketchup?

My own suggestion is this: ketchup does not stand on its own — it is always used in conjunction with another food. And no one has succeeded in changing ketchup because it gives us everything we need taste-wise. We need its stability in order for us to branch out and explore a wider variety of foods.

Similarly, Torah does not stand on its own. It is to be used in conjunction with what is happening in our own lives. And the eternal nature of Torah (we’ve been studying it for 3000 years!) can help us evaluate the new information that comes out every day.

So how is Torah like ketchup? Because just as ketchup encompasses all we need, but needs to be used as a companion to another food in order to be fully utilized, so too does Torah encompass all we know, but needs be used as companion to our life experiences in order to be brought into this world.

Kedushat Levi Likutim 141 Our Daf דע שחה לכב ופוג קוסעי ( יבוריע ן דנ ) ' שח ושארב קוסעי הרותב רמאנש הב ול תי ןח םה ךשארל וכ לכל ורשב אוה אפרמ . ( לשמ י ד , כ ב ) תב ו הר נש רמא הב ה מ ש רות

קדקדנו המל ךירצ אנתה בושחל יטרפב לכל םירבאה הלחת רחאו ךכ רמא לע לכ ינה לכל ורשב 'וכ . . 'וכ ורשב לכל ינה לכ לע רמא ךכ רחאו הלחת םירבאה לכל יטרפב בושחל אנתה ךירצ המל קדקדנו רוציקב וה י היל בותכל שחה לכב רבא רבאו קוסעי הרותב רמאנש לכל ורשב .אפרמ ו הארנ ללכהד ללכהד הארנ ו .אפרמ ורשב לכל רמאנש הרותב קוסעי רבאו רבא לכב שחה בותכל היל י וה רוציקב אוה ,ךכ ומכ שיש םימס ימשג םי תואפרל ןכ שי םימס נחור י םי הרותב השודקה תואפרל לבא הזל הזל לבא תואפרל השודקה הרותב םי י נחור םימס שי ןכ תואפרל םי ימשג םימס שיש ומכ ,ךכ אוה רצ י ך צ קיד םכחו לודג עדיל יא הז םוקמ יאו הז ינע ן הרותב ובש תואפרמ תא רבאה הזה רבאה תא תואפרמ ובש הרותב ן ינע הז יאו םוקמ הז יא עדיל לודג םכחו קיד

Let us investigate why did the tanna have to mention each particular limb first and only after that they added “and his whole body” etc.

21 It should have written “feel in every limb the Torah” and then cite the verse. It appears that the point of this lesson is that just like there are drugs used for healing the physical body so too there are spiritual potions in the Torah however these need an expert Zaddik and wise man to diagnose which location and which aspect of Torah to find the healing for that particular (spiritual) limb.

םגו שי םינמיסב ,םיימשג ונייהד םס םייחה םסבש הז אפרתנ לכ ינימ ,םיאלוחה ןכ שי ןינע הרותב הרותב ןינע שי ןכ ,םיאלוחה ינימ לכ אפרתנ הז םסבש םייחה םס ונייהד ,םיימשג םינמיסב שי םגו קסועשכ הזב נעה י ן זא אפרתנ לכ םיאלוחה שיש .םלועב.לע י ילח כארנ ז ןינההבקוש

So too just as there are physical pharmaceutics that heal all types of illnesses, so too when one engages in Torah when one engages (appropriate to that specific spiritual malady) then one can heall all the sickness in the world.

(what would the Berditcher tell us about Corona? Maybe the word implies crown or keter, so the fixing must be at the level of paradox?) םיקידצהו י יעדו ן נעה י ן הרותבש הזבש אפרתנ תלוח שארה הזבו אפרתנ ראש רבא ו שי םיקידצ יש יעדו ן נע י ן הרותב הזבש אפרתנ לכ ימ נ י .םיאלוח י נ ימ לכ אפרתנ הזבש הרותב ן י נע ן יעדו יש

And the Zadikim know this, that in the Torah is he healing for migraines here and leg pain there, but then there are (greater) zaddikim who know (where in the ) Torah one finds a general healing for the whole body.

הזו שחה ושארב קוסעי ,הדותב ונייהד ןינעב ובש רמאנ תיול ןח םה ,ךשארל דע שחה לכב ופוג ךירצ ךירצ ופוג : סעל ו ק ותב הר רמאנש לכל ורשב אפרמ וש כ מנ ה ת ע

Rebbe Nachman speaks of Tikkun Klali, the general remedy for all the spiritual ailments a person suffers9.

Here however, the Berditchever claims a cross between the spiritual and physical and the possibility for the zaddik to heal the body too.

9 See my https://www.jyungar.com/theological-essays/?offset=1217188800514

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