This was the Rebbe’s way. He literally drank in knowledge. This was true even toward the end of his life, when he suffered greatly from tuberculosis. He was very involved with the congregation. He spent hours with us, offering us advice and teaching us how to approach God. His mind may have been constantly soaring in the highest ethereal realms. Still, he would spend considerable time each day in simple study.
With all this, the Rebbe was never pressed for time. He was always calm and relaxed. It is absolutely impossible to describe his unique serenity. Because of it, he had time for all things.
The Rebbe always studied quickly. In a single hour, he could go through several pages of the Shulchan Arukh, including all its major commentaries. On a page of Orach Chaim,110"The Path of Life,” the first section of the Shulchan Arukh dealing with the laws of prayer and the holy days. he would include the Taz,111Abbreviation of Turey Zahav ("Rows of Gold"), by Rabbi David HaLevi Segal of Lvov, published in 1646. the Magen Avraham,112See above, note 148. the Be'er HaGolah,113"Guide of the Exile,” by Rabbi Moshe Rivkish of Vilna, published in 1658. the Pri Chadash114"New Fruit,” by Rabbi Hezekiah diSilva of Jerusalem, published in 1691. and the Ateret Zekeinim.115"Crown of the Elders,” by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Ohrbach of Kratchin (d. 1689). He would study their counterparts in the other sections of the Shulchan Arukh.
He once told us that in the morning, between the time the congregation began to assemble and the time they began worshipping, he would go through at least four pages of the Shulchan Arukh (see Tzaddik #265).
Study with speed and simplicity. Understand each thing in its own context, and do not confuse yourself with its relation to other subjects. If you do not understand a concept, do not spend too much time on it. Go further, and in most cases, you will eventually comprehend the first thing as well.
The Rebbe said that when you study, you need only read the words aloud and in order. Then you will automatically understand. Do not confuse yourself by trying to understand everything at once. You will have much difficulty and end up understanding nothing.
Concentrate on what you are studying. Read the words in order and with enthusiasm. Understanding will come of itself. What you do not understand at first, you will comprehend later. Even if there are things you never understand, the quantity outweighs all else. The Talmud teaches, “Learn everything, and then seek understanding” (Avodah Zarah 19a; Shabbat 63a).
You must read the words even if you do not understand them completely. It is written, “My soul broke through with desire” (Psalms 119:20). The Talmud comments that the surface must be broken, but the depths need not be explored. One need only read the words, even if one does not fully understand (Avodah Zarah, ibid.).
When you study quickly, you will absorb a great deal. You will be able to review each volume many times. What you do not understand at first will appear simple the second or third time. You will eventually understand all that you can.
The Rebbe spoke about this so often that everything cannot be recorded. But what we have quoted here is excellent advice. Follow this path and you will complete many volumes. You will have a better understanding than one who tries to comprehend everything the first time.
Accustom yourself to learn quickly, without too much attention to detail. You will then be worthy of learning in quantity. You will be able to complete the Talmud, the codes, the Bible, the Midrash, the mystical books of the Zohar, the Kabbalah and all the other sacred works.
You should study enough each day so that at the end of a year, you will have completed the entire Talmud with the Rif and the Rosh; the four sections of the Shulchan Arukh; all the Midrashim; all the books of the Zohar, Tikkuney Zohar and Zohar Chadash; and all the Kabbalistic writings of the Ari.116This would entail completing some 30,000 pages each year.
Besides this, you should spend some time each day studying in depth. You should also say the Psalms each day, as well as many additional prayers. Even all this does not exhaust the Rebbe’s list.
The Rebbe also told us not to review each thing immediately. He advised us to complete each volume as rapidly as possible from beginning to end, and then to review the entire work as a whole.
The Rebbe also told us not to be anxious if we could not complete everything he suggested each day. One can be a religious Jew even without that much study.
He also said that one can be a tzaddik even without being a very profound scholar.117Zohar I, 59b; Netzutzey Orot ad loc., 5, 6; “His Wisdom” #211. Deep perception can be attained only with Talmudic scholarship, but even the simplest Jew can be righteous. “It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it” (Avot 2:16).
שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ מִכְּבָר שֶׁסִּפֵּר: שֶׁלָּמַד כָּל הָאַרְבָּעָה שֻׁלְחָן־עָרוּךְ שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים.
We heard that the Rebbe once said he studied all four sections of the Shulchan Arukh three times.
פַּעַם אַחַת כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ.
The first time, he understood its simple meaning.
וּפַעַם שֵׁנִי לָמַד וְגָמַר אוֹתָם וְהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ בְּכָל דִּין וְדִין מֵאַרְבָּעָה שֻׁלְחָן־עָרוּךְ הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁלּוֹ בִּגְמָרָא פֵּרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י וְתוֹסָפוֹת.
The second time, he was able to trace the Talmudic source of each law.
וּפַעַם שְׁלִישִׁי לָמַד וְגָמַר אוֹתָם וְזָכָה לֵידַע בְּכָל דִּין וָדִין סוֹד הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁל הַדִּין, מִפְּנֵי מָה הַדִּין כָּךְ עַל־פִּי סוֹד.
The third time, he understood the Kabbalistic significance of each law and its relationship to the transcendental worlds.
וּכְפִי הַנִּשְׁמָע כָּל זֶה הָיָה בִּימֵי נְעוּרָיו כִּי אַחַר־כָּךְ חָזַר וְגָמַר אוֹתָם עוֹד כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים.
From the way it was told, we understood that the Rebbe did this in his youth. We knew that he later reviewed the Shulchan Arukh many times.
וְדַרְכּוֹ הָיָה תָּמִיד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹמֵד הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה כָּל יָמָיו עַד הַסּוֹף, אֲפִלּוּ בְּעֵת הַחוֹלַאַת הַכָּבֵד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ בַּסּוֹף. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהָיָה עָלָיו טִרְחָא דְּצִבּוּרָא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק הַרְבֵּה עִמָּנוּ וְעִם כָּל אֲנָשָׁיו לְקָרְבָם לַעֲבוֹדַת ה', וְלִתֵּן לָנוּ עֵצוֹת בְּכָל עֲסָקֵינוּ וְכוּ' וְכוּ', וְגַם מֹחוֹ הָיָה מְשׁוֹטֵט תָּמִיד בְּהַשָּׂגוֹת גְּבוֹהוֹת וְנוֹרָאוֹת תָּמִיד וְכוּ' וְכוּ', אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בִּפְשִׁיטוּת הַרְבֵּה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם.
This was the Rebbe’s way. He literally drank in knowledge. This was true even toward the end of his life, when he suffered greatly from tuberculosis. He was very involved with the congregation. He spent hours with us, offering us advice and teaching us how to approach God. His mind may have been constantly soaring in the highest ethereal realms. Still, he would spend considerable time each day in simple study.
וְלֹא הָיָה טָרוּד כְּלָל, רַק תָּמִיד הָיָה בְּיִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת. וּבְעִנְיָן זֶה הָיָה חִדּוּשׁ נִפְלָא וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַפֵּר מִזֶּה כְּלָל. וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הָיָה לוֹ פְּנַאי עַל כָּל דָּבָר.
With all this, the Rebbe was never pressed for time. He was always calm and relaxed. It is absolutely impossible to describe his unique serenity. Because of it, he had time for all things.
וְתָמִיד הָיָה לִמּוּדוֹ בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד. וְהָיָה לוֹמֵד כַּמָּה דַּפִּין פּוֹסֵק בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת עִם כָּל הַפֵּרוּשִׁים כֻּלָּם שֶׁסָּבִיב הָאַרְבָּעָה "שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ" הַנִּדְפָּסִים בְּכֶרֶךְ גָּדוֹל, (שֶׁהֵם הַ"טּוּרֵי־זָהָב" וְהַ"מָּגֵן אַבְרָהָם" וְהַ"בְּאֵר הַגּוֹלָה" וּ"פְרִי חָדָשׁ" וַ"עֲטֶרֶת זְקֵנִים" וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם בִּשְׁאָר הַחֲלָקִים).
The Rebbe always studied quickly. In a single hour, he could go through several pages of the Shulchan Arukh, including all its major commentaries. On a page of Orach Chaim,110"The Path of Life,” the first section of the Shulchan Arukh dealing with the laws of prayer and the holy days. he would include the Taz,111Abbreviation of Turey Zahav ("Rows of Gold"), by Rabbi David HaLevi Segal of Lvov, published in 1646. the Magen Avraham,112See above, note 148. the Be'er HaGolah,113"Guide of the Exile,” by Rabbi Moshe Rivkish of Vilna, published in 1658. the Pri Chadash114"New Fruit,” by Rabbi Hezekiah diSilva of Jerusalem, published in 1691. and the Ateret Zekeinim.115"Crown of the Elders,” by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Ohrbach of Kratchin (d. 1689). He would study their counterparts in the other sections of the Shulchan Arukh.
וְסִפֵּר, שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁהָעוֹלָם מְכִינִים עַצְמָן לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּבֹּקֶר, בְּעֵת שֶׁמַּתְחִילִין לְהִתְקַבֵּץ עַד שֶׁמַּתְחִילִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, בְּאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁעָה הוּא לוֹמֵד אַרְבָּעָה דַּפִּין פּוֹסֵק.
He once told us that in the morning, between the time the congregation began to assemble and the time they began worshipping, he would go through at least four pages of the Shulchan Arukh (see Tzaddik #265).
וְכֵן כָּל מַה שֶּׁלָּמַד גְּמָרָא אוֹ פּוֹסֵק וְכַיּוֹצֵא הַכֹּל הָיָה בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד.
This was true of everything the Rebbe studied. Whether it was the Talmud or the codes, the Rebbe literally flew through the pages.
וְסִפֵּר עִמָּנוּ הַרְבֵּה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, שֶׁטּוֹב לִלְמֹד בִּמְהִירוּת וְלִבְלִי לְדַקְדֵּק הַרְבֵּה בְּלִמּוּדוֹ.
Many times the Rebbe told us that it is best to study a subject rapidly and not to spend time on each detail.
רַק לִלְמֹד בִּפְשִׁיטוּת בִּזְרִיזוּת. וְלִבְלִי לְבַלְבֵּל דַּעְתּוֹ הַרְבֵּה בִּשְׁעַת לִמּוּדוֹ מֵעִנְיָן לְעִנְיָן, רַק יִרְאֶה לְהָבִין הַדָּבָר בִּפְשִׁיטוּת בִּמְקוֹמוֹ. וְאִם לִפְעָמִים אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהָבִין דָּבָר אֶחָד, אַל יַעֲמֹד הַרְבֵּה שָׁם וְיַנִּיחַ אוֹתוֹ הָעִנְיָן וְיִלְמַד יוֹתֵר לְהַלָּן. וְעַל־פִּי הָרֹב יֵדַע אַחַר־כָּךְ מִמֵּילָא מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הָיָה מֵבִין בִּתְחִלָּה, כְּשֶׁיִּלְמַד כְּסֵדֶר בִּזְרִיזוּת לְהַלָּן יוֹתֵר.
Study with speed and simplicity. Understand each thing in its own context, and do not confuse yourself with its relation to other subjects. If you do not understand a concept, do not spend too much time on it. Go further, and in most cases, you will eventually comprehend the first thing as well.
וְאָמַר: שֶׁאֵין צְרִיכִין בְּלִמּוּד רַק הָאֲמִירָה לְבַד, לוֹמַר הַדְּבָרִים כְּסֵדֶר, וּמִמֵּילָא יָבִין. וְלֹא יְבַלְבֵּל דַּעְתּוֹ בִּתְחִלַּת לִמּוּדוֹ שֶׁיִּרְצֶה לְהָבִין תֵּכֶף, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה יִקְשֶׁה לוֹ הַרְבֵּה תֵּכֶף וְלֹא יָבִין כְּלָל.
The Rebbe said that when you study, you need only read the words aloud and in order. Then you will automatically understand. Do not confuse yourself by trying to understand everything at once. You will have much difficulty and end up understanding nothing.
רַק יַכְנִיס מֹחוֹ בְּהַלִּמּוּד וְיֹאמַר כְּסֵדֶר בִּזְרִיזוּת וּמִמֵּילָא יָבִין. וְאִם לֹא יָבִין תֵּכֶף – יָבִין אַחַר־כָּךְ.
Concentrate on what you are studying. Read the words in order and with enthusiasm. Understanding will come of itself. What you do not understand at first, you will comprehend later. Even if there are things you never understand, the quantity outweighs all else. The Talmud teaches, “Learn everything, and then seek understanding” (Avodah Zarah 19a; Shabbat 63a).
וְאִם יִשָּׁאֲרוּ אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן לֹא יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד עַל כַּוָּנָתוֹ, מַה בְּכָךְ? כִּי מַעֲלַת רִבּוּי הַלִּמּוּד עוֹלָה עַל הַכֹּל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ ז"ל (שַׁבָּת סג.): 'לִגְּמוֹר וַהֲדַר לִסְבֹּר וְאַף־עַל־גַּב דְּלָא יָדַע מַה קָאָמַר' שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תְּהִלִּים קי"ט): "גָּרְסָה נַפְשִׁי לְתַאֲבָה" וְכוּ'.
You must read the words even if you do not understand them completely. It is written, “My soul broke through with desire” (Psalms 119:20). The Talmud comments that the surface must be broken, but the depths need not be explored. One need only read the words, even if one does not fully understand (Avodah Zarah, ibid.).
כִּי עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַלִּמּוּד שֶׁיִּלְמַד בִּמְהִירוּת וְיִזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד הַרְבֵּה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִזְכֶּה לַעֲבֹר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים אֵלּוּ הַסְּפָרִים שֶׁלּוֹמֵד, לְגָמְרָם וְלַחֲזֹר לְהַתְחִיל וּלְגָמְרָם פַּעַם אַחַר פַּעַם. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מִמֵּילָא יָבִין בַּפַּעַם הַשֵּׁנִי וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי כָּל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא הָיָה מֵבִין בִּתְחִלָּה, כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֶפְשָׁר לְהָבִין וְלַעֲמֹד עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם.
When you study quickly, you will absorb a great deal. You will be able to review each volume many times. What you do not understand at first will appear simple the second or third time. You will eventually understand all that you can.
וְדִבֵּר הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּעִנְיָן זֶה. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ בִּכְתָב הֵיטֵב. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת הוּא דֶּרֶךְ עֵצָה טוֹבָה מְאֹד בְּעִנְיַן הַלִּמּוּד. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יְכוֹלִים לִזְכּוֹת לִלְמֹד הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד לִגְמֹר כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה סְפָרִים וְגַם יִזְכֶּה לְהָבִין הַדְּבָרִים יוֹתֵר, מֵאֲשֶׁר הָיָה לוֹמֵד בְּדִקְדּוּק גָּדוֹל כִּי זֶה מְבַלְבֵּל מְאֹד מִן הַלִּמּוּד.
The Rebbe spoke about this so often that everything cannot be recorded. But what we have quoted here is excellent advice. Follow this path and you will complete many volumes. You will have a better understanding than one who tries to comprehend everything the first time.
וְכַמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם פָּסְקוּ מִלִּמּוּדָם לְגַמְרֵי עַל־יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַדִּקְדּוּקִים שֶׁלָּהֶם. וּמְאוּמָה לֹא נִשְׁאַר בְּיָדָם.
A person who is overly meticulous can become very confused. Often he will abandon his studies completely and end up with nothing.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיַּרְגִּיל עַצְמוֹ לִלְמֹד בִּמְהִירוּת כַּנַּ"ל בְּלִי דִּקְדּוּקִים הַרְבֵּה, הַתּוֹרָה תִּתְקַיֵּם בְּיָדוֹ, וְיִזְכֶּה לִלְמֹד הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, גְּמָרָא וּפוֹסְקִים כֻּלָּם, וְתַנַ"ךְ וּמִדְרָשִׁים וְסִפְרֵי הַזֹּהַר וְקַבָּלָה וּשְׁאָר סְפָרִים כֻּלָּם.
Accustom yourself to learn quickly, without too much attention to detail. You will then be worthy of learning in quantity. You will be able to complete the Talmud, the codes, the Bible, the Midrash, the mystical books of the Zohar, the Kabbalah and all the other sacred works.
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר (לְעֵיל כ"ח) שִׂיחָתוֹ שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, שֶׁטּוֹב לָאָדָם שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר בְּחַיָּיו בְּכָל הַסְּפָרִים שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה.
We have already mentioned that it is good for a person to complete all books concerning the Torah in his lifetime (see “His Wisdom” #28).
וּפַעַם אֶחָד חִשֵּׁב רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לִלְמֹד בְּכָל יוֹם עַד שֶׁאֵין הַיּוֹם מַסְפִּיק.
The Rebbe once reckoned all that one must study each day if he has the time.
דְּהַיְנוּ לִגְמֹר בְּכָל שָׁנָה שַׁ"ס עִם הָרִי"ף וְהָרֹא"שׁ, וְאַרְבָּעָה שֻׁלְחָן־עָרוּךְ הַגְּדוֹלִים, וְכָל הַמִּדְרָשִׁים כֻּלָּם, וְכָל סִפְרֵי הַזֹּהַר וְתִקּוּנִים וְזֹהַר חָדָשׁ, וְכָל סִפְרֵי קַבָּלָה מֵהָאֲרִ"י ז"ל.
You should study enough each day so that at the end of a year, you will have completed the entire Talmud with the Rif and the Rosh; the four sections of the Shulchan Arukh; all the Midrashim; all the books of the Zohar, Tikkuney Zohar and Zohar Chadash; and all the Kabbalistic writings of the Ari.116This would entail completing some 30,000 pages each year.
גַּם צְרִיכִין לִלְמֹד אֵיזֶה שִׁעוּר בַּיּוֹם בִּקְצָת עִיּוּן. וְעוֹד חִשֵּׁב הַרְבֵּה דְּבָרִים. גַּם צְרִיכִין לוֹמַר תְּהִלִּים בְּכָל יוֹם, וּתְחִנּוֹת וּבַקָּשׁוֹת הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה.
Besides this, you should spend some time each day studying in depth. You should also say the Psalms each day, as well as many additional prayers. Even all this does not exhaust the Rebbe’s list.
וְאָז סִפֵּר הַרְבֵּה מֵעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִלְמֹד בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל וּבִזְרִיזוּת וְלִבְלִי לְבַלְבֵּל דַּעְתּוֹ בְּדִקְדּוּקִים הַרְבֵּה מֵעִנְיָן לְעִנְיָן. וְהַדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ הֵם בְּדוּקִים וּמְנֻסִּים.
At that time, the Rebbe also spoke at length, telling us to study quickly and eagerly, without confusion or over-attention to detail.
גַּם לֹא הָיָה מְצַוֶּה לַחֲזֹר תֵּכֶף עַל לִמּוּדוֹ, רַק רְצוֹנוֹ תָּמִיד הָיָה לִלְמֹד הַסֵּפֶר אוֹ הַפּוֹסֵק שֶׁלּוֹמֵד כְּסֵדֶר מֵרֹאשׁוֹ לְסוֹפוֹ בִּזְרִיזוּת, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ יַתְחִיל פַּעַם שֵׁנִי וְיִגְמֹר אוֹתוֹ כֻּלּוֹ. וְכֵן פַּעַם אַחַר פַּעַם.
The Rebbe also told us not to review each thing immediately. He advised us to complete each volume as rapidly as possible from beginning to end, and then to review the entire work as a whole.
גַּם אָמַר: לְבַל יִהְיֶה נִבְהָל מִזֶּה שֶׁהִזְהִיר שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִלְמֹד כָּל־כָּךְ בְּכָל יוֹם, כִּי גַּם אִם אֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לִלְמֹד כָּל־כָּךְ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר בֶּאֱמֶת.
The Rebbe also told us not to be anxious if we could not complete everything he suggested each day. One can be a religious Jew even without that much study.
וְגַם כְּבָר סִפֵּר מִזֶּה שֶׁיְּכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר אֲפִילוּ אִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִלְמֹד כְּלָל, וַאֲפִלּוּ צַדִּיק יְכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ לַמְדָן כְּלָל. רַק בַּעַל הַשָּׂגָה אֵין יְכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת כִּי־אִם כְּשֶׁהוּא לַמְדָן בִּגְמָרָא פֵּרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י וְתוֹסָפוֹת. אֲבָל אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר וְצַדִּיק גָּמוּר יְכוֹלִין לִזְכּוֹת אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ פָּשׁוּט לְגַמְרֵי, 'וְלֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר וְאִי אַתָּה בֶּן חוֹרִין לְהִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה' (אָבוֹת ב).
He also said that one can be a tzaddik even without being a very profound scholar.117Zohar I, 59b; Netzutzey Orot ad loc., 5, 6; “His Wisdom” #211. Deep perception can be attained only with Talmudic scholarship, but even the simplest Jew can be righteous. “It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it” (Avot 2:16).