We have learned that one who cannot study Torah properly has an enormous opportunity to rectify this by supporting others who study Torah. We have once mentioned something similar regarding the Mitzvah to write a Sefer Torah and the opinion of the Rosh on the matter. In order to glean a more complete perspective, let us review:
The Opinion of the Rosh
The Rosh (Rabbeinu Asher bar Yechiel) writes that the reason behind the Mitzvah for every Jewish person to write his own Sefer Torah is so that every individual can study from his own Sefer Torah, as the verse states, “And teach it to the Jewish people, place it in their mouths.” Thus, nowadays, when it is uncommon to study from within a Sefer Torah, it is a Mitzvah to purchase Talmud and Poskim to study Torah from.
Although halachically, it is still obligatory to purchase one’s own personal Sefer Torah for whoever has the means to, nevertheless, Maran zt”l rules that one may also fulfill this Mitzvah by partnering with others to collectively purchase a Sefer Torah, in which case, each of the donors will have a share in it. In any event, it is a great Mitzvah to provide holy books to the public in places where they will be studied from.
Supporting Torah
Based on the above, we can derive that, in general, that it is a great Mitzvah for whoever is of means to support those who study Torah, especially individuals that do not study enough Torah on their own, in which case one is obligated to stand financially with those who do. Included in this Mitzvah is donating holy books to Yeshivot and other institutions where people can study from them.
The Deceased Man Who Studied Rashba
Several years ago, Hagaon Harav Dov Landau Shlit”a traveled abroad to raise funds for Yeshivot and Kollelim in Israel. Before his trip, he visited the home of Hagaon Harav Gershon Edelstein zt”l to receive his blessing before the fateful trip.
When they began talking, Harav Edelstein commented that one who supports and encourages others to study Torah is considered to have studied Torah on one’s own. Rav Edelstein the proceeded to share an incident he heard from Rav Chaim Berman who heard it from Rav Ben Zion Bamberger zt”l, Mashgiach of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak:
There was a Jew from Petach Tikva who passed away. Before his passing, he allotted a certain amount of money to be used to support Torah. The family approached Rav Bamberger to deal with this bequest.
Rav Bamberger used this money to purchase holy books for the Yeshiva, among them the commentary of the Rashba on the Talmud. The Yeshiva was learning Masechet Gittin at the time.
Some time later, the deceased appeared to Rav Bamberger in a dream and started quoting verbatim entire portions of the Rashba’s commentary on Masechet Gittin. That deceased person had never studied the Rashba’s commentary during his lifetime at all and even Rav Bamberger did not remember the exact verbiage by heart. Apparently then, the deceased had merited studying the Rashba in the Heavenly Yeshiva because of his support of the Torah!
Rav Edelstein concluded by saying that whoever merits bringing Torah study to the public, the Torah itself enters his soul and sanctifies this individual and helps him rise from one level to another.
Rav Edelstein then recounted another incident:
The Father Who Came to Learn with His Son
There was an unlearned individual who passed away and left a widow and two children. The widow relocated to Israel and enrolled her son in a Yeshiva. One day, the son told his mother that since he did not grow up learning Gemara before they moved to Israel, he was not so proficient and he was wholly unprepared for the Gemara exam the next day and because he would certainly fail, he exclaimed that he would not be attending Yeshiva the day. He went to sleep that night extremely sad and dejected.
The next morning, the boy awoke and ran to tell his mother that he was indeed prepared for the test! He said that his deceased father had come to him in a dream and taught him the entire Gemara! The boy passed the test with excellence, beyond anyone’s expectations.
Rav Edelstein remarked once again that this father had never studied Gemara in his life, however, when the child perseveres in his studies, the father is taught Torah in the Heavenly Yeshiva as well and he therefore appeared in a dream to teach his son! (Culled from the “Darkei Chizuk” pamphlet)
The above stories are true and precious. Especially during this period when the honor of those who study Torah has been severely diminished, it is important for us to remember the supreme value of our holy Torah and that absolutely nothing rivals it. Nothing else in the world protects the Jewish people in this world and rewards them in the Next like Torah study, for it is truly “our life and the length of our days!”
