Friday, August 12, 2022

Two Types Of Learning

The first parsha of שמע and the end of the second are very similar.  However, there are a few differences between them.  In the first parsha of שמע it says ושנתתם לבניך as opposed to the second parsha which says ולמדתם וכו בניכם, in the first parsha tefillin is mentioned after teaching Torah while in the second parsha it comes first, the word בניך refers as Rashi says to one's students but in the second parsha it means one's children.  Why are these differences present? 
The Mishna Berachot (2b) says that we say Shema before Vehayah because we first accept עול מלכות שמים and afterward עול מצות.  The first parsha is about one's relationship with Hashem directly and the second one is defined by kium mitzvot. The two parshiot therefore, are telling us two different aspects of learning torah. 
There are two aspects to the mitzvah of talmud torah.  One aspect is that it is a mitzvah like any other mitzvah.  This is the learning of torah that is in the second parsha.  The Torah informs us that part of the obligation of the mitzvah is to teach one's children, ולמדתם, one must teach them.  That is part of the kium mitzvah.  Therefore, tefillin is mentioned before the mitzvah of teaching because the point of the learning is to know how to keep the Torah properly.  The point is mentioned first.  This mitzvah of learning is to learn to be able to keep the Torah properly.  
The first parsha is another aspect of learning torah.  This is when one learns not just for the mitzva but to have a greater connection to Hashem.  To delve into the chachmat haTorah.  For this aspect one teaches not just their children but students as well.  One learns in a manner of ושננתם, where the words of Torah are one with the person.  This type of learning goes beyond the basic knowledge of the dinim, it is not connected to the mitzvah of tefillin so tefillin is mentioned afterward.  (From the sefer Emrei Eliezer.)

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