tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14842658.post113225296860103067..comments2024-03-27T02:27:29.264-07:00Comments on Drew Kaplan's Blog: Torah LishmahDrew Kaplanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08969020134924433950noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14842658.post-10897903852615896762012-05-15T14:09:57.892-07:002012-05-15T14:09:57.892-07:00See entire 4th perek of Nefesh Hachayim for more a...See entire 4th perek of Nefesh Hachayim for more about R' Chaim's perspective on Torah Lishmah, or R' Norman Lamm's Torah Lishmah - Torah for Torah's sake: In the words of R' Chaim of Volozhyn and his contemporaries.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05247756912246177591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14842658.post-38082582067233639882012-05-15T14:06:56.109-07:002012-05-15T14:06:56.109-07:00I realize that this is about 7 years over due, but...I realize that this is about 7 years over due, but I happened upon this post and I can't help but comment. In Nefesh Hachayim, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhyn writes extensively about Torah Lishmah. One of the first things that he points out on the topic is that learning for ANY alterior motive is not considered Torah Lishmah. So while it is necessary to learn Torah in order, as you are arguing, "to better understand and to do," that would not fall under the category of Torah Lishmah (see פרקים פרק ג). That is a prerequisite to being jewish, but Torah Lishmah is basically about learning Torah for the love of learning Torah. To have any other benefit is to negate the possibility of experiencing it lishmah. But...he does point out, that מתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה, therefore even if you always learn w/some other benefit derived, if you learn a lot, you will have experienced Lishma as well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05247756912246177591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14842658.post-1133472065862296382005-12-01T13:21:00.000-08:002005-12-01T13:21:00.000-08:00I am sure Rav Kook does indeed say such a thing an...I am sure Rav Kook does indeed say such a thing and have such a perspective. My point was that "the light of Torah" is not the עיקר of Torah learning - it might be a nice thing, albeit, though, but not what is essentially important to it. So, then, "the light of Torah" being "made greater" is a nice thing for psychological benefits, but not for what it's really about.Drew Kaplanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08969020134924433950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14842658.post-1132284115000652622005-11-17T19:21:00.000-08:002005-11-17T19:21:00.000-08:00R. Kook has a fascinating perspective on torah lis...R. Kook has a fascinating perspective on torah lishma. It is learning leshem torah; in order to spread torah, to make the "light of torah shine brighter". The obvious form of this is when you learn and teach it. But a more profound and beautiful understanding is that torah is perceived uniquely by each individual. "the new light created by the binding of torah with one soul is different than the light created from its binding to another soul." so, each individual learning torah adds his own perspective, even if he does not have an explicit chiddush, and the light of torah is made greater. See Orot Hatorah 2:1.Jewish Exilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06718707667376734531noreply@blogger.com