Avodah Zarah Daf 19 עבודה זרח דַף 19

Rav said: אין אדם לומד תורה אלא ממקום שלבו חפץ – a person can only learn Torah successfully from the area his heart desires to learn, as the passuk says: כי אם בתורת ה' חפצו – but “his desire” is in Hashem’s Torah. Levi and Rebbe Shimon bar Rebbe were learning Torah before Rebbe, and upon finishing a sefer, discussed what to learn next. Levi wanted to learn משלי, and Rebbe Shimon wanted to learn תהלים. Rebbe Shimon prevailed, and they began to learn תהלים. When they reached this passuk, Rebbe taught the above interpretation, and Levi said: רבי נתת לי רשות לעמוד – “Rebbe, you have given me permission to stand and leave, since I want to learn משלי (and one can only learn what his heart desires).” Based on the above passuk, Rebbe Avdimi bar Chama said: כל העוסק בתורה הקדוש ברוך הוא עושה לו חפציו – whoever learns Torah, Hashem performs his desires. Rava said: בתחילה נקראת על שמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא – initially, [the Torah] is called Hashem’s, ולבסוף נקראת על שמו – but eventually, after one toils in studying it, [the Torah] is called his own, as the passuk says: בתורת ה' חפצו ובתורתו יהגה יומם ולילה - but his desire is in Hashem’s Torah, and in “his Torah” he meditates day and night.

Rava said: לעולם ילמד אדם תורה ואח"כ יהגה – a person should always learn Torah from his teacher until he is fluent in the text, and afterwards study it intensely, because the passuk first says "בתורת ה'" – Hashem’s Torah, and afterwards "ובתורתו יהגה" – and in his Torah he meditates. Rava also said: לעולם ליגריס איניש ואף על גב דמשכח – a person should recite Torah, even if he forgets it, ואף על גב דלא ידע מאי קאמר – and even if he does not understand what he is saying. Below, Rav Huna darshened the passuk: הון מהבל ימעט וקובץ על יד ירבה – wealth gained by vanity will diminish, but that gathered by hand will increase. This teaches: אם עושה אדם תורתו חבילות חבילות – if a person makes many large bundles of his Torah, quickly amassing material without sufficient time for review, מתמעט – [his learning] diminishes, and he will not remember it. ואם קובץ על יד ירבה – But if he gathers by hand, learning small amounts at a time and reviewing constantly, he will increase his learning. Rava commented: ידעי רבנן להא מילתא ועברי עלה – the Rabbis know this [principle] yet violate it.

Rebbe Alexandri once announced: מאן בעי חיי מאן בעי חיי – “Who wants life? Who wants life?” Everyone gathered to him and said, “Give us life!” He recited to them the pesukim: מי האיש החפץ חיים וגו' – Who is the man who desires life, etc.? נצור לשונך מרע וגו' – Guard your tongue from [speaking] evil, etc. Perhaps someone may say, “I have guarded my tongue from speaking evil, and my lips from speaking deceit; [אלך] ואתגרה בשינה – I will go and indulge in sleep. Therefore, the Torah instructs otherwise: סור מרע ועשה טוב – turn from evil and do good, אין טוב אלא תורה – and the word “good” means only Torah, as the passuk says: כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו – for I have given you a good teaching; do not forsake My Torah.