The Torah is our roadmap, the light of our ways, a treasure trove of everything we could ever need to live the most blessed life. Its study is, therefore, the ultimate mitzvah, as the Gemara teaches: ืึฐืชึทืึฐืืึผื ืชึผืึนืจึธื ืึฐึผื ึถืึถื ืึผืึผืึธึผื – And Torah study is equivalent to them all1. Based on the binary system of male and female neshamot and their corresponding roles and tafkidim, the mitzvah of delving into Torah was primarily given to men, although women have their own parameters of study. The question then arises, does the concept of bitul Torah transfer into the domain of womenโs learning?
The Basis of the Prohibition
Letโs start with understanding the concept of bitul Torah. What are the contours of the transgression, what is its source, and to what extent is it binding?
Studying Torah is a positive mitzvah, the eleventh by Rambamโs count and number 419 by the Chinuchโs. To dishonor a positive mitzvah is to be batul asei, and it is a transgression. Consequently, only one who has been commanded in something can engage in its bitul; and according to the greatness of the mitzvah is the severity of the corresponding prohibition.
Since studying Torah is so eminently great, the Gemara speaks harshly about bitul Torah. In a discussion centering on what sins cause children to die2, Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi is quoted: ืึทึผืขึฒืึนื ืึดึผืืึผืึผื ืชึผืึนืจึธื, because of the sin of bitul Torah. Elsewhere, the Gemara quotes a pasuk from Yirmiyahu that describes Hashem crying over the destruction of beit hamikdash: ืึฐืึธืึนืขึท ืชึดึผืึฐืึทืข ืึฐืชึตืจึทื ืขึตืื ึดื ืึดึผืึฐืขึธื ืึดึผื ื ึดืฉึฐืืึธึผื ืขึตืึถืจ ื3. The Gemara discusses why the word for tears (ืืืข) is mentioned three times in one verse, and attributes the first two instances to the two batei mikdash. The third, according to one opinion cited, is because of bitul Torah. Hashem cries because of bitul Torah. The Gemara also says4 that one who is able to learn but does not has degraded the word of Hashem.
The Shulchan Aruch5 seems to rule that one satisfies his basic obligation for Torah-study with an allotted time in the morning and one at night, as it says: 6ืืืืืช ืื ืืืื ืืืืื โ You should engage in it day and night. The Mishna Berura7, however, believes that the Mechaber8 only meant to underscore the requirement for one to allot a set time for studying that is sacred and ironclad. He maintains that the obligation to learn is always binding, and any spare time not devoted to studying constitutes bitul Torah.
Womenโs Learning
Women are allowed to study Torah themselves, but their obligation only extends as far as is necessary in order to practice Jewish law correctly. Would it be considered bitul Torah for a woman to be wasting time rather than studying?
A manโs obligation to study is a freestanding mitzvah. It justifies itself. And while a woman might also choose to study Torah and will indeed be rewarded for it, she is not instructed to study for its own sake; sheโs required to learn only as a necessary prerequisite for the proper implementation of the law.
A womanโs obligation to learn is not based on the same verse as a manโs. The pasuk brought in Sefer Hamitzvot as the source for the mitzvah of limud haTorah is ืืืืืชื ืืชื ืืช ืื ืืื9, about which the Gemara reiterates: ืื ืืื ืืื ืื ืืชืืื – your sons and not your daughters10.
A manโs obligation to study is a freestanding mitzvah. It justifies itself. And while a woman might also choose to study Torah and will indeed be rewarded for it11, she is not instructed to study for its own sake; sheโs required to learn only as a necessary prerequisite for the proper implementation of the law. Since her chiyuv in learning is as a means to an end, there is no positive commandment for her to be over, and so she cannot be transgressing bitul Torah.
Spirit of the Law
Bitul Torah as a severe halachic prohibition is not relevant to women, but bitul Torah as a spiritual concept might very well be. Dawdling away spare time might not be a waste of Torah, but as Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz puts it, it sure is a waste of life.
Rav Yaakov Ariel, Chief Rabbi of Ramat Gan, says this about women and bitul Torah: A day of bitul Torah is a hole in the character of a woman, and one should relate to it, to some extent, like [the halachic category of] bitul Torah, even though it is not bitul Torah in its original sense. There is no bitul of [obligatory] Torah knowledge, but there is bitul regarding the spiritual character of the woman.
If we have access to the ultimate wisdom, and more than ever in history, the resources, time, and social permission to learn it, there is hardly an excuse not to. For women and men alike, every moment is precious, every word of Torah a jewel that can and will transform the way we serve Hashem.
In a way, the exemption from liability for failing to fill our days with Torah puts women in the unique position to express our desire for Hashemโs word by choosing to study it out of love alone, pursuing Torah because we recognize its truth and power. As the Mishnah says12, those who learn Torah for its own sake justify all of creation, they are called a friend and they are loved by Hashem.
1. Shabbat 127a
2. Shabbat 32b
3. Chagiga 5b
4. Sanhedrin 99a
5. YD 246:1
6. Yehoshua 1:8
7. 155:4
8. Rav Yosef Karo, author of Shulchan Aruch
9. Devarim 11:19
10. Kiddushin 29b
11. Rambam, Hilchot Talmud Torah
12. Pirkei Avot 6:1
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