In this chapter there will be explained the greatness of the reward of one who supports his sons in Torah study, and, the converse, the greatness of his punishment, G-d forbid, [if he does not do so].
And in our many sins, how many grow lax in Torah and give no thought to the great punishment that is destined for neglect of Torah study, as they said in Midrash Mishlei, Parshah 10: "R. Yishmael said: Come and see how sore is the day of judgment, when the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to judge all the world. If one comes who has learned Scripture, but not Mishnah, the Holy One Blessed be He turns His face away from him, and the throes of Gehinnom grow in him, etc., and they take him and cast him into Gehinnom. If one comes who has learned two or three orders [of the six orders of Mishnah], he is asked: 'My son, why did you not learn all the halachoth?' If one comes who has learned the halachoth, He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn Torah Cohanim? Why did you not review it? For it contains all, etc.?' If one comes who has learned Torath Cohanim, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not review the five books of Torah, which contain the Shema, tefillin, and mezuzah?' If one comes who has learned the five books of Torah, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn hagaddah, etc.' If one comes who has learned hagaddah, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn Talmud? etc.' If one comes who has learned Talmud, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'If you have learned Talmud, have you contemplated the Divine Chariot? etc., My throne of glory, how it stands? etc., how many ways it revolves? etc.'"
And, more than this, they do not even support their sons in Torah, and they send them to school only until they know a little Chumash. Woe unto us that things have come to such a pass in our days! Do we not know what is ruled in Yoreh Deah 245:6, that where the father has the means it is incumbent upon him to pay for his son's being taught until he knows Mishnah, Gemara, halachoth and aggadoth?
And I know their excuses, that the times are difficult, etc. But, in truth, if they searched their souls they would know that the yetzer is only deceiving them. For in other things, which are only of physical benefit to their son, does not each one of them assist his son with all of his strength, even more than he is able? And sometimes, he even places his life in danger because of him, doing things which are against the din, both between man and his neighbor and between man and the L-rd. And he blesses himself in his heart, saying: "All will be well with me, for I am doing charity at all times by feeding my family." But when he must support his son in Torah, to know how to serve the L-rd, bringing both his son and himself to eternal life, as we shall adduce below from the midrashim of Chazal, he says that times are hard! And this is as Scripture states (Isaiah 93:2): "And not Me did you call upon, Jacob; for you grew weary with Me, O Israel" — "with Me," specifically. As we find on this verse in the Midrash, Esther Rabbah 3: "All day he is busy working and does not become weary; he prays, and he becomes weary!"
And, in truth, the expenditures for the Torah study of his sons are outside of the expenditures for sustenance fixed for him on Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal have said (Beitzah 16a): "All the sustenance for man is fixed for him from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, except expenditures for Shabbath, …and expenditures for his sons' Torah studies, which, if he gives less, he is given less [by Heaven], and if he gives more, he is given more." Come and see what Chazal have said (Kiddushin 30a): "If one teaches his son's son Torah, Scripture reckons it unto him as if he had received it on Mount Sinai, viz. Devarim 4:9: 'And you shall impart them [(words of Torah)] to your sons and to the sons of your sons," followed by (Ibid. 10): 'the day you stood before the L-rd your G-d in Chorev.'" Also, through this, he merits long life for him and his sons, it being written (Ibid. 11:19): "And you shall teach them to your sons," followed by (Ibid. 21): "So that your days be prolonged and the days of your sons, etc."
Also, through his son's Torah learning, he merits being rescued from Gehinnom, as we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 12: "Ignoramuses who have had their sons taught Scripture and Mishnah, are rescued by them from that shame and that humiliation and that mortification and from the din of Gehinnom." And sometimes they also merit thereby to be numbered among the tzaddikim, as we find in Midrash Hane'elam, Ruth, chapter 2:
"When R. Zmira went to Kfar Ono, he saw pillars of flame rising in the clefts of the mountains of Ararat. Inclining his ear, he heard voices, and an Arab told him: 'Come with me and I will show you wonders hidden from men.' He went with him behind a rock and saw other clefts with flames rising on high and heard other voices, at which the Arab said to him: 'Incline your ear here, etc.' He did so and heard voices saying: 'Woe! Woe!' at which he said: 'This place is certainly one of the places of Gehinnom,' and the Arab left him. In the meantime, he bent down in a different place and saw a man screaming and being taken and placed into a different depth into which he disappeared and was seen no more. At this, he fell into a dream in which he saw that man and asked him: 'Who are you?' He answered: 'I am a sinning Jew, who has not left undone any sins in the world.' R. Zmira: 'What is your name?' The other: 'I do not know. Those sentenced to Gehinnom do not remember their names.' R. Zmira: 'Where do you come from?' The other: 'From upper Galilee. I was a butcher, and because of the many evils I did there, they sentenced "that man" [i.e., me] to three times [of punishment] in the daytime and three times at night.' R. Zmira rose from there and went to upper Galilee, where he heard a child's voice saying (Mishlei 2:40: 'If you seek it as silver, if you search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the L-rd.' He went to another house of study, where he heard the voice of a different child saying (Zephaniah 2:3): 'Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be concealed' [from His wrath]. He went and sought that wicked man, and questioned a child, who said to him: 'Rebbi, may this and this come upon that man, who did not leave undone any evils or sins in the world. May it be thus with that wicked man and to the nurse who gave suck to him.' R. Zmira: 'Did he have a son in the world?' The child: 'Yes, he left one son, and he is wicked like his father, and he is the child that goes to the slaughterhouse.' He [R. Zmira] sought him out and took him and occupied himself with him in Torah until he had taught him reading, prayer, and Shema, after which he taught him Mishnah, Talmud, halachoth and aggadoth, until he grew very wise — and he is R. Nachum Hapakuli. And why did they call him "Hapakuli"? As it is written (Isaiah 28:7): "paku pliliyah" — [homiletically,] "he released [his father from] the din [of that world]." And many sages of the generation descended from him, who were called "Pakuli." That man [the butcher] came to him in a dream and said to him: 'Rebbi, how much you have comforted me — so may the Holy One Blessed be He comfort you. For from the day that my son knew a single verse, He released me from my din. Once he recited the Shema, they manumitted my din both by day and by night, by one time. Once he read in school, they annulled my din altogether. On the day he grew so wise that they called him "Rabbi" they placed my seat among the tzaddikim in Gan Eden. And every day that a Torah novelty is cited in his name they crown me with the highest crown that the tzaddikim are crowned with. Because of you I have merited all this honor. Happy is the lot of him who leaves a son who toils in Torah in this world!'"
And similarly, in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 17: R. Yochanan b. Zakkai said: "Once, I was walking on the road, when I found a man collecting wood, and I spoke to him, but he did not answer me. Afterwards, he came and said to me: 'Rebbi, I am dead and not alive.' And I said to him: 'If you are dead, why do you need this wood?' He answered: 'Rebbi, listen to this one thing that I will tell you. Once, when I was alive, my friend and I were involved in sin in my palace. And when we came here, they decreed death by burning upon us. When I collect wood, they burn my friend; and when he collects wood, they burn me.' And I said to him: 'Until when is your din?' He answered: 'When I came here, I left my wife pregnant; and I know that she is pregnant with a male. Therefore, I beseech you to take care of him when he is born until he is five years old and [then] take him to school to [learn to] read. For when he says: 'Let us bless the blessed L-rd,' they will raise me from the din of Gehinnom.
Also, all of the reward we wrote of above in respect to one who supports Torah scholars obtains also with one who supports his son for Torah study. And he also merits thereby that he finds favor in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He, as we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 23, in respect to the query of the attribute of din as to why He favors Israel when it is written (Devarim 10:17): 'The great G-d… who does not show favor,'; and the Holy One Blessed be He answers: 'But do they not show Me favor, etc. And, furthermore, they teach Torah and set up groups to occupy themselves with Torah and pay a wage to the teachers to teach their sons Torah!'" And, conversely, the punishment of one who deprives his son of Torah study is explained in the holy Zohar, Parshath Pekudei 256:
"…two pillars on the western side, etc." These are appointed to proclaim in all the heavens about all those who deprive their sons of Torah and remove them [from it] so that they not occupy themselves with it: 'Woe unto Ploni, who deprived his son of Torah. Woe unto him, for he goes lost from this world and from the world to come, and from [his] portion in the world to come!'"
And this is an open rebuke to those who deprive their sons of Torah study when they are yet youths of fourteen or fifteen, and through this they remain [callow] youths, "shaken out" of Torah and mitzvoth, whose only desire is to wear fashionable clothing and to broaden their horizons with silver and gold. Woe to the shame of that father when his time comes to return to G-d!
And there are some who rationalize thus: "What good will it do him to be a [Torah] learner? Is he gong to be a Rabbi?" (the implication being that if he is not going to be a Rabbi, a Jew need not know how to serve the L-rd, G-d forbid!) Let there not be such in Israel. Are we not familiar with the verse (Psalms 19:9): "The mitzvah of the L-rd is clear, enlightening the eyes," which is understood to mean that a man, without Torah to guide him, is like a blind man, walking by himself on a road full of pits, whose danger is extremely great, and whose failure is certainly nearer than his escape. So, exactly, is a man devoid of Torah. Not only will he be lacking many hundreds of mitzvoth because of this [ignorance of Torah], not knowing at all if what he is doing is a mitzvah or not, but he will commit in their stead many hundreds of transgressions which he thought to be mitzvoth. And, even more, the mitzvoth that will remain with him, aside from most of them being performed without joy, without love, and without fear, will themselves be imperfect and defective, for he will not know how to perform them according to the din.
By way of illustration, consider two mitzvoth that are observed by all Jews, tefillin [and the recital of Shema]: Tefillin — Has he taken care that they be [perfectly] square, according to the din? And that the straps are black? For all of this is a "halachah to Moses from Sinai." And also that the tefillin be placed on the head and not on the forehead? And also that the hand phylactery be placed entirely on the biceps and not [even] slightly below? Quite understandably, anyone who is not a learned person will be likely to transgress these things.
And so with the recital of the Shema: Has he taken care to accept upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven according to the din? And, likewise, to make [his recitation] audible to his ears and to enunciate correctly, as explained in Shas and in Shulchan Aruch. And also to recite it in its prescribed time, in summer and winter, for all this is a din of the Torah. And, also, [to observe] many details of the dinim obtaining with these mitzvoth. And from these, one will reason, a fortiori, to those mitzvoth that Jews are not accustomed to — that he will certainly lack them without a knowledge of the Torah.
And everyone will recognize this lack when the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to proclaim that they all come to accept their reward for the mitzvoth, as Chazal say (Vayikra Rabbah 27): "A Heavenly voice is destined to resound in the mountain peak, proclaiming: 'Who wrought with G-d, let him come and take his reward!'" Then, each one will "feel" his mitzvoth and recognize the greatness of his deficit in mitzvoth, which he suffered through his lack of knowledge of the Torah. And this is the intent of "enlightening the eyes," the Torah enlightening the eyes of a man in the fulfillment of the mitzvoth.
And now, let us reflect and take mussar from the earlier generations, that preceded us these several hundred years (as in the times of the Maharshal, the Maharsha, the Maharam Shif, the P'nei Yehoshua, and the Tzelach, who were all heads of Methivtoth), who sent their children to school, and who, if they did not have the means to hire a private teacher would send their sons to a yeshivah to learn until he became a man. Shall we say that every father thought that his son would be a Rabbi or a posek in Israel. Do we not know what Chazal (Koheleth Rabbah 7) say on the verse (Koheleth 7:28): "One man of a thousand have I found" — "A thousand embark upon Scripture, and from them emerge a hundred men of Mishnah; from them, ten men of Talmud; and from them, one who is worthy of being called "a man," and to pronounce ruling in Israel." But the clear truth is this: A father who sent his son to a school and a yeshiva reasoned thus: "If the L-rd finds me worthy of having a son who will be a man of Talmud and a teacher in Israel, how goodly is my portion! But if I do not merit this, but only that he know a little of Gemara, or, in any event, Mishnayoth, this is also good. For when the Holy One Blessed be He grants him a trade — no matter what trade it be — he certainly will set for himself a fixed study session for himself in Gemara or Mishnayoth or, in any event, in aggadoth chazal. And even if, G-d forbid, he has no time on the weekdays, on the Holy Sabbath he certainly will go into the house of study and learn some pages of Gemara or Mishnayoth. And for this, too, all my exertions for him will have been well worth it, both in my lifetime and in my death" (As we know, a son who learns Torah accords merit to his father and releases him from Gehinnom. And even if he is in Gan Eden, he merits ascending through him.)
If so, why should we be "smarter" than the earlier generations? For, in truth, in this regard, we have been "without field or vineyard" more than eighteen hundred years, and, in spite of this, our G-d has not forsaken us. This [(reluctance to further the Torah education of our sons)] can only be due to the fact that the yetzer hara deceives the father into believing that he is being compassionate to his son by removing him from Torah and subjugating him to the affairs of the world. But, in truth, when he considers this well, he will see that he is being cruel to him in this and not compassionate. As we find in Sifrei on Devarim 11:19: "'And you shall teach them [(words of Torah)] to your sons to speak in them.' From this they have taught: When the child begins to speak, his father speaks the holy tongue with him and teaches him Torah. And if he does not do so, he is fit to be buried, as it is written: 'And you shall teach them to your sons to speak in them… (Ibid. 21): so that your days will be lengthened.' If you teach them to your sons your days will be lengthened, and, if not, your days will be shortened." For thus are words of Torah expounded: From the negative you infer the positive; and from the positive, the negative. (And the Sifrei speaks not only of very young children; but so long as his son is under his authority, it is incumbent upon him to teach him Torah [For does the verse specify "minors"?]) And thus have Chazal said (Shabbath 32b), that a man's sons die because of neglect of Torah. Therefore, let each man see to it to strengthen his son in Torah, and he will thereby lengthen his days — he and his sons. And the Holy One Blessed be He, who gives bread to all flesh, will certainly not withdraw His eyes from the tzaddik.
בּוֹ יְבֹאַר גֹּדֶל שְׂכַר הַמַּחֲזִיק בָּנָיו לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, וּלְהֶפֶךְ, גֹּדֶל עָנְשׁוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
In this chapter there will be explained the greatness of the reward of one who supports his sons in Torah study, and, the converse, the greatness of his punishment, G-d forbid, [if he does not do so].
וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה אֲנָשִׁים מְרַפִּים יְדֵיהֶם מִן הַתּוֹרָה, וְאֵינָם חוֹשְׁבִים עַל הָעֹנֶשׁ הַגָּדוֹל הַמְעֻתָּד לָבוֹא עֲבוּר בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּמִדְרַשׁ מִשְׁלֵי פָּרָשָׁה י': אָמַר ר' יִשְׁמָעֵאל: בֹּא וּרְאֵה, כַּמָּה קָשֶׁה יוֹם הַדִּין, שֶׁעָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָדוּן אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ וְכוּ'. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ מִקְרָא וְאֵין בְּיָדוֹ מִשְׁנָה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹפֵךְ אֶת פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמְצֵרֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם מִתְגַּבְּרִין בּוֹ כוּ', וְהֵם נוֹטְלִין אוֹתוֹ וּמַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ לַגֵּיהִנֹּם. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ ב' סְדָרִים אוֹ ג', הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, כָּל הַהֲלָכוֹת לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ אוֹתָם? כוּ'. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ הֲלָכוֹת, אוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ? שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ וְכוּ'. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה לָמָּה לֹא שָׁנִיתָ? שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע תְּפִלִּין וּמְזוּזָה. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ חֲמִשָׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה, אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לָמָּה לֹא לָמַדְתָּ הַגָּדָה? כוּ'. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ הַגָּדָה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, תַּלְמוּד לָמָּה לֹא לָמַדְתָּ? וְכוּ'. בָּא מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיָדוֹ תַּלְמוּד, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: בְּנִי, הוֹאִיל וְנִתְעַסַּקְתָּ בְּתַלְמוּד, צָפִיתָ בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה כוּ', כִּסֵּא כְּבוֹדִי אֵיךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד? כוּ' חַשְׁמַל אֵיךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד? וְכוּ', וּבְכַמָּה פָּנִים הוּא מִתְהַפֵּךְ? כוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם בְּאֹרֶךְ.
And in our many sins, how many grow lax in Torah and give no thought to the great punishment that is destined for neglect of Torah study, as they said in Midrash Mishlei, Parshah 10: "R. Yishmael said: Come and see how sore is the day of judgment, when the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to judge all the world. If one comes who has learned Scripture, but not Mishnah, the Holy One Blessed be He turns His face away from him, and the throes of Gehinnom grow in him, etc., and they take him and cast him into Gehinnom. If one comes who has learned two or three orders [of the six orders of Mishnah], he is asked: 'My son, why did you not learn all the halachoth?' If one comes who has learned the halachoth, He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn Torah Cohanim? Why did you not review it? For it contains all, etc.?' If one comes who has learned Torath Cohanim, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not review the five books of Torah, which contain the Shema, tefillin, and mezuzah?' If one comes who has learned the five books of Torah, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn hagaddah, etc.' If one comes who has learned hagaddah, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'My son, why did you not learn Talmud? etc.' If one comes who has learned Talmud, the Holy One Blessed be He asks him: 'If you have learned Talmud, have you contemplated the Divine Chariot? etc., My throne of glory, how it stands? etc., how many ways it revolves? etc.'"
וּבְיוֹתֵר מִזֶּה, שֶׁגַּם אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם אֵינָם מַחֲזִיקִים לַתּוֹרָה וְאֵינָם נוֹתְנִים אוֹתָם לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר, רַק עַד שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ מְעַט חֻמָּשׁ, אוֹי וַאֲבוֹי, שֶׁכָּךְ עָלְתָה בְּיָמֵינוּ. הֲלֹא יָדוּעַ הוּא מַה שֶּׁנִּפְסַק בְּיוֹרֶה דֵּעָה בְּסִימָן רמ"ה סָעִיף ו', דְּהֵיכָא דְּאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהָאָב, מִצְוָה עָלָיו לְלַמְּדוֹ בְּשָׂכָר, עַד שֶׁיֵּדַע מִשְׁנָה וּגְמָרָא הֲלָכוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת.
And, more than this, they do not even support their sons in Torah, and they send them to school only until they know a little Chumash. Woe unto us that things have come to such a pass in our days! Do we not know what is ruled in Yoreh Deah 245:6, that where the father has the means it is incumbent upon him to pay for his son's being taught until he knows Mishnah, Gemara, halachoth and aggadoth?
וְיָדַעְתִּי אֶת תֵּרוּצָם שֶׁיֹּאמְרוּ, דִּדְחִיקָא לְהוּ שַׁעְתָּא (שדחוקה להם השעה), אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבּוֹנְנוּ הֵיטֵב בְּנַפְשָׁם יֵדְעוּ, כִּי רַק הַיֵּצֶר מַתְעֶה אוֹתָם. כִּי הֲלֹא עַל שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים, שֶׁהוּא רַק תּוֹעֶלֶת גּוּפָנִי לַבֵּן, כָּל אֶחָד עוֹזֵר לִבְנוֹ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹתָיו יוֹתֵר מִכְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ וְגַם כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים מוֹסֵר אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לְסַכָּנַת הָאֲבַדּוֹן עֲבוּרוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה דְּבָרִים שֶׁהוּא שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין, בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וּבֵין אָדָם לַמָּקוֹם, וְהוּא מִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ לֵאמֹר: שָׁלוֹם יִהְיֶה לִי, כִּי אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בָּזֶה צְדָקָה בְּכָל עֵת לְפַרְנֵס בְּנֵי בֵּיתִי. וּכְשֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְחַזֵּקּ אֶת בְּנוֹ לְתוֹרָה, שֶׁיֵּדַע אֵיךְ לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה', וְהוּא מֵבִיא בָּזֶה לַבֵּן וְגַם לְעַצְמוֹ חַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנַּעְתִּיק לְקַמָּן מִמִּדְרְשֵׁי חֲזַ"ל, הוּא אוֹמֵר דִּדְחִיקָא לֵהּ שַׁעְתָּא. וַהֲרֵי זֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה מ"ג כ"ב): "וְלֹא אֹתִי קָרָאתָ יַעֲקֹּב, כִּי יָגַעְתָּ בִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל", "בִּי" דַּיְקָּא. וְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ עַל זֶה הַכּתוּב (אסתר רבה פרשה ג'): כָּל יוֹמָא טָרֵי (הוּא נוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן) לָא לָעֵי, צַלֵּי וְלָעֵי. (כל היום עסוק בעבודתו ואינו עייף, וכשמתפלל עייף).
And I know their excuses, that the times are difficult, etc. But, in truth, if they searched their souls they would know that the yetzer is only deceiving them. For in other things, which are only of physical benefit to their son, does not each one of them assist his son with all of his strength, even more than he is able? And sometimes, he even places his life in danger because of him, doing things which are against the din, both between man and his neighbor and between man and the L-rd. And he blesses himself in his heart, saying: "All will be well with me, for I am doing charity at all times by feeding my family." But when he must support his son in Torah, to know how to serve the L-rd, bringing both his son and himself to eternal life, as we shall adduce below from the midrashim of Chazal, he says that times are hard! And this is as Scripture states (Isaiah 93:2): "And not Me did you call upon, Jacob; for you grew weary with Me, O Israel" — "with Me," specifically. As we find on this verse in the Midrash, Esther Rabbah 3: "All day he is busy working and does not become weary; he prays, and he becomes weary!"
וּבֶאֱמֶת הוֹצָאַת בָּנָיו לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה הוּא חוּץ מִמְּזוֹנוֹת, הַקְּצוּבִין לוֹ מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (בביצה ט"ז.): כָּל מְזוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל אָדָם קצוּבִין לוֹ מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עַד יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, חוּץ מֵהוֹצָאַת שַׁבָּתוֹת וְכוּ' וְהוֹצָאַת בָּנָיו לְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאִם פָּחַת פּוֹחֲתִין לוֹ, וְאִם מוֹסִיף מוֹסִיפִין לוֹ. לֵךְ נָא רְאֵה, מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (בקדושין ל.): כָּל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן בְּנוֹ תּוֹרָה, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב, כְּאִלּוּ קִבְּלָהּ מֵהַר סִינַי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד' ט'): "וְהוֹדַעְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ", וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ (שם י'): "יוֹם אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתָּ לִפְנֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּחֹרֵב". גַּם עַל יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, הוּא וּבָנָיו. כְּמוֹ דִּכְתִיב (דברים י"א י"ט): "וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם" וְגוֹ' וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ (דברים י"א כ"א): "לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם" וְגוֹ;
And, in truth, the expenditures for the Torah study of his sons are outside of the expenditures for sustenance fixed for him on Rosh Hashanah, as Chazal have said (Beitzah 16a): "All the sustenance for man is fixed for him from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur, except expenditures for Shabbath, …and expenditures for his sons' Torah studies, which, if he gives less, he is given less [by Heaven], and if he gives more, he is given more." Come and see what Chazal have said (Kiddushin 30a): "If one teaches his son's son Torah, Scripture reckons it unto him as if he had received it on Mount Sinai, viz. Devarim 4:9: 'And you shall impart them [(words of Torah)] to your sons and to the sons of your sons," followed by (Ibid. 10): 'the day you stood before the L-rd your G-d in Chorev.'" Also, through this, he merits long life for him and his sons, it being written (Ibid. 11:19): "And you shall teach them to your sons," followed by (Ibid. 21): "So that your days be prolonged and the days of your sons, etc."
גַּם עַל יְדֵי לִמּוּד תּוֹרָתוֹ שֶׁל הַבֵּן זוֹכֶה לְהִנָּצֵל מִן הַגֵּיהִנֹּם, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּתָנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ זוּטָא פֶּרֶק י"ב: עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִקְרוּ וְהִשְׁנוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶן תּוֹרָה, בְּנֵיהֶן מַצִּילִין אֶת אֲבִיהֶן מֵאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה וְחֶרְפָּה וּמֵאוֹתָהּ כְּלִמָּה וּמִדִּינָהּ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם. וְלִפְעָמִים זוֹכֶה גַּם כֵּן לְהִמָּנוֹת עֲבוּר זֶה בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם שֶׁל רוּת פֶּרֶק שֵׁנִי:
Also, through his son's Torah learning, he merits being rescued from Gehinnom, as we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 12: "Ignoramuses who have had their sons taught Scripture and Mishnah, are rescued by them from that shame and that humiliation and that mortification and from the din of Gehinnom." And sometimes they also merit thereby to be numbered among the tzaddikim, as we find in Midrash Hane'elam, Ruth, chapter 2:
ר' זְמִירָאָה נָפַקּ לַחֲקַל אוֹנוֹ, חָמָא בְּאִנּוּן בְּקָעוּ קַרְדּוֹנֵיתָא (פֵּרוּשׁ: בֵּין הַבְּקָעִים שֶׁל הָרֵי אֲרָרָט) קוּמַטְרֵי שַׁלְהוּבֵי דְּסָלְקָן (פֵּרוּשׁ: מַשְׂאֵת שַׁלְהֶבֶת עוֹלִים מִשָּׁם). אַרְכִּין אוּדְנֵהּ (פֵּרוּשׁ: הִטָּה אָזְנוֹ) וְשָׁמַע קָלִין. אָמַר לֵהּ הַהוּא עַרְבָּאָה: זִיל בַּהֲדִי וְאַרְאֶה לָךְ פְּלִיאָן טְמִירִין מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא. אָזַל עִמֵּהּ אֲחוֹרֵי טִנָּרָא (סֶלַע) וְחָמֵי בְּקִיעִין אַחֲרָנִין וְשַׁלְהוֹבִין סָלְקִּין לְעֵילָא, שָׁמְעוּ קָּלִין אַחֲרָנִין, אָמַר לֵהּ: אַרְכִּין אוּדְנֵךְ הָכָא וְכוּ'. אַרְכִּין אוּדְנֵהּ וְשָׁמְעִין קָלִין דְּאָמְרִין: וַי, וַי, וַדַּאי הָא אֲתַר דָּא חַד מֵאִנּוּן דּוּכְתֵי דְּגֵיהִנֹּם הָכָא. וְעָבַר הַהוּא עַרְבָּאָה וְאִשְׁתָּאַר הוּא, אַדְהָכֵי גָּחִין גּוֹ דּוּכְתָּא אַחֲרָא וְחָמָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ דַּהֲוָה רָמֵי קָלִין, הֲווֹ נָטְלִין לֵהּ וְאַעֲלִין לֵהּ לְעָמְקָא דִּמְדוֹרָא אַחֲרִינָא וְאַכְסָאֵי וְלָא חָמֵי יָתִיר. אִדְמוּךְ, חָמָא בְּחֶלְמָא הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, אָמַר לֵהּ: מַאן אַתְּ? אָמַר לֵהּ: דְּיוּדָאֵי חַיָּבָא אֲנָא, דְּלָא שְׁבַקְּנָא בִּישִׁין חַטָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא עֲבַדְנָא. אָמַר לֵהּ בְּגוֹ חֶלְמָא: מַה שְּׁמָךְ? אָמַר לֵהּ: לָא יְדַעְנָא, דְּחַיָּבֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם לָא דָּכְרִין שְׁמַיְיהוּ, אָמַר לֵהּ: שְׁמָא דְּדוּכְתָּךְ מַהוּ? אָמַר לֵהּ: בִּגְלִילָא עִלָּאָה קַצָּבָא הֲוֵינָא, וּמִגּוֹ בִּישִׁין סַגִּיאִין דַּעֲבַדְנָא הָתָם דָיְנִין לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ תְּלָתָא זִמְנִין בִּימָמָא וּתְלָתָא זִמְנִין בְּלֵילְיָא. קָם מִתַּמָּן וְאָזַל לֵהּ לִגְלִילָא עִלָּאָה. שָׁמַע קָּוֹל יַנּוּקָא דַּהֲוָה אָמְרִין (משלי ב' ד'): "אִם תְּבַקְּשֶׁנָּה כַכָּסֶף וְכַמַּטְמוֹנִים תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה, אָז תָּבִין יִרְאַת ה"'. אָזַל לְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא אַחֲרָא שָׁמַע קָּל יַנּוּקָּא אַחֲרָא דַּהֲוָה אָמַר (צפניה ב' ג'): "בַּקְּשׁוּ צֶדֶק בַּקְּשׁוּ עֲנָוָה, אוּלַי תִּסָּתְרוּ" וְגוֹ'. אָזַל חִפֵּשׂ אַתְרֵהּ דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא רָשָׁע, וּלְחַד יַנּוּקָא קָא שָׁאַל. אָמַר לֵהּ: רַבִּי, תֵּיתֵי כָּךְ וְכָךְ לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא, דְלָא שָׁבַק בִּישִׁין וְחַטּאִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא עָבַד. כָּךְ וְכָךְ תְּהֵא לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא רָשָׁע וּלְהַהוּא יַנּוּקָא דִּינִיקוּ לֵהּ. אָמַר לֵהּ: בְּרָא שְׁבַק בְּעָלְמָא? אָמַר לֵהּ: הֵן, חַד בְּרָא שְׁבַק וְהוּא רָשָׁע כַּאֲבוּהּ, וְאִיהוּ יְנוּקָא דְּאָזַל בְּבֵי מִטְבְּחַיָּא. חִפֵּשׂ אֲבַתְרֵהּ וְנָטִיל לֵהּ וְלָעֵי לֵהּ בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, עַד דְּאוֹלִיף לֵהּ מִקְרָא וּצְלוֹתָא וּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע. לְבָתַר אוֹלִיף לֵהּ מִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד וַהֲלָכוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת עַד דְּאִתְחַכַּם יָתִיר, ִ וְהַיְנוּ רַבִּי נַחוּם הַפָּקּוּלִי. אַמַּאי קָרוּ לֵהּ הַפָּקוּלִי? כְּמוֹ דְּאָמַר (ישעיה כ"ח ז'): "פָּקוּ פְּלִילִיָּה", דְּאַפִּיק לֵהּ לַאֲבוּהּ מִן דִּינָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְכַמָּה חַכִּימֵי דָּרָא דְּנָפְקֵּי מִנַּהּ וְאִקְרוּן "פָּקּוּלִי". הַהוּא גַּבְרָא אָתֵי לֵהּ בְּחֶלְמָא וְאָמַר לֵהּ: רַבִּי, כְּמָה דְּאַנְתְּ נִחַמְתְּ לִי, כֵּן יְנַחֵם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹתָךְ, דְּהָא מִן יוֹמָא דְּיָדַע בְּנִי פָּסוּק חַד פָּקוּ לִי מִן דִּינָאִי. כֵּיוָן דְּקָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע סָלְקַין דִּינָאִי בֵּין בִּימָמָא בֵּין בְּלֵילְיָא זִמְנָא חַד. כֵּיוָן דְּקָרֵי בֵּי רַב אִעָבְּרוּ דִּינָאִי מִכֹּל וָכֹל. יוֹמָא דְּאִתְחַכַּם וְקָרוּ לֵהּ רַבִּי אַתְקִּינוּ כֻּרְסִי בֵּין צַדִּיקַיָּא בְּגִינְתָא דְּעֵדֶן. וּבְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דְאִתְחַדְּשָׁא אוֹרַיְתָא בִּשְׁמֵהּ, מְעַטְּרִין לִי בַּעֲטָרָא עִלָּאָה דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא מִתְעַטְּרִין, בְּגִינָךְ זָכִינָא בְּכָל הַאי יְקָר. זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ חֶלְקַהּ מַאן דְּשָׁבַק בְּרָא דְּלָעֵי בַּתּוֹרָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
"When R. Zmira went to Kfar Ono, he saw pillars of flame rising in the clefts of the mountains of Ararat. Inclining his ear, he heard voices, and an Arab told him: 'Come with me and I will show you wonders hidden from men.' He went with him behind a rock and saw other clefts with flames rising on high and heard other voices, at which the Arab said to him: 'Incline your ear here, etc.' He did so and heard voices saying: 'Woe! Woe!' at which he said: 'This place is certainly one of the places of Gehinnom,' and the Arab left him. In the meantime, he bent down in a different place and saw a man screaming and being taken and placed into a different depth into which he disappeared and was seen no more. At this, he fell into a dream in which he saw that man and asked him: 'Who are you?' He answered: 'I am a sinning Jew, who has not left undone any sins in the world.' R. Zmira: 'What is your name?' The other: 'I do not know. Those sentenced to Gehinnom do not remember their names.' R. Zmira: 'Where do you come from?' The other: 'From upper Galilee. I was a butcher, and because of the many evils I did there, they sentenced "that man" [i.e., me] to three times [of punishment] in the daytime and three times at night.' R. Zmira rose from there and went to upper Galilee, where he heard a child's voice saying (Mishlei 2:40: 'If you seek it as silver, if you search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the L-rd.' He went to another house of study, where he heard the voice of a different child saying (Zephaniah 2:3): 'Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be concealed' [from His wrath]. He went and sought that wicked man, and questioned a child, who said to him: 'Rebbi, may this and this come upon that man, who did not leave undone any evils or sins in the world. May it be thus with that wicked man and to the nurse who gave suck to him.' R. Zmira: 'Did he have a son in the world?' The child: 'Yes, he left one son, and he is wicked like his father, and he is the child that goes to the slaughterhouse.' He [R. Zmira] sought him out and took him and occupied himself with him in Torah until he had taught him reading, prayer, and Shema, after which he taught him Mishnah, Talmud, halachoth and aggadoth, until he grew very wise — and he is R. Nachum Hapakuli. And why did they call him "Hapakuli"? As it is written (Isaiah 28:7): "paku pliliyah" — [homiletically,] "he released [his father from] the din [of that world]." And many sages of the generation descended from him, who were called "Pakuli." That man [the butcher] came to him in a dream and said to him: 'Rebbi, how much you have comforted me — so may the Holy One Blessed be He comfort you. For from the day that my son knew a single verse, He released me from my din. Once he recited the Shema, they manumitted my din both by day and by night, by one time. Once he read in school, they annulled my din altogether. On the day he grew so wise that they called him "Rabbi" they placed my seat among the tzaddikim in Gan Eden. And every day that a Torah novelty is cited in his name they crown me with the highest crown that the tzaddikim are crowned with. Because of you I have merited all this honor. Happy is the lot of him who leaves a son who toils in Torah in this world!'"
ר' זְמִירָא יָצָא לִכְפַר אוֹנוֹ, רָאָה בְּאוֹתָם בְּקָעַים שֶׁבְּהָרֵי אֲרָרָט בַּבְּלִיטוֹת לֶהָבוֹת עוֹלוֹת. הִטָּה אָזְנוֹ וְשָׁמַע קוֹלוֹת. אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ עַרְבִי: בֹּא אִתִּי וְאַרְאֶה לְךְ פְּלִיאוֹת נֶעְלָמוֹת מִבְּנֵי אָדָם. הָלַךְ אִתּוֹ אֲחוֹרֵי סֶלַע וְרָאָה בְּקָעִים אֲחֵרִים וְלֶהָבוֹת עוֹלוֹת לְמַעַלָה. שָׁמְעוּ קוֹלוֹת אֲחֵרִים. אָמַר לוֹ: הַטֵּה אָזְנְךְ כָּאן וְכוּ'. הִטָּה אָזְנוֹ וְשָׁמַע קוֹלוֹת. שֶאוֹמְרִים: אוֹי, אוֹי. אָמַר וַדַּאי זֶה מָקוֹם אֶחָד מֵהַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁבַּגֵּיהִנֹּם כָּאן, וְהָלַךְ אוֹתוֹ עַרְבִי וְנִשְׁאַר הוּא. בֵּינְתַיִם גָּחַן בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר וְרָאָה אָדָם שֶהָיָה צוֹעַק בְּקוֹל, הָיוּ לוֹקְחִים אוֹתוֹ וּמַכְנִיסִים אוֹתוֹ לְעֹמֶק מָדוֹר אַחֵר וְנֶעְלַם וְלֹא רָאָהוּ יוֹתֵר. נִרְדַּם וְרָאָה בַּחֲלוֹם אֶת אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ. אָמַר לוֹ: מִי אַתָּה אָמַר לוֹ: יְהוּדִי חוֹטֵא אֲנִי, שֶלֹּא עָזַבְתִּי רָעוֹת חֲטָאִים בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא עָשִׂיתִי. אָמַר לוֹ בְּתוֹךְ הַחֲלוֹם: מַה שִּׁמְךְ, אָמַר לוֹ: אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁחַיָּבֵי גֵּיהִנֹּם אֵינָם זוֹכְרִים שְׁמוֹתָם. אָמַר לוֹ: שֵׁם מְקוֹמְךְ מַהוּ אָמַר לוֹ: בַּגָּלִיל הָעֲלְיוֹן קַצָּב הָיִיתִי, וּבִשְׁבִיל הָרָעוֹת הָרַבּוֹת שֶׁעָשִיתִי שָׁם, דָּנִים לְאוֹתוֹ אָדָם שָׁלשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּיּוֹם וְשָׁלשׁ פְּעמִים בַּלַּיְלָה. קָם מִשָּׁם וְהָלַךְ לוֹ לַגָּלִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן, שָׁמַע קוֹל תִּינוֹק שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר: "אִם תְּבַקְשֶׁנָּה כַכָּסֶּף וְכַמַטְמוֹנִים תַּחְפְּשֶׂנָּה אָז תָּבִין יִרְאַת ה"' (מִשְׁלֵי ב'), הָלַךְ לְבֵית מִדְרָשׁ אַחֵר שָׁמַע קוֹל תִּינוֹק אַחֵר. שֶהָיָה אוֹמֵר: "בַּקְשׁוּ צֶדֶק בַּקְשוּ עֲנָוָה אוּלַי תִּסָּתְרוּ" וְגוֹ' (צְפַנְיָה ב'). הָלַךְ וְחִפֵּש אַחֲרֵי אוֹתוֹ אָדָם רָשָׁע, וּלְתִינוֹק אֶחָד שָׁאַל. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, יָבוֹא כָּךְ וְכָךְ לְאוֹתוֹ אָדָם, שֶׁלֹּא עָזַב רָעוֹת וַחֲטָאִים בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה. כָּךְ וְכָךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְאוֹתוֹ אָדָם רָשָׁע וּלְאוֹתָהּ מֵינֶקֶת שֶׁהֵנִיקָה אוֹתוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: בֵּן הִנִּיחַ בָּעוֹלָם אָמַר לוֹ: כֵּן, בֵּן אֶחָר הִנִּיחַ וְהוּא רָשָׁע כְּאָבִיו, וְהוּא הַתִּינוֹק. שֶהוֹלֵךְ לְבֵית הַמִּטְבָּחַיִם. חִפֵּשׂ אַחֲרָיו וְלָקַח אוֹתוֹ וְעָסַק אִתּוֹ בַּתּוֹרָה, עַד שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ מִקְרָא וּתְפִלָּה וּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, אַחַר כָּךְ לִמֵּד אוֹתוֹ מִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד וַהֲלָכוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת עַד שֶהִתְחַכֵּם הַרְבֵּה, וְהַיְנוּ רַבִּי נַחוּם הַפָּקוּלִי. וְלָמָּה קָרוּ לוֹ הַפָּקוּלִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יְשַׁעְיָה כ"ח): "פָּקוּ פְּלִילִיָּה"; שֶהוֹצִיא אֶת אָבִיו מֵהַדִּין שֶל הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְכַמָּה חַכְמֵי הַדּוֹר שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ וְנִקְרְאוּ פָּקוּלִי. אוֹתוֹ אָדָם [הַקַצָב] בָּא לוֹ בַּחֲלוֹם וְאָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה נִחַמְתָּ אוֹתִי, כֵּן יְנַחֵם הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹתְךְ, כִּי מִן הַיּוֹם שֶׁיָּדַע בְּנִי פָּסוּק אֶחָד הוֹצִיאוּנִי מִדִּינִי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁקָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הֶעֱבִירוּ דִּינִי בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה פַּעַם א', כֵּיוָן שֶׁקָרָא בְּבֵית הַסֵּפֶר, בִּטְּלוּ דִּינִי מִכֹּל וָכֹל. בַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּתְחַכֵּם וְקָרְאוּ לוֹ רַבִּי, הִתְקִינוּ כִּסְאִי בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּגַן עַדֶן, וּבְכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם שֶנִּתְחַדְּשָה תּוֹרָה בִּשְׁמוֹ, מְעַטְּרִים אוֹתִי בַּעֲטָרָה עֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים מִתְעַטְּרִים בָּהּ. בִּשְׁבִילְךְ זָכִיתִי בְּכָל הַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה. אַשְׁרֵי חֶלְקוֹ. שֶל מִי שֶׁעוֹזֵב בֵּן שֶׁעָמֵל בַּתּוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
וְכַזֶה אִיתָא גַּם כֵּן בְּתָנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ זוּטָא פֶּרֶק י"ז: אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי: פַּעַם אַחַת הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ, וּמָצָאתִי אָדָם אֶחָד, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה מְלַקֵּט עֵצִים וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמּוֹ וְלֹא הֶחֱזִיר לִי דָּבָר. וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָיָה בָּא אֵלַי וְאָמַר לִי: רַבִּי, מֵת אֲנִי וְלֹא חַי. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: אִם מֵת אַתָּה, עֵצִים הַלָּלוּ לָמָּה לְךָ? וְאָמַר לִי: רַבִּי, הַאֲזִין לִי מַה שֶּׁאוֹמַר לְךָ דָּבָר אֶחָד. כְּשֶׁהָיִיתִי חַי, אֲנִי וַחֲבֵרִי, הָיִינוּ עוֹסְקִים בַּעֲבֵרָה בַּפַּלְטְרִין שֶׁלִּי, וּכְשֶׁכָּאנוּ לְכָאן, גָּזְרוּ עָלֵינוּ גְּזַר דִּין שֶׁל שְׂרֵפָה, כְּשֶׁאֲנִי מְלַקִּט עֵצִים, שׂוֹרְפִין אֶת חֲבֵרִי, וּכְשֶׁהוּא מְלַקִּט עֵצִים, אָז שׂוֹרְפִין אוֹתִי. וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: דִּינְכֶם עַד מָתַי? וְאָמַר לִי: כְּשֶׁבָּאתִי לְכָאן, הִנַּחְתִּי אֶת אִשְׁתִּי מְעֻבֶּרֶת, וְיוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי, שֶׁזָּכָר הִיא מְעֻבֶּרֶת, לָכֵן בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ הֱוֵי זָהִיר בּוֹ מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נוֹלָד, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים תּוֹלִיךְ אוֹתוֹ לְבֵית רַבָּנָן לְמִקְרָא, כִּי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא יֹאמַר "בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה' הַמְבֹרָךְ", אָז יִהְיוּ מַעֲלִין אוֹתִי מִדִּינָהּ שֶׁל גֵּיהִנֹּם.
And similarly, in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 17: R. Yochanan b. Zakkai said: "Once, I was walking on the road, when I found a man collecting wood, and I spoke to him, but he did not answer me. Afterwards, he came and said to me: 'Rebbi, I am dead and not alive.' And I said to him: 'If you are dead, why do you need this wood?' He answered: 'Rebbi, listen to this one thing that I will tell you. Once, when I was alive, my friend and I were involved in sin in my palace. And when we came here, they decreed death by burning upon us. When I collect wood, they burn my friend; and when he collects wood, they burn me.' And I said to him: 'Until when is your din?' He answered: 'When I came here, I left my wife pregnant; and I know that she is pregnant with a male. Therefore, I beseech you to take care of him when he is born until he is five years old and [then] take him to school to [learn to] read. For when he says: 'Let us bless the blessed L-rd,' they will raise me from the din of Gehinnom.
גַּם כָּל הַשָּׂכָר שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ לְעֵיל, בַּמַּחֲזִיק יְדֵי לוֹמְדֵי תּוֹרָה, שַׁיָּךְ גַּם בַּמַּחֲזִיק אֶת בְּנוֹ לְתוֹרָה. גַּם זוֹכֶה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹשֵׂא לוֹ פָּנִים, כְּמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בְּתָנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ פֶּרֶק כ"ג: תְּשׁוּבַת הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁשׁוֹאֶלֶת לְפָנָיו, לָמָּה נוֹשֵׂא פָּנִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲלֹא כְּתִיב (דברים י' י"ז): "הָאֵל הַגָּדֹל וְגוֹ' אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִשָּׂא פָנִים". וְהֵשִׁיב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אֵיךְ אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, לָמָּה אֲנִי נוֹשֵׂא פָּנִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נָשְׂאוּ לִי פָּנִים? וְכוּ' וְעוֹד, שֶׁהֵם מְלַמְּדִין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְעוֹמְדִין אֲגֻדּוֹת אֲגֻדּוֹת וְעוֹסְקְין בַּתּוֹרָה וְנוֹתְנִין שָׂכָר לִמְלַמְּדִים, שֶׁיְּלַמְּדִוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם תּוֹרָה. וּלְהֶפֶךָ גֹּדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ, לְמִי שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר אֶת בְּנוֹ מִתַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה, מְבֹאָר בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ פָּרָשַׁת פְקוּדֵי וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ:
Also, all of the reward we wrote of above in respect to one who supports Torah scholars obtains also with one who supports his son for Torah study. And he also merits thereby that he finds favor in the eyes of the Holy One Blessed be He, as we find in Tanna d'bei Eliyahu Zuta 23, in respect to the query of the attribute of din as to why He favors Israel when it is written (Devarim 10:17): 'The great G-d… who does not show favor,'; and the Holy One Blessed be He answers: 'But do they not show Me favor, etc. And, furthermore, they teach Torah and set up groups to occupy themselves with Torah and pay a wage to the teachers to teach their sons Torah!'" And, conversely, the punishment of one who deprives his son of Torah study is explained in the holy Zohar, Parshath Pekudei 256:
תְּרֵין סָמְכִין דְּלִסְטַר מַעֲרָב כוּ' אִלֵּין אִתְמַנּוּן לְאַכְרָזָא בְּכָל רְקיעִין, לְכָל אִנּוּן דִּמְעַבְּרִין בְּנַיְיהוּ מֵאוֹרַיְתָא וְסָלְקִין לוֹן דְלָא יִלְעוּן בַּהּ, כְּדֵין נָפְקַי כָּל הַנֵּי מְמַנָּן וּמַכְרְזִי וְאָמְרֵי: וַי לִפְלַנְיָא, דְּקָא אַעְבַּר בְּרֵהּ מֵאוֹרַיְתָא, וַי לֵהּ, דְּקָא אִתְאֲבִיד מֵעָלְמָא דֵּין וּמֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, מֵחוּלְקָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי כוּ', עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
"…two pillars on the western side, etc." These are appointed to proclaim in all the heavens about all those who deprive their sons of Torah and remove them [from it] so that they not occupy themselves with it: 'Woe unto Ploni, who deprived his son of Torah. Woe unto him, for he goes lost from this world and from the world to come, and from [his] portion in the world to come!'"
שְׁנֵי סָמְכִין שֶׁלְּצַד מַעֲרָב וְכוּ', אֵלּוּ נִתְמַנּוּ לְהַכְרִיז בְּכָל הָרְקִיעַים, עַל אוֹתָם שֶׁמַּעֲבִירִים בְּנֵיהֶם מֵהַתּוֹרָה וּמְסַלְּקִים אוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יַעַמְלוּ בָּהּ, אָז יוֹצְאִים כָּל אוֹתָם הַמְמֻנִּים וּמַכְרִיזִים וְאוֹמְרִים: אוֹי לִפְלוֹנִי, שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר בְּנוֹ מֵהַתּוֹרָה, אוֹי לוֹ, שֶׁיֹּאבַד מֵהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּמֵהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וּמֵחֵלֶק הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
וְזֶה הוּא תּוֹכַחַת מְגֻלָּה לְאוֹתָן בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁמַּעֲבִירִין אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם מִתַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּשֶׁהֵם עֲדַיִן נְעָרִים כִּבְנֵי י"ד וְט"ו, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִשְׁאָר נַעַר מְנֹעָר מִן הַתּוֹרָה וּמִן הַמִּצְוֹת, וְרַקּ רְצוֹנוֹ לִלְבֹּש תָּמִיד בִּגְדֵי חֹפֶשׁ וּלְהַרְחִיב אֶת גְּבוּלוֹ בְּכֶסֶף וְזָהָב. וְאוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה, וְאוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִמָּה שֶׁל הָאָב, כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַנּוֹ לָשׁוּב אֶל אֱלֹהִים וְכַנַּ"ל.
And this is an open rebuke to those who deprive their sons of Torah study when they are yet youths of fourteen or fifteen, and through this they remain [callow] youths, "shaken out" of Torah and mitzvoth, whose only desire is to wear fashionable clothing and to broaden their horizons with silver and gold. Woe to the shame of that father when his time comes to return to G-d!
וְיֵשׁ אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁמּוֹרִין הֶתֵּר לְעַצְמָן לֵאמֹר: מַה תּוֹעֶלֶת תִּהְיֶה אִם יִהְיֶה לַמְדָּן, וְכִי רַב יִהְיֶה? מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם מַשְׁמַע, שֶׁאִם לֹא יִהְיֶה רַב, לֹא יִצְטָרֵךְ הָאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי לֵידַע אֵיךְ לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה', וְחַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לֹא תְּהֵא כָּזֹאת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. הֲלֹא יָדוּעַ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים י"ט ט,): "מִצְוַת ה' בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינַיִם", וּבֵאוּרוֹ הוּא, שֶׁהָאָדָם, בְּלִי הַתּוֹרָה הַמַּדְרֶכֶת אוֹתוֹ, הוּא כְּאִישׁ סוּמָא הַהוֹלֵךְ בְּעַצְמוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ מְלֵאָה פְּחָתִים, אֲשֶׁר סַכָּנָתוֹ וַדַּאי עֲצוּמָה וְרָעָתוֹ קרוֹבָה מֵהַצָּלָתוֹ. כֵּן הוּא מַמָּשׁ הָאָדָם בְּלִי הַתּוֹרָה, דְּלָא מִבָּעֵי שֶׁיֶּחְסַר לוֹ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מֵאוֹת מִצְוֹת עַל יְדֵי זֶה, שֶׁלֹּא יָדַע כְּלָל אִם הִיא מִצְוָה, אַךְ גַּם שֶׁיַּכְנִיס תְּמוּרָתָם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מֵאוֹת עֲבֵרוֹת, שֶׁחָשַׁב עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם מִצְוֹת. וּבְיוֹתֵר מִזֶּה, הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֲרוּ תַּחַת יָדוֹ, לְבַד שֶׁרֻבָּן הֲוֵי בְּלִי שִׂמְחָה וּבְלִי אַהֲבָה וְיִרְאָה, גַּם הֵן בְּעַצְמָם פְּגוּמוֹת וּמְקֻלְקָלוֹת, כִּי לֹא יָדַע לַעֲשׂוֹתָם כַּדִּין.
And there are some who rationalize thus: "What good will it do him to be a [Torah] learner? Is he gong to be a Rabbi?" (the implication being that if he is not going to be a Rabbi, a Jew need not know how to serve the L-rd, G-d forbid!) Let there not be such in Israel. Are we not familiar with the verse (Psalms 19:9): "The mitzvah of the L-rd is clear, enlightening the eyes," which is understood to mean that a man, without Torah to guide him, is like a blind man, walking by himself on a road full of pits, whose danger is extremely great, and whose failure is certainly nearer than his escape. So, exactly, is a man devoid of Torah. Not only will he be lacking many hundreds of mitzvoth because of this [ignorance of Torah], not knowing at all if what he is doing is a mitzvah or not, but he will commit in their stead many hundreds of transgressions which he thought to be mitzvoth. And, even more, the mitzvoth that will remain with him, aside from most of them being performed without joy, without love, and without fear, will themselves be imperfect and defective, for he will not know how to perform them according to the din.
וּנְצַיֵּר שְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת, שֶׁרְגִילִים בָּהֶן כָּל אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְמָשָׁל מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין. הַאִם הִשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְרֻבָּעִים כַּדִּין? וְגַם אִם הָרְצוּעוֹת הֵן שְׁחוֹרוֹת, שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶה מִסִּינַי. וְגַם אִם הָיוּ מֻנָּחִין כָּל הַתְּפִלִּין עַל הָרֹאשׁ וְלֹא עַל הַמֶּצַח, וְגַם שֶׁל יָד אִם הָיָה מֻנָּח כֻּלּוֹ עַל מְקוֹם הַקּבֹּרֶת וְלֹא לְמַטָּה מִזֶּה בְּמִקְצָת * דַּהֲלֹא גָּמְרִינַן בִּמְנָחות (דַּף ל"ז:) שֶׁל יָד מִשֶּׁל רֹאשׁ בִּגְזֵרָה שָׁוָה, מַה לְּהַלָּן גֹּבַהּ שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ, אַף כָּאן גֹּבַהּ שֶׁבַּיָּד, דְּהַיְנוּ מְקוֹם הַקִּבֹּרֶת. וְאִם כֵּן כִּי הֵיכִי דִּבְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ נִפְסַק הַדִּין בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ אֹרַח חַיִּים סִימָן כ"ז סָעִיף ט' וּבַאַחֲרונִים שָׁם, עַיֵּן בְּשַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, דַּאֲפִלּוּ קְצֵה הַתִּתּוֹרָא, הַיּוֹצֵא חוּץ לִמְקוֹם הַתְּפִלִּין, צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת מֻנַּחַת עַל מְקוֹם הַשֵּׂעָר וְלֹא לְמַטָּה מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁכָּלָה עִקָּרִי הַשֵּׂעָר, כֵּן בְּוַדַּאי הוּא הַדִּין בְּשֶׁל יָד, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת כָּל הַתְּפִלָּה מֻנַּחַת עַל הַקִּבֹּרֶת וְלֹא לְמַטָּה מִזֶּה, וְכֵן מַשְׁמַע בְּסִימָן כ"ז בְּמָגֵן אַבְרָהָם סָעִיף קָטָן ב'. וְרַבִּים נִכְשָׁלִים בָּזֶה בִּימוֹת הַחֹרֶף שֶׁמְּלֻבָּשִׁין בִּבְגָדִים הַחַמִּים וּמִתְעַצְּלִין לְהַפְשִׁיט אֶת הַבֵּית יָד מִן הַיָּד, וְהַבֵּית יָד דּוֹחֵק הַתְּפִלִּין, שֶׁקָּצֶה הַתַּחְתּוֹן לֹא יִהְיֶה מֻנָּח עַל הַקִּבֹּרֶת, וְאַף שֶׁבְּעֵת הַנָּחָה הוּא דּוֹחֵק לְהַבֵּית יָד כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַתְּפִלִּין מֻנָּחִין עַל מְקוֹמָם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁיַּנִּיחַ מִלִּדְחֹק לְהַבֵּית יָד, הַבֵּית יָד דּוֹחֶה לְהַתְּפִלִּין מִמְּקוֹמָם, וּבִפְרָט אוֹתָן הָאֲנָשִׁים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם תְּפִלִּין גְּדוֹלִים, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִהְיוּ הַתְּפִלִּין מֻנָּחִין עַל מְקומָם. עַל כֵּן, כָּל מִי שֶׁנָּגְעָה יִרְאַת ה' בְּלִבּוֹ, יַשְׁגִּיחַ עַל זֶה מְאֹד, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מֻנָּחִין הַתְּפִלִּין כָּל זְמַן קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּתְפִלָּה עַל מְקוֹמָם כַּדִּין. דְּתְפִלִּין שֶׁמֻּנָּחִין שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹמָן, הֲרֵי הֵם כְּמֻנָּח בְּכִיסָן כַּמְבאָר שָׁם בַּפְּמָ"ג, עַל כֵּן לֹא יִתְעַצֵּל מִלְּהַפְשִׁיט הַבֵּית יָד. וְרָאִיתִי לְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה, הַחֲרֵדִים אֶל דְּבַר ה' לְקַיֵּם כָּל מִצְוָה כַּדִּין, שֶׁמַּקְפִּידִין עַל תְּפִלֵּיהֶן שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ גְּדוֹלִין מֵחֲמַת זֶה, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, אִם יִהְיֶה גָּדוֹל, קָשֶׁה מְאֹד לְצַמְצֵם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻנָּח עַל מְקוֹמוֹ כַּדִּין, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁסּוֹף הַתְּפִלִּין יִהְיוּ כָּלִים בְּמָקום שֶׁכָּלִים עִקָּרֵי הַשֵּׁעָר, וְגַם הַקֶּשֶׁר כַּדִּין, דְּהַיְנוּ בִּמְקוֹם הָעֹרֶף שֶׁהוּא סוֹף הַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת הוּא נֶגֶד הַפָּנִים כִּדְאִיתָא שָׁם בְּסִימָן כ"ז סָעִיף ט' וּבְמָגֵן אַבְרָהָם שָׁם, וְלֹא לְמַטָּה מִזֶּה. דְּאִם מֻנָּח מִלְּפָנָיו כַּדִּין, הַקֶּשֶׁר שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו עַל פִּי הָרֹב הוּא מֻנָּח לְמַטָּה מֵהָעֹרֶף, וְאִם מִלְּאַחֲרָיו מֻנָּח כַּדִּין, מִלְּפָנָיו מֻנָּח קְצֵה הַתְּפִלִּין עַל הַמֶּצַח אִם הֵם גְּדוֹלִים, וְגַם הֵם רְפוּיִים וּמִתְנַעְנְעִים לְכָאן וּלְכָאן וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִין לִחְיוֹת מְהּדָּקִין עַל הָרֹאשׁ מֵחֲמַת גָּדְלָם וְנִמְצָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין. וְיָצָא שְׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁהוּא מַחֲשִׁיב לִתְפִלִּין גְּדוֹלִים לְהִדּוּר מִצְוָה, בְּהֶפְסֵדו, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין כְּלָל לִפְעָמִים עַל יְדֵי זֶה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. עַל כֵּן הַשּׁוֹמֵר נַפְשׁו יִרְחַק מִזֶּה: , כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁבְּכָל זֶה רָגִיל לַעֲבֹר מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בֶּן תּוֹרָה מֵחֲמַת חֶסְרוֹן יְדִיעָה.
By way of illustration, consider two mitzvoth that are observed by all Jews, tefillin [and the recital of Shema]: Tefillin — Has he taken care that they be [perfectly] square, according to the din? And that the straps are black? For all of this is a "halachah to Moses from Sinai." And also that the tefillin be placed on the head and not on the forehead? And also that the hand phylactery be placed entirely on the biceps and not [even] slightly below? Quite understandably, anyone who is not a learned person will be likely to transgress these things.
וְכֵן מִצְוַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע הַאִם הָיָה זָהִיר לְקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם כַּדִּין, וְכֵן אִם הִשְׁמִיעַ לְאָזְנָֹיו וְדִקְדֵּק בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתֶיהָ כַּדִּין הַמְבֹאָר בַּשַּׁ"ס וְשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ, וְגַם אִם הָיָה זָהִיר לִקְרוֹת שְׁמַע בִּזְמַנָּהּ תָּמִיד, בַּקַּיִץ וּבַחֹרֶף, שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא דִּינָא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא. וְכֵן כַּמָּה פְּרָטֵי דִּינִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּאֵלּוּ הַמִּצְוֹת. וּמִזֶּה יָקַישׁ בְּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן עַל שְׁאָר מִצְוֹת, שֶׁאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל רְגִילִין בָּהֶן, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי יַחְסְרוּ לוֹ עַל יְדֵי חֶסְרוֹן יְדִיעַת הַתּוֹרָה.
And so with the recital of the Shema: Has he taken care to accept upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven according to the din? And, likewise, to make [his recitation] audible to his ears and to enunciate correctly, as explained in Shas and in Shulchan Aruch. And also to recite it in its prescribed time, in summer and winter, for all this is a din of the Torah. And, also, [to observe] many details of the dinim obtaining with these mitzvoth. And from these, one will reason, a fortiori, to those mitzvoth that Jews are not accustomed to — that he will certainly lack them without a knowledge of the Torah.
וְיַכִּיר כָּל אֶחָד אֶת הַחִסָּרוֹן הַזֶּה, כְּשֶׁיַּכְרִיז הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֶעָתִיד, שֶׁיָּבוֹא כָּל אֶחָד לְקַבֵּל שְׂכָרוֹ עֲבוּר הַמִּצְוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (ויקרא רבה פרשה כ"ז): עֲתִידָה בַּת קּוֹל לִהְיוֹת מְפוֹצֶצֶת בְּרָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים וְאוֹמֶרֶת: מִי שֶׁפָּעַל עִם אֵל יָבוֹא וְיִטֹּל שְׂכָרוֹ, אָז יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ כָּל אֶחָד בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְיַכִּיר אֶת גֹּדֶל גִּרְעוֹן הַמִּצְוֹת, שֶׁבָּא לוֹ עַל יְדֵי חֶסְרוֹן יְדִיעַת הַתּוֹרָה. וְלָזֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב: "מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם", שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה מְאִירָה עֵינֵי הָאָדָם בְּקַיוּם הַמִּצְוֹת.
And everyone will recognize this lack when the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to proclaim that they all come to accept their reward for the mitzvoth, as Chazal say (Vayikra Rabbah 27): "A Heavenly voice is destined to resound in the mountain peak, proclaiming: 'Who wrought with G-d, let him come and take his reward!'" Then, each one will "feel" his mitzvoth and recognize the greatness of his deficit in mitzvoth, which he suffered through his lack of knowledge of the Torah. And this is the intent of "enlightening the eyes," the Torah enlightening the eyes of a man in the fulfillment of the mitzvoth.
וְעַתָּה נִתְבּוֹנֵן וְנִקַח מוּסָר מִדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ לְפָנֵינוּ זֶה כַּמָּה מֵאוֹת שָׁנִים (כְּמוֹ בִּזְמַן הַמַּהַרְשַׁ"ל וְהַמַּהַרְשָׁ"א וְהַמַּהֲרָ"מ שִׁי"ף וּפְנֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וצל"ח, שֶׁהָיוּ כֻּלָּם רָאשֵׁי מְתִיבְתּוֹת), שֶׁנָּתְנוּ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר, וְאִם לֹא הָיָה בְּכֹחוֹ לְהַשְׂכִּיר לוֹ מְלַמֵּד לְעַצְמוֹ, הָיָה מוֹלִיכוֹ לִישִׁיבָה לִלְמֹד עַד שֶׁעָשָׂהוּ לְאִישׁ. וְכִי נֹאמַר, שֶׁכָּל אָב חָשַׁב שֶׁבְּנוֹ יִהְיֶה הָרַב וְהַמּוֹרֶה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲלֹא יָדוּעַ הוּא מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (קהלת רבה פרשה ז') עַל הַפָּסוּק (קהלת ז' כ"ח): "אָדָם אֶחָד מֵאֶלֶף מָצָאתִי", שֶׁאֶלֶף נִכְנָסִין לְמִקְרָא, וּמֵהֶם יוֹצְאִין מֵאָה בַּעֲלֵי מִשְׁנָה, וּמֵהֶם עֲשָׂרָה בַּעֲלֵי תַּלְמוּד, וּמֵהֶם יוֹצֵא אֶחָד הָרָאוּי לְהִקָּרֵא אִישׁ וּלְהוֹרוֹת הוֹרָאָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶלָּא הָאֱמֶת הַבָּרוּר כָּךְ הוּא, הָאָב, שֶׁנָּתַן אֶת בְּנוֹ לְבֵית הַסֵּפֶר וְלִישִׁיבָה, הָיָה רְצוֹנוֹ כָּךְ: אִם יְזַכֵּנִי ה', שֶׁיֵּצֵא בְּנִי בַּעַל תַּלְמוּד וְיִהְיֶה רָאוּי לְהוֹרוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקִי, וְאִם לֹא אֶזְכֶּה לָזֶה, רַק שֶׁיֵּדַע מְעַט בְּלִמּוּד הַגְּמָרָא אוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּלִמּוּד הַמִּשְׁנָיוֹת, גַּם כֵּן טוֹב הוּא. כִּי כְּשֶׁיְּזַכֵּהוּ הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיִהְיֶה בַּעַל עֵסֶק, אֵיזֶה עֵסֶק שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ, בְּוַדַּאי יִקְבַּע עַל כָּל פָּנִים אֵיזֶה שִׁעוּר קָבוּעַ בְּיוֹם לְלִמּוּדוֹ בִּגְמָרָא אוֹ בְּמִשְׁנָיוֹת אוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּאַגָּדוֹת חֲזַ"ל. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם, חַס וִשָׁלוֹם, לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ שׁוּם פְּנַאי בִּימוֹת הַחֹל, עַל כָּל פָּנִים בְּשַׁבָּת קֹּדֶשׁ בְּוַדַּאי יִכָּנֵס לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְיִלְמַד אֵיזֶה דַּפֵּי גְּמָרָא אוֹ מִשְׁנָיוֹת, וְעַל זֶה גַּם כֵּן כְּדַאי הוּא לִי כָּל הַכֹּחוֹת שֶׁעָמַלְתִּי עָלָיו, בֵּין בְּחַיָּי וּבֵין בְּמוֹתִי, (כַּיָּדוּעַ שֶׁהַבֵּן הַלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה מְזַכֶּה לְאָבִיו וּמוֹצִיאוֹ מִגֵּיהִנֹּם, וְגַם אִם הוּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן, זוֹכֶה לְהִתְעַלֶּה עַל יָדוֹ וְכַנַּ"ל).
And now, let us reflect and take mussar from the earlier generations, that preceded us these several hundred years (as in the times of the Maharshal, the Maharsha, the Maharam Shif, the P'nei Yehoshua, and the Tzelach, who were all heads of Methivtoth), who sent their children to school, and who, if they did not have the means to hire a private teacher would send their sons to a yeshivah to learn until he became a man. Shall we say that every father thought that his son would be a Rabbi or a posek in Israel. Do we not know what Chazal (Koheleth Rabbah 7) say on the verse (Koheleth 7:28): "One man of a thousand have I found" — "A thousand embark upon Scripture, and from them emerge a hundred men of Mishnah; from them, ten men of Talmud; and from them, one who is worthy of being called "a man," and to pronounce ruling in Israel." But the clear truth is this: A father who sent his son to a school and a yeshiva reasoned thus: "If the L-rd finds me worthy of having a son who will be a man of Talmud and a teacher in Israel, how goodly is my portion! But if I do not merit this, but only that he know a little of Gemara, or, in any event, Mishnayoth, this is also good. For when the Holy One Blessed be He grants him a trade — no matter what trade it be — he certainly will set for himself a fixed study session for himself in Gemara or Mishnayoth or, in any event, in aggadoth chazal. And even if, G-d forbid, he has no time on the weekdays, on the Holy Sabbath he certainly will go into the house of study and learn some pages of Gemara or Mishnayoth. And for this, too, all my exertions for him will have been well worth it, both in my lifetime and in my death" (As we know, a son who learns Torah accords merit to his father and releases him from Gehinnom. And even if he is in Gan Eden, he merits ascending through him.)
וְאִם כֵּן מַדּוּעַ נִתְחַכֵּם אָנוּ עַתָּה יוֹתֵר מִדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֲנַחְנוּ בְּאֹפֶן זֶה בְּלֹא שָׂדֶה וְכֶרֶם הוּא יוֹתֵר מִי"ח מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא עֲזָבָנוּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ. אֵין זֹאת כִּי אִם שֶׁהַיֵּצֶר הָרָע מַתְעֶה אֶת הָאָב, שֶׁהוּא מְרַחֵם בָּזֶה עַל בְּנוֹ, כְּשֶׁמְּסַלְּקוֹ מִתּוֹרָה וּמְשַׁעְבְּדוֹ לְעִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִתְבּוֹנֵן הֵיטֵב, יִרְאֶה שֶׁהוּא מִתְאַכְזֵר בָּזֶה עָלָיו וְלֹא מְרַחֵם. כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרִי עַל הַפָּסוּק (דברים י"א י"ט): "וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם", מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: כְּשֶׁהַתִּינוֹק מַתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר אָבִיו מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה, וְאִם אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵינוֹ מְלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה רָאוּי לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ קוֹבְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: "וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם וְכוּ' לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם". אִם לִמַּדְתֶּם אוֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם, יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם. וְאִם לֹא, יִקְצְרוּ יְמֵיכֶם. שֶׁכָּךְ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה נִדְרָשִׁים, מִכְּלַל לָאו אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ הֵן וּמִכְּלַל הֵן לָאו. (וְאֵין כַּוָּנַת הַסִּפְרִי דַּוְקָא עַל קְטַנִּים גְּמוּרִים, אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא תַּחַת רְשׁוּת אָבִיו וּמֻטָּל עָלָיו לְלַמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה, דְּאָטוּ קְטַנִּים כְּתִיב בַּקְּרָא). וְכֵן אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (בשבת ל"ב:): דְּבָנָיו שֶׁל אָדָם מֵתִים מִפְּנֵי בִּטּוּל תּוֹרָה. עַל כֵּן יִרְאֶה כָּל אָדָם לְהַחֲזִיק בְּנוֹ לְתוֹרָה, וְיַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו הוּא וּבָנָיו. וְהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הַנּוֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִגְרַע מִצַּדִּיק עֵינָיו.
If so, why should we be "smarter" than the earlier generations? For, in truth, in this regard, we have been "without field or vineyard" more than eighteen hundred years, and, in spite of this, our G-d has not forsaken us. This [(reluctance to further the Torah education of our sons)] can only be due to the fact that the yetzer hara deceives the father into believing that he is being compassionate to his son by removing him from Torah and subjugating him to the affairs of the world. But, in truth, when he considers this well, he will see that he is being cruel to him in this and not compassionate. As we find in Sifrei on Devarim 11:19: "'And you shall teach them [(words of Torah)] to your sons to speak in them.' From this they have taught: When the child begins to speak, his father speaks the holy tongue with him and teaches him Torah. And if he does not do so, he is fit to be buried, as it is written: 'And you shall teach them to your sons to speak in them… (Ibid. 21): so that your days will be lengthened.' If you teach them to your sons your days will be lengthened, and, if not, your days will be shortened." For thus are words of Torah expounded: From the negative you infer the positive; and from the positive, the negative. (And the Sifrei speaks not only of very young children; but so long as his son is under his authority, it is incumbent upon him to teach him Torah [For does the verse specify "minors"?]) And thus have Chazal said (Shabbath 32b), that a man's sons die because of neglect of Torah. Therefore, let each man see to it to strengthen his son in Torah, and he will thereby lengthen his days — he and his sons. And the Holy One Blessed be He, who gives bread to all flesh, will certainly not withdraw His eyes from the tzaddik.