Dear Matzav Inbox,
I’ve been thinking for a long time about something that has been bothering me deeply, and I feel it’s time to address it.
We live in communities that constantly tout the incredible success of Daf Yomi and encourage every man to have a set seder of learning, but I have to be honest: this narrative doesn’t reflect the truth for many people in our community. While I know that countless men do, indeed, commit themselves to daily limud haTorah, I am personally aware of the many – many! – men who, quite simply, do not learn a word every single day. Not even a drop.
We hear so much about how “everyone” is learning, how it’s the norm, and how Daf Yomi is the crowning achievement of the modern era. It’s as if, by default, we are all expected to follow suit. The reality, however, is far different.
Far too many men in our kehillos are not learning. I’m talking about men who are not cracking a sefer each day, let alone making an effort to learn with consistency. This is not just a small group. It is a significant number of people who are slipping under the radar, ignored in the grand narrative of limud haTorah that is often portrayed as ubiquitous.
Why are we creating a false impression that everyone is areingeton in some form of limud haTorah when, in reality, it’s not the case?
Let’s not pretend that the vast majority of men in the Torah world are following a rigorous learning schedule. It would be naive to ignore the fact that many of them are not. I’ve spoken to men personally—some of them my friends, others acquaintances—who have admitted that they have no seder at all. They are not learning a word on a regular basis.
While I don’t dismiss the pressures of balancing work and family life, I can’t help but feel that this is a convenient excuse for neglecting limud haTorah. We all face challenges, but that doesn’t absolve us from making the effort to learn.
It’s time to admit the truth and find ways to help those who are struggling to create a seder, to develop a meaningful connection to learning, and to find ways to incorporate Torah into their daily lives. Let’s stop turning a blind eye to the fact that so many men are simply not learning a word, and let’s start having an honest conversation.
It’s easy to look at lomdei Daf Yomi and assume that everyone is on the same page. But we must acknowledge that this is not the reality.
Sincerely,
Sanhedrin 16
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