Why We Learn - Gender Differences

One of the churbanos we must mourn is the churban hatorah. I recently saw an article about a certain high school that is giving large cash prizes to students who learn and pass tests. One of the rabbis explained that this is true torah li-shmah. I didn't know whther to laugh or cry. I understand that people need incentives but that is not Torah Li-shma.

We have to learn not for money, not for honor, not for "smicha" [i.e. a degree in Jewish law] not because it makes us feel good but because it is the will of Hashem. One should not even learn JUST in order to know what to do - לומד על מנת לעשות. Of course one has to know what to do but that can't be the ONLY tachlis of his learning. Women are commanded to learn primarily in order to know what to do. Their tafkid in this world is not to become great talmidot chachamot but great mothers, baalot chesed, daveners, cooks [satisfying her family's appetite is a mitzas aseh min ha-torah - On a personal note I don't really care how my wife cooks but that is only because I have a very limited diet and the geshmak I have from learning is a great substitute for gastronomic satisfaction - try it:-)] etc. A man has a different tachlis [in addition to his other tasks] - to learn in order to learn and understand Toras Hashem with no ulterior motives.

Let us give the great tzadik Rav Yaakov Moshe [רזי לי p. 321] our undivided attention :

כשם שיש עיקר בלימוד שיהיה על מנת לעשות, ככה עיקר גדול שלא יהיה לימוד זולת לשם תכונת לעשות, שאז יוצא זה מגדר תלמוד תורה המצווים עליו, ונכנס זה בגדר תורה דנשים, שגם הן צריכות לידע דיניהן שהן מחוייבות בהן, ואפילו הכי אין למודיהן בזה בערך של תורה כי אם בערך של מעשה [סוטה כ"א], אשר איננה מגינה ומצלי זולת בעידנא דעסיק בה  והישרים בלבותם צריכים ללמוד מצד תורה, רק דגדול הוא התלמוד המביא לידי מעשה (קידושין מ ע"ב)

We should be zocheh to see the building of the Beis Hamikdash which will cause the reflowering of Torah - יה"ר שיבנה בית המקדש ותן חלקנו בתורתך !!