I have a friend. He is a good guy. He means well.
He told me that he has a learning seder every morning before work. He looks at the clock as it gets towards the end - anxious that that clock should indicate that he is free to go. [If you ever want time to go slowly - look at the clock a lot....]. He learns b/c he knows that he must but often finds it burdensome and a chore.
This man is "at risk". Spiritually at risk. בראתי יצר הרע בראתי תורה תבלין. I created the Yetzer Hara and I created the Torah as a spice. A spice tastes good. The Yeter Hara tastes good. The only way to combat the good taste of the Yetzer is with the BETTER taste of Torah. If Torah is learned as an obligation as one does his taxes or pays his bills then he is in danger. Torah as an unenjoyable burdensome task has no chance against the Yetzer. Beautiful women can be very attractive and alluring. Money is raw material that can potentially bring us most of the pleasures in this world. Vacations, clothing, restaurants etc. etc. etc. The computer offers tens of millions of different options for various forms of stimulation. The list goes on and on. How are we going to overcome all that and cling to an abstract spiritual reality [i.e. Hashem] which is so far from what our bodies want? Torah. But not just Torah. An attractive, alluring, exciting Torah. Otherwise we will almost definitely fall.
The pasuk says ויהי ככלתו about the giving of the Torah. Chazal picked up on the use of the word ככלתו [meaning that He "finished" speaking] and said that the Torah must be as exciting as a Kallah [כלה] is to her Chosson. The Chosson has been waiting YEARS for this girl. [Being a frum teenager with all of the restrictions is NOT easy]. She looks very good and has gone to mikva in preparation. The whole thing is rabbinically sanctioned and being paid for by his and her own parents!!! He imagines that he will live happily ever after with her. She will fulfill his physical, emotional and spiritual needs!!! He might even sing her אשת חיל [even though she has yet to cook a meal or bear a child....]. [It is all דמיונות b/c he doesn't really know her, she really doesn't know him and it is mostly dopamine which will wear off all too quickly..... But in his mind it is the most awesome thing ever. As Hashem wants it to feel]. The joyous music 🎹🎺🎻, fancy hall, hundreds of friends, delicious, plentiful food 🍞🍜🍛🍰🍹🍉🍊 etc. etc. just enhance the experience. Wouldn't it be great if we could recreate that every day???
So Chazal tell us - Torah has to be as exciting. EVERY TIME you learn.
😲😲😲
So how do we get there?
This is the hard part.....
1] One has to become an expert learner. One has to learn how to learn. Master Lashon Hakodesh and Aramaic. Become familiar with Talmudic concepts. The more you understand, the more capable you are, the more developed your thinking and analytical skills are - the more likely you are to enjoy your learning. But if a person [like SO MANY PEOPLE I KNOW] never get over the hump, always have to struggle with the basics, then he won't feel the necessary taste to empower him to overcome the Yetzer.
2] One also has to identify those areas of Torah that his soul connects to and make those the focus of his learning.
3] One also has to make sure that he understands his learning. If it is vague and fuzzy then it is frustrating.
4] Over Shabbos I saw a powerful letter of Maran HaRav ztz"l. He was asked about setting up a curriculum for a certain Yeshiva in Manchester [this is a little over a hundred years ago]. He responded that he doesn't know the students so he can't say. But he stressed that the basis MUST be Yiras Shomayim. That is the key to Sippuk Hanefesh and all success in Ruchniyus. Know that what you are learning is Dvar Hashem and studying this is a fulfillment of your Divinely given task on earth which will ensure you reward in both worlds.
So to summarize: The four components that will make your learning as exciting as your Kallah and be an antidote to the Yetzer.
1] Highly develop your learning skill set.
2] Learn topics you connect to.
3] Understand the material.
4] Yiras Shomayim. This is not math or science. This is Dvar Hashem and elevates your soul. Internalize that. It is much much much more valuable than all the billions of dollars that famous people have. טוב לי תורת פיך מאלפי זהב וכסף. It is so valuable b/c it is from פיך - Your [Hashem's] mouth כביכול.
Yetzer Hara - Checkmate on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
