The Story of Torah
Instructor: Baruch Sienna
Torah is like...
The Rabbis likened Torah to many things: Water, Wine, Milk, Honey, Fire, and a Tree, among others. Read these to get your creative juices flowing.
Water
- The words of Torah are likened to water, as it is written,
- O all who thirst, come for water, (Is. 55:1)
- Just as water goes from one end of the earth to the other, so
does Torah go from one end of the earth to the other;
- Just as water is a life source, so is Torah a source of life;
- Just as water is free to all, so is Torah a free commodity;
- Just as water comes from heaven, so too is the Torah's origin
in heaven;
- Just as water makes many sounds, so is the Torah heard in many
voices;
- Just as water quenches one's thirst, so does Torah satisfy the
soul;
- Just as water cleanses the body from impurity, so does Torah cleanse
the soul;
- Just as water originates in tiny drops and accumulates into mighty
streams and rivers, so the Torah is acquired word by word today,
verse by verse tomorrow;
- Just as water descends from a high altitude, so does Torah depart
from haughty individuals and remain in individuals who are humble
and modest;
- Just as water is not kept in silver or gold vessels, but the simplest
[clay], so Torah is retained by those who are simple;
- Just as a scholar is not embarrassed to ask a student, 'pass me
some water,' a scholar is not embarrassed to learn from a student
a chapter, a verse, a word, or even a letter;
- Just as someone who does not know how to swim is drowned in water,
so is Torah - if one doesn't know how to 'swim' one can drown
in it. (Shir HaShirim Rabbah I:19)
Wine
- The words of Torah are likened to wine. Just as wine cheers the
spirit, so Torah cheers the spirit, as it is written, "Wine that
cheers the hearts..." (Ps. 104:14). (Shir HaShirim Rabbah I:19)
Milk
- The words of Torah are likened to milk. Just as milk is pure and
clean, so the Torah is pure and clean. (Shir HaShirim Rabbah I:19)
Honey
- The words of Torah are likened to honey. Just as honey is sweet,
so is Torah as it is written, "The judgments of Adonai are true,
more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, sweeter than honey,
than drippings of honeycomb. (Ps. 19:10,11). (Shir HaShirim Rabbah
I:19)
Fire
- Rabba bar bar Hannah said, "Why is Torah likened to fire? As it
is written, " 'For are my words not like fire,' says Adonai" (Jer.
23:29) in order to teach you that just as a fire cannot burn alone,
so too the words of Torah cannot prevail in isolation."
- Why are the words of Torah like fire? A fire is built by many
logs and the words of Torah survive only through many minds. (Taanit
7a)
Tree
- Rav Nahman bar Isaac said, "Why is Torah likened to a tree? As
it is written, 'It is a Tree of Life to those who hold fast to
it.' (Prov. 3:18) To teach you that a small piece of wood can
kindle a large one, so too do students of Torah sharpen their
teachers."
Why is the Torah compared to a fig tree? Because most trees -
olive, grape, date, have their fruit harvested all at one time,
but the fig's fruit is picked gradually. And so it is with the
Torah: You learn a little today and more tomorrow, for you cannot
learn it in one or two years. (Midrash Bemidbar Rabbah 12:9)
For Further Thought
Some things 'bear fruit' instantly; others bear fruit gradually.
This midrash suggests that Torah cannot be learned in one or two
years. Do you agree? Why or why not?
This last midrash uses as its proof text a verse from Proverbs:
One who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit (27:18). This suggests
that the tree must be 'tended,' in order to enjoy its fruit. How
does this apply to Torah study? Of course, we are also familiar
with the image of 'Tree of Life' for the Torah? Are there other
kinds of tree that are apt metaphors for Torah? Which 'tree' works
best for you?
Some of today's leading Rabbis and teachers have contributed:
Click here for their answers.
