Studying Torah 4

Until the seventeenth century, methodology of Torah study in Europe was fairly loose. Rather than organized, institutional Yeshivot, students would come from far and wide to be disciples of renowned rabbinical figures. These rabbis had widely differing methods of Torah study. Some sought breadth of knowledge, while others emphasized depth. Some were centered on the derivation of halachah from Talmud, while others focused on derivation of theology from the narrative parts of Talmud (aggadah) . Many were deeply immersed in Kabbalah, while others took a philosophical approach. Everything changed after 1666, with the dramatic rise and fall of the Shabbatean movement. Whereas Sepharadic communities took the attitude of "OK, we made a big mistake. Let's start over from where we left off", Ashkenazic communities became suspicious of every charismatic figure or any call to spirituality. "Witch Hunts" for those who still espoused Shabbatean views, continued for several centuries, often condemning the righteous along with the wicked. Anyone who was not "low keyed" and level headed in his conformity to community norms, was under suspicion. Some communities jettisoned Kabbalah altogether. Others put restrictions on who could study it. Still others produced a sterilized, emotionless Kabbalah. The lasting negative effects of the Shabbatean debacle cannot be overemphasized. The main Jewish communities of Eastern Europe were, from the mid-sixteenth century, until the mid-eighteenth century, governed by "The Council of the Four Lands". This body had both temporal and religious authority over the Jews of Poland and Lithuania. Among the activities of the rabbinic court of the council after 1666, was seeking out Shabbatean pockets of heresy, and making sure that such a thing could not happen again. One of their enactments was a unified curriculum of study for the burgeoning Yeshivot of Eastern Europe. (Although the huge Yeshivot that we know today only really began in the late eighteenth century). The curriculum they advocated was essentially purged of emotion and spirituality. Soaring to heights of ecstasy was replaced with plumbing the depths of the Talmud. Repairing the Higher Worlds was replaced with perfection of one's character. A Talmudic tractate was chosen for all Yeshivot to study each year. They were chosen largely on the basis of content that would not lend itself to spiritual excitement, or even to question communal norms. Conformity was a high priority. Tractates dealing with monetary and property law were preferred over ones that dealt with more "religiously" oriented subjects. Students would strive for ever deeper intellectual interpretations of Talmud, rather than speculate on the Divine. New methods of achieving this grew up, known collectively as "Pilpul". The term was old, but was given new meanings. One faculty member of a Lithuanian style Yeshivah, once told me "Pilpul? It is our life and length of days". Rabbi Ovadia Yosef once remarked in a class (a recording of which reached the Israeli media, causing great consternation in rabbinic circles) "The Ashkenazim are doing Pilpulim that are actually Bilbulim (confusion)" Rabbi Yitzchak Abadi, a great scholar, who for many years was associated with the great Lakewood Yeshivah, called Pilpul "a Sin". Most Hasidim are likewise opposed to Pilpul. What exactly is Pilpul? That will be my next post.