Having Fun?

When G-d was about to give the Torah to mankind, says the well-known midrash (Shemos Rabbah 27:9), He first offered it to the nations of the world, each of whom asked what was written in it. One nation rejected it because the Torah prohibits murder, which they lived by. A second nation rejected it because the Torah prohibits theft, and they could not abide by that. A third nation refused because they could not accept prohibitions regarding idolatry. And so it went, until G-d asked the Jews. They did not inquire about the Torah’s contents, but without hesitation declared naaseh v’nishma, “we will do and we will obey.”

It is our good fortune that G-d did not tell the nations that the Torah is fun, because they might have accepted it, and then there would have been no Am Yisrael.

The catalyst for this irreverent thought is the use of the word “fun” when referring to Talmud study. For example, we are now and then urged to attend this or that Torah learning program or participate in some mitzvah because it is stimulating, fascinating — and fun.

Now, learning Gemara is many things. It is exhilarating, rewarding, and geshmak (Yiddish for tasty and delicious). But it can also be very complex, requiring utmost focus and concentration. Ultimately, if one stays the course, it can be very satisfying, as it has been through the centuries. It is many things, but one thing it is not is “fun.”