Our Mishna on Amud Beis discusses that though one may object to a neighbor opening a store in a residential courtyard, if the neighbor teaches Torah to children he is allowed to do so despite the traffic and noise pollution. 

Our sages had much to say about the value of young children learning Torah. The Gemara Shabbos (119b) famously states:

אמר ריש לקיש משום רבי יהודה נשיאה: אין העולם מתקיים אלא בשביל הבל תינוקות של בית רבן. אמר ליה רב פפא לאביי: דידי ודידך מאי? אמר ליה: אינו דומה הבל שיש בו חטא להבל שאין בו חטא. 

Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda Nesia: The world only exists because of the breath, i.e., reciting Torah, of schoolchildren. Rav Pappa said to Abaye: My Torah study and yours, what is its status? Why is the Torah study of adults worth less? He said to him: The breath of adults, which is tainted by sin, is not similar to the breath of children, which is not tainted by sin. 

What is the spiritual mechanism or process that gives youthful innocent Torah so much power? After all, if Torah is accomplished through deep study and analysis, as our impressive volumes of Talmudic give and take attest to, surely understanding is key. Innocence is a wonderful quality but that doesn’t equal intellectual achievement. Would you want as your surgeon, or even contractor, an innocent and pure soul, or an expert in the profession? Apparently, the lesson is that Torah is not regarded as primarily an intellectual pursuit, though paradoxically it is accomplished via intense study. Unlike other forms of wisdom, Torah thrives in a spiritual environment. Maharal (Nesiv Hatorah 10) says that Torah is the source of all life, and for it to have its full effect it cannot be initiated in a state of sin, which is a source of death via disconnection from God. This is interesting because even though Maharal does not say this, his explanation also suggests the importance that our personal initiation to Torah study be untainted without sin. 

I’ll share a personal recollection from my early days at school. My father Z”L was a yeshiva principal for most of his life, and he generally sent his children to the schools that he led. In my early childhood, he was principal of a Jewish Day school and the studies were conducted ivrit b’ivrit, meaning all Judaic studies were in Hebrew. In first grade we did not even start Chumash, as the focus was on acquisition of fluency in Hebrew reading and writing. By the time we started Chumash in second grade, our basic vocabulary was strong enough that we could translate many words without the teacher’s help. I still remember the excitement and joy at reading Bereishis and Noach. The stories were enchanting - I could not wait to find out what happened next. I believe, to this day, the love and fascination I have with the Parasha came from those early experiences. The feelings are indescribable. Here and there I am able to remember and re-arouse them.

Though more easily found in the study of young children,the power of approaching Torah with innocence and fresh excitement is a paradigm that we can access. Torah learned and discovered in this fashion is substantially different than any other intellectual pursuits.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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