"Tisha B'Av Movies": Learning Torah on Tisha B'Av; Discretionary or Obligatory?

Okay, good morning everyone. Today's breakfast is dedicated by in honor of his mother's for his mother for whole family. Oh, >> as many of you know, we're now in our annual campaign. Uh the best way go to charity.com/mh26 and uh you'll be able to have a kale in this bamedish from which uh the shim are disseminated from. We're going to speak today about the mitzvah of tyra on tishab. We're familiar that fundamentally one cannot learn regularly on the says in number one on your sheets. All the mitzvah that apply to a mourner are apply on it's prohibited to eat. It's prohibited to drink. You can't anoint yourself. You can't wear leather shoes. Marital relations. Not only that, it's prohibited to read to learn. You're allowed to learn something you never learned before. you're allowed to read a area of Tory that you're not familiar with because there's a certain difficulty breaking into a new subject. It's a very interesting uh very interesting concept in our yeshiva. So they would have a quote of how much you have to do a week. Actually we would learn kimat from the fastest of any of the yeshivas. In bes we would do blood and a half a week and in ka we did two blad a week. Anyway, Gumarashi Tyus, could you close the door, please? Gumarashi Tyus, but you had to do it twice. And the method is the first time you just read it and then the second time you learn it well. Why? Cuz the first time you do something, it's extremely difficult. So some you just somehow first need to get the layout of the land and then you could really learn it. That was the method. Anyway, the Gumar brings an opinion. You're allowed to learn on inim you never read before you learn Mishna you're not familiar with we don't pass in that way by the way this we don't pass like this opinion you're read you're allowed to learn you're allowed to learn the bad subjects of safer the the the mournful topics The children don't go to yeshiva hashem. The mitzvah of hashem are upright. They cause the heart to rejoice. This is not to read something you're not familiar with. It's not to learn mishna you're not familiar with. But again he agrees you could read and there's no learning of the children comes why you now to learn on Rashi says the says what could somebody please tell me what Rashi is doing that's what the Garra says I don't you know I I love Rashi I love Rashi. I try to learn the para with Rashi. Rashi is my I'm a direct descendant from Rashi supposedly. But don't think you know here the rabbi is boasting. So are you probably. So 80% of all Ashkanazim come straight from Rashi. Rashi lived you know in times of the crusades and he had five daughters. So statistically it's almost impossible that you don't an Ashkanazi Jew doesn't come from Rashi. But putting that aside, what's Rashi doing? Rashi just saying over the Garra new you hear the you have the you know the whole thing by heart. You have it. What's Rashi doing? The Gmorrah said you're now to learn because no that's not what the Garra says. The Gmorrah doesn't say why you're now to learn. The Gomorrah only says why children are not allowed to learn. The garra says, but the garra doesn't say why you're not allowed alert on. So rashi says it's for the same reason children don't go to yeshiva. Rashi is saying the gar doesn't say the reason. Rashi says the reason giving for the tino is the reason now to learn says the I would disagree with Rashi Lle had Rashi not made his comment says the Marsha I would have said the reason why you're not alone on tishav is for a completely different reason altogether what are you supposed to do on tishb and this is a topic we're going to talk about now you know the garra forgot to talk about a very important mitzvah that we have on tishab that's not mentioned. The garra talks about not smearing yourself. The garra talks about now to learn saying kenos. The garra forgot the big mitzvah of watching movies on tesab. What happened to that? Isn't isn't that what you're supposed to do the whole day? You know, you look in all the Jewish magazines, you look in all the Jewish outlets, there are all kinds of things you're obligated to watch on tisha. What would tisha be if you're not inundated with things that you're obligated to watch? Now, if you're going to watch, I would recommend watching the Shiran Torah anytime. I mean, I'm also allowed to make a plug for the No, but the question is, are you allowed to watch these things on tisha? Are you allowed to watch them? Why not? We know you're not allowed to learn to. Okay. So, mo usually it's not tora. So what is it? It's inspiration. Are you allowed to be inspired on tishab? What exactly being inspired for? But here's something you need to do on tishab that is completely and almost totally forgotten. What about mourning the bikdash? So that's the main thing to do on tishab. The re question are you allowed to be from morning? No, you're now to do things that distract you from morning says the Mara. I would have said the reason you're now to learn on is cuz when you're learning, let's say you're learning the of I don't know you, what are you learning in uh what was your last? Yeah. Yeah. You're allowed to learn a sug if you're learning the you're being distracted from morning for the mdash says in my opinion the reason to learn is not because it makes you happy. It's because it's distracting you from being mis over you says. So why did the gamarra say that children are not a learn? Because it makes them happy because children don't have to be on the b of mik. They're they're not of they're not for of so the gmorrah had to create a new reason why children are now to learn. You know why children are to learn? Even though even though they're not they don't have to be misab but they can't be happy. So for the reason children that's why the mar says why did the gamarra wake up in the 11th hour you know why children are now to learn why did the bring that in initially the answer is because that's not the reason why a regular adult is now to learn the reason why regular adult is now to learn is because it distracts you from abos the garra had to give a reason why children are now to learn in any event that's the marsh but that's not rashi rashi says Nobody's allowed to learn because here's the question we're going to deal with this morning. There are certain things you're allowed to learn and really the nafamina would be are you allowed to watch an inspiring video about I don't know Jews returning to Judaism all over the world. I mean it's very nice. We hope more come back. It's not relevant to tishab. It's not relevant to tishab. Is that a worthwhile thing to do or am I obligated to learn those things that I'm allowed to learn? In other words, the garra just said the garra just said that there's certain things you're allowed to learn. Even though in general you're not allowed to learn, there are certain things you're allowed to learn. What are they? You're allowed to learn. You're allowed to learn. You're allowed to learn certain segments of you're allowed to learn the about the mikdash. Am I am I obligated to learn that or can I just as well go to sleep and sleep the whole day. Let's say like this. It's now 1:00. I heard the kus. I did the kis. Maybe let's say it's two. I now have a six-hour slot. I have a six hour. Am I obligated to learn Tyra if I can or is tish a day that I am categorically exempt from learning? It's just if I want to learn, here are a couple items that you're allowed to learn. Now, obviously, let's speak for a minute. What is the mitzvah of? How much should a person learn? How much a day should a person learn? Okay, look. A person has to daven. Person has to eat. Person has to make a living. Person has to take care of their family. A person is allowed to rest. Person is allowed to have some leisure for their overall well-being. But any available time you have, you're obligated to learn. Is that true on Tishb? Am I obligated to use my available time on to learn or is tishabove actually the one vacation day of the year? In other words, let's say you have a guy, he's a tremendous masid. He's under tremendous pressure. Is tishab like the best day of the year for him. You know, he's been looking forward to tishb since last year. You know, he's always under pressure to use every available. You know, he's learning bavra. He's learning while he walks down the street. He can't wait till tishab. It's the happiest day of the year. You know, everyone else is crying on the floor and the guy is is is in seventh heaven. He's putter from Tyra. Is there a categorical pure onra? And therefore, what could you do? You could watch. So if let's say if inspirational videos would not divert your mind from the maybe you could watch them. I think they do divert your mind from the so I'm not so sure you that's the best way to spend your time or a permissible way to spend your time. Am I obligated to learn a or can I sleep the whole day? You ever think about that? Am I obligated to much myself and to learn EO on on uh tishab for 6 hours? Obviously, if you're tired, you're always allowed to rest. If you can't learn, you're, you know, there's always uh understanding. You know, a person can only do what they're able to do. But let's say right now, I'm very well rested because the guy took, he forgot he took three caffeine pills the night before. He's so buzzed. He's buzzed much more on a regular day. Only has one coffee in the morning. He has like 500 milligrams of caffeine coursing through his veins. So, the guy couldn't sleep if you, you know, knocked him out. He's attentive. He's alert. He's not tired. Is he allowed to sit there on tisha of twiddling his thumbs normally? Are you allowed to on a regular Sunday afternoon say, "hm, I want to now twiddle my thumbs." You know how to do that? You have a mitzvah to learn. Are you allowed to twiddle your thumbs on tisha? That's the shila. You ever hear the shila? >> What? is is not about the true but it's so you're saying it diverts your mind from the it's a good question it's not a question on me really it's a good question so there's a safer shudah mhuda one of the that ysef would quote and his name was Mahari Aayash and Mahari Aayash brings four proofs. You are not obligated to learn on tishab. There is no mitzvah of tama tyra on tishab. Before I get to his proofs, Ravashawis says that in his opinion the kakar agrees there is no mitzvah to learn on tishab. What's what's the proof says? Look at number 12. As says aeli as said I can't wait until my father's aos why because during my father's aos you're now learn because and said that whenever y whenever as has a reason to be agrieved and has a valid accusation against yakov he could take the birthright. So when my father dies then Yakov will be in a he won't learn to there'll be nothing protecting protecting him and then I could kill him. You hear what Asov said? Asov was awaiting the day his father would die when YaKob would be a he wouldn't be able to learn Tyra. And now Yakov would not have the protection of Tamra. Asked of why wouldn't Yakov have the protection of Tamatyra? would spend the whole learning and and the what's no a is really only not allowed to learn the things he's not allowed to learn but the other things he's allowed to learn he's obligated to learn would spend seven days learning so what does it mean the answer is says we see from the there is categorically no fundamentally No mitzvah of tamra during aos and during tish and therefore if yakov would learn it good for him but it's not really necessarily a mitzvah maharayash brings four proofs there is no obligation to learn on proof number one kazal say you're putter from tama putter means categorically exempt if you are obligated to learn those things you're allowed to learn. Kaz would never say putter. Okay. The only thing is the Marash doesn't say where did Kazal say your putter. He just says your is that what the garra said that we learned the garra said is so is going to come say with all due respect there is no such kal that say a is from it doesn't actually say that in Judaism anyway um second proof Hashem told when was be silent from groaning like meaning even though normally you have a mit of be silent be silent no be silent says be I'm sorry says the maharayash be silent indicates that complete silence from everything from all topics. You're not obligated to learn those things that you're allowed to learn. Another proof the shudah brings is there's a bry very interesting bry the bry says let's say you teach tora publicly you're allowed to teach tyra during aos the garra says that when's son passed away entered the base medish and he spent the whole day learning tyra teaching tyraiml you ever hear of that category The lion is he doesn't refrain from teaching Tyra but ano nimna says Marayash indicates he doesn't refrain but he also doesn't have to. Furthermore, Maria Aayash says, "If you did have to, why was Rabio the only person in history who continued to teach Tyra even during aos?" If you're obligated to learn those things you're allowed to learn, why was the only person who actually taught to publicly? Actually it was in the news yesterday that unfortunately loyal uh Raasha Arieli one of the biggest Maritar in the world today because maybe the biggest share in the world today is sitting Shiva for his sister in Ben. So what's going to happen in the mirror yeshiva is raasher going to use this of if there's anyone today who's but raasher did not raasher is sitting shiv he sent a message no one in the yeshiva should come to be he's going to be coming to shailayim for like an hour or two and during that one hour or two they could all come then but no other time during the time of Raash's regular Shir the Rashabur and the Mir are going to be giving the Shir and then when the Shiva is over they're going to be continuing as if Ravasher gave Shir during that week and he's not going back. Now what's going to happen with that week of time? Usually Raasher gives Shir one week during and this year he's going to give two weeks duranim to make up for it. But he's not taking advantage of this idea of life. Anyway, the opinion of the Yehuda is that during aos on you're not obligated to learn those things that you're allowed to learn. So therefore, what if it's now 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm not I'm not in the mood of learning. It's not really talking to me to learn about of suffering. Says the look at number five. If you don't want to learn at all, you're allowed to. We don't say since you're allowed to learn you're now you're allowed to be on wow says you're not obligated to learn on tishabove those things that you're allowed to learn you're not obligated comes themed and themed has a very interesting question tish is not a new aos it's called aoshana not learning to tish the isra of learning is a dabon but let's say a guy says I can't help myself there were gulum in history yeah that they they that was they couldn't keep it they couldn't keep it without mentioning any names but they were a good that they could not they couldn't not Learn learning on is not it's only learning to issa how in the world could an offa ask. So he says one answer is well because you could be tama with keshma. I'm not happy with that answer because if you wouldn't be allowed to learn then when you say you're not to learn and if you're not learn you don't get a mitzvah of learning. Also says you can never you can never if you're if you want to be with it's not so put you'll get the mitzvah of so if you're trying to get the mitzvah of could you get the mitzvah of the in the end the says it's not a question how the ison could push off the mitzvah of learning you'll just learn and you'll be the mitzvah that way the says there's an obligation to learn those things that you're allowed to learn. You know who else says that? Take a look at number nine. Says you're not at a from you could learn. Which is who who told you you could just whittle away your time on tishab or you could go hear muser or the he says should be safer kill or other things. I the and the says that if you want to be you're allowed to. It's not correct. It's not correct. Says the I don't like when women waste time. What do you mean women don't have to? Yeah, but they have a to value the life the life that God gave them. They can't just twiddle their thumbs. No, it's not acceptable even for women. I think enough would be, you know, are you allowed to wash watch this like tisha programming? Are you allowed to watch tisha programming? Now, if it's Torah content or to help you be ma overlay, great. But what if it's just you know random Jewish topics that inspire the heart? Are you allowed to according to the according to the I don't think so. If you would be able to learn you would have a mitzvah of according to the matehud according to the I think you would be allowed to cuz you don't have a mitzvah of tamatra. Again, if you know you didn't take your caffeine pill and you can't do anything, you're completely incapacitated, it's better to watch that than to watch the World Cup. Especially because by then the World Cup will be over. And hopefully Argentina will win, you know, because at least the guy over there, he's a vis, you know, as opposed to the other countries. But let's say you want to watch reruns from the World Cup. So according to everyone that's you can't do that. But general Jewish programming do you have of says yes themed says yes says no. The says no says no. Now we'll come to this. There's an amazing musph are you obligated to learn on tishab or are you not obligated? Rabbi Yseph says you are certainly obligated a summarily dismisses the proofs of the matuda. He says there is no gamarra medish or kazal that say you're putter from learning. It's made up. It does not say putter. It says in or you're not allowed to learn you're allowed to learn regular topics. Furthermore, when Hashem told be silent, that means be silent from those things you're now allowed to learn. The things you're allowed to learn, you're obligated to learn says, and let's see if anybody could push off this proof. Says, I'll bring you a raya. You're obligated to learn on tishab, you know. If we have any principles here of schools, it's worthwhile to know this because I'm assuming that especially in let's say flapperish schools there a lot of them. Yeah. Is a spari allowed to make a bra a girl on a mitzvah their from Ashkanaz make Ashkanaza make a woman will make are not allowed to make the bra they're user to make the because for the opinion of the that you're not to say unless you're obligated even says if I'm not mistaken girls may not say I that doesn't help. Would you be allowed to say if you're not obligated to learn? Would you be allowed to say if you're not obligated said you would not be allowed to say if you're obligated to learn? Do we make Yeah. Why? You're categorically exempt from learning. Even the things you're allowed to learn, you're not obligated to learn. Says, "We should not be allowed to say Now that's not ashkazimmazu even when you're not obligated. Women say women say but don't so says we why do we say oh so is saying if you say like the brisk actually not the briskav it's yeah holds that is not a it's not like says is not a on the mitzvah of learning. It's a blessing onra. It's a it's a expression of gratitude that Hashem gave us the entity of Tyra. It's not related specifically to the ability to fulfill the mitzvah of engaging and learning. It's a mitz it's a on the ofra. That's why your mav to the holy book the darkness in the dawn where it's brought over here parenthetically one can suggest a counter to this argument of vaja with the approach that brisk takes to understanding posits that is not a on the performance of the mitzvah but rather as a blessing on the existence of our treasure theory does not interpret You know it's a good lumbus does not interpret that way and therefore says what what do you do on says onish you say kenus when you're finished saying kenus you learn after you finish learning you learn when you're done with you learn when you're done with you learn say I'm too tired okay you're allowed to sleep just like you're sleep on a random Tuesday. According to Raadya, should you watch tishaba programming? For sure, the next day. No, but you have a mitzvah of tamra. Okay. So then it's good for um nim would be allowed to watch tisha programming because they don't have a mitzvah of tamatra. You say I can't learn. Okay. You know you can't you can't you don't have to do what you can't do. Ra learns there's a of on tishab. Now a lot of tish of programming is very good is very inspiring is very educating. It's all good but that's very interesting whether those things that you're allowed to learn are you obligated to learn. Now it's interesting Abasha and he disagrees with he says you are not obligated to learn antabb now was a very big masid if I'm not mistaken he he reviewed all everything he learned 40 to 60 times he brings a you're not obligated you ready for this raya he says if you read the brings in tkalid licroice says it's but you're not even though you could say what once it's then obviously the kicks in but why didn't the say it like that so you would think according to you'd be allowed to twiddle your thumbs By the way, do you do you know how to twiddle your thumbs? It's not necessary to know how to do it unless you hold like you'll need to know how to do it for says no. He says what should look like. He says, "If it's hard to learn, say and afterwards you're allowed to rest, but you're not allowed to be whenever you could learn." Of course you should learn. Of course you should. You're of course you're not obligated to, but of course you should. I mean, nobody says since you don't have to. So just sit there like a do like a goam. No says even though you don't have to you should even learn but you're not obligated to you're not obligated to says you're obligated to so it's interesting you have on in the it's interesting that the are all into this says you have to say you have to on the other hand says you don't have to. Kaim says you don't have to but even Abash says you should you should Raasher Weiss we'll end with this quotes his brother I think we who says that he wants to bring a proof that you do have to what's the are you allowed to are you allowed to go to the mikvah on tishb Anybody? No, you can't go to M. Are you allowed to go swimming on Tishb? What if you want to greet your Rebi and there's a big puddle and you'd have to go up to your neck in the puddle? Are you allowed to? Yeah, you're allowed to. You're allowed to. Why? Why? Even though there's no mitzvah to greet your rebi, there's a mitzvah. He might teach you something. What do you mean might? What's he going to teach you? There's no according to the let's say where you're not obligated to. If you do, do you get a mitzvah? I'm not. So this is maybe you would get a mitzah. We're going to end with this. Why would anybody say that if you're allowed to learn or you're allowed to learn or you're allowed to learn, you don't have to. You do hear the sha. So we have this interesting says what you're allowed to learn you have to learn. Says no you don't have to learn. Why would anyone say you don't have to learn? If there are things you're allowed to learn, why would you not have to learn it? Surv says the following lambdas. There is no mitzvah of tala. Oh, I am obligated to I am obligated to shake Alula, so let me shake it. Yeah, shake it. But I don't get a thrill out of it. Nobody cares if you get a thrill out of it. God said to do it, you do it. No, but there is no mitzvah in the I am obligated to learn Tyra. So, let me now open up this book and read these words not there's no such mitzvah. There's no mitzvah to read the words. There's no mitzvah to understand words. The mitzvah is you know what the mitzvah is? The mitzvah is to enjoy the learning. That's the mitzvah. The mitzvah of tama is to get from the learning. That's why if somebody says they're not going to get Han from a you're allowed to blow it on Rash mitzvah was not given for Han. But if someone says they're not going to get Han from a they they can't learn it because the mitzvah of is to be from the learning. By the way, who says that? That's the famous of the to say for the mitzvah of is to be in the learning. Therefore, if you're not allowed to learn most things and we're going to give you a short list of the things you're allowed to learn, so you're allowed to learn it, but you can call that if if you're telling me I can't learn 90% of the makas and in g have to learn this perk and I could learn and you're legislating what I'm going to learn. Now, that's not to that's not tora. That's not when you have to learn something. That's not it's like the samur would say he remembered everything he ever learned except for his mitzvah cuz that they forced him to learn it. So who could remember something like that? So since the concept of is enjoying it, if I'm being legislated what to learn, I don't have to do it. That's not to that's not Tory. That's not learning. Have a great day everyone.