The Fig: Becoming a Successful Torah Student

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Eric Miller of Cherry Hill, NJ in loving memory of Yitzchak ben Chaim V’Esther a.h.

A part of Series 1 of the Perek Shirah Collection by TEACH613™,

sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Steve Frankel in loving memory of their parents

Jacob and Bertha Frankel a.h. and Alfred and Beatrice Earle a.h.

 

 

 

 

Perek Shira: The Fig and Yehoshua, the successful student

For the full Hebrew/ English text of this class, please click here

1) The fig says: He who guards the fig shall eat its fruit. (Mishlei 27:18)

 

2) “May Hashem appoint”: Moshe said, “It has come time for me to request that my sons inherit my position.” Hashem said to him, “Not as you think, is My intent. It is proper that Yehoshua shall receive the reward that he served, and never left the ‘tent’.” This is what Shlomo said: He who guards the fig shall eat its fruit.

 

Understanding the Fig

3) Why is the Torah compared to a fig? Most fruits are collected at once. But the fig is collected slowly aver many days. So is Torah learned a little bit each day. It cannot be learned in a year or two.

 

4) Why is Torah compared to a fig? Generally fruits have parts that should be discarded. A fig is totally edible. So Torah has no part that is wasted.

 

5) One who sees a fig in a dream- His Torah is guarded within him.

 

Understanding the Role of Yehoshua

6) When Moshe was ready to depart, he asked Yehoshua, “Ask any questions that you still have.” Yehoshua answered, “Rebbe, did I ever leave to go elsewhere? Did you not write about me: His servant was Yehoshua bin Nun, a lad, he never left the tent of learning.”

7) “The Torah shall not leave your mouth; you shall study it both day and night.” This verse is not a commandment, but rather a blessing. Hashem saw that Torah was very dear to him. He said, “Yehoshua, Torah is so dear to you- It shall never depart from you.”

Practical Applications

8) Their eyes were opened and they realized that they were unclothed. They sewed fig leaves and made aprons for themselves.

 

9) Rabbi Meir said, ‘The tree that first man ate from was a grape vine.” Rabbi Yehudah said, “It was wheat.” Rabbi Nechemya said, “It was a fig tree. From the same source as the problem they found rectification.

10) Even though it is a mitzvah to learn by day and by night, a person learns most of his wisdom as night. Therefore, one who wants to acquire the crown of Torah shall not waste even one night with sleep, eating, drinking, or joking.