Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
What’s Torah like?
רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים נִמְשְׁלָה הַתּוֹרָה: בְּמַיִם, וּבְיַיִן, וּבִדְּבַשׁ, וּבְחָלָב, וּבְשֶׁמֶן.
The Sages say that there are five things that represent Torah: water, wine, honey, milk, and olive oil.
Our Rabbis find pesukim all around Tanakh about these five different liquids. They notice that each pasuk can also be understood to be talking about Torah!
- Why compare Torah to other things? What are the Sages trying to learn or teach about the Torah? Why is it so important to them to wonder what Torah is like?
The continuation of the midrash lists some ways that olive oil and Torah are alike. Here are three.
1. מַה הַשֶּׁמֶן הַזֶּה תְּחִלָּתוֹ מַר וְסוֹפוֹ מָתוֹק, כָּךְ הֵן דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, אָדָם מִצְטָעֵר בָּהֶן בַּתְּחִלָּה וְעוֹשֶׂה בָּהֶן אַחֲרִית טוֹבָה….
2. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה הַשֶּׁמֶן הַזֶּה חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם.
3. מַה הַשֶּׁמֶן הַזֶּה אוֹרָה לָעוֹלָם אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה אוֹרָה לָעוֹלָם.
1. When you make olive oil, it begins bitter but is sweet in the end. It’s the same with words of Torah. A person struggles in the beginning, but it turns out good in the end….
2. Another interpretation: Just as olive oil brings life to the world (because it’s healthy and nourishing), the Torah also brings life to the world.
3. Just as olive oil brings light to the world (because it can be used to fuel oil lamps), the words of the Torah also bring light to the world.
- How do words of Torah get sweeter over time? How does this connect to Or Ha-Hayyim's ideas?
- How is the Torah like a healthy, nourishing food? How does the Torah bring life to the world? Can you think of more than one way?
- What kind of light does Torah bring to the world? What’s the difference between bringing life and bringing light?
Another midrash lists some ways that water and Torah are alike. Here are three.
1. מָה הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיבִין הַנֶּפֶשׁ… כָּךְ תּוֹרָה.…
2. מָה הַמַּיִם מְטַהֲרִים אֶת הָאָדָם מִטֻּמְאָה… כָּךְ תּוֹרָה מְטַהֶרֶת הַטָּמֵא מִטֻּמְאָתוֹ….
3. וּמָה הַמַּיִם מַנִּיחִין מָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ וְהוֹלְכִים בְּמָקוֹם נָמוּךְ, כָּךְ תּוֹרָה מַנַּחַת מִי שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ גְּבוֹהָה עָלָיו, וּמִדַּבֶּקֶת בְּמִי שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ נְמוּכָה עָלָיו….
1. Water is refreshing to your soul… and so is Torah….
2. Water purifies people from impurity… and so does Torah….
3. Water flows from high places to low places, and Torah leaves people who think highly of themselves and sticks to humble people….
- Try it out! When you learn Torah, imagine yourself becoming refreshed, pure, and more humble. What does that feel like? How can learning Torah help you have each of these experiences?
- Why is Torah like wine, honey, and milk? Can you come up with some ways to explain these comparisons?
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