The Secret of In-Depth Study: How to Break Bad Character Traits

Lesson No. 56 | Tuesday, Parashas Shmini, 20 Nissan, 5th day of Chol HaMoed Pesach 5756 (Continued in No. 57)

Studying Gemara (Talmud) in-depth and with profound concentration is not merely about acquiring knowledge; rather, it is the sole vessel for purifying the mind and breaking bad character traits. Through toiling over the disputes of the Tanna'im and Amora'im (Talmudic sages), a person draws upon himself "Anpin Nehirin" (illuminating faces of Divine light) and subdues all negative desires and evil inclinations.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches us that it is an absolute obligation to study the disputes of the Tanna'im and Amora'im within the Gemara. Studying the Gemara straightens out all the twists and distortions in the mind. A person must toil and grapple with the Talmudic topics (sugyos), with the Tanna'im and Amora'im, and with all the commentators of the Talmud—the Rashba, the Ritva, the Meiri, the Rambam, the Raavad, the Kesef Mishneh, the Tur, and the Shulchan Aruch.

Only after he grapples with all of them will he see the light. His mind will become straightened out, and then he will merit the aspect of:

"Know what to answer a heretic."

Through this tremendous effort, when the mind literally feels like it is "exploding" from so much toil, all the spiritual filth within the mind explodes along with it. Then, the person understands everything clearly, draws down Divine wisdom, and comprehends every matter deeply and accurately.

The Only Vessel for Breaking Bad Traits

Rebbe Nachman says in Torah 101 that it is impossible to break any bad character trait without in-depth study. A person might walk around with terrible traits—with arrogance, lashon hara (evil speech), guarding the eyes improperly, and other horrific spiritual blemishes—and it all stems from the fact that he does not study Torah in-depth.

A person, by his very nature, is made of material heavier than the entire Earth. As Reb Nosson explains (Hilchos Arev 5), only the true tzaddik miraculously holds him up so that he does not crack the earth open from the sheer weight of his spiritual burden. However, to truly free oneself from bad traits and achieve self-rectification (tikkun), a person is obligated to dive into the depths of the Torah.

The Difference Between Israel and the Nations

The fundamental difference between us and the nations of the world is in-depth study. The nations can study the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), and even study Gemara and Rambam in universities, but for them, it is merely about knowing "what is written." They lack the understanding of what true in-depth study is—what it means to debate (pilpul), to understand the core difficulty of a text, and to descend to the very root of the logic. For us, the Torah is the words of the living God, and we must know from where every single utterance is drawn and what its spiritual root is.

When Hashem appeared from Mount Paran and wanted to give the Torah to all creations, the nations of the world refused to accept it. What were they afraid of? They were afraid of in-depth study! They knew that studying in-depth would break their bad character traits. They can manage with a simple commandment like "Do not murder"—even a dictator who murders millions claims he is doing so for the sake of "peace" and "order." But in-depth study does not allow for such self-deception; it uproots evil from its very source.

Drawing Down "Anpin Nehirin"

There are two forces within the Torah: the "Seventy Anpin Nehirin" (illuminating faces of Divine revelation) and the "Seventy Anpin Chashuchin" (darkened faces of concealment). One who delves deeply into the wisdom of the Torah merits the "Anpin Nehirin," embodying the verse, "A man's wisdom illuminates his face." Through this, the yoke of government and the yoke of worldly struggles are removed from him, and all the subjugation, lusts, and bad traits of the nations—which are the aspect of "Anpin Chashuchin"—are nullified within him.

The more a person grasps with his intellect—and the intellect of the Torah is even higher than prophecy—the more he subdues the grip of the nations of the world and the bad traits within himself. When a person studies Torah with "Anpin Nehirin," he becomes holy, and he can no longer tolerate any bad trait. He puts his ego and his desires to death in the tent of Torah, and he merits to truly be called "Adam" (Man), whose essence is true intellect and the wisdom of the Torah.

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