Source for learning the entire Torah
Question
Hi, I'm looking for a source that states that a man must know or learn the entire Torah. Do you know of any? Thanks,
Answer
The source of this law is the following Talmudic passage (tractate Kiddushin 30a): ‘To what extent is one obligated to teach his son Torah? Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: One should emulate the education of Zevulun, son of Dan, whose father’s father taught him Scripture, Mishnah, Gemarah,
halakhot
, and
aggadot
’.
Source
In the Talmud (Kiddushin 30a) and see Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Talmud Torah, Chapter 1.
Nefesh HaChaim (Gate 4, Chapter 2) quoting the Midrash (Mishlei Rabbah, Chapter 10): Rabbi Yossi says: 'Come and see how difficult the Day of Judgment is, when the Holy One, blessed be He, will judge the entire world. One who has Scripture but not Mishnah, the Holy One, blessed be He, turns His face from him, and the tormentors of Gehinnom overpower him. They take him and throw him into Gehinnom. One who has two or three orders, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'My son, why did you not study all the laws?' One who has laws, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'My son, why did you not study Torat Kohanim?' One who has Torat Kohanim, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'My son, why did you not study the Five Books of the Torah, which contain the Shema, tefillin, and mezuzah?' One who has the Five Books of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'Why did you not study aggadah?' One who has aggadah, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'My son, why did you not study Talmud?' One who has Talmud, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to him: 'My son, since you engaged in Talmud, did you observe the chariot? How does My throne of glory stand? How does the chashmal stand, and in how many forms does it turn?'Comments
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