According to this post, the apocrypha may be permissible to learn. Would learning it count as Talmud Torah?
2 Answers
No. Doesn't "learning Torah" mean learning from specific holy books (and commentaries based on them), and not from other books? Would that not specifically exclude books that were considered for inclusion by the Sanhedrin and rejected? If not, what does it mean?
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So you wouldn't consider learning mussar Talmud Torah? Its not holy books, and if that is considered commentary on it, then why wouldn't the apocrypha?– DovAug 20, 2020 at 21:04
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1I thought Mussar was rooted in Torah and halacha, concentrating on expounding on the ethical commandments of Judaism. Aug 20, 2020 at 21:19
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2The Apocrypha were specifically examined and rejected. How can anybody consider them Talmud Torah? Aug 20, 2020 at 21:20
Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky once told one of his talmidim that the only reason (or manner in which) they can learn apocrypha is if they understand that it is not Torah. One can reasonably infer from that: otherwise, it is completely forbidden and you are putting your olam haba on the line.