Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
My friend who is just getting into judaism asked me a question while learning some gemara: Why should I learn gemara? Obviously it is interesting and etc, but halacha-wise, it is just these people's opinions. I can also learn torah and mishnah and come to my own conclusions. How would you answer him?
Thanks!
Edit: thank you for the really interesting discussion. I love this site.
If you want to learn about anything, you can't ignore what was said by the experts who came before you. This is especially true in the field of law which depends on logical analysis. Your personal conscience might be satisfied -- indeed, ignorance is bliss -- but you will inevitably be missing innumerable facts and logical nuances. The Talmud is the foundational book laying out the received teachings, arguments and logical analyses of our greatest scholars. Your personal opinion will not -- and should not -- carry much weight if you cannot even humble yourself to become familiar with what it says on the subject.
I think we have a related question on this site, which I'll include when I find it.
There's a rather simple answer for your friend. The Talmud could be considered the "foundation" of halacha. Almost every later halachic work refers to the Talmud at some point. (I say "almost" in the sense that Ramba"m is a respected halachic authority but he is known, generally, for not citing his sources.) So, it is always better to view the source of something.
The other reason to study Talmud is because it is far more than a halachic book or journal. The argumentative style of the Talmud, I have found, is extremely helpful in teaching a person thinking skills and such skills are an incredibly important life skill as a person matures. Thus, it is best to start learning Talmud at a young age. However, even people who have begun studying Talmud in their 60's and 70's have benefitted from the argumentative thinking. I've personally seen this change in many people, and I'm sure there's enough research evidence to prove this, as well. (I'd be curious if anyone found that Talmudic study could hold off Altzheimers.)
As for your friend's saying, "it is just these people's opinions", no it is not just an "opinion". If you look at the structure of the Talmud, it's an analysis, not an opinion. Rarely, does the Talmud state a rabbi's view and leave it at that without explaining why he arrived at that view. And, inevitably, the reasoning is challenged, sometimes by a contradictory statement the same rabbi said elsewhere! So, it's definitely not just a person's opinion. It's a carefully derived analysis, which, at the end, may not even be "valid". That's why you would need to see the Talmud to see both what and why they arrived at the conclusion. You wouldn't get this from just the Mishnah.
There is nothing wrong with coming up with your own conclusions, and, in a sense, that's encouraged in Torah study. But, you cannot use your own conclusions to decide halachic matters unless your a rabbi. And, even within that, there are guidelines.
I know the person probably wont be satisfied with this answer but ...
The reason we learn Gemara (talmud) is because it is part of the chiyuv talmud torah (positive commandment to study Torah). Only after that is clear should we come up with explanations as to what we gain from it. This rule applies to most things in Judaism.
Now...
The Gemara (talmud) says that one who learns halacha (final rulings) without the Gemara behind it will lack in Yirat Shomayim (fear of God).
Also, because not everything is codified in Sifrei Halacha, one must understand the reasoning behind the rulings so that he or she (or most commonly, their Rav) can know what to do in a situation where there is no clear cut ruling. This is usually what the Poskim do in Shut sefarim (books of Q&A).
The process starts with learning Gemara. Afterwards one learns the sifrei halacha and tries to understand how they (the poskim) learnt the sugya (topic). At this point the learner should have somewhat of an understanding in the underlying reasons for the Dinim (rulings) in question, and as above will know how to apply them to a unique situation.
