Matzav Inbox: So Many Men Don’t Learn a Blasted Word

Truth.

If this is a day to put people down how about lets look at how many people actually give maaser? You send messages to your friends to for a small donation and they say they dont have, dont people earn money every month? So where are the maaser funds?
Yes i know some give and some give alot but for the majority you’ll get turned down.

Anyone else has other ways we can try to put people down today?

Wow. The satan has a partner who hides behind the anonymity of a keyboard.

I’ve read your op-ed, and honestly, it’s disappointing to see this kind of sweeping generalization about our kehila, Lakewood.

First off, who made you the self-appointed mashgiach of the entire community? What gives you the right to judge the learning habits of “so many” men? Your approach reeks of self-righteousness. Instead of recognizing the various ways people engage with Torah—some consistently, others more casually, and many at different stages of life—you generalize and criticize the entire community.

You claim “many, many” men aren’t learning. Maybe they’re struggling with personal issues or challenges you don’t know about. Maybe their learning is quiet, private, or in forms that don’t fit your narrow view of what it should look like. Instead of tearing them down, how about we focus on how we can support and encourage them, without judgment?

Also, why is Torah learning only valid if it’s in a formal, structured way or through Daf Yomi? What about those who learn through family engagement, community contributions, or live Torah in their actions? You seem to overlook the broader, richer ways people connect with Torah.

Lastly, your obsession with “truth” is misguided. Torah learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all. We’re all on different paths. Instead of harshly judging others, how about giving them the benefit of the doubt? Your piece does the opposite—generalizing, criticizing, and assuming that your version of “truth” is the only one.

Firstly I’d love to test this meshugana letter writer on how well he knows Sanhedrin 16
Secondly what fool goes on a public forum and spews kitrug on a large portion of am yisroel? Be dan lekaf zchus and get off your high horse and actually something about it like R Stefansky did instead of blasting everyone

Where do you live? Where I live (Monsey) it’s hard to find men who don’t do some learning everyday. Maybe it’s not a long, in depth seder, but any learning is good. I can’t speak for other communities but I’m pretty sure in Lakewood, Brooklyn, Bergen County, etc there are countless men learning something everyday. Your claim seems a bit over-stated to me.

Well said. However, I think the community leaders know that there are too many Yeshiva graduates who do not learn anything. Unfortunately, these people don’t necessarily have a Rav or a Rebbe from Yeshiva that they keep up with. Even if they did, due to our lifestyle and everyone’s feeling of independence, there are very few Rabbanim today who can inquire from their congregants what there learning schedule is and still keep a minyan.
That being said, all these new and old learning initiatives are being advertised as if everyone is doing it, so people should join albeit to go along with the crowd. However, although i can’t imagine why a Rav would admit the deficiencies of Yidden publicly for no reason, they do know that there are people who are not learning.
Maybe we should change the community mindset, and we can realize that being involved in “askunus” and “chessed” and “mitzvos” etc. all day, while it is important somewhat, and for a lot more fun, does not replace the obligation to learn.

This post is beyond inappropriate and should be removed. You are bringing kitrug on klal yisrael R”L, and for what? To get more hits on a website? Horrific. This should be removed and the author (who should be ashamed of himself for his self-righteous and utterly non-G-dfearing, judgmental attitude) should focus on his own shortcomings.

One of the most immature posts I’ve ever seen. Vus gait dir uhn that others are not learning? Each person should look after his own spirituality. Of course everyone should be kovea ittim and perhaps feel sorry for those who do not, but yeneh’s ruchniyus is not your business! It sounds like you’re upset that only you have to learn, because you’re socially pressured into it, so why don’t others have to as well? If you enjoy learning, which everyone should, I don’t think this would bother you.

I dont learn any “blasted” words.
But BH I learn many Helige verter.

I am not sure the point of this rant.

It sounds to me like a case of כל הפוסל במומו פוסל.
I’m in the business world in a suburb of NY, and from what I see, the working men around me are very Arraingeton in their learning.
Many businesses now have a Chavrusa program during their lunches where the employees learn with a “travelling” Chavrusa, and it’s a truly beautiful thing.
I’m more of a מי כעמך ישראל sort of guy. I think we should compliment the positives, praise Limud HaTorah and how it changes us and our families – and then those on the fringes will likely follow suit.
Lead by example, my friend, not by making negative sweeping generalizations about Klall Yisroel.
Not everything needs to be made into a crisis.

What’s worse is that there are so many who do even daven a word. I used to attend a shul in Monsey, where every shabbos they’d have barely a minyan of men davening and have 40 or 50 people gathering in the kitchen to eat, drink, and socialize. On the rare occasion that they try to make a weekday minyan, like on chanuka, they cannot get 10 men to show up. Before you start on the learning, get them back to the basics – davening.

Please dont talk this way about K’lal Yisrael.
It’s brought down that the way we lookand talk about Yidden is the way Hashem looks and judges us.
We need to be careful the way we talk and write about K’lall Yisroel

Shame on you Matzav! A “blasted” word. You’re calling a word of Torah “blasted”?????

Ok so now what?

It could be that when you go through the yeshiva system you don’t effectively learn how to balance learning and working. This is something you’re supposed to figure out on your own when the time comes. By that time there is very little hadracha as many of us do not have a rebbe or rav we are close with-which off course is important – or chabura to emulate and learn from. So the learning becomes the Korban because we ‘need to work’.

Dear Sanhendrin 16
…”It’s easy to look at lomdei Daf Yomi and assume that everyone is on the same page.”..
Was that a pun?
But I really think just complaining isn`t going to solve anything .
Are you offering to to take time and learn with one of these people with who you look at with such pity or are you going to just whine about it?
If you see a man who isn`t learning by and large it`s usually because he hasn`t been turned on by his surroundings . It could be he never enjoyed learning so what exactly do you want him to do , stop coming to shul ?
There will always be good committed Yidden who are not like you and don`t share youre passion about learning .
I see that you are with the Daf perhaps you are shortchanging yourself and Klal Yisrael and can be learning at a much higher level . Is it perhaps because heiigeh you can maintain discipline to learn with proper Iyun every night even after spending so much time learning in the past ?
Before just looking at this Yidden with disdain please remember that the Meshech Chochmah writes that historically these simple Jews often were the ones who gave their lives Al Kiddush HaShem before others who were much smarter than them.
Look at good in people an you will enjoy life much more.
You might even be able to pick yourself up from the rut of Daf Yomi and put yourself back on the saddle and learn with applying yourself again and stop kvetching
I wish you success
Happy Zos Chanuka

I’m sure there is a place for this discussion but I don’t think it belongs here.

Ridiculous letter!
One thing you can’t deny, there is more torah learning now than there ever was.
Gashmiyus? Yes. Goyishe ideas? Yes. Superficiality? Yes. No respect for emes and mesorah (not yeshivish mesorah, true mesorah)? Yes.
But learning torah is on the highest level it has ever been, do your homework.
Thanks to Rav Meir Shapiroh, Rav Aron Kotler and many other gedolim Zecher Tzadikim kulam Livracha that worked hard to raise the banner of limud hatorah.

This is where a rov should be involved – that everyone in his kehilla learns ( and davens )

You so don’t get it that you don’t even have the vocabulary to describe it.
BLESSED word is more like it.
But in any case, what on earth is this about?
And why did you feel the need to write this?
And why did Matzav feel the need to post it on their website??

I’m going to disagree.
I see so many people walking around with white shirts and dark colored pants which is a sign of “yeshiva” association. (In the tri state area)
I would assume all these men must be at least trying their best to make time for their learning…. So I’ll humbly disagree with the letter writers assumption.
Actually, it’s not really my business – nevermind.

oh wow. let’s try a little harder to be dan lekaf zechus, no?
men are yotzei limud haTorah with Krias Shema.
plus they probably say korbonos (which many shuls seem to skip)

Honestly grown ups need to make their own choices. If someone is kot learning let them find a chavrusa or a shuir
There is so much out there.
Just like someone who isn’t going to minyan. Just like someone who spends too much time on their phone.

This is loshon hara and motzi shem ra on the writer’s part and rechilus on the mataz’s part.

This is loshon hara and motzi shem ra on the writer’s part and rechilus on the Matzav’s part

Um who cares? Also the writer is obviously unaware of the Gemara that says you are yotzei limud hatorah with shema twice a day. Choose something else to be smug about.

Rabbi Eli Stefansky talks about this a lot and he says that to bring someone to Torah could save him. He said that he’s spoken to many people who haven’t learned in many years.

if learning was actually enjoyable and indeed actually sweet, more people would be learning. The problem is, that learning is touted as sweet, while in reality to the major majority of men its not. And when they see that its not sweet, they conclude that its just not for them.
The narrative has to be that you need to learn since you are a frum jew, and this is what hashem wants of us and rewards us for. NOT because its geshmak but rather since its an obligation. Its alot easier to wrap your head around an obligation.

Apparently your learning has absolutely no effect on you .
Why don’t you just mind your business.

The answer is pretty simple. Pretty much all of these men you’re referring to are Frum by association only. These are the people who will go to sports games and watch movies, and take a very lax approach to Yiddishkeit in general. I know because I grew up in that type of home. For me personally, BH Covid happened. I lost my job and my Rav urged me to make a seder in the mornings while I searched for a new job. It was the first time I cracked open a Mishna Berura, and let me tell you, I’ve been transformed. Not only that, but it was so apparent how many of our “Frum” men were just by appearances. I was astounded as to how much of a famine in Torah, Halacha and Hashkafa there is.

This is correct and incorrect. As someone who wasn’t learning a word for a few months, and just recently started doing the daf, I think I can say my two cents.

This is a personal nisayon and a really big one. I think most guys would absolutely love to be connected to learning in some way. And it is so easy to just not do anything. Welcome to life.

It’s incorrect to be judging. It’s correct to be pointing it out.

Wake up rabossai! Our lives are too short. Make the commitment. 5 mins 10 mins maybe even 15 mins. Find a once a week Seder. Or a shabbos chaburah.

The trick is to connect with and surround yourself with others who are learning. Find the chevrah that talks Torah. Find the chevrah that wants to grow. And you will be better off for it. Your marriage will be better off for it. Your life will be better off for it.

This is definitely a problem, I believe we have to go about shiurim like ain yakov, chaye adam, there has to be an option for the less focused and the less educated

Join MDY or Reb Sruly now

Thanks for the post.

However, learning Torah can be accomplished without having an official seder.

E.g. listening to Torah online, or even thinking in Torah when traveling.

So just because someone may not have an official sit down seder with a chavrusa, he still may be learning in a different manner.

To the letter writer :

Who asked you ?

Why do we need such a prosecution of the Jewish people? And on Zos Chanukah , no less !

For those who can handle a Daf a day, there are more than 200 different lectures available between your phone and your computer.

For those who can’t , there is Amud Yomi and Oraysa which go at a slower pace and which many find fulfilling.

In addition, there’s Mishanayos Yomi and Chumash-Rashi Yomi and Halacha Yomi.

See Alldaf.com which also has Allhalacha Allmishna and AllParsha, complete with Parsha Dvar Torah’s each week.

And for those who can’t do even that, it’s no one else’s problem but theirs.

This letter was overreach and completely unnecessary

Long Time Shadchan

Sunhedrin 16
Do you worry about they’re Parnossah also:
or just their Limud Hatorah

I’m going to say something here that many won’t like, but I believe it to be true, and I’ve heard others express a similar sentiment. Please don’t go flaring up before you read this through.

I agree %100 with the author of this letter, and would like to offer a (admittedly controversial) reason for why this is happening and what can be done about it.

I believe it is precisely BECAUSE of Daf Yomi that this is happening.

When Rav Meir Shapiro ZTz”L brought up the idea of the Daf, he intended it to be “one” of the learning schedules for each person. Besides for whatever else a Yid is learning, part of it should be dedicated to everyone being on the same page. His reason: so that anywhere a Yid goes, he’ll find another Yid with whom he can find a topic of learning to discuss.

Rav Shapiro’s vision was “a Daf a day” – with the amount of time spent on this depending on each person’s level of knowledge. However, the Daf today has become “a Daf in an hour or less” – with the epitome being “The 8-minute Daf” (Yes, I know Reb Eli gives this as a quick review and not as an actual shiur, but it’s the name itself that rankles).

This is a major deviation from what Chazal tell us – that Hashem does not look at your hespek (output) but at how much time and effort you’re putting in. And the end result is that people can sit and “Do” the Daf, and a short while later forget everything they learned there – maybe remembering a concept or a story. This may be fine for someone with limited Yeshiva background. But for someone who spent years in Yeshiva and Beis Medrash, this is frustrating. “I used to be a knakediger learner and now I can’t even remember what I learned yesterday” is extremely demoralizing, and is one of the major reasons for why many of those who start the Daf after the Siyum drop off within a few weeks.

So you say, OK, why not learn something else? Look around you, when have you heard of any public Shiur that is NOT Daf Yomi? In the “old world”, when you walked into a shul, you found different groups of Yidden, each engrossed in some other type of learning. there was a shiur in Chumash, a shiur in Ein Yaakov, in Kittzur, in Mishna Berura, in Gemara, and if you were really incapable of anything – there was the Chevras Tehillim. What can you find nowadays? At best, three different Daf Yomi shiurim.

It’s very difficult to keep a seder of learning of your own – even with a Chavrusa. A shiur, with many participants, helps keep you going. But you also need the content to draw you in. And if the content demoralizes you, you won’t join, and if that’s all you have, you will just skip it all.

Dirshu is trying to fix the issue by offering incentives for retaining the knowledge, but that’s not enough. You need a proper framework for that and that framework if not readily available (if it even exists in your area).

What is needed is a return to the old system of Shiurim on many topics and with no constraint on hespek – you learn until you understand, and then you move on. If it takes a few days to finish a daf – so be it.

I personally know of a shiur that’s been taking place in BP for over 20 years. It’s a 1-hour shiur every day. That’s the only constraint. They learn however much they can get to in that hour. Over these 20 years, they have gone through most of Shas, and the participants actually know what they learned – and they’re all what would be called “simple baalei bayis”. I myself participate in a Halacha shiur given by our Rav. We learn for 30-45 minutes each day (depending on the season). We go through each Siman in Mishna Berurah as many times as needed until each participant understands it well. We tried to follow Dirshu’s plan, but quickly realized we’ll come out not really knowing the material). To date, we have finished Hilchos Shabbos, and are on our second run through Chelek Alef – and we KNOW what we learned.

Rav Shapiro meant the Daf to be ONE of the items on a person’s learning list per day. He never meant it to be the ONLY item on that list. That is what needs to be changed and that is what will attract many more adults back to making daily Torah study a part of their life.

I really hope Matzav has the guts to post this, and not chicken out because it’s “controversial opinion”…

just eat meat boards and pickle boards and salad boards and candy boards you name it nebach!!! – maybe if the gemara is on the board people the people that don’t learn will also take it and use it

But the truth is mind your own business and stick you nose in the gemara and stop telling evreyone what to do

Matzav shame on you how low has the so called koser news site stooooped!!!!

we live in a crzy socity of LL KINDS OF presuures that are meaning less – that sth ereal problem not how much evrey yid is learning

evrey jew is holy!!!

I see matzav and the others keep putting out one stupid rant after another. Is this what our so-called Heimishe media outlets are earning profits over?

Reb Alex,

Not sure where your coming from here .

In Brooklyn for example, you have Irgun Shiurei Torah on all kids of different topics. In most major Jewish cities you can find lectures on just about everything.

You can find shiurim on NACH, Halachah,Parsha and just about anything else. Just look at Torahanytime.com for example.

So the claim that all you have is Daf Yomi is very not true.

I don’t know if there is a point of the article, or if this is the proper place to discuss it, but it is amazing and sad that people are saying that they just don’t care if other frum Jews are learning or not, and neither should the article writer.
What happened to Kol Yisroel areivim zen lazeh? Is that only when it comes to chessed and tzedaka?

Very surprised by the comments on here. The letter is spot on! I guess the truth really does hurt!

Dear Bothered Letter Writer,

Do us all a favor a get yourself a shrink. Because its absolutely non of your blasted business whether or not I crack a sefer. And don’t fool us that your intention is truly Lshem Shamayim. Because anyone who truly cares about Kovod Shamayim isn’t posting letters on the Tumadige internet

So apparently on matzav.com you can post any dumb letter and it’s sure to get through. Good to know. Maybe I’ll try it one day. Shame on you matzav for posting such a worthless and disgusting letter.

Perhaps the letter-writer could have at least added that some solutions, like how there are so many shiurim out there, once can try a few minutes online to see if they like that shiur. As well, if someone is having difficulty opening a sefer during the week, then try on Shabbos for even a minute or two. Mitzva goreres mitzva. Do even a little bit of good, and Hashem will help you to increase that. And on and on…

This is why EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS TO SIGN UP FOR TORASO B’UMNASO !!! Literally a lifeline. Stop kvetching and work on spreading solutions on reaching these people. The ones who are learning are already learning, this is how to reach the rest.

i identify as happy klappy which allows one to either go the mik or to uman or to wear techeiles instead

A simple solution: Join Oraysa!

With Oraysa’s manageable pace of one amud a day plus chazara, you can focus on gaining clarity in today’s amud while retaining yesterday’s — and join the thousands of others worldwide who experience the geshmak of Oraysa every day.

Oraysa.org

There’s nothing wrong with constructive criticism.It’s healthy for society.Kudos to the op-ed