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Possibly a technical question but I’m thinking there might be something deeper to this- in Taanis 7a it says that those who study Torah for its own sake, the Torah is like a סם חיים (elixir of life) for them. And those who study it not for it’s own sake, the Torah will be for them like a סם המות, and elixir of death.

So my question is, why the added “hey” by elixir of death, implying that it’s the elixir of death, or potentially implying this will guaranteed be what causes you to die. Whereas by elixir of life it doesn’t say סם החיים but rather just “life.” Anyone know any people that touch on this, or anyone have any ideas of their own?

Curious Yid
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  • Especially according to the Ben Yehoyada: https://www.sefaria.org/Ben_Yehoyada_on_Taanit.7a.4 – shmosel Jun 21 '23 at 00:25
  • Perhaps the reason is because there are many layers and levels in torah lishma so there’s different levels of the elixir of life, whereas by shelo lishma there’s one level so it’s THE elixir of death – Chatzkel Jun 21 '23 at 00:25
  • Yoma 72b has it a little differently: זכה נעשית לו סם חיים לא זכה נעשית לו סם מיתה – shmosel Jun 21 '23 at 00:39
  • @shmosel sorry would you mind summarizing what Ben Yehoyada says? Also that distinction in yoma is very interesting, I wonder if there’s a known difference between the use of maveth and mitah – Curious Yid Jun 21 '23 at 01:50
  • @Chatzkel yeah I was thinking something along those lines, like that if it’s not lishmah then you guaranteed die and can’t redeem yourself because the only thing that can redeem yourself is Torah, but obviously you’ve corrupted that so that can’t be your “medicine,” and therefore corrupting Torah is THE elixir of death since there’s no remedy. But by elixir of life, learning Torah makes you a good guy and all and is a praiseworthy thing, but if you’re a bad character or do other sins the Torah won’t cancel it out. So therefore Torah lishmah is only a potential for “life” but not guaranteed – Curious Yid Jun 21 '23 at 01:54
  • ^does this make sense at all – Curious Yid Jun 21 '23 at 01:54
  • The difference in gematria between סם חיים and סם מות equates to חשכים, which he goes on to expound. I'm just noting that it relies on omitting the ה. – shmosel Jun 21 '23 at 02:14
  • הן הן הדברים. For someone who learns Torah lishmah the Torah is part of him so it doesn't need a heh. Mah she'ein kein for someone who learns Torah shelo lishmah the Torah is external to him so it (and its result) is identified as a separate object. – The GRAPKE Jun 21 '23 at 05:59

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