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<title>Talmid Chakham</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><i>Talmid Chakham</i></span>

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</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Torah scholar" redirects here. For academic discipline, see <a href="Biblical_studies" title="Biblical studies">Biblical studies</a>.</div>

<p><i><b>Talmid Chakham</b></i><sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is an honorific title that is given to a man who is well-versed in <a href="Halakha" title="Halakha">Jewish law</a>, i.e., a <a href="Torah" title="Torah">Torah</a> scholar. Originally <a href="Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language">Hebrew</a>: <span lang="he" dir="rtl">תלמיד חכמים</span> <i>Talmid Chakhamim</i>, lit., "student of sages", pl. <span title="Hebrew-language text"><span lang="he" dir="rtl">תלמידי חכמים</span></span> <i>talmidei chakhamim</i>, "students of sages"; inaccurate reconstruction of the singular, which is invariably shortened to ת"ח in printings, led to modern <a href="Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language">Hebrew</a>: <span lang="he" dir="rtl">תלמיד חכם</span> <i>talmid chakham</i> "sage student". The feminine equivalent is <i>Talmidat Chakhamim</i>, "student of sages" (pl. <i>Talmidot Chakhamim</i>), or, by extension of the same error, <i>Talmidah Chakhamah</i>, "sage student" (pl. <i>Talmidot Chakhamot</i>).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Expectations_of_a_Talmid_Chakham">Expectations of a <i>Talmid Chakham</i></h2></div>

<p>A <i>Talmid Chakham</i> is expected to uphold his rank and to not compromise his dignity. As in the case of a king, he is not permitted to allow anyone to omit the performance of any public act of reverence due to him, to the effect that the <i>Talmid Chakham</i> acts as a facilitator, because, in him, the Halakha is honored or slighted.

</p><p>A <i>Talmid Chakham</i> must avoid six acts: to go abroad in perfumed garments; to walk alone at night; to wear shabby shoes; to converse with a woman while on the street (even if she is his wife); to sit in the society of an ignoramus; to be the last to enter the <a href="Beth_midrash" title="Beth midrash">beth midrash</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>With regard to association with an ignoramus, the Talmud says: "The <i>Talmid Chakham</i> is first likened by the ignoramus to a vase of gold; if he converses with him, he is looked on as a vase of silver; and if he accepts a service from him, he is regarded as a vase of earth."<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Among the privileges of the <i>Talmid Chakham</i> is the right of declining to present himself as a witness in suits concerning money transactions before a judge who is his inferior in knowledge.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The <i>Talmid Chakham</i> was expected to be familiar with all branches of Torah study and even all branches of general human learning. "He who understands <a href="Astronomy" title="Astronomy">astronomy</a>", says <a href="Yochanan_bar_Nafcha" class="mw-redirect" title="Yochanan bar Nafcha">Yochanan bar Nafcha</a>, "and does not pursue the study of it, of that man, it is written: 'But they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of His hands'" (<a href="Book_of_Isaiah" title="Book of Isaiah">Isaiah</a>). Rabbi Yochanan also says that only someone able to answer all Halakhic questions, even those which deal only with the insignificant treatise <a href="Kallah" title="Kallah">Kallah</a>, is a <i>Talmid Chakham</i> worthy to be appointed leader of a community.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In accordance with this view, some later rabbinical authorities assert that in modern times no one deserves to be called by this epithet.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>The principles with which the <i>Talmid Chakham</i> must live are enumerated in the first chapter of the work <i><a href="Derekh_Eretz_Zutta" title="Derekh Eretz Zutta">Derekh Eretz Zutta</a></i>, opening with the following sentence: "The way of the wise is to be modest, humble, alert, and intelligent; to endure injustice; to make himself beloved of men; to be gracious in his interactions, even with subordinates; to avoid wrong-doing; to judge each man according to his deeds; to act according to the motto, 'I take no pleasure in the good things of this world, seeing that life here below is not my portion.' Wrapped in his mantle, he sits at the feet of the wise; no one can detect anything unseemly in him; he puts relevant questions, and gives suitable answers."

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Attitudes_toward_the_Talmid_Chakham">Attitudes toward the <i>Talmid Chakham</i></h2></div>

<p>Prizing Torah knowledge above all worldly goods, <i>Talmidei Chakhamim</i> in <a href="Judaism" title="Judaism">Jewish</a> society were afforded many privileges and prerogatives as well as duties. In the <a href="Middle_Ages" title="Middle Ages">Middle Ages</a>, the <i>Talmid Chakham</i> was consulted by the Jewish community not only in spiritual matters but also in worldly affairs. Even when he held no official position in the community, he supervised religious activities, determined the time and form of <a href="Jewish_services" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish services">prayers</a>, verified weights and measures, etc. To enable him to devote himself entirely to study, Jewish legislation exempted him from the payment of taxes, and from performing any specific mundane duties.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p><a href="Rabban_Shimon_ben_Gamliel" class="mw-redirect" title="Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel">Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel</a> is quoted as having said: "[Every] person should always conduct himself as a Talmid Chakham."<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>In the beginning of the twentieth century, due to prevailing attitudes, Talmidei Chachamim were not widely respected among Jews. If a woman married one in those days, it was expected that she had some kind of terminal illness or disability that was a turn-down for others. However, post-Holocaust, the opposite is the case among Orthodox Jews, due to the resurgence of Orthodoxy since the mid-20th century.

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<ul><li><a href="Hakham" title="Hakham">Hakham</a></li>

<li><a href="Jewish_customs_of_etiquette" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewish customs of etiquette">Jewish customs of etiquette</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2></div>

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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Also spelled Talmid Chacham.</span>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

<ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span></span></span> This article incorporates text from a publication now in the <a href="Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a>: <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">

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</style><cite id="CITEREFSinger1901–1906" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><a href="Isidore_Singer" title="Isidore Singer">Singer, Isidore</a>; et al., eds. (1901–1906). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=31&letter=T">"Talmid Hakam"</a>. <i><a href="The_Jewish_Encyclopedia" title="The Jewish Encyclopedia">The Jewish Encyclopedia</a></i>. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.</cite></li></ul>

<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://hebrew-academy.org.il/2016/07/20/%d7%aa%d7%9c%d7%9e%d7%99%d7%93-%d7%97%d7%9b%d7%9d-%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%a7%d7%91%d7%94/">"תלמיד חכם בנקבה"</a>. <i>האקדמיה ללשון העברית</i> (in Hebrew). 2016-07-20<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2022-01-30</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Talmud, Berachot 43b</span>

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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="Sanhedrin_(Talmud)" class="mw-redirect" title="Sanhedrin (Talmud)">Sanhedrin</a>)</span>

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<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shulchan Aruch Hoshen Mishpat 28</span>

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<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="Shabbat_(Talmud)" title="Shabbat (Talmud)">Shabbat</a> 114a</span>

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<li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Knesset Hagedolah on Yoreh Deah 18</span>

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<li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 243</span>

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<li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.sefaria.org/Pesachim.54b.4?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=bi">"Pesachim 54b:4"</a>. <i>www.sefaria.org</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-09-01</span></span>.</cite></span>

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