The lecture will examine various stories found in the literature of the sages
(in the Midrashim and the Talmudim) – stories that deal with the tension between
the scholar's need for advancement by devoting himself completely to Torah study
on the one hand, and his obligations to his spouse and other family members on
the other. The stories in question indicate the enormous difficulty involved in
attempting to grasp the stick at both ends. They also recount the tragedies that
occurred as a result of the inability to do both things, and suggest possible
solutions for coping with this issue, which is central to the world of
scholarship.