Shabbos Study

Question:

If students have a Jewish history test on Sunday, are they permitted to study for the test on Shabbos?

Answer:

If students have a Jewish history test on Sunday, are they permitted to study for the test on Shabbos?

It is permissible to study a Torah subject on Shabbos even if you are studying in order to take a test during the week. The rationale is that you are acquiring the knowledge at the time you are studying, so the result is immediate. Only when the desired result of an action is delayed until after Shabbos is there concern about hachonoh.[1]

It is not entirely clear whether this logic can always be applied to secular education. Studying secular material such as medical, mathematics or law textbooks can have a number of objectives. Sometimes the student is genuinely interested in learning and retaining the material. However, for some people, in certain circumstances, the material studied has no importance whatsoever. The only objective is to pass a test to further a career or degree.

Consequently, if a person wishes to study a secular subject on Shabbos, is interested in retaining the information, and views his study as enhancing his education, he is permitted to study that material on Shabbos since the benefit (the education) is immediate. If, however, the purpose of studying is only to pass the test, and he considers the information otherwise worthless, then the studying of that material might be viewed as preparation for the test. On the other hand, perhaps the acquisition of information can still be regarded as an immediate benefit, since it was acquired, even if the student does not value it.

Whenever one learns a Torah-related subject (e.g., halochoh, Tanach, Mishnoh, Gemoro, or Jewish history presented with the insight of Chazal or chachmei yisroel), halochoh recognizes an inherent benefit from the acquisition of such knowledge, whether the student recognizes it or not.

Thus, in your case, which deals with studying Jewish history (presumably from a proper source), one may study on Shabbos. Should one wish to study secular material on Shabbos, one can also act leniently and study for any reason. Such study cannot be forbidden on the grounds of hachonoh even if the only purpose is to pass a test since the knowledge was acquired on Shabbos. Certainly if the student appreciates knowing the subject it is not hachonoh.

BookID: 1 Chapter: 302