More than a year has passed since I decided to resume my study of the Talmud. As an attempt to finally implement this decision from today symbolically, when the 14th cycle of Daf Yomi starts, I've been reading a new introduction to the Talmud published for this occasion by ArtScroll (Introduction to the Talmud), hoping it will reignite my enthusiasm for the study of the Talmud.
The chapter I expected the least in this volume has turned out to be the most inspiring not only intellectually but even emotionally - "Talmudic Personalities". As its name shows, it's a collection of mini-biographies of important Talmudic personalities - 437 Tannaim and Amoraim mentioned in the Talmud. Of course, I haven't read all the entries in this chapter, nor do I want to so quickly (in order to savor each entry). The few entries I've read so far - those on R' Akiva, R' Yehudah HaNasi, etc. - are so inspiring that I'm finally resuming my study of the Talmud with both intellectual and emotional enthusiasm!
I'm also reappreciating the power of reading (non-academic) biographies of such Jewish sages. They show us how they implemented the teachings of the Torah in their thought, speech and action with integrity though even such reading can't be compared to the direct experience of witnessing the presence of living Torah scholars. I feel very privileged to be part of the unbroken chain of this Jewish oral tradition though I'm still on its receiving side.
The more involved I find myself with the traditional study of the Torah, the less interest and meaning I find in those areas of intellectual pursuit I occupied myself with until rather recently (and decided to abandon). I can feel a huge difference between these two types of intellectual pursuit in their respective magnitude of spiritual energy, like a difference between sun-bathing directly under the sun and just reading about sun-bathing.