Shovavim, the Super Bowl and Sweet Torah Learning

by R. Yaakov Wolff

We are now in the period of Shovavim, which spans from the week of Parshas Shemos until Mishpatim. Traditionally, these weeks are associated with self-improvement, particularly in the area of taharah (purity). In recent years, especially in Chassidic circles, there has been an increasing emphasis on using this time to strengthen ourselves in maintaining our kedushah (personal sanctity), particularly in overcoming challenges related to forbidden relationships. And while no one has ever accused me of being a Chassid, there is never a bad time to address what is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges for bnei Torah today.

At the same time, there is another powerful force that competes for the hearts and minds of bnei Torah—sports. If baseball was once America’s national pastime, today, football has become America’s religion. I’d rather not invoke the Torah’s terminology for incorporating another faith alongside serving Hashem. And while sports are around year round, the biggest sporting event of the year happens to take place during shovavim.

What is the common denominator between these two areas? Both exploit human emotion—one by appealing to base desires, the other by creating an intoxicating sense of excitement, identity, and passion. If so, we should be asking: How should Bnei Torah contend with these powerful forces?

I raised the question of kedushah on a recent episode of Shtark Tank, my podcast about the challenges and opportunities of being a ben Torah in the workforce. My guest was Rav David Lapin, a Rav and business consultant, and one of the deepest thinkers I know when it comes to Torah values in the modern world.

He suggested that our focus should not be on simply building resistance against temptation. Programs like Vayimaen, which encourage spending time each day strengthening oneself against the yetzer hara, have value. But if our entire approach assumes that the yetzer hara will be a constant, daily struggle, we may be setting ourselves up for failure. It’s the equivalent of always reminding someone to not think of pink elephants.

Instead, our strategy should be to minimize the battleground as much as possible. How? By filling our lives with deep, engaging, and emotionally fulfilling Torah learning. If we cultivate a passionate connection to Torah, the pull of external distractions naturally weakens. When a person is deeply invested in something meaningful, he doesn’t need to fight off lesser temptations—he simply isn’t drawn to them. (This idea can also be applied to other creative, engaging and useful pursuits. But when applied to Torah we gain siyata dishmaya, a deep connection to Hashem, and an infinite subject matter.)

This idea is not new. Chazal and the Rishonim teach this principle explicitly. Avos D’Rabbi Nosson states that someone whose mind is filled with Torah will not struggle with the desire for foolishness and promiscuity:

מסכתות קטנות מסכת אבות דרבי נתן נוסחא א פרק כ
רבי חנניה סגן הכהנים אומר כל הנותן דברי תורה על לבו מבטלין ממנו הרהורין הרבה. הרהורי רעב. הרהורי שטות. הרהורי זנות. הרהורי יצר הרע והרהורי אשה רעה. הרהורי דברים בטלים. הרהורי עול בשר ודם

“Rabbi Hananiah Sgan HaKohanim says: whoever puts the words of Torah on his heart, many thoughts are removed from him. Thoughts of hunger. Thoughts of foolishness. Thoughts of fornication. Thoughts of the evil inclination and thoughts of a bad woman. Thoughts of idle things. Thoughts of the yoke of flesh and blood.”

The Rambam, in Hilchos Issurei Biah, offers the same advice:

רמב”ם הלכות איסורי ביאה פרק כב הלכה כא
וכן ינהוג להתרחק מן השחוק ומן השכרות ומדברי עגבים שאלו גורמין גדולים והם מעלות של עריות, ולא ישב בלא אשה שמנהג זה גורם לטהרה יתירה, גדולה מכל זאת אמרו יפנה עצמו ומחשבתו לדברי תורה וירחיב דעתו בחכמה שאין מחשבת עריות מתגברת אלא בלב פנוי מן החכמה, ובחכמה הוא אומר אילת אהבים ויעלת חן דדיה ירווך בכל עת באהבתה תשגה תמיד. סליקו להו הלכות איסורי ביאה בס”ד

Similarly, a person should distance himself from levity, intoxication, and flirtation, for they are great precipitators and steps [leading] to forbidden relations.

A man should not live without a wife, for this practice leads to great purity. And [our Sages gave] even greater [advice], saying: “A person should always turn himself and his thoughts to the words of the Torah and expand his knowledge in wisdom, for the thoughts of forbidden relations grow strong solely in a heart which is empty of wisdom.” And in [Solomon’s words of] wisdom [Proverbs 5:19], it is written: “It is a beloved hind, arousing favor. Her breasts will satisfy you at all times. You shall be obsessed with her love.”

The Ritva, at the end of Kiddushin, expresses the same idea. After discussing the importance of maintaining personal safeguards in interactions with women, he concludes by emphasizing the protective power of deep Torah immersion:

חדושי הריטב”א מסכת קידושין דף פב עמוד א
…ואשרי מי שגובר על יצרו ועמלו ואומנתו בתורה, שדברי תורה עומדים לו לאדם בילדותו ונותנין לו אחרית ותקוה לעת זקנתו, שנאמר עוד ינובון בשיבה דשנים ורעננים יהיו

“And blessed is he who overcomes his inclinations and labors in Torah, for the words of the Torah stand firm for a person in his childhood and give him a future and hope in his old age, as it is said: “They will again flourish in their return, they will be fertile and fresh.”

This approach is just as relevant to the pull of sports culture. Today’s society fosters a deep emotional connection to teams, players, and championships—a form of passion that mirrors the excitement Torah is meant to provide. The same Torah strategy that applies to forbidden relationships applies here as well: Instead of focusing on fighting the desire, we should be filling our lives with something more compelling.

The more alive our connection to Torah is, the less we will feel the need for external excitement. As Chazal teach: “אין לך בן חורין אלא מי שעוסק בתורה”—true freedom comes from Torah immersion, not from chasing fleeting thrills.

So the real question isn’t just about avoiding these distractions—it’s about whether we’ve built the kind of thrilling Torah life that minimizes our desire for cheap, shallow and meaningless experiences. If not, perhaps that’s where our real avodah lies.