Dear Rabbi Kornfeld:

Insights to Sukah 25 brought the following explanation: ""Shimush Talmidei Chachamim" refers to learning directly from a rebbi the reasons and explanations of the Torah. It is not in the same category as normal Torah study, because it can only be done through close interaction with a rebbi who transmits the reasons and explanations for the Mitzvos." This is well founded on the interpretations of Rashi in Berachot 30a and Megilla 28,b.

However, when I had the great Zchus of learning from Rav Yitshak Kolitz Shlita I learned that this explanation of "Shimush Talmidei Hachamim" - which sounds like a tutorial in Limud - lacks one element: it does not explain the use of the term "Shimush", which applies to the serving of a Master, like a servant - or apprentice! "Shimush Talmidei Hachamim is Apprenticeship in the service of a Great Rav. Therefore: Shimush is much much more than intellectual learning: it includes living with the rabbi, serving him, seeing how he relates to things, how he handles the problems that people bring to him - personal problems, too, not only Halachic problems. It includes carefully listening to "Sichat Hulin Shel Talmidei Hachamim" and discussing all of what he sees with the Rav whom he serves: it is not limited to a better learning of the written sources of Tora: it includes learning those parts of the application of the Rabbi's full personality to the issues at hand. Shimush is not a better "book-learning": Shimush includes an additional dimension which can only be learned by intimate day-by-day personal service. Sincerely, Yeshayahu HaKohen Hollander