Rabbi Jochanan said, "It is best to study by night, when all is quiet; as it is written, 'Shout forth praises in the night.'"
Reshbi Lakish said, "Study by day and by night; as it is written, 'Thou shalt meditate therein day and night.'"
Rabbi Chonan, of Zepora said, "The study of the law may be compared to a huge heap of dust that is to be cleared away. The foolish man says, 'It is impossible that I should be able to remove this immense heap, I will not attempt it;' but the wise man says, 'I will remove a little to-day, some more to-morrow, and more the day after, and thus in time I shall have removed it all.'
"It is the same with studying the law. The indolent pupil says, 'It is impossible for me to study the Bible. Just think of it, fifty chapters in Genesis; sixty-six in Isaiah, one hundred and fifty Psalms, etc. I cannot do it;' but the industrious student says, 'I will study six chapters every day, and so in time I shall acquire the whole.'"
In Proverbs 24:7, we find this sentence: "Wisdom is too high for a fool."
"Rabbi Jochanan illustrates this verse with an apple depending from the ceiling. The foolish man says, 'I cannot reach the fruit, it is too high;' but the wise man says, 'It may be readily obtained by placing one step upon another until thy arm is brought within reach of it.' The foolish man says, 'Only a wise man can study the entire law,' but the wise man replies, 'It is not incumbent upon thee to acquire the whole.'"
Rabbi Levi illustrates this by a parable.
A man once hired two servants to fill a basket with water. One of them said, "Why should I continue this useless labor? I put the water in one side and it immediately leaks out of the other; what profit is it?"
The other workman, who was wise, replied, "We have the profit of the reward which we receive for our labor."