“If two sit together and there is no divrei Torah between them, it is a get-together of scoffers…”
R’ Itzele Peterburger asks: What new information is the mishnah communicating here? The gemara in Sotah (42a) clearly states that four assemblages of people do not merit to have the Shechinah dwell in their presence. One of those is a group of people who mock and scoff at others.
What could be a worse punishment?
R’ Itzele says this informs us that an even worse fate than the absence of the Divine Presence and the worthlessness of these people, is the bitul Torah that results. How great is the sin of idling time that could be spent in Torah study!
