DEUT76 Because of the centrality given study of the Torah, the obligation to study could not be restricted to a scholarly elite, but was viewed as a lifelong endeavor, incumbent upon each person. In Maimonides' words, "Every Jew is under an obligation to study Torah, whether rich or poor, healthy or ailing, young or old, vigorous or feeble.…. Until the day of one's death, as it is written (this verse). Learning is not meant to be a passing fad, a demand only put upon the young, but a lifelong quest for knowledge, wisdom, and self understanding… Study is the means by which Jewish ethical and religious teachings are preserved and transmitted. Without continuous study, tradition would come to an abrupt halt. Judaism would become a fossil, a relic for investigation rather than a living and lived faith. But, while study of the Torah serves to perpetuate Judaism, and while it has its own intrinsic value, study of Torah has been understood to have other goals and functions, including the creation of the artful life. (E.g., Ethics of the Fathers 3:17). The goal of study is not nearly to amass information, but to bring about the spiritual transformation of the individual.