Recently, I was at the home of someone who has spent the last 15 yrs (approx.) learning Torah in a Yeshiva setting. However, the person was not a nice person, he had some undesirable charactertraits?

How can it be that someone who devotes himself to learning Torah, doesn't develop good character?

It’s very possible that people can learn Torah, but do not internalize the messages of the Torah. (Misafeh Ulechutz). Besides, this is a lifetime endeavor to fix one’s Midos and doesn’t come automatically. Of course you don’t know how he was before he came to Yeshiva, so this could be a major improvement. Also, being in a Yeshiva doesn’t mean that he was learning (you can lead a camel to water etc.)

To be honest to the question, another side of the problem could be the observer. (Since the asker is anonymous, there is no way to know who he/she is, so I can’t vouch on his/her virtue.) In my experience, I notice that when people themselves have bad Midos, they’re much less tolerant of other people’s behavior, and the smallest amount of not goose-stepping along to their expatiation of what they want others to act, they feel the other has terrible Midos. The worse the observer’s Midos, the least tolerance they have for others. A lot of the time, their expectations are totally irrational and unreasonable.
I'm not saying this is the case here (since I don't know neither the observer nor the observee) but these are all the possibilities

There was a sotry that i just heard that there was a person in a town a ong time ago who used to learn all day and night yet he knew none of it because he never chazered(reviewed) - kind of like this - this guy might learn Torah all day but not retain it or not know what hes learning.
ANother reason is because he might have never really delved into Mussar which my yeshiva is very into.My Rosh yeshiva is nevardok(sp?) and he gives a mussar seder every day and every class from 9th to 12th does Mesilas Yesharim daily.

I guess that's a case in point that just going to yeshiva in and of itself does not make you a better person any more than going to the garage makes you a car...

The Vilna Gaon in Even Sheleimah writes on this subject. He states: A man's soul needs Torah study just as the earth needs rain. Just as rain causes whatever was planted to sprout forth - whether good or bad - so does the Torah cause what is in a man's heart to sprout forth. If one's heart is good, his fear of God will increase. If, however, one's heart is wicked and bitter, his studying of Torah will increase his bitterness.

Daily, before and after studying Torah, one must cleanse his heart of any impure thoughts or manners which can affect his fear of sin and his doing good deeds. One must labor constantly in his youth and in his old age so as not to stray so far that he will be unable to help himself. One should therefore examine himself to see which bad trait prevails over him so that he can turn away from it; unlike those lustful people who fast while at the same time their desire to eat grows ever stronger.

Every change must be planned with great craftiness against the evil inclination. If a person is too lazy to dig after each bad trait, all the safeguards and restrictions he makes will be fruitless. For just as a wound must within the body in order for it to heal on the surface, so must a man first cure his inner traits before a character change can be externally noticeable. The merit of Torah-study, which protects and saves a man, is dissipated by his laziness.

English Translation by Targum Press

quote:

The Vilna Gaon in Even Sheleimah writes on this subject. He states: A man's soul needs Torah study just as the earth needs rain. Just as rain causes whatever was planted to sprout forth - whether good or bad - so does the Torah cause what is in a man's heart to sprout forth. If one's heart is good, his fear of God will increase. If, however, one's heart is wicked and bitter, his studying of Torah will increase his bitterness.

That's beautifully said! Thank you.

I read a story from The Committed Life by Reb. Esther Jungreis:

A soap manufacturer told a Rabbi, "I think you should change profession, can't you see how many people say they are believers but are unethical, nasty etc."

The Rabbi told him to come with him for a walk in the park. In the park they passed some children playing in a sand box. The Rabbi turned to the soap manufacturer and said, "I think you should change your profession."

The soap manufacturer said "What are you talking about?"

He answered, "Well, look at how dirty the children are!"

To which the soap manufacturer answered; "My product is perfect, the children just aren't using it!"