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How will we hide our faces in shame when we come to the next world empty handed! The situation has not been this bad since the day that the Torah was given on Mount Sinai.
Furthermore, the earlier generations fulfilled the Torah from conditions of great financial duress and under oppression from the nations. Today, we sit tranquilly in our houses, and when a matter of halachah arises, or halachic decisions need to be rendered, we search every nook and cranny to find relevant references. We search through topics until we find what we are looking for, or something close to it, and then proudly invoke the Rabbinical dictum: “Believe one who says: I labored and I found.”

In memory of George Thomas Brown

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One should repeat a point of Torah in the name of the one who said it, and not plagiarize.
Each person was created with a unique aptitude which surfaces in the perception of Torah. Since Torah includes all of these personal view-points, if one omits the name of the person whose opinion he states, he has altered the Torah.
On a more practical level, on may explain the requirements to “repeat a saying in the name of the one who said it” as being careful not to gloss over or change any detail of his studies.

Dedicated to Cyndee Kaelin

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In article 30 we read how “Beloved” includes being beloved to G-d as well as beloved to people. Clearly, if one is not beloved to G-d, G-d will not give him His Torah and share with him His wisdom.
One is beloved for the pleasing things he does for another. One makes G-d “happy,” not for what he does, but for what he is. One who is of fine and pleasant character makes G-d happy that He created such a being, and he makes people happy to have him as part of the community. Being close to people and to G-d is reflected by the Torah being close to him, and hence he receives Torah readily.

Dedicated to Cyndee Kaelin

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Physical indulgence counters the acquisition of wisdom. However, the expression “limited pleasure” implies that some pleasure is acceptable.

Although the Rabbis extolled the virtue of a life of “bread and salt” in Baraita 4, the benefit arises only if the deprivations are necessary in order to learn Torah and only if there is no other alternative. There is no benefit to be had if he can continue to learn without giving up normal comforts. On the other hand, he should avoid extra phyiscl pleasures, for that goes against the nature of Torah, and that is the practice of limited pleasure.

Dedicated to Amy Magnusson

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Torah is intended to be studied with another person, and otherwise it is not fully considered Torah study. The Rabbis say,
Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: What is the meaning of the passage, “A sword upon the liars (Hebrew: baddim) and they shall become fools”? [It means] “A sword upon Torah scholars who sit separately (Hebrew: bad bebad) and study Torah.” Furthermore, they become foolish, as it says: “and they shall become fools.”

Dedicated to Amy Magnusson

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Modesty is the origin of effective Torah studies. Despite Moshe Rabbeinu’s many fine qualities, he received the Torah because of his modesty. The Rabbis say, Rabbi Chanina bar Idi said: Why is Torah compared to water? Just as water flows from a high place to a low place, so do the words of Torah remain only with one who is humble.

Dedicated to Christina Hammond

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The three offices of royalty, priesthood and Torah leadership were symbolized in the Holy Temple by three scared articles, each of which was graced by a “crown” of gold work surrounding the upper border. These are: the Shulchan, Table; the Mizbei’ach HaZahav, Golden Alter; and the Aron, Ark.
The crown upon the Table, which carries the show-bread, corresponds to the crown of kingship, because it is the king’s role to ensure the nations sustenance. The smallest perimeter of any plane of the Table is thirty tefachim, corresponding to the prerogatives of the king.

Dedicated to Christina Hammond

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Commentary from Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag
From the Sefer: The Shadow of the Ladder
And G-d said “Let there be light and there was light” (Gen. 1:3).
Zohar comments, “Let there be light in this world and there was light in the world-to-come.”
Explanation: The act of creation brought into being all creatures according to their true nature and in their full stature, in all their perfection and in all their glory. Thus the light that was created on the first day appeared in all its perfection, including even the life in this world, in complete delight and pleasantness, in consonance with the full measure express in the words, “Let there be light.”

Dedicated to Brian and Camie Davis

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Commentary from Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag
From the Sefer: The Shadow of the Ladder
This is the way of the Torah: You should eat bread with salt. You should drink water in strict measure. You should sleep upon the earth and live a life of suffering and you should labor in the Torah. If you act this way, you will be happy and it will be happy for you. You will be happy in this world and it will be well for you in the world-to-come.

Dedicated to Brian and Camie Davis

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The physical realm is completely opposite in nature to the conceptual realm. How then can we, as physical beings, successfully pursue, integrate and retain Torah studies, which are purely conceptual?
We may answer this by considering that every object has form and substance, which also are opposite in nature. Form and substance can unite when the physical is subordinate, and conforms to shape. Likewise, this is the principle behind this Mishnah, which advises us to subordinate the physical to the spiritual.

Dedicated to Rick and Christi Hoerster

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David, king of Yisra’el, who learned nothing from Achitophel except two things: Rashi explains that the two things relate to not studying alone, but with another and not to enter the house of study or House of G-d with a proudly erect posture. In Tehillim 55:14 we read that King David is called a man of my measure, my guide and my intimate. We do not explicitly find that King David called Achitophel his teacher, Rav. It is implied in the statement, “You are a man of my measure”; i.e. you are equally deserving of honor. King David meant to say: “Just as you owe me as honor as the king. I owe you honor as a teacher.”

Dedicated to Rick and Christi Hoerster

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Do not read charut (engraved) but read cheirut (freedom)
This interpretation appears to be irrelevant play on words, but truth it conveys a remarkable idea.
The mind conceives a picture of an object, but that conceptual representation, of course, is not the object itself. Similarly, the Torah is a picture of the world-indeed, it is the blueprint of Creation and a prescription for how the world should be-but it is not the world itself. Script is a parallel to Torah, for script is also a graphical representation of words, but not the words themselves.

Dedicated to Gordon and Christy Smith

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The image “Like a golden ring in a swine’s snout” conveys that even an extremely precious article becomes disgusting when it is attached to something so repulsive as a swine. Similarly, the beauty of even the most attractive woman becomes repugnant if she is inane (empty).
The golden ring and the beauty of the woman are metaphors for the intellect, for intelligence shines in a person’s face with the same radiance as beauty. The pig’s snout is a metaphor for the physical component of a human being. The verse tells us that if the precious intellect is not applied to Torah, it is an irrelevant accessory of the physical body. It becomes as worthless as a golden ring attached to a snout that pokes around in the garbage heap.

Dedicated to Gordon and Christy Smith

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A commentary from Rabbi Chayim of Volozhin by Rabbi Avraham Sutton
What is the meaning of man being the soul of all the worlds? The essence of the matter, however, is that G-d created adam (man) only after having brought the (primordial) worlds into existence. [It is by virtue of his been having been created last that] man is such a marvelous creature. He was created [thus] so that he could have the ability to bring all that was created before him to perfection. For G-d incorporated in him [aspects of] all the wondrous rarefied lights, and of all the supernal worlds and spiritual palaces that preceded him, as well as the complete blueprint of the supernal glory [Atziut] as it rides upon and governs the merkavah [lower universes of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah].

Dedicated to Robert Wright

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Chapter 6

Mishnah Two

Mount Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, famous as the site where G-d gave the Torah. The word Horeb, חורב comes from the same Hebrew root as does חורבך, churban, meaning “destruction.” Why does Rabbi Levi refer to Mount Sinai by the term that designates “Mount Destruction”? We would have expected the opposite, for Torah brings structure and security to the world, fashioning it into an edifice.
The truth is that the Torah has a double-edged power. For people who seek the Torah, it brings fulfillment and structure to their lives.

Dedicated to Robert Wright

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

From a teaching by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim.
The Zohar comments that before Sinai, all the creatures were controlled by the cosmic forces. Once the Torah was given to Yisra’el they were freed from the control of these forces. Indeed, one who studies Torah for its own sake actually controls the forces of nature. He can change them at will, and they fear him. In this context, the Mishnah comments that Torah gives him sovereignty and dominion.

Dedicated to Deana McGluflin

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

He loves the Omnipresent, he loves people . . .
We said one that learns Torah for its own sake is a “friend” and “beloved” of both G-d and people. It is the study and practice of Torah that infuse the world with its values. Since Torah flows from G-d, and Torah lives in people, a person who is embodiment of Torah is tightly bound up with both G-d and mankind.
Indeed, one who learns Torah for its own sake is the vehicle through which the spiritual and physical lanes of existence unite.

Dedicated to Deana McGluflin

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

From a teaching by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim.

The Torah shields and saves. Mitzvoth (commandments) shield but do not save. The mitzvoth actually represent a healthy diet and life style. When a human being performs a commandment they are surrounded by an aurora of holiness that shields them from their own evil inclination. However, once a human being becomes sick through the sins they have committed, and then they are required Torah study for its own sake, because the evil inclination attacks aggressively the impurity in their own heart. The Torah not only shields them from the evil inclination, but it also purges the evil in their heart and makes that individual fit to embark upon the journey of righteousness and repentance.

In memory of Jerry Dean

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

From a teaching by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim.
Humility is not just a mitzvah, meaning a set of rules and actions which a person has to follow, rather humility is a state of mind. A person must naturally develop an attitude as to where they are not so important, so they feel they are humble toward others (Pirkei Avot 4 Mishnah 1).
In memory of Jerry Dean

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

From a teaching by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim.

The world was created for the sake of the Torah and those that believe in it. As the Talmud explains HaShem created the world with a stipulation that the Jews had to accept the Torah. Otherwise the entire universe would revert to Tohu-Va-Vohu. Therefore the Zohar states that HaShem, the Torah and those that believe in it are One. The Midrash also expounds on this concept, HaShem calls the Jewish Nation, “My perfect Dove” (Song of Songs 5:2).

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

From a teaching by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, Ruach Chaim.

Anyone that studies Torah for its own sake merits many things. Not only is that, the entire world, the entire Creation, worthwhile for them. He is called a beloved friend, he loves the Omnipresent One, he loves people and he makes HaShem glad. And he gladdens people, and the Creation. The study of the Torah clothes him in humility, and in fear of HaShem, and it prepares him to be righteous and straight forward. It distance him from sin and brings him close to merit.

Dedicated to Cherrie Shackleford and Son’s

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

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Commentary from the Sefer Ruach Chaim by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin.
Rabbi Chanania ben Akashia says: The Holy One, Blessed is He, wishes to confer merit upon Yisra’el; therefore He gave them Torah and mitzvoth in abundance, as it is said (Yeshiyahu 42:21): “HaShem desired, for the sake of His righteousness, that the Torah be made great and glorious.”

Dedicated to Bobby and Alice Richardson

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

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Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin says, “Anyone that studies Torah for its own sake.” Some people may think that the idea of studying Torah for its own sake means studying in-order to come close to HaShem. According to that kind of logic a person should spend all their time singing praises to Him.” There is a Midrash that tells David requested of HaShem that He grant one that recites the Psalms that be considered as if the person had studied the Laws of Negaim and Ohalot (Tehillim 1).

Dedicated to Bobby and Alice Richardson

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

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Torah endows him with counsel and understanding and he uses it to benefit others. If one follows the counsel he receives from this scholar, G-d will grant him strength over his enemies.

Dedicated to Debbie Orschell

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Chapter 6

Mishnah One (continues)

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Happiness flows from completeness, just as grief is the result of loss and deficiency. Since the world was created to provide us with opportunities to enrich our lives through Torah, it is clear that Torah brings completeness into our lives and hence to the entire world. A person who engages in sincere Torah study gladdens the Omnipresent, for he fulfills the verse “G-d shall rejoice in His works” by bringing completeness to His works.

Dedicated to Debbie Orschell

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