GATE I
Chapter 6:
The Stability of the World Through Torah Study
1. In the Gemara, in Tractate Shabbat, p.88 / a, we deduce from the verses that the Holy God, Blessed be He, established a condition for the work of Creation: if Israel accepts the Torah, the Universe would endure , otherwise it would go back to chaos (Tohu va Vohu).
2. The author of "Nefesh Ha'Chaim" comments extensively on this commentary on this passage in the fourth Gate of his book, in chapter 11. Apart from the Sefer Torah that we have down here in this world, he explains that in the superior worlds there is a holy and spiritual reality called Torah. The latter is even the place of origin of the Torah that we have in this world [let's refer to what we wrote above, in chapter 2]. However, between the creation of the world and the moment of Matan Torah on Mount Sinai, the existence of the world below and of all the higher worlds were all due only to that supernal reality called Torah up above. That spiritual dimension of the Torah as it exists in the higher worlds.
The Creator fixed the world below in such a way that before his blessing reaches the world down here, it had to first go through the higher worlds above using the channels of abundance inherent to the Torah.
3. Now since the revelation of Mount Sinai, the radiance of the Torah present in the higher worlds is not powerful enough to generate existence without the Torah from down here on the earth. To vivify everything, it is necessary that the people of Israel in turn study the Torah, which is now here in our world. It is already the study of the Torah by the Jewish people that adds to the recognition of the Torah present in the higher worlds that does the job. After the giving of the Torah, it is even only by virtue of this new intense reality that this abundance deposited in the Torah is fertile enough to keep all the worlds in existence.
4. The author of the “Nefesh Ha'Chaim” writes: “If it were to happen even for a single moment, from one end of the world to the other, that no one studied the Torah, or that no one thought about it, it is evident that all the worlds, above and below would collapse and would immediately be reduced to nothingness, Chas Ve’Shalom ”.
5. And that even if the Holy One, Blessed be He, has promised us that the world would never be even for a single moment without a person studying Torah, but If that would to ever happen; all the worlds would be destroyed in an instant, despite everything. Due to the Supplement of abundance, or because of the lack thereof, everything is hanging on the balance, they all depend on the intensity with which one indulges in Torah study.
When we dedicate ourselves to the study of the Torah with all our might, as it should be, we instill eternal life in all creation, and we diffuse that energy in all the worlds, the study generates an abundance surplus of that holiness, an intense source of hidden light. The power and forces of these energies are capable of rebuilding everything that had been destroyed, by virtue of the extraordinary reparations that we provide them.
6. The author cites a teaching of our Sages showing, how the scholars known as Talmidei Chakhamim, are "the pillars of the world", as it is said:
"Without [the fulfillment of] My covenant, with the day and the night, I would have not established the laws of heaven and earth" (Jeremiah 33:25).
And as for the verse:
"Wisdom has built her house" (Proverbs 9, the Sages of the Midrash teach"
The Eternal said:
"If someone exalts himself and acquires Torah and wisdom, it counts for Me as if He created Heaven and Earth"
because it is as if he had built the world. And the Sages add "= 'The Eternal said to Israel:
"My children! Consecrate yourselves to the Torah day and night, and it will be in My eyes as if you were the ones who built the Universe."
We are going to refer to this passage from the "Nefesh Ha'Chaim" where many other references are reported to show how the stability of the world depends on the study of the Torah by the Jewish people.
7. It is the responsibility of each one to deeply assimilate these words and review them regularly [and it is even desirable to study the "Nefesh Ha'Chaim" daily, especially the fourth Gate; from chapter 11 to chapter 34],
So that we may consider their value in a reasonable way all the time, as long as we dedicate ourselves to the study of Torah, and in that way we will come to understand why they are much more important and useful than all the other activities in this world.
In fact, that is despite the fact that the latter appears in the eyes of men as if it was the most important thing, it is precisely about them that it has been said:
"She is more expensive than pearls, all your most precious treasures are not to be compared to her" (Proverbs 3:15).
In other words, they are worthless in comparison " .
NEXT
CHAPTER 7: REWARD AND PUNISHMENT
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