The world stands on three things: … on the service of Hashem

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We learn in Mesechta Brachos that one who spends extra time in his tefillos merits long life. In fact, the Chasam Sofer was known to spend a lot of time davening.

The talmidim once asked the Chasam Sofer: Isn’t our rebbi taking away precious moments from learning when he spends this extra time being mispallel?

He answered his students that if a person davens for a long time he merits long life. A longer life will give him the extra time for learning.Torah.

The world stands on … Torah study

The Yaavetz brings our attention to the Chazal that Hashem could concede to a person’s wrongdoing in connection with the three aveiros chamuros – most serious transgressions – but He will not concede to the desecration of Torah.

The world stands on … Torah study

The Yaavetz brings our attention to the Chazal that Hashem could concede to a person’s wrongdoing in connection with the three aveiros chamuros – most serious transgressions – but He will not concede to the desecration of Torah.

Shimon HaTzaddik was of the last of the Knesses HaGedolah. He would say: The world stands on three things: on Torah study, on the service of Hashem, and on acts of kindness.

For you can have no freer person than one who is involved in Torah study.
Our sages explain that man in this world is enslaved to his guf – overwhelmed with material wants and desires. However, one who engages in the study of Torah has the ability to subjugate his body to his neshamah, the spiritual realm.

Every single day a Heavenly Voice emanates from Har Chorev

Our rabbis tell us that there is a constant humming present in the air near Har Sinai, suggesting an echo. The Tiferes Yisroel explains that this hum is a product of the powerful voice of Hashem which emanated at Har Sinai during the time of Matan Torah. It serves to remind us that the Torah was given in the presence of all the neshamos of Klal Yisroel that would ever be in the world, and we are obligated to heed the Torah throughout all the generations.

Woe to them, the people, because of the offense of the Torah

What is the offense of the Torah to which the Tanna refers?

The Heavenly Voice is addressing those who know how to learn Torah. There is no greater offense committed to Torah than seeing one who has the ability to delve into the gemara, to understand a mishnah, or to learn a pasuk in chumash, and chooses instead to spend his precious minutes engaged in trivial pursuits.

… a Heavenly Voice emanates from Har Chorev
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An interesting insight is put forward by Chazal. The Tanna tells us here that Har Sinai, which is an inanimate object, is inspired by Matan Torah to initiate this Heavenly Voice. Surely, the people of Klal Yisroel who were all present at the time of Matan Torah should have cause to be moved and to direct our hearts to heed this Heavenly Voice.

Every single day a Heavenly Voice emanates from Har Chorev

Before Matan Torah, Hashem told Moshe (Shemos 19:12-13), “whoever touches the mountain shall die … whether animal or person he will not live.”

Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (1873-1961) points out a very important lesson. Har Sinai, which is an inanimate object and, of course, never learned Torah, possessed such kedusha that if a person or animal touched it the penalty would be death.

How much more honor and respect must we accord to a human being who is a talmid chacham and is completely engaged in Torah study.