Shemirat HaLashon שמירת הלשון

Chazal have said (Sanhedrin 99b): “All who study Torah for its own sake make peace in the celestial and terrestrial retinues, viz. (Isaiah 27:5): ‘Or if he but take hold of My stronghold [Torah], he shall make peace for Me [1]; he shall make peace for Me [2].’ Rav said: ‘It is as if he would build the celestial palace and the terrestrial palace, viz. (Ibid. 51:16): “And I have placed My words in your mouth … to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth.”’”

[And according to the words of Rav, the words of the verse (Psalms 62:13) are well explained, viz.: “And Yours, O L-rd, is kindness; for You pay a man according to his works.” For many ask: “What kindness is there in the L-rd’s bestowing good for the fulfillment of his mitzvoth?” But according to this [interpretation of Rav], it is well understood. For it is known that if one would, with his wisdom, invent a machine with which the builders could build a city in one day, and news of this came to the king, he [the inventor] would certainly find favor in his eyes, and he would give him a great gift according to “the king’s hand,” but it is inconceivable that he would give him those cities that his servants built with this machine and call them by his name as if he himself had built them. But in this case, through the words of Torah that one learns in this world, the creation of heaven and earth is fulfilled, as we wrote above in Chapter I. Now, in truth, did the man himself build these palaces that they should be called by his name? Is it not the Holy One Blessed be He through His power and His strength, who, in His goodness, renews the creation every day and who Himself gives power to the words of Torah that he learned to be the foundation of this thing? And even so, the Holy One Blessed be He accounts it to him as if he himself had built the celestial and terrestrial palaces. And this is Rav’s intent in “as if he himself had planted the heavens and the earth.” And it is also possible to interpret the seemingly superfluous “You” [(in the Hebrew)] in the verse [“For You pay a man according to his works,”] in the manner of the GRA on (Mishlei 10:24): “The fear of the wicked one, it will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous, He will give.” For the transgression that a man commits, it itself will punish him, wherefore the punishment has a limit, just as the transgression itself has a limit. But, for the mitzvah, the Holy One Blessed be He pays him, by Himself and in His honor, wherefore the reward is eternal, without limit, just as the Holy One Blessed be He Himself is without limit. And this is the intent of the verse: “And Yours, O L-rd is kindness; for You pay a man according to his works.” That is, You Yourself pay a man reward for the fulfillment of his mitzvoth, so that there not be a limit to his reward.

(Sanhedrin 99b): “R. Yochanan said: ‘He [one who learns Torah] also secures protection for the entire world, viz. (Isaiah 51:16): “and with the shadow of My hand have I covered you” [and, consequently, the entire world].”’” Levi said: ‘He also brings the redemption nearer, viz. (Ibid.): “and to say to Zion: ‘You are my people.’”’”

[Torah study is] greater than all the sacrifices, for thus have Chazal expounded (Rosh Hashanah 18a): “(I Samuel 3:14): ‘The iniquity of Eli’s house will not be purged with sacrifice or offering forever.’ Rava said: ‘It cannot be purged with sacrifice or offering, but it can be purged with words of Torah.’” And thus does Scripture state (Vayikra 7:37): “This is the Torah for burnt-offering, meal-offering, and sin-offering, etc.” And they have said (Menachoth 110a): “If one occupies himself with Torah, it is as if he sacrificed a burnt-offering, as if he sacrificed a meal-offering, as if he sacrificed a sin-offering, as if he sacrificed peace-offerings.” And this is the language of the holy Zohar, Parshath Shelach 159a: “

If one occupies himself with Torah, it is as if he sacrificed all the offerings in the world before the Holy One Blessed be He. What is more, the Holy One Blessed be He grants him atonement for all of his sins and they set up for him many ‘chairs’ for the world to come.”

And Torah is greater than the saving of lives, as stated by Chazal (Megillah 16b).

And through it [Torah study] one merits the world to come, as Chazal have said (Peah 1:1): “These are the things … and Torah study over and against all.” And Chazal have said (Bava Metzia 85b): “That which is written (Iyyov 3:19): ‘The small and the great are there [in the next world], and the servant free of his master.’ Do we not know that the small and the great are there? — [The intent is] rather, that all who make themselves small for Torah in this world are made great in the world to come, and all who make themselves servants for Torah in this world are made free men in the world to come.” And in Avoth 6:3: “There is no honor but Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 3:35): ‘The wise will inherit honor.’ Do not desire more honor than your learning and do not lust for the table of kings. For your table [in the world to come] is greater than their table in this world, and your crown is greater than their crown, etc.” And in Sanhedrin 100a: “All who blacken their faces in Torah study in this world, the Holy One Blessed be He brightens them in the world to come, as it is written (Song of Songs 5:15): ‘His countenance is as Levanon, choice as the cedars.’” And, similarly, in Midrash Rabbah: “R. Yehudah interpreted the verse as relating to Torah scholars. One verse states (Ibid. 11) ‘black as a raven,’ and another (Nachum 2:5): ‘Their appearance is like flames, they flash like lightning.’ These are the Torah scholars, who look ungainly and black in this world but whose appearance is flamelike in the next world.” R. Tanchum ben Chanilai said: ‘All who starve themselves for words of Torah in this world, the Holy One Blessed be He sates them in the world to come, as it is written (Psalms 36:9): ‘They will be sated with the fatness of Your house.’”

And we find in Midrash Tehillim 49:2: "'To the chief musician, to the sons of Korach, a psalm.' This is as Scripture says (Koheleth 11:7): 'And sweet is the light, and good for the eyes.' How sweet is the light of the world to come. Happy is the man who has the good deeds to see that light, as it is written (Judges 5:31): 'And His lovers [will be] as the rising of the sun in his might.'" R. Abba said: "How sweet are those things which are compared to light. As it is written (Mishlei 6:23): 'For a mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah, light, etc.' Happy is the man who sees the Torah white as snow, for there is no end to its reward. When the Holy One Blessed be He will come to pay Israel the reward of the toilers in Torah and will bestow upon them of the secreted light in its merit — at that time they will say to the peoples of the world: 'We merited [this] because we occupied ourselves with Torah. And you used to say to us: "You are wearying yourselves for nothing." — See its reward!' As it is written (Psalms 49:2): 'Hear this [zoth] all you people.' And 'zoth' is the Torah.' (Psalms, Ibid.): 'Hear, all you dwellers of the earth [chaled]' — these are the men who raise rust [chaludah] in Gehinnom. And who are they? (Ibid. 3): 'Both the sons of "Adam" and the sons of "Ish."' "Adam" — this is Abraham, viz. (Joshua 14:15): 'the great man [Adam] among the giants.' Also the sons of Adam' — Yishmael and the sons of Ketura. 'Also the sons of Ish' — the sons of Noach, who was called ish tzaddik (Bereshith 6:9). Another interpretation: These are the idolators, who descend to Gehinnom. (Ibid.): "rich and poor together" — rich in Torah and poor in Torah. "rich" — Doeg and Achitophel. Even though they were heads of sanhedrin, they descended to Gehinnom. "and poor in Torah" — one who can learn but does not learn. Therefore, the sons of Korach said (Ibid. 4): 'My mouth shall speak wisdom' — the wisdom of Torah; 'and my heart shall meditate understanding' — the understanding of Torah. (Ibid. 5) 'I will incline my ear to a parable' — the parable of Torah." And this is the language of the holy Zohar, Parshath Vayeshev:"

(Psalms 19:8): 'The Torah of the L-rd is whole; it restores the soul': How much should men occupy themselves with Torah! For all who do so will have life in this world and in the world to come, and will merit both worlds. And even one who occupies himself with Torah and does not do so for its own sake [lishmah], as is proper, still merits goodly reward in this world and is not judged in the world to come … When his soul is about to depart to return to its place, it [his Torah] goes before that soul and many gates are broken before the Torah until it enters its place and stands [guard] over the man until he arises for the resurrection, and it [his Torah] speaks in his defense."

And this is its [the Zohar's] language in Parshath Beshalach 46a: "How beloved is the Torah by the Holy One Blessed be He. For whoever occupies himself with Torah is beloved above and below. The Holy One Blessed be He heeds his words and does not forsake him in this world and the next. And in Torah must one toil, day and night.

And in Parshath Emor 89b: "Happy are Israel, whom the Holy One Blessed be He favored above all of the peoples, who, in His love for them, gave them a Torah of truth to know the way of the holy King. And if one occupies himself with Torah, it is as if he is occupying himself with the Holy One Blessed be He. For all of the Torah is the Name of the Holy One Blessed be He, so that if one occupies himself with it, it is as if he were occupying himself with His Name. And if one distances himself from the Torah, he is distant from the Holy One Blessed be He."

And (Ibid. 96a): "How fortunate is the portion of those who occupy themselves with Torah every day. Woe unto those who do not occupy themselves with Torah, for they have no portion in the holy Name, and they are not intimate with it in this world and the next. And one who merits it in this world merits it in the world to come, as it is written (Song of Songs 7:10): 'He titillates the lips of the sleepers [in the grave].' For though they are in this world, their lips murmur Torah there."

And in Parshath Shelach 259b: "The Holy One Blessed be He takes pride in the Torah: 'Walk in My ways. Go and occupy yourselves with My Torah, and I will bring you to good worlds and to celestial heights.' (Bamidbar 13:17): 'Go up this (way) in the south,' and occupy yourselves with Torah, and see that it stands before you and that from it you will know Me."

And (Ibid. 176): (Mishlei 5:19): "'A beloved hind, of excellent favor' — the Torah, the light of all the worlds. How many seas and rivers, springs and fountains issue from you [Torah]! What can I say about you. All depend upon you, the celestial and the terrestrial. 'A beloved hind, of excellent favor,' for the celestial and the terrestrial. Who will merit [wearing] your honor as befits you? And who can utter and reveal your hidden and secret things?"

And in Parshath Pinchas: "If one toils in Torah, he merits the opening of many gates before him in this world, and many lights. When he departs from this world, it [Torah] precedes him and goes to all the keepers of the gates and calls out and says (Isaiah 26:2): 'Open, you gates, and let the righteous nation enter.' 'Prepare a seat for Ploni, servant of the King.' For there is no rejoicing for the Holy One Blessed be He except in one who occupies himself with Torah — how much more so, one who stays awake at night to occupy himself with Torah. For all the tzaddikim in Gan Eden listen to his voice, and the Holy One Blessed be He prides Himself in him."

And he also merits through Torah a holy soul, as it is written in the introduction to the Zohar, Bereshith, the fifth pronouncement (Bereshith 1:20): "Let the waters swarm a swarming, a living soul." There are three mitzvoth here: one, to toil in Torah; and to occupy oneself with it; and to add to it every day, to perfect his soul and his spirit. For when a man occupies himself with Torah, he perfects another holy soul, etc. For when a man does not occupy himself with Torah, he has no holy soul. And the holy soul above does not repose upon him. And when he occupies himself with Torah, by the murmuring of his lips in it, he merits that living soul and becomes like the holy angels, as it is written (Psalms 103:20): 'Bless the L-rd, His angels' — these are those who occupy themselves with Torah, who are called 'His angels' on earth, etc. This, in this world. As to the world to come, we have learned that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to make for them, etc."