And in Avoth 6:2 we find: "R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: 'A heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Chorev and proclaims: "Woe unto the creations because of the shame of Torah, etc.!"'" And, in Zohar Chadash it is stated that the destined day of judgment, viz. (Malachi 3:19): "For, behold, the day is coming which will burn like an oven" — this is the day on which Moses, our teacher, may peace be upon him is destined to 'claim the shame of Torah,' as we find in the Mishnah: 'Woe unto the creations, etc.'" For, in truth, it is a great shame to the Torah, whose holiness is rooted above all of the worlds, that the sons of man, moulded from matter, founded in dust, separate themselves from it!"
And in Ma'aloth HaTorah it is written: "One should take it to heart that if it were granted a lowly man to serve a great, awesome king with the same service that all the dignitaries of the kingdom performed, he would certainly experience infinite joy even though he received nothing for his service. And he certainly would not refuse the service of the king! How much more so should one rejoice for having merited to learn the holy Torah that all the celestial angels constantly disport themselves with, and that all the tzaddikim in Gan Eden occupy themselves with. How much more so, should he not keep himself from it! And Chazal have said that when a man occupies himself with Torah, all the angels who have been created by the breath of his mouth surround him in a circle as far as the eye can see — and he in its midst!
"We can infer from this the punishment of one who forsakes the Torah, about whom Isaiah has written (Isaiah 1:28): 'And the forsakers of the L-rd shall perish!' Woe to that shame! Woe to that humiliation! What will he do on the day of visitation? Is there an end to his punishment? According to the greatness of the reward [of one who studies it] is the greatness of the punishment of one who separates himself from it!
"And he should imagine the following: If a great and awesome king saw a man wallowing in filth, smitten and surrounded by all kinds of afflictions and sore illnesses, and lacking everything, and this man found favor in the eyes of the king and he commanded that all the filth be washed from him and healed all of his illnesses until he became healthy and whole in all of his limbs, and clothed him in kingly garments and adorned him with many precious jewels and pearls and gave him all of his treasures and commanded that all the governance of the kingdom be by his hand, and gave him his daughter as a wife and raised him over all the princes and the servants of the king, until he commanded all the great ones of his kingdom to serve him in royal garments according to all that he desired — and, behold, while he was clothed in these kingly garments and adorned in jewels, and all the dignitaries of the kingdom walked before him, leading him with lanterns — at that time, he saw children frolicking in the mud and picking stones to play with, and he envied them and did as they did and cast off all his costly clothes, and spurned all the delights that he had just enjoyed, and abandoned all the dignitaries that walked before him, and rolled in the filth and sullied himself in it as before — would there be an end to this man's punishment for having despised the honor of the king and his ministers, the doers of his will, and sullied his kingly garments, etc.? The analogy is self-explanatory: How much more so is punishment destined and readied for the forsakers of Torah, who separate themselves from it to gambol in the dust of the vanities of this world!"
This enables us to understand (Berachoth 5a): "If it is possible for one to study Torah and does not do so, the Holy One Blessed be He brings upon him sore afflictions which sully him, as it is written (Psalms 39:3): "I was dumb with silence, silenced from good [i.e., Torah] and my pain [i.e., my afflictions] sullied me." This is measure for measure. Because he shamed the Torah and made it like an unwanted vessel, he, too, was shamed before all.
Chazal have also said (Berachoth 63a): "All who are lax in Torah study will lack the strength to withstand a day of affliction, viz. (Mishlei 24:10): 'If you grow lax, in a day of affliction your strength will be straitened.'" And we find in the holy Zohar on this verse:
"When a man grows lax in Torah and walks in ways that are not kasher, how many foes are readied for him to be prosecutors against him in a day of affliction! And even the man's soul, which is his power and his strength, will become his enemy, as it is written 'tzar cochecha' ["Your strength (i.e., soul) will become your foe"]. What is meant by 'you have become lax'? You have loosened your hand from holding fast to the Holy One Blessed be He. And how can a man hold fast to the Holy One Blessed be He? By holding fast to the Torah one holds fast to the "tree of life" and gives strength to the Shechinah and many defenders stand up for him to mention him for the good, etc."
We further find in Avoth (3:8): "R. Meir says: 'If one forgets a single thing from his learning, Scripture accounts it to him as if he is liable for his soul, as it is written (Devarim 4:9): "Only take heed to yourself, and heed your soul exceedingly, lest you forget, etc."
Also, through this [(laxity in Torah study)] the idolators grow in strength over Israel, as we find in the Midrash (Eichah Rabba Pethichta) on the verse (Isaiah 5:24): 'As straw [Esav] will consume a tongue of fire [Jacob].' When will the straw consume the fire? 'When they [Israel] despise the Torah of the L-rd their [Israel's] root will be like rot.' The 'merit of the fathers' will not avail them."
We find further in the Midrash (Eichah Rabbah Pethichta): "(Bereshith 27:22): 'The voice is the voice of Jacob' — So long as the voice of Jacob "chirps" in the houses of prayer and the houses of study the hands of Esav will not prevail over him. But if the voice of Jacob, etc."
And, in Midrash Eichah: "When does the kingdom of the idolators make a decree against Israel and succeed in it? When they [Israel] cast words of Torah to the ground, as it is written (Daniel 8:12): 'And a time will be set for the [end of] the daily offering and it [(the idolatrous kingdom)] will throw truth to the ground and it will achieve and prosper.' "Truth" is Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 23:23): 'Buy truth and do not sell it! And it is written (Hoshea 8:3): 'Israel has forsaken truth; the foe will pursue it.' And "good" is nothing other than Torah."
And (Shemoth 17:1): "And they journeyed … and they encamped in Refidim," after which it is written (Ibid. 8): "And Amalek came." This is expounded by Chazal as: [Amalek attacked them] because their hand "weakened" ["rafu yedeihem" (like "refidim")] in Torah.
And in the holy Zohar on Shemoth 5:17: "'You are lax, lax' — You are lax in Torah; therefore, (bid. 9): 'Let the work be heavier upon the men' — with taxes and assessments."
And [(by neglecting Torah study)] he especially injures himself, as Chazal have said: "Whoever forgets one item of his learning brings bout exile to his sons, as it is written (Hoshea 4:6): 'And you have forgotten the Torah of your G-d — I, too, will forget your sons.'"
He is also judged [i.e., punished] in Gehinnom for this sin, as Chazal have said (Bava Bathra 79a): "Whoever separates himself from words of Torah falls into Gehinnom, as it is written (Mishlei 21:16): 'The man who wanders from the path of wisdom will rest in the congregation of refaim' [the shades], "refaim" being nothing other than Gehinnom." And in the holy Zohar, Parshath Vayikra:
"R. Shimon said: 'Happy are those men of soul, those men of Torah, the sons of the service of the Holy King. Woe unto those sinners, who do not merit to cleave to their Master and do not merit Torah. For all those who do not merit Torah, merit neither spirit nor soul, and their cleaving is to sore judgments. One such as these has no portion in the holy King, has no portion in holiness. Woe unto him when he leaves this world. For he will be revealed to those evil hosts, creatures of chutzpah [audacity], hard as dogs, messengers of the fire of Gehinnom, who will have no mercy on him, etc."
And, in the holy Zohar: "How much must men heed their ways and fear the Holy One Blessed be He. For one who does not toil in Torah and does not occupy himself with it is called "rejected" by the Holy One Blessed be He, is distant from Him, and the Shechinah does not repose itself upon him. And those "watchers," who walk with him, remove themselves from him. And, what is more, they call out before him: 'Remove yourselves from Ploni, who is not zealous for the honor of the King. Woe unto him, for he has been forsaken by the celestial and the terrestrial beings, and he has no portion in the way of life!" But when one occupies himself with Torah and, in the service of his Master, toils in Torah, how many "watchers" are readied around him to watch him, and the Shechinah reposes itself upon him, and all call out before him and say: 'Give honor to the image of the King, give honor to the son of the king. He is "watched" in this world and in the world to come. Happy is his portion!'"
And also because of this [(neglect of Torah study)] conflagrations are found in the world, as Chazal say (Shevuoth 39a): "All houses in which words of Torah are not heard at night are consumed by fire" — and it is known that all of Israel are 'guarantors, one for the other.'"
And Rabbeinu Yonah has written in Iggereth Hatshuvah that "when men finish their work and their dealings and go to their houses or idle on the [street] corners or speak idle talk, their evil is very great and their sin exceedingly severe, for they [thereby] shame the Torah. For if they believed that there is no end to its reward, why would they not turn their feet to the house of study to learn? Does not a man rush to work knowing that all is vanity? And how can he forget the life of the world to come and not devote a day or an hour to learning? And let him not say: 'There is yet time to do for the L-rd, to learn Torah, and to occupy oneself with mitzvoth and tzedakoth.' He is guilty! He has sinned greatly against the L-rd! And Chazal have said on the verse (Bamidbar 15:31): 'For the word of the L-rd he has despised, and His commandments he has broken. Cut off shall be that soul; its transgression is in it,' that if it is possible for one to occupy himself with Torah but he does not do so, he shames the word of the L-rd. Therefore, every man is obligated to set aside a place in his house in which to learn halachoth or Scripture, each according to his ability. And when he is finished with his dealings or with his work, he must turn in there to study. And by doing so, he will "do wonders" for his soul, to rescue it from the pit. And he must reflect upon his end and consider his latter end, as Chazal have said: 'Consider three things and you will not come to transgression, etc.' And it is fitting that one find himself a pashut or a half [(types of coins)] to give charity for every day he fails to go to the house of study or to a place where he has one of the holy books to learn from."
[I have heard about a prosperous businessman who separated himself completely from the world's vanities to occupy himself completely with the Torah of the L-rd, day and night. And his brothers and family members banded against him to get him to return to "normal," but he would not pay heed to them and they despaired of him. When his old acquaintances asked him how he had gotten himself not to be swayed by his family's outcry, he answered:
"I reflected upon the words of Chazal (Shabbath 83b): 'Torah endures only with one who "kills himself" over it, etc.'" That is, [one should imagine] that he has already died, and had completed all of his affairs, and, with them, his life. And he were brought to judgment before the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, for all of the things for which he had spent his life in vanity, and emerging "guilty" in the Heavenly din, he screamed: "Woe unto me, for the wickedness of my acts and of my affairs!" If in the midst of all this he were permitted to return immediately to this world and to repent, he certainly would not hesitate for a moment, and would not incline his ear at all to hear of the business of his house.
If so, let a man bethink himself of his sins, and [imagine] that he should have died already, and that if after his death the Holy One Blessed be He had done him the great lovingkindness of permitting him to repent, he certainly would not hesitate to do so for even one moment. If so, what "harm" has the Holy One Blessed be He done him by extending his life so that he can repent in his lifetime itself? Certainly, he must bestir himself with all of his powers to repent of his sins and to study Torah always, or, at least, to set aside a specific time for Torah study and not be swayed by those who would turn him from this.]
בּוֹ יְבֹאַר גֹּדֶל עֹנֶשׁ הַפּוֹרֵשׁ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
In this chapter there will be explained the greatness of the punishment of one who separates himself from Torah.
מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁכָּתַבְנוּ בְּגֹדֶל שְׂכַר הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, נוּכַל מִמֵּילָא לְהָבִין אֶת גֹּדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ שֶׁל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרִי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁשְּׂכַר תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה גָּדוֹל מִכָּל הַמִּצְוֹת, כָּךְ עֹנֶשׁ בִּטּוּלָהּ גָּדוֹל מִכָּל הָעֲוֹנוֹת.
וְאִיתָא בְּאָבוֹת (פרק ו' ב'): אָמַר ר' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בַּת קוֹל יוֹצֵאת מֵהַר חוֹרֵב וּמַכְרֶזֶת וְאוֹמֶרֶת: אוֹי לָהֶם לַבְּרִיּוֹת מֵעֶלְבּוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְכוּ'. וְאִיתָא בְּזֹהַר חָדָשׁ, שֶׁיּוֹם הַדִּין שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לֶעָתִיד כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלאכי ג' י"ט): "כִּי הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר" וְכוּ', זֶה הַיּוֹם שֶׁעָתִיד מֹשֶה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם לִתְבֹּעַ עֶלְבּוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, וְכִדְאִיתָא בַּמִּשְׁנָה: אוֹי לָהֶם לַבְּרִיּוֹת כוּ'. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת עֶלְבּוֹן גָּדוֹל הוּא לַתּוֹרָה, אֲשֶׁר שֹׁרֶשׁ קְדֻשָּׁתָהּ הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהָעוֹלָמוֹת כֻּלָּם כַּיָּדוּעַ, כְּשֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם קְרוּצֵי חֹמֶר, אֲשֶׁר בֶּעָפָר יְסוֹדָם, פּוֹרְשִׁים מִמֶּנָּה.
And in Avoth 6:2 we find: "R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: 'A heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Chorev and proclaims: "Woe unto the creations because of the shame of Torah, etc.!"'" And, in Zohar Chadash it is stated that the destined day of judgment, viz. (Malachi 3:19): "For, behold, the day is coming which will burn like an oven" — this is the day on which Moses, our teacher, may peace be upon him is destined to 'claim the shame of Torah,' as we find in the Mishnah: 'Woe unto the creations, etc.'" For, in truth, it is a great shame to the Torah, whose holiness is rooted above all of the worlds, that the sons of man, moulded from matter, founded in dust, separate themselves from it!"
וְכָתַב בְּסֵפֶר "מַעֲלוֹת הַתּוֹרָה", שֶׁיָּשִׂים הָאָדָם אֶל לִבּוֹ, אִלּוּ הָיוּ מְזַכִּין לְאִישׁ שְׁפַל אֲנָשִׁים לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדַת מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְנוֹרָא, בְּאוֹתָהּ הָעֲבוֹדָה עַצְמָהּ, שֶׁכָּל גְּדוֹלֵי הַמַּלְכוּת עוֹשִׂין אוֹתָהּ, בְּוַדַּאי הָיָה אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ שָׂמֵחַ שִׂמְחָה עֲצוּמָה עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין מְקַבֵּל שׁוּם שָׂכָר עַל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מוֹנֵעַ אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלְּשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה אֵיךְ צָרִיךְ לִשְׂמֹחַ הָאָדָם, שֶׁהוּא זוֹכֶה לִלְמֹד הַתּוֹרָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁכָּל מַלְאֲכֵי מַעְלָה מִשְׁתַּעַשְׁעִין בָּהּ תָּמִיד, וְגַם כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִּים שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן עוֹסְקִּין בָּהּ, וְאַף כִּי לֹא לִמְנֹעַ עַצְמוֹ מִמֶּנָּה. וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל, כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹסֵקּ בַּתּוֹרָה, מַקִּיפִין אוֹתוֹ מַלְאָכִים הַנִּבְרָאִין מֵהֶבֶל פִּיהוּ כִּמְלֹא עַיִן וְהוּא בְּתוֹכוֹ.
And in Ma'aloth HaTorah it is written: "One should take it to heart that if it were granted a lowly man to serve a great, awesome king with the same service that all the dignitaries of the kingdom performed, he would certainly experience infinite joy even though he received nothing for his service. And he certainly would not refuse the service of the king! How much more so should one rejoice for having merited to learn the holy Torah that all the celestial angels constantly disport themselves with, and that all the tzaddikim in Gan Eden occupy themselves with. How much more so, should he not keep himself from it! And Chazal have said that when a man occupies himself with Torah, all the angels who have been created by the breath of his mouth surround him in a circle as far as the eye can see — and he in its midst!
מִמֵּילָא מוּבָן עֹנֶשׁ הָאָדָם הָעוֹזֵב הַתּוֹרָה, עָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (ישעיה א' כ"ח): "וְעֹזְבֵי ה' יִכְלוּ". אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ בּוּשָׁה, אוֹי לְאוֹתָהּ כְּלִמָּה. מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לְיוֹם פְּקֻדָּה? הֲיֵשׁ קֵץ לְעָנְשׁוֹ? כְּפִי גֹּדֶל הַשָּׂכָר כֵּן גֹּדֶל הָעֹנֶשׁ לְהַפּוֹרֵשׁ מִמֶּנָּה.
"We can infer from this the punishment of one who forsakes the Torah, about whom Isaiah has written (Isaiah 1:28): 'And the forsakers of the L-rd shall perish!' Woe to that shame! Woe to that humiliation! What will he do on the day of visitation? Is there an end to his punishment? According to the greatness of the reward [of one who studies it] is the greatness of the punishment of one who separates himself from it!
וִידַמֶּה בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, אִלּוּ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְנוֹרָא רָאָה אָדָם אֶחָד מֻטָּל בְּאַשְׁפָּה, מֻכֶּה וּמְסֻבָּב בְּכָל מִינֵי יִסּוּרִין וָחֳלָאִים רָעִים וְחָסֵר בְּכָל מִינֵי חֶסְרוֹנוֹת, וְנָשָׂא הָאִישׁ הַלָּז חֵן בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְצִוָּה עָלָיו לִרְחֹץ כָּל טִנֹּפֶת שֶׁעָלָיו וְרִפֵּא אוֹתוֹ מִכָּל תַּחֲלוּאָיו, עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בָּרִיא וְשָׁלֵם בְּכָל אֵיבָרָיו, וְהִלְבִּישׁ אוֹתוֹ לְבוּשׁ יָקָּר וְעִטֵּר אוֹתוֹ בְּכַמָּה אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָלִיּוֹת וּמָסַר לוֹ כָּל גְּנָזָיו וְצִוָּה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל הַנְהָגַת הַמַּלְכוּת עַל יָדוֹ, וְנָתַן לוֹ אֶת בִּתּוֹ לְאִשָּׁה וְגִדְּלוֹ עַל כָּל הַשָּׂרִים עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, עַד שֶׁצִּוָּה לְכָל גְּדוֹלֵי מַלְכוּת לְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְפָנָיו בְּבִגְדֵי יְקָר כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יַחְפֹּץ. וְהִנֵּה בְּעוֹד שֶׁהוּא מְלֻבָּשׁ בְּבִגְדֵי מַלְכוּת וּמְעֻטָּר בַּאֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת, וְכָל גְּדוֹלֵי מַלְכוּת הוֹלְכִין לְפָנָיו וּמְאִירִין לוֹ בְּפַנָּסִין, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה רָאָה תִּינוֹקוֹת מְטַפְּחִין בְּאַשְׁפָּה וְלוֹקְטִין אֲבָנִים וּמְשַׂחֲקִין, וְנִתְקַנֵּא בָּהֶם וְעָשָׂה כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וְהִשְׁלִיךְ מֵעָלָיו כָּל בְּגָדָיו הַיְקָרִים וּמָאַס בַּתַּעֲנוּגִים שֶׁנִּתְגַּדֵּל וְעָזַב כָּל גְּדוֹלֵי הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁהָלְכוּ לְפָנָיו, וְנִתְגַּלְגֵּל בָּאַשְׁפָּה וְנִתְלַכְלֵךְ בָּאַשְׁפָּה וְנִתְעַטֵּף בָּהּ כְּמִנְהָגוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן, הֲיֵשׁ קֵץ לְעֹנֶשׁ הָאָדָם הַלָּז, אֲשֶׁר בִּזָּה כְּבוֹד הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמְשָׁרְתָיו עוֹשֵׂי רְצוֹנוֹ, וּמְטַנֵּף בְּגָדָיו הַיְקָרִים וְכוּ'? וְהַנִּמְשָׁל מוּבָן מֵאֵלָיו, שֶׁעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה מְעֻתָּד וּמוּכָן עֳנָשִׁין לְעוֹזְבֵי הַתּוֹרָה וּפוֹרְשִׁין הֵימֶנָּה לְטַפֵּחַ בָּאַשְׁפָּה הַבְלֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ.
"And he should imagine the following: If a great and awesome king saw a man wallowing in filth, smitten and surrounded by all kinds of afflictions and sore illnesses, and lacking everything, and this man found favor in the eyes of the king and he commanded that all the filth be washed from him and healed all of his illnesses until he became healthy and whole in all of his limbs, and clothed him in kingly garments and adorned him with many precious jewels and pearls and gave him all of his treasures and commanded that all the governance of the kingdom be by his hand, and gave him his daughter as a wife and raised him over all the princes and the servants of the king, until he commanded all the great ones of his kingdom to serve him in royal garments according to all that he desired — and, behold, while he was clothed in these kingly garments and adorned in jewels, and all the dignitaries of the kingdom walked before him, leading him with lanterns — at that time, he saw children frolicking in the mud and picking stones to play with, and he envied them and did as they did and cast off all his costly clothes, and spurned all the delights that he had just enjoyed, and abandoned all the dignitaries that walked before him, and rolled in the filth and sullied himself in it as before — would there be an end to this man's punishment for having despised the honor of the king and his ministers, the doers of his will, and sullied his kingly garments, etc.? The analogy is self-explanatory: How much more so is punishment destined and readied for the forsakers of Torah, who separate themselves from it to gambol in the dust of the vanities of this world!"
וּבָזֶה יוּבַן מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (ברכות ה.): כָּל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק - הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵבִיא עָלָיו יִסּוּרִין מְכֹעָרִין וְעוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים ל"ט ג'): "נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וּכְאֵבִי נֶעְכָּר" וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה וְכוּ' (וְהוּא מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא בִּזָּה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה וְעָשָׂה אוֹתָהּ כִּכְלִי אֵין חֵפֶץ בּוֹ, לָכֵן גַּם הוּא נִתְבַּזָּה לְעֵין כֹּל).
This enables us to understand (Berachoth 5a): "If it is possible for one to study Torah and does not do so, the Holy One Blessed be He brings upon him sore afflictions which sully him, as it is written (Psalms 39:3): "I was dumb with silence, silenced from good [i.e., Torah] and my pain [i.e., my afflictions] sullied me." This is measure for measure. Because he shamed the Torah and made it like an unwanted vessel, he, too, was shamed before all.
עוֹד אָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (ברכות ס"ג.): כָּל הַמַרְפֶּה עַצְמוֹ מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, אֵין בּוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲמֹד בְּיוֹם צָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ"ד י'): "הִתְרַפֵּיתָ בְּיוֹם צָרָה, צַר כֹּחֶכָה". וְאִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ עַל פָּסוּק זֶה, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ:
Chazal have also said (Berachoth 63a): "All who are lax in Torah study will lack the strength to withstand a day of affliction, viz. (Mishlei 24:10): 'If you grow lax, in a day of affliction your strength will be straitened.'" And we find in the holy Zohar on this verse:
בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְרַפֵּי מֵאוֹרַיְתָא וְאָזֵיל בְּאוֹרְחִין דְּלָא כְּשֵׁרִין, כַּמָּה בַּעֲלֵי דְּבָבוּ זִמְנִין לְקִבְלֵהּ לְמֶהֱוֵי עֲלֵהּ קַטֵּגוֹרְיָא, אֲפִלּוּ נִשְׁמְתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּאִיהִי חֵילָא דִּילֵהּ אִיהִי מָרָא דְּבָבוּ לְקִבְלֵהּ דִּכְתִיב: "צַר כֹּחֶכָה". הִתְרַפֵּיתָ, מַאן דְּמַרְפֵּי יְדֵהּ מִקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּלָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהַאֵיךְ יָכוֹל בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְתּקְּפָא בְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא? מַאן דְּאִתַּקַּף בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, אִתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, וְיָהֵיב תָּקְפָּא לִשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְכַמָּה סַנֵּגוֹרִין קַיָּמִין עֲלֵהּ לְאַדְכָּרָא לְטָב וְכוּ'.
"When a man grows lax in Torah and walks in ways that are not kasher, how many foes are readied for him to be prosecutors against him in a day of affliction! And even the man's soul, which is his power and his strength, will become his enemy, as it is written 'tzar cochecha' ["Your strength (i.e., soul) will become your foe"]. What is meant by 'you have become lax'? You have loosened your hand from holding fast to the Holy One Blessed be He. And how can a man hold fast to the Holy One Blessed be He? By holding fast to the Torah one holds fast to the "tree of life" and gives strength to the Shechinah and many defenders stand up for him to mention him for the good, etc."
בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָאָדָם מִתְרַפֶּה מֵהַתּוֹרָה, וְהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ לֹא כְּשֵׁרָה, הַרְבֵּה שׂוֹנְאִים מְזֻמָּנִים לוֹ לִהְיוֹת עָלָיו מְקַטְרְגִים בְּיוֹם צָרָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ נִשְׁמַת הָאָדָם, שֶׁהִיא הַכֹּחַ וְהַחֹזֶק שֶׁלּוֹ, הִיא נִהְיֵית שׂוֹנֵא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "צַר כֹּחֶכָה". הִתְרַפֵּיתָ, מִי שֶׁמַּרְפֶּה יָדָיו מֵהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא לְהִתְחַזֵּק בַּקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְאֵיךְ יָכוֹל הָאָדָם לְהִתְחַזֵּק בַּקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁמִּתְחַזֵּק בַּתּוֹרָה, מִתְחַזֵּק בְּעֵץ הַחַיִּים, וְנוֹתֵן תַּעֲצוּמוֹת לַשְּׁכִינָה, וְהַרְבֵּה סַנֵּגוֹרִים עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו לְהַזְכִּירוֹ לְטוֹב וְכוּ'.
עוֹד אִיתָא בְּאָבוֹת (פרק ג' ח'): ר' מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: כָּל הַשּׁוֹכֵחַ דָּבָר אֶחָד מִמִּשְׁנָתוֹ, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב, כְּאִלּוּ מִתְחַיֵּב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד' ט'): "רַק הִשָּׁמֵר לְךָ וּשְׁמֹר נַפְשְׁךָ מְאֹד" וְכוּ'.
We further find in Avoth (3:8): "R. Meir says: 'If one forgets a single thing from his learning, Scripture accounts it to him as if he is liable for his soul, as it is written (Devarim 4:9): "Only take heed to yourself, and heed your soul exceedingly, lest you forget, etc."
גַּם עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְגַּבֵּר עֹל הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (איכה רבה פתיחתא) עַל הַפָּסוּק (ישעיה ה' כ"ד): "כֶּאֱכֹל קַשׁ לְשׁוֹן אֵשׁ". הַקַּשׁ זֶה עֵשָׂו, וְאֵשׁ זֶה יַעֲקֹב. הַקַּשׁ יֹאכַל אֶת הָאֵשׁ, וְאֵימָתַי? "כִּי מָאֲסוּ אֵת תּוֹרַת ה' שָׁרְשָׁם כַּמָּק יִהְיֶה", שֶׁלֹּא תּוֹעִיל לָהֶם זְכוּת אָבוֹת.
Also, through this [(laxity in Torah study)] the idolators grow in strength over Israel, as we find in the Midrash (Eichah Rabba Pethichta) on the verse (Isaiah 5:24): 'As straw [Esav] will consume a tongue of fire [Jacob].' When will the straw consume the fire? 'When they [Israel] despise the Torah of the L-rd their [Israel's] root will be like rot.' The 'merit of the fathers' will not avail them."
עוֹד אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (איכה רבה פתיחתא) (בראשית כ"ז כ"ב): "הַקֹּל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב", כָּל זְמַן שֶׁקּוֹל יַעֲקֹּב מְצַפְצֵף בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, אֵין יְדֵי עֵשָׂו שׁוֹלְטוֹת בּוֹ, אֵין הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב וְכוּ'.
We find further in the Midrash (Eichah Rabbah Pethichta): "(Bereshith 27:22): 'The voice is the voice of Jacob' — So long as the voice of Jacob "chirps" in the houses of prayer and the houses of study the hands of Esav will not prevail over him. But if the voice of Jacob, etc."
וְאִיתָא בְּמִדְרַשׁ אֵיכָה: אֵימָתַי מַלְכוּת הָעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים גּוֹזֶרֶת גְּזֵרָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַצְלַחַת? בִּזְמַן שֶׁמַּשְׁלִיכִין דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ח' י"ב): "וְצָבָא תִּנָּתֵן עַל הַתָּמִיד בְּפָשַׁע וְתַשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה", זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה דִּכְתִיב (משלי כ"ג כ"ג): "אֱמֶת קְנֵה וְאַל תִּמְכֹּר", וּכְתִיב (הוֹשֵׁעַ ח' ג'): "זָנַח יִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹב, אוֹיֵב יִרְדְּפוֹ", וְאֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה.
And, in Midrash Eichah: "When does the kingdom of the idolators make a decree against Israel and succeed in it? When they [Israel] cast words of Torah to the ground, as it is written (Daniel 8:12): 'And a time will be set for the [end of] the daily offering and it [(the idolatrous kingdom)] will throw truth to the ground and it will achieve and prosper.' "Truth" is Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 23:23): 'Buy truth and do not sell it! And it is written (Hoshea 8:3): 'Israel has forsaken truth; the foe will pursue it.' And "good" is nothing other than Torah."
וּכְתִיב (שמות י"ז א'): "וַיִּסְעוּ כוּ' וַיַּחֲנוּ בִּרְפִידִים", כְּתִיב אַחַר זֶה (שָׁם ח'): "וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק", וְדָרְשׁוּ רַזַ"ל: בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁרָפוּ יְדֵיהֶם מִן הַתּוֹרָה.
And (Shemoth 17:1): "And they journeyed … and they encamped in Refidim," after which it is written (Ibid. 8): "And Amalek came." This is expounded by Chazal as: [Amalek attacked them] because their hand "weakened" ["rafu yedeihem" (like "refidim")] in Torah.
וּבַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ עַל הַפָּסוּק (שמות ה' י"ז): "נִרְפִּים אַתֶּם נִרְפִּים", זֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: נִרְפִּים אַתֶּם מֵאוֹרַיְתָא, עַל כֵּן תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבוֹדָה עַל הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּמִסִּים וְאַרְנוֹנִיּוֹת.
And in the holy Zohar on Shemoth 5:17: "'You are lax, lax' — You are lax in Torah; therefore, (bid. 9): 'Let the work be heavier upon the men' — with taxes and assessments."
וּבִפְרָט שֶׁמְּקַלְקֵל בְּדָבָר זֶה לְעַצְמוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (אבות פרק ג' ח'): כָּל הַשׁוֹכֵחַ דָּבָר אֶחָד מִתַּלְמוּדוֹ, גּוֹרֵם גָּלוּת לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ד' ו'): "וַתִּשְׁכַּח תּוֹרַת אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם אֲנִי".
And [(by neglecting Torah study)] he especially injures himself, as Chazal have said: "Whoever forgets one item of his learning brings bout exile to his sons, as it is written (Hoshea 4:6): 'And you have forgotten the Torah of your G-d — I, too, will forget your sons.'"
גַּם בָּנָיו שֶׁל אָדָם מֵתִים כְּשֶׁהֵם קטַנִּים עֲבוּר זֶה הֶעָוֹן. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (שבת ל"ב:).
And a man's sons also die young because of this sin, as Chazal have stated (Shabbath 32b).
גַּם נִדּוֹן בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם עֲבוּר זֶה הַחֵטְא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (בבא בתרא ע"ט): כָּל הַפּוֹרֵשׁ עַצְמוֹ מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, נוֹפֵל בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כ"א ט"ז): "אָדָם תּוֹעֶה מִדֶּרֶךְ הַשְׂכֵּל, בִּקְהַל רְפָאִים יָנוּחַ", וְאֵין רְפָאִים אֶלָּא גֵּיהִנֹּם כוּ'. וּבַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּקְרָא:
He is also judged [i.e., punished] in Gehinnom for this sin, as Chazal have said (Bava Bathra 79a): "Whoever separates himself from words of Torah falls into Gehinnom, as it is written (Mishlei 21:16): 'The man who wanders from the path of wisdom will rest in the congregation of refaim' [the shades], "refaim" being nothing other than Gehinnom." And in the holy Zohar, Parshath Vayikra:
אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן: זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן מָארֵי דְּנִשְׁמְתָא מָארֵי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא בְּנֵי פֻּלְחָנָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וַי לְאִנּוּן חַיָּבַיָּא, דְּלָא זַכָּאָן לְאִתְדַּבָּקָא בְּמָארֵיהוֹן וְלָא זַכָּאָן בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּלָא זָכֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, לָא זָכֵי לָא בְּרוּחַ וְלָא בִּנְשָׁמָה, וְאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּדִינִין בִּישִׁין, וְהַאי לֵית לֵהּ חוּלְקָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, לֵית לֵהּ חוּלְקָא בִּקְדֻשָּׁא. וַי לֵהּ כַּד יִפֹּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, דְּהָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע הוּא לְגַבֵּי אִנּוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין מָארֵי חֲצִיפוּתָא תַּקִּיפָא כְּכַלְבָּא, שְׁלוּחֵי דְּנוּרָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם, דְּלָא מֵרַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְהוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי וְכוּ'.
"R. Shimon said: 'Happy are those men of soul, those men of Torah, the sons of the service of the Holy King. Woe unto those sinners, who do not merit to cleave to their Master and do not merit Torah. For all those who do not merit Torah, merit neither spirit nor soul, and their cleaving is to sore judgments. One such as these has no portion in the holy King, has no portion in holiness. Woe unto him when he leaves this world. For he will be revealed to those evil hosts, creatures of chutzpah [audacity], hard as dogs, messengers of the fire of Gehinnom, who will have no mercy on him, etc."
אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן: אַשְׁרֵי לְאוֹתָם בַּעֲלֵי נְשָמָה, בַּעֲלֵי תוֹרָה, אַנְשֵי עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל הַמֶּלֶךְ הַקָדוֹשׁ, אוֹי לְאוֹתָם הַחוֹטְאִים, שֶׁלֹּא זָכוּ לְהִדָּבֵק בַּאֲדוֹנָם וְלא זָכוּ בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁלּא זָכָה, לֹא בְּרוּחַ וְלֹא בִּנְשָׁמָה, וְהַהִדַּבְּקוּת שֶׁלּוֹ בַּצַּד הַהוּא שֶׁל הַדִּינִים הָרָעַים, זֶה אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק בַּמֶּלֶךְ הַקָדוֹשׁ, אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק בַּקְדֻשָּׁה, אוֹי לוֹ, כְּשֶׁיֵּצֵא מֵהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִתְגַּלָּה לְאוֹתָם הַמִּינִים הָרָעַים בַּעֲלֵי הַחֻצְפָּה הַקָשָׁה כַּכֶּלֶב, שְׁלִיחֵי אֵשׁ הַגֵּיהִנֹּם, שֶׁאֵינָם מְרַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה וְכוּ'.
וְגַם הוּא נָזוּף לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם. כִּדְאִיתָא בְּאָבוֹת (פרק ו' ב'), שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה נִקְרָא נָזוּף.
And he is also rejected by the L-rd, as stated in Avoth 6:2: "Whoever does not occupy himself with Torah is called nazuf ['rejected']."
וּבַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ פָּרָשַׁת מְצֹרָע: כַּמָּה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּמָּרָא אוֹרְחֵיְהוּ וּלְדַחָלָא מִקַּמֵּהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כוּ', דְּכָל מַאן דְּלָא לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל בַּהּ, נְזִיפָא אִיהוּ מִקֻּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רַחִיק הוּא מִנֵּהּ, דְּלָא שָׁרְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמֵּהּ, וְאִנּוּן נָטוֹרִין דְּאָזְלִין עִמֵּהּ אִסְתַּלַּקּוּ מִנֵּהּ, וְלָא עוֹד דְאַכְרְזִין קַמֵּהּ: אִסְתַּלַּקּוּ מִסַּחֲרָנֵהּ דִּפְלַנְיָא, דְּלָא חָס לִיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, וַי לֵהּ, דְּהָא שַׁבְקוּהוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, וְלֵית לֵהּ חֻלְקָּא בְּאוֹרְחָא דְחַיֵּי. וְכַד אִיהוּ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְתָא וּבְפֻלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵהּ, כַּמָּה נָטוֹרִין זִמְנִין לְקִּבְּלֵהּ לְנָטְרָא לֵהּ, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא שָׁרְיָא עֲלֵהּ, וְכֻלָּא מַכְרִזֵי עֲלֵהּ וְאָמְרֵי: הָבוּ יְקָר לִדְיוֹקְנָא דְמַלְכָּא, הָבוּ יְקָר לִבְרֵהּ דְמַלְכָּא, אִתְנְטִיר הוּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
And, in the holy Zohar: "How much must men heed their ways and fear the Holy One Blessed be He. For one who does not toil in Torah and does not occupy himself with it is called "rejected" by the Holy One Blessed be He, is distant from Him, and the Shechinah does not repose itself upon him. And those "watchers," who walk with him, remove themselves from him. And, what is more, they call out before him: 'Remove yourselves from Ploni, who is not zealous for the honor of the King. Woe unto him, for he has been forsaken by the celestial and the terrestrial beings, and he has no portion in the way of life!" But when one occupies himself with Torah and, in the service of his Master, toils in Torah, how many "watchers" are readied around him to watch him, and the Shechinah reposes itself upon him, and all call out before him and say: 'Give honor to the image of the King, give honor to the son of the king. He is "watched" in this world and in the world to come. Happy is his portion!'"
כַּמָּה יֵשׁ לָהֶם, לִבְנֵי אָדָם, לִשְׁמֹר דַּרְכָּם וְלִירֹא מִפְּנֵי הַקָדוֹש בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְכוּ', שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁלֹּא עָמַל בַּתּוֹרָה וְלֹא עסַק בָּהּ, נָזוּף הוּא מֵהַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רָחוֹק הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלֹא שׁוֹרָה הַשְּׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ. וְאוֹתָם הַשּׁוֹמְרִים, שֶׁהוֹלְכִים עִמּוֹ, מִסְתַּלְּקִים מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁמַּכְרִיזִים לְפָנָיו: הִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִסְּבִיב פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁלֹּא חָס לְכַבֵּד הַמֶּלֶךְ, אוֹי לוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עֲזָבוּהוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק בְּדֶרֶךְ הַחַיִּים. וּכְשֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה, וּבַעֲבוֹדַת אֲדוֹנוֹ יַעֲמֹל בַּתּוֹרָה, כַּמָּה שוֹמְרִים מְזֻמָּנִים לְעֻמָּתוֹ לְשָׁמְרוֹ, וְהַשְּכִינָה שׁוֹרָה עלָיו, וְכֻלָּם מַכְרִיזִים עלָיו וְאוֹמְרִים: תְּנוּ כָּבוֹד לְצוּרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ, תְּנוּ כָּבוֹד לְבֶן הַמֶּלֶךְ, שָׁמוּר הוּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אַשְׁרֵי חֶלְקוֹ.
וְגַם עֲבוּר זֶה מָצוּי לִהְיוֹת שְׂרֵפוֹת בָּעוֹלָם. כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (סנהדרין ב.): כָּל בַּיִת שֶׁאֵין דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה נִשְׁמָעִין בּוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה אֵשׁ אוֹכַלְתּוֹ. וְיָדוּעַ שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִים זֶה לָזֶה (שבועות ל"ט.).
And also because of this [(neglect of Torah study)] conflagrations are found in the world, as Chazal say (Shevuoth 39a): "All houses in which words of Torah are not heard at night are consumed by fire" — and it is known that all of Israel are 'guarantors, one for the other.'"
וְכָתַב רַבֵּנוּ יוֹנָה בְּאִגֶּרֶת הַתְּשׁוּבָה, כְּשֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם פּוֹסְקִּים מִמְּלַאכְתָּם וּמֵעִסְקֵָּיהֶם וְהוֹלְכִים לְבָתֵּיהֶם, אוֹ יוֹשְׁבִים בַּקְּרָנוֹת, כְּשֶׁהֵם בְּטֵלִים אוֹ מְשִׂיחִים בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים, רָעָתָם רַבָּה וְחַטָּאתָם כְּבֵדָה מְאֹד, לְפִי שֶׁהֵם מְבַזִּים אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיוּ מַאֲמִינִים שֶׁאֵין תַּכְלִית לְמַתַּן שְׂכָרָהּ, לָמָּה לֹא יָשִׁיבוּ רַגְלֵיהֶם לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לִלְמֹד? הֲלֹא הָאָדָם זָרִיז וְאָץ בְּרַגְלָיו לִמְלַאכְתּוֹ וְלַעֲסָקָיו וְיוֹדֵעַ כִּי הַכֹּל הֶבֶל, וְאֵיךְ יִשְׁכַּח חַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא וְלֹא יִתֵּן חֵלֶק בְּיוֹם מִן הַיָּמִים אוֹ שָׁעָה מִן הַשָּׁעוֹת לִלְמֹד? וְאַל יֹאמַר בְּלִבּוֹ: עוֹד עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה', לִקְרֹא בַּתּוֹרָה וְלַעֲסֹק בְּמִצְוֹת וּצְדָקוֹת, אָשַׁם הוּא, אָשֹׁם אָשַׁם לַה'. וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (סנהדרין צ"ט.) עַל הַפָּסוּק (במדבר ט"ו ל"א): "כִּי דְבַר ה' בָּזָה וְאֶת מִצְוָתוֹ הֵפַר, הִכָּרֵת תִּכָּרֵת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא, עֲוֹנָהּ בָהּ", דְּכָל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק, שֶׁהוּא בּוֹזֶה אֶת דְּבַר ה', עַל כֵּן חַיָּב כָּל אָדָם לְתַקֵּן מָקוֹם בְּבֵיתוֹ לִלְמֹד שָׁם הֲלָכוֹת אוֹ מִקְרָא, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי עֶרְכּוֹ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר יִפָּנֶה מֵעֲסָקָיו וּמִדֵּי עָבְרוֹ מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ, יָסוּר שָׁמָּה לִשְׁנוֹת אוֹ לִקְרוֹת. וּבַתַּקָּנָה הַזֹּאת יַפְלִיא עֵצָה לְנַפְשׁוֹ לַחֲשׂךְ אוֹתָהּ מִנִּי שַׁחַת. וְיַחֲשֹׁב עַל קִּצּוֹ וְיָבִין לְאַחֲרִיתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל: הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלֹשָה דְּבָרִים וְכוּ'. וְנָכוֹן שֶׁיִּקְנֹס כָּל אָדָם עַצְמוֹ בְּפָשׁוּט אוֹ בְּמֶחֱצָה לִתֵּן צְדָקָה, עַל כָּל יוֹם שֶׁיִּפְשַׁע מִלֶּכֶת לְבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְאֶל מָקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לוֹ סֵפֶר אֶחָד מִסִּפְרֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ לִלְמֹד שָׁם, עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ יוֹנָה.
And Rabbeinu Yonah has written in Iggereth Hatshuvah that "when men finish their work and their dealings and go to their houses or idle on the [street] corners or speak idle talk, their evil is very great and their sin exceedingly severe, for they [thereby] shame the Torah. For if they believed that there is no end to its reward, why would they not turn their feet to the house of study to learn? Does not a man rush to work knowing that all is vanity? And how can he forget the life of the world to come and not devote a day or an hour to learning? And let him not say: 'There is yet time to do for the L-rd, to learn Torah, and to occupy oneself with mitzvoth and tzedakoth.' He is guilty! He has sinned greatly against the L-rd! And Chazal have said on the verse (Bamidbar 15:31): 'For the word of the L-rd he has despised, and His commandments he has broken. Cut off shall be that soul; its transgression is in it,' that if it is possible for one to occupy himself with Torah but he does not do so, he shames the word of the L-rd. Therefore, every man is obligated to set aside a place in his house in which to learn halachoth or Scripture, each according to his ability. And when he is finished with his dealings or with his work, he must turn in there to study. And by doing so, he will "do wonders" for his soul, to rescue it from the pit. And he must reflect upon his end and consider his latter end, as Chazal have said: 'Consider three things and you will not come to transgression, etc.' And it is fitting that one find himself a pashut or a half [(types of coins)] to give charity for every day he fails to go to the house of study or to a place where he has one of the holy books to learn from."
הג"ה.[ וְשָׁמַעְתִּי מַעֲשֶׂה עַל גְּבִיר אֶחָד וּבַעַל עֲסָקַים גָּדוֹל, שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ עַצְמוֹ לְגַמְרֵי מֵהַבְלֵי עוֹלָם לַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרַת ה' יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה. וְחָבְרוּ עָלָיו אֶחָיו וּבֵית אָבִיו וְאַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתוֹ לְהַחֲזִירוֹ לְעִנְיָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא הִטָּה אֹזֶן לָהֶם, וְנִתְיָאֲשׁוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. וּשְׁאָלוּהוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמַּכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ מִכְּבָר לְעַסְקָן גָּדוֹל, בְּאֵיזֶה אֹפֶן פָּעַל בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַטּוֹת אֹזֶן לְצַעֲקַת אַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתוֹ.
[I have heard about a prosperous businessman who separated himself completely from the world's vanities to occupy himself completely with the Torah of the L-rd, day and night. And his brothers and family members banded against him to get him to return to "normal," but he would not pay heed to them and they despaired of him. When his old acquaintances asked him how he had gotten himself not to be swayed by his family's outcry, he answered:
וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמַר אֲלֵיהֶם: הִתְבּוֹנַנְתִּי בְּמַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (שבת פ"ג:): אֵין הַתּוֹרָה מִתְקַיֶּמֶת, אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁמֵּמִית עַצְמוֹ עָלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְגוֹ', וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּאִלּוּ כְּבָר מֵת. וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּתְבּוֹנֵן בְּעַצְמוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ כְּבָר גָּמַר כָּל עֲסָקָיו שֶׁהָיָה בְּכֹחוֹ, וְגַם גָּמַר בָּהֶם אֶת יְמֵי חַיָּיו, וְהֱבִיאוּהוּ לְדִין לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כָּל הָעִנְיָנִים, שֶׁכִּלָּה בָּהֶם אֶת זְמַנּוֹ לַהֶבֶל וְלָרִיק, וְיָצָא חַיָּב בְּדִין שֶׁל מַעְלָה. וְהוּא צוֹעֵק: אוֹי לִי, וַי לִי עַל רֹעַ מַעֲשַׂי וְעַל רֹעַ עִנְיָנַי. וְאִלּוּ בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ הִרְשׁוּהוּ, שֶׁיֵּרֵד תֵּכֶף לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְיַעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא הָיָה מִתְעַצֵּל אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד מִזֶּה וְלֹא הָיָה מַטֶּה אָזְנוֹ כְּלָל לֵידַע מֵעִסְקַי בֵּיתוֹ.
"I reflected upon the words of Chazal (Shabbath 83b): 'Torah endures only with one who "kills himself" over it, etc.'" That is, [one should imagine] that he has already died, and had completed all of his affairs, and, with them, his life. And he were brought to judgment before the King of kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, for all of the things for which he had spent his life in vanity, and emerging "guilty" in the Heavenly din, he screamed: "Woe unto me, for the wickedness of my acts and of my affairs!" If in the midst of all this he were permitted to return immediately to this world and to repent, he certainly would not hesitate for a moment, and would not incline his ear at all to hear of the business of his house.
וְאִם כֵּן יַחְשֹׁב הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ לְפִי עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לוֹ לָמוּת מִכְּבָר, וְאִם אַחֲרֵי הַמָּוֶת הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ בְּחֶסֶד גָּדוֹל וְהָיָה נוֹתֵן לוֹ רְשׁוּת שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר בִּתְשׁוּבָה, בְּוַדַּאי לֹא הָיָה מִתְרַפֶּה מִזֶּה אֲפִלּוּ רֶגַע אֶחָד, אִם כֵּן מַה הֶזֵּק עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא מַאֲרִיךְ אֶת יְמֵי חַיָּיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה בְּחַיָּיו מַמָּשׁ? בְּוַדַּאי צָרִיךְ לְזָרֵז אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל כֹּחוֹתָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה עַל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו וְלִלְמֹד הַתּוֹרָה תָּמִיד, וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים לִהְיוֹת לוֹ עֵת קָבוּעַ תָּמִיד לַתּוֹרָה וְלֹא לְהַטּוֹת אֹזֶן כְּלָל לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהַפְרִיעוֹ מִזֶּה].
If so, let a man bethink himself of his sins, and [imagine] that he should have died already, and that if after his death the Holy One Blessed be He had done him the great lovingkindness of permitting him to repent, he certainly would not hesitate to do so for even one moment. If so, what "harm" has the Holy One Blessed be He done him by extending his life so that he can repent in his lifetime itself? Certainly, he must bestir himself with all of his powers to repent of his sins and to study Torah always, or, at least, to set aside a specific time for Torah study and not be swayed by those who would turn him from this.]