Nefesh HaChayim, Gate IV

And also, all the worlds and the creations are then in a state of extraordinary joy, and are illuminated by the splendor of the supernal light that flows abundantly upon them from the place that’s the supernal source of the Torah, as is stated in the chapter of the levels of Torah (Avot, chapter 6): “brings joy to God-Ma-kome, brings joy to the creations”. And Torah also said the same (Mishlei 8:30): “And I become a source of delight each and every day”.

And in Zohar Va-yahk-heil (217a): “…began and said: ‘then those who fear God-YHV”H were spoken1047Heb.: nid-b’roo to one another…’ (Malachi 3:16). It should have said ‘then they spoke1048Heb.: dibroo’. Why does it say ‘were spoken’? It’s that those holy vehicles1049Aram.: ra-ti-khin—a vehicle moves something from one place to another. In this case, the words of Torah are moved from the lower worlds into the upper ones. were spoken above, all of those holy hosts, as an effect of the holy words that ascend heavenward. And how many of them proceed before them and carry them before the holy King, and are crowned in a number of crowns via those supernal lights, and all are spoken before the supernal King. Who has seen the joy? Who has seen the praises that ascend to all those heavens before the holy King. And the holy King gazes at them and crowns them, and they ascend upon His head and become a crown, and then descend and rest in His bosom inside His power, and from there they ascend upon His head. And regarding this the Torah stated: ‘And I become1050Heb.: va-eh-heh-yeh—in the present tense a source of delight each and every day’.” And it doesn’t state ‘and I became’1051Heb.: v’ha-yee-tee—in the past tense but rather ‘and I become’, at every moment and in every instant that supernal words ascend before Him.” (This completes the quote.)

And whenever a person involves himself and attaches himself to it [fem.]1052Torah as is deserving, the words are as joyous as they were when given at Sinai, as is written in Zohar, beginning of parshat Chu-kaht: “Rabbee Yosee began: ‘And this is the Torah…’ (D’varim 4:44)—Observe, the words of Torah— holy they are, supernal they are, sweet they are, as is written (Tehillim 19:11): ‘They are more desirable than gold…’. One who labors in Torah is as if he stands each day on Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, this being what is written (D’varim 27:9): ‘This day you have become a nation’.”

And in parshat Ah-kha-rei (69a): “We learned that anyone who listens to words of Torah, he is fortunate in this world as if he received the Torah from Sinai. And one must listen to words of Torah from all people, and one who inclines his ear to receive them gives honor to the holy King, and gives honor to the Torah. About him is written ‘this day you have become a nation…’.”

And the reason for it is, that just as at the moment of the sanctified occasion1053The giving of the Torah at Sinai they were attached to His (blessed be He) words, so too now, at literally every instant that a person is involved with and meditates upon/studies1054Heb.: ho-geh it [fem.]1055The Torah, he is literally attached by it [fem.] to His (blessed be He) words as a result that all of it are the utterances of His (blessed be He) mouth to Moshe on Sinai. And that even includes what a young student asks of his teacher, as mentioned previously in chapter six. Now too, when a person is involved with it [fem.], for each word, that specific word is literally quarried at that moment as a fiery flame from His (blessed be His name) mouth (so to speak) as we learned. And it is considered as if we are now receiving it at Sinai from His (blessed be His name) mouth, and for that reason our sages stated a few times: “and the words were as joyous as when they were given at Sinai”.

And then the abundance of light and blessing flows downwards and is drawn from the source of its supernal root upon all the worlds, and even the earth is illuminated from its glory and is blessed, and it brings much goodness and the abundance of blessing to the world.

And in Tahna D’vei Eliyahu, Seder Eliyahu Rabba, chapter 18 it states: “Because he studies the Torah, lo—this brings goodness to the world, and he’s able to request mercy and to pray before the Holy One (blessed be He), and it will shake the sky and bring rain to the world…”.

And it says more there: “Whenever Israel are involved with Torah and perform the will of their Father in heaven, the Holy One (blessed be He) Himself is caused to turn toward them for blessing, for it is stated (Tehillim 85:12): ‘Truth will sprout from the earth and justice will peer1056Heb.: nish-kaf from heaven’, and there is no ‘peering’ except for the purpose of blessing, for it is stated (D’varim 26:15): ‘peer… and bless Your people Israel…’.”