What Does Hashem Really Do When We Study Torah? A Surprising Answer from the Midrash

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in his book "Nefesh HaChaim" (Gate 4, Chapter 7) describes the correct way to approach Torah study. According to him, just before beginning study, a person should pause and prepare their heart and soul through a pure reverence for Hashem.

These steps include:

Sitting in Inner Reflection – A short time where a person focuses on the purity of their heart.

Confession of Sins – A heartfelt confession, where the person cleanses themselves from their sins and prepares to study with sanctity.

Intention and Attachment – The intention of the heart to connect with Hashem through Torah study, understanding that learning is a real connection to Hashem's word and service.

In this approach, study becomes not just an intellectual exercise but a profound spiritual encounter, where a person unifies with Hashem's word and with Hashem Himself, as Rabbi Chaim says: "And should intend to bind through his study with it in the Torah with Hashem, that is, to bind with all his might to Hashem's word, this is the Halacha, and thus he is truly, as it were, clinging to Him."

Rabbi Chaim further deepens the connection between a person's Torah study and Hashem's word itself. He teaches that a person studying the Torah is not just understanding or interpreting Hashem's words but, in fact, becomes a partner in the divine dimension of the Torah.

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin writes:

"Not only that but also at the very moment that a person studies Torah below, every word he utters from his mouth is as if coming from the mouth of Hashem, as it were, at that very moment.

The Torah student must understand that every word that comes from his mouth during study is as if it comes at that moment from Hashem.

The Midrash illustrates this idea through the question of Rabbi Evyatar to Elijah the Prophet, where it is said that Hashem studies the same subject that the Torah scholars on earth are engaged in. Elijah describes how Hashem says the words of Rabbi Evyatar and Rabbi Yochanan, which express the absolute unity between a person's Torah words and Hashem's word.

This is how Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin writes:

"'And his concubine acted unfaithfully against him,' Rabbi Evyatar said: He found a fly, Rabbi Yochanan said: A hair, etc., and Rabbi Evyatar asked Elijah the Prophet: What is Hashem doing? He told him: He is studying 'The Concubine at Gibeah,' and what does He say? Evyatar my son says so, Yonatan my son says so, and it was because Rabbi Evyatar and Rabbi Yochanan were engaged in discussing the matter of the concubine at Gibeah, that at that time also He was repeating their words truly, and His blessed name and His speech are one."

From here, Torah study is not only a human action but active participation in the continuation of Hashem's word in the world. The learner truly and deeply connects to Hashem, and their Torah elevates and becomes part of the divine discourse that enlivens all of creation.

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin continues to write:

"About this, King David said: 'Your Torah is good for me,' meaning: My heart rejoices in my toil in the holy Torah with great power as I bring to heart that it is Your Torah, that every word truly from the Torah I engage in now – all of it came out, and even now it comes from Your mouth.

Therefore, all the Torah is equally sacred without any division or change at all, Heaven forbid, because it is all the speech of His blessed name truly, and if even one letter is missing from a Torah scroll from the verse: 'And the sister of Lotan was Timna,' it is rendered invalid, like if one letter was missing from the Ten Commandments or in the verse 'Shema Yisrael."

In other words, King David expresses in the verse "Your Torah is good for me" the delight and attachment he feels in his Torah toil. The reason lies in the deep awareness that the Torah words a person engages in are not merely human study but are Hashem's words themselves, spoken also now from His blessed mouth. Every word and expression in the Torah is equal in holiness, for they all originate from the infinite divine source, with no difference between central verses like "Shema Yisrael" and seemingly marginal verses like "And the sister of Lotan was Timna." The sanctity of the Torah is unified and complete, and any defect, even in one letter, removes its perfection and shows how every detail is important and essential.

In conclusion, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin teaches us that Torah toil is a connection to the source of divine sanctity. The understanding that every word and expression in the Torah is "Your Torah" gives Torah toil a depth and meaning that is unparalleled. It is a powerful reminder of the value of Torah study and its absolute importance, where a person merits to be a partner in Hashem's word that continues into the world at every moment. In this way, the Torah ascends to become not just a book of laws or learning, but a thread connecting a person to their Creator in sanctity and love.

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