Bamidbar 3 תרל”א

ר’ מאיר אומר כל העוסק בתורה לשמה כו’.
R’ Meir say whoever toils in Torah merits many things etc (avot 6:1)
פי’ הפשוט כדי לעשות.
The simple understanding (of learning Torah Lishma) is learning in order to (know what to) do
וזה שם תורה כדי להורות לאדם המעשה.
This is what the actual word Torah means from the same word as hora’a instruction to man what to do
כי בוודאי עיקר היגיעה בתורה לבטל שכלו ודעתו כדי לידע ולהבין רצון השי”ת ודעת התורה.
Because the main toiling is Torah is definitely in to nullify one’s own comprehension and knowledge to know and understand the will of HaShem and to know the Torah
ובמדרש נמשלה תורה במדבר שצריך להיות הפקר כמדבר כמ”ש וממדבר מתנה
And the Medrash says that the TOrah is compared to a desert, because one needs to be completely ownerless Hefker like a midbar-a desert as it says (Bnei Yisrael travelled) from Midbar to Matana (This can also be understood that when a person makes himself out to be a Midbar he will reach receiving the Torah as a gift).
משל לנשיא שנכנס למדינה וברחו כו’ למדבר וקיבלו בכבוד כו’.
The Medrash (Tanchuma Bamidbar 2, Raba 1:2) also compares it to a parable of a prince who came into onen town and everyone ran away from him (out of fear), and the same in second town, but when he came to their town everyone accepted him and praised him.So too HaShem came to the sea and it ran away (at the splitting of the sea) and the mountains fled, but when He came to the desert it was completely barren and accepting and therefore He said this is where I will build my palace
פי’ דבר היא מנהיג ומושל.
The (word Midbar is related to the word) Dabar leader and ruler
ומדבר הוא להיות נכנע תחת המנהיג.
And the word midbar refers to a person being completely subjected to the leader
והיינו שאדם מבטל עצמו שאין לו שום כח ופעולה בלי חיות השי”ת.
Meaning that a person nullifies himself completely that he doesn’t have any strength at all without the life force of HaShem
וזהו ההפרש בין בני המדינה שברחו והי’ להם ג”כ יראה ממנו.
This is the difference between the townspeople that ran away from the prince, (even though) they feared him
אך הי’ להם גם כח בפ”ע.
However they also had their own strength
וכענין שכ’ שאומות קורין להשי”ת אלקי דאלקיא.
in a similar vein we find that the nations call HaShem the God of gods (attributing strength to other gods as well)
אבל בנ”י כמדבר שאין להם שום כח והנהגה בפ”ע כלל.
However Bnei Yisrael are like a desert where they (acknowledge that they) have no strength or direction from themselves
וז”ש ירא שמים בסתר ובגלוי.
This is the meaning of the verse (we say in Shacharit in korbanos), we should have fear of heaven in hidden places and in revealed places
פי’ בגלוי ע”י שיודע שהשי”ת משגיח על כל דבר ונופל עליו יראה.
the revealed places are in reference to a person who is aware that HaShem is watching him and has fear
ובסתר הוא להיות נדבק יראתו ית’ בחיות האדם שלא יהי’ שום פעולה ותנועה שישכח שהוא בכח השי”ת ורק כגרזן ביד החוצב בו.
The hidden places refer to a person who is connected to much to the fear of HaShem in the person’s core existence that in every action he does he never forgets that he under the complete control of HaShem, and he is only like an axe in the hand of the chopper
וכן עסק התורה להיות בטל אל הנהגת התורה לעשות כל מעשה רק להיות נעשה רצון השי”ת ומבוקשו.
And so too when a person toils in Torah. (The work is) in order that he should become completely nullified to the directive of the Torah that every action will be (exclusively) to do the will of HaShem and his desire
כי באורייתא ברא קוב”ה עלמא. ונמצא כי יוכל להתדבק בהשי”ת בכל מעשה ממש ע”י כח התורה.
Because it was with the Torah that the world was created so therefore a person can completely connect in literally every action to HaShem through the energy of the Torah
וע”י שמכניע עצמו ומתבטל בכל מעשה אל חיות הפנימיות חיותו ית’. ע”י אותיות התורה שיש בכל מעשה
And through humbling himself and nullifying every action to the core life force of HaShem. Through the words of the Torah that is in every action
וזה לשמה.
This is (therefore) the meaning of (one who toils in Torah) Lishma (ie elevating and nullifying every action exclusively to the will of HaShem)
כי הנבראים לכבודו ברא כמ”ש ולכבודי בראתיו כו’ והוא בחי’ כבוד שמו ית’ והבן:
For all of creation was created for HaShem’s honour as it says ‘for My honour I created them etc’, and this is the idea of the honour of HaShem.