Torah as the Tree of Life

בגמ' הלשון שלא שמת חלקי מיושבי קרנות כו'.

In the Gemara is the expression: "...that You did not place my portion among those who sit at the street-corners (yoshvei keranos)..." (Berachos 28b).

The Sefas Emes takes up the formula recited by one leaving the beis midrash, thanking Hashem for the privilege of Torah rather than the lot of the "yoshvei keranos," those occupied with idle worldly pursuits.

כדאיתא בזוה"ק כי התורה נותנת חיים לכל הנבראים כמ"ש עץ חיים הוא.

As it is brought in the holy Zohar, that the Torah gives life to all creatures, as it says, "It is a tree of life" (Mishlei 3:18).

The Torah is the source of vitality (chiyus) flowing into all of creation; it is literally the "tree of life" from which everything draws its existence.

אילנא דחיי.

The Tree of Life (ilana d'chayei).

The Sefas Emes restates the image in the Aramaic of the Zohar: the Torah is the great tree from which all life branches out.

רק ת"ח העוסקים בה דבקין בגוף האילן וכל הנבראים כפי זכותם מתקרבים ומתרחקין להקרנות כנ"ל.

Only, the talmidei chachamim who toil in it cleave to the body (trunk) of the tree, while all creatures, according to their merit, draw nearer or farther — to the "corners," as mentioned.

Those who immerse themselves in Torah are attached to the very trunk of the tree of life, while others stand at varying distances out toward the branches and "corners," receiving life only secondhand. This is the deeper meaning of being saved from the lot of the "yoshvei keranos" — the corners of the tree, far from its core.

לכן ביום הזה שמתעורר גוף האילן מתחדש חיות בכל התלוין בו ונקרא יום הביכורים מטעם זה.

Therefore on this day, when the body of the tree is aroused, new vitality is renewed in all that hang upon it, and for this reason it is called "the day of the first-fruits" (Yom HaBikkurim).

On Shavuos, the day the Torah was given, the very trunk of the tree of life is reawakened, sending fresh chiyus into everything dependent on it. Hence it is "Yom HaBikkurim," the day the first ripening of life surges forth.

כ"כ בזוה"ק אמור.

So it is written in the holy Zohar, parashas Emor.

The Sefas Emes cites the Zohar in Emor as the source for this understanding of Yom HaBikkurim.

ולכן אית בי' ביטול יצה"ר ונק' עצרת שהכל מתבטלין להתורה:

And therefore there is in it a nullification of the yetzer hara, and it is called "Atzeres," for all become nullified (mevatel) to the Torah.

Because the trunk of the tree of life is aroused on this day, the yetzer hara is subdued; the day is called "Atzeres" (a gathering/restraint) because all of creation is drawn into bittul before the Torah, the source of all life.

Summary: The Torah is the Tree of Life that gives chiyus to all creation. Talmidei chachamim cleave to its very trunk, while others stand farther out toward the "corners" — the lot the departing scholar gives thanks to have escaped. On Shavuos, Yom HaBikkurim, the trunk of the tree is reawakened and fresh life surges into everything attached to it; this is why the yetzer hara is nullified and the day is called Atzeres, when all creation is drawn into bittul before the Torah.