Toil Renews the Torah

בפסוק שימו לבבכם כו' כי לא דבר רק הוא מכם דרשו חז"ל אם רק הוא מכם שאין אתם יגיעים בה כו'

On the verse "Set your hearts ... for it is not an empty thing for you" (Devarim 32:46-47), Chazal expounded: If it is empty, it is because of you — because you do not toil sufficiently in it.

The Sfas Emes cites the Midrash on the verse: if a person finds the Torah to be "empty" and lifeless, the lack is not in the Torah but in himself, since he has not labored in it as he should.

ודברים הללו צריכין לעורר לב האדם בהיות נאמר רק הוא מכם שבכח בנ"י ביגיעתם בתורה למלאות הדברים

These words must arouse the heart of a person, for in saying "it is empty from you," the verse teaches that it lies in the power of Bnei Yisrael, through their toil in Torah, to fill these words with meaning.

This idea should stir a person, because the very phrase "empty from you" hints that Bnei Yisrael themselves hold the power to fill the Torah with meaning through their toil.

כי התורה אין לה סוף וכפי יגיעת בנ"י בתורה כך מתחדשין הדברים ומתמלאים

For the Torah has no end, and according to the toil of Bnei Yisrael in the Torah, so do its matters renew themselves and become filled.

Since the Torah is infinite, the measure of a person's exertion in it draws out new insights and gives the words their fullness.

וזה כח תורה שבע"פ שנאמר וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו

This is the special power of Torah she'b'al peh, the Oral Torah, as we say, "and eternal life He has planted within us."

This renewing, expanding quality is the unique strength of the Oral Torah, which Chazal describe as the "eternal life" Hashem planted within Bnei Yisrael.

וע"ז איתא ב"ק יוצאת אוי להם לבריות מעלבונה של תורה שכבוד התורה תלוי בהעוסקים בה כמ"ש שם באבות

Concerning this it is taught that a Heavenly voice goes forth and proclaims, "Woe to the creatures because of the affront to the Torah" — for the honor of the Torah depends upon those who occupy themselves with it, as is stated there in Pirkei Avos.

The Sfas Emes brings the teaching of the Heavenly voice that laments the affront to the Torah, showing that the honor of the Torah rises or falls with the diligence of those who learn it.

ועיין מ"ש לקמן בשמחת תורה עוד מזה:

And see what is written further on, in the piece for Simchas Torah, with more on this matter.

He closes by referring the reader to his later piece on Simchas Torah, where he develops this theme further.

Summary: The Sfas Emes builds on Chazal's reading of "it is not an empty thing for you" — that if the Torah seems empty, the deficiency lies in the learner's lack of toil. Because the Torah is without end, the measure of Bnei Yisrael's exertion is what causes its words to renew and fill with ever-fresh meaning. This is precisely the power of Torah she'b'al peh, the "eternal life" Hashem planted within us, which grows through the labor of those who learn it. He reinforces this with the Heavenly voice that mourns the affront to the Torah, teaching that the very honor of the Torah depends on the diligence of those who occupy themselves with it. The honor and vitality of Torah are thus placed squarely in the hands of Bnei Yisrael and their avodah of learning.