Toiling in Torah beyond comprehension

תלכו פרש"י מת"כ להיות עמלים בתורה.

"You shall walk (telechu)" — Rashi explains, from the Toras Kohanim, that you should be toiling (ameilim) in Torah.

The Sefas Emes begins from Rashi's reading of "if you walk in My statutes" as a call to labor diligently in Torah study.

זהו נק' עמל בתורה להלוך בחקיו ית' לכן אפילו אינו מבין מ"מ מייגע עצמו בתורה שחביב בעיניו להגות במאמרו יתברך אפילו שאינו זוכה להשיג הטעם.

This is what is called "toil in Torah" — to walk in His statutes (chukim); therefore even if one does not understand, nonetheless he exerts himself in Torah, for it is precious in his eyes to meditate upon His word, even though he does not merit to grasp the reason.

True ameilus baTorah is to engage in Torah as a chok — a decree beyond reason — laboring over Hashem's words out of love for them even when comprehension is out of reach.

כי התורה נעלמה מעיני כל חי והאדם צריך לעסוק בתורה אחר הידיעה שא"א להשיג א' מני אלף שבה.

For the Torah is hidden from the eyes of every living being, and a person must engage in Torah with the awareness that it is impossible to grasp even one in a thousand of it.

Torah is infinitely beyond full human comprehension; the proper attitude is to study it knowing one can never master more than a tiny fraction.

ואז יש לו חלק בשורש התורה.

And then he has a portion in the root of the Torah.

It is precisely this humble, reason-transcending engagement that connects a person to the very root and essence of Torah.

לכן כתב המהר"ל שמברכין לעסוק בדברי תורה הגם שא"י להשיג מ"מ עוסק הוא בתורה.

Therefore the Maharal wrote that we bless "to engage in the words of Torah (la'asok b'divrei Torah)" — for although one cannot fully grasp it, nonetheless he is engaging in Torah.

The Maharal explains the wording of the berachah: the value lies in the act of "engaging" itself, not necessarily in achieving understanding.

וכ"ה תמיד בזוה"ק לאשתדלא באורייתא.

And so it is always in the Zohar HaKodosh: "to strive (le'ishtadla) in the Torah."

The Zohar consistently frames Torah study as "striving" — the effort and exertion are themselves the avodah.

ובגמ' נדרים ולא הלכו בה שלא בירכו בתורה תחלה.

And in the Gemara Nedarim: "and they did not walk in it" — that they did not first recite the blessing over the Torah.

The Gemara explains the destruction of the land as stemming from a failure to "walk in" Torah, identified with not making the berachah over it beforehand.

פי' פשיטא אחר שזוכין לטעום טעמי תורה.

The explanation: it is obvious that after one merits to taste the flavors (ta'amei) of Torah —

Once a person has already experienced the sweetness and reasons of Torah, the question of motivation is no longer difficult.

מי פתי לא יתמלא שמחה וחדוה לברכו ית'.

— what simpleton would not be filled with joy and gladness to bless Him?

Anyone who has tasted Torah's depth would naturally overflow with joy and bless Hashem; the real test comes earlier.

אך העיקר בתחילה קודם שמשיג רק מתאוה להגות בדברי קודש דברי אלהים חיים.

But the essential point is at the beginning, before he comprehends — when he merely yearns to meditate upon the holy words, "the words of the living God."

The true berachah and proper "walking" is to bless and desire Torah before any understanding arrives — purely out of love and yearning for Hashem's living words.

ומסיים הפסוק ונתתי גשמיכם.

And the pasuk concludes: "and I will give your rains (gishmeichem)."

The reward promised for "walking in My statutes" is material blessing — the rains in their season.

כי הגם שאז"ל שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא.

For although Chazal said that there is no reward for a mitzvah in this world (s'char mitzvah b'hai alma leka) —

This seems to contradict the principle that mitzvah reward is reserved for the World to Come, not this one.

היינו מצד השכל ועבודת האדם כך הוא.

— that is from the standpoint of reason and human avodah; in that sense it is so.

Within the framework of logical cause-and-effect and a person's own service, indeed no this-worldly reward is earned.

אבל באמת הש"י נתן חוק להיות כל עוה"ז תלוי בתורה.

But in truth Hashem established a decree (chok) that all of this world depends upon Torah.

Beyond the logic of reward, Hashem fixed a deeper law that the entire physical world is sustained by and contingent upon Torah.

כדאיתא באורייתא ברא קוב"ה עלמא.

As it is brought: "With the Torah the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world (b'oraisa bara Kudsha Brich Hu alma)."

Since Torah is the very blueprint of creation, the world's existence is intrinsically bound up with it.

וזאת התקשרות היא למעלה מן השכל.

And this connection is above reason.

The bond between Torah and the sustenance of the world operates on a plane higher than rational cause-and-effect.

ומי שמבטל עצמו כענין בחקותי תלכו כו'.

And one who nullifies himself (mevatel atzmo), in the manner of "if you walk in My statutes…" —

A person who engages Torah with bittul — accepting it as a chok beyond his understanding — aligns himself with this supra-rational connection.

אז התורה נותנת לו מזון גם בעוה"ז כנ"ל:

— then the Torah gives him sustenance even in this world, as above.

Such a person draws this-worldly nourishment from Torah itself, since by his bittul he taps into the very root by which Torah sustains all of creation.

Summary: True toil in Torah (ameilus) means engaging Hashem's words as a chok — laboring over them out of love and yearning even without grasping their reasons, recognizing one can never comprehend more than a fraction. This self-nullifying study connects a person to the root of Torah. And although mitzvah reward is generally reserved for the next world, Hashem fixed a supra-rational decree that this world itself is sustained by Torah; one who learns with bittul therefore draws material sustenance from Torah even in olam hazeh.