The Ropes of Torah Bind One to Mitzvot
One Yom Tov, I was asked to deliver a lecture in the Beit Hakeneset where I prayed. This synagogue was also the place of prayer of a certain wealthy Jew who supports Torah scholars and believes in the Sages, but unfortunately, has no reservations about desecrating Shabbat and holidays in public.
I noticed, throughout the lecture, that he looked at me in awe, listening to every word. With utmost politeness, he approached me after the speech and thanked me for my words. However, my words did not seem to enter his heart. That very day, I found him traveling in his car in public, with no shame whatsoever. His self-contradictory behavior puzzled me. How could a person come to the Beit Hakeneset, pray with the congregation, and listen to Torah thoughts, and then profane the very Torah he has just supported?
The answer is simple. His misdeeds are rooted in the sin of bitul Torah. As long as a person is involved in uninterrupted Torah study, the Torah connects him to his roots. But when he becomes self-complacent and no longer feels the need or the urge to learn more, he disconnects himself from Torah study. This leads to doubts in his emunah in Hashem. He is even liable to desecrate Shabbat and the festivals.
One must remain bound to Torah his entire life. He should never be satisfied with what he has learned before, but constantly add hours of Torah study to his schedule. When he will be tightly bound to the Torah, all doubts will fall away, and he will merit fulfilling Hashem’s word to the letter.
