“Behold, days are coming – the word of the L-rd Hashem/Elokim – when I will send hunger into the land, not a hunger for bread nor a thirst for water, but to hear the words of Hashem” (Amos 8:11)
“For he scorned the word of Hashem” (Bamidbar 15:31)
Rabbi Nehorai explains: Whoever has the ability to involve himself in Torah study and does not scorns the word of Hashem. Whoever has the ability to involve himself in Torah study and does not is plagued by terrible suffering, which destroys him (Sanhedrin 99a).
“You will always prosper in her love” (Mishlei 5:19)
Whoever is involved in Torah is considered as offering a daily korban tamid, as the pasuk uses the word תמיד (always), an allusion to the תמיד (tamid) offering (Kad Hakemach, Torah).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi states (Shemot Rabbah, Parashah 41): Every day, a Heavenly voice emerges from Har Chorev and says, “Woe unto the creatures for the shame of Torah,” for whoever does not constantly involve himself in Torah is admonished by Hashem.
Rabbi Tarfon says (Avot 2:15-16): The day is short and the work is great, the laborers are lazy, the wage is great, and the Master of the house is insistent.” He used to say, “You are not required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it. If you have studied much Torah, they will give you great reward; and your Employer can be relied upon to pay you the wage for your labor, but be aware that the reward of the righteous will be given in the World to Come.
If one has the opportunity to study Torah, but does not, Hakadosh Baruch Hu visits him with ugly and painful sufferings, which arouse him (Berachot 5a).
Rava says that before a person is brought to justice by the Heavenly Tribunal, he is asked, “Did you deal honestly in business? Did you set aside fixed times for Torah study?” (Shabbat 31a).
Rabbi Yonatan says that one should never refrain from visiting the Beit Hamidrash or from studying Torah, even on his deathbed. This is borne out by the words (Bamidbar 19:14), “This is the teaching regarding a man who would die in a tent.” Even at the time of death, one should be engrossed in Torah (Shabbat 83b).
Rav Hamnuna says that a person’s judgment begins with questions regarding Torah study (Sanhedrin 7a). A person’s judgment begins with Torah. Before being asked regarding setting fixed times for Torah, one will be first asked if he was involved at all in Torah study (Tosafot Harosh, Kiddushin 40b).
The Ramchal writes that since the Torah is the purpose of man’s creation, it is incumbent upon him to concern himself with learning Torah, in which most people are remiss. Most people waste their time on nonsense and do not set aside fixed times for Torah on Shabbat and the festivals, or in the evenings during the weekdays. Everyone finds excuses for desisting from Torah study. One claims he wants to increase his assets and therefore has no time for Torah study, and another says he has to make a living. In either case, Torah remains forsaken (Kad Hakemach, Torah).
