| "Rabbi Yochanon and Rabbi Elazar said: 'The Torah was given in forty days and the soul was formed in forty days. Whoever keeps the Torah; his soul will be preserved. Whoever does not keep the Torah; his soul will not be preserved. '" The numerical commonality of "forty days" between the Torah and the soul reveals a powerful link between the two entities. Specifically, the life of our soul is dependent upon our commitment to Torah study. The more we strengthen our study of the holy Torah, the more HaShem breathes life into our holy soul.
In light of the fact that HaShem is Infinite, so too, His goodness is Infinite. Therefore, Torah study grants us endless opportunities to gain new vistas of Torah wisdom, life, and joy.
Envision two men sitting in darkness. One man feels helpless as a blind man. The other man reflects on a Torah lesson that he recently learned. He reviews the passage in his mind and contemplates deeply to gain clarity and new insights. His soul is filled with light, joy, and life! (Based on Menachot 99b and the commentary of the Saba M'Kelm)
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