D'var Torah: "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. '" This may be likened to the following parable: The king charged his servant with the responsibility of taking care of the his songbird. 'Don't assume that if the bird dies you will receive a light reprimand. Know, if the bird dies, you too shall die.' 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.
Moral: 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.
Application: Envision yourself studying Torah. Reflect on the fact that the Torah is the Tree of Life. As you contemplate on the wisdom of the holy Torah, sense your soul filling with light, joy, and life!
(Based on Menachot 99b and the commentary of the Saba M'Kelm)
