t"yhka inehkd ivfv vhgah rzug cr hrugha

Ik tUv hs© F§ IkFª ok̈Igv̈ kF̈ Vn̈J¦

§ k vrIT©
¨ C e¥xIgv̈ kF̈
A World Dependent on Torah for Torah’s Sake

t:u ,uct vban (t

'©gr¥ treb /uk tuv hsf ukf okugv kfa tkt sug tku 'vcrv ohrcsk vfuz vnak vru,c exugv kf :rnut rhtn hcr
u,rafnu 'vtrhu vubg u,acknu ',uhrcv ,t jnan 'ouenv ,t jnan ',uhrcv ,t cvut 'ouenv ,t cvut 'cuvt
'vrucdu vbhc 'vhau,u vmg ubnn ihbvbu ',ufz hshk u,crenu tyjv in u,ejrnu 'intbu rahu shxju ehsm ,uhvk
ihgnf vagbu vru, hzr uk ihkdnu 'ihs rueju vkannu ,ufkn uk ,b,ubu `vrucd hk vbhc hbt vhau,u vmg hk rntba
/ohagnv kf kg u,ksdnu ubuckg kg kjunu jur lrtu gubm huvu exup ubhta rvbfu rcd,nv

R. Meir says: Whoever engages in Torah for its own sake earns many things; furthermore, he is deserving
of the whole world. He is called friend, beloved, and intimate of God, lover of humanity; it clothes him in
humility and reverences, rendering him fit to become righteous, saintly, upright,and faithful; it keeps him
far from sin and brings him near to virtue, and from him men take counsel and sound knowledge,
understanding, and fortitude, for it is written, Counsel is mine and sound knowledge, I am understanding, I
am formidable. And it gives him kingship, dominion, and discernment; to him are revealed the secrets of
the Torah, and he is becomes like a never-failing fountain, a river that never ceases to flow; he becomes
modest, longsuffering, and forgiving of insult; and it magnifies him and exalts him above all things.

c"g wk ;s ,ca wxn (c

,t vz ihr,ux uhrcsa hbpn ,kve rpx zubdk ohnfj uaec :crs vhnan ,kha rc ktuna crs vhrc vsuvh cr rnt
ostk iur,h vn ch,fs vru, hrcs u,khj, /vru, hrcs upuxu vru, hrcs u,khj,a hbpn ?uvuzbd tk vn hbpnu /vz
vru, hrcs upux /uk ah ana osue uk ihts tuv anav ,j, htbh hcr hcs hrntu anav ,j, kngha ukng kfc
hcr rnt ?ostv kf vz hf htn /ostv kf vz hf runa uh,umn ,tu trh ohektv ,t gnab kfv rcs ;ux ch,fs
ic iugna /ukuf okugv kf sdbf vz kuea rnt tbvf rc tct hcr /vz khcac tkt trcb tk ukuf okugv kf rzghkt
/vzk ,uumk tkt ukuf okugv kf trcb tk rnut tnuz ic iugna vk hrntu rnut htzg

R. Yehudah the son of R. Shmuel bar Shilat said in the name of Rav: The Sages sought to suppress the Book
of Kohelet for they saw that its statements contradict one another. And why did they not suppress it?
Because its beginning consists of words of Torah and its ending consists of words of Torah. Its beginning
consists of words of Torah for it is written, What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils under
the sun? And the academy of R. Yannai said: It is under the sun where there is none; that which precedes
the sun does profit. Its ending consists of words of Torah, for it is written, To sum it all up, fear God and
keep His commandments for this is all of man. What is meant by “this is all of man?” R. Eliezer said: The
entire world was created only for the sake of such a person. R. Abba bar Kahana said: Such a person is equal
in weight to the entire world. Shimon ben Azai says (and some say Shimon ben Zoma said): The entire
world was created only as an accompaniment for such a person.

c"g 'y"m ;s ihrsvbx wxn (d

ezjh ut rntba vyn ka thknpcu vkgn ka thknpc ouka ohan vnak vru,c exugv kg :hrsbxfkt hcr rnt
lhpc hrcs oatu rntba vyn kau vkgn ka ihrykp vbc ukhtf rnt cr /hk vagh ouka hk ouka vagh hzgnc
huku /lh,hxf hsh kmcu rntba ukuf okugv kf kg ihdn ;t rnt ibjuh hcr /.rt sxhku ohna guybk lh,hxf hsh kmcu
/v,t hng iuhmk rntku rntba rnt

R. Alexandri said: Whoever engages in Torah for its own sake promotes peace among the host above and
among the host below, for it is stated, Or let him take hold of My strength so he may make peace with Me;
indeed, let him make peace with Me. Rav said: it is as if he built the palace above and the palace below, for
it is stated, I have put mMy words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to plant the
heavens and lay the foundation of the earth. R. Yochanan said: he also protects the entire world, for it is
stated, I covered you with the shadow of My hand. And Levi said: he even brings the redemption closer, for
it is stated, And to say to Zion you are My people.

wt erp 'ws rga ohhjv apb (s

'ohnhv kf rxunu vtrh hrpxc osunhk rehg hf gucek onmgk urjc vnf ;iumpjh ohekt ,cre rat i,utn vnf odu
rut ovhkg vdb tku 'ovhnhn ,urutn utr tk isu ',ucurn ,ufkvu ,utrenc 'e"vu,c exgv rehg ,ughce tkc
/vru,v rut oc iufah lrsv uz tk kct 'ohnak o,buuf hf 'ovk jkxh wv 'vru,v

ub,ru, iuhdvu exgc ovhnh kf ohguce uhv ohbuatrv ,urus hf 'ohrah wv hfrs kff odv vtrh hrpx hf ',ntvu
,vctc ',rguc atf ockc rguc vhv vausev ub,ru, ,cvt ,cvkau ',"pdc ,uarsnv hkvtc ohgue, 'vausev
.rtv tkn, ignk 'ohbudv ohcr ohshnk,c okucd uchjrvu 'vrhstvku vsucf khsdvk ompj kfu 'vruvy wv ,trhu
'hutrf wv lrsc ohfrus vnv ratf vkt wv ogc tbe,vk 'okugn rmhv ka ufrs od vbv 'ohnhv ufrt ratfu /vgs
ubhbau /kkf ,kuz tku 'sck vru, ka vkupkpc er oexgu o,ughce kf una ohshnk,vn vnfa sg 'xrt ovc khyvk
'vsgv hbhg ovhkusdn vnf onmg urrug,v ,tzk ///vzn k"zj hrntn vcrv sugu 'vnfj iht vtrh iht ot ubh,banc
lrsn kuafnv ohrvk 'o,umrp iuhsdku ohrusvv rahhk 'ktrah ,hc ubhjt kkf ,be, kg sueak asec ofrs rat
vru,c ohexug o,uhvk 'ogv ck rhahvk vtrh hrpx urcju ',usnu ohrxunc ,ujfu,c tuck osh ,t utknu 'wv og
ovc ubuhf tk hf 'u,gsn ihch 'lkuv rah ukfa rat ',ubuc, aht kf obnt /vruvy wv ,trhcc vsucgcu vausev
rehg kfa 'v,hv vhumr o,buuf tkt 'orxun hrpxc ohnhv kf euxg lt ,uhvku 'vru,v hpudc exgv u"j jhbzvk
odu 'vru, hpud iv iv ',ucurn ,ufkvu 'vp kgcu c,fcca vausev vru,c er vhvh 'asev og sunhk ,vghce
///vruvy wv ,trhc

wc erp oa 'oa (v

urnt hrva 'okugv cur v,g ohrcuxa unf ,uehcs uaurp iht vnak hf 'rurcv ,ntv 'vnak vru,v exg ihbg
ohgdbc exug vhv uktf lrc,h ukmt cajh ohkv,c exugva 'lrc,h uhbpkn v"g lknv sus aeca arsnc k"zr
otu /ohkv, ,rhntn lrc,h uhbpk cuvtu vkgb r,uh ihbg tuv 'vghdhu iuhgc x"av ,ufkvc exgva hrv ',ukvtu
,rhntn tkpb r,uh ,uehcs iht tkv 'vru,v exg ihbg rehg kf huk, vzc eru 'teus ,uehcs uaurhp vnaka rntb
tuv uchav vcua, vn k"z ovhrcsc ubhmn tk hf 'vzc ush kg v"cev ohfxv ot gsuh hn odu /ouhv kf hutrf ohkv,
uhnh kf vc exgha ',jt vban ut 'erp ut ',jt ,fxnc ',uecsv ihbgk hs vhv hf odu ///u,kta kg lrc,h
///wuf ,usdtu ,ufkv vban tren jhbv tka htfz ic ibjuh hcr kg urnta k"zrk ubhmn if tku /,uecsc

wd erp oa 'oa (u

vag eusm hcrc rzgkt hcr rntn kg k"z a"trv arhpa unf ihbgvu vru,v oak aurhp vnak ihbg hf ,ntv kct
ka unak ikgp oak ohrcs vag :k"z /inak ivc rcsu uvbgnk kfv kgpa v"cev ka unak ikgp oak ohrcs
'ihcvku gshk iudf 'vru,v oak vhvh vru, hrcsc ltanu lrucs kf 'inak ivc rcsu 'uvbgnk kfv kgpa v"cev
/k"fg ,utd,vk tku 'kupkpu jek ;hxuvk