Daily Zohar # 4712 – Toldot – Why study the Torah for its own sake

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Toldot
Continued from previous DZ
#124
A person should not rely on and say, “God will save me” or “God will do this or that for me.” Still, instead, they should place their trust in the Holy One, Blessed be He, to assist them as necessary—provided they exert effort in fulfilling the commandments of the Torah and strive to walk in the path of truth. When a person seeks to purify themselves, they are assisted from above. This is the basis for trusting Hashem: that He will help them. A person should place their trust in Hashem alone and not in anyone or anything else. This is the meaning of the verse: “עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ” “Strength is theirs in You” (Psalms 84:6).
“מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם” “Paths in their hearts”: This means a person should prepare their heart properly so that no foreign thoughts enter it, just as a pathway is ready to walk through it wherever one needs to go, whether to the right or the left. Similarly, a person’s heart should be prepared and aligned, whether the Holy One, Blessed be He, bestows goodness upon them or, Heaven forbid, the opposite. Their heart should remain firm and unwavering, never doubting the Holy One, Blessed be He, under any circumstances.

#125
“אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם עוֹז לוֹ בָךְ” “Fortunate is the person whose strength is in You” (Psalms 84:6). “עוֹז” “Strength” here refers to the Torah, as in verse: “ה’ עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן” “YHVH gives strength to His people” (Psalms 29:11). “Whose strength is in You” means that a person must engage in the study of Torah for the sake of the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, —referring to the Shechinah, which is called ‘שם’ ‘Name’. For anyone who studies Torah without intending it for its proper purpose (תורה לשמה, for its own sake), it would have been better for them never to have been created.
“מְסִלּוֹת בִּלְבָבָם” “Paths in their hearts”: What is the meaning of “Paths in their hearts”? It is like the verse: “סֹלּוּ לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ” “Extol Him who rides upon the heavens; His name is יה YH” (Psalms 68:5). This means to elevate and exalt Him who rides upon the heavens. Similarly, “paths in their hearts” means that when a person studies the Torah, their intention should be to exalt and glorify Hashem, making Him honored and esteemed in the world.
The verse teaches us the meaning of Torah l’shma (Torah for its own sake), which is expressed in the phrase “paths in their hearts.” Through their Torah study, one should intend to bring forth knowledge of Hashem to themselves and the world so that the name of God will be magnified in the world. As it is written: “כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת יְהוָה” “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of YHVH” (Isaiah 11:9). When this happens, the verse will be fulfilled: “וְהָיָה יְהוָה לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ” “YHVH will be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9).

Notes:
The Zohar teaches that accurate Torah study, Torah l’shma, is a sacred act that aligns the heart with the Creator’s purpose. By studying the Torah to glorify Hashem and spread knowledge, individuals contribute to the ultimate redemption, where all will recognize Hashem’s presence.
The act of learning is not merely personal but has profound implications for the entire world. “Paths in their hearts” becomes a call to align our intentions with the Creator’s plan, transforming Torah study into a pathway for universal spiritual elevation.

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