Torah vs. Mitzvos

9 Tishrei 5782

“But to the wicked, G-d said, “What does it help you to discuss My laws, and bear My covenant upon your lips?” (Tehillim 50:16)

This verse in Tehillim comes to rebuke those who do not practice that which they study, and merely appear to be righteous; they sin and cause others to sin.

“And even Torah study itself presupposes the prior performance of the mitzvot — for they are its beginning and on them depends its very existence” (Lessons in Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh middle of Epistle 20)

Mitzvos are the essence and root of the Torah, because in creation, the final act — those mitzvos that are performed with physical objects — was present even before the “first” Divine thought. A Divine intent desires the fulfillment of those mitzvos which involve physicality. By fulfilling physical mitzvos we not only bind ourselves to this sublime Divine will, we also root our good intentions in physical reality, like “a tree with many roots and few branches, whom all the storms in the world cannot budge from its place.” (Pirkei Avot 3:17)

“For they are a nation devoid of counsel, and they have no understanding.” (Devarim 32:28)

By studying and practicing in this way, the Torah in turn becomes internal to us, infusing our mitzvos with vitality and soul. We become a nation of Hashem, children that He has “reared.” (Devarim 32:20) The exact opposite of the “non nation”, the “foolish people,” which He only sends to “provoke our jealousy.” (Devarim 32:21)