Modern Masters: Birkat Hatorah/ Torah Lishmah | Rabbi Sam Shor | January 1st 2026

Good afternoon everybody. It's good to be back feeling uh feeling much better about uh today I thought we might do something a little bit different. We're going to look at a braha that all of us hopefully recite every single morning to start our days. a part of a brah that's before one is allowed to learn Torah of course there's certain that we say every single morning and as part of that those we say these words text number one on our sheets and may the words of your Torahem be pleasing in our pleasant in our mouths and the mouths of all the Jewish people. Okay. And may we and our descendants and their descendants the entire house the descendants of all the Jewish people may we all know your name and merit to learn your Torah. So without without jumping ahead on the sore sheet, there's an expression that we like to throw around a lot totally what? So if I were to ask you without without jumping ahead on the sore sheet, if I were just ask you you guys sitting here, what how would you define that word? How would you translate that word? What does it mean to learn Torah Lishma? Anyone want anyone want to take a stab at it? What >> what one at a time? Good. >> For the sake of itself. >> For the sake of itself. For its own sake. Okay. I think classically speaking, when we throw that expression around, that's exactly how we translate it. [snorts] But that's very nice. But what does that mean? >> For its real purpose. >> For its real purpose. Excellent. Okay. Not because we're looking necessarily to advance ourselves as individuals or to show off our own scholarship, but for its real purpose. So the question is, what does that mean? It's a nice idea, but what does it mean? What is the real purpose of Torah? and specifically of learning the wisdom of Torah. So just before we look at our sheets, I saw a beautiful teaching in the Alivu is a collection of beautiful, beautiful teachings from Rabbi Arashore. Rabbi Aram Shaw is one of the great teachers of in the world today. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. and Rabbi Ramshore his he's not related his his he is related to his illustrious father Rabbi Gdalashure Rab Galash was the renowned Rashish Shiva yeshiva Tarvadas in Brooklyn and also a masterful author and writer his beautiful ser oralu and this is his son's sarim and he has he is swarm and he has swarman he has A that's a beautiful that's a beautiful safer. This is his commentary on okay and in commentary says the following words. So how what do he says how do we understand this concept this precept this overarching concept of what does it mean? It means that we're meant to learn Torah completely all aspects of Torah. We're encouraged to learn Mikra Mishna to learn not only the but also the and all the results of meaning literature everything that comes afterwards. Okay. The three areas of Torah and then he says something very interesting. You take those words mikra, Mishna and um okay that expression Mishna Mishna gamatria it equals the gumatria the words to lishma. Okay so so Ram Shor's definition of Torishma that we d for every morning that we should merit that we and our descendants should be able should have the to learn Torah for as it's meant to be learned. What are we asking for according to Rab Ram Shor's interpretation that we have the capacity to learn all aspects of Torah from from the the written Torah to the to the literature to the Torah to literature to all the mystical literature to Torah that we should be able to learn all aspects of Torah. Okay. Well, this is our introduction. We're now going to look at a famous famous Mishna at the end of Pavos. The which where we learned from Rabbi Mayor. This is text number two in our sheets. Mayor said anyone who engages who immerses themselves they merit many many things and one of the and now he begins to list some of those things the not just that they'll merit many things he'll see that what the entire world okay exists solely for them for those who are immersed in and then such a person is called he's called a friend beloved he's considered one who loves God he's considered one who loves his fellow human being he brings joy to Hashem he brings joy to the to other human beings means and he's cloaked in humility and awe. And by doing by his learning Torah, he prepares himself to be righteous and pious and just and faithful and to distance themselves from transgression and bring himself to the side of merit. So, Even if you turn your side your your page sideways. Okay, just it says RSS comments. Who's RSS? Rabbi Sam Shaw, right? So, so according to Rebi Mayor, one who learns Torah Schma is completely transformed by that study. It elevates their consciousness. It refineses their character and strengthens his spirit and will. Perhaps what Rabbi Mayor is suggesting and teaching us is that these characteristics are not necessarily the reward the tot of that learning rather the very definition of what limit really means. In the words of Rashma Ainer, not on your sheets, [clears throat] Rashma Ainer is one of the great um gdole in the datum that the world the religious honest world today the rashiva of Konim in the old city the the chief rabbi ammeritus of the yeshu of beetel then aire's words just I'm going to read them to you because they're beautiful we have a famous kazal that says go that learning is greater because what through learning we come to be able to do the now listen what how explains that teaching. It doesn't mean that by learning Torah, okay, that it simply means that we the only way we can actually do the mit is what? Knowing what we're meant to do. That's not what it means that through doing through learning Torah, it brings us to ma. Listen to his words. name but rather what what is Torah? What is Torah for the for its own sake is Torah that has no ulterior motives except what? elevating ourselves spiritually coming closer to bar. Okay. And now you can turn your page over in the bala in the fifth chapter of he actually echoes this idea even more. And he says what is what does it mean to learn to in order to what attach our soul to God to come close to the flow through our understanding of the Torah's wisdom each one of us in according with our own capacity as we learn from in codifying the words of his rabbi the Arizal. So learning Torah Torah is that through our limra we come to feel connected to and there similarly the thean there's a great contemporary known as Rabben Cohen Rabbi Kayen Cohen was lovingly known as the Kaban why was he called the Kaban because he was one of the ladik he was a hidden sadic who passed away just about eight years ago um and actually when we've done so I don't think anyone here joined us. Maybe Ron Ronnie did because he comes out a lot of things. We did a a in we did a walking tour of visiting the Kate Sadikim in in um in the Sanhedria cemetery and the Kaban is one of the Sadikim who are buried there and we learned about his story. The Kaban was for many many years a not someone who was not known. Uh but Rabbi Morah the former chief rabbi of of Israel chief rabbi of Israel he was very much m of him and when people would come to forot he would send them to the to get a bra. Okay. Eventually he became very very well known later in his life. He was called the kaban because he was not he did not look like a a great mystic and and sadic. He was clean shaven. He went to work with a cap and he went to work in a his family had a a a cheese factory, a cheesem factory. So kaban means the milkman. He was called the Kalaban and lovingly and um and eventually he he he became very well known and his farm are known as as as talim and in the says in the name of the words the very letters of the word you could could teach the same lesson because the letters mean lashe hashem. lishma is is lashem. So to learn to lima means to learn Torah for the sake of coming close to Hashem. That's one definition. So now we're going to take this in a very different direction or a slightly different direction and we're going to learn the words of don't worry I said earlier no one should get nervous on all people working. Okay inotra this is text number four on our sheets. He gives us a very interesting definition of listen to cook's beautiful words. One of the ways, okay, of of of this this this this the sacred task of learning Torah, okay, for this for its own sake is to enrich the Jewish people with great spiritual powers and anything we do that brings the light of Torah. Okay. And it's the reverence and awe and affinity for Torah at the heart of one person amongst the Jewish people. Then the spiritual the fundamental power of the nation becomes strengthened and secured. What a beautiful idea that when we learn those of us that are spending our Thursday morning Rosanne right that on Shabas Thursday morning are still coming to learn to okay what are we doing we're enriching metaphysically okay it's not just that we ourselves are being enriched by this experience metaphysically the what is what's not for it's not about me okay it's about something bigger than myself. Okay, so we said that the result says it's about coming closer to Hashem, but it's not just about coming closer to Hashem. It's about bringing closer. Okay. And now the second piece of shalom and therefore says when we learn Torah, we're doing for the entire Jewish people. So what does that mean? He asks. Okay. He says the soul of the nation is strengthened when its ch when its children ch children meaning each one of us as individuals okay gets their sustenance their spiritual sustenance from the fruit of its soul and the Torah is completely full of the spiritual the soul of the Jewish people. Torah. Every Jew who immerses himself in Torah, every individual who immerses himself in Torah is he reveals new spiritual powers in the collective soul of the Jewish people through the spiritual food sustenance that they receive through the Torah. So when we learn Torah, not only are we inspired and enriched, but metaphysically, whether the rest of the Jewish people realize it or not, there's something suggest a more contemporary master who died in the year 2000 and then shalom in his commentary on he takes this um uh maybe a step further. Okay, listen to text number five. What does it mean to immerse ourselves in the in the learning of Israel? That is to align ourselves with Hashem's desire and plan in giving the Torah to the Jewish people. Now, if we revert back to the Mishna that we learned when Rabbi Mayor told us, okay, one who learns, it says he's called what? Rya. The first thing that he's called is Raya. Okay. What's a rayah? Means a friend. So, and then only afterwards he's called. He's called beloved. Right. So, look what look at what what how how what the does with our Mishna this definition of calling being called a friend. Okay. That's the highest of a level. Why? It's even greater than beloved and dear. Why? Oh, because a friend, okay, is a colleague, is a partner, okay, that anyone can be beloved. We love our children, we love our parents, right? But means what? That they're my partner. They're my They're my colleague. The world only exists according to the and the for the sole purpose of what? Of Hashem's presence having a place to rest and and dwells. So how does it happen? How does Hashem that has no physical form come to dwell in this realm? And that can only happen what? When we learn to when we learn to we are creating that that senor that pipeline to bring down the Torah's wisdom to this world from above to bring holiness divinity down from above and that's why we're called a partner a friend we become Hashan's partner in the ongoing process of creating the world of sustaining and fixing and creating the world that through our learning of Torah there's a there's the everything [clears throat] exists in creation continues to exist and this of course if we go through the rest of the it brings happiness to why because the purpose of creation comes forth through that the learning and that's What it means that one who learns to the whole world what exists for him. Hashem puts us into this world what to learn Torah to live a life of Torah to bring the spiritual power and capacity of transformation that Torah is into this realm. We become the we become the partners in sustaining this world in continuing creation. Okay, it's a very powerful idea. The there's a famous famous, okay, that we're going to look at right now. Torah scholars bring fill the world with shalom. Now, we classically translate this as uh as peace, okay? That Torah scholars bring peace into the world. They bring harmony, tranquility the world. The word shalom actually is a double in shalom according to is one of the names of Hashem. Okay. So the world, those who have the Torah's wisdom at their fingertips, that live Torah, that are immersed in Torah, that are Torah scholars, they bring more godliness into this world. Hashem shalom that all my children should be students of Torah and they should bring shalom through and shalom should come to the world through my children. Don't read this my children but rather those who what the ones I'm entrusting to build to to build up the world. Okay. They build up the world shalom. Okay. They build up the world by bringing an awareness of God into this world. Lim Torah, okay, is not solely about about the minutia of the mechanics of how to do X, Y, and Z. There's a bigger goal. And it's not about me, how I conduct myself dayto-day in terms of my own daily conduct. It's seeing that there's something bigger. There's something beyond me. Okay? Okay. And we've learned now learned three different interpretations of of toma. One is we have to learn all the aspects of the Torah. Okay. The second interpretation is that toma means Hashem. Okay. That to to come closer to Hashem. The third interpretation was that it's that it that enriches. And the fourth interpretation based on what we just learned from the now this said, well, it's not just claw that we're enriching. It's the entire world. our lily matra sustains the entire world. Okay, so let's build on this a little bit more. Turn your pages. Okay, so Kakon of Lublin. Okay, the great master died in the earliest 20th century. This is number seven on your sheets explains our gar that we just learned. Okay. The stu student scholars of Torah, Torah scholars, they are the ones who build the world. Are called both builders and refined, meaning refined ones. They're the ones who involved in the sustaining of the world. They bring a renewal of creation every single day into the world and the universe. Torah that just as the beginning of creation was through Torah the Torah was the tool that Hashem used to breathe life into the world. And therefore the ongoing process of renewing of creation. Okay. If if if there wasn't a renewing of creation, okay, then life would cease to exist. New life wouldn't come into the world. Okay. The that that process of of renewal that only comes into this world through the pipeline of limitra and living a life of Torah mitzvah. Okay. The path that's the rebi. Okay. The h kesh the rebi the waretto. Okay. In the, you know, he's most famous, we call him the hodes. He's most famous for the work that was publishedly after, you know, after he buried those those rash milks during the the years he was incarcerated in the war. So ghetto. But before that, in in his lifetime, he was more famous for a different work. The one work that he published in his lifetime called, which means a student a student's handbook. It was a a guide book if you will, a spiritual workbook, if you will, for for pre-bar bar mitzvah boys, okay? That were his tamid and then and also for post, you know, basically bar mitzvah age tamid. Now, we're going to see, you know, we talk about sados, how the generations have fallen because of what the reby's expectation in the 1920s and 30s was [clears throat] for for pre- barits boys and us being able to live up to that capacity. But in text number eight, okay, the pasi builds on this a little bit more and he says Torah and this is what's alluded to by the Torah in the beginning of the creation story. Okay. In the in at the start. Okay. Okay. But is also could also mean what the first. Okay. Or the best, right? will be and also for the Torah that's all both the Jewish people and the Torah are both called what my first or my first choice the one I love the most that through the world Hashem's power is revealed okay through the world in the physical world Hashem's power and strength and and capacity is revealed. But through the Jewish people in the Torah, we learn Hashem's holiness is revealed. Okay, we can look around the world and be in awe of Hashem and creation and we say, "Wow, Hashem is the one behind everything, but that's not the same as seeing Kadusha, seeing feeling feeling holiness of feeling a spiritual connection to Shalam." How does that happen? through the Torah, the Jewish people learns, okay, the holiness becomes revealed because a Jew begins to grasp and fulfill the words of Torah and holy thoughts. And when a Jew is involved and engaged in exactly the activity we're engaged in right now, okay, when we're immersing ourselves in the study of Torah, that what happens? There's holiness that's descending into us from above. There's a pipeline that's created from the heavens right down into each one of us that any that even a single thought okay or lofty desire enter enters the hearts and and mind of a Jew. It reveals this is a revelation of great holiness that's coming from above. Anytime we [clears throat] have a spiritual experience, so to speak, okay? It's not it's not just us coming to a conclusion. It's a what? It's there's direct pipeline of hash of us fueling divine wisdom descending and holiness descending through us from above to to be the channel to bring that to the rest of the world. Okay. And now we're just going to learn to bring this all together. U we're going to learn one last teaching. We're going to learn from the sheamish. The shamish is the second sakbi. He's the son of the aer. Rabbi Schmin is his name and he's going to bring this all together and bring us all the way back to where we started with the with the braos of okay and what are really all about. This is text number nine on what's the whole idea of it seems like a weird thing that we're not allowed to learn Torah till till we till we say a blessing. Okay. Yes. There's a there is a kind of mitzvah, right? That anytime we do a mitzvah, we're supposed to say beforehand. But but what is really all about the whole idea of is what is to stir within us, okay? To rouse within us, to bring to life within us the divinity of the Torah. Okay? As our taught us, anyone who immerses themselves in limit night the learning with them okay and also when it comes to Mosheru the famous medina that when stood before okay the Hashem's presence spoke through Mosha's voice through his throat okay so for Moshe was there was never a Na'vi like Moshe he didn't need to to have this you know this this rousing it orchestrated it naturally. But in order to give this capacity over to transmit this capacity of influencing the world around us, okay, through the capability of the Jew and actions of the Jewish people, what had to happen? Something had to happen first. that can only come to fruition what through the capacity and the power of Torah that's given over to their hands. And that's why we need to recite because when we recite those words, we ask Hashem that his Torah should be sweet and pleasant and and meaningful and that we should be merit to be able to learn to for his sake and for all of Hashem's expectations of us. He says that's why we need to recite in the morning. We start our day with that reminder that what is our sacred mission that needs to be actualized every day. We ask Hashem to allow us to be that that rhea that partner that trusted partner that Hashem has entrusted us with such a sacred task of bringing the Torah's wisdom into this world of influencing and uplifting the entire world to the kadusha of the Torah of of the wisdom of Torah. And that's what Torah is really all about. That's what it means to learn. And my bra for every single one of us as we uh as we uh end our learning this morning is that we should continue to be inspired to learn to that our learning should always be not just because we want to have a cute idea to say at the Shabas table. That's also a nice thing. But that our learning should always be um to have the capacity to live up to the great that we have to be to be Hashem's real to be Hashem's partner in the ongoing process of improving bettering the entire world. Have a great day. Shabas.