Chapter I

טוב לי תורת פיך מאלפי זהב וכסף

"Better for me the Torah of Your mouth than thousands of [pieces of] gold and silver."1

Torah is intellect and wisdom, and as such is wholly spiritual, while gold and silver are material. Even the most simple-minded individual understands that the spiritual is superior to the material. What then is novel about the concept [and what does the verse mean to indicate when it says]: "Better for me the Torah of Your mouth than thousands of [pieces of] gold and silver"?

Love and fear of G-d are termed in Jewish mystical writings2 "silver" and "gold," [the Hebrew word for silver is kesef, which also means longing, while gold comes from an area which is mystically indicative of fear and awe]. The Hebrew word for thousands, alfei, also means "teaching" and "conduct." The Rebbe o.b.m.3 expounds on the verse in the following manner:

King Dovid, may he rest in peace, is saying that the soul's study of Torah with a physical mouth and its performance of mitzvos in this material world are even greater than its spiritual service of "gold and silver" (i.e. love and fear) before G-d caused it to descend into our world. The reason for this superiority lies in the fact that G-d wants Jews to purify and elevate this material world through their spiritual service in the study of Torah, performance of mitzvos and ma'asim tovim, good deeds.

Every soul that descends into this world is entrusted with a unique mission and specific purpose which G-d expects it to accomplish during its stay, as the verse states:4 "Days have been fashioned and for Him they are as one [in Hebrew, echod]." In other words, G-d created days [time and space] in order that they be [pervaded and permeated with] echod [His unity]. The Hebrew word echod is composed of the letters aleph, ches and daled. Aleph [which in Hebrew means "one"] denotes the Master of the universe. Ches [which is numerically equivalent to eight] alludes to the seven heavens and the earth. Daled [the numerical equivalent of four] refers to the four corners of the earth.5

The word echod thus means that the heavens, the earth and the four corners of the earth are totally nullified before G-d.

"Days have been fashioned" means that the soul is granted a given number of days for its stay within the body. During this time it is supposed to permeate the world with and uplift it to the One G-d. The number of years granted to man upon this earth are limited, as the verse says:6 "The years of our life number 70, if in great vigor 80." Another verse says:7 "And his days shall be [a maximum of] 120 years." Even this [greater] number of years is in no way comparable to the years the soul spends in Heaven, awaiting the opportunity to descend below. When the soul [finally] descends and is occupied with the study of Torah and the performance of mitzvos, it achieves an even higher state [than it had enjoyed previously].

We thus understand the significance of the soul's performance of Torah and mitzvos in this world; by doing so it is elevated to a level loftier than it enjoyed prior to its descent.

In summary: Why is a comparison drawn between physical gold and silver and Torah, which is intellectual and spiritual? Because the service of the soul in this world is superior to its love and fear of G-d in the higher worlds. Each soul has a unique mission to fulfill. To achieve this end, it is granted a limited number of years.