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Torah Study in Chabad Thought

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Torah Study in Chabad Thought

Hebrew: תּוֹרָה

Torah study in Chabad Chassidus is understood as the supreme form of Divine communion — not merely intellectual acquisition but a direct connection to the Divine wisdom and will.

Torah as God’s Wisdom

The Alter Rebbe states in Tanya: “The Torah and God are one.” Torah is not merely a description of God’s will — it is God’s wisdom and will, garbed in language accessible to human minds.

When a person studies Torah, they are not just learning about God — they are connecting their mind to the Divine mind. This makes Torah study a form of devekut (cleaving to God) — perhaps the highest form available to humans.

Torah’s Transcendence

The Alter Rebbe teaches that Torah transcends even the sefirot — it comes from a level above the Divine “garments” of creation. Even the spiritual worlds of Beriah and Atzilut are compared to a body; Torah is the “soul” that animates them.

This is expressed in the phrase: “Israel, Torah, and the Holy One are one” — the Jewish people, through Torah study, achieve unity with God Himself.

Torah Lishma — For Its Own Sake

Torah lishmah — studying Torah for its own sake — is not merely an ethical ideal (not studying for personal gain) but a metaphysical one. When Torah is studied for its own sake, the student’s intellect is truly absorbed in the Divine intellect. This is the meaning of: “You who cling to the Lord your God — you are all alive today” — clinging through Torah study keeps the soul spiritually vital.

The Two Torah Dimensions

Nigleh (Revealed Torah)

Halacha, Talmud, legal codes — the body of Torah. Essential and non-negotiable.

Pnimiyut HaTorah (Inner Torah / Kabbalah / Chassidus)

The soul of Torah — Kabbalah and Chassidic teachings. Chabad insists that in the era of the Baal Shem Tov and Alter Rebbe, the study of pnimiyut haTorah became a mitzvah — a Divine obligation — not merely optional mysticism.

The Alter Rebbe warns: those who neglect the inner Torah are like one who loves the King but only interacts with the King’s outer garments (halacha) without ever seeing the King’s face (pnimiyut).

Torah and Prayer: The Balance

Chabad balances Torah study and tefillah — each serves a distinct function:

  • Torah — the mind connects to Divine wisdom; the flow is from above downward (God reveals Himself through Torah)
  • Prayer — the heart reaches upward; the flow is from below upward (the human soul ascends toward God)

Together they form a complete relationship.

See Also

  • Hitbonenut — Contemplative study as the highest form of Torah engagement
  • Devekut — Torah study as the primary vehicle for cleaving to God
  • Chabad Intellect — The intellectual framework that makes deep study possible

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