One who exerts himself in Torah study is given the means to alter nature
S
havuos commemorates when the Torah was given. It’s also “Chag Habikkurim,” when the first fruits were brought. What’s the connection between the two?
To understand, let’s focus on the famous question: Why begin the Torah with the creation of the world and not with our spiritual beginning as a nation?
The Zohar (Terumah 161b) tells us, “Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world.” Thus, the physical world has its roots in spirituality. Studying the world’s physicality through the lens of Torah creates spirituality. Moreover, one who does so can actually change nature.
The Snake said to Chavah, “Just as He creates worlds, so can you create worlds.” There’s a positive application for the Snake’s argument: just as Hashem created the world through Torah, He gave power to every Jewish soul to access spirituality via physical creation. (Rav Itamar Schwartz, Bilvavi)
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