CHAPTER SIX
THE ENTIRE EXISTENCE OF THE WORLD IS FROM THE
POWER OF TORAH

1. Chazal, in the gemarah in massechet Shabbat 88a, learn from
   pesukim that the Holy One Blessed Be He made a condition with
   the works of creation, “If Yisrael accept the Torah you will have
   permanence, and if not, you will return to be emptiness and
   void.” – see there for the full detail of this conversation.
2. The Nefesh Hachaim explains this at length in shaar 4:
   chapter 11. The main point of what he says is that apart from
   the Torah scroll that we have in this world, there is a very holy
   spiritual existence in the higher worlds which is also called
   Torah. This is the root of the Torah that we have here in this
   world [see chapter 2 what is explained about this]. From the
   creation of the world until the time of the giving of the Torah at
   Sinai, the whole existence of this world and all the worlds was
   because of this spiritual existence of Torah in the higher worlds.
   This was the way that Hashem established the order of the
   creation. He made it that all bounty can only reach all the
   worlds through the rays of the Torah.
3. So from the time of the giving of the Torah there was not
   sufficient light from the Torah existing in the higher worlds to
   keep the world going. It therefore became necessary that the
   Jewish nation learn Torah. Through the Torah study of the
   Jewish people here in this world, the upper lights of the Torah in
   the higher worlds are strengthened. Only with this
   reinforcement could there be enough bounty to suffice the
   period after the giving of the Torah. Through Torah study the
   world was able to continue.
4. The Nefesh Hachaim writes, “The truth is, without a doubt,
   that if the world were to be, from one end to the other be for
   even one moment, empty from our study and meditation of the
   Torah; all the worlds would be destroyed and become nothing
   and emptiness – Hashem forbid.
5. Hashem has merited us so far and this vacancy has never
   happened and the worlds have not been destroyed, as there are
   always people busy with Torah. Still, the increase and decrease
   of bounty depends on the measure and the amount of our
   busyness with Torah. If we hold onto the Torah with all our
   might, as we should, we acquire eternal life and extra sanctity
   and blessing and great light in all the worlds, spreading out
   from its source hidden high above all the worlds. It also greatly
   corrects and builds up anything that was previously destroyed.
6. He brings there from Chazal that Torah scholars are the
   pillars of the world, as the verse says, “If not for my covenant of
   day and night, I would not have established the statutes of
   heaven and earth.” They comment further on the verse, “The
   wisdom of the woman built her home.” that Hashem said, “If a
   person merits to study Torah and wisdom, it is as considered
   before me as though he created the heavens, and as if he
   established the whole world.” They continue, “Hashem said to
   Yisrael, ‘My children, busy yourselves with Torah day and night
   and I will credit you as if you support the whole world’.” See the
   Nefesh Hachaim itself for many more sources in Chazal for
   incredible things about how majorly dependent the world’s
   existence is on the Jewish nation’s learning of Torah.
7. Every person must take these things to heart and review
   them well, [review of the Nefesh Hachaim shaar 4: chapters 11-
   34 are recommended]. In that way a person will value every
   moment of Torah study, and realize how it is something so
   much more important and productive than any worldly
   business, which appear to be such great things. The Torah is
   therefore descried in the pasuk; “It is more precious than pearls
   and all your acquisitions cannot equal it.”