Hashem gave us the Torah, which cleanses us and serves as an antidote to the yetzer hara, and purifies and elevates us to a higher level of spiritual clarity. Therefore, during this time of Shovavim we should commit to improving our learning in quality and in quantity. Increasing our learning is the strongest tool we have for conquering our yetzer hara and coming closer to Hashem.
However, in order for our learning to serve as the weapon that will overcome the yetzer hara and bring us closer to Hashem effectively, we need to learn in the right way: lishmah, for the sake of Hashem.
Learning lishmah means to learn Torah in order to cling to Hashem and attach your soul to your Creator. This is the very reason Hashem gave us the Torah. Learning lishmah means to learn it according to its intended purpose — so that we can attach ourselves to Him, and grow closer and closer to Him.
This is the goal of learning. Not to “become something,” but just so that we can come to connect to Hashem more and more. Learning in this way, lishmah, brings a person to closeness with Hashem, because our ability to connect to Hashem is embedded in the Torah, and through that we can start to feel a deep, inner connection to our Creator. Learning with this intention is learning lishmah, and that should be our goal.
Besides having this intention when we start learning: “I am learning in order to attach myself to Hashem Who is revealed through the Torah,” we should really try to actually think about and feel the light of Hashem that lies in the holy words of the Torah.
It is particularly powerful to say the first few words of your learning several times in a row, and while you are repeating these words, try to think about and experience the tremendous light of Hashem that is infused within them.
When a Yid learns with the intention of attaching himself to Hashem, his learning is received with desire by Hashem, and he is given the sense of closeness he craves, and through this he can truly delight in the presence of Hashem, and merit a new level of ואני קרבת אלקים לי טוב, And for me, closeness to Hashem is good (Tehillim 73:28).
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Nekuda Tova Listing.