We are crushed by the loss of Your tzaddikim for it states all the gold and treasures do not equal Your Torah. And with the passing of an authentic Jew our amenities do not add up. For we may have this or that acquisition, chase one whim or another – perhaps even be momentarily satisfied. But it will not sear itself into your soul the way we recall the Alter Zaidy’s Torah and mussar or the heliga Bubby’s cholent and her lessons in righteousness.

How rich is Your Torah that all the treasures of the world cannot measure up to Her splendor and radiance? How full Your fields that he, king of Israel, was led by his feet to serve You?

The fruit of Your tree an endless world declaring Your wisdom.

Do not be destroyed with conviction for where you find His humility there too you find His greatness. And who is a strong man? One who controls his yetzer. This is the Rav’s, z’t’l, heroism.

Though there exists an outer shell and the inner place there is only One – do not lose sight, children of Adam! This is the moment HaShem gives us, right now, be happy and rejoice in it.

This moment is the “great war” but you are not a soldier in it, rather we are its master, reveal your kingship before the King of kingdoms, each Jewish family a kingdom.

The radiance of Your knowing dons myriad branches the fragrance of your צדיקים in their eternal and splendid ripeness.

The first in thought the last in deed. All is for you if you will only receive it.

The arrow of Your knowing penetrates the the blanketing dark and a thing is what it is, be it man or woman.

The thicker more numerous the branches the more lush the foliage.

Uniters of disparate entities, masters of the צלם ודמות*

Fruit bearing seed, bearing fruit.

Sublime greatness with utter clarity.

מעלת התורה

Torah Study and Faithfulness ~pages 41-42 (Copied from The Curious Jew, though I have the text in my collection.)

The Torah is called a woman, as it says, “Moshe commanded us Torah, an inheritance for the congregation of Yaakov” (Devarim 33:4). The Gemara tells us, “Don’t read ‘inheritance’ (morashah) but rather ‘betrothed woman’ (me’orasah) (Berachos 57a; Pesachim 49b). The desires of this world are called ‘a strange woman,’ as it says, “The lips of a strange woman drip nectar;” (Mishlei 5:3), “To guard you from a strange woman” (Ibid, 7:5). And it says, “Go not near the door of her home…Make your way far from her” (Mishlei 5:8), “Avoid, do not pass by, turn and pass on;” (Ibid, 4:15), and, “Stay far from falsehood” (Shemos 23:7). Thus, [by being faithful to the Torah]one fulfills many mitzvos.

In connection to this, I heard an explanation from my brother, the Gaon, concerning the Gemara (Sanhedrin 99b), “He who has illicit relations with a woman lacks sense” (Mishlei 6:32); this alludes to the man who studies Torah at irregular intervals. What does one thing have to do with the other? The Gaon explained that since the Torah is called a woman (Yevamos 63b. Just as a wife is beloved to her husband, so the Torah is beloved to those that learn it- Maharsha), therefore, just as an adulterer only approaches his consort now and then, whereas his wife is exclusively his at all times, so one who studies only now and then does not make the Torah his exclusive companion.

Torah as a Tree ~pages 16-17

Thus, the Torah is compared to a tree, as it says, “She is a tree of life for those who cling to her” (Mishlei 3:18). The root of a tree spreads into many branches. Each branch spreads into many stems, and each stem into many fruits. Each fruit has many seeds, each capable of producing an entire tree with roots, branches, stems, leaves, fruits and more seeds to produce another tree, and so on ad infinitum. Also, a branch can be planted to produce a total tree with all its parts, as the philosophers wrote. So it is with words of Torah and mitzvos: every single word and mitzvah contains all the mitzvos and all the words.

The Torah has a further advantage over a tree, for the leaves of trees fall and wither. But it is written in regard to the words of the Torah, “its leaf does not wither” (Tehillim 1:3); and, “its leaf is a remedy” (Yechezkel 47:12). Our sages explained this to mean, “[A remedy] to unbind the mouth” (Menachos 98a. To unbind the mouth is to know how to speak, as will be explained further on.)