Musar sobre Josué 1:8

Torah study is also a preventative against one's coming to (speak) lashon hara, as they said there (Arachin 15b): "What is the preventative against lashon hara? If he is a Torah scholar, let him occupy himself with Torah." The reason is obvious, as we find in Sanhedrin 99b: "All men are created for toil, viz. (Iyyov 5:7): 'For man is born for toil.' I would not know whether for toil of the lips or toil of labor — if it were not written: (Mishlei 16:22): 'For he saddles his mouth with it,' which indicates that he was born for toil of the lips. And I still would not know whether for the [lip] toil of Torah or the toil of converse — if it were not written (Joshua 1:8): 'Let the book of this Torah not depart from your mouth,' which indicates that he was created for the toil of Torah." The idea is that the nature was given man, when speech was given to him, that the tools of speech do what is theirs without becoming fatigued, unlike the other organs, which man must spur himself to put into operation. Not so, the faculty of speech. And this is the intent of "the toil of the lips." But a man must reflect that this power was given him only to merit Torah. Therefore, it is stated that the preventative of speaking lashon hara is only occupying oneself with Torah, for lacking this, he will certainly stumble into forbidden speech. For it is man's nature that his tools of speech not be inoperative (unless he is able to overcome his yetzer and make himself "mute," as they say in Chullin 89a).

And man was created only for Torah. For thus have Chazal expounded (Sanhedrin 99b): "All men were created for toil, viz. (Iyyov 5;7): 'For man is born for toil.' I would not know whether for toil of the lips or toil of labor — if it were not written (Mishlei 16:26): 'For he saddles his mouth with it,' which indicates that he was born for toil of the lips. And I still would not know whether for the [lip] toil of Torah or the toil of converse — if it were not written (Joshua 1:8): 'Let the book of this Torah not depart from your mouth,' which indicates that he was created for the toil of Torah."

And he who lacks the time to learn Torah continuously is obligated, in any event, to set times for Torah. For thus have Chazal said (Shabbath 31a): "When a man is brought to [Heavenly] judgment, he is asked: 'Were you honest in your [business] dealings? Did you set aside times for Torah study?'" And even if he is poor, he must set aside times, as they have said (Yoma 35b): "A poor man and a rich man come for judgment. The poor man is asked: 'Why did you not occupy yourself with Torah?' If he says: 'I was poor,' he is asked: 'Were you any poorer than Hillel the Elder?' It is said of Hillel the elder, etc.'" And so is it ruled in Yoreh Deah 246: "Every man of Israel is obliged to study Torah — whether he be poor or rich, healthy in body or afflicted, a youth or very old — even a beggar, even a married man with children — he is obligated to set aside times for Torah study, by day and by night, as it is written (Joshua 1:8): "'And you shall study it day and night.'"