קבלה אויף משלי 17:14

Our sages, of blessed memory, stated,⁵⁴⁶Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 7a “The beginning of a person’s judgment is that he is judged only concerning the study of Torah, as written,⁵⁴⁷Proverbs 17:14 ‘Exemption from waters is the beginning of judgment.’”⁵⁴⁸The term “release-Poter-פוטר” here means that he exempts himself from the waters, which refers to Torah study. The term “Madon-מדון” which means “strife,” is also of the root “judgement-Din-דין” as the Talmud here indicates. Thus, the verse is understood to mean, “Excusing oneself from the waters of Torah study is the beginning of judgment.” (See Rashi to Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 40b.) Similarly, it is written,⁵⁴⁹Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Torah shall not leave from your mouth; you shall contemplate it day and night, so that you may guard yourself to do according to all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful, and then you will be wise.” About each moment, hour or day that a person is idle from studying the words of Torah, it is written,⁵⁵⁰Ecclesiastes 1:15 (See Rashi) “Crookedness that cannot be straightened, lacking that is incalculable.”

Set times for Torah study: In the fifth gate, we already explained the sin of frivolity, and as well known, the study of Torah is equal to all the mitzvot.⁷²¹Mishnah Pe’ah 1:1 Additionally, our sages, of blessed memory, stated,⁷²²Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 7a “The beginning of a person’s judgment is only that he judged concerning the study of Torah, as written,⁷²³Proverbs 17:14 ‘The exemption from waters is the beginning of judgment.’”⁷²⁴The term “release-Poter-פוטר” here means that he exempts himself from the waters, which refers to Torah study. The term “Madon-מדון” which means “strife,” is also of the root “judgement-Din-דין” as the Talmud here indicates. Thus, the verse is understood to mean, “Excusing oneself from Torah study is the beginning of judgment.” (See Rashi to Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 40b.)