R’ Yehoshua ben Levi said: Every single day a Heavenly Voice emanates from Har Chorev, and declares and says: “Woe to them, the people, because of the offense of the Torah. For whoever does not occupy himself in Torah is rebuked, as it says, ‘Like a golden ring in the swine’s snout so is a beautiful woman who turns from sound judgment.’ And it says: “And the Luchos are Hashem’s handiwork, and the writing is Hashem’s writing, engraved on the Luchos.” Do not read “charus (engraved)” rather “cherus (free)”. For you can have no freer person than one who is involved in Torah study. And anyone who studies Torah is elevated as it says, “From Matanah to Nachaliel, and from Nachaliel to Bamos.”
