The second half of the first pasuk contains the motivation for the command in the first half. One must fulfill Hashem’s imperatives in order to gain life. These chukim (statutes) and mishpatim (judicial ordinances) are the very essence of the Torah. In order to continually translate them into practical reality, we must indeed guard them. We fulfill our duty for guarding the Torah only by living up to the following two demands: to study Torah and not to transgress.
One must always be aware of Chazal’s statement: o,rnau vban uz – If one desires to be the guardian of Hashem’s Torah, he must study it! For Torah is a spiritual treasure that must first permeate our minds before it can truly dominate our lives. We must become thoroughly familiar with the Torah in order to achieve its practical realization in our daily endeavors. Chazal admonish us stating, “That which is not learned is not practiced.” This is specifically why they view the ceaseless research of Torah as our foremost duty. In our time, when the Divine Torah message is met by such strong opposition, the relevance of this challenge is even more pronounced. If one desires to protect his children from the temptations of the outside world, he must avail them of the opportunity to study Torah diligently and steadily. Only through study which is loving and joyful will our children develop a sense of pride in their most sacred inheritance. Guard Torah – Study it!
Horav Shlomo Breuer Zt”l points out that we may derive the second demand from the admonition “never to transgress”. Chazal have gleaned from these words the charge to “create lawful ordinances that are designed to eliminate any situation that could lead to a violation of Hashem’s will.” If we are determined to achieve inner freedom, we must exert self control beyond the letter of halacha. This spirit of self-restraint has resulted in the creation of the “fences and preventions” which Chazal have given us. Their regulations have preserved our Shabbos for us, have protected our physical and marital lives from the frivolous degradation which plagues society, and have strengthened our determination to serve Hashem with even greater devotion.
