When preparing a cup of coffee, boiling water is used. Most people cannot drink the coffee at that high temperature, though. They wait for the coffee to cool down a bit (or add milk). But it is important that the beginning should be piping hot.
Similarly, one should begin the zman with fiery enthusiasm. The enthusiasm and hasmadah will likely not remain at the same intensity throughout the zman, but it is essential to begin in this ideal state. If one starts the zman lukewarm, not entirely focused on Torah study, he will likely become even less interested as time goes on. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to start off with a bang.
Tzaddikim taught that a person’s first thoughts, speech, and actions (ומעשה דיבור מחשבה) of the day should be for Hashem. For example, the first thing people do upon awakening is they say modeh ani and they wash negel vasser. That means the first words and deeds were for Hashem, which sets the tone for the entire day.
Rebbe Zusha of Honipoli zt’l would begin the day by saying, “It should be a good morning for all Yidden.”
Our subject includes the idea that one should begin the day by learning Torah, davening, etc. Don't begin the day by reading the newspaper or listening to the news. Begin the day in a positive manner; it can change the entire way the day transpires. When the foundation is good, the entire edifice of the day will be built on a firm basis, and you will accomplish a lot during the day.
The Toldos (Ki Savo) writes, "The wise should be cautious, and he should tell his children as well, that the younger years should be used primarily for avodas Hashem and fighting the battle against the yetzer hara. This is as it states in Pirkei Avos (3:12) לראש קל הוי [which can be translated as that one should be swift to utilize the beginnings of one's life for avodas Hashem]..."
In parashas Shlach, the Toldos writes, "When a child begins to speak, Chazal (Succah 42.) say we should teach him... to say צוה תורה משה לנו, [so the beginning of his speech should be speaking Torah]. Also a person's deeds, each day, should begin with going to the beis kneses before he goes to his work. This is a great benefit for many reasons. It will help him daven with kavanah, without foreign thoughts, etc. And, in this way, he will have greater success in his work, too. The same applies to all one's senses: sight, hearing, walking, and feeling. The wise will listen and add on more ideas."
This also applies to the times one sets for Torah study. It is wise to begin right away with studying Torah. If you start with shmoozing with your chavrusa, asking him how his day went, fifteen minutes can pass unproductively. If you begin with Torah, the entire learning session will appear differently.
This also applies to when a new zman begins. For many yeshiva bachurim and kollel yungerleit, a new zman for Torah study is about to start. It is important to make the beginning good, with hasmadah and enthusiasm. The hasmadah and enthusiasm will probably cool down as the days and weeks pass, but since you began on a positive note, you will likely continue learning well throughout the zman.
Kevias Ittim for Torah
Fortunate are those who can learn Torah for many hours a day, but many people can't. The obligations of parnassah take up much of their time. Nevertheless, they should have their times and moments when they study Torah. Those times are very precious.
Tzaddikim of Slonim zt’l would say that when you have an hour of Torah study, consider it a "#1". An hour without Torah is a zero. Place the many zeros after the one, and you have a large number.
Based on what we wrote above, we can answer that we should begin the day with Torah and tefillah. Begin the day with good deeds, and then all the zeros that follow will increase the value and worth of that one hour that you dedicated to avodas Hashem.
Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zy’a was renowned for his love and passion for Gemara. He would say: “Someone who doesn’t study Gemara is מענטש קיין נישט און איד קיין נישט, "He isn’t a Yid, and he isn’t even a human being."
He explained that this is the reason the brachah השיבנו in Shemonah Esrei, which is a request for success in doing teshuvah, begins with a request for Torah. This is because without Torah, one is קיין נישט און איד קיין נישט מענטש, "not a Yid, and not even a human being." It is impossible to succeed in doing teshuvah without dedication to Torah study.
It is written: בבל ממלכתו ראשית ותהי (Bereishis 10:10). Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt’l would say that implied in this pasuk is, בבל ממלכתו ראשית ותהי “One should begin with Talmud Bavli.” That is the first step in the process of teshuvah.
We say in the morning, בתורתך שתרגילנו, "Make us accustomed to Your Torah."
The Imrei Emes zt’l said that although being accustomed to something has a negative aspect to it, for then it will lack the freshness and newness of someone starting to study Torah for the first time, nevertheless, it is possible to be accustomed to Torah, and yet study daily with a new, refreshed vigor. An example of this, he said, is eating. People eat every day, yet they never become bored. When a plate of food is in front of them, they can eat it with gusto, like they have never eaten before. We should similarly be accustomed to learning Torah, yet it should always be new and cherished.
The question is, how does one place the zeros after the one? Perhaps the zeros will come before the one?
The tzaddikim of Slonim replied that if you consider the hour of Torah the most important part of your day, you have placed the "1" before all the zeros. But if the work hours are more important to you, then you have placed the zeros before the one.
The father of the Shlah Hakodesh, Reb Sheftel Ish Levi zt'l, teaches that just as we daven each day and wear tefillin each day, studying Gemara, Rashi, and Tosfos each day is no less of an obligation. A day shouldn’t pass when one isn’t involved in Torah.
