The Torah is Holier Than All Else

The Gemara (Horios 13A) states that a mamzer who is a talmid chochom takes precedence over a Kohen Gadol who is an am ha’aretz to make the first bracha on the Torah. This is learned from the pasuk (Mishlei 3:15) that says that Torah is more valuable than “peninim” (pearls), which is understood to mean that it is more valuable than a Kohen Gadol who enters “lifnei u’lifnim” (to the innermost place, i.e., the Kodesh Hakedoshim).

Rav Yisroel Salanter zt”l would say that the Kohen Gadol is the holiest person in Klal Yisroel, Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year and the Kodesh Hakedoshim is the holiest place on earth. Yet even when all three of these things are placed together, they do not equal the holiness of Torah.