If we examine the 42 interpretations of the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh on the passuk "תלכו בחוקותי אם", we find that the seventh interpretation alludes to a statement in the Mishnah (Avos 4, 18): למקום גולה הוי" "תורה—exile yourself to a place of Torah. He says that it is necessary to go from place to place to study Torah. This is the message inherent in the passuk: "בחוקותי אם"—in order to study Torah— "תלכו"—it is necessary to leave your place to find it, because when a person is at home, even if he has free time, he will be preoccupied with household chores. Therefore, he should leave his dwelling place to pursue the Torah.
Now, we learned from the incredible story above that the Ohr HaChaim hakadosh introduced 42 novel interpretations of the passuk "תלכו בחוקותי אם" while he was in galus. Thus, it is very likely that this is why he alluded to this matter in relation to this passuk— that if a person truly desires to attain the wisdom and knowledge of the Torah, he must heed the advice of the Tanna: “Exile yourself to a place of Torah.”
We find a similar teaching in the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni Mishlei 2, 932) related to the passuk (Mishlei 2, 4): ודעת 'ה יראת תבין אז ,תחפשנה וכמטמונים ככסף תבקשנה אם" "תמצא אלקים—if you seek it as you seek money, and search for it as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of Hashem, and discover the knowledge of G-d. Reish Lakish said: If a person does not pursue “divrei Torah,” they will not pursue him. Similarly, Rabbi Nehorai says: Be exiled to a place of Torah; and if a person searches for them, as a result, he will merit wisdom and insight. Hence, it was said: “And discover the knowledge of G-d.”
Along these lines, the Shela hakadosh (Masei) writes with regards to the passuk (Bamidbar 33, 1): "'וגו ישראל בני מסעי אלה"—these are the journeys of Bnei Yisrael etc. The journeys are like exiles, and they afford atonement. Also, someone who moves his feet and transports himself to a place of Torah and goes to study, then his journey is ordained by Hashem. Therefore, the early sages would leave their homes to go study Torah; this was particularly true of Rashbi, his colleagues, and his students.
