The Gemara says, "All opinions agree that the Torah was given on Shabbos." This hints that no desire or opportunity to earn money should take us away from the times we set for studying Torah. No rationally thinking G-d fearing Jew would work on Shabbos to earn money. Similarly, even when we have opportunities to make money, this shouldn't cause us to neglect the times we set aside for Torah study.
A chassid wanted hatzlachah, and he wrote this in a kvittel, which he gave to Rebbe Yochanan of Rachmistrivka zy'a.
Rebbe Yochanan replied, "Dovid HaMelech was also a great Rebbe, and he advises us that for success, one should study Torah. As it states (Tehillim 1), יצליח יעשה אשר וכל ...חפצו 'ה בתורת אם כי, if you desire Torah, you will succeed in all your endeavors. This isn't solely a brachah; it is a guarantee. If you study Torah, you will succeed."
Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zy’a would say, “Someone who doesn’t study Gemara is און איד קיין נישט מענטש קיין נישט, "not a Yid, and not even a human being."
He explained that this is the reason the brachah השיבנו in Shemonah Esrei (the brachah for teshuvah) begins with a request for Torah, as we say, לתורתך אבינו השיבנו, because without Torah, one is מענטש קיין נישט און איד קיין נישט, "not a Yid, and not even a human being."
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 the importance of learning Gemara. בבל ממלכתו ראשית ותהי “One should begin with Talmud Bavli.”
The tzaddikim of Slonim zt'l teach:
Each hour of the day, without Torah, is a zero. If you study Torah for an hour, you have a #1. If you place
that one before all the zeros, it becomes a very large number.
How do you place the one hour of Torah at the beginning, before all the zeros? You do this when you consider the time you set aside for Torah as the most important hour of your day.
If you consider your work more important, then the one hour of Torah comes after all the zeros, and the number is small. But if you recognize that this hour is the most important and precious hour of your day, this places the #1 at the beginning, and you end up with a very large number, which will result in a very great reward.
