“neshama” and the word “Mishnah”. Thus, it is a hint that in the merit of learning Mishnayos like Osher did, one’s soul can be saved.
A Ladder for the Soul:
Shlah Hakadosh (Maseches Shavuos, Perek Ner Mitzvah, Ois 17) writes that for this this reason, one’s major focus should be on learning Mishnayos, and reviewing it over and over. He writes: “Praised is the one who merits to learn Mishnah and is fluent in all six sedarim. By doing this, he makes a ladder for his neshama that leads him to extremely lofty levels. A siman for this is that ‘Mishnah’ has the same letters as ‘neshama’.”
He Will Not See Gehenim:
Rav Sheftel zt”l, the son of the Shlach Hakadosh zy”a, writes, “I have a tradition that anyone who is an expert in Mishnayos will never see the face of Gehenim.”
On His Last Day, He Cannot be Swayed From His Emunah:
The Shomrei Emunim zy”a (quoted in Sefer Uvda D’Aharon) relates that during the last winter of the life of Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Bluzhev zy”a, one of the elder chasidim came into his room and saw the Rebbe learning Mishnayos by heart, like young children do.
The chasid was amazed by what he saw and he asked the Rebbe to explain. The Rebbe said, “The end of my life is drawing near. When I am leaving this world, I will come face-to-face with a terrifying malach who will be as tall as the distance between earth and Heaven. This angel tries to take people on their deathbed and rip them away from their pure emunah right before they pass away. All of the frights a person has in his life don’t come close to the fear one feels at that time. But if one knows ten chapters of Mishnayos by heart, he won’t be scared at all.”
Rectification for the “P’gam Habris”:
Sefer Ohr L’Tzadikim (written by the mekubal, Rav Meir Paprish zt”l) writes: “It is good to learn Mishnayos every day, and, if possible, to finish all of Mishnayos every month by completing 18 chapters every day, one for each of the 18 worlds. This is a great rectification for the ‘p’gam habris’ and is also a segulah to kill the yeitzer hara...”
Saved From Damaging Angels:
Rav Yitzchok Isaac of Kamarna zy”a (Sefer Atzei Eden) writes: “One who is fluent in Mishnayos and reviews them will be saved from damaging angels.”
Purifying America With Mishnayos:
When the Mahariyatz of Lubavitch zy”a arrived in America, he couldn’t stand the impure atmosphere in the streets. He paid several young men to form a circle around him when he walked in the streets of Crown Heights in the morning and to learn Mishnayos by heart because this kedusha can sanctify even the impure air of the American street.
The Geulah Will Come in the Merit of Mishnayos:
On the pasuk (Bereishis 28:16) that says that Yaakov woke (vayiketz) from his sleep (m’shinaso), Chazal say (Bereishis Rabbah 69:6) that he woke “from his learning” (m’Mishnaso).
The Chida zt”l (Sefer Nachal Kedumim) explains that this means that one can arouse the “ketz” (the end, i.e., Moshiach’s arrival) through the study of Mishnah. In the merit of learning Mishnayos, the redemption will arrive.
The Maharal of Prague zt”l writes similarly: “Today, many people do not focus on Mishnah. I say that this is the work of the Satan. Since the exile has gone on for a long time and it is fitting for the salvation and redemption to arrive... people err by not doing the thing that will bring an end to the exile. Learning Mishnayos brings close the redemption. Since the Satan doesn’t want this, he makes people err by not learning Mishnah.”
A Holy Neshama in the Merit of Mishnayos:
The Maharash of Lubavitch zy”a related that after the birth of Rav Moshe, the son of the Baal Hatanya zy”a, the Baal Hatanya delayed the bris until after midday. In the early afternoon, a man walked in with a sack over his shoulder and a walking stick in his hand, and the Baal Hatanya gave him the honor of placing the baby on the chair of Eliyahu.
After the bris, the Baal Hatanya was asked who the stranger was and he said, “This man has been shepherd for 40 years in a small village near the city of Shvintzen. He is an expert in all of Bavli, Yerushalmi, Rambam, Sifri, Sifra, and Tosefta. But he only merited an illuminated neshama through the study of Mishnayos by heart!”
Nothing Compares:
The Chida zt”l (Sefer Avodas Hakodesh) writes: “Nothing can compare to learning Mishnah in a loud voice, calmly and clearly.”
Remembered for Good:
The Magid Meisharim (Parshas Mikeitz) revealed to the Bais Yosef zt”l that he was protected by Hashem in the merit of his study of Mishnayos. It added that everyone who immerses himself in Mishnayos is remembered for good.
The Soul Asked Him to Learn For Him:
The Yismach Moshe zy”a once told the Kol Aryeh of Mahd zy”a, “A certain man died a few weeks ago, and, before he passed away, he asked me to learn Mishnayos in his memory. I promised him that I would do this. One day, I was very busy and forgot to do it. In the evening, this man came to me from the Upper World and screamed, ‘Rebbe, please learn a chapter of Mishnayos for me. The day is almost over.’ Immediately, I fulfilled his request.”
Sefer Otzar Hasipurim (Chelek 1) quotes Rav Daniel Prusitz zt”l, the Magid of Presburg, as relating the following story that occurred to his great-grandfather (who also was named Rav Daniel Prusitz).
One Shabbos afternoon, after concluding his seudah, Rav Daniel was sitting and learning when he was visited by a woman who had died several weeks earlier. She told him that before her death, she had given the shamash of the kehillah a certain amount of money to learn Mishnayos in her memory, but he had not done it. She asked Rav Daniel to rebuke the shamash for failing to keep his word.
Rav Daniel promised to speak with the shamash, and the woman suddenly disappeared. Just then, the shamash passed by, knocking on windows to call the men to Minchah. Rav Daniel called him over and asked him, “Is it true that this lady gave you money to learn Mishnayos for her?”
The shamash became very frightened, as no one besides him knew about this, but he admitted that it was true.
“Did you learn Mishnayos for her?” Rav Daniel asked.
The shamash began to tremble in fear and said, “I made a big mistake. I didn’t do it.”
Rav Daniel then told him, “This woman just appeared to me to complain about you. From now on, make sure to learn for her!”
The shamash promised that he would fulfill his word.
A Segulah for Parnassah:
Sefer Imrei Pinchos quotes Rav Pinchos of Koretz zy”a as saying that the word “Mishnah” has the same gematriah as the word “parnassah”. This teaches us that if one learns Mishnayos every day, he will have a good livelihood.
A Segulah for Long Life:
Rav Tzadok Hakohen of Lublin zy”a (Sefer Takanas Hashavin, page 35) writes that learning Mishnayos is a segulah for a long life.
Guaranteed a Portion in Olam Haba:
Sefer Mishnas Chochomim (Ois 370) writes: “Praised is one who can learn Mishnayos by heart until it is fluent in his hands with its explanation. He is certainly guaranteed a portion in Olam Haba and is as if he received the Torah on Sinai.”
