Rashi (19:6) writes יותר ולא פחות לא, "Nothing less and nothing more." The Sar Shalom of Belz zy"a says that Rashi's words, ולא פחות לא יותר hints that no one is less than someone who doesn't study Torah, and no one is greater than a person who does study Torah."
The Beis Aharon zt'l would say that he can't look in the face of someone who didn't study a daf Gemara that day.
Rebbe Shlomke Zhviller never spoke negatively about Yidden, but he once spoke very degradingly against those who don't study Torah.
Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zy”a would say, “Someone who doesn’t study Gemara is “Nisht kein Yid und nisht kein mench,” not a Yid, and not even a human being.
It states (Bereishis 10:10), בבל ממלכתו ראשית ותהי, "His first kingdom was Bavel." Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt'l would say that this pasuk implies, "One should begin with Talmud Bavli.” That is the basis of being a Yid.
In Shemonah Esrei we say, אבינו השיבנו שלימה בתשובה והחזירנו לעבודתך מלכנו וקרבנו לתורתך לפניך. In this brachah, we mention studying Torah before doing teshuvah. Reb Moshe Mordechai of Lelov zt'l explains that this teaches us to study Torah always, even when we feel unworthy and even when we have aveiros. If we are still before teshuvah, we should study Torah.
The Chasam Sofer (Drashos, Shavuous 5562) zt'l writes, "The Torah wasn't given to individuals, it was given to all of klal Yisrael, the sinners ['the chelbenah'] and the tzaddikim ['the besamim']. We received the Torah [on Har Sinai] after we had fallen to the forty-ninth gate of tumah [and this proves that Torah is for everyone, from the tzaddikim down to the lowliest Yidden]."
The meforshim ask why the Aseres HaDibros begin with מצרים מארץ הוצאתיך אשר אלקיך 'ה אנכי, "I am Hashem your G-d who took you out of the land of Mitzrayim," instead of “I am Hashem...Who created heaven and earth." We can answer that we mention yetzias Mitzrayim to remember that just a short time before, we were at the 49th level of tumah. And with that awareness, no one will say that he isn't worthy of studying or practicing the Torah.
Yisro worshiped every avodah zarah that existed in his time and was also a high-ranking priest. Yet he came to the desert and received the Torah. This proves that regardless of one's past, one can receive the Torah. Rebbe Leibeile Eiger zy"a explains that this is why matan Torah is written in parashas Yisro. It reminds us that Torah is for everyone. No one should think Torah isn't for him.
Din Torah and the Value of Torah
In his drashah, Reb Chaim Kreisworth zt'l said: Two people came to me for a din Torah. One was a wealthy diamond dealer, and the other was his sales agent. The agent claimed they agreed to a .06% commission, while the dealer argued that the agreement was .05%.
Reb Chaim Kreiswirth noticed that some people listening to his drashah were laughing. They considered it absurd that a din Torah should be over .01%. Wealthy people shouldn’t be bickering over such a small amount. Reb Chaim Kreiswirth told them to stop laughing because the sales were for a billion dollars. .01%, therefore, was a million dollars, a substantial amount, according to everyone’s standards.
Reb Chaim concluded, “There are people who think that their Torah learning doesn’t have value; they think that they don’t learn l'shmah, etc. But the reward of Torah is so great that even if one only receives .01% of the reward of Torah, it is also extremely valuable.”
