Following this line of reasoning, we will proceed to clarify the reason HKB”H values the chiddushim that the “neshamah yeteirahs” introduce on Shabbas so much. Let us refer to a Midrash (B.R. 1, 1):
The Torah declares, “I was the craftsmen’s tool of HKB”H.” The way of the world is that when a flesh-and-blood king builds a palace, he does not build it based on his own knowledge but rather based on the knowledge of a craftsman. And the craftsman does not build it based on his own knowledge; rather, he has papers and diagrams (blueprints) to ascertain how to make the rooms and how to make the wicket doors. So too, HKB”H peered into the Torah and created the world. Therefore, the Torah said (Bereishis 1, 1): “Bereishis G-d created,” and there is no “Reishis” other than the Torah, as it says (Mishlei 8, 22): “Hashem made me at the ‘Reishis’ (beginning) of His way.”
We find a similar teaching in the Zohar hakadosh (Terumah 161b) with a precious addition extolling the praise of those who sustain the world with their Torah-study:
ָכוֹל הוּא מְְקַַיֵֵּים יִשְְׁתָָּדַַּל בָָּהּ, כִִּבְְאוְְְיתָָא יְאוֹרַבָּבָָּהּ ַל כִּתִָָּסְְאְדַַּאן מְָל כִּ" שְַׁר נָָבָָּא, מְְלָרָא עָָבְְיתָָא וּיְאוֹרַבַָּל כִּתִָָּסְְאְרִיךְ הוּא בָָּא שְׁוּדְְקַָא. מְְלעָָָל כִּ ָל כְדַָּא מְוּיִֵּקַוְְָא דְָבְוֹעְָדַַּח כְתָּשְְִׁאָא, מְְלעֵָָים יקְַַיתָָא וּמְְיְאוֹרַבָּבָָּהּ ֵל כִַּתָּסְְִמְְיתָָא יְאוֹרַבִָּשְְׁתָָּדַַּל אְדַּ שְׁנַָָר בִָּיהוּ אָה אָכִּזַַַךְ כִִּין ְגִבִָּי, היִאְיתָָא יאוֹרַָא מְְלעָָ אָא".מְְלִיהוּ מְְקַַיֵֵּים עָָאא ָהְדַּ
Translation: A person who looks in the Torah and studies it, preserves the world. Thus, the entire world is perpetuated by the Torah. Therefore, praiseworthy is the person who engages in Torah-study, since he perpetuates the existence of the world.
This teaches us a fundamental principle. Just as HKB”H created the universe by peering in the Torah; He renews the creation daily in a similar fashion. We express this fact in tefilas Shacharis (the berachah of “yotzer ohr”): "המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית"—Who, in His goodness, continually renews the work of creation, day after day. He does this with the Torah; as stated, this renewal relies on the Torah-study of Yisrael; by engaging in the study of Torah, they renew creation.
Let us comment on the phrase: "המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית". Chazal teach us that the only true good—“tov”—is the Torah (Berachos 5a): "אין טוב אלא תורה שנאמר כי לקח טוב נתתי לכם תורתי אל תעזובו". As it states (Mishlei 4, 2): “For I have given you ‘lekach tov’ (a good teaching), do not abandon My Torah.” Understood in this context, "המחדש בטובו" means that HKB”H renews by means of His “tov”—i.e., the Torah—“day after day, continually, the work of creation”—by means of diligent talmidei-chachamim,” who are privileged to attain chiddushim of the Torah that HKB”H introduces on a daily basis.
This wonderful concept is also presented in the Degel Machaneh Ephraim (Bo) in the name of his brother Rabbi Baruch of Medzhybizh, zy”a. Based on this concept, he explains the juxtaposition of the end of the Torah (Devarim 34, 12) with its beginning (Bereishis 1, 1): "לעיני כל ישראל בראשית ברא". The Torah concludes with the words: "לעיני כל ישראל"—before the eyes of all Yisrael—in other words through the vision of Yisrael, enabling them to introduce chiddushim of the Torah—"בראשית ברא"—HKB”H renews the works of creation every day.
We now have cause to rejoice, because this enlightens us as to why HKB”H endows us with a “neshamah yeteirah”—the special gift that He gives every Jew on every Shabbas. As we have learned, on every Shabbas, HKB”H renews the works of creation for the upcoming six days in the merit of the Torah-chiddushim introduced by Yisrael. Therefore, HKB”H sends us the “neshamah yeteirah,” which imparts “divine influence and added intelligence to study Torah and delve into the ways of Hashem.” This enables Jews to introduce novel Torah insights and interpretations, which HKB”H uses on every Shabbas to perpetuate the world for another six days.
This also explains the teaching of the Zohar hakadosh magnificently: On every motza’ei Shabbas when the “neshamah yeteirahs” leave us and return back to the heavens, HKB”H asks them what chiddushim of the Torah did they propose on Shabbas. Then, HKB”H gathers the entire heavenly family and announces: “Listen to the chiddushim of the Torah this particular man’s neshamah said.” In the merit of those chiddushim, HKB”H renews the world for the next six weekdays.
