54 Torah Talks

'For Ezra had dedicated himself to study the Teaching of the Lord so as to observe it, and to reach laws and rules to Israel.' (Ezra 7:10) 'The Holy One, blessed be He, says: If a man occupies himself with the study of the Torah and with works of charity and prays with the congregation, I account it to him as if he had redeemed Me and My children from among the nations of the world.' (Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot, 8a)