The Gemara on Amud Aleph speaks about an unusually powerful benefit of Torah study.  It can serve as a merit and protection and obtain forgiveness for sins beyond mere repentance. How does this work? Nefesh HaChayyim (Shaar Dalet) explains in great detail the value of Torah study and why this works.  The goal of every mitzvah is to attach to Hashem, and the goal of repentance is to repair any breaks in the attachment.  Therefore, if one studies Torah and through this effort becomes attached to Hashem, you “do away with the middleman”, and achieve the appropriate level of connection. He is not referring to a formulaic process, but rather real love for Hashem that comes from engaging in Torah study with the correct intentions achieves a kind of repentance out of love which is superior to any other process.

While this makes absolute sense, there are two dark sides to this that I feel compelled to warn against.  One problem is that this can lead to antinomianism - a rejection of the law.  Even if subtle and unconscious, it is easy to rationalize that the main point is to attach to Hashem and the mitzvos are merely means to an end.  You cannot skip steps and if you devalue the means, you will not be likely to reach nor maintain the desired ends.  Another major problem is that this line of thinking has been used to rationalize that one who studies Torah need not focus specifically on mussar, spirituality, repentance or character development.  The main thing is to study Torah and the rest will automatically come.  This has been used by some people, sadly the people who need mussar the most, to claim they fulfill their obligations for Avodah (spiritual and ethical work) merely through Torah study.  That is arrogant and dangerous.

Yes, it is true, that if one studies Torah with the INTENTION to grow spiritually and work on character, he will be likely to benefit from that Torah study more powerfully than studying stand alone mussar, or by mere acts of prayer and dvekus.  We can say most people alive today do not have the ability to obtain this benefit from Torah study alone. Time and experience have proven to us that there are plenty of individuals who are exceedingly brilliant and even superlative in their hasmada of Torah studies but still are wicked or at least tragically flawed.  The idea of the supremacy of Torah study must be considered in some context, but not abused.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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