Sweat of Torah Learning

From a talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT"L. 6 Tishrei, 5741 · September 16, 1980.

Torah relates that the Egyptian exile involved hard labor of "chomer u'leveinim" -- mortar and brick. Whatever spiritual refinement Hashem intended for the Jewish people through that exile could only be acquired through mortar and brick -- otherwise, Hashem would never have put them through it.

Of the current exile, however, Torah explains that the refinement of "chomer -- mortar" is acquired through "kal vachomer -- in-depth Torah study," and the refinement of "leveina -- brick," through "libun hilchisa -- clarification of Jewish law."

This explains why great Torah scholars through the ages toiled in Torah study with superhuman intensity. Rabbi Chaim Vital relates that his Rebbe, the Arizal, literally perspired when studying Talmud. And when the Mittler Rebbe (second Lubavitcher Rebbe and son of the Baal Hatanya) would study, the sweat would literally drip from the peak of his hat! Far from "enslaving" the Jew, such toil in Torah is what actually sets him free from the exile.

From Living Torah Volume 108 Program 429