אהבה רבה

If [Hashem] had brought us close to Mount Sinai and had not given us the Torah; [it would have been] enough for us.

(3) Another thing, why does it say, "for His mercy endures forever"? The Lord does not show mercy to Israel for a year or two, but forever. And similarly, you can see that Moses gave them the Torah, which is called mercy, as it says (Proverbs 31:26), "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." And it was not taken away from them forever, but given to them as an inheritance, as it says (Deuteronomy 33:4), "Moses commanded us a law, as an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." And similarly, all the mercies that He did with them are forever, as it says (Lamentations 3:22), "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not." "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy endures forever." Another thing, "for He is good." [An analogy:] It is like a homeowner who used to lend to all the people of his city, and the people of his city would say, "Remember that homeowner for good, for he gives us all our needs during the rainy season." However, during the hot season, he would take three rocks from them. One person came and said, "I will give you everything in one rock." They left the first one and thanked the second one. Then one person came and said, "I will give it to you for free." Therefore, it is appropriate to give thanks to one who gives for free. Thus, the Lord sustains His creatures for free, and it is appropriate to give thanks to Him. Therefore, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good

(17) "And it shall be like a planted tree," as it says in Proverbs 3:18, "She is a tree of life to those who hold onto her." Rabbi Yitzchak, son of Rabbi Chiya, asks, "Why is the Torah called a tree of life?" He answers, "Because it is beloved to all life." Rabbi Yudan asks, "Why is the Torah compared to a tree of life?" He answers, "Just as the tree of life spreads its branches to all the inhabitants of the world (in the Garden of Eden), so too, the Torah is spread out for all of life, bringing them to the eternal life in the world to come." It is taught that the tree of life stands for five hundred years, and all the days of creation are divided under it. Rabbi Shmuel, son of Rabbi Yitzchak, planted himself from group to group in order to fulfill Psalms 119:99, "From all my teachers, I have gained understanding." Just as the tree of life stands by the waters of Tiberias and its environs, and its fruits are produced in their season, so too, the students of a person who toils in Torah study, and who sets times for Torah, reading, Mishnah, and Talmud, will flourish. Its leaves will not wither, for everyone needs its conversation and study. Whatever he does will succeed, for everyone needs his counsel, like Rabbi Elazar ben Arach, who provided advice that was successful and fulfilled. They said to him, "You are a prophet." He said to them, "I am not a prophet, nor am I a son of a prophet, but this is what I have received from my teachers: Any advice that is for the sake of Heaven will eventually be fulfilled." Rabbi Menashe said, "It is a full scriptural verse, as it says in Proverbs 19:21, 'And the counsel of the Lord shall stand.' Any advice that contains the word of God will eventually be fulfilled."

.. Rabbi Eliezer asked him, "And what do you fulfill, while you engage in his Torah day and night?" Rabbi Yehoshua said to him, "This refers to the recitation of the Shema. If a person recites it both morning and evening, the Holy One, blessed be He, considers it as if he engaged in Torah day and night."