We now turn to chapter 6 of Maseches Avos, mishnah 7 - a mishnah that is likewise arranged in the style of a beraisa. Its subject is seven verses from Mishlei, which teach that Torah gives life not only in the World to Come but in this world as well. The mishnah opens: "Gedolah Torah shehi nosenes chayim le'oseha ba'olam hazeh uva'olam haba" - great is Torah, for it grants life to those who engage in it in both worlds.
The wording deserves close attention: it does not say 'to those who learn it' but "le'oseha" - to those who do it. The emphasis is that Torah does not stand for study alone, but for carrying out and fulfilling its instructions in actual life. Whoever wishes to merit the fruits of Torah cannot suffice with learning - he must also fulfill.
The seven verses from Mishlei:
"Ki chayim hem lemotze'eihem ulechol besaro marpei" - words of Torah are life to those who find them, and healing to all his flesh. Rashi explains here by way of derash: "lemotze'eihem" is not only from the root of finding, but also from the word 'motzi'eihem', bringing them out with the mouth - one who brings forth words of Torah with his mouth finds life, and the Torah heals his flesh, his physical body itself. Here, then, we have life in this world and in the World to Come.
"Refu'us tehi leshorecha veshikuy le'atzmosecha" - "shorecha" is the navel. In the words of Chazal this place symbolizes a person's foundation, the point from which he began to develop in the womb - like the stem of a flower and the root of a tree, the base from which everything began. The Torah grants healing and health even to this foundation. "Veshikuy le'atzmosecha" - it gives moisture to the bones: in this world the Torah sustains a person and grants him health during his life, and after death, when the rest of the body decays and only the bones remain in the ground, they are preserved by this moisture with a kind of freshness, waiting for the resurrection of the dead. The Torah supplies the moisture and the potential for the revival and vitality of the future.
"Ve'etz chayim hi lamachazikim bah vesomecheha me'ushar" - the Torah is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it, and those who support it are fortunate. This verse deals mainly with the World to Come: those who hold fast to it merit the World to Come, and those who support it are fortunate in the World to Come as well.
"Ki livyas chen hem lerosheicha va'anakim legargerosecha" - "chen" means charm and grace, and "livyas" comes from the word for accompaniment: words of Torah accompany a person as charm and grace. "Va'anakim" - a large chain, "legargerosecha" - for your neck. The Torah serves a person as an ornament that accompanies him, like a crown around his head and like a chain upon his neck and chest.
"Titen lerosheicha livyas chen ateres tiferes temagneka" - an ornament of grace upon the head, and also a crown of splendor and glory. "Temagneka" is not a common word, and according to the Ibn Ezra it parallels what is said in Parashas Lech Lecha in Malki Tzedek's blessing to Avraham Avinu: "asher migen tzarecha beyadecha" - who delivered your enemies into your hand. Here too the meaning is delivering and granting: the Torah delivers and grants a person a crown of splendor.
"Orech yamim biminah bismolah osher vechavod" - the right hand symbolizes strength and love. One who engages in Torah with the 'right', for its own sake and out of love of Hashem, merits length of days and eternal life. But even one who engages in it only with the 'left', that is, not for the proper reasons, receives what he sought - "osher vechavod" (osher with an ayin, from the word for wealth). His motive was not good, and nevertheless he takes his reward.
"Ki orech yamim ushenos chayim veshalom yosifu lach" - words of Torah add to a person length of days, years of life, and peace. One who engages in Torah merits an addition of life and peace in his days and in his years.
In summary: in this mishnah we learned the greatness of Torah, which gives life to those who do it - to those who fulfill it, and not to those who merely learn it - in this world and in the World to Come. Seven verses from Mishlei teach this: healing of the body for one who brings forth words of Torah with his mouth, healing for a person's foundation and moisture for his bones until the resurrection of the dead, the World to Come for those who hold fast to it and those who support it, grace and splendor that accompany a person as an ornament, length of days for one who engages in it for its own sake and wealth and honor even for one who engages in it not for its own sake, and an addition of days, years and peace for everyone who engages in it.