אם בחקתי תלכו ואת מצותי תשמרו: הוו עמלים בתורה על מנת לשמור ולקיים, כמו שנאמר ולמדתם אותם ושמרתם לעשותם. (רש”י ויקרא כו:ג)
Toil in the Torah in order to keep and fulfill it, as the verse says, “Learn [the laws] and keep them to do them.” (Rashi, Vayikra 26:3)
To fully keep the Torah, it’s not enough to learn Torah; we have to toil in Torah. Superficial study won’t bring us to fulfill the mitzvos with the precision and intent they deserve.
Our parashah describes toiling in Torah as “going.” Even when you think you understand something in Torah, don’t stay put. Just as one travels from one place to another, we must forge ahead to explore different ways and deeper levels of understanding.
Toiling in Torah means constantly seeking greater depth in the Torah we learn and the mitzvos we do – even the mitzvos that seem straightforward. You think Kibud Av V’em just means filial honor? If you toil in Torah, you see a much deeper picture. You think tefillah is just a simple convo with Hashem? If you toil in Torah, you come to see how every single Shacharis, Mincha and Maariv is a unique and momentous event.
Even just taking time to think about the mitzvos we do is in a sense “toiling,” for it brings us to new levels of understanding. For example, one who reflects on the mitzvah of tefillin will be amazed how he binds his very body to Hashem.
The Torah calls toiling “going in My chukim.” Chukim are mitzvos that are difficult to understand or connect to. Many mitzvos have some aspect of “chukim” to us. They seem dry and technical, and we don’t feel fulfillment in doing them.
But if we toil in Torah, even those mitzvos will become rich and meaningful. Then, we’ll look forward to the very mitzvos that were “chukim” to us. That’s how toiling in Torah leads us to fully keep the mitzvos.