Rav Yechezkel Levenstein the sainted mashgiach reminisces “The first year that I came to Kelm I remember the first kabbalah ( resolution) we took on to prepare for Rosh HaShanah was to strengthen our Shabbat observance ( Ohr Yechezkel Yomim Noraim pg 330)
Rav Yaakov Galinsky, in his work Ve’higadeta, relates something he heard from a student of the Chafetz Chaim. Each year, the student told, the Chafetz Chaim would deliver a brief, three-minute talk at the beginning of the month of Elul. As etrogim do not grow in Eastern Europe, the Jews in those regions would have to import etrogim. Many of the etrogim would become ruined during transport, and thus those that were suitable for the mitzvah were very expensive. Only the wealthy Jews were able to purchase their own etrogim, and most people used the etrog purchased by the synagogue.
“During Elul,” the Chafetz Chaim would say, “people think to themselves, ‘If I was wealthy, I’d be able to purchase my own etrog. And if I was extremely wealthy, I’d be able to purchase an expensive etrog to fulfill the mitzvah on the highest level.’ This is what people would do for the mitzvah of etrog, which, according to the Torah, applies only one day – the first day of Sukkot. On the other days the mitzvah is only מדרבנן. Yet, the reward for just one word of Torah learning is greater than all the mitzvot – greater than etrog, shofar and matzah. It is worth all 613 mitzvot combined. In just five minutes of Torah learning, we achieve far more than even the highest quality etrog!”
The Chafetz Chaim pointed out on this basis how much a student loses if he arrives even just five minutes late to the Bais midrash for learning in the morning.
While Torah study is immensely valuable at any time, it is especially so on Shabbat. The Ben Ish Chai, in Parshat Shemot, writes that according to the Mekubalim, the power of Torah study on Shabbat is 1,000 times that of Torah learning on a weekday. It is doubtful whether a calculator can figure out the value of even just ten minutes of learning on Shabbat, when each word we learn has 1,000 times the value of all 613 mitzvot combined, and we can learn many words in ten minutes!
Particularly during the month of Elul, when we must be trying to prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah and filling our “bank accounts” with merit, it is proper to take some time on Shabbat for learning. As mentioned, the value of even just 10 minutes is incalculable. And everyone is certainly able to devote 10 minutes for learning on Shabbat.
There are many subjects that one can learn, but if we decide to allocate 10 minutes for learning on Shabbat, we should perhaps consider following the guidance of Rav Yisrael Salanter, who was once asked what a person should learn if he only has 10 minutes for study. He replied, “He should study mussar, and he will then realize that he has much more than 10 minutes.” And thus if we are going to allocate time for learning on Shabbat, which we all certainly should, it would be appropriate – particularly during Elul – to choose the subject of mussar, perhaps a page of one of the classic works of mussar such as Mesilas Yesharim and Sha’arei Teshuva. It is advisable to choose a section that deals with topics relating to teshuvah, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Somebody once asked one of the Gerrer Rebbe if it is permissible to study mussar on Shabbat. After all, mussar often causes a sense of anxiety and despondency, which is inconsistent with the festive atmosphere of Shabbat. The Rebbe answered by citing the pasuk (Devarim 10:16), ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם – “you shall circumcise the foreskin of your hearts.” Spiritual growth is likened to bris milah, in that it entails opening our hearts that resembles the act of removing foreskin. As the mitzvah of bris milah overrides the Shabbat prohibitions, the Rebbe explained, studying mussar similarly is allowed on Shabbat.
Let us, then, take full advantage of this power of Torah study, and add even just 10 minutes of learning on Shabbat as part of our preparations for the Yamim Noraim.