Sifre Deuteronomy on Studying Torah out of Love

2. And clinging to Him (Deuteronomy 11:22)—Now, how is it possible for a person to ascend the heights and cling to fire? Isn’t it already stated: hashem your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24)? And, yet again, He says: His throne was tongues of flame (Daniel 7:9). Rather the point is—cling to the sages and to their disciples, and I will consider it as if you had ascended the heights and captured the Torah. And not only that you had ascended and captured it peacefully; but as if you had waged war to capture it. And, in this vein, He says: Ascending the heights, you took a prisoner (Psalm 65:19).

3. The expounders of traditional lore say: So you want intimacy with the One Who spoke the world into being? Then master traditional lore, for you will thereby become familiar with the One Who spoke the world into being, and will cling to His ways. You did your duty; therefore, I, too, will do My duty! Then hashem will disinherit all those nations from before you (Deuteronomy 11:23).