Tehillim 119:14
בְּדֶרֶךְ עֵדְוֹתֶיךָ שַׂשְׂתִּי כְּעַל כָּל-הוֹן
bederech edvoteicha sasti keal kol-hon
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Even when I am only "in the way" towards observing the mitzvot, I rejoice. I am as one who is on his way to earn a great fortune; this man does not feel the weariness of the journey.
I rejoice and am glad in the observance of "Your testimonies," like a man who rejoices every time he finds treasure. I do not rejoice at bodily pleasures, but at having in my possession the treasures of the King.
In this world there is no reward for the observance of a mitzvah, since no material reward is equal to the value of any mitzvah. But there is reward in this world for the preparation to perform a mitzvah, preparations being the tools for the performance of any mitzvah. Thus David says here: "In the way of Your testimonies I have rejoiced."
When I studied Torah, David says, I despised all wealth and possessions, for I saw Torah as superior to "all riches." Similarly, our Sages teach: A man has silver but he has no gold; he has gold but he has no silver, nor fields, nor vineyards. But in the Torah there is silver and gold, as it says, "The ordinances of HaShem... More to be desired are they than gold, than fine gold" (v19:10, 11). There are fields and vineyards, as it says, "Your offshoots are an orchard of pomegranates with luscious friuts" (Shir HaShirim 4:13).
That is to say, it is clear to the student of Torah that he has everything. For the Torah is superior in value to all possessions in the world.
Tehillim 119:1 - Tehillim 119:2 - Tehillim 119:3 - Tehillim 119:4 - Tehillim 119:5 - Tehillim 119:6 - Tehillim 119:7 - Tehillim 119:8 - Tehillim 119:9 - Tehillim 119:10 - Tehillim 119:11 - Tehillim 119:12 - Tehillim 119:13
