*The Alter Rebbe and his son Rabbi Dovber, known as the Mitteler Rebbe, lived together in one multi-generational home 🏡.*

One night, Rabbi Dovber sat deeply engrossed in his learning in the same room as his baby, who was sleeping in its cradle 🧺. Somehow, the baby fell out of the cradle and began to cry 😭.

The baby’s wails filled the house, but Rabbi Dovber, completely immersed in his learning, heard nothing at all.

The Alter Rebbe was also awake that night, studying Torah in his room on the second floor of the home. He heard the baby’s cries and went to soothe him. He picked up the child, calmed him down, and rocked him back to sleep 👨🏻‍🍼.

Later, when Rabbi Dovber finished his study session, his father related to him what had occurred and then instructed him ☝🏻:

“My son, no matter how deeply immersed you are in your learning, the cries of a child must penetrate through and reach you 🔊. You have the responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of your children above all!”

===

We are in middle of analyzing what is more important:

Torah Study 📖

Or

Fulfilling a mitzvah 🤝🏻…

And what to do if you have the ability to do just one of them 🤛🤷🏻‍♀️🤜…

The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might have hoped 🧐.

In general, if you have to choose between two values, the deciding factor will be -

Which of these is more important or of greater value ⚖️

And so yes, the rabbis do provide an answer to the above-mentioned dilemma:

_*Learning is greater*_ 📖📖📖

Why? What is the rationale 😎?

_*Because it leads to action*_ 🙌🏻

Since learning Torah teaches you how to do the mitzvot, learning is greater -

But the _goal 🎯_ is the _action 🙌🏻_!

We see this clearly in numerous statements of the sages throughout the Talmud:

🔺 _*Studying isn't the priority 👎, but rather action is*_ 👍

🔺 *_Today, ✋ do them!*_ ‘Today' refers to our lifetimes in this world 🌍.

We were created

*To get things done!*

The halachic conclusion is to stop learning Torah in order to perform a mitzvah _if no one else is available to do it instead of you_.

Why?

There is much to be said about the greatness of practical actions.

Actions🙏 are what transform darkness into light and make this world into a place where G-d can comfortably reside ✨🌍✨.

It is important to qualify👌all of the above:

If someone else is able to do the mitzvah, *you continue learning* 😌 ~ 📖!

That other person will ensure that the divine light will descend through the performance of that mitzvah.

This doesn't seem so logical, though 🧐🙆🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️.

If action is so important,

Why pass the honor to someone else?😳

For example:

You are sitting and learning the laws of kindness🤝 and someone knocks on the door requesting assistance👩‍ 🦰🚪…

Someone else answers and agrees to help out.

Shouldn't you also get up to see if there is anything you can do🙂?

Isn't the Torah our *instruction manual* for fulfilling mitzvot?

True 💪🏻.

And yet

Torah is the wisdom of G-d 🧠.

Mitzvot are G-d’s will. They are also referred to as *The King’s Limbs*.

A person’s psyche is the part most deeply intertwined with his soul. The mind receives a greater amount of energy and vitality ☀️ from the soul than any other limb 👄👁️👃🏻🦶🏻of the body.

So too,

Studying Torah, G-d’s wisdom, also draws down *a greater light* 💫💫💫 than the performance of a mitzvah can.

Doing a mitzvah achieves something incredible - it elevates your body 🧍🏻‍♀️ and the world 🌎.

💫🌏💫🌏💫🌏💫

Studying Torah produces a connection and bond 🔗between your soul and G-d that is irreplicable 🚫.