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Thought for the Day: Torah Guides You, Protects You, and Speaks for You

I have, Baruch HaShem and bli ayin hara, had the z'chus in the past to make a siyum now and again.  Part of the hadran is to quote the pasuk from Mishlei (6:22):
בְּהִתְהַלֶּכְךָ, תַּנְחֶה אֹתָךְ-- בְּשָׁכְבְּךָ, תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ וַהֲקִיצוֹתָ, הִיא תְשִׂיחֶךָ.
When you walk, she will lead you; when you lie down, she will protect you, and when you awaken, she will speak for you.
Of course we all understand that it is referring allegorically to the Torah.  The Torah guides you in this world, protects you in the grave, and will speak on you behalf (ie, the z'chus of learning Torah and doing mitzvos) after t'chiyas ha'meisim.  True, of course, but the simple p'shat also has to mean something.  The G"ra gives some fascinating insights into that (and more).

For one, the G"ra notes that you can read the going, lying down, and awakening as results rather than situations.  That is, for positive mitzvos you need to get going and to them.  For negative mitzvos (issurim) you need to "lie down", ie refrain from action.  For learning Torah, of course, you need to awaken.

The pasuk also refers to the three t'filos a day.  Mincha is to redirect your attention during the middle of your busy day back to reality.  Ma'ariv is to finish your day and sets the tone for your sleep to be a preparation for the next day (to be refreshed, rather than just being lazy), thus providing a measure of protection while you sleep.  Shacharis starts your day with divrei torah.

Another reason that you need protection while you sleep is that the neshama heads upstairs for the evening, leaving your body (with enough nefesh to stay alive) at the mercy of "klipos".  What are klipos?  You don't want to know, but think "vampire bads that feed on your spirituality and vitality.  When the neshama comes back in the morning, she wants to talk and tell you all about the cool stuff she learned upstairs that night; hence "when you awaken, she will speak to you".

Apparently my chavrusa is much more spiritual than I; he reported to me that his trouble getting up in the morning is tearing himself way from the fascinating report being delivered by his neshama.  Me?  I'm just tired.  I rely on my chavrusos to help me infuse spirituality into my day.
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