Amidst the Shulchan Aruch's discussion (in Siman 47) of the laws of Birkat Ha'Torah, the blessing we recite each morning over the study of Torah, he writes, "Yeish Le'hizaher Ba Me'od" – one must exercise particular care and diligence with regard to this Beracha. According to some Rishonim (Medieval authorities), including the Ramban (Rabbi Moshe Ben Nachman, Spain-Israel, 1194-1270) and the Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo Ben Aderet, Spain, 1235-1310), the recitation of this Beracha constitutes a Torah obligation. Although others – including the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) – held that this obligation was introduced later, by the Rabbis, the fact that some Rishonim viewed it as a Biblical requirement demonstrates its Halachic importance.
The Gemara tells that at the time of the destruction of the First Temple, the prophets raised the question, "Al Ma Avda Ha'aretz" – "Why was the land destroyed?" They wondered why God allowed the enemies to lay the Land of Israel to waste, considering the widespread Torah study that took place at the time. God finally responded to this question in a prophecy to Yirmiyahu: "Al Ozvam et Torati" – "Because they abandoned My Torah" (Yirmiyahu 9:12). The Gemara explains that this cannot refer to the neglect of Torah study, because, as mentioned, the Jews of the time were intensely involved in learning. Rather, it means "She'lo Berchu Ba'Torah Techila" – "They did not first recite the Beracha over the Torah." They treated Torah like any other field of learning, and thus just as no Beracha is recited before the study of science, they saw no reason to recite a Beracha over the study of Torah. When Torah is not studied with a sense of awe and reverence for its unique sanctity, it does not have the power to protect Am Yisrael from calamity, and hence Eretz Yisrael was overrun by enemies. Birkat Ha'Torah is thus of critical importance as it demonstrates one's recognition and appreciation for the special sacred quality of Torah.
Furthermore, the Chafetz Chayim (Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, Lithuania, 1835-1933) remarked that one who wishes to have children who become Torah scholars should be particularly diligent with regard to Birkat Ha'Torah; in the merit of this Mitzva one earns the blessing of children who become accomplished scholars.
In conclusion, it is worth noting a different reading of the Gemara's comment, that Eretz Yisrael was destroyed "She'lo Berchu Ba'Torah Techila." Some have read this phrase to mean that when people approached Rabbis to receive a blessing, they asked for blessings such as success in business and good health, but did not ask for the greatest blessing of all – success in Torah learning. "They did not first bless over Torah" means that people prioritized their material pursuits when seeking blessings from Rabbis, without affording primary status to their achievements in Torah, which ought to be a Jew's unquestioned first priority. The Gemara thus teaches that the land was destroyed because of the people's misplaced priorities, because they afforded greater importance to material success than to their success in Torah learning.
