Mishnah 2 - Chapter 6 - Pirkei Avot

Amar rabbi yehoshua ben levi, bechol yom vayom bat kol yotzet mehar chorev umachrezet ve'omeret oy lahem labberiyot me'elbonah shel torah shekkol mi she'eino osek battorah nikra nazuf, shenne'emar nezem zahav be'af chazir ishah yafah vesarat ta'am, ve'omer vehalluchot ma'aseh elohim hemmah vehammichtav michtav elohim hu charut al halluchot, al tikra charut ella cherut, she'ein lecha ben chorin ella mi she'osek betalmud torah, vechol mi she'osek betalmud torah harei zeh mit'alleh, shenne'emar umimmattanah nachali'el uminnachali'el bamot.

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: every day a bat kol (a heavenly voice) goes forth from Mount Horeb and makes proclamation and says: “Woe unto humankind for their contempt towards the Torah”, for whoever does not occupy himself with the study of Torah is called, nazuf (the rebuked. As it is said, “Like a gold ring in the snout of a pig is a beautiful woman bereft of sense” (Proverbs 22:11). And it says, “And the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tablets” (Exodus 32:16). Read not haruth [‘graven’] but heruth [ ‘freedom’]. For there is no free man but one that occupies himself with the study of the Torah. And whoever regularly occupies himself with the study of the Torah he is surely exalted, as it is said, “And from Mattanah to Nahaliel; and Nahaliel to Bamoth” (Numbers 21:19).

And it gives him royalty and rule and depth of judgment. The secrets of Torah are revealed to him and he becomes an unfailing well and a resurgent river. He becomes humble and forbearing and forgiving of insult, and it (Torah) raises and exalts him over all (of life's) exigencies. R. Yehoshua ben Levi said: "Every day a Heavenly voice goes forth from Mount Chorev and proclaims: "Woe unto the creations for the shame of Torah!" For whoever does not occupy himself with Torah is called "rejected," as it is written (Proverbs 11:22): "As a golden ring in the snout of a pig, so is a beautiful woman from whom wisdom has departed," and (Exodus 32:16): "And the tablets were the work of G-d and the writing was the writing of G-d, engraved (charuth) upon the tablets." Read it not "charuth," but "cheiruth" (freedom), for no one is free but him who studies Torah. For whoever studies Torah is exalted, as it is written (Numbers 21:19): "And from Matanah (the gift [of Torah]), Nachliel ('the inheritance of the L rd'); and from Nachliel, Bamoth ('the high mount')."