“From the 15th of Av the strength of the sun weakens, and the night grows longer. One should therefore study more Torah during these evenings, as the study of Torah during the night increases ones days and inspires their lives.”
- Talmud Ta’anit 31a with Rashi

If the study of Torah can have such an impact – why should one study it during the dark and cold night? Wouldn’t it make more sense to study during the glorious sunny Summer day? And why should one increase their study specifically during the longer nights? Unless there must be some secret to the essence of the night and its relationship to studying Torah.

“Torah can truly be experienced only when studied with all of one’s soul…For Torah to truly be studied, it must be studied at night.

Therefore, someone who wants to merit the crown of Divine Wisdom should be conscience every night of their life to immerse themselves in the study of Torah and higher consciousness.”

- Rambam, Maimonides

The Path to Study Torah, 3:12,13

The study of Torah is to open one’s mind and soul to a higher reality, to experience and touch upon a deeper living. In order to fully access this, one must study it in the evening – for the evening represents darkness, concealment and confusion. Not to be perused or merely read – but “with all of one’s soul” in the darkness of night, in the climax of struggle. For that darkness of night has within it the glory of silence, the majesty of stillness and all the world is quiet. In that realm, the Torah is entirely alive and available to expand one’s mind, enliven one’s heart and settle our soul.

If a person might not know where first to look to study Torah, not knowing which books to look for, etc. I would be happy to help them find a book that most speaks to them and their unique personality.

B’chasdei Hashem we should all merit attaining the higher realms of thought, emotion and experience that God wishes to bless us with during the beginnings of these longer nights.