Musar for Nedarim 3:13

According to the first interpretation of the ladder in the Midrash, which views the ladder as an allusion to the Torah, the emphasis is on action, on מצוה performance as the element that makes an impact in the spiritual world. This corresponds to the statement of our sages who say that sacrificial service is a necessary element in enhancing the harmony in the "upper" world. The alternate interpretation cited in the Midrash, sees in study the main element that makes that impact. The example of Moses ascending and descending refers to the intellectual achievement of Moses. The word עליה, ascent, alludes to the first stage of intellectual achievement. We have our sages frequently use the expression: עלה במחשבתו, עלה בדעתו, "it came (rose) to mind." The term ירידה, descent, is frequently used describing depth, such as ירד פלוני לסוף דעתו, someone explored someone else's mind thoroughly, i.e. descended into the hidden recesses of his thinking process. The sequence of angels first ascending and subsequently descending is therefore adequately explained [we would have expected the reverse order seeing that the angels' habitat is in the "higher" world. Ed.].