Musar על יומא 144:24

There were three "crowns" as we mentioned earlier. The reason they are referred to as זרים rather than as כתרים, is to reflect the statement of our sages who have said that "he who merits a crown, זר, spelled with the vowel Tzeyreh, does not need to worry about the זר spelled with the vowel kametz. Of the latter the Torah has written: והזר הקרב יומת, "The stranger who approaches will be executed" (Numbers 1,51). What our sages meant was that he who studies Torah in order to observe its precepts, is fortunate and will be crowned with the crown of Torah. If, however, someone is a Torah scholar, preaching Torah values but personally not practising them, he will eventually become totally estranged and his punishment will be twice that of people who do not have Torah knowledge. The reason is that the Torah scholar used to be קרוב, close, whereas now he has become זר, estranged.

One can also explain these verses in accordance with a statement by our sages (Yuma 72) that there are three crowns, the crown of priesthood acquired by Aaron, the crown of Monarchy acquired by David, and the crown of Torah which was granted (potentially) to everybody. Concerning all this, the Torah first says (plural) והייתם, "you will all be something precious." There is a discussion in Baba Kama 87 about the meaning of the word סגולה. Rav Chisda holds that someone could acquire סגולה by purchasing a Torah scroll. Rabba bar Rav Hunna thinks that ownership of a date-palem constitutes possession of a סגולה; the owner will be able to eat dates from it for an unlimited period of time. What Rabbi Chisda meant was that everybody is at liberty to buy a Torah scroll, hence everybody can acquire the status of being or possessing a סגולה.

"With three crowns was Israel crowned : the crown of the Torah, the crown of the Priesthood and the crown of Kingdom" (Aboth 4:17, Yoma 72b, Eccl. Rabbah 7:1). Aaron merited the crown of the Priesthood, as it is said, "And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood" (Num. 25:13). David merited the crown of Kingdom, as it is said, "His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me" (Ps. 89:37). As for the crown of the Torah — it lies there waiting for all Israel, as it is said, "Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob" (Deut. 33:4) : anyone who wants the crown of Torah can come and take it. And should you say that the other crowns are greater than the crown of Torah, then behold he says, "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth" (Prov. 8:15—16). From this you learn that the crown of the Torah is greater than the crown of Priesthood, and greater than the crown of Sovereignty. And the Sages said, "A bastard who is a scholar takes precedence over a High Priest who is ignorant" (Horayoth 13a). As it is said, "She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies" (Prov. 3:15). The Hebrew word "peninah" means both "ruby" and "inside", and the verse can therefore be interpreted as meaning : More precious is the Torah and he who studies it than the High Priest who enters the very inside of the Temple — into the Holy of Holies.

R. Jannai proclaimed : "Woe to him who has no courtyard yet makes a gate for same!" (Shabbath 31b, Yoma 72b, and see Rashi on ותרעא). In the same manner the Torah is merely the gate by which we enter the courtyard of fear of Heaven. And Rabba said to the Sages (Yoma 72b, and see Rashi on תרתי), "I beseech you, do not inherit a double Gehinnom, to busy yourself with Torah in this world and not to keep her precepts, and you will merit Gehinom after your passing! In your lifetime you did not enjoy this world because you busied yourself with study. After your passing you will lose the world to come."

— the author now turns his attention to the different opinions about which precisely are the 613 commandments which are recorded in the Torah as such.