But when David learned Torah and grew great (in it), what did he say? (Psalms 139:17) "And to me, how precious are Your loved ones (i.e., Torah scholars), O G-d! How mighty is their sum!" And (Ibid. 119:72) "Better to me is the Torah of Your mouth than thousands of gold and silver." For gold and silver take a man out of this world and the next, but Torah brings a man to life in the world to come.
(II Samuel 7:19) "This is the Torah of man": We find that there are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of kingdom. The crown of priesthood was merited by Aaron and he took it. The crown of kingdom was merited by David and he took it. The crown of Torah is left (vacant), so that those who enter the world be given no pretext to say: If the crown of kingdom and the crown of priesthood were left (vacant), I would merit them and take them. The crown of Torah is left (vacant) for all who enter the world. For whoever merits it, I account it to him as if all three were left (vacant) to him and he merits all of them. And whoever does not merit it, I account it to him as if all three were left (vacant) for him and he did not merit any one of them. And if you would ask: Which is the greatest of all? R. Shimon b. Elazar was wont to say: Who is greater, the crowner or the king? Certainly, the crowner. The maker of officers or the officers? Certainly, the maker of officers. All that inheres in these two crowns, comes through the power of Torah. And thus is it written (Proverbs 8:15-16) "Through me (Torah) do kings reign … Through me do princes rule." And, (in reversion to "This is the Torah of man"), (Koheleth 12:13) "The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear G-d and do His mitzvoth. For this (Torah) is all of man."