ודברת בם בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך… (ואתחנן ו:ז)

The holy Chassam Sofer zt”l, who was the Rav in the city of Pressburg (Bratislava, Capital of Slovakia), was a guest in Vienna (Austria) at the same that another Yid from his city was there for business.  During his stay, the wealthy Yid –  who was also a big Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) – was constantly occupied with business dealings and so did not have time to learn Torah as he used to when he was at home. 

The Chasam Sofer was not pleased with this and asked the wealthy Yid why he did not put aside a set time to learn Torah every day.  The wealthy Yid replied that his business matters in Vienna did not afford him time to learn Torah.

The Chasam Sofer said he would advise him what to do, based on what it says in the Torah: “ודברת בם” – you can learn all day “בשבתך בביתך” – when you are at home and not occupied with your business, “ובלכתך בדרך” – and when you’re traveling and busy with business, what are you supposed to do? The solution is right there in Passuk: “ובשכבך ובקומך” – at night, before you go to sleep and in the morning when you awake, squeeze in some time to learn a little bit of Torah, so that you would not pass your working day without learning Torah. Because if you do not learn Torah one day, you will not learn the other days.” – concluded the Chasam Sofer: “Listen to my advice, and it will become common practice for the rest of your life!”