Oy! What time is it, Mama? Am I late?

No, Chaim, you have time. But hurry.

I'm so excited, Mama. Today we are going to the Electric Company's big power plant.

It sounds great, Chaim. Have a great time. And tell us all about it.

Wow, look at that, Avi! A huge generator. It's as big as a four story building, and half a city block long. I have a question to ask of our tour guide, the Chief Engineer.

There he is Chaim. You can ask him now.

Excuse me sir, but what makes this huge generator run?

That's a very good question, young man. This hydrodynamic generator is fueled by the combustion of liquid petroleum fuel oil.

Do you mean sir, that fuel oil contains enough energy to run this huge generator?

Yes, that is correct young man.

Excuse me sir, but where does the fuel oil get the energy?

Young man, you have asked another good question. According to current theories, fossil fuels get their energy from the decay of organic matter.

Wow, organic matter. What's that?

Trees, plants, and even animals that have died and become buried deep in the earth.

I am sorry to ask so many questions sir, but where did the plants and animals get the energy from?

What is your name young man?

My name is Chaim.

Chaim, all energy on the earth ultimately comes from the sun. The sunlight is captured by living things and stored as energy within them.

Where does the sun get its energy from?

Chaim, the sun generates energy with nuclear fusion. Atoms and molecules are changed at their simplest levels to generate huge amounts of energy.

And where do the atoms get their energy, sir?

Chaim, it's time to continue with the tour.

Well, Chaim, how was your tour of the power plant today?

Great, Dad. We saw a huge generator, and I asked the Chief Engineer all kinds of questions. There was only one question that he didn't answer.

What was that, Chaim?

Where do atoms get their energy from?

Chaim, we learn that from Parshas Bereshis, the very first portion in the Torah. G-d created the Torah before He created the world. The Torah is the blueprint for the world. G-d used the blueprint to create the world. Why did G-d create the world? For the Jewish People to study the Torah and keep its commandments. Besides, the Torah being the blueprint of the world, it provides the energy that keeps this world running.

Really Dad? How is that?

Our Sages tell us that if for one moment all Torah learning would cease, the world would collapse. It would return to the nothingness that existed before creation. So you see, it is your Torah study that provides the energy that keeps the atoms, the sun, the earth, the electric power station, and all of the world running.

Dad, I'd love to talk longer, but I had better get back to my Torah studies.