The Torah commands us to cling to God. Our Sages, of blessed memory, explained that clinging to Torah sages enables us to cling to God (Ketuvot 111b). One who connects with Torah sages learns Torah from them, and learns their outlook on life, for the righteous are the foundation of the Torah’s continuity and give support to the souls of the nation.

We have been commanded to connect with and cling to Torah sages in order to learn from them the important mitzvot of the Torah and so that they can teach us the true understandings of Torah which are received [through tradition] from them…. For the Torah sages enable the Torah to endure, and they create a strong foundation to save the souls [of Israel]. For anyone who regularly associates with them will not easily sin. King Solomon said: “He who walks with the wise will become wise” (Proverbs 13:20). Our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Sit in the dust of their [the Sages’] feet” (Avot 1:4). (Sefer HaĤinnukh, Mitzva 434)

The nation of Israel is like one body with many limbs. The life force of all of the limbs is dependent on the brain in the head, and the brain of Israel is composed of the righteous and wise of each generation. One who clings to them is connected fundamentally to the source of his soul.

The souls of the simple people receive their sustenance and life force from the souls of the righteous and the Sages, the leaders of the Jewish people in that generation. This explains the statement of our rabbis on the verse, “To cleave to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:20), that whoever cleaves to Torah scholars is considered by this verse as though he is actually cleaving to the Divine Presence (Ketubot 111b). By clinging to Torah scholars, the souls of the simple people are bound and united with their original essence and their [spiritual] roots in the supernal wisdom. (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, Tanya, Likutei Amarim, chap. 2)