Bamidbar

The gemara in Sanhedrin states  אמר רב המנונא: אין תחילת דינו של אדם אלא על דברי תורה , Rav Hamnuna says the initial judgment of a person is in regard to Torah study.  
 
Tosafos asks that there's an opposing gemara in Shabbos that says בשעה שמכניסים את אדם לדין שאלה ראשונה שואלים אותו נשאת ונתת באמונה , at the time a person is brought into judgment, the first question is did you conduct your business honestly.
 
Tosafos answers that by the questions one is asked first about business. However, when it comes time for punishment, one is punished first for neglecting Torah study and then for dishonesty in business.
 
I understand how Torah study, which is the foundation of our religion, should be the first question, but why does how we conduct ourselves in business warrant being the first question?
 
Our parsha begins וידבר ה' אל משה במדבר סיני באהל מועד, Hashem spoke to Moshe in Midbar Sinai in the Ohel Moed. The Midrash questions why the Torah tells us that this happened in the מדבר, desert? It answers that one has to make himself hefker, free as a midbar in order to acquire Torah. What does it mean to make oneself like a midbar?
Explains the Rosh, it means to make oneself free to everyone in order to teach them Torah or to free oneself from worldly pursuits in order to study Torah.
 
The sefer דרכי מוסר explains differently saying that just as one who is lost in the desert is desolate, alone, with no food and drink and at the mercy of the wild animals with no one to help him. He recognizes fully that his only hope, his only way out is to trust in Hashem  for He alone has the power to help and get him out of any situation.
 
So, too, by Torah study one has to view himself as one who is lost in the desert with no one to rely on but Hashem. It is only this way with complete bitachon that one can acquire Torah.
 
What, asks the אוצרות התורה, does bitachon have to do with learning Torah? Rashi explains that when a person worries about his livelihood, it causes him to forget his learning. Therefore when one doesn't trust that Hashem will take care of his livelihood, he causes himself to forget his learning, never being able to maintain it.  
 
The Chafetz Chaim says it’s similar to a child that goes off to yeshiva for the day and forgot to take his lunch. We know that once the father realizes what happened he will do everything in his power to make sure the boy gets his lunch. So too one who toils in Torah. Hashem will make sure that his needs are taken care of.  
 
So perhaps this is why dealing honestly in business is the first question. If a person has complete faith in Hashem that He will provide for him then he will unquestionably deal honestly and won't worry. He knows Hashem will provide for him enabling him to acquire Torah without any worries. In essence, therefore, it’s really one question: did you deal honestly in business showing that you trust in Hashem enabling you to maximize your time for learning?
 
As we approach the days of מתן תורה let's take this opportunity to strengthen our trust in Hashem allowing us the freedom to recommit to the study of Torah!