He who deals with communal needs is like one who learns Torah.
The actions of a person who tends to the needs of the public are as important as Torah study.
(“One who is engaged in the needs of the community is regarded as if he were engaged in words of Torah.”)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הָעוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר כָּעוֹסֵק בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה
Definition (Hebrew)
אָדָם הַמַּשְׁקִיעַ מַאֲמַצִּים עֲבוּר כְּלַל הַצִּבּוּר עוֹשֶׂה דָּבָר חָשׁוּב בְּיוֹתֵר כְּמוֹ לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה.
("רַב יִרְמְיָה אָמַר הָעוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר כְּעוֹסֵק בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה" – יְרוּשַׁלְמִי בְּרָכוֹת ה, א).