This daf discussed the legal status of Hefker, that is when a person declares his object or property ownerless and available for others to take. There are halakhic outcomes that are dependent on the exact nature of what is the process of hefker, such as is it in your domain until somebody else acquires it? Or, can you renege on your declaration and repossess it? In any case, while the Gemara analyzed the legal aspects of Hefker, let us look at the metaphysical aspects, similar to how we discussed yesterday the metaphysical aspect of lending money.

Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv HaTorah 2) explains that the Torah was specifically given in a wilderness, a place that is completely open and owned by no one, because this is the way of truth. No one owns the truth, and technically, it is equally accessible to all. The truth, which is Torah, is a spiritual nonphysical entity. This is why the more one is removed from physicality, the closer he or she can come toward Torah. The wilderness is Hefker Lakol, like the Torah. Its truth is available to anybody who makes themselves open to it.

As the Gemara (Eiruvin 55a) tells us:

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: ״לֹא בַּשָּׁמַיִם הִיא״ — לֹא תִּמָּצֵא בְּגַסַּי רוּחַ, 

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “It is not in heaven” means that Torah is not to be found in the haughty, 

Maharal explains that Torah is compared to water because, like water, it cannot be easily contained in one area and naturally will flow to the lowest uncontained point. This is why in order to really understand the Torah one must make themselves humble. It is no accident that Moshe who is the one who was able to receive the Torah was also described as the most humble man of all time (Bamidbar 12:3). Maharal explains that when a person completely negates his own sense of self and his own ego then he will be able to acquire the truth. Our own physicality blocks apprehension of the non-physical. 

This resonates psychologically as well. We are constantly rationalizing and trying to interpret reality and make it fit our own pre-existing notions, trying to assuage anxiety by telling ourselves all kinds of stories. The more humble we are in the true sense, that is we try not to insert ourselves into the picture, the more likely we are to see the truth and therefore understand and retain Torah ideas in their purest form.