Chapter II

[As important as acceptance of the Divine Yoke is,] Kabbalas ol is only a prelude to teshuvah and good deeds. The verse states:1 "I have separated you from all nations.'' The talents, emotional attributes and basic nature of the Jews are different from that of other nations. Acceptance of the Divine Yoke helps a Jew plumb the depths of his character and reveal the profundity of his innate understanding, good emotional attributes and character traits. This whole manner of service is known by the name "well,"2 while the incisive comprehension, emotional attributes and good character traits which this service revals are known as "living waters."3

A better understanding will be gained by more fully understanding the function of a physical well.4 A well's purpose is to provide water from deep in the ground. The earth obstructs the flow of water, and must be dug out before the fountainhead can be revealed.

The wellspring is G-d's creation and not man's; man merely has to remove the obstacles that hinder the water's progress to the surface. When a wellspring is concealed it may be considered nonexistent, for though water continues to flow underground, man derives no benefit from it. It is therefore necessary to dig away the earth and rock that conceal the water. Once the well is revealed, it serves its purpose.

The nature of a well's function is thus to expose and draw up the water that flows underground. The fountainhead itself is lower than the place where the water is gathered.

The spiritual aspects of a "well" will be understood in a similar vein. Man possesses both a G-dly and an animal-like soul. The G-dly soul is a "well of living waters" as the [Alter] Rebbe says:5 "The second soul of the Jew is truly a part of G-d above." But this "well of living waters" is concealed by "earth" and other matter. Man's service involves peeling away the layers of coarseness with which the animal soul conceals the G-dly soul and its powers.

We observe that the soul's life-force which descends into the body to vivify it is but an emanation of the soul's essence. The natural soul is the vehicle by which the body is enlivened. [An intermediary level is necessary, because] the soul's illumination is [wholly] spiritual, similar to its source. Animation of the body involves providing physical life. In order for it to be able to do so, the soul's spiritual emanation must be garbed in the natural soul. Inevitably, this causes the soul's powers to become materialized [in comparison to their former selves].

The same is true of the emanation of the soul that provides life to the body as a whole. The soul itself has an intrinsic desire to be one with G-d. When the soul's emanation enclothes itself in the animal soul, however, this desire is not manifest, since the animal soul conceals it.

Yet the concealment is not necessarily complete. A person involved in spiritual service will sense a higher feeling [which emanates from the G-dly soul. He gets this feeling by penetrating through his spiritual service some of the animal soul's concealment].

A person who does not involve himself in spiritual service will not be aware of these higher spiritual feelings.

In summary: The Jewish people have inherently superior intellect, more refined emotions, and better character traits than the other nations. However, it is concealed in the depths of their souls, as wellsprings of water are concealed in the earth. Acceptance of the Divine Yoke is a prelude to Torah and good deeds. Most important is the revelation of the G-dly soul through the spiritual service of a "well" which involves peeling away the layers of concealment brought about by the animal soul.