Based on the above, we can also explain the advantage of the fact that the Jews’ choice of the Holy One, blessed be He, stems not only from the will of the soul, a level that transcends intellect,וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר גַּם הַמַּעֲלָה בָּזֶה דִּבְחִירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִיא לֹא רַק מִצַּד הָרָצוֹן דְּהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל
i.e., it is a result of the soul’s essential connection to G‑d,
but also from the intellect itselfאֶלָּא גַּם מִצַּד הַשֵּׂכֶל
(as explained in sec. 7).(כַּנַּ"ל סְעִיף ז),
As explained in sec. 6, the inherent bond that the Jews share with G‑d (as indicated by the prooftext cited by the Midrash, “‘G‑d is my portion,’ says my soul”) influences their understanding and motivates them to choose G‑d even from the perspective of reason and logic. (Therefore, the Midrash describes the Jews with the analogy of “a clever person.”)
Sec. 7 began by stating: “The soul’s choice [of G‑d stems from the essence of the soul, a level] that transcends intellect. Perhaps one can add that when this choice is drawn down and has an effect on the intellect, it elevates the soul to a loftier rung than its natural, inherent level.” With that statement commenced the explanation of why it is necessary for the soul’s essential, inherent connection to G‑d to be filtered through a person’s intellect. In this and the subsequent sections, the maamar concludes that explanation, highlighting the higher dimension of the soul that is revealed when one’s intellect is aligned with the essence of the soul.
To explain: The source of the Jewish people stems from the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing lightכִּי זֶה שֶׁהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַמַּקִּיף
It was explained in sec. 10 that the source of the existence of the nations of the world derives from the external dimension of G‑d’s will, i.e., He does not desire the existence of these nations in and of themselves, but brings them into being to enable the Jews to be involved in the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos, for that is the purpose of creation as a whole (see the interpretation of our Sages’ statement:1 “The entire world was created only to be part of this” in Rambam’s introduction to his Commentary on the Mishnah). Since these nations are intermediaries, their inherent, natural tendency is to choose intermediaries.
The source of the Jewish people, by contrast, is the inner dimension of G‑d’s will; i.e., He desires them for themselves, for His dwelling in the lower worlds is established through their involvement in the Torah and its mitzvos. Since their source is rooted in His inner desire, their inherent, natural tendency is to choose G‑d’s Essence and not the intermediaries.
(the inner dimension of G‑d’s will)(פְּנִימִיּוּת הָרָצוֹן)
because the Jewish people are characterized by inwardness (pnimiyus).הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֵם בְּחִינַת פְּנִימִי,
Inwardness begins with one’s power of intellect, for it is the mind that enables a person to internalize his experience and have it become part of his personality. There are higher potentials in our spiritual makeup, e.g., will and pleasure, but they are described as encompassing dimensions, i.e., they affect us – indeed, powerfully so – but we don’t understand them. When motivated by these encompassing dimensions, we feel that we are being swept up in something larger than our conscious selves. When we understand something, by contrast, it is part of who we are.
On an apparent level, the encompassing lights are higher and more powerful than the potential of intellect, but, in the ultimate sense, the inward light reflected in intellect stems from a higher source and possesses an advantage over these encompassing lights, as will be explained below.
And, as is well known, the source of inwardness is the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing lightוְכַיָּדוּעַ דְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַפְּנִימִי הוּא בִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַמַּקִּיף,
i.e., this is His fundamental intent.
Therefore the fundamental dimension of the virtue reflected by the Jews’ choice of G‑d isוְלָכֵן, עִיקַּר הָעִלּוּי דִּבְחִירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא
when the soul’s essential will that transcends logic — (i.e., will that reflects an encompassing dimension)כְּשֶׁהָרָצוֹן דְּהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל (מַקִּיף)
is drawn down and affects logic itself (the inward dimension).נִמְשָׁךְ וּפוֹעֵל גַּם בְּהַשֵּׂכֶל (פְּנִימִי),
Will is fundamentally above logic and reason – a person wants because he wants, not because he has a reason for what he wants. Even if it is explained to him that what he wants does not make sense, his desire remains. For will reflects and manifests the person’s “I,” where his soul seeks expression, while intellect appreciates and internalizes the realities that govern the world at large. As such, there can be a dichotomy between a person’s will and his logic.
When, however, the essence of one’s soul is drawn down, it remakes both his will and his intellect. His wants are not capricious; they reflect his inner being. And his mind does not function merely as a receptor, internalizing the external reality. Instead, in a proactive manner, it gives him the tools to express his inner spiritual reality in the world at large.
The intent is that a person’s thinking processes express his soul’s inner will. To illustrate the above concepts: There are certain spiritual absolutes – e.g., utter reliance and trust in G‑d’s providence – that human logic has difficulty in accepting. When the essence of the soul affects and transforms one’s intellect, those absolutes become fundamental premises on which one’s entire thinking process becomes based.
This reflects influence from the essence of the soulשֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה דַּוְקָא נִמְשָׁךְ מֵעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה
(the inner dimension of the encompassing light)(פְּנִימִיּוּת הַמַּקִּיף),
which is loftier yet than the will that transcends logicשֶׁלְּמַעְלָה גַּם מֵהָרָצוֹן שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל
(i.e., will as it reflects the external dimensions of the encompassing light).(חִיצוֹנִיּוּת הַמַּקִּיף).
In another maamar,2 the Rebbe speaks of individuals who displayed mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) continuously for many years when they were living in a country where oppressive decrees conflicted with the observance of the Torah and its mitzvos. When, however, these same individuals came to a free country where they could observe the Torah and its mitzvos without external challenges, the mesirus nefesh which they previously displayed was not necessarily manifest as prominently in their conduct.
Why is this possible? Because the mesirus nefesh they expressed throughout the years stemmed from a revelation of the higher, encompassing powers of the soul that transcended their inward powers. Hence, although this revelation spurred these individuals to deeds which were truly lofty, it did not elevate the people themselves. As individuals, they remained on the same spiritual level as before. The self-sacrifice they showed had no direct effect on the functioning of their hearts and minds, i.e., how they operate within the framework of their inward powers.
How was this possible? Because two different potentials were involved. Their self-sacrifice reflected the encompassing powers of the soul, potentials above the person’s self, while their inward powers of thought and feeling defined their actual day-to-day selves. Even though their self-sacrifice expressed the encompassing powers of the soul, it did not transform their conscious powers entirely.
Nevertheless, in an ultimate sense, when the essence of the soul as it is rooted in G‑d’s Essence is expressed, no such dichotomy can exist. The essence of a Jew’s soul must permeate his inward powers as well, because the essence of a person’s being does not allow for the existence of anything else within his personality. Thus the fundamental expression of the essence of the soul is when it permeates the person’s intellect and, through the intellect, every other dimension of his personality. At that point, all dichotomies are erased, for the essence pervades and remakes the person’s entire character, causing every dimension of the person to reflect the essence of his soul.
Similarly, the maamar here is emphasizing how the essence of the soul (which stems from the inner dimension of the encompassing light) which is loftier than even the will that transcends logic (which reflects the external dimension of the encompassing light) is expressed when it is drawn down and affects the person’s thought itself (the inward light).
To state the concept in terms of the analogy employed by the Midrash: The clever person’s choice of G‑d stems from an inherent, spiritual connection: “‘G‑d is my portion,’ says my soul.” That spiritual connection reflects the essence of his being. Therefore it is drawn down into his intellect to the extent that he can explain his choice logically, giving a rationale: “The others are all subject to replacement, while the king is not subject to replacement.” This indicates that even his selfhood, which begins with his intellect, is aligned with and expresses the essential G‑dly core of his being.
It can be said that this is intimated by the prooftext cited by the Midrash:3 “‘G‑d is my portion,’ says my soul.”וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּזֶהוּ גַּם מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב "חֶלְקִי הֲוָיָ׳ אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי"
(The verse specifically makes use of the term chelki, “my portion”)(חֶלְקִי דַּוְקָא),
because that term connotes inwardnessדְּחֵלֶק הוּא בְּחִינַת פְּנִימִי
(as is well known regarding the interpretation4 of the lines from the Morning Prayers: “How good is our portion [chelkeinu]! How pleasant is our lot! And how attractive is our inheritance!”)(כַּיָּדוּעַ בְּעִנְיַן "מַה טּוֹב חֶלְקֵנוּ וּמַה נָּעִים גּוֹרָלֵנוּ וּמַה יָּפָה יְרֻשָּׁתֵנוּ"),
The virtue of the Jews’ choice of G‑d is when the essential and inherent identification that causes the soul to choose G‑d is also drawn down in an inward mannerוְהָעִלּוּי דִּבְחִירַת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוּא כְּשֶׁהַבְּחִירָה דְּהַנְּשָׁמָה נִמְשֶׁכֶת בִּפְנִימִיּוּת,
and is thus internalized through one’s understanding and comprehensionבַּהֲבָנָה וְהַשָּׂגָה,
in such a manner that it affects one’s thought, speech, and action.וּבְאֹפֶן שֶׁזֶּה פּוֹעֵל בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה,
The soul’s essential choice of G‑d and commitment to His service must permeate not only his understanding and emotions, but also his thought, speech, and deed. When the commitment stems from the essence, there can be nothing – neither his understanding, nor his actual conduct, nor any level in between – that is not aligned with the soul’s essence.
This effort on man’s part draws down the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing light into his own being and into the world at large.שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה הוּא הַהַמְשָׁכָה דִּפְנִימִיּוּת הַמַּקִּיף.

Summary

Based on the above, we can also explain the advantage of the fact that the Jews’ choice of G‑d stems not only from the soul’s essential connection to G‑d, but also from the intellect itself. The source of the Jewish people stems from the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing light. As is well known, the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing light gives rise to pnimiyus, “inwardness.” Hence, the Jewish people are characterized by that quality.
Therefore, the fundamental positive quality expressed by the Jews’ choice of G‑d is manifest when the soul’s essential will that transcends intellect is drawn down and affects intellect itself (the inward dimension). Such efforts on man’s part draw down the inner dimension of G‑d’s encompassing light into the person’s own being and into the world at large.