The interrelation of these concepts can be resolvedוְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר זֶה
based on the well-known concept that the fact that the Jews believe in G‑d with simple faithעַל פִּי הַיָּדוּעַ דְּזֶה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַאֲמִינִים בֵּאלֹקוּת בֶּאֱמוּנָה פְּשׁוּטָה,
and do not require any proof for it1וְאֵין צְרִיכִים רְאָיוֹת עַל זֶה,
comes as a result of two factors:הוּא מִצַּד שְׁנֵי טְעָמִים.
a) To borrow an expression:2 “His mazal perceives,” i.e., the soul as it exists in the spiritual realms sees G‑dliness.לְפִי שֶׁמַּזָּלַיְיהוּ חָזֵי. דְּהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה רוֹאָה אֱלֹקוּת
The book of Daniel relates:3 “I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision. The men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, so they fled to hide themselves.” Our Sages ask:36 Since those men did not see the vision, why did “a great trembling fall upon them”? They answer: Even though they did not see the vision, their mazal, the source of their souls in the spiritual realms, did. And as a result of the vision perceived by their mazal, “a great trembling fell upon them.”
Similarly, with regard to the source of a Jew’s faith, because the source of the soul in the spiritual realms sees G‑dliness, the soul that is enclothed in the body responds and is motivated to believe in G‑d.
More particularly, in this context, the word mazal means “source of influence.” Mazal shares the same root as the term nozel which means “flow.” Although we are speaking of the soul as it exists in the spiritual realms, influence flows from it and affects our feelings and conduct as we function in the material world.
(Indeed, the soul’s perception transcends the power of thought.)(רְאִיָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִשֵּׂכֶל),
Once a person sees something, he will not be able to accept any attempt to explain that it did not happen. Conversely, when one sees something that conflicts with concepts that he merely thinks are true, he may well abandon his previous beliefs. The explanation for these phenomena is that sight stems from – and activates – a deeper source in the soul than intellect.
Similarly, with regard to the concept at hand, the soul’s perception of G‑d in the spiritual realms makes a powerful impression on it. This vision
affects the soul as it is enclothed within the body, imbuing it with spirited faith in G‑d.וְזֶה פּוֹעֵל בְּהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁבַּגּוּף הָאֱמוּנָה בֵּאלֹקוּת.
Since the source of the soul in the spiritual realms is much higher and more powerful than the soul that is enclothed in the body, the experience of the soul above has an effect on the soul as it is enclothed in the body and motivates it to believe in G‑d.
b) Faith is rooted in the essence of the soulוְעוֹד בֵּאוּר, דְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הָאֱמוּנָה הוּא מֵעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה
(a level above that of “his mazal perceives”).(שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמַּזְלֵיהּ חָזֵי).
The essence of the soul is connected with G‑dliness through an essential bondדְּזֶה שֶׁעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה מְקֻשֶּׁרֶת בֵּאלֹקוּת הִיא הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת עַצְמִית
(a connection that does not depend on any external factors whatsoever,(שֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְּסִבָּה,
not even the quality of vision that transcends thought).גַּם לֹא בְּעִנְיַן הָרְאִיָּה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִשֵּׂכֶל).
Although sight makes a deep impression on a person, touching his core, it merely touches his core; it is not who he is. Instead, it is something outside of himself that affects him. According to the second explanation, a person believes – not because of an outside influence, however deep it is – but because his essence is one with G‑d. His faith is an expression of who he is.
It is possible to explain the difference between these two sources of faith as follows:וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּמֵהַחִילּוּקִים שֶׁבֵּין שְׁנֵי הַבֵּאוּרִים (הָעִנְיָנִים) הוּא,
The faith experienced by the soul as it is enclothed in the body, which stems from the perception of the soul in the spiritual realms, serves merely as an encompassing light that is not entirely internalized. The person feels that he is being influenced by a higher power.דְּהָאֱמוּנָה בְּהַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בַּגּוּף הַבָּאָה מֵרְאִיַּת הַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הִיא בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף.
Since the soul as it exists in the spiritual realms is too elevated to be enclothed within the body,דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הִיא לְמַעְלָה מֵהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת
therefore, its effect on the soul as it is enclothed within the body cannot be internalized, and can serve only as an encompassing light.לָכֵן פְּעֻלָּתָהּ בְּהַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בַּגּוּף הִיא בִּבְחִינַת מַקִּיף.
In contrast, the potential for faith to be internalized (within the soul as it is enclothed in the body)וּבִכְדֵי שֶׁהָאֱמוּנָה (בְּהַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בַּגּוּף) תִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת,
stems from a revelation of the essential connection with G‑d shared by the essence of the soul.הוּא עַל יְדֵי גִּלּוּי הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת עַצְמִית דְּעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה.
For the essence of the soul does not refer only to the essence of the soul in the spiritual realms but also is the essence of the soul that is enclothed within the body. Since an entity will ultimately reflect the truth of its existence,כִּי עֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה הִיא הָעֶצֶם שֶׁל הַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בְּהַגּוּף,
the faith that stems from the essence of the soul can be internalized within the soul as it is enclothed within the body.וְלָכֵן, הָאֱמוּנָה דְּהַנְּשָׁמָה הַמְלֻבֶּשֶׁת בְּהַגּוּף שֶׁמִּצַּד עֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה הִיא בִּפְנִימִיּוּתָהּ.
The concept of internalization explained in relation to the essence of the soul is different from the explanation of that term in other contexts. Internalization has to do with identifying with a concept and making it one’s own. In contrast, other influences are described as “encompassing” because although they affect a person, they do so as an external influence.
For example, the effect of the mazal of the soul on the soul as it exists within the body is described as “encompassing” because the mazal is a much higher level of soul. It has not undergone a sufficient degree of contraction and therefore, though its light descends to affect the soul as it exists in the body, it is too high for the soul as it exists within the body to identify with it. Therefore, we say that it is not internalized within it.
An expert teacher, by contrast, knows how to structure a lesson so that the concepts have been brought down and adapted to the level of his students. As a result, they are able to identify with the concepts he teaches and internalize them.
The internalization that stems from the essence of the soul is of a different nature entirely. Because faith stems from the essence of the soul, the soul as it is enclothed in the body identifies with it. It identifies – not because the concept has been brought down to its level – but because that is who it is.
Based on the above, we can explain the conceptual flow of the ideas expounded on in the Rebbe Rayatz’s maamar, VeKibeil HaYehudim:וְעַל פִּי זֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר קֶשֶׁר הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁבְּהַמַּאֲמָר,
The concept of “(crushed) for the luminary” (למאור) comes as a continuation of the concept of “a shepherd of faith.” In sec. 4, it was explained that when the Jews are crushed by the challenges of exile, the essence of their souls is revealed. Similarly,שֶׁהָעִנְיָן דְּ(כָּתִית) לַמָּאוֹר בָּא בְּהֶמְשֵׁךְ לְבֵאוּר הָעִנְיָן דְּרַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא,
Moshe’s endeavor to nurture and sustain the faith of the people, enabling it to be internalized,כִּי זֶה שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בִּפְנִימִיּוּת
is possible because he reveals the essence of the soul which every Jew possesses.הוּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה אֶת עֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה
Because Moshe reveals the essence of his own soul, when another Jew comes in contact with him, the essence of that Jew’s soul is also called forth.
This level (is above the mazal that perceives),(שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמַּזְלֵיהּ חָזֵי),
i.e., it is “the luminary,” the source of light, which is above the light that emanates from it.מָאוֹר שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵאוֹר.
The expression “crushed for the luminary”וּמַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב "כָּתִית לַמָּאוֹר",
is explained in the maamar VeKibeil HaYehudim as teachingוּמְבָאֵר בְּהַמַּאֲמָר
that the feelings of being “crushed” experienced in exile are necessary to reach “the luminary.”שֶׁבִּכְדֵי לְהַגִּיעַ לְהַמָּאוֹר הוּא עַל יְדֵי הָעִנְיָן דְּכָתִית שֶׁבִּזְמַן הַגָּלוּת,
For the fundamental revelation of the essence of the soul (“the luminary”)הוּא, כִּי עִיקַּר הַגִּלּוּי דְּעֶצֶם הַנְּשָׁמָה (מָאוֹר)
is through mesirus nefeshהוּא בְּעִנְיַן הַמְּסִירוּת נֶפֶשׁ
(which is expressed primarily in the time of exile), as will be explained. (See sec. 7 below.)(שֶׁעִקָּרוֹ הוּא בִּזְמַן הַגָּלוּת), כְּדִלְקַמָּן.

Summary

There are two explanations for the Jewish people’s faith in G‑d:
a)The soul as it exists in the spiritual realms sees G‑dliness. This causes the aspect of the soul that is enclothed in the body to believe in G‑d with simple faith.
b)Faith is rooted in the essence of the soul. The essence of the soul is connected with G‑dliness through an essential bond, and that bond is reflected in a Jew’s faith.
The faith which stems from the perception of the soul in the spiritual realms serves merely as an encompassing light (i.e., sovev) that is not entirely internalized. In contrast, a revelation of the essential connection with G‑d shared by the essence of the soul enables faith to be internalized.
Herein lies the contribution of Moshe: Moshe nurtures and sustains the faith of the people, enabling it to be internalized, because he reveals the essence of the soul which every Jew possesses.
The fundamental revelation of the essence of the soul is through mesirus nefesh, which is expressed primarily in the time of exile, as will be explained.