“Zion will be redeemed through judgment, and her captives, through tzedekah.”1צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה,
At the beginning of the maamar in Likkutei Torah2 that opens with this verse, the Alter Rebbe does not immediately focus on this verse, but instead citesוּמֵבִיא אַדְמוֹ"ר הַזָּקֵן בְּלִקּוּטֵי תוֹרָה דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל זֶה בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ
another phrase,3 “And these words that I command you today shall be,”מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
which is an ongoing command referring to every day.שֶׁזֶּה קָאֵי עַל כָּל יוֹם,
For, as our Sages teach,4 “Every day you should regard the words of the Torah as new.”כִּי בְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים.
And as the Alter Rebbe explains5 in the maamar in Likkutei Torah, the way to attain this outlookוּמְבָאֵר, שֶׁבִּכְדֵי לָבֹא לָזֶה
(i.e., to regard the words of the Torah as new every day),(שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים),
is through contemplating the inner meaning of the words of this very phrase,הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּפָסוּק זֶה גּוּפָא –
“And these words that I command you today shall be.”וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם.
One must realize that all the worlds – the entire Spiritual Cosmos as well as our material world – are brought into being by G‑d’s attribute of Malchus (kingship),דְּהִתְהַוּוּת כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת הִיא מִמִּדַּת הַמַּלְכוּת
which is merely a rayשֶׁהִיא רַק הֶאָרָה בִּלְבָד,
of Divine light. Malchus is described as a ray because it is of a different nature than the other sefiros. The term “ray” refers to the light that radiates outward and not to the actual substance of the luminary. All the other sefiros represent Divine intellectual and emotive attributes and are thus considered entities of substance. Malchus communicates those attributes to the lower realms; nevertheless, all that it can communicate to them is a mere ray.
To explain by an analogy to our mortal powers: A person’s intellect and emotions tell us something about who that person is. Hence, these qualities, analogous to those of the other sefiros, are described as being of substance. On the other hand, a person’s speech, analogous to Malchus, tells us nothing about the person himself. A person can speak words of wisdom or love without possessing these qualities. Even when his words do reflect his inner qualities, they are merely a reflection of them; they do not convey the actual substance of the person’s thoughts or feelings. Similarly, in the analogue, Malchus is a mere ray, an external dimension of G‑d’s light.
Through fulfilling the mitzvos in this world, G‑d’s Essence, which transcends all the sefiros, is drawn down into this world.וְעַל יְדֵי קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא הַמְשָׁכַת הָעַצְמוּת.
This is the implication of the phrase “that I command you today”:דְּזֶהוּ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
that the mitzvos are associated with that level of G‑dliness referred to as Anochi, G‑d’s Essence, the only entity that can truly be called “I,”6אָנֹכִי מִי שֶׁאָנֹכִי.
a level of G‑dliness that cannot be contained by a name, nor even alluded to by a letter or by a point of a letter.7
Therefore, our Sages teach8 that: “One hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is superior to the entire life of the World to Come.”וְלָכֵן יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא,
For in the World to Come, the souls “derive pleasure from the radiance of the Divine Presence.”9כִּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא הוּא שֶׁנֶּהֱנִין מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה,
The source of their pleasure is, however, merely a ray of G‑dliness.זִיו בִּלְבָד,
In contrast, through performing teshuvah and good deeds in this world, G‑d’s Essence is drawn down.10וְעַל יְדֵי תְּשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא הַמְשָׁכַת הָעַצְמוּת.
This inference can be derived from the phrase, “that I command you today.”וְזֶהוּ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
The emphasis is on the word “today,” which our Sages interpret as referring to this world, as they state,11הַיּוֹם דַּוְקָא,
“‘Today,’ to perform them (the mitzvos); ‘tomorrow,’ (i.e., in the World to Come), to receive the reward for them.”הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם וּלְמָחָר לְקַבֵּל שְׂכָרָם,
The reward to be received in the World to Come (“tomorrow”) for having fulfilled the mitzvos in this world is merely a ray, since, as mentioned above, the souls will “derive pleasure from the radiance of the Divine Presence,”דִּשְׂכַר הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא (לְמָחָר) הוּא רַק זִיו,
whereas through the observance of the mitzvos in this world, “‘today’ to perform them,”וְעַל יְדֵי קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם,
G‑d’s Essence is drawn down.מַמְשִׁיכִים הָעַצְמוּת.
In the maamar in Likkutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe then proceeds to explain that through contemplating the implications of the phrase “that I command you today” –וְעַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּהָעִנְיָן דְּאָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
that through fulfilling mitzvos “today” (in this world) G‑d’s Essence (“I”) is drawn down –שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת הַיּוֹם (בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה) נִמְשָׁךְ הָעַצְמוּת (אָנֹכִי),
a person will then continuously approach the mitzvos with fresh vitality and energy, seeing them as having been given “today.”עַל יְדֵי זֶה יִהְיוּ אֶצְלוֹ הַמִּצְוֹת בְּאֹפֶן דְּהַיּוֹם,
Indeed, “every day they will be as new in his eyes.”שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינָיו כַּחֲדָשִׁים מַמָּשׁ.
To borrow our Sages’ words, he will not regard them as “an old edict,” i.e., stale news, but as a new and fresh means via which to bond with G‑d, one that was given him only “today.”
In the maamar in Likkutei Torah the Alter Rebbe proceeds to state that12 “All the above – i.e. such an approach of freshness and vitality in the fulfillment of the mitzvos – is the way it should be,וּמַמְשִׁיךְ בְּהַמַּאֲמָר, דְּכָל זֶה הוּא כְּפִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת,
but when this is not so,אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵן,
and instead, one’s bitterness and joy stem from matters of this world,וְהַמְּרִירוּת וְהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁלּוֹ הֵם מֵעִנְיְנֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה,
then the spark of G‑d within him, i.e., his Divine soul, is in exile, as it were, within his animal soul,אֲזַי, הַנִּצּוֹץ אֱלֹקִי שֶׁבּוֹ הוּא בְּגָלוּת בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הַבַּהֲמִית,
When a person is in exile, he retains all his individual potentials; he simply does not possess the means by which to express them. Similarly, when a person’s G‑dly soul is “in exile” within his animal soul, its G‑dly potential remains intact. Unfortunately, however, his preoccupation with his material needs and desires prevents that G‑dly potential from expressing itself. His G‑dly soul is
like a sheep that stands mutely before its shearers.13כְּרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גֹּזְזֶיהָ נֶאֱלָמָה,
And concerning such a situation the verse, ‘Zion, i.e., the G‑dly soul, will be redeemed through judgment,’ can be applied”וְעַל זֶה כְּתִיב צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה גו'
(i.e., through the means described below in sec. 9, the soul can be redeemed from this state of exile).(כְּדִלְקַמָּן סְעִיף ט).
Explanation is, however, necessary: Seemingly, even when a person sees the mitzvos merely as “an old edict,”14וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין, דְּלִכְאוֹרָה, גַּם כְּשֶׁהַמִּצְוֹת הֵם כְּמוֹ דִּיּוֹטְגְּמָא יְשָׁנָה בְּעֵינָיו,
it nevertheless remains possible for him to observe them with energy and vitality.אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיְּקַיֵּם אוֹתָם בְּחַיּוּת,
In his Shulchan Aruch,15 the Alter Rebbe writes that when a person has heard something many times before, “he will not cherish it like he did when he heard it for the first time.” Implied is that he may indeed cherish it, but not to the same degree as he did originally. Similarly, a person who does not regard the Torah and mitzvos as “new every day” may not fulfill them with the same energy and vitality as one who does regard them as novel and fresh. He may, however, be inspired to observe them with energy and vitality
to the extent that (his fulfillment of the Torah and its mitzvos) becomes the primary element of his life.וְעַד, שֶׁזֶּה (קִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת) יִהְיֶ' אֶצְלוֹ הָעִקָּר.
Nevertheless, the statement in the maamar in Likkutei Torah, “but when this is not so…,”וּמִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּהַמַּאֲמָר אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ כֵן כו',
seemingly implies16 that when one does not regard the Torah and its mitzvos as new,מַשְׁמַע לִכְאוֹרָה דְּכַאֲשֶׁר הַמִּצְוֹת אֵינָם כַּחֲדָשִׁים בְּעֵינָיו
it is certain that “his bitterness and joy stem from matters of this world.”אָז וַדַּאי שֶׁהַמְּרִירוּת וְהַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁלּוֹ הֵם מֵעִנְיְנֵי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
On the surface, that is not the case. A person who may not necessarily view the Torah and its mitzvos as entirely new can nevertheless fulfill them with energy and vitality, to the point that his entire life revolve around them. As such, why does Likkutei Torah make such an absolute statement?
Another statement of the maamar also requires explanation:וְגַם צָרִיךְ לְהָבִין מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בְּהַמַּאֲמָר
that attaining the outlook that the Torah and its mitzvos be new every dayשֶׁבִּכְדֵי לָבֹא לִבְכָל יוֹם יִהְיוּ בְעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים
is accomplished via contemplating the concept alluded to by the phrase “I command you today”,הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּהָעִנְיָן דְּאָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
i.e., that through fulfilling the mitzvos in this world (“today”),שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה (הַיּוֹם)
G‑d’s Essence (“I”) is drawn down.הוּא הַמְשָׁכַת הָעַצְמוּת (אָנֹכִי),
This accomplishment is far superior to the reward to be received in the World to Come for having fulfilled the mitzvos,שֶׁהוּא נַעֲלֶה הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִשְּׂכַר הַמִּצְוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא
which is merely the radiance of the Divine Presence.שֶׁהוּא רַק זִיו,
It would seem that since the satisfaction (and pleasure) derived from the radiance of the Divine Presence in the World to Come constitute overwhelmingly great pleasure,17דְּלִכְאוֹרָה, מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהַהֲנָאָה (וְהַתַּעֲנוּג) מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא הוּא תַּעֲנוּג גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר
[this is true in particular since in the present context, the term “the World to Come” refers[וּבִפְרָט שֶׁהַכַּוָּנָה בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא כָּאן הִיא
not only to Gan Eden, the non-corporeal world of the souls, but also to the Era of the Resurrection;18לֹא רַק לְגַן עֵדֶן אֶלָּא גַם לְעוֹלַם הַתְּחִיָּ',
and the revelation that will characterize the Era of the Resurrection will be much loftier than the revelation in Gan Eden]19שֶׁהַגִּלּוּי שֶׁיִּהְיֶ' בְּעוֹלַם הַתְּחִיָּ' הוּא נַעֲלֶה הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מֵהַגִּלּוּי דְּגַן עֵדֶן],
thus, seemingly, even merely contemplating the superior nature of the reward to be granted (in the World to Come) for having fulfilled the mitzvosהֲרֵי גַּם עַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּהָעִלּוּי דִּשְׂכַר הַמִּצְוֹת (בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא)
will inspire a person to fulfill the mitzvos with much energy and vitality.יִהְיֶ' לוֹ חַיּוּת גָּדוֹל בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת,
However, in the maamar in Likkutei Torah the Alter Rebbe states that in order that one view the mitzvos as new and not as an “old edict,”וּבְהַמַּאֲמָר אוֹמֵר, שֶׁבִּכְדֵי שֶׁהַמִּצְוֹת יִהְיוּ בְעֵינָיו כַּחֲדָשִׁים וְלֹא כְּדִיּוֹטְגְּמָא יְשָׁנָה
it is necessary that he contemplate the concept implied by the phrase “that I command you today”:צְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת דַּוְקָא בְּהָעִנְיָן דְּאָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם,
i.e., that he develop an appreciation of the virtue of the connection with G‑d’s Essence established through fulfilling the mitzvos in this world, as implied by the phrase “‘today’ to observe them,”הַמַּעֲלָה דְּהַיּוֹם לַעֲשׂוֹתָם
which surpasses receiving the reward for their fulfillment that will occur “tomorrow,” i.e., in the World to Come.שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִלְּמָחָר לְקַבֵּל שְׂכָרָם.

Summary

At the beginning of the maamar in Likkutei Torah that opens with the verse “Zion will be redeemed through judgment and her captives through tzedekah,” the Alter Rebbe cites the phrase “And these words that I command you today,” and then refers to the interpretation that the phrase serves as an ongoing command that “Every day you should regard the words of Torah as new.”
The way to achieve this outlook is through contemplating the inner meaning of the words of the phrase “And these words that I command you today,” i.e., that through fulfilling the mitzvos in this world (“today”), G‑d’s Essence (“I”) is drawn down. In contrast, the existence of all the worlds – the entire Spiritual Cosmos as well as our material world – are associated with lower dimensions of G‑dliness.
On this basis we can understand our Sages’ teaching: “One hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is superior to the entire life of the World to Come.” In the World to Come, the souls “derive pleasure from the radiance of the Divine Presence,” a mere ray of G‑dliness. In contrast, through teshuvah and good deeds in this world G‑d’s Essence is drawn down.
In the maamar in Likkutei Torah, the Alter Rebbe then proceeds to explain that through contemplating the implications of the phrase “that I command you today,” i.e., that through the fulfillment of mitzvos “today” (in this world) G‑d’s Essence (“I”) is drawn down, a person will approach the mitzvos with unique vitality and energy. He will see them as having been given “today” – “Every day they will be as new in his eyes.”
The Alter Rebbe then proceeds to state that “All the above – i.e. such an approach of freshness and vitality in the observance of the mitzvos – is the way it should be, but when this is not so, and instead, one’s bitterness and joy stem from matters of this world, then the G‑dly spark within him is in exile, as it were, within his animal soul; concerning such a situation, the verse states, ‘Zion – i.e., the G‑dly soul – will be redeemed through judgment,’ ” i.e., through the means described further on in the maamar, the soul can be redeemed from this state of exile.
Explanation is, however, necessary: It would seem that even when a person sees the mitzvos merely as “an old edict,” it is nevertheless possible that he will observe them with energy and vitality. Nevertheless, the statement in the maamar in Likkutei Torah, “But when this is not so…” seems to imply that when one does not regard the Torah and its mitzvos as new, “his bitterness and joy” both certainly “stem from matters of this world.” On the surface, that is not the case. A person who does not necessarily view the Torah and its mitzvos in such a manner can nevertheless observe them with energy and vitality. As such, why does Likkutei Torah make such an absolute statement?
Explanation is also required concerning another statement in the maamar: that attaining the outlook that the Torah and its mitzvos are new every day is accomplished through contemplating the concept alluded to by the phrase “I command you today,” i.e., that through the observance of mitzvos in this world (“today”), G‑d’s Essence (“I”) is drawn down. On the surface, since the satisfaction and pleasure derived from the radiance of the Divine Presence in the World to Come constitute overwhelmingly great pleasure, it would appear that even contemplating the superior nature of the reward to be granted for fulfilling the mitzvos will serve to inspire a person to observe them with much energy and vitality. This being the case, why then does the maamar state that such an approach can only be attained through an appreciation of the connection with G‑d’s Essence established through the fulfillment of the mitzvos in this world?