The Way to Gain Control
Now that we have outlined the objective of Divine service, let us discuss some of the strategies to apply it in practicality. Rather than pursuing attainment, we know to focus on our individual life choices. Serving G‑d means to first and foremost think, speak, and do only what G‑d wants from us. The question is: How do we make this happen?
Within Tanya, several methods are presented, each providing a specific strategy to achieve success in the service of G‑d. Ultimately, we arrive at what the Alter Rebbe refers to as the “longer-but-shorter” way.89
This term is a Talmudic expression describing a longer route which smoothly leads to the desired destination, rather than a “short-cut” that ends up to be impassable.90 Unwilling to provide a quick fix that will not last, the Alter Rebbe uses his famous cognitive approach to give the G‑dly soul the clarity and know-how to gradually influence the entire psyche to serve G‑d.91
1) Recognizing G‑d’s Authority
The first step in successfully aligning all thoughts, speech, and actions to follow G‑d’s Will is kabbalas ol malchus Shamayim, the acceptance of G‑d’s authority. Defined in Tanya as “the beginning of avodah, as well as its core and root,” the submission to G‑d is the very basis of avodas Hashem.92
Personal motivation and dedication have their limits. Often, they are built on personal gain or self-concern, and can easily be disrupted by a negative impulse seeking to drag the person in an opposite direction. Even wholehearted love for G‑d is also limited by the constraints of our subjective feelings and can falter.93
Kabbalas ol is a basic level of bittul and fear of G‑d, which is caused by the recognition of G‑d’s supremacy, rather than the fear of punishment.94
The Alter Rebbe guides the person to visualize that they are standing in G‑d’s presence, and the Al-mighty puts aside all other affairs to look closely and search one’s innermost thoughts and emotions to see if they are serving Him as is fitting. When we deeply ponder G‑d’s ultimate greatness, alongside His ultimate interest that we each serve Him properly in all we do, we can each achieve firm resolve to serve G‑d.
Ultimately, kabbalas ol reframes the entire person. Rather than seeing oneself as a private individual who wishes to engage in a relationship with G‑d, the person views themselves as an eved, a dedicated servant, whose own self-interest is of no concern.95
Shaping the Mindset
A critical component of the chassidic approach to Divine service service is its preemptive nature. Rather than merely solving problems, Chassidus provides strategies to avert struggles before they even begin.96
This is especially true when it comes to kabbalas ol. One cannot rely on the assumption that in the moment of struggle, one will have the presence of mind to generate such unyielding submission to G‑d.97 Kabbalas ol must become a matter of routine and lifestyle.98 Several times a day, one should focus their thoughts on contemplating these ideas. Doing so causes one’s general thought pattern to eventually become set upon subservience to G‑d and fulfilling His will.99
This explains the Torah’s emphasis that the Jewish People are G‑d’s servants, as demonstrated in the verse, “For the Children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants.”100
Although each Jew is described as G‑d’s beloved child, there is a drawback to the parent-child relationship that is compensated for by kabbalas ol.101 Children are inclined to love their parents and are conditioned to appreciate similar pursuits. However, there is little accountability when the child fails to display that love, or share similar interests. In contrast, a servant may not appreciate why their master wishes particular tasks performed, and they may not find personal affinity with the master, but that is of no concern. Regardless of their personal interests, they are nevertheless responsible to perform the master’s bidding. “I am a servant, so my master I must serve.”102
Similarly, the Jew is to recognize that their bond with G‑d is not only “familial,” but “professional” as well. Kabbalas ol illuminates that G‑d isn’t only my Father, He is also my Master and King.103 Therefore, avodah takes on steadfast resolve.104
Even when the child-like passion and common appreciation are lacking, the Jew forges ahead. The servant-like kabbalas ol causes the Jew to be fully committed to fulfilling G‑d’s mitzvos and avoiding any possible transgression.
Empowered by kabbalas ol, the Jew’s unwavering dedication surpasses all limitations. This leaves the nefesh habahamis unable to derail the soul’s committed efforts, and it too begrudgingly cooperates with the nefesh haElokis.105
The theme of kabbalas ol is also reflected in the Jewish People’s role as Tzivos Hashem, the Army of G‑d.106 In the military, the commander’s orders must be fulfilled without question, regardless of the soldier’s personal level of motivation. Similarly, a Jew can realize that we are each soldiers of the Al-mighty, the ultimate Commander-in-Chief.107
2) Recognizing G‑d’s Oneness
The Shulchan Aruch begins with the instruction of “Shivisi Hashem lenegdi tamid,” “I have set G‑d before me at all times.”108
On a basic level, this refers to the constant awareness of being in the company of the omnipresent G‑d. By recognizing that G‑d is always with each individual, the person can achieve a heightened sense of yiras Shamayim, fear and reverence of Heaven.109
This instruction takes on greater depth and application in light of how Chassidus teaches Achdus Hashem.110 When one internalizes that G‑d is the only true existence and all of creation is completely battel to Him, “setting G‑d before oneself” becomes the recognition that there is none but G‑d. The world and all that fills it has no independent substance whatsoever. G‑d is all that matters; He is the truth of all that is.111
In context of our discussion, this appreciation of Achdus Hashem can play an important role in ensuring proper observance of G‑d’s Will. As explained above, the G‑dly soul naturally wishes to fulfill G‑d’s commandments to the fullest, and it is the animalistic soul and the worldly temptations which get in the way. Now, when the person internalizes this G‑d-centered perspective, sin becomes an outlandish impossibility.
One realizes that G‑d is constantly recreating the world which lacks any inherent substance. All components of the temptation to possibly transgress G‑d’s Will, or to be lax in a mitzvah, are all right now being made by G‑d from utter nothingness. Surely, there are simply no circumstances in which G‑d’s world can possibly get in the way of serving the One G‑d. Nothing else actually matters, and this truth can be reflected in every thought, spoken word, and action.112
3) The Hidden Love
While the above strategy of internalizing Achdus Hashem is indeed effective, it can be difficult to accomplish. To be so immersed in the reality of G‑d’s Oneness, while simultaneously living a physical life in this world, is more of a feat than a standard expectation.113 What then is the more accessible way to always serve G‑d to the point that the Torah even reiterates: “Ki karov eilecha hadavar meod” “For this matter is very near to you?”114
Beyond the difficulty involved with constantly remembering G‑d’s Oneness to the point that one never commits any infraction of G‑d’s Will, there is yet another drawback to the above approach. The verse states that it is very possible to serve G‑d, “in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.”
While one can interpret the words “in your heart” to refer to one’s thoughts,115 nevertheless, on a primary level, the verse is referring to emotional feelings.116 It must be fully possible for the average person to arouse feelings of loving attachment to G‑d and fear of separation from Him which can be channeled into daily observance. What is this exceedingly possible approach?
Here the Alter Rebbe introduces the idea of the inborn ahavah mesuteres, the “hidden love for G‑d” found within every Jew. This love is very accessible because its manifestation is only the result of revealing what is already there. Rather than starting from scratch, generating love and dedication for G‑d by contemplating intellectual ideas which trigger emotion, one only needs to awaken the love already found within.117
The origin of this love relates to the deepest elements of our character and surpasses the limitations of most interpersonal relationships. This ahavah mesuteres is an inheritance from our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, who were known to be a conduit and vehicle for the Divine.118
Their love for G‑d was more about connection than just passion. Feelings can only run so deep, but their attachment to G‑d knew no bounds.119 One might consider the will to live to be one of the deepest layers of the human psyche, but for them, dedication to G‑d was more important than self-preservation. Our holy forefathers were ready to do anything for G‑d without asking why.
Notably, this love carries a component of yirah, fear of Heaven. Along with the utmost dedication to fulfilling G‑d’s instructions, there is the obvious commitment not to transgress His Will. This dynamic of love and fear creates a type of attachment that makes separation feel completely unbearable.120
By teaching that every Jew has this dedication and love for G‑d within their innermost hearts, the Alter Rebbe explained the phenomenon of mesirus nefesh, Jewish self-sacrifice. Throughout our history of persecution, countless Jews lost their lives simply because they refused to renounce their Jewish belief. To serve another god and reject the faith of their fathers was just too much to bear. Instead, they made the ultimate sacrifice.
This begs the question: Why didn’t the will to survive, the basic desire to live and not die, get in the way? So many of these martyrs did not even live fully observant lifestyles. Why wouldn’t they prefer to live as gentiles than to die as Jews?
The secret of the Jewish soul, which defies logical calculation, is the ahavah mesuteres.121 Just as the forefathers saw themselves as inseparable from G‑d, every Jew intrinsically desires to be connected to G‑d, wants to fulfill His Will, and cannot bear to sever this bond. This bond surpasses logic, and this boundless love defies quantification. Uneducated Jews who stood at the foot of the Spanish-Inquisition’s Autos-da-fé did not think it through, and European Jewish families did not weigh their options when faced with the sword of the crusaders. Somehow, being Jewish and faithful to G‑d simply provides an unequivocal sense of identity.122
This hidden love can be described as essential to the very definition of what a Jew is. Although it is not always realized, and at times it may be misdirected, this unexplainable feeling of connection and identity remains.123 This is transferred as an “inheritance” from our forefathers, because for them connection to G‑d was more than a personal perspective or a personality trait; it was who they were. While not all descendants share their ancestors’ traits or appearances, this core identity of our forefathers manages to come through.
G‑d grants every Jew this same ability, to allow their Divine bond to be who they are both idealistically and practically. Not only does every Jew possess a G‑dly soul within, this G‑dly connection can actually have life-changing influence. Even the simplest Jew can have the unbreakable conviction that makes separating from G‑d an utter impossibility.124
Remembering Mesirus Nefesh
With revolutionary insight, the Alter Rebbe clarifies the day-to-day relevance of this intrinsic, hidden love. Probing into the meaning of mitzvos, he illuminates how this instinctive sense of Jewish identity can become a conscious force, which ensures success in the battle between the souls.125
As mentioned before, the primary strategy of the yetzer hara is to use self-interest and indulgence to cause the person to not realize the detrimental nature of sin. Similarly, the urges of the animalistic soul cause the person to not realize the infinite importance of just one mitzvah.126
The intrinsic bond that every Jew has with G‑d, the ahavah mesuteres, seems largely inapplicable to these everyday struggles.
In almost no circumstance will the animalistic soul pose any opposition when a Jew is tested to renounce their faith. Self-interest and personal preservation hold no sway when a Jew is given the choice between being Jewish or being alive. These life-or-death situations awaken the core of one’s being, causing the Jew to follow their innermost consciousness.127
However, in regular life, one would think that this ahavah mesuteres, this hidden love, is just an unused and latent potential.128
In truth, we are taught that all mitzvos express the essential bond that the Jew shares with G‑d.
The Talmud teaches that at Sinai, the people heard the first two of the Ten Commandments directly from G‑d.129 The purpose of this was not merely to emphasize the significance of these two commandments. Instead, on an intrinsic level, these two commandments, which affirm faithfulness to G‑d, encapsulate the entire Torah.130 They not only convey the essential element of faith that must precede all mitzvos, but all Divine instructions can be viewed as extensions of these initial commandments.131
Every mitzvah represents dedication to G‑d, and any transgression is a rebellion against His authority. Just as a Jew is naturally willing to forfeit their life to not worship another deity, one can surely overcome the temptations of the moment and not violate G‑d’s commandments. Furthermore, if one would be ready to go through so much trouble to not deviate from G‑d’s Will, it is most certainly worthwhile to invest all of one’s energy in enthusiastic observance of G‑d’s mitzvos.132
With this knowledge, the ahavah mesuteres, the hidden love and resolve to remain connected to G‑d, can come to the forefront of our day-to-day existence. Looking past mesirus nefesh as a last resort, we can live with this powerful commitment and connection.
By remembering this ahavah mesuteres, we overcome the falsehood of the yetzer hara. Seeking to derail our efforts to serve G‑d in thought, speech, and action, it claims that not all mitzvos are intrinsic to our bond with G‑d. Our animalistic soul wishes to live life and enjoy itself without the burden of constant commitment. Therefore, it stages as though mesirus nefesh is only for the most extreme tests of faith. In truth, however, this supra-rational dedication to G‑d can actually be the pulse of Jewish life.
In the words of the Alter Rebbe:
“This is the meaning of the verse, ‘For this matter is very near to you…’ For at any time and moment, a person is capable and free to rid themselves of the spirit of folly and forgetfulness and is always able to remember and arouse their love of the One G‑d that is certainly and undoubtedly latent in their heart.
This love also carries with it fear, that is, the dread of being separated on any account from G‑d’s Unity and Oneness. Even if it means sacrificing one’s life so as to not be separated from Him, the Jew will do so without any reason or logic, but purely out of one’s Divine nature.
Surely, then, it is far easier to subdue one’s appetite, since this entails much lighter suffering than the death they would willingly endure so as to not be torn away from G‑d. Mastering the evil inclination is easier, both in refraining from sin and observing the positive commandments…”.133
Interestingly, the concept of mesirus nefesh is the subject of Moshe’s instructions to the Jewish People as they prepared to enter the Land of Israel. Just weeks before their conquest, Moshe taught them to recite the Shema twice daily as an acceptance of G‑d’s authority to the point of martyrdom.134
The timing for this instruction is surprising, as that generation had been promised that they would conquer the land easily, and there was surely no concern that they would need to undergo any major test of faith.135 Nevertheless, Moshe directed them to be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to G‑d.136 One may ask: Why the emphasis on such a display of conviction, which is typically only relevant as a last resort?
One must conclude that the message of mesirus nefesh is not only in the face of external challenges. Fostering the inner bond that causes this conviction is not only for emergencies.
This aligns with the relevance of the ahavah mesuteres in ensuring proper observance of all G‑d’s mitzvos as taught in Tanya. Mesirus nefesh must be a constant focus, because the fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments is contingent on one being constantly aware of their readiness to surrender their life to G‑d for the sake of His Unity. We are to remember this message during our daily recitations of Shema in order for this awareness to be fixed permanently in our hearts and not depart from our memories. In this way, one is able to withstand the evil inclination and vanquish it at every moment.137
Appreciating Mitzvos
To further expand our understanding of the link between all mitzvos and the two first commandments, let us take a look at the character of the mitzvos. All mitzvos are of course commandments of G‑d; however, one can easily find various classifications within the 613 mitzvos.
In general, mitzvos are divided into three categories:138
1) Chukim: These are statutes, laws which transcend reason.139
2) Eidos: These are mitzvos which bear witness to specific events or ideals.140
3) Mishpatim: These are rational laws.141
These classifications are at times understood to somehow define the meaning of a particular mitzvah. By considering their rationale, or lack thereof, one might think that some mitzvos are more intrinsic to Jewish identity than others. Mishpatim, whose reasons can be intellectually explained, are often thought to be for the benefit of mankind, while the chukim, which are performed just because G‑d said so, affirm our supra-rational bond with Him. Conversely, while chukim may be performed with detachment from the psyche, the mishpatim or eidos may be fulfilled with a heightened sense of personal relevance.142
In Tanya, the nature of a mitzvah is explained in light of Achdus Hashem – the recognition of G‑d’s exclusive Oneness.143
As there is none but G‑d, our perspective of G‑d’s commandants should reflect this truth. While worldly existence seems to be oblivious of His Oneness, the mitzvos are “channels” of Divinity in which G‑d’s Unity is not concealed. Although all physical beings do inherently exist in bittul, this is only actually experienced during the performance of a mitzvah or the study of Torah. Every mitzvah is an opportunity to become a conduit for G‑d’s Will, a moment of boundless absorption within the Divine truth.144
When one performs a tangible mitzvah such as outstretching their arm to give tzedakah, G‑d’s Oneness becomes revealed. Both for the person’s body and soul and for the hard-earned cash being donated to the person in need, this moment is important.145
By doing a mitzvah, G‑d’s innermost Will is revealed in one’s actions, leaving no room for the concealment which characterizes our experience of the physical world. In this moment of revelation, nothing is at all separate from G‑dliness. No creation has any independent and separate identity of its own. Moreover, because G‑d transcends time, this moment of the mitzvah’s connection lasts forever.146
While the specifics of each mitzvah may reflect the particular way each mitzvah is to be fulfilled, in their essence, they are all the same. Indeed, some mitzvos, the mishpatim, are to be cognitively appreciated, while others, the chukim, are meant to be performed with obedient dedication. However, these differences are just the external dynamics. The truest definition of all mitzvos is a unique invitation of G‑d’s presence within the person and the world.147
In direct contrast to the performance of positive mitzvos, the transgression of the negative commandments is a direct deviation from G‑d’s Oneness. Any infraction of His Will is a painful rejection of G‑d’s presence. While there may be differences between various degrees of sin in terms of punishment or long-term damage caused, all transgressions strike a common chord. Worse than ignoring G‑d, these actions actually defy His Will. Contradicting G‑d’s presence, any sin can be seen as equivalent to idolatry, the cardinal sin for which a Jew would typically give up their life rather than commit.
With this perspective, the unbreakable conviction of the ahavah mesuteres can become the guiding light in a Jew’s Divine service. By cultivating this awareness, any Jew can realize that under no circumstances do they want to miss a mitzvah, and under no circumstances do they want to go against G‑d’s Will.
Using this approach, proper service of G‑d in feeling and deed is indeed very possible. By intellectually understanding and appreciating our inner attachment to G‑d, we can experience firmly founded feelings of ahavah and yirah. In turn, these emotions will lead us to consistently act, speak, and think appropriately. In this “longer-but-shorter” way, the Alter Rebbe not only teaches that we should serve G‑d, but also explains how to make it happen.148 Indeed, one can recognize that: “This matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.”149
4) When All Defenses Fall
After all that was discussed, one problem remains. It is possible for a person to think that this strategy of uncovering the ahavah mesuteres can only resonate well with “a good Jew.” Perhaps cultivating the ahavah mesuteres is only relevant to those who can honestly claim that their innermost want is to be attached to G‑d. As they are already on the right track with their feeling of affiliation, Tanya enables them to advance to the next level.
However, for the Jew who considers themselves to be “a bad Jew,” Heaven forbid, this message can seem quite detached from reality. When a person feels like their true wants and interests are directed toward ulterior, un-G‑dly goals, can they really realign?
This can be clarified by examining a statement of the Alter Rebbe describing the true character of a Jew. He said: “Every Jew is intrinsically bound with G‑d, to the point that a Jew does not want, nor can they separate themselves from G‑d.”150
Let us analyze this statement: The fact that a Jew does not want to separate themselves from G‑d was already explained to be the result of the ahavah mesuteres. What does the Alter Rebbe mean to say with the words that a Jew cannot separate themselves from Him?151
This leads us to yet a deeper layer of the Jewish soul, which the Alter Rebbe expounds upon in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, the third part of Tanya.152 Speaking to the Jew who failed, he explains that teshuvah, the process of returning to G‑d, is neither a new start, nor a return to a previous self. Teshuvah is a return to who you truly are in the present.153 The failure is only external, and the improper interests and behaviors are just a facade. The essence of the Jewish soul remains faithful to G‑d throughout.154
Regardless of how far one may have wandered from the path of Torah and mitzvos, the soul was unable to separate from G‑d. The person’s truest self, the core of the soul, remained faithful to G‑d throughout the ordeal; never for a moment was their bond severed.155 For the Jew who feels like they tarnished their G‑dly connection, that their ahavah mesuteres has been extinguished, they ought to remember that there is no such thing. The Jew’s bond with G‑d can never be broken; it is inherent as the very core of who we are. No Jew is “a bad Jew,” because their Jewishness doesn’t become degraded by their errors.156
This powerful awareness is the first step in attuning one’s day-to-day activities with their true self. Know that as a Jew, one is never truly lost. Let your actions reflect who you really are. Fulfilling G‑d’s mitzvos is not only the you of once upon a time – it is the true you of today. Be who you really are.
With this insight into the core of the Jewish soul, the Alter Rebbe illuminated a more accessible method to jumpstart the process of “Ki karov eilecha hadavar meod…,” “For this matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.”157 Never can a Jew be separated from G‑d, so in truth, neither do they ever want to be.158 This recognition makes living like a Jew in thought, speech, action, and feeling to be the most natural next step.159
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