3. How to

Avodah must be proportionate to one’s soul-powers. The soul contains various soul-powers: Emunah (faith), taanug (pleasure), ratzon (will-power), seichel (intellect), and middos (emotions). These faculties operate through the garments of the soul, namely thought, speech, and action. Fundamental to avodas Hashem is that one serve G‑d with all of these soul-powers, both those that transcend intellect, such as faith and mesirus nefesh, and also those that are rational, leading a person to serve G‑d with their entire soul and being. This approach is holistic, permeating the entirety of the individual. Similarly, when doing teshuvah, a person must do teshuvah with all of their soul-powers, looking deep inside themselves to see where their pleasure and will-power lie, and transforming those inner desires to serve G‑d.

See Kesubos 67a, describing that “according to the camel is the burden.” The stronger the camel, the heavier the load it must bear. So, although the wealthy Jerusalem philanthropist Nakdimon Ben Guryon gave tremendous amounts to charity, he fell short because he did not give as much as he could have.

Hayom Yom, 25 Nissan. “Sin” is the common translation of the original Hebrew word used here, “cheit.” To be more precise, among the various Hebrew words for sin such as avon, pesha, cheit, aveirah, zadon, the word cheit denotes a lack or deficiency rather than an actual infraction. However, even such deficiencies are commonly described as sin because our mission in life is not fulfilled until we overcome these areas of lack. (This gives us a fresh perspective on the words “Al Cheit,” which are said in the Vidui of Yom Kippur. When a person says “Al Cheit,” they are not necessarily referring to having done something wrong or having literally transgressed. Instead, “Al Cheit” means “For the lack of.” The person is lamenting the fact that they have not done enough in line with their true abilities, and they resolve to do better.)

Igros Kodesh, Vol. 16, p. 338.

See Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh, Epistle 7.

This teaching was relayed to the Alter Rebbe by the Baal Shem Tov’s student, the tzaddik Reb Mordechai, who received this instruction from the Baal Shem Tov regarding his own personal life. He was told: “A soul may descend to this world and live seventy or eighty years, in order to do a Jew a material favor and certainly a spiritual one.” Hayom Yom, 5 Iyar; Likkutei Dibburim, Vol. 3, p. 1126; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 4, p. 1255.

See Toras Menachem 5745, Vol. 3, p. 1473; Sefer HaSichos 5747, Vol. 1, p. 160.

It should be noted that, nevertheless, each solitary mitzvah reflects the fulfillment of G‑d’s desire for the Dirah BeTachtonim. This is because G‑d’s Will, expressed in each mitzvah, wholly represents His core Essence, as discussed above, p. 244. See Beshaah Shehikdimu 5672, Vol. 2, p. 1081; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 30, pp. 153-154.

Rather than being a disadvantage, the fact that we are unaware of our Moment can actually lead to its proper fulfillment.

This is illustrated by a story of a great chassid of the Alter Rebbe, Reb Yosef of Beshenkovitch, whose life’s Moment was accomplished in most unusual circumstances. A venerated Torah scholar, he was told by the Alter Rebbe during a yechidus that “For his soul’s benefit, it would be better for him to be a wagon driver than to be a Rav.”

While Reb Yosef did not understand the Alter Rebbe’s remark at the time, it was when he was already over seventy years old that he was offered a rabbinical position and remembered the Alter Rebbe’s words. He refused the position, and with his wife’s full encouragement, became a wagon driver. In stark contrast to his last five decades spent steeped in Torah study and devout prayer, Reb Yosef began spending his days on the road, transporting all sorts of travelers. After ten years in this trade had elapsed, he was hired to transport an estranged Jew who lived as a Polish nobleman. When they stopped at an inn, this Jew’s soul was stirred by hearing the heartfelt prayers of Reb Yosef. This Jew returned to his faith as a full baal teshuvah, being guided back by Reb Yosef. Upon this incident, the Alter Rebbe’s son and successor, the Mitteler Rebbe, informed Reb Yosef that he had fulfilled his purpose of being a wagon driver and should return to being a teacher and mentor of Chassidus. (This story is printed in full in Poke’ach Ivrim, pp. 18ff.)

Incidentally, the fact that he spent more than ten years engaged in an unnatural occupation without any insight into the benefit to be derived was strategically important for the fulfillment of his mission. Theoretically, there could have been a way for Reb Yosef to encounter this person without undergoing so much trouble. However, such a meeting would not necessarily achieve its goal of bringing this Jew home. Reb Yosef’s lengthy hurdle was for him to achieve a state of a “broken heart.” As it turns out, it was specifically those prayers which emanated from this heart-broken sage which affected this estranged Jew and caused him to return home to his true self. Toras Menachem 5745, Vol. 3, pp. 1474-1475.

Sefer HaSichos 5749, Vol. 1, p. 34; Sichos Kodesh 5737, Vol. 2, pp. 291-292.

Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 347, citing Kuntres HaAvodah, end of Ch. 6.