Chapter 44

In the previous chapter, the Alter Rebbe explained that there are two broad categories in the love of G‑d, ahavah rabbah and ahavat olam. Ahavah rabbah cannot be attained by man unaided. It is granted as a gift from above when an individual merits it; reflection alone on G‑d’s greatness can in no way engender this level of love. Ahavat olam, however, results from intense and sustained meditation on the greatness of G‑d.

Thus, two individuals may have the same general level of love of G‑d, yet their particular, individual levels of love will differ.

They are found in all Jews equally,

Here, Jews are not equal. He whose knowledge of G‑dliness is greater will experience the love and fear of G‑d to a greater degree than his less knowledgeable colleague.

The Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapter that ahavah rabbah cannot be attained alone, while ahavat olam can. He now goes on to explain that there is a manner of love of G‑d which incorporates the qualities of both ahavah rabbah and ahavat olam. It has the qualities of the former since it comes from above and exists in the soul of every Jew in the form of an inheritance from the Patriarchs. However, in order for this love to be revealed, it is necessary for the individual to contemplate and comprehend G‑dliness, as is the case with ahavat olam, which is revealed through man’s service.

The Zohar notes that the verse is grammatically anomalous. It should either say, “My soul desires You,” or alternatively, “I desire You.” Therefore, the Zohar explains that “My soul” refers to G‑d, the Soul of all beings. In effect, the Jew says to G‑d: “You are my Soul; therefore, I desire you.” And as the Zohar goes on to say:

Truly, the pleasure of living is the greatest pleasure of all, and a man will forgo all manner of pleasure in order to stay alive. Nevertheless, we do not feel the pleasure of simply being alive because “a constant pleasure is not felt to be pleasurable.” However, when a person is weak and tired and his life-force is not as manifest as it should be, then he feels the desire to live and senses the pleasure of simply being alive.

Thus, the individual’s love of G‑d will encourage him in his Torah study, since He realizes that this will enable him to draw down the infinite light of the Ein Sof and become united with G‑d. Just as creation is renewed continuously (“In His goodness, He renews each day, continuously, the work of creation,”7) Torah, too, “should be viewed every day as if it were new.”8 So, too, regarding the love and yearning for G‑d brought about through the study of Torah: he should experience this just as one yearns and desires for the full restoration of his vitality—a desire which is both revealed and powerful.

This, then, is the love expressed in the phrase, “My soul, I desire You,” the innate love that a Jew feels when he realizes that G‑d is his true soul and Source of life. This love must be revealed by pondering deeply and often how G‑d is the Source of all life, as will be explained later on in this chapter.

This manner of service is not limited to Moses alone: it is within the province of every Jew,

Just as Moses possessed this love because G‑d is his Father, so, too, every Jew can possess this love, for G‑d is equally our Father.

This level of love is more selfless than that described by the phrase, “My soul, I desire You.” For love which results from realizing that G‑d is one’s true life will only be as intense as a person’s desire for life itself. It will not demand total self-sacrifice, which is the opposite of life. The love of a child for his parent, however, is not limited to his love for life; his parents’ lives take precedence over his own, and he is ready to give his very life in order to save theirs.

How, then, do we say that every Jew can feel the same love of G‑d that Moses felt?

Since this luminous particle is found in all Jews in all generations, it thus becomes possible for every Jew—through Moses’ goodness and light—to feel the love that he possesses as an inheritance from the Patriarchs in a manner similar to that of Moses.13

Since the revelation of this love leads in fact to increased performance, he should not be troubled by the fact that he may be deluding himself in thinking that he possesses this love when in actuality he does not—particularly since his soul does truly love G‑d.

“A good thought is joined…to a deed” cannot simply mean that when one thinks about doing a good deed and then, through no fault of his own, he is unable to do it, G‑d considers it as if he had actually done it. For if this were so, the expression should be, “A good thought is considered by G‑d as an actual deed.” Rather, the term “joined to” indicates that the deed was actually done but that the thought and deed were unconnected, G‑d, in His goodness, therefore connects the thought and the deed.

When a love of G‑d is revealed within one’s heart, there is an actual connection between the thought and the deed, for the revealed love adds vitality to the performance of the deed.

However, when love of G‑d is not revealed in one’s heart and is limited to one’s mind, it is considered to be a “good thought” that is not connected to a deed. Thus, when one understands that something ought to be done but he has no love for it, then the deed will be performed without fervor. It is therefore necessary for G‑d to connect the “good thought” with the deed, thereby ensuring that the “good thought”—the love and fear of G‑d in his mind—will elevate the Torah and mitzvot which result from it to the world and level of the “good thought.”

When the soul, G‑d’s child, is clothed in the body and animal soul, it is in a state of captivity. Through Torah and mitzvot, it is liberated from this captivity and is joined with G‑d. This causes Him a joy similar to that experienced by the mortal king in the analogy.

Thus, the love which is “like a son who strives for the sake of his father” can be revealed by habituating oneself (with his tongue and voice) to arouse the intention of heart and mind. The Alter Rebbe soon goes on to explain that the love of “My soul, I desire You” may also be revealed and awakened through habitually speaking about it when one does so in a manner where the heart will feel that G‑d is his true life, the “Life of life.”

It is therefore possible for his Torah and mitzvot to be elevated to the supernal sefirot just as if he had fulfilled them with a love revealed in his heart.

As explained in the previous chapters, the love and fear that lead to performance of Torah and mitzvot elevate them to the supernal sefirot.

If the love and fear are “natural”—i.e., they do not result from contemplating G‑d’s greatness but from the soul’s natural resources—then the Torah and mitzvot are elevated only as far as the World of Yetzirah, the World of emotion. For since the level of “natural” love and fear of G‑d belongs in that World, it follows that the Torah and mitzvot performed as a result of that level will be elevated there as well.

However, if the love and fear are “intellectual”—created by one’s reflection on G‑d’s greatness—then the Torah and mitzvot performed as a result of this contemplation will be elevated to the sefirot of the World of Beriah, the World where the sefirah of binah (“understanding”) is pre-eminent.

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that although the two abovementioned loves (“My soul…” and “Like a son…”) are naturally found in a Jew’s soul, deriving as they do from the Patriarchs, still, when they are in a revealed state in one’s heart, they are able to elevate the Torah and mitzvot that result from them to the World of Beriah. Only when “natural” love remains concealed in the mind is it restricted to elevating Torah and mitzvot no higher than Yetzirah. When, however, it is in a revealed state, they are elevated to the World of Beriah.

For while it is true that these loves are natural, in order for them to be revealed, there must be profound contemplation on the theme of G‑d as our true Father and Source of life. Such contemplation gives this natural love, the additional qualitative trait achieved by “intellectual” love, so that the Torah and mitzvot which result from this love are elevated to the World of Beriah, the World of knowledge. This is now going to be discussed:

When one feels that G‑d is the true Source of his life, he will fear to transgress so as not to become separated from his source of life. The feeling of G‑d being one’s true father will likewise keep him from sinning, since he does not want to be torn away from his father.

Although both the abovementioned degrees of love and fear are instinctively found within Jews,

These levels of love are the cause of the performance of one’s Torah and mitzvot, for they result from the portrayal of this love in his mind.

The reason this is indeed so, notwithstanding the fact that they are “naturally” found with the soul of every Jew, is now given:

Since the contemplation of G‑dliness is related to the World of Beriah, the World which is illuminated by binah of Atzilut, it follows that the various forms of love which are revealed through such contemplation have their place in that World as well, and it is there that they elevate one’s Torah and mitzvot.

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to say that the two kinds of love—“My soul…” and “Like a son…”—not only have the quality of love that results from contemplation, but they also have the quality of ahavah rabbah, the love that is granted from above. For they, too, are granted from above inasmuch as Jews inherit them from the Patriarchs, as explained earlier.

Since these two kinds of love possess all these qualities, it would seem that they should suffice, and love born wholly of intellect is superfluous. Nevertheless, the Alter Rebbe concludes that a Jew should also strive to attain the love that results wholly from contemplating G‑d’s greatness because of the reasons he will soon give.

The Rebbe explains that ahavah rabbah is rooted in Atzilut, which is far superior to Beriah, where ahavat olam is rooted. The Alter Rebbe alludes to this by saying “Furthermore,” i.e., these loves not only have the qualities of “natural” love and “intellectual” love, found in the Worlds of Yetzirah and Beriah respectively, but they also have the quality of the love of ahavah rabbah found in the World of Atzilut. This tremendous quality notwithstanding, the Alter Rebbe concludes that it is necessary to achieve the love brought about wholly through contemplation, for this love is unique in its passion and yearning for G‑dliness.

As such, it differs from the loves of “My soul…” and “Like a son…,” which essentially are inherited and are only revealed through contemplation.

Love created purely as a result of contemplation is more passionate and fiery than love which is essentially inherited, even when the inherited love is revealed through contemplation.

Not only is gold worth more than silver ounce for ounce, in which case a preponderance of silver would be more valuable, but gold is intrinsically of greater value in that it possesses a distinctive gleam, which people find highly attractive.

So, too, with regard to love that results wholly from contemplation: it is not a higher level of love; on the contrary, the level of love that comes from above and is termed ahavah rabbah, “great love,” is the higher form of love. The superiority of love that results entirely from contemplation lies in its fiery passion and yearning of the soul. This is one reason why the two previously mentioned kinds of love that Jews inherit do not suffice; they lack passion when compared to love emanating entirely from one’s intellect.

The Alter Rebbe now provides yet another reason why wholly contemplative love is necessary: It is important to attain contemplative love not only because of the superiority of the resulting passion, but because the contemplation is an end unto itself. By contemplating G‑d’s greatness, one fulfills the whole purpose of creation—that created beings should come to know and understand G‑d’s greatness.

Thus, there is a special quality and purpose in contemplation (that leads to love) itself. Contemplation of G‑d’s greatness is exercised to a much greater degree in the love that is created from contemplation than it is found in a love which is merely revealed through contemplation, as is the case in the two aforementioned kinds of love.

In order to merely reveal the love of “My soul…” by contemplating how G‑d is the “true Source of life” or to reveal the love of “Like a son…” by contemplating how G‑d is “our true Father,” one’s meditation need not be exceedingly profound. A much deeper understanding and more profound mode of meditation is necessary in order to create a love of G‑d based solely on intellectual comprehension.

As a result, the divine intention “that they may know Him”—that created beings come to know G‑dliness—is realized to a much greater extent through wholly contemplative love. This is the additional reason as to why the kinds of love inherited from the Patriarchs do not suffice, and it is necessary to exert oneself to attain a love of G‑d that stems entirely from contemplating His greatness.