Although, as explained above, the command “And you shall serve G‑d your L-rd” implies service motivated by kabbalas ol which is associated primarily with fear,
Nevertheless, this verseאָמְנָם כֵּיוָן שֶׁהַפָּסוּק "וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת הֲוָיָ׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם"
(also) refers to the concept of prayer,קָאֵי (גַּם) עַל עִנְיַן הַתְּפִלָּה,
In the portion of the maamar that follows, the Rebbe proceeds to explain how the service of G‑d not only requires fear and awe of Him, the basis of kabbalas ol, it also requires love. For avodah involves transformation of one’s inner being, not merely control of one’s conduct. Such transformation is accomplished through love, for love is the emotion that pushes a person beyond himself and into connection with others. This relates to prayer, for it is in prayer that our love for G‑d is given expression.
as Rambam states:1כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ''ם:
It is a positive mitzvah to pray…, as it is written, “And you shall serve G‑d your L-rd.”מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל כוּ' שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת הֲוָיָ׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם,
According to the oral tradition, we learned that this service is prayer,מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ הִיא תְּפִלָּה
as it is written:2 “And serve Him with all your heart,”שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם,
and our Sages state:3 “What is the service of the heart? This is prayer.”אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אֵי זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְּפִלָּה,
I.e., prayer is Divine service that is “in the heart and with the heart,” changing the nature of one’s heart itself.
It is thus understood that in addition to the service of awe, the charge to serve G‑d also includesמוּבָן, שֶׁבָּזֶה נִכְלָל (נוֹסָף עַל הָעֲבוֹדָה מִיִּרְאָה) גַּם
the service of loveעִנְיַן הָעֲבוֹדָה מֵאַהֲבָה,
which is actualized in prayer,שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִנְיַן הַתְּפִלָּה,
as it is taught:4 “There is no service like the service of love.”לֵית פֻּלְחָנָא כְּפוּלְחָנָא דִּרְחִימוּתָא.
To explain:5 Prayer produces an effect on both the G‑dly soul and the animal soul.וְהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה, דְּהִנֵּה פְּעֻלַּת הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא הֵן בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית וְהֵן בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית.
The Hebrew term for prayer, tefillah, relates to the term tofel,כִּי, תְּפִלָּה הוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן תּוֹפֵל,
which has the meaning of “joining together.”6שֶׁהוּא עִנְיַן הַחִבּוּר,
Through prayer, the G‑dly soul is joined to its root and source.שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ נַעֲשֵׂית הִתְחַבְּרוּת נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית עִם שָׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹרָהּ.
I.e., through prayer, the soul as it is manifest in a person’s mind and heart becomes connected to the root of the soul as it exists in the spiritual realms. For only a ray of the soul enclothes itself in the body; the essence of the soul remains in the spiritual realms above. Prayer creates a bond that enables the G‑dly power of the soul in its source and root to shine within the soul while it is enclothed in the body.
Also, through prayer,וְעוֹד עִנְיָן בַּתְּפִלָּה,
the animal soul is purified and refined,שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ נַעֲשֶׂה בֵּרוּר וְזִכּוּךְ נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
Integrity is created between a person’s inner spiritual awareness and desire to bond with G‑d (which stems from his G‑dly soul), and his operative consciousness, the way he thinks and feels on an everyday basis (which stems from his animal soul).
and the sparks of G‑dliness invested in one’s body and one’s portion of the world are elevated.וְהַעֲלָאַת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת דְּגוּפוֹ וְחֶלְקוֹ בָּעוֹלָם.
For then, a person’s thought, speech, and action will reflect his inner spiritual purpose. As such, all the material entities that he uses will be aligned with the Divine intent. This will enable the G‑dly sparks within them to be elevated and connected with their spiritual source.
The two effects produced by prayer are interrelated. Because the G‑dly soul within the body is brought into contact with its essential G‑dly source and core, it is infused with the infinite power of that source. Hence, the arousal of the G‑dly soul produces effects that are not confined to the spiritual realms, but change the way the person relates to his material surroundings as well.
Both of these effects: a) connecting his G‑dly soul to its source; and b) refining his animal soul and his portion of the world,וּב' עִנְיָנִים אֵלּוּ
are produced through the service of love.הֵם בְּהָעֲבוֹדָה דְּאַהֲבָה דַּוְקָא.
Through the service of fear and kabbalas ol aloneדְּהִנֵּה, בָּעֲבוֹדָה דְיִרְאָה וְקַבָּלַת עֹל לְבַדָּהּ,
a person will not be able to change himself,הֲרֵי לֹא שִׁנָּה אֶת עַצְמוֹ,
and it does not bring about a refinement and a purification of the animal soul.וְלֹא פָּעַל בֵּרוּר וְזִכּוּךְ נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
Fear and kabbalas ol can help a person restrain himself and refrain from pursuing undesirable conduct. It does not, however, motivate him to orient his life toward a higher goal and imbue it with spiritual purpose.
This can be observed in actual life.וּכְפִי שֶׁרוֹאִים בְּמוּחָשׁ
There are people who have natural yiras Shama­yim (fear of Heaven).שֶׁיֶּשְׁנָם כָּאֵלֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם טִבְעִית
With minimal meditation, they are able to arouse a level of fear that motivates them to “turn away from evil and do good.”וּבְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת קַלָּה יְכוֹלִים הֵם לְעוֹרֵר אֶת הַיִּרְאָה לִהְיוֹת סוּר מֵרָע וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב,
Nevertheless, even when their conduct is ideal in terms of “turning away from evil and doing good,”וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, גַּם כַּאֲשֶׁר הַנְהָגָתָם בְּסוּר מֵרָע וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב הִיא בִּשְׁלֵמוּת,
their animal souls retain their inherent strength and power.נִשְׁאֶרֶת נַפְשָׁם הַבַּהֲמִית בְּתָקְפָּהּ וּבִגְבוּרָתָהּ כְּתוֹלַדְתָּהּ,
I.e., the person’s conduct conforms to the Torah’s standards, but his inner self remains unrefined.
On the contrary, their animal souls grow stronger over the course of time, the more they are active7 over the course of these people’s day-to-day experience.וְאַדְּרַבָּה, נִתְחַזְּקָה יוֹתֵר בְּהֶמְשֵׁךְ הַזְּמַן עַל יְדֵי רִבּוּי הַהִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּת בָּהּ.
The more a person is involved with material entities, even when his involvement is not excessive and his physical desires are kept in check, the more his mind and heart become focused on that realm and become insensitive to spiritual concepts.
Moreover, since service motivated by fear does not bring about a refinement and a purification of the animal soul,וְכֵיוָן שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה מִיִּרְאָה לֹא פָּעַל בֵּרוּר וְזִכּוּךְ נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
it also does not bring about a connection between the G‑dly soul and its root and source.לֹא פָּעַל גַּם הִתְחַבְּרוּת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית עִם שָׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹרָהּ,
For the establishment of such a connection depends on the fulfillment of G‑d’s will,כִּי, הִתְחַבְּרוּת נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית הִיא עַל יְדֵי מִלּוּי רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ,
and G‑d’s will is that the G‑dly soul should refine the body and the animal soul.וַהֲרֵי רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ הוּא שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה תְּבָרֵר אֶת הַגּוּף וְנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
As mentioned above, only a ray of the G‑dly soul is enclothed in the body. Why? Because the soul as it exists in the spiritual realms is too elevated and transcendent to shine within the body. This is the nature of Seder HaHishtalshelus, the chainlike pattern of downward progression that characterizes the Spiritual Cosmos. An entity’s spiritual level is defined by its degree of refinement and thus it is restricted to that level.
How then can the full power of the soul in the higher realms shine within the soul in the body? Because a power that knows no bounds and restrictions – G‑d’s will – brings them together.
That is the purpose for which the soul descended to this material plane.וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה יָרְדָה הַנְּשָׁמָה לְמַטָּה,
For the soul itself is not in need of correction.8שֶׁהֲרֵי הַנְּשָׁמָה עַצְמָהּ אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה תִּקּוּן,
I.e., the G‑dly soul is pure, “an actual part of G‑d from Above.”9 As it exists in the spiritual realms, it is totally at one with G‑d and thus is not in need of correction.
“Correction” is a translation of the word תקון. Although the Hebrew term could also be translated as “improvement,” “correction” was chosen because through the soul’s descent to the physical plane and its Divine service in refining the body, the animal soul, and the world at large, the soul is elevated and lifted to a higher plane. Nevertheless, even before this elevation is achieved, it is pure and in no need of correction.10
Its descent to this earthly plane is only to refine the body and animal soul.וִירִידָתָהּ לְמַטָּה הִיא כְּדֵי לְבָרֵר אֶת הַגּוּף וְנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
As long as it has not brought about such a refinement, it has not fulfilled G‑d’s will.וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁלֹּא פָּעַל בֵּרוּר נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית, לֹא מִלָּא אֶת רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ,
For G‑d’s desire for a dwelling in the lower worlds11 involves not only the actual observance of mitzvos, but also the refinement of man’s character: that he remake his personality so that he becomes a medium for the expression of G‑dliness.
Hence, he will not have brought about the connection of his G‑dly soul to its root and source.וְלָכֵן לֹא פָּעַל הִתְחַבְּרוּת דְּנַפְשׁוֹ הָאֱלֹקִית עִם שָׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹרָהּ.
Thus, it is specifically the Divine service of loveוְדַוְקָא בָּעֲבוֹדָה מֵאַהֲבָה,
that brings about the refinement of the animal soulשֶׁעַל יָדָהּ פּוֹעֵל בֵּרוּר וְזִכּוּךְ נֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית,
and therefore also bonds the G‑dly soul with its root and source.הֲרֵי הוּא פּוֹעֵל גַּם הִתְחַבְּרוּת נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית עִם שָׁרְשָׁהּ וּמְקוֹרָהּ.

Summary

Divine service involves not only fear and kabbalas ol but also love, which is achieved through the service of prayer. The Hebrew term for prayer, tefillah, relates to the term tofel which has the meaning of “joining together.” Prayer joins the G‑dly soul to its root and source and refines a person’s animal soul. Both of these effects are produced through the service of love. In contrast, the service of fear and kabbalas ol does not radically change a person’s inner character traits. He remains who he is; he just controls his conduct. To bring about an inner change, love is necessary. Similarly, fear does not bring about a connection between the G‑dly soul and its root and source, for the establishment of such a connection depends on the fulfillment of G‑d’s will, and G‑d’s will is that the soul will refine the body and the animal soul – something that is not accomplished through fear.