To explain the manner in which the service called for by the verse “And you shall serve G‑d your L-rd” must be carried out,וּלְבָאֵר אֹפֶן הָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת הֲוָיָ׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם,
the Torah continues with the charge: “There will not be a woman who loses her young or who is barren.”מַמְשִׁיךְ בַּכָּתוּב "לֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה" גוֹ'.
The simple meaning of the phrase is a promise of blessing: “There will not be a woman who loses her young….” Nevertheless, the verse can be understood as a charge defining the way one should carry out his Divine service.
A barren woman is one who does not give birth to offspring.דְּהִנֵּה, עֲקָרָה הִיא שֶׁאֵינָהּ יוֹלֶדֶת בָּנִים,
“Offspring” refer to love and fear, the products of meditation,דְּקָאֵי עַל הַמִּדּוֹת אַהֲבָה וְיִרְאָה (תּוֹלְדוֹת הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת),
Emotions – particularly spiritual ones – are outgrowths of intellect; our feelings are determined by our thoughts. Chochmah and Binah (wisdom and understanding) are described with the analogies of a father and mother respectively, and love and fear are considered as their offspring.1
for love is considered a son; and fear, a daughter.שֶׁאַהֲבָה הִיא בְּחִינַת בֵּן, וְיִרְאָה הִיא בְּחִינַת בַּת.
Love is described with the analogy of a male because love is an active force, motivating the person to extend himself. Fear, by contrast, is described with the analogy of a woman, because it is primarily a passive response. The person perceives G‑d’s greatness and therefore is in awe of Him.
“A woman who loses her young” is one who bears children, love and fear, but they pass away – these emotions do not endure.וּמְשַׁכֵּלָה הִיא שֶׁיּוֹלֶדֶת אַהֲבָה וְיִרְאָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם קִיּוּם,
In the analogue, the verse “There will not be a woman who loses her young or who is barren” can be understood as a command, mandating thatוְעַל זֶה בָּא הַצִּוּוּי "לֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה",
one’s meditation should be carried out in a manner that should bring forth emotionsשֶׁהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה מִזֶּה הוֹלָדַת הַמִּדּוֹת,
and ensure that these emotions should endure and thrive.וְהַמִּדּוֹת יִהְיוּ בְּקִיּוּם,
Then the task of “And you shall serve G‑d your L-rd” will be carried out as desired.שֶׁאָז תִּהְיֶה הָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֵת הֲוָיָ׳ אֱלֹקֵיכֶם כִּדְבָעֵי.
To explain the idea:וּבֵאוּר הָעִנְיָן,
There are two types of barren women:הִנֵּה, בַּעֲקָרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ יוֹלֶדֶת יֵשׁ ב' בְּחִינוֹת.
one who is lacking a womb entirely;2בְּחִינָה הָא', שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בֵּית וָלָד (בֵּית מִטְרוֹן) אֵין לָהּ,
she lacks the organ necessary for conception.הַיְינוּ, שֶׁאֵין לָהּ כְּלִי קִבּוּל לְקַבֵּל הַהֵרָיוֹן לְצֹרֶךְ הַלֵּדָה.
In the parallel in our Divine service,וְעִנְיָנוֹ בָּעֲבוֹדָה,
the womb refers to intellectual arousal that will lead to the revelation of emotions that will be felt within one’s heart.שֶׁבֵּית וָלָד קָאֵי עַל הַהִתְפַּעֲלוּת שִׂכְלִית שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ תִּהְיֶה הוֹלָדַת הַמִּדּוֹת בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ,
Particularly in the realm of holiness, emotions stem from one’s understanding.3 The initial stage of that process is when one’s comprehension is charged with energy. The ideas are not merely cold and dry, but throb with vitality.
The parallel to a barren woman who lacks a womb is not to one who only lacks love and fear that is consciously felt in the heartוַעֲקָרָה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ בֵּית וָלָד פֵּרוּשׁוֹ שֶׁלֹּא זוֹ בִּלְבַד שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אַהֲבָה וְיִרְאָה בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ,
– i.e., his heart is insensitive –שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִנְיַן טִמְטוּם הַלֵּב,
but to one who cannot even be aroused intellectually;אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הִתְפַּעֲלוּת שִׂכְלִית,
i.e., his mind is insensitive.שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִנְיַן טִמְטוּם הַמֹּחַ.
The reason for this is that he is “lacking the organ,” the ability to receive. Why can’t he receive?וְהַסִּבָּה לָזֶה הִיא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּלִי קִבּוּל,
Because he is filled with other things.לִהְיוֹתוֹ כְּלִי מָלֵא,
Because of his excessive involvement with his own concerns, be they material or spiritual, he loses his sensitivity to G‑d’s truth.
It is man’s natural tendency that a vessel which is full will not be able to hold anything else.וּבְמִדַּת בָּשָׂר וָדָם כְּלִי מָלֵא אֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיק.
In spiritual terms, this refers to a person who is a full vessel,דְּהִנֵּה, כַּאֲשֶׁר הָאָדָם הוּא כְּלִי מָלֵא,
i.e., he is filled with his own desires.הַיְינוּ, שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא מֵהָרְצוֹנוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ,
This does not necessarily mean the desires of the yetzer hara,לָא מִבָּעֵי רְצוֹנוֹת דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע,
i.e., desires for forbidden things,שֶׁהֵם הָרְצוֹנוֹת לִדְבָרִים הָאֲסוּרִים,
or even the desires of the animal soul for permitted things,אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ רְצוֹנוֹת דְּנֶפֶשׁ הַבַּהֲמִית לִדְבָרִים הַמֻּתָּרִים,
in which instance even though the things themselves are permitted,דְּעִם הֱיוֹתָם דְּבָרִים מֻתָּרִים,
the desire for them is a demon, a Jewish demon, but a demon nonetheless.הֲרֵי הַתַּאֲוָה אֲלֵיהֶם הִיא בְּחִינַת שֵׁד מִשֵּׁדִין יְהוּדָאִין עַל כָּל פָּנִים,
For even if the objects of one’s desires are permitted, one is seeking them for his own satisfaction. Therefore he is serving himself and not G‑d.4
Instead, this can even refer to the desires of the G‑dly soul,אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ רְצוֹנוֹת דְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית,
which are holy desires.הַיְינוּ רְצוֹנוֹת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה,
If a person is full and involved with his own desires,הִנֵּה אִם הוּא מָלֵא וְעָסוּק בְּהָרְצוֹנוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ,
i.e., he feels a natural attraction to one type of Divine serviceלוֹמַר שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ יֵשׁ לוֹ חוּשׁ בָּהּ כוּ',
– he desires a particular type of Divine service, but not another –עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ הוּא רוֹצֶה וַעֲבוֹדָה זוֹ אֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה (דִי עֲבוֹדָה וִויל עֶר אוּן דִי עֲבוֹדָה וִויל עֶר נִיט),
he is a full vessel.אֲזַי הוּא כְּלִי מָלֵא
Accordingly, he will not be able to hold anything.שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַחֲזִיק,
He will not be able to grasp the truth in his mind and thoughts in a manner that will lead to intellectual inspiration.שֶׁאֵינוֹ תּוֹפֵס הָאֱמֶת בְּמוֹחוֹ וְשִׂכְלוֹ לִהְיוֹת מִזֶּה הִתְפַּעֲלוּת שִׂכְלִית.
The second type of barren womanוְעִנְיָן הַב' בַּעֲקָרָה,
is one who, though possessing a womb,שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ בֵּית וָלָד,
is still incapable of conception.אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינָהּ יוֹלֶדֶת,
In the spiritual parallel, this refers to a person who has the capacity to receive and know spiritual truth and become intellectually inspired as a result of it,וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ כְּלִי קִבּוּל לֵידַע וּלְהִתְפַּעֵל בְּשִׂכְלוֹ,
but yet, is unable to bring forth true emotions, emotions that can be consciously felt in his heart.אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשֶׂה מִזֶּה הוֹלָדַת הַמִּדּוֹת בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ.
To explain: Conceiving a child in a physical senseדְּהִנֵּה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלְּצֹרֶךְ הַהוֹלָדָה בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת
comes about through the male sowing seed.צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת עִנְיַן הַזְּרִיעָה
This is a revelation of the power of the Ein Sof.5עַל יְדֵי גִּלּוּי כֹּחַ הָאֵין סוֹף,
Conception is the closest example in physical terms to bringing an entity into being from absolute nothingness (yesh me’ayin). Just as creation is only possible through the power of G‑d’s Essence, so too, conception is a manifestation of His essential power. G‑d’s influence is reflected by the fact that there are times when there is no natural cause that a couple will not conceive a child.
Similarly, in order to bring forth spiritual emotions, it is necessary to sow seed, as it were,כְּמוֹ כֵן לְצֹרֶךְ הוֹלָדַת הַמִּדּוֹת צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת עִנְיַן הַזְּרִיעָה,
as implied by the phrase:6 “Light is sown for the righteous.”אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק,
This refers to sowing the seed of the Torah and its mitzvos.דְּקָאֵי עַל הַזְּרִיעָה דְּתוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת,
Like the growth produced by sowing a physical seed, the growth produced by these spiritual seeds comes about through a higher power,וּבָא עַל יְדֵי כֹּחַ עֶלְיוֹן דַּוְקָא
an essential movement that transcends a person’s reason and thoughtשֶׁזּוֹהִי הַהֲזָזָה עַצְמִית שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מִטַּעַם וָדַעַת
that comes at the beginning of a new phase in a person’s Divine service and that must be experienced at least once a year.7שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת פַּעַם אַחַת בְּשָׁנָה, בְּהַתְחָלַת הָעֲבוֹדָה.
On the physical plane, after the sowing of the seed, there is also a pattern to the days of pregnancyוְגַם לְאַחֲרֵי הַזְּרִיעָה יֶשְׁנוֹ הַסֵּדֶר דִּימֵי הָעִבּוּר,
in which the fetus proceeds to grow until it emerges into the world at large.שֶׁהַוָּלָד הוֹלֵךְ וְגָדֵל כוּ' עַד שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה בַּאֲוִיר הָעוֹלָם,
Similarly, in order for our spiritual emotions to blossom into conscious revelation in our hearts, there is also a process of “gestation.”וּכְמוֹ כֵן יֶשְׁנוֹ גַּם הַסֵּדֶר דִּימֵי הָעִבּוּר כוּ' לְצֹרֶךְ לֵידַת הַמִּדּוֹת בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת הַלֵּב.
The Scriptural charge, “There will not be a woman who loses her young,” brings out a further point:
Even after our spiritual emotions of love and fear have been “born,” i.e., emerged into conscious expression in our heartsאָמְנָם, גַּם לְאַחֲרֵי שֶׁנּוֹלְדוּ הַמִּדּוֹת דְּאַהֲבָה וְיִרְאָה בְּהִתְגַּלּוּת לִבּוֹ
(i.e., one has fulfilled the charge: “There will not be a woman… who is barren”),(הַשְּׁלִילָה דַּעֲקָרָה),
one must nurture them with the necessary care to enable them to thriveצְרִיכָה לִהְיוֹת הַזְּהִירוּת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם קִיּוּם
(fulfilling the charge: “There will not be a woman… who loses her young”).(הַשְּׁלִילָה דִּמְשַׁכֵּלָה),
Only then is the Divine service genuine,שֶׁדַּוְקָא אָז הָעֲבוֹדָה הִיא אֲמִתִּית,
as implied by the phrase,8 “The lips of truth will be established forever.”כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: "שְׂפַת אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד".
I.e., one’s Divine service will not be an occasional initiative, but an ongoing, steady process of spiritual growth. Only then can it be considered as true, for truth is unchanging.9

Summary

The charge “There will not be a woman who loses her young or who is barren” focuses on developing the spiritual emotions of love and fear and ensuring that they thrive. To explain: Offspring are analogies for love and fear, for they are brought into being – i.e., born – through meditation.
There are two types of barren women: one who is lacking a womb entirely, and one who, though possessing a womb, is still incapable of conception. The spiritual counterpart to the first type is a person who lacks even the intellectual arousal that could lead to emotions. This deficiency results from his being a full vessel, filled with his own concerns. The spiritual counterpart to the second type of barrenness refers to a person who cannot tap the essential energies necessary to actually produce spiritual love and fear.
The charge “There will not be a woman who loses her young” brings out a further point: Even after our spiritual emotions of love and fear have been “born,” one must nurture them with the necessary care to enable them to thrive.