To explain in greater detail the connection between the Divine service of “do[ing] good” and the light that is sovev kol almin:וּבֵאוּר הַשַּׁיָּכוּת שֶׁל הָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב לְאוֹר הַסּוֹבֵב בִּפְרָטִיּוּת יוֹתֵר,
In the previous section, the maamar explained the positive connection between the two, that just as G‑d’s name Havayah transcends the limits of the worlds, so too a person’s commitment to “do good” takes him beyond his personal limits. Here, it adds a further point.
It was explained above that the light that is sovev kol almin has a connection to the worlds, as implied by its name, which means “encompassing all the worlds,”הִנֵּה נִתְבָּאֵר לְעֵיל, שֶׁגַּם אוֹר הַסּוֹבֵב יֵשׁ לוֹ שַׁיָּכוּת לָעוֹלָמוֹת,
except that the relationship of the worlds to the light that is sovev kol almin isאֶלָּא שֶׁעִנְיָנָם שֶׁל הָעוֹלָמוֹת לְגַבֵּי אוֹר הַסּוֹבֵב הוּא
(not on account of their existence, i.e., not in accordance with the structure and definition of their being, who they are, as it were, but rather)(לֹא הַמְּצִיאוּת שֶׁלָּהֶם, רַק)
that through them G‑d’s will is carried out.זֶה שֶׁעַל יָדָם נִשְׁלַם הָרָצוֹן.
Implied is that although the worlds indeed exist, their existence is not for the sake of – and therefore not defined by – their own identities, but rather for the sake of – and therefore defined by – G‑d’s will.
Similarly, in the Divine service of “do[ing] good”:וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה הוּא בְּהָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב,
Since a person carries out the Divine service of “do[ing] good” because he loves G‑d and desires to cleave to Him,1דְּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב אֶת הֲוָיָ׳ וְחָפֵץ לְדָבְקָה בּוֹ,
his Divine service is therefore associated with his own being and withהֲרֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ אֶת ה' קְשׁוּרָה עִם מְצִיאוּתוֹ שֶׁל הָאָדָם,
his love and desire for G‑d. His identity is not eclipsed. On the contrary, it is enhanced; he feels more of a person because he is inspired by spiritual emotions.הָאַהֲבָה וְהָרָצוֹן שֶׁלּוֹ.
It is only that his love for G‑d is so overwhelming that it (his love of G‑d) takes over his entire personality. אֶלָּא שֶׁהָאַהֲבָה שֶׁלּוֹ לַהֲוָיָ' הִיא בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁזֶּה (אַהֲבַת ה') נַעֲשָׂה כָּל עִנְיָנוֹ,
To quote Rambam:38 What is the proper [degree] of love? That a person love G‑d with a very great and exceeding love to the extent that his soul is bound up in the love of G‑d. Thus, he will always be obsessed with this love as if he were lovesick.
When a person genuinely loves G‑d, he redefines his own identity.
He therefore serves G‑d in a manner that displays no concern for the limits of his own nature. He devotes himself to serving Him with no consideration for the bounds of his own character or habits.שֶׁלָּכֵן עֲבוֹדָתוֹ אֶת ה' הִיא בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְחַשֵּׁב עִם הַגְבָּלַת הַטֶּבַע שֶׁלּוֹ.
As the Rebbe Rayatz states:2 With regard to fear, the person who fears and the object of his fear are two separate entities. In contrast, with regard to love, the person’s existence becomes identified with the object that he desires and for which he yearns. As the Baal Shem Tov taught,3 “In the place where a person’s desire is focused, there he truly is.”
As a result of such love, “Just as it is impossible for fire and water to exist simultaneously in one container, neither can the love of G‑d and the love of worldly things rest together in the heart of one who believes.” Since genuine love redefines a person’s identity, there is no way he can truly love two mutually exclusive entities at once.4
Thus, while a person who serves G‑d out of love has redefined his identity, that love has yet to eclipse his identity entirely. This parallels the manner in which the light that is sovev kol almin transcends the limits of the worlds, and yet relates to – and indeed is the ultimate source of – the worlds.
There is a higher rung of Divine service that reflects an even loftier level of G‑dliness.
On this basis, it is possible to understand the advantage of the Divine service of “seek[ing] peace,”5 which is identified with Torah study,וְזוֹהִי הַמַּעֲלָה בְּהָעֲבוֹדָה דְּבַקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁהוּא עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה,
over the Divine service of “do[ing] good,” which is identified with the love for G‑d.עַל הָעֲבוֹדָה דְּוַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב,
The verse asks, “Who is the man who is eager for life…?” In response, it then mentions – in progressively ascending order – three modes of Divine service that grant man true life: a) “turn[ing] away from evil,” b) “do[ing] good,” and c) “seek[ing] peace.” “Seeking peace,” Torah study, is thus the loftiest of these three modes of service.
For the Torah is referred to as “the primeval analogy,”6כִּי הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת מְשַׁל הַקַּדְמוֹנִי,
i.e., it is an analogy for and a garment of “the Primary Being of the world,”שֶׁהִיא מָשָׁל וּלְבוּשׁ לִבְחִינַת קַדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם,
that is to say, for the Essence of the Or Ein Sof, which is entirely above the framework of the worlds.7הַיְנוּ לְעַצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר עָלְמִין כְּלָל,
Kadmon, translated as “Primary Being,” refers to the Essence of G‑d and implies that:
His [existence] does not have a beginning — in contrast to everything other than Him, about which this cannot be said. Instead, all other existence consists of new entities [whose] prior [state] was non-being and which were brought into being by Him…. Describing Him as kadmon (primary) implies that He exists before everything….
Thus we are not speaking about chronological precedence. Instead, the intent is that He existed alone, before the existence of time…. When He created the world, He also created time…. It and the entire world are new entities, and G‑d existed before them…. G‑d’s precedence is an unlimited precedence, for He is mechuyav hametziyus.8
Therefore, i.e., because the Torah reflects the Essence of G‑d,וְלָכֵן,
the bittul involved in Torah study is complete bittul. When a person studies the Torah, he should realize that he is reciting G‑d’s “words that I placed in your mouth.”9 As the Alter Rebbe explains,10הַבִּטּוּל דְּעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה הוּא בִּטּוּל בְּתַכְלִית.
The speech [of a person’s studying the Torah] should not be a separate entity, as if it is his own. Instead, “My tongue shall repeat Your sayings.”11 [He should realize that] the Torah is “Your sayings,” and that it is merely that “my tongue” is reciting them, like one repeating the words that another person says.
Accordingly, our Sages teach us:12 “Who are our kings? Our Rabbis,” for when one studies the Torah, he is not a servant carrying out the will of the King; he is the King Himself.13 The words he recites are G‑d’s words, not his own, and they are endowed with His essential power, as our Sages explain, for the Torah is identified with the level of Anochi that transcends the name Havayah (as explained below in this maamar).
In this vein, Torah Or14 explains the difference between studying the Torah and fulfilling its mitzvos:וְכַמְּבֹאָר בְּתוֹרָה אוֹר הַחִלּוּק בֵּין תּוֹרָה לְמִצְוֹת,
With regard to the observance of the mitzvos, a person who fulfills the mitzvos is like a servant who carries out the command of the king. The servant and the king are two separate entities, forשֶׁבְּקִיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת, הָאָדָם הַמְּקַיֵּם אֶת הַמִּצְוֹת הוּא כְּמוֹ עֶבֶד הַמְּקַיֵּם מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ,
the servant’s being is not that of the king.דִּמְצִיאוּת הָעֶבֶד אֵינָהּ מְצִיאוּת הָאָדוֹן.
In addition, even when one’s observance of the mitzvos is motivated by “the love of delight,” an awesome level of love and connection with G‑d,וְגַם כְּשֶׁקִּיּוּם הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא מֵאַהֲבָה בַּתַּעֲנוּגִים,
there still exists “one who loves.”14 The person who loves G‑d feels himself as an independent entity. Although his love for G‑d consumes his entire being, there exists a being consumed by that love. The lover and the beloved are distinct entities.אַף-עַל-פִּי-כֵן יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב.
By contrast, in Torah study the person studying is the King Himself.מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הֲרֵי הוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ עַצְמוֹ.
When one studies the Torah with an approach of bittul,דְּכַאֲשֶׁר עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה הוּא בְּבִטּוּל,
then, “I will place My words in your mouth,”15אֲזַי וָאָשִׂים דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ,
i.e., the words of Torah that a person studies are actually “My words,”דְּבָרַי מַמָּשׁ.
i.e., (it is not the person who is speaking,הַיְנוּ (שֶׁלֹּא הָאָדָם הוּא הַמְּדַבֵּר,
but rather) it is “‘the word of G‑d,’ this refers to halachah”16 that is being spoken from his throat. Our Sages state:17 “The Divine Presence spoke from Moshe’s throat.”18 The maamar is emphasizing that this statement applies, albeit not in a conscious manner, whenever anyone studies the Torah. It is G‑d’s words, and not his own, that emanate from his throat.כִּי אִם) שֶׁדְּבַר הֲוָיָ׳ זוֹ הֲלָכָה הִיא הַמְּדַבֶּרֶת מִתּוֹךְ גְּרוֹנוֹ.

Summary

There is another dimension of the parallel between the Divine service of “do[ing] good” and the light that is sovev kol almin. As explained above that the light that is sovev kol almin has a connection to the worlds. So too, when serving G‑d out of love, a person’s identity is not eclipsed. On this basis, it is possible to understand the advantage of the Divine service of “seek[ing] peace,” which is identified with Torah study, over the Divine service of “do[ing] good.” When a person studies the Torah with bittul, he rises above his identity entirely. The words he utters are G‑d’s words. A person who fulfills the mitzvos is like a servant who carries out the command of the king. By contrast, in Torah study the person studying is the King Himself.