Chapter 2:
After the above truth and explanations, we can understand what is the great advantage that the Divine soul receives in this physical World through becoming invested into a physical body.
Previously, we asked about the advantage of the soul’s descent into a body. The reason for this question is as follows:
Since, in the soul’s source, from which it was derived (in Atzilus), it was included in, and unified with the Infinite Light of Hashem on the level of Hashem’s “thoughts” -which are called “the hidden worlds,” a level above and beyond the level of Hashem’s “Name” and “the Words of Hashem,” which are called “the revealed worlds” as explained above -
What greater elevation could the soul possibly experience by descending into this world than what it experienced while existing in Hashem’s “thoughts?”
However, the answer is as follows: It is written, (Tehilim 86:11) “(King David asks Hashem) unite my heart to fear Your Name,” and so too in our daily prayers, we say in the blessing of Ahavas Olam (before the Shema), “And unite our hearts to love and fear Your Name.”
The Two Aspects of the Heart
The idea of “uniting our heart” is as follows: In the level of service called “Desire of the Heart” there are two aspects: The “inner aspect” of the heart’s desire and the “outer aspect” of the heart’s desire:
The “innermost aspect” of the heart’s desire is expressed in a “Great Love” for Hashem, in a manner that is above any explanation or logic, and it comes from Above as a “gift,” as it is written, (Bamidbar 18:7) “I (Hashem) will give you (Aharon and his sons) the service in the Mishkan as Kohanim as a gift.”
It says in the Zohar (I:45b), “The service of the Kohanim in the Beis Hamikdash represented a deep level of desire to connect to Hashem. This desire came from the innermost part of the heart. This was expressed in the fact that they didn’t sing or talk when they performed the service. Instead, they worked quietly, since their feeling for Hashem was too deep to be expressed in any words or melody. By contrast, the Leviim (Levites) sang in the Beis Hamikdash, expressing the lower level of desire for Hashem, which can be conveyed in a song.
Since this higher level of desire for Hashem from the inner aspect of the heart is associated with Kohanim, and regarding their service the verse says that it is a “gift” from Hashem, we understand that this deep love for Hashem from the inner aspect of the heart is a “gift from Above.”
And the “outer aspect” of the heart’s desire comes from the knowledge and contemplation of the greatness of Hashem, each person according to his capacity, and according to his understanding and awareness of (the existence and all-encompassing reality of) Hashem’s Infinite Light. Accordingly, he can arouse the love for Hashem in his heart.
Now, it is known, “Hashem has made holiness corresponding to unholiness.” (Koheles 7:14) Just like there is an awareness in holiness that leads a person “to know Hashem” (Hosheia 6:3), so too, there is an awareness in unholiness, a “bad” awareness, which leads a person to love things other than Hashem, like the verse says, “One who goes after physical desires becomes separate from Hashem’s Oneness,” (Mishlei 18:1) since the enjoyment of this physical world and its pleasures is pleasing to his appetite, this awareness of physical pleasure distracts him from connecting to Hashem.
This service of Hashem with the outer aspect of the heart is the aspect of the Beinoni (regular person), that (Brachos 61b) “both the Yetzer Hara (unholy desires) and Yetzer Tov (holy desires) ‘judge’ him (and try to influence),” and, like it says regarding the battle between Yaakov and Eisav, which represents the battle between our Divine soul and our animal soul, “One nation will fight against the other nation,” (Bereishis 25:23) as explained by Rashi to mean, “When one nation succeeds the other nation fails.”
This means that when the desires of the animal soul are strong, they block out the desires of the Divine soul. When the desires of the Divine soul are strong, they overcome the desires of the animal soul.
However, the love for Hashem from the “inner aspect” of the heart, which is above any explanation or logic, and only comes as a “gift” from Above, at that level there is no corresponding element in the realm of unholiness.
Since this level of “the innermost aspect of the heart” is from the level of the Divine soul called “Yechida” (lit. “one and only”) since it only has one and only desire: To be connected to Hashem, her “Father in Heaven.”
This level has nothing comparable to it in this physical world. The desire for nothing other than Hashem exists only in “the Children of Yisrael, the nation close to Him.” (Tehilim 148:14)
This is also connected to what it says, (Shemos 34:9) “Because they (the Jewish People) are a stubborn people, You (Hashem) should forgive them.” The meaning of “stubborn” is having a desire to connect to Hashem that is above any explanation or logic.
Being stubborn is generally an irrational trait. Stubbornness implies that one is being stubborn and resisting something sensible and logical. In the context of the maamer, this stubbornness refers to the innate desire of a Jew to connect with Hashem in a way that is not rational. This desire derives from a level of the soul that entirely transcends intellect. Therefore, it is referred to as a “stubborn” desire to connect to Hashem, even in situations where logic might dictate otherwise.
When this “Great Love” for Hashem (from Yechida) becomes aroused in a person’s heart, it is easy to be victorious and cause the good desires of the Divine soul to completely overcome the bad desires of the animal soul, since there is no way for unholiness to compete with this.
This is the meaning of “unite my heart” and “unite our hearts” - we are asking Hashem to help us to unite the “outer aspect of the heart’s desire” for Hashem, with the “inner aspect of the heart’s desire” for Hashem. We are asking Hashem that we should always be consciously aware of this “super-rational” desire to connect to Hashem.
And this is the meaning of “I (Hashem) have ‘א ַׁף-also’ made it:” The word “א ַׁף-also” is used to include another aspect (of serving Hashem, besides for action, speech, and thought), which is the aspect of the higher level of desire to connect to Hashem that is above and beyond the aspects of thought, speech, and action in serving Hashem.
The verse places the word “אַ ף-also” next to the word “עֲש ִיתִיו-I have made it,” since the main revelation of this higher level of desire for Hashem is expressed specifically in the physical world, in the fulfillment of the Mitzvos, to “put aside your desires to fulfill His Will,” (Avos 2:4) and in “turning away from bad and doing good.” (Tehilim 34:15)
And the 248 Positive Mitzvos are 248 channels to draw down this higher level of desire for Hashem, since (like it says Sefer Yetzira 1:7), “The highest levels are expressed specifically in the lowest levels,”
This means that our most essential connection to Hashem, which is even higher than “thought” and understanding, is revealed specifically through the physical actions of Mitzvos, and through overcoming our physical desires.
This is why in krias Shema we say, (Devarim 6:6) “And these Mitzvos that I (Hashem) give you today,” “and it will be if you will surely listen to My Mitzvos,” (Devarim 11:13) only after saying that “you should love Hashem your G-dב ְכָּל'ַַׁׁלְבָּבְך-with all the aspects of your heart,’” - meaning with both aspects of the heart; with the inner aspect and the outer aspect of the heart.
The implication is that the main expression of the inner aspect of the heart -included in ‘ב ְכָל לְבָבְךָ-with all the aspects of your heart’- is revealed specifically by fulfilling Mitzvos.
Only that it is impossible to reach the level of the inner aspect until one first attains the level of the outer aspect of the heart’s desire, which is born from knowledge, since from knowledge one can rise to a level above knowledge.
5 Levels of the Divine Soul
- Yechida - An essential connection to Hashem’s Essence, to the point of self-sacrifice
- Chaya - A subconscious awareness of perceiving Hashem
- Neshama - Deep understanding of Hashem’s Oneness
- Ruach - Deep emotions of love and fear for Hashem
- Nefesh - Action in service of Hashem, using the garments of thought, speech, and deed to fulfill the Torah and Mitzvos
