However, according to the perspective we have just discussed, in this Maamor, Avrohom Ovinu’s love is not the ultimate perfect love.
So, what kind of love is it?
The answer is that the love of Avrohom is a love on the level of אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם ‘worldly love’ and one of the explanations of this description (אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם ) is that this love comes from contemplating G-dliness in this lowly world, as in the Possuk מָה־רַבוּ מַעֲשֶיךָ ה׳ “How great (numerous) are Your works, HaShem” & מַה־גָדְּלוּ מַַֽעֲשֶיךָ ה׳ “How great (immense) are Your works, HaShem”. This contemplation is of HaShem according to the world’s parameters.
As the Medrash tells us, Avrohom realised there must be an intelligent being who is controlling this world, which is how he came to connect with HaShem. He engages himself in the study of the Torah and the observance of Mitzvos and follows the paths of wisdom on no account in the world, neither for fear of evil nor in order to inherit the good; but he does it because it is the truth, in the end good comes because of it. This virtue is indeed a great virtue, and not every Chochom attains it; for such was the virtue of Avrohom Ovinu, whom Hakodosh Boruch Hu called His beloved, because he only served HaShem out of love. It is, furthermore, the virtue that Hakodosh Boruch Hu commanded us through Moshe Rabeinu, saying: וְאָהַּבְתָ אֵּת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ "And you shall love HaShem your G-d" (Devorim. 6.5); for, when man will love HaShem with a proper love, he will immediately perform all the Mitzvos out of love.
The ultimate love: Because as we see that Ahron’s love of HaShem exceeded Avrohom’s love for HaShem. This would imply that Avrohom’s Avodah was not complete?
The answer is: As is explained in the continuation of the Alter Rebbe’s Maamor in Likkutei Torah. The love of Avrohom is a love: As the Medrash tells us that Avrohom realised there must be an intelligent being who is controlling this world which is how he came to connect with HaShem.
Contemplating G-dliness in the World
This love comes from contemplating all the incredible things we have in this world, as in the tall mountains, and great oceans and from looking at the stars, or from looking and thinking about people and animals and birds and fish and how every blade of grass is an individual being and how no two things are the same. And all the things that we need to be thankful for. And all the small things like the crunch of an apple or the pockets of refreshing juice inside an orange. And the miracle of birth and our families and homes and friends and life—all the everything that HaShem does for us. When one contemplates this and meditates on what HaShem has done for the world and for people and for himself, he will surely develop a deep love for HaShem.
How incredibly numerous and how incredibly immense are Your creations in this world. When HaShem wanted to create our finite world within His infinite existence, He contracted His great light and created a void or at least an appearance of a void in which HaShem was then able to reintroduce a far condensed and contracted thin line of light with which He creates the spiritual and physical worlds and sustains them and vitalises them. This being the case, as much as a person can develop a strong deep connection, love and admiration of HaShem through contemplating HaShem through the world and its hosts, this is a very lowly level of G-dliness in comparison to HaShem Himself.
Memalei Kol Almin and the Limitation of Love
This highlights the connection between אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם and the state of מְּמַלֵּא כָל עָלְּמִין which is the state of G-dliness which is enclothed within the parameters of this very world. Since this love comes from matters of this world, it is therefore limited to the scope of this world. This love is measured and limited.
And even though this love will continue forever, as another explanation of the words אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם meaning ‘everlasting love’, nevertheless, the definition of ‘everlasting’ itself highlights its mortal association and its finite limitation in time and boundaries. This is so because, for anything which is spiritually higher than the boundaries of ‘was, is or will be’ would not make any sense to be described as ‘everlasting’.
The Love of Aharon: Beyond Limitation
However, the love of Aharon is a love which stems from above the Seder Hishtalshelus, from a Divine state of סוֹבֵּב כָל עָלְּמִין. This is why the letters of the name אַהֲרֹן are the same letters as the word נִרְּאֶה meaning ‘to see’ which alludes to a state of ‘vision’ which corresponds to seeing something’s essence. As the Possuk states: אֲשֶר־עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְּאָה אַתָה ה׳ “That You HaShem appear to them eye to eye” which refers to a revelation from higher than the Seder Hishtalshelus. This love is greater than measurement or boundaries.
Before and After Matan Torah
It must be said that the reason why the love of Avrohom Ovinu is limited to אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם whereas Aharon is able to transcend אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם is because Avrohom Ovinu lived before Matan Torah, whereas, Aharon by contrast lived after Matan Torah. Before Matan Torah there was a Divine decree that the upper beings were not to descend into the lowly world and the lowly beings were forbidden from ascending above. After Matan Torah this decree had become annulled and a connection was formed between those from the upper realms and those from the lower realms.
This explains why Avrohom’s love for HaShem was only able to achieve the status of אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם even though his love was absolutely perfect. But since Avrohom lived before the annulment of the decree between those from the upper realms and those from the lower realms, it would not have been possible for Avrohom as a [lowly] created being to ascend to a love that is higher than the confines of the world. Whereas Aharon lived after Matan Torah, by which time the decree had been rescinded, therefore his love reached beyond the confines of the world.
The Mitzvah of Loving HaShem Without Limit
This is [how we are able to fulfil] that which it says in the Possuk שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל ה׳ אֱלֹקֵּינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד “Hear, Yisroel: HaShem is our G-d; HaShem is one”. וְּאָהַבְּתָ גֹו׳ בְּכָל־מְּאֹדֶךָ “And you shall love HaShem .... Without limit”. This is because the Love for HaShem after Matan Torah is beyond measurements and limitations. Therefore, this love is a result and consequence of HaShem’s unity as it is above the confines of the world.
And therefore, immediately as the Torah writes: שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל ה׳ אֱלֹקֵּינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד which talks about HaShem’s unity as it is above the confines of the world, straight away thereafter, the Torah writes: וְּאָהַבְּתָ גֹו׳ בְּכָל־מְּאֹדֶךָ referring to a love which is beyond measurement or limitation.
The Recitation of Baruch Shem
And even though when in Davening we [do] interrupt between the Possuk שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל and the Possuk וְּאָהַבְּתָ by reciting בָרוּךְ שֵּם כְּבוֹד מַלְּכוּתוֹ לְּעוֹלָם וָעֶד “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity” which relates to HaShem’s unity on a level that is associated with this world, however, in the Torah the instruction of וְּאָהַבְּתָ is written immediately juxtaposed to the Possuk of שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל.
Furthermore, we recite בָרוּךְ שֵּם quietly in a whisper in an undertone. We can also say that although בָרוּךְ שֵּם alludes to the (lower) three worlds of Briyah Yetzirah and Asiyah (as is mentioned in several places), nonetheless, within the three spiritual worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah themselves the ‘Roshei-Roshim’ [are accessible] which are even more exalted than the spiritual world of Atzilus. [As is explained elsewhere regarding the number thirteen that it relates to the thirteen attributes of Divine mercy. According to one Pirush the number three which is in addition to the number ten alludes to the three worlds of Briyah Yetzirah and Asiyah which are lower than the ten Sefiros of the spiritual world of Atzilus. However, according to a second Pirush the extra three refers to three ‘Roshei-Roshim’ which are even more exalted than the spiritual world of Atzilus. And both of these Pirushim are interconnected].
Baruch Shem on Yom Kippur and Throughout the Year
We can even say that the reason why during the whole year we recite בָרוּךְ שֵּם in undertone but on Yom Kippur we recite it out loud is because during the whole year the revealed aspect of בָרוּךְ שֵּם alludes to the three worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Therefore, in order to ensure that the love of וְּאָהַבְּתָ shall be as a continuation from the meditation in שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל we recite בָרוּךְ שֵּם in undertone. [The opposite is true] on Yom Kippur however, when there is an emphasis of the ‘Roshei-Roshim’ in the recital of בָרוּךְ שֵּם we say it out loud.
The Origin of Baruch Shem: Yaakov and His Sons
We can further add that this also explains that which the Sages have discussed concerning בָרוּךְ שֵּם כְּבוֹד מַלְּכוּתוֹ ... that was said by Yaakov to his sons in response to them saying שְּמַע יִשְּרָאֵּל implying that just as you Yaakov only have ‘One’ in your heart, so too we (Shevotim) also only have ‘One’ in our hearts.
In line with the simple straightforward understanding, when the sons of Yaakov said: ‘Just as you’ they implied just as you who are in a higher realm than us .... Because the Shevotim were in the spiritual worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah which is lower than the spiritual world of Atzilus, therefore their ‘Echod’ was spiritually lower than the ‘Echod’ of Yaakov who is in the higher spiritual world of Atzilus.
However, as a result of that which we have established above we can say that the contrary is true, when the sons of Yaakov said: ‘Just as you’ they were implying that they were even more praiseworthy because the ‘Echod’ of the spiritual worlds of Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah...
