One of the greatest sages of his day, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is especially distinguished by the fact that he taught and revealed the hidden and inner light of the Torah through the mystical works, the Zohar, Tikunei Zohar, etc.
The inner, concealed mysteries, which constitute the very soul and core of the Torah - p'nimiyus haTorah - is bound up with the innermost quality of every Jew, with his Jewish soul. As such, it creates the inner link which unites the Jew with G-dliness, as taught by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and explained at length in Chabad Chassidus.
The innermost core of every Jew - the "pintele Yid" - remains intact in every Jew, regardless of his outward status and external circumstances. It is absolutely imperative, however, to bring forth the pintele Yid from its potential state, both in one's self and in one's fellow-Jew, so that this inner quality becomes manifest and able to affect and dominate the external aspects of daily life in every detail. This is one of the main purposes of Chassidus in general and Chabad Chassidus in particular.
In the realisation of this purpose, Jewish women have a very special role, since Divine Providence has bestowed upon them special capacities and opportunities which can and must be utilised to this end.
The woman is the foundation of the Jewish home. As such, she is responsible for the inner light and Jewish warmth of the home, sheltering the home from alien and hostile winds which blow from outside.
Moreover, women are endowed with a greater and more expressive measure of feeling and sincerity, making them especially suited to arouse and stimulate the inborn, Jewish feelings of love of G-d, love of the Torah, and love of the Jewish people.
Bringing to the surface one's pintele Yid until it dominates all external aspects of daily life, calls down the Divine reward in kind, namely that the inner and hidden goodness of the Divine becomes manifest in all the necessities of the daily life - health, sustenance, and nachas.
(From the Rebbe - Lag B'Omer 5721 [1961])
