And now, we need to understand the idea of love and fear of Hashem, which are like the “wings” compared to the main thing, which is Torah study and good deeds of mitzvah performance.
A bird has wings which allow it to fly, but are not the main part of the body of the bird, since, a bird can live even its wings are not functioning.
Similarly, the Torah and mitzvos are the main “body” and vitality of our connection to Hashem. But the love and fear of Hashem are “wings” that enable our Torah and mitzvos to “fly” up to a higher level of revealing this connection to Hashem and experiencing it on a conscious level. This is expressed in their ability to serve as “garments” for the soul in Gan Eden, enabling them to perceive Elokus.
The Essence of Love for Hashem
We need to understand: What is the true meaning of this love for Hashem that enables our mitzvos to “fly up”?
In Krias Shema we need to declare Hashem’s Kingship Above and Below, and in all Four directions of the world.
The meaning of this can be explained based on what is written, “The whole world is filled with His Glory.” The Targum Yonasan translates “His Glory” as “the ray of His Glory.” This indicates that it is only a ray and radiance of Hashem’s Light that becomes invested within the worlds. And another verse states, “I fill the heavens and the earth.”
This second verse does not refer to His Glory, but rather Hashem Himself (“I fill”). How can this be that Hashem Himself, in His Essence, fills the heavens and earth, since he cannot be grasped in any limited or measured way?
This indicates that it is only a ray and radiance of Hashem’s Light that becomes invested within the worlds.
However, another verse states, “I [Hashem] fill the heavens and the earth,” meaning, that the Essence of Elokus, Hashem Himself – who is not grasped in any measured or limited way – is what fills the heaven and earth, not merely the “ray of His Glory”?
Now, the idea is that they are both true:
The Analogy of the Sun and Its Rays
This can be understood from the analogy of the nullification of the rays of the sun within the sun itself.
As is known, that in truth, the Essence of Elokus, Hashem Himself, “fills the entire world.”
However, His light and power that He expresses within the limits and constraints of the worlds that He creates is considered as nothing other than its original source that it still exists inside of, which is the True Essence of Elokus.
The light of the sun exists withing the sun, but it is not noticeable or separate from the sun at that point. Similarly, the light and power of Hashem, His limited expression that He uses to create and sustain the worlds, actually still exists inside of its source, Hashem Himself. This is because Hashem is everywhere, there is no place or level that can exist outside of Him. The reason we see a world as existing separate from Hashem is only because Hashem is hiding Himself and His Elokus that is creating us. But, in reality, we still exist inside of Him, even though we don’t know it (yet).
Therefore, both ideas are true: On the one hand, what we see manifest in creation is only a limited expression of His Light and Power, the “ray of His Glory,” that He uses to create the world. (Even this limited expression of Elokus is also hidden from us to see it directly, we only know about its existence from the fact that it interacts with us by creating and enlivening us, but we can’t actually “see” it.)
On the other hand, the fact is that everything still exists inside of its True Source, which is Hashem Himself, even though this fact is completely hidden from our perception, even from perceiving its existence, except indirectly (like through studying Chassidus).
