This is the meaning of “if an אִיש -man will give [all the wealth of his house].” The word אִּיש -man is an expression of Gevura-Severity and limitations, as it is written “Hashem is the אִיש -master of battle.” (Shemos 15:3)
The word “אִּיש ,” which can mean “man” or “master,” is made of three letters א.י.ש.. These same letters also form the words, אש י', the “fire of the letter יוד .” This refers to how the provider, the man or the master, has to limit himself in order to transmit to the recipient. For example, a teacher needs to condense his knowledge to a level that the student can understand. This process of condensing and limiting is like the letter י', which is a single, concentrated point. The “fire” of the י' refers to the passionate desire of the teacher to give over something understandable to the student by limiting and condensing his knowledge according to the limitations of the student.
Similarly, Hashem limits Himself in order to reveal himself on a level that the created beings can receive from. This is the idea of Hashem being referred to as a “אִּיש -man/master” who limits himself. The idea of “אִּיש מִּלְׁחָמָה-master of battle,” is that Hashem uses His Gevura-Severity/Might to limit Himself. Like it says in Pirkei Avos, (4:1) “Who is mighty? He who controls himself. As it says (Mishlei 16:32), ‘One who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and one who controls himself is better than one who conquers a city.’”
In order for the level of Chochma-Wisdom, which is only a mere reflection of His Infinite Light, to come into existence from Hashem’s Essence, there must be many types of constrictions and limitations.
This is the meaning of the verse: “If Hashem, who is called “אִיש ” when He limits Himself, will give all the wealth of His house - referring to the revelation of Hashem’s Wisdom - in Gan Eden... One might then choose to have that instead of experiencing the love of Hashem of the soul as it lives in the body.” This level is the love of Hashem “with all of [one’s] might,” as explained above, which is a passionate yearning “to become united with the Essence of the King.”
As it is written, (Tehillim 73:25) “Who do I desire in Heaven besides for Hashem? And I do not desire anything else in addition to You on the earth.”
This is a love for Hashem that is so exclusive that one does not even desire the Lower or Higher Gan Eden, which are only very limited expressions of Hashem’s Light, Rather, one only wants “to become united with the Essence of the King,” which is Hashem’s very Essence and Being.
Therefore, because of the greatness of this love of Hashem, “they will ridicule him,” for choosing the spiritual “wealth of His house,” which are only limited levels of Hashem’s Light. This idea should make sense to the intelligent.
Now, this advantage of the love of Hashem that the soul experiences in this world over the Wisdom of Hashem concerns the deeper meanings and explanations of the Mitzvos. This refers to the Chochma of Hashem in Gan Eden that comes from His Wisdom in the world of Atzilus, as explained above.
However, with regard to the actual performance of the physical Mitzvos, such as tefillin, sukkah, and the mitzvah of giving tzedaka (charity), concerning which the verse states, (Yeshaya 32:17) “And the act of Tzedaka (will bring peace),” and similar physical Mitzvos, there is a difference.
The difference is that the physical performance of the mitzvos are a revelation of the Will of Hashem, which transcends the explanation and knowledge that derive from Chochma-Wisdom. This is because their source is from a much higher level than the source of the Torah.
Therefore, they became invested specifically in physical matters, since their source cannot be grasped in understanding, but only in action.
As our Sages said, (see Zohar I, 26b) “For a wise person, a hint is sufficient.” This is because something very deep cannot be revealed in speech. It can only be expressed in a hint, such as showing a sign with a finger movement. Sometimes a concept can be expressed to with a hand signal much better than it could be related by speech.
So too, regarding physical Mitzvos: Their source in the Inner Will of Hashem, as it were, is so lofty and transcends understanding. Therefore, they cannot be revealed below in this world except through being invested specifically in physical things. This is due to the principle taught in Sefer Yetzira (1:7), that “the highest level is expressed specifically in the lowest level.”
This is the meaning of what we say in the Shema prayer, “And these words אֲש ֶרַׁאָּנֹכִי -that I (Hashem) ַׁךְ ו צְמ -command you םֹו י ה -today should be on your heart.”
