However, in truth, it is possible to find inspiration and spiritual strength in all aspects of life. Before Kabbalas HaTorah, Hashem gave chiyus to the world through the Torah that is hidden in all of Creation. Every specific thing that exists contains certain letters of the Torah—also known as holy sparks of G-dliness—that give that thing life. The avodah of a Jew is to think about this reality and attach ourselves to Hashem through the Torah that is in every place.
But since these letters of Torah are very concealed, most of us can’t understand the specific meaning of each thing and how to serve Hashem with it. Even though many of these secrets are discussed in the sefarim hakedoshim, we don’t have the level of purity to truly comprehend the depth of these teachings and apply them to our lives. Thus, when we’re not learning Torah, it is hard for us to receive chiyus and fulfillment from Hashem.
Nonetheless, there are tzaddikim who have purified themselves to the point that they can serve Hashem with every material thing. This is why we find that in addition to putting unimaginable effort and mesirus nefesh into learning Torah and davening, many great tzaddikim also take time to go for walks and speak with others about mundane matters, as well as having a daily practice of eating, working, and so on. The tzaddikim have profound intentions in all of these activities, through which they elevate the hidden letters of the Torah in everything back to Hashem and create unbelievable spiritual unifications.
Furthermore, by lowering themselves down and acting like simple Jews, these tzaddikim lift up everyone who is far from the Torah and give us chiyus so that we can continue to exist even when we’re not involved in learning.
