In serving HaShem, one’s Avodah in a ‘Makif’ and garment-like way is the Avodah of Mitzvah performance. Mitzvohs are like garments as is brought down in Tanya: ‘Mitzvohs are the state of ‘Makif’ and the state of ‘Garment’.
After closer examination, within Mitzvohs themselves there are two states of ‘Makif’; a close ‘Makif’ and a distant ‘Makif’.
The difference between close makif and distant makif is like the difference between clothes and a house. Although both are makif and not penimi. Clothing would be considered a close makif. It is sewn according to the person’s measurements. A house would be considered a distant ‘Makif’. It is not built according to the person’s measurements. In spirituality there is the close ‘Makif’ which is the measured ‘Seder Hishtalshelus’ (which is the order of contraction of HaShem’s Divine light as it filters down through the spiritual worlds from level to level each new level reducing the intensity further so as to be able to have a finite world without any overt G-dliness) which is called the ‘Makif Proti’ and then there is the ‘Makif K’loli’ which surrounds and encompasses us together with all of the spiritual worlds together.
As the Alter Rebbe explains at the end of Likkutei Torah; there are Mitzvohs which can be logically understood and then there are Mitzvohs which are beyond comprehension. Mitzvohs that have a reason. They are the close Makif. Mitzvohs that are beyond understanding. They are a distant ‘Makif’.
Torah Study as Pnimi
By contrast, the Avodah of an internal manner is the study of Torah, as is explained in Tanya that: The Torah is called ‘Pabulum’, as the Possuk states: תוֹרָתְךָ בְתוֹךְ מֵעָי “Your Torah in my innards”. Just like bread when digested sustains and satiates a person and gives him vitality through that which the bread goes inside him. So too Torah when ingested through study and understanding gives sustenance to the Neshomoh. The words of Torah are contained and held inside the brain in an internal capacity.
