The Goal of Our Service of Hashem Is to Elevate the Good Portion of Klipat Nogah
Continuing on this sacred journey, we will now explain the process of separating the good portion of klipat “nogah” from the bad. It is as simple as heeding to eat foods that are permissible l’shem Shamayim—for the sake of Heaven. This will provide a Jew with the strength and energy necessary to serve Hashem.
The “michaber”—the author of the Shulchan Aruch—expresses this as follows (O.C. 231):
Whatever a person derives pleasure from in Olam HaZeh, he should not intend to do so for his own pleasure but rather for the service of the blessed Creator, as it is written (Mishlei 3, 6): “In all your endeavors know (emulate) Him.” And the Sages said (Avos 2, 12): “Let all of your actions be for the sake of Heaven.” As even optional things – such as eating, drinking, walking, sitting, getting up . . . and all your bodily needs should all be for the service of your Creator or for something that facilitates serving Him.
Thus, when a person eats or uses anything that is permissible l’shem Shamayim, it elevates the holy sustaining-force contained in klipat “nogah,” and it pleases Hashem. Conversely, if one eats only to satisfy one’s own gluttony and cravings, he causes the good portion of klipat “nogah” to temporarily join and become part of the three klipos “temeiot.” Nevertheless, since this act was permissible and not prohibited, it is afforded a means of tikun; one should then study Torah and serve Hashem with the strength obtained from the consumption of permissible foods. This will separate the good portion of klipat “nogah” that has been corrupted and elevate it to the realm of kedushah.
The same applies to a person’s animalistic soul, which is sustained by the composite of good and bad in klipat “nogah.” When he uses his physical body to study Torah and serve Hashem, he elevates the good portion of klipat “nogah” in his soul to unite with the kedushah of the Torah and the mitzvos. Thus, the good portion is separated from its bad neighbor and elevated to please and satisfy Hashem.
With this understanding, we can now appreciate and delight in the sacred words of the Bnei Yissaschar (ibid.). He applies this concept to explain the Torah’s depiction of this mitzvah as (Shemos 30, 13): "מחצית השקל תרומה לה'"—one half of a shekel as a portion to Hashem. We are being instructed to separate the good portion of klipat “nogah” from the bad portion and elevate it to Hashem.
Here is a summary of his sacred insight: We were commanded to give a half-shekel specifically as a donation or portion to Hashem. It is alluding to the cryptic, spiritual process of refining the holy sparks within “nogah,” which is a composite of good and bad. We are to take this donation from its good portion—i.e., to separate out and elevate the good portion and to discard the bad. Additionally, שק"ל (430) possesses the same gematria as נפ"ש (soul, being). Hence, the mitzvah is to give specifically “MAchatzis hashekel,” since within every Jew is a holy nefesh (in his brain, which is entirely good and pure), and a nefesh from “nogah”—an amalgamation of good and evil.
