Earlier, the Alter Rebbe asked: How do we do serve Hashem “with both inclinations,” meaning also with the desires of the animal soul?
Seemingly, there are two parts of the answer to this question:
- The feelings of the animal soul cover over the Divine soul, restraining and limiting it. Because of this, the Divine soul cries out bitterly to Hashem. When that happens, it receives a much deeper revelation of Hashem than it would have had if it had never been restrained by the animal soul. In this context, the idea of using our animal soul to love Hashem is something that happens indirectly. We use out the fact that we have the desires of the animal to push ourselves to an even deeper connection to Hashem. In that sense the desires of the animal soul are being used to help us love Hashem.
- In addition, after we come to that deeper connection to Hashem, the revelation that accompanies it is so powerful that is does make some transformation in the animal soul. This enables us to actually love Hashem even with the animal soul himself, that the animal soul should want to connect to Hashem.
This is the meaning of Leah’s statement “for Hashem has seen my affliction,” meaning, that through our spiritual suffering and pain, which is the bitterness of the soul in a manner of an “awakening from below,” this brings down an “awakening from Above,” and as “water reflects the face shown to it, so too the heart of man will reflect what is the heart of his friend towards him.”
Which is the greater Light that is perceived in a way of “seeing” it, that is granted from Above to below.
This “Light” is a perception of Hashem, and can be experienced intellectually, as an idea, or experienced as “seeing” it. For example, a person understands the concept of Individual Divine Providence-Hashgacha Pratis. But when something happens in life that a lot of different things come together in the most unexpected way so that you end up with what you need, then you “see” Hashgacha Pratis, in addition to understanding it as a concept. Similarly, the truth of Hashem’s existence is something we understand intellectually, but yearn to “see” and experience. Through our bitterness and pain over the concealment on Hashem, He gives us some degree of “seeing” His Presence and experiencing it.
This causes that Hashem will give the person love of Him in a manner of “אִישִי-my Husband.” Meaning, like it is written (Hoshea 2:18): “On that day you (the Jewish People) will call Me ‘My Husband.’”
The Alter Rebbe takes the verse of Leah’s statement about her relationship with her husband and applies it to our relationship with Hashem. Leah said that because she gave birth to Reuven, Yaakov will fully love her as her husband. The Alter Rebbe takes the word “יֶאֱהָּבַנִּי-he will love me” and interprets it as “will cause me to love,” meaning in our context, causing the person to love Hashem.
Then the Alter Rebbe takes the word “אִישִי-my Husband” and give it a new reference. The simple meaning is that Leah is saying that now her husband will love her. The Alter Rebbe is interpreting it to mean that Hashem will cause the person to love Him as if He were our “Husband.” The Alter Rebbe continues to explain the word “אִישִי” on a deeper level: The deeper meaning of the word “אִישִי” is “אֵש שֶלִי-my very fire.” The simple meaning of “אִישִי” is “אִי שֶלִי-my husband,” here the Alter Rebbe is interpreting is as “אֵש שֶלִי-my fire.”
