Lessons in Likutey Torah Vayikra

The Divine soul of the Jew is the “offering” that Hashem brings to Himself, by awakening in us a feeling of love for Him.

Therefore, the word “מִּכֶּם-from you” comes after the phrase “כִּי יַקְרִיב-when He will offer,” instead of saying “אָדָם מִּכֶּם כִּי יַקְרִיב-when a man from among you will offer,” since then the meaning would just imply the literal explanation, that a physical person here below will offer a physical animal, but now that it says “כִּי יַקְרִיב מִּכֶּם-when He will bring an offering from among you” it hints to the concept explained above.

It, therefore, uses the expression "כִּי יַקְרִיב - when He will offer" using the singular, since it refers to Hashem as He is called “Adam on High,” who is only One.

This interpretation that Hashem is referred to in the singular is similar to what is written in the Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis, section 21) on the verse (Bereishis 3:22) “[Hashem said:] See now, this person Adam will be like He who is One.” The Midrash interprets the word “כְּאַחַד-like the One” as a reference to Hashem who is “the One and only G-d of the world,” meaning that Adam, who was the only person in the world, was being compared to Hashem –“Adam on High” - who is the One and only G-d of the world.

After this, the verse continues and says, “from the domestic animals, from the cattle, sheep, and goats you shall bring your offering,” this refers to the offering that the person here below must bring. Therefore, it says, "תַּקְרִיבוּ-you (many) shall offer” in the plural, since it refers to the entire Jewish People. Hashem, who is One, brings close our Divine soul by awakening it, and every Jew by himself must then bring close his own animal soul to Hashem.

This is the 'good advice' from Hashem. Immediately when there is a time of Good Will of Hashem, and He brings from Above a spirit of awakening to wake up the person’s soul, right away you should start to use out that inspiration to wake yourself up also, in a manner of “Isarusa Dele’sata,” meaning, to tame and transform the character traits of the animal soul, through work on behavior and in prayer, this is called "you shall bring your offering," which is "from the... animals, from the cattle, etc.," as will be further explained.

This is connected to what is written (Shir HaShirim 1:4), “מָּשְכֵנִי-pull me up to You [Hashem], הָצורָנךי רֲחַא-and, then we will run after You [Hashem].” Meaning, that as soon as You Hashem pull me up spiritually through an “Isarusa Dele’eila,” then immediately “הָצורָנךי רֲחַא-we will run after You [Hashem]” through own effort in refining the animal soul.

However, if he will not work hard to serve Hashem in refining the animal soul, then even if there will come an “Isarusa Dele’eila” to awaken the person’s Divine soul, this inspiration will not be able to last and be maintained. However, if as soon as the “Adam on High” (Hashem) will “bring an offering from you,” meaning when there will be an “Isarusa Dele’eila” from Hashem that awakens an “Isarusa Dele’sata” in the person, then immediately, you will begin to bring your offering "from the animal” soul, then this inspiration will be able to last.

Now, this offering that you need to bring is “from the animal” soul, which is not the case “when an Adam will offer,” that offering (from Hashem) is “from you,” the Divine soul.

Summary of Chapter 2

1. Now we can explain the meaning of "when an 'Adam' will offer from among you:" This is a reference to Hashem as He expresses Himself in the Ten Sefiros. These Ten Sefiros are comprised of three 'intellectual' aspects and seven 'emotional' aspects, corresponding to the ten soul powers of a person. The purpose of these Ten Sefiros are for Hashem to 'limit' His revelation to a system compatible with how people operate, so that they may receive His revelation properly. Since these Ten Sefiros correspond to the makeup of a person, they are called "Adam-Man." When Hashem expresses Himself to us through these Sefiros, He is called "Adam - Man Above.”
2. What does it mean that Hashem, as He is called "Adam Above," will "יַקְרִיב-bring an offering” from us? The word “יַקְרִיב” also means “will bring close,” and Hashem brings close our Divine soul to Him. This is by Him sending an extra measure of Divine Light into us to wake up our Divine soul to yearn for Him. This is called an "Isarusa Dele'eila - Awakening from Above."
3. This is why the verse says “אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִּכֶּם - when an ‘Adam’ will bring close from you,” since it is hinting to this process of how Hashem, as He is called “Adam Above,” brings close “from you,” from each and every Jew’s Divine soul.
4. This is also why the verse starts out in the singular “כִּי יַקְרִיב-when He will offer,” since it is referring to the singular, One and Only, Hashem, who awakens our Divine souls.
5. However, the second half of the verse uses the plural “תַּקְרִיבוּ -you (plural) shall offer,” since it is referring to how we Jewish People need to “offer up” and bring close our own animal souls to Hashem, using the awakening of our Divine soul to move us to “offer up” the desires of our animal souls.
6. The lesson of this verse is: Whenever a person becomes inspired to serve Hashem or suddenly has a strong feeling for Hashem, he should right away utilize that inspiration to work on himself through self-refinement and contemplative prayer (called "Isarusa Delesata-Awakening from below"). If he uses out that inspiration to put in his own effort to change his own animal soul, then this inspiration and awakening from Above will last. However, if he will just rely on the “Awakening from Above” without putting in his own effort to change himself, then this inspiration will not last.
7. This is the meaning of “מִּן הַבְּהֵמָה...תַּקְרִיבוּ אֶת קָרְבַּנְכֶם-from the ‘animal’ you shall bring your offering,” meaning, from a person’s own animal soul he shall bring an “offering” to Hashem.
8. If there comes an “Awakening from Above” that shines into the person, why does it only affect the Divine soul, why doesn’t it also awaken the animal soul?
9. The Divine soul has a hidden natural love and fear for Hashem that simply needs to be revealed. Revealing this hidden love is accomplished through the "Awakening from Above." However, the animal soul does not possess a "hidden love." Actually, it is very coarse and materialistic in its current state and distant from excitement for Hashem. This is why the person himself needs to put in his work to transform the coarse nature of the animal soul and teach it to love and fear Hashem. This process is similar to making parchment or leather: One takes a coarse animal hide and works to process it into something refined that is then used to make something beautiful, like a Sefer Torah. Similarly, one needs to take the coarse animal soul and work to refine him and teach him to love Hashem.
10. This transformative process has two steps: First, one must focus on controlling the thought, speech, and action of the animal soul that it should be the way Hashem wants. Second, one needs to contemplate the greatness of Hashem during prayer to create love and fear for Hashem in his animal soul.