The Alter Rebbe begins by asking: אך מי הוא הנותן כח ועוז לבחי' מתנים—But who is it that gives strength and power to the level of the loins, מתנים—the hips, to support and uphold the head and the arms?

He is drawing a parallel between the spiritual structure of the soul and the physical structure of the body. Just as the loins in the body support the head and the arms, so too, in the spiritual sense, there is a force that supports the higher faculties—the intellect and the emotions, represented by the head and the arms. The question is: what gives the foundation, the strength, to keep the entire structure intact?

Earlier, the Alter Rebbe explained that the מתנים correspond to emunah—faith—in the unity of Hashem, and that the head, representing contemplation and understanding, stands upon this foundation. But now he asks, what is it that empowers this foundation itself? What gives the מתנים their strength to support the entire spiritual structure?

The answer, the Alter Rebbe says, is that it is עסק ולימוד הלכות בתורה שבע"פ—the occupation with and study of the laws in the Oral Torah.

It is specifically through learning Torah Sheba'al Peh—the Oral Torah, and especially the halachos—the practical laws, that the spiritual loins are girded and strengthened. This is what gives the foundation, the support, to the entire structure of the soul.

The analogy is that just as a belt girds and supports the loins, so too, the study of halacha in the Oral Torah is what holds up and empowers the foundation of faith and the subsequent intellectual and emotional faculties. Without this support, the structure would not stand.

The Alter Rebbe explains why Torah Sheba'al Peh has this unique power. He says: שהיא בחי' גילוי רצון העליון—because it is the aspect of the revelation of the Supreme Will.

While all of Torah is the wisdom of Hashem, it is specifically through the halachos of the Oral Torah that the actual Rotsen Elyon—the Supreme Will of Hashem—is revealed. This is what Hashem truly wants from us in practical terms.

In other words, the written Torah gives us Hashem's wisdom, but it is the Oral Torah that reveals what Hashem desires from us in action. This revelation of Hashem's will is what gives the spiritual loins their strength and power.

The Alter Rebbe continues: דאורייתא מחכמה היא דנפקת—the Torah comes forth from Chochmah, from wisdom.

This means that the Torah, in its essence, is rooted in the level of Chochmah—Divine wisdom. The written Torah, Torah Shebiksav, is an expression of Hashem's wisdom in the world.

However, as the Alter Rebbe will soon explain, there is an even deeper source to Torah than Chochmah alone.

But, the Alter Rebbe points out, אבל מקורה ושרשה, הוא למעלה מעלה מבחי' חכמה—but its source and root is far higher than the level of Chochmah.

Although Torah is expressed as wisdom, its true origin is in a level that transcends wisdom altogether. The root of Torah is in the Rotsen Elyon—the Supreme Will of Hashem, which is above and beyond intellect or understanding.

This is a crucial point: the strength that supports the entire spiritual structure comes from a place higher than wisdom—it comes from Hashem's will, which is revealed specifically through the Oral Torah and the study of halacha.

This level, the Alter Rebbe says, והוא הנקרא בשם "רצון העליון ב"ה"—and it is called the "Supreme Will, blessed be He."

The Rotsen Elyon—the Supreme Will of Hashem—is the true source of Torah and the ultimate foundation of all spiritual strength. It is this will that is revealed through the Oral Torah, and it is this will that empowers the loins—the foundation of faith and the entire spiritual structure.

The Alter Rebbe brings a verse to illustrate this concept: וכמ"ש, "כצנה רצון תעטרנו"—as it is written, "Like a shield, You crown him with favor [will]."

This posuk teaches that the Rotsen—the will of Hashem—acts like a shield, surrounding and protecting the soul. The shield is not just for protection; it also represents something that is above and encompasses the head, like a crown.

The Alter Rebbe emphasizes that the tzina—the shield—here is like a crown that sits above the intellect, indicating that the Rotsen Elyon is higher than Chochmah, higher than wisdom. It is this level that gives strength and protection to the entire spiritual structure.

He further explains: כעטרה שהיא על המוחין שבראש—like a crown that is above the intellect in the head.

Just as a crown sits above the head, so too, the Rotsen Elyon—the Supreme Will—stands above the intellect, above the level of Chochmah. This illustrates that the true source of spiritual strength and support comes from a place higher than wisdom: from Hashem's will, which is revealed in the Oral Torah.

This is the deeper meaning of the analogy: the will of Hashem, like a crown, is what empowers and surrounds the entire spiritual structure, giving it both protection and strength from above.

Here the Alter Rebbe brings in the well-known teaching on the verse אשת חיל עטרת בעלה—"A woman of valor is the crown of her husband." This is brought to illustrate the idea that there is a spiritual structure, a hierarchy, in which certain levels actually become a crown, or are elevated above, the levels that seem higher in the regular order.

He explains that in the future, the level of מלכות—Malchus, which is usually considered the lowest of the Sefiros—will become the crown over her husband, meaning it will be elevated above the level of intellect, or Moichin. This is a reference to the idea that the Rotsen—the Divine will, which is revealed through Torah Sheba'al Peh—will be higher than the intellect, and will serve as a crown above it.

This analogy helps us understand how the revelation of Hashem's will, which is higher than wisdom, actually supports and crowns the entire spiritual structure, just as a crown sits above the head.

The Alter Rebbe now brings the statement of our sages: וכל השונה הלכות בכל יום—"And anyone who studies Halachos every day…" This is to emphasize the importance of learning Halacha daily.

He explains that by learning Halachos, which is the essence of Torah Sheba'al Peh, a person draws down the Divine will into this world. The Halachos are not just details of Jewish law, but they are the actual revelation of what Hashem wants from us in practice.

This daily study of Halacha is what gives the person the strength and support for all the spiritual levels discussed earlier. It is through this that one merits the reward of Olam Haba, the World to Come, because the revelation of Rotsen—Hashem's will—comes specifically through the Halachos of Torah Sheba'al Peh.

Now the Alter Rebbe explains the verse: חגרה בעוז מתניה—"She girds her loins with strength." This is a metaphor for how the loins, or the foundational aspects of the soul, are strengthened and supported.

He clarifies that the "strength" here refers to Torah, and specifically to Torah Sheba'al Peh. The loins being girded with strength means that the foundational Emunah—the faith and unity of Hashem—are supported and held up by the strength of Torah Sheba'al Peh.

This girding is what allows the entire spiritual structure to stand firm. Just as a belt supports the body, so too, the study and practice of Torah Sheba'al Peh supports and strengthens the Emunah and the higher faculties of the soul.

The Alter Rebbe now explains the phrase אין "עוז" אלא תורה—"Strength" refers only to Torah. This is a teaching from our sages that whenever the term "strength" is used in this context, it is a reference to Torah.

He emphasizes that in this case, it is specifically Torah Sheba'al Peh that is being referred to. The "strength" that girds and supports the loins—the foundational Emunah—comes from the oral Torah, which is the revelation of Hashem's will in this world.

This underscores the unique power of Torah Sheba'al Peh to give spiritual strength and support to the soul's structure.

Here the Alter Rebbe elaborates that Torah Sheba'al Peh נותנת כח ועוז—gives power and strength—to the level of the loins, בחי' מתנים, which are girded and clothed in this strength.

This means that those who are "girded"—who have their Emunah and foundational qualities supported by Torah—are empowered to strengthen and fortify their "arms." The "arms" here are a metaphor for the soul's faculties of love and fear of Hashem, the emotional expressions that flow from the foundation of Emunah.

So, Torah Sheba'al Peh not only supports the foundation, but also gives the ability to strengthen and empower the emotional faculties, enabling a person to serve Hashem with greater love and awe.

The Alter Rebbe now clarifies that these "arms"—the faculties being strengthened—refer to both intellectual love and fear (דו"ר שכליים) and natural love and fear (טבעיים).

He explains that for some, the love and fear of Hashem are generated through contemplation and understanding—these are the intellectual ones. For others, they are more natural, inborn feelings. Each person, כל חד לפום שיעורא דיליה—each according to his own measure and capacity.

This means that Torah Sheba'al Peh gives strength to both types of emotional service, whether they are newly created through intellectual effort or are natural tendencies, empowering every individual according to their unique spiritual makeup.

In this parenthetical note, the Alter Rebbe points out that the support and existence of the "head" of the soul—meaning the intellectual faculties, the שכל המתבונן (the mind that contemplates)—is also maintained by this same strength.

He references the verse טעמה כי טוב סחרה—"She tastes that her commerce is good"—to indicate that the intellect also benefits from this support. The ability to contemplate and understand G‑dliness is strengthened by the same Torah Sheba'al Peh that girds the loins and empowers the arms.

He notes that this idea is explained more fully elsewhere, but here he wants to emphasize that both the emotional and intellectual faculties are supported by the strength of Torah Sheba'al Peh.

The Alter Rebbe now addresses the timing: when is the appropriate time for this strengthening and empowering of both the "arms" (emotions) and the "head" (intellect)?

He explains that the time of strengthening—the moment when the hands and the head are empowered—is during Shacharis, the morning prayer. This is the Es Ratzon, the time of Divine favor and will.

During davening, especially in the morning, a person is able to contemplate deeply and arouse the love and fear of Hashem. This is the time when all the spiritual structures discussed earlier are activated and strengthened, making it crucial to daven with proper intention and intensity, as the Alter Rebbe urges his listeners to do.

The Alter Rebbe explains that the time of Davvening—prayer—is a שעת רחמים—a time of mercy, and an עת רצון העליון—a moment of supreme will Above. This is a unique period when the gates of mercy are open, and there is a special opportunity to connect to Hashem in a deeper way.

During this time, the Rotsen—the will of Hashem—is revealed in a way that is not present at other times. The Alter Rebbe emphasizes that this is the most auspicious time to strengthen both the 'hands' and the 'head'—meaning, to fortify one's love and awe of Hashem, as well as one's intellectual connection. The morning prayer, in particular, is singled out as the primary time for this spiritual strengthening.

At this point, the Alter Rebbe turns to his listeners and makes a heartfelt request. He says, "This is what I am asking from those who seek Hashem." He addresses all those who are truly searching for a connection with the Ebeshter, urging them to take these words to heart.

He asks that they should "understand and internalize this together"—that is, to truly grasp the importance of what he is teaching, and to make it a constant reminder, "between your eyes." In other words, this should always be at the forefront of their minds, never forgotten.

The Alter Rebbe also refers back to "everything I wrote to you last year in general." He wants them to remember all the guidance and inspiration he shared previously, and to keep it alive as a living memory and motivation in their daily lives.

In particular, the Alter Rebbe highlights the importance of כוונת התפלה מעומקא דלבא—having the proper intention in prayer, from the depths of the heart. He stresses that this is not just a theoretical idea, but something to be practiced every single day.

He urges his followers: "Day by day, you should seek Hashem, with all your heart and with all your soul." This is a call for a daily, heartfelt search for a connection with Hashem, not just a routine or mechanical act. The Alter Rebbe wants each person to approach prayer with their entire being, investing both emotional and spiritual energy.

The Alter Rebbe continues, describing the ideal state of prayer: "Your soul should pour out like water, in the presence of Hashem." This vivid imagery expresses the idea of total self-nullification and openness before the Ebeshter.

He is teaching that true prayer is not just about saying words, but about letting one's soul flow out, without barriers, in front of Hashem. This is the level of נפשם תשתפך כמים—the soul pouring out like water, with sincerity and depth.

To further emphasize the intensity required in prayer, the Alter Rebbe quotes our sages from the Sifri: "עד מיצוי הנפש"—until the soul is squeezed out. This means that the effort in prayer should be so great, so heartfelt, that it is as if one is squeezing out every last drop of their soul in devotion to Hashem.

The Alter Rebbe explains that this is not just a metaphor, but a real expectation: to pour out one's soul with such intensity and sincerity that nothing is held back. This is the way to take advantage of the עת רצון—the auspicious time of Hashem's will—and to truly connect with the Ebeshter during prayer.