אלול כח' — אגרת הקודש פרק יח

The second level of love that the Alter Rebbe describes here is a love that is characterized by desire and longing

On the other hand, the soul finds it very bad to be distant from Hashem. The Alter Rebbe says ורע לה מאד, להתרחק ממנו ית' ח"ו—it is extremely bad for her to be separated from Him, G‑d forbid. This is not just a mild discomfort; it is a profound pain for the soul to be far from its source.

He continues, describing the barrier that can come between a person and Hashem: להיות מחיצה של ברזל מהחיצונים מפסקת ח"ו—to have a partition of iron, created by the external forces, that separates, G‑d forbid. This refers to the spiritual barriers that are created by negative actions, by sin, which block the soul from connecting to Hashem. The soul's yearning is to avoid this separation at all costs and to remain close to its source.

The Alter Rebbe now explains that this love—this desire to be close to Hashem and the pain of separation—is not limited to the righteous. Rather, ואהבה זו, היא מוסתרת בלב כלל ישראל, אפילו ברשעים—this love is hidden in the heart of all Jews, even in those who are considered wicked.

He adds that וממנה באה להם החרטה—from this hidden love comes their regret. Even someone who has strayed far from Hashem, who has done things that separate him from G‑d, still feels pangs of regret. Where does this regret come from? It is rooted in the soul's essential love and desire to be close to Hashem, a love that is always present, even if it is deeply concealed.

However, the Alter Rebbe points out that because this love is hidden and concealed—מוסתרת ונעלמה בבחינת גלות בגוף—it is in a state of exile within the body. The soul's true desire is not always felt or expressed openly, because it is trapped, so to speak, within the physical self.

As a result, הרי הקליפה יכולה לשלוט עליה—the klipah, the forces of spiritual concealment and negativity, are able to dominate over this love. When the soul's yearning for Hashem is suppressed, the negative forces can take control, leading a person away from his true self and his connection to G‑d.

This is what the Alter Rebbe calls רוח שטות המחטיא לאדם—the spirit of foolishness that causes a person to sin. The ruach shtus is the delusion or folly that convinces a person that he can remain connected to Hashem even while doing something that separates him from G‑d.

This foolishness blinds a person to the reality of his actions, making him believe that the barrier he has created does not really affect his relationship with Hashem. It is only because the soul's love is in exile and not fully revealed that a person can fall into this mistake.

Therefore, the Alter Rebbe says, וע"כ עבודת האדם לקונו היא, להתחזק ולהתגבר על הקליפה בכל מכל כל—the service of a person to his Creator is to strengthen himself and to overpower the klipah in every possible way.

This is the essential task of a Jew: to fight against the forces that conceal the soul's love for Hashem, to overcome the obstacles that block his connection, and to reveal the true desire of the soul. This requires effort and determination, a constant struggle to ensure that the klipah does not dominate and that the soul's yearning for G‑d can come to the fore.

The first step in this process, the Alter Rebbe explains, is מתחלה לגרשה מהגוף לגמרי—to begin by driving the klipah out of the body entirely. What does this mean in practical terms?

He specifies: ממחשבה דו"מ, שבמוח, ולשון, ורמ"ח אברים—from thought, speech, and action. That is, a person must remove negative influences from his mind (thought), his tongue (speech), and his bodily actions (the 248 limbs). These are the primary expressions of the soul within the body.

By purifying one's thought, speech, and action, a person removes the external manifestations of negativity, making space for the soul's love for Hashem to be revealed. This is the foundation of the service: to ensure that one's behavior is aligned with the soul's true desire for closeness to G‑d.

Once a person has removed the klipah from his actions, the Alter Rebbe says, ואח"כ, יוכל ג"כ להוציא ממסגר אסיר, בחוזק יד—then he can also take the prisoner out of its confinement, with a strong hand.

This means that after purifying one's external behavior, it becomes possible to liberate the soul's hidden love from its imprisonment. The soul, which was previously locked away and unable to express its yearning for Hashem, can now be revealed and brought out into the open. This requires strength and courage, but it is the next stage in the process of spiritual growth: to allow the soul's love for G‑d to fill one's entire being.

The Alter Rebbe now explains what it means to truly reveal this hidden love. He says that a person must be חזק ואמיץ לבו בגבורים—strong and courageous of heart, even among the mighty. This is not just a passing feeling, but a determined inner strength to bring out the אהבה המסותרת—the hidden love within the soul.

When this love is revealed, it is not in a small or limited way. Rather, it comes out בגילוי רב—with great revelation, flooding all the כחות חלקי הנפש שבגוף—the powers and faculties of the soul as they are expressed in the body. This means that every aspect of a person's being, all the different parts of the soul that are invested in the body, become filled with this love for Hashem.

So, the first step is to remove the negative—push away the klipah, the forces of concealment—from one's actions, speech, and thoughts. Once that is done, the next step is to actively reveal and strengthen this love, so that it shines openly in every part of who you are.

The Alter Rebbe clarifies that the main place where this love is revealed is בשכל ובמחשבה שבמוח—in the intellect and the thought of the mind. This is the primary area where a person can work to bring out this hidden love.

It is not just about feeling something in the heart; rather, it starts with the mind. The intellect and the thoughts are where a person can contemplate and focus on his connection to Hashem. By engaging the mind, a person can awaken and reveal the love that is hidden within.

This means that the process begins with thinking and understanding—using one's mind to reflect on G‑dliness and on the soul's relationship with Hashem. The more a person uses his intellect in this way, the more the love will be able to come out into the open.

What does it mean to use the mind in this way? The Alter Rebbe explains that a person's שכל—intellect—should יחשוב ויתבונן תמיד—always think and contemplate, according to his own understanding and intellectual capacity, about the Creator.

Specifically, one should reflect on how Hashem is חיי החיים בכלל—the life of all life in general, and חיי נשמתו בפרט—the life of his own soul in particular. This means realizing that not only is Hashem the source of all existence, but He is also the direct source of life for each individual soul.

By constantly thinking about this, each person according to his own ability, he can awaken a deeper awareness of his connection to Hashem. This contemplation is the foundation for the love and yearning to be close to G‑d.

As a result of this contemplation, the person will naturally יכסוף ויתאוה—yearn and desire—to be attached to Hashem and close to Him. This is not a forced or artificial feeling, but a כוסף טבעי—a natural longing.

The Alter Rebbe compares this to a son who longs to always be with his father. Just as a child instinctively wants to be near his parent, so too the soul, when it recognizes its true source, naturally desires to be close to Hashem.

This longing is an essential part of the soul's nature. When a person reflects on his relationship with Hashem, this innate desire to connect and be close is awakened and comes to the surface.

The Alter Rebbe gives another analogy to illustrate this natural yearning. He says it is like אש העולה למעלה תמיד בטבעה למקורה—fire, which always rises upward by its nature, seeking its source.

Just as fire is always drawn to ascend, to return to its root beneath the sun, so too the soul is naturally drawn to rise and connect to its source, which is Hashem. This is not something that needs to be forced; it is the inherent tendency of the soul, just as it is the nature of fire to go up.

This analogy helps us understand that the soul's desire for G‑dliness is not something external or imposed, but is built into its very being. The more a person recognizes this, the more he can allow this natural yearning to express itself.

The Alter Rebbe continues that the more a person יתמיד לחשוב בשכלו כוסף זה—continues to think in his mind about this yearning—the more this desire will grow and expand. It will not remain only in the mind, but יתפשט כוסף זה גם בפיו ובכל אבריו—this yearning will also spread to his mouth and all his limbs.

Practically, this means that the person's longing for Hashem will motivate him to לעסוק בתורה ומצות—occupy himself with Torah study and mitzvos. Through these actions, he will לדבקה בהם בה' ממש—actually connect to Hashem, because דאורייתא וקוב"ה כולא חד—the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are completely one.

So, the process starts with contemplation in the mind, but it leads to practical action. The yearning for G‑d is expressed not only in thought, but also in speech and deed, through learning Torah and doing mitzvos, which are the ways we truly attach ourselves to Hashem.

Regarding this kind of yearning, which is very openly revealed, the verse says: צמאה נפשי וגו'—"My soul thirsts…" This is like a person who is הצמא למים—thirsty for water.

The Alter Rebbe points out that at this stage, אין לו תענוג עדיין כלל—there is not yet any actual delight. Just as someone who is thirsty has not yet experienced the pleasure of drinking, so too, this level is about yearning and longing, not about enjoyment or delight.

This is an important distinction: the person feels a strong desire to be close to Hashem, but he has not yet reached the level of תענוג—delight. The thirst itself is powerful, but the pleasure comes only later, when the yearning is fulfilled.

The Alter Rebbe adds that even for this level of yearning and for the אהבה זו המוסתרת בנו—this hidden love within us—we pray and beseech Hashem to help us. We ask Hashem להוציאה ממסגר—to take it out from its prison, so that the heart will be filled with this love alone.

We also pray that ולא תכנס צרתה בביתה—its rival should not enter its home. Here, the "rival" refers to תאות עוה"ז—the desires of this world. The heart is like a home, and we ask that only the nefesh Elokis, the G‑dly soul, should be the mainstay, the "wife" in charge of the house, and that the nefesh habehamis, the animal soul, should not be allowed to dominate.

In practical terms, this means that we ask Hashem to help us so that our thoughts, speech, and actions are not controlled by worldly desires, but are instead filled with love for Hashem. Even if we cannot completely remove the animal soul from our hearts, at least it should be in a state of exile and servitude, serving only as a "maidservant" for the needs of the G‑dly soul, and not as the one in charge.

The Alter Rebbe explains that the main goal is that the נפש האלקית—the G‑dly soul—should be the mainstay of the house, the one in charge. This means that the G‑dly soul should dominate her rival, which is the נפש הבהמית—the animal soul, and chase her outside, at least from one's thought, speech, and action. In other words, even if a person cannot completely remove the animal soul from his heart, at the very least, it should be subdued and in a state of exile and servitude to the G‑dly soul, which is the true mistress of the house.

The Alter Rebbe uses the analogy of two wives, where the main wife is in charge and the other is called a צרה—a rival or troublemaker. The G‑dly soul should be the one who rules, and the animal soul should be forced out, at least from the person's inner faculties of thought, speech, and action. Even if the animal soul cannot be completely expelled from the heart, it should be kept in a state where it is hidden and subservient, not allowed to express itself freely.

Practically, this means that the animal soul is only used for necessary things, like eating and drinking—basic physical needs. The G‑dly soul is the one that directs and controls, while the animal soul is just a servant, used only when absolutely required. The Alter Rebbe brings the verse, "בכל דרכיך דעהו"—"In all your ways, know Him"—to illustrate that even in mundane matters, a person should be mindful of Hashem. This means that even the animal soul, when it is used, is only serving the G‑dly soul's purpose, and everything a person does, even physical acts, can be directed toward serving Hashem.

So, the main point here is that the G‑dly soul should be in charge, and the animal soul should be relegated to a secondary, servant-like role, only involved in what is absolutely necessary for physical existence. The rest of a person's life should be guided and dominated by the G‑dly soul, with the animal soul kept in check and not allowed to take over.