Daily Tanya Thursday 7th Kisleiv Kuntrus Achron 4: Why Action Surpasses Intellect and Emotion

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7th Kisleiv

Why Action Surpasses Intellect and Emotion

  1. Refinement Through Torah and Mitzvot
  • The purification of the 288 sparks of Tohu in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah through Torah and mitzvot in thought, speech, and deed is superior to the soul’s love and fear of G‑d.
  • Reason: These mitzvot derive from the Divine Name Sag (internal aspect of Adam Kadmon), while the soul’s love and awe stem from Name Mah, which is only a reflection.

  1. Why Action Is Loftier
  • The innermost dimension (pnimiyut) of higher levels cannot descend in a revealed way; only the external aspect—the “hinderpart”—is accessible.
  • Intellectual love and awe connect only to the external reflection of ChaBaD (wisdom, understanding, knowledge), not its essence.

  1. The Analogy of Procreation
  • Speech and thought draw only a reflection of wisdom, not its essence.
  • A seminal drop from the brain contains the essence of wisdom and the soul, enabling creation of new life.
  • Similarly, action-based mitzvos draw the essence of Divine light through the vessels of Atzilut, unlike intellectual service, which is comparable to angels born of a “spiritual kiss.”

  1. Two Modes of Emanation
  • Angels: Issued from the external aspect of ChaBaD, representing intellectual love and awe.
  • Souls: Issued from the vessels containing essence, enabling tangible connection to the Infinite through mitzvot.

Key Takeaway

Action-based mitzvos channel the essence of Divine wisdom and vitality, whereas intellectual and emotional service only access external reflections. This makes practical mitzvot the ultimate means of fulfilling creation’s purpose—drawing the Infinite into the finite.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.