After explaining that the Shechinah rests upon ten Jews who learn Torah together, the Alter Rebbe now clarifies a fundamental distinction:
The reward earned through Torah study is not the same as the resting of the Shechinah.
These are two entirely different spiritual phenomena.
- What Is the Reward of Torah?
The Alter Rebbe explains that Torah study earns a person:
A revelation of Hashemโs light within his soul.
This is called:
โืงืืืขืืช ืฉืืจโ (the fixed reward of Torah).
Hashem illuminates the soul of the one who seeks Him through the light of Torah.
- Torah Is Called a Garment of Divine Light
The verse says:
โืขืืื ืืืจ ืืฉืืืโ
โHe wraps Himself in light as a garment.โ
Torah is called โlightโ because it is the garment through which Divine light becomes accessible to the soul.
- Why the Soul Can Experience This Light
The soul is finite.
Although spiritual, it has definite capacities and limitations.
Therefore the Divine light it receives as reward must also be:
- Measured
- Limited
- Adapted to its capacity
This light can enter the soul and be felt internally.
- The Emotional Experience of Torah Reward
When this Divine illumination shines in the soul,
it produces:
- Joy
- Delight
- Spiritual pleasure
- Emotional inspiration
This is why a Jew may feel great elevation during:
- Prayer
- Torah study
- Moments of closeness to Hashem
The light is entering the personโs inner being.
- This Is the Reward of Torah
The Alter Rebbe says:
This inner illumination is the reward permanently associated with Torah study.
It is a revelation that the soul can absorb and experience.
- What Is Hashraโas HaShechinah?
The resting of the Shechinah is something completely different.
The Shechinah is not merely a measured illumination that enters the soul.
Rather:
It is an infinite Divine revelation.
- Why It Cannot Enter the Soul
Since the soul is finite,
an infinite revelation cannot be contained within it.
Therefore the Divine Presence:
Does not become internalized.
Instead it remains:
Makif (encompassing).
It surrounds the person from above.
- โThe Shechinah Rests Upon Themโ
This explains Chazalโs wording:
โืฉืืื ืชื ืฉืจืืโ
โThe Shechinah rests.โ
It rests upon them.
Not inside them.
Not because it is distant,
but because its infinity exceeds what the finite soul can absorb.
- โืืืื ื ืืขื ืโ ืขืืื ืโ
The Alter Rebbe connects this to the verse:
โืืืื ื ืืขื ืโ ืขืืื ืโ
โMay the pleasantness of Hashem be upon us.โ
The emphasis is:
โืขืืื ืโ (upon us).
An encompassing revelation that transcends our intellectual grasp.
- Why We Do Not Feel It
Even though the Shechinah rests upon the group,
we do not consciously experience its infinite sweetness.
Why?
Because the light is too great to enter our intellect.
It remains transcendental.
- Why It Comes Specifically Through a Minyan
This infinite revelation is drawn through:
Torah and mitzvos performed by the community.
Specifically:
โืืจืืื ืืืืงืโ
through the many together.
That is why ten Jews learning Torah draw something far beyond what even a great individual can attain alone.
- โThe Reward of a Mitzvah Is Not in This Worldโ
The Alter Rebbe then explains the statement:
โืฉืืจ ืืฆืื ืืืื ืขืืื ืืืืโ
โThe reward of a mitzvah is not found in this world.โ
The true reward is too great for this finite physical world to contain.
Only after the soul departs the body can it properly receive and experience it.
- Even Then It Is a Divine Kindness
Even Olam HaBaโs reward is ultimately an act of Divine kindness.
As the verse says:
โืืื ืโ ืืกื ืื ืืชื ืชืฉืื ืืืืฉ ืืืขืฉืืโ
Hashem grants the soul the capacity to receive what would otherwise be beyond its nature.
- Why Angels Tremble Before a Minyan
The Alter Rebbe concludes with a breathtaking teaching received from his teachers.
If a single angel were present where:
Ten Jews are gathered together,
even if they were not speaking words of Torah at that moment,
the angel would be overwhelmed by the Shechinah resting upon them.
The fear and awe would be so intense that:
The angel would lose its independent sense of existence completely.
Because the Shechinah dwelling upon ten Jews is an infinite revelation far beyond the normal spiritual attainments of angels.
Key Takeaway
The Alter Rebbe explains that reward and Hashraโas HaShechinah are fundamentally different realities. Reward is an internal, measured illumination that enters the soul and is experienced as joy, understanding, and spiritual pleasure. The resting of the Shechinah, however, is an infinite Divine revelation that cannot be contained within a finite soul and therefore surrounds it from above. This unique revelation rests upon a gathering of ten Jews, making a minyan not merely a larger quantity of holiness, but an entirely different quality of Divine Presence.