Daily Tanya 9th Iyar-Chapter 46: Like an animal who is not conscious of love and unity

(LY) 9^th Iyar

1. Like an animal who is not conscious of love and unity:

• The prophecy of Asaf: Asaf recited a prophecy in which he refers to the Jewish people as animals, and states of the Jewish people that they consider themselves like beasts in front of G-d, even though they remain continuously faithful to G-d.
• The meaning of the statement-No experience of emotion: This statement means to say that during exile the Jewish people are like beasts, as although they are united with G-d, they do not feel this unity within their soul and are not consciously aware of it and hence do not first feel a great fear and trepidation, and then feel a pleasure filled love, or a passionate love for G-d [upon performing a Mitzvah]. Rather, they feel nothing.
• The conscious effect of the unity by Tzadikim: By Tzadikim who have refined their bodies, however, when they perform a Mitzvah and experience the unity with G-d, they actually first feel a great fear and trepidation, and then feel a pleasure filled love, or a passionate love.
• A lack of Daas: The general souls of the Jewish people during exile lack the attribute of Daas, which is the ability to consciously feel things within the soul, including the feelings of Chesed and Gevura. [Hence, they are similar to animals which also lack the attribute of Daas.]
• The unity occurs despite the lack of Daas: Although the Jewish people during exile do not have the attribute of Daas to consciously feel the unity with G-d, nevertheless, this does not prevent the unity of one’s soul with the infinite light of G-d from taking place, as the verse states that even darkness does not conceal from G-d [and hence the darkness caused by the body does not prevent G-d from uniting with the person when he performs a Mitzvah, and only has the power to prevent a person from consciously experiencing this unity].

2. The severity of a sin applicable to every Jew:

• Based on the above one can understand why the sin of performing work on Shabbos and eating Chametz on Pesach has such a grave effect on the souls of all Jews, and thereby receives such great punishment.
• Every Jewish soul receives the divinity which shines on Shabbos: The reason for this is because even the soul of a complete ignoramus receives the Divine light and holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov, and he is therefore charged with excision and stoning for desecrating this holiness that shines in the soul on these days.
• An equal blemish by Tzadik and Rasha: Even the eating of a small amount of Chametz or the moving of Muktzah blemishes the holiness that rests on the soul, just as it would blemish the holiness that rests on the soul of a Tzadik, as we all have one single Torah.

3. All souls are really like animals before G-d:

• The reason that the verse in the prophecy of Asaf states the word animals in plural is to hint to the idea that before G-d everyone is considered like a beast, even those who have souls that contain the aspect of Daas Elyon and experience love and fear, nonetheless, even they are considered like beasts and like physical action before the infinite light of G-d, as it states that G-d created everything with wisdom [and hence even His wisdom is considered like action].
• Great beasts: They are referred to as “great beasts” [in contrast to regular people who do not experience anything during a Mitzvah and are referred to as regular beasts].
• Ban: This level corresponds to the Divine name of “Ban”, which is the numerical value of animal, which is higher than the world of Atzilus.