Daily Tanya – Chapter 3 Part 2: Arousing love and fear of G-d using Intellectual contemplation (Tuesday, 26th Kisleiv)

(LY) 28^th Kisleiv

3.       How to arouse the emotion of fear of G-d using Intellectual contemplation [i.e. Chabad]:

• When the intellect in the rational soul deeply contemplates and immerses itself exceedingly in the greatness of G-d he is able to arouse a fear of G-d. This is mainly accomplished through contemplating the following three matters relating to G-d:
  • Mimalei Kol Almin: Contemplating how He fills all worlds.
  • Soveiv Kol Almin: Contemplating how He encompasses all worlds
  • Kula Kamei Kelo Chashiv: Contemplating how in His presence all creation is considered as naught before Him.
• The awe and fear created: Upon contemplating and immersing oneself in any of the abovementioned aspects of G-d’s greatness, the emotion of awe wonder and amazement, will be born and aroused in one’s mind and thought, to fear and be humble before the greatness of G-d, which is without end or limit, and a trepidation of G-d will also be born in his heart.

4.       Arousing love of G-d from the above contemplation:

• Next, his contemplation of the above matters will give birth to an intense love, passion, longing and yearning for G-d, likened to a fiery flame, to the point of expiry of the soul, known as Klos Hanefesh.

5.       The elements and bodily location from which the intellectual and emotional traits for G-d derive from:

• Yesod Haeish-The source of the love: This thirsting and passionate love for G-d derives from the element of fire that is found in the G-dly soul.
• Love is in the heart: This element of fire is housed in the heart, [and hence although it derives from the intellectual and G-dly soul which is in the brain, nonetheless, this emotion of love for G-d comes from the heart].
• Intellect is in the brain-Yesod Hamayim: The intellectual powers of the soul derive from the element of water that is found in the G-dly soul. This element of water is housed in the brain.
• The remaining emotions: The remaining emotions [i.e. Tiferes, Netzach, Hod, Yesod] are all considered a branch of fear and love for G-d, as will be elaborated on elsewhere.

The attribute of Daas:

• Scriptural terminology: The term Daas in Scripture is used in reference to marital unity between a husband and wife as stated in the verse that Adam knew his wife, Eve.
• A deep bond and connection to the intellectual concept: Accordingly, we can deduce that the term Daas refers to a deep bond and connection of the intellect. Thus, when a person deeply and intensely and persistently attaches his mind to the contemplation brought above regarding G-d’s greatness and does not remove his mind from it, then he is exercising his attribute of Daas.
• No Daas-No true feelings: It is specifically this intellectual attribute of Daas which has the capability of arousing the emotional traits of the G-dly soul of love and fear for G-d, as even if one contains much knowledge of G-d’s greatness if he does not deeply attach and anchor his mind on the contemplation of G-d’s greatness then no true emotion of fear and love will be aroused as a result of his even broad knowledge on the subject. Rather, mere imaginative emotions will be aroused.
• Thus, it is found that the attribute of Daas is the foundation of the emotions and is what gives it its energy and power.
• Daas incorporates all the emotions: Daas incorporates within it the attributes of Chesed and Gevurah, which includes the emotions of love and fear and all of their branches.