Daily Tanya Thursday 22nd Shevat: Middle of Chapter 23: The unity of the G-dly soul with the Divine will during Torah learning

(LY) 22^nd Shevat

• G-dly soul is united with G-d: Now, being that the Divine will which is united with the infinite G-d is completely revealed, and not concealed at all, within the G-dly soul and in its inner garments, which are the thought and speech at that time of the study of Torah, it therefore ends up that the soul and these garments are also complete united with G-d at that moment with an absolute unity similar to the unity of G-d’s speech and thought with G-d’s actual essence.
• A greater unity than the upper worlds: Furthermore, this unity of the G-dly soul and its garments with the infinite light of G-d at the time of Torah study is much greater than the unity of the infinite light of G-d with the upper worlds. The reason for this is because the Divine will is actually revealed within the soul and its garments at the time that one is studying Torah, as the Divine will of G-d is the actual Torah that one is studying.
• All the world’s live off the energy of Torah: Furthermore, not only is the unity of G-d with the G-dly soul during the time of Torah study greater than the unity of G-d with the upper worlds, but all of the upper worlds actually receive their Divine energy and life force from the Torah which is the will and wisdom of G-d, as the verse states that everything is created from Chochma. Accordingly, it is understood that the Torah itself is higher than all the upper worlds.
• The will of G-d which encompasses the worlds is invested in the G-dly soul: The Torah is the will of G-d which is called Soveiv Kol Almin which is the Divine light that is not able to be invested within the worlds and simply enlivens them and shines to them from above in an encompassing manner. It is this Divine light which becomes invested within the soul and its garments in an actual revealed manner at the time of one’s study of Torah.
• One’s Mazal experiences the unity not the conscious soul: Now, although the person does not consciously experience the unity with G-d at the time of Torah study, his Mazal above does experience the unity. In fact, it is only because one does not consciously experience this unity that one is able to contain it within him. This is in contrast to the upper worlds which would consciously feel the unity with G-d if it were to take place, and therefore would expire as a result.
• Why Torah study is greater than all the Mitzvahs: Based on the above it can be understood why the study of Torah is considered much greater than all the other Mitzvahs, including even greater than the Mitzvah of prayer which involves the unity of the upper worlds [as by Torah study one actually unites with the will of G-d].
• Why one must stop Torah study to fulfill a Mitzvah: Now, despite the above we still rule that unless a person studies Torah as his full occupation, he must stop his Torah study for the sake of fulfilling a Mitzvah. This however is only because he in any event stops and nullifies his Torah study for other purposes as well.