🔥Daily Tanya Chapter 41 Part 2: Contemplating how the Or Ein Sof attaches to one’s soul through Torah and Mitzvahs (Sunday 18th Nissan)

18^th Nissan

1. Contemplating how the Or Ein Sof attaches to one’s soul through Torah and Mitzvahs:

• The infinite light is invested in the words of Torah and in Tzitzis and Tefillin: Prior to learning Torah or performing a Mitzvah one should also contemplate how the Or Ein Sof which encompasses all worlds and fills all worlds and is represented in the supernal will, is invested in the letters and wisdom of Torah, or in the Tzitzis and Tefillin that he is wearing.
• Drawing G-dliness to the G-dly soul: Through learning Torah, or wearing the Tallis/Tefillin, one draws the light of G-d onto oneself, into the portion of G-d above that is in the body. This causes the G-dly soul to be incorporated and nullified within the light of G-d.

2. Contemplating the effect of Tefillin on the G-dly soul:

• Attaching the Chochmah and Bina of the G-dly soul with that of G-d: In detail, when wearing Tefillin one is to intend to incorporate the Chochmah and Bina of his G-dly soul within the Chochma and Bina of G-d, which is invested in the Parshiyos of Kadesh and Vehaya Ki Yeviacha.
• Dedicating one’s intellect only for G-d: This intent is expressed in action through one not using his Chochma and Bina for anything other than G-d.
• Attaching the Daas of the G-dly soul with that of G-d: Likewise, one is to intend to incorporate the Daas of his soul, which includes Chesed and Gevura, and is ones love and fear, within the Daas of G-d which includes Chesed and Gevura, which is invested in the Parshiyos of Shema and Vehaya Im Shemoa.
• Subjugating the mind: The above follows the ruling of Shulchan Aruch that the Tefillin are worn to subjugate the mind and heart.

3. Contemplating the effect of Tzitzis and accepting G-d’s kingship:

• Drawing G-d’s kingship onto oneself: Upon wrapping oneself with Tzitzis, one should concentrate on what it says in the Zohar that by fulfilling this Mitzvah one draws upon himself the kingdom of G-d which is the kingdom of all worlds. One should intend to unify this kingship upon himself through this Mitzvah. This fulfills the intent of the verse “and one shall place a king upon himself.”
• An emotional fear versus an intellectual fear: Even in the event that despite contemplating the above one is still unable to bring himself to feel palpable emotions of fear and trepidation in his heart, nonetheless, since he accepts upon himself the kingship of heaven, he at the very least draws upon himself the fear of G-d into his conscious mind and will of his intellect.
• An absolutely true acceptance: This acceptance is absolutely true without any doubt, as it is the nature of the souls of all Jewish people to not rebel against Hashem the king.

4. A complete service of G-d requires fear, acceptance of the yoke of heaven, and not just love:

• A complete service of G-d: When one then studies Torah or performs a Mitzvah as a result of the above acceptance of the Divine kingship, and due to the drawing down of fear into his mind, then his service of G-d is considered complete and whole, and is similar to any service that a servant does for his master and King.
• An incomplete service: This is in contrast to one who studies Torah and performs Mitzvah’s with the emotion of love of G-d alone [without fear and acceptance of the kingship], in order so he attach himself to G-d through his Torah and his Mitzvahs, then this is not considered the service of a servant [and is not a complete and whole service of G-d].
• The Torah demands the service of a servant: This idea that serving G-d only due to love does not suffice, is based on the verse which states “and you shall serve Hashem your G-d,” “and you shall serve Him,” [which teaches us that the Divine service must be similar to that of a servant to his master which involves fear].
• Like a yoke on an ox: This point is further emphasized in the Zohar which states that upon serving G-d one is to first accept upon himself the yoke of the kingship of heaven, like an ox who has a yoke placed on his neck order to bring benefit for the world from him.
• No holiness on person without acceptance of the yoke of heaven: If a person does not have this acceptance of the yoke of heaven in his Divine service, then holiness does not reside on him.
• Serving G-d as a servant and as a son: The Zohar states that every individual needs to have two different aspects and levels in his Divine service, one being that of a servant [who serves G-d with fear and acceptance of the yoke of heaven], and the second being that of a son [who serves G-d with love]. Now, although there exists a son who is on such a high level that his Divine service is considered also like that of a servant, nevertheless, it is not possible to come to this level without first introducing the higher level of fear, as is known to those who know.