🔥Daily Tanya – Chapter 44 Part 1: Loving Hashem-The love for life & love for your father

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Chapter 44: Loving Hashem-The love for life & love for your father

2nd Iyar

  1. Finding your personal love-The myriads of levels in the two types of love:
  • Both qualities of love described in the previous chapter, which are Ahavah Raba and Ahavas Olam, subdivide into limitless grades and levels which correspond to each person on his level.
  • One’s level of Love is personally tailored for him: The specific grade and level attained by the individual is dependent on the personal spiritual capacity granted to his soul by G-d. This follows the statement of the Zohar[1], which interprets the verse[2] “Noda Bashearim Baalah/The husband knows in the gates,” that this verse is describing Hashem [i.e. the husband of every Jewish soul] and how He attaches Himself in accordance with the gates of each person’s heart.
  • Torah and Mitzvahs are equal for all while love fluctuates by person: It is for this reason that the Torah[3] describes the feelings of love and fear as “Nistaros LaHashem Elokeinu, matters that are hidden and known only to G-d” as in truth every Jewish soul has ability to experience a unique form and level of love in his heart which is only known to G-d. However, the Torah and Mitzvahs are considered “revealed to us and our children” as they equally apply to all Jews, as all Jews must follow the same Torah laws and perform the same actions of the Mitzvahs. This is in contrast to fear and love, its level and quality experienced by the person is dependent on his heart and mind.
  1. A love that incorporates all levels and is plausible for all people-The love for life:
  • There exists one love that is incorporated of all the aspects and levels of Ahava Raba and Ahavas Olam, and is plausible for every Jew, being an inheritance from our forefathers. This love is referred to in the Zohar as the love of life.
  • G-d is our life and we therefore love Him as we live our life: The Zohar[4] brings the verse[5] “Nafshi Avisicha Balayla etc./My soul, I desire you at night” and interprets it as follows: One should love Hashem the same way that he loves his soul and spirit, just as they are attached to the body and the body loves them. This then is the meaning of the words “My soul I desire you,” it means to say, “Since you Hashem are my soul and true life; therefore, I desire You.” Meaning, I desire and yearn for You like a man who yearns for the life of his soul.
  • It is mostly conscious when you are weak or sleeping: This yearning for life becomes conscious in a person mostly when he is weak, and feels sick, in which case he desires and yearns that his soul return to him. Similarly, when one goes to sleep, he desires and waits that his soul returns to him upon awakening.
  • A yearning to attach to G-d through learning His Torah: To this same measure one has a natural yearning and desire for Hashem and His infinite light who is the true source of life, to draw it down into his innards through learning Torah after awakening at night, as the Torah and Hashem are One. This too is expressed in the Zohar, as it states that man needs out of love for G-d to awaken each night and try to learn Torah until morning.

[1] Zohar 1 103b [Lech Lecha]

[2] Mishlei 31:23

[3] Devarim 29:28

[4] Zohar 3 68a

[5] Yeshayahu 26:9

Topic

Key Idea

Explanation / Detail

1. Personal Love – Levels of Ahavah

Two types of love: Ahavah Rabbah & Ahavas Olam

Both types of love subdivide into countless grades and levels, each corresponding to the unique spiritual standing of a person.

 

Love is individually tailored

The exact level of love a person experiences depends on the spiritual capacity granted to his soul by Hashem.

 

“Noda Bashaarim Baalah” (Zohar)

Hashem attaches Himself to each soul according to the “gates” (capacity) of that person’s heart.

 

Love varies, Torah does not

Torah and mitzvos are identical for all Jews, while love and fear differ by individual inner capacity.

 

“Nistaros LaHashem Elokeinu”

Fear and love are hidden matters known only to Hashem, as each soul experiences them differently.

 

Revealed vs. Hidden

Actions of Torah and mitzvos are revealed and uniform; emotional experience depends on one’s heart and mind.

2. A Universal Love – Love of Life

A love that includes all levels

There exists one encompassing love that includes aspects of Ahavah Rabbah and Ahavas Olam and is accessible to every Jew.

 

An inheritance from the Avos

This love is inherited naturally from our forefathers, not something that must be earned intellectually.

 

Called “The Love of Life” (Zohar)

This love is rooted in the recognition that Hashem is our very life-force.

 

“Nafshi Avisicha Balaila”

One loves Hashem the way one loves his own soul—because Hashem is his soul and life.

 

Love like yearning for life itself

Just as a person yearns for the return of his soul when sick or sleeping, so too he yearns for Hashem.

 

Most conscious in weakness or sleep

This love surfaces strongly when a person feels fragile or when awakening and sensing the soul’s return.

 

Yearning through Torah learning

A natural desire emerges to attach to Hashem by learning Torah, since Torah and Hashem are One.

 

Awakening at night to learn

The Zohar teaches that out of love, a person should try to rise at night and learn Torah until morning.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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