From the Ravs Desk: Latest articles and Q&A [Monday 6th Teves 5785]

Action of Mitzvos has ability to refine one’s mind and heart 1000 times:^[1]

Through one refining his actions, his power of action, which is accomplished through performing physical action which is the aspect of “feet,” his mind and heart become 1000 times clearer and refined. [This famous statement of the Alter Rebbe was repeated by the Rebbe on numerous occasions especially in relevance to the Mitzvah of doing Tzedaka, and all the more so in assisting another Jew in becoming closer to Judaism and teaching him Torah, which is considered spiritual Tzedaka. The Rebbe stated that by giving physical charity, or by giving spiritual charity to another Jew by teaching him Torah, one affects that his mind and heart become a thousand times more refined, and hence one should not view the giving of charity and the learning Torah with another, as if it takes away from his time for learning, as in truth it helps him accomplish a thousand times more in his learning than he would’ve accomplished without it. Meaning, in very simple terms, that which would’ve taken him a thousand hours to comprehend will now only take him one hour.^[2] The advantage is both in quality and quantity, and likewise helps him reach a level in which he is fit to Pasken.^[3]]

[1] Torah Or p. 1b lines 40-43

[2] Sichas 18th Elul 5712, printed in Keser Shem Tov Hashaleim p. 548; 12th Tamuz 5711 [Printed in Toras Menachem 3:203]; See also Toras Menachem 10:306; 11:94; 28:300, and many more areas

[3] Toras Menachem 3:203

C. The divine lights that were lost due to the sin of the golden calf, and their return on Shabbos:^[1]

The sin of the golden calf caused Moshe to lose 1000 Divine lights that he was able to experience. On Shabbos, however, these lights are returned to him as a gift. On this it says in the Shabbos Shemoneh Esrei prayer “Yismach Moshe Bematnas Chelko,” that Moshe rejoices in his portion.

[1] Torah Or p. 1b lines 32-34