Having discussed the various “abodes” of souls — three Worlds in which the souls receive a reward commensurate with the level of their divine service during their life on earth — the Alter Rebbe now returns to the theme begun in ch. 38. There he noted that kavanah in mitzvot (which is the “soul” of […]

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וכשעוסק שלא לשמה ממש, לשום איזו פניה לכבוד עצמו However, when one engages in divine service explicitly not lishmah but for an ulterior motive of self-glorification, כגון להיות תלמיד חכם וכהאי גוונא as, for example, in order to become a scholar, and the like, אזי אותה פניה, שמצד הקליפה דנוגה, מתלבשת בתורתו then this motive, […]

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In ch. 39 the Alter Rebbe explained that the ascent of one’s Torah and mitzvot is commensurate with the level of kavanah that one invests in study and performance. If one’s kavanah stems from love and fear of G‑d created by one’s understanding of His greatness, his Torah and mitzvot ascend to the Sefirot of […]

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ואף דאורייתא וקודשא בריך הוא כולא חד, שהוא ורצונו אחד Although the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are altogether one, for He and His Will are one, and the Torah represents His Will, nevertheless the Torah will not ascend on high without kavanah. The reason (presently stated) in brief: The words of […]

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