וממנה נכנס בהם רוח שטות לחטוא, כמאמר רז״ל: אין אדם חוטא כו׳ From the kelipah, there enters into them a “spirit of folly” which leads them to sin, as our Sages remark:13 “A person does not sin unless a spirit of folly enters into him.” As the Alter Rebbe explains further, the foolishness consists of […]

In the previous chapters the Alter Rebbe discussed the Torah’s assertion that “it is very near” to us to fulfill all the commandments with a love and fear of G‑d. He explained that it is indeed “very near,” by means of the natural love of G‑d inherent in every Jew. He further stated that this […]

ולמשל כמו בנפש האדם כשמדבר דבור אחד, שדבור זה לבדו כלא ממש אפילו לגבי כללות נפשו המדברת To illustrate from the soul of a human being: When a man utters a word, this single word is as absolutely nothing even when compared only to his articulate soul (i.e., power of speech) as a whole, שהוא […]

והנה מדת הקב״ה שלא כמדת בשר ודם Now1 the nature of the Divine order is not like that of a human being, a creature of flesh and blood. Therefore human terms cannot adequately describe Divine qualites. Thus in our case: שהאדם כשמדבר דבור, הרי הבל הדבור שבפיו הוא מורגש ונראה דבר בפני עצמו מובדל משרשו, […]

והרי דבורו ומחשבתו כביכול מיוחדות עמו בתכלית היחוד, דרך משל כמו דבורו ומחשבתו של אדם בעודן בכח חכמתו ושכלו Thus, G‑d’s speech and thought are united with Him in absolute union, just like the speech and thought of man before he actually expresses them as speech and thought, rather as they are while still in […]

In the previous chapter the Alter Rebbe contrasted human speech and Divine speech. He pointed out that human speech is marked by two characteristics: (1) it reveals to the hearer that which was previously hidden in the speaker’s thoughts; (2) the spoken word becomes a distinct entity, separate from the speaker. Divine speech, however, cannot […]

והנה רצון העליון בבחינת פנים הוא מקור החיים המחיה את כל העולמות Now, the Supernal Will, of the quality of “Countenance”, i.e., the inner aspect of G‑d’s Will, which is directed toward the ultimate object of G‑d’s desire, is the source of life which animates all worlds. ולפי שאינו שורה כלל על הסטרא אחרא, וגם […]

In the previous chapters the Alter Rebbe explained that from G‑d’s perspective nothing is ever separate from Him. For the Divine “Word” which creates everything is unlike a word spoken by a human being. The latter becomes separated from the speaker, while the former remains always within its source — G‑d. It is only from […]

The Alter Rebbe has thus far discussed two levels of union with the Divine Will, one analogous to the chariot and its rider, and the second, to the unity of body and soul. Both these levels of unity are achieved by performing the mitzvot. He now goes on to describe a third and higher level […]

In ch. 18 the Alter Rebbe began to explain how it is very near and accessible to each of us to serve G‑d out of a feeling of love and awe, by means of awakening the hidden love latent in us all. To clarify how this hidden love can lead to the observance of all […]