כי על אהבה המסותרת בלב כל ישראל בתולדתם וטבעם, לא שייך ציווי כלל

For regarding the love latent in the heart of all Israel by birth and nature, there can be no command at all, for it already exists.

Rather, the command is that this latent love be revealed; moreover, that it be felt not only by the G‑dly soul, but by the animating soul as well, which previously did not harbor it at all.

ודעת לנבון נקל

This is apparent to the understanding,

כי כשהאהבה היא מסותרת, היא עודינה בנפש האלקית לבדה

that while the love is concealed it is still lodged within the divine soul alone.

וכשבאה לבחינת גילוי לנפש החיונית, אזי היא בהתגלות הלב בחלל שמאלי, מקום משכן נפש החיונית

Only when it attains to a state of revelation in the animating soul is it revealed in the heart in the left chamber, the abode of the animating soul.17

Since this soul animates the entire body, the person as a whole will be permeated with this love.

וזהו ענין בירור ניצוצות, המוזכר שם בעץ חיים ובפרי עץ חיים, גבי תפלה

This is the meaning of the “elevation of the sparks” mentioned there in Etz Chayim and Pri Etz Chayim18 in reference to prayer: through prayer one elevates the sparks of holiness that fell from Tohu.

שלכן היא עיקר העבודה בעקבות משיחא, לברר ניצוצות כו׳

And for this reason prayer is the primary service in the period just preceding the coming of Mashiach — in order to seek out and elevate the sparks, and so on.

שהוא בחינת אתהפכא או אתכפיא של נפש החיונית לנפש האלקית, כנודע

This may take place either through the transformation19 or the subjugation of the animal soul to the divine soul, as is known.

כי הדם הוא הנפש כו׳, והדם מתחדש בכל יום מאוכלין ומשקין

“For the blood is the soul…”20 and hence the life-force of man, and the blood is renewed daily through food and drink,

By directing his eating and drinking to the holy goals of the divine soul, one refines and elevates the sparks found within the food and drink.

וגם מתפעל ונתקן ממלבושים ודירה כו׳

and [the man] is affected and improved by his garments and his shelter, and so on.

The refinement of the sparks latent in all these physical things is effected by revealing one’s innate love of G‑d during prayer. In our days prolonged prayer and meditation are thus a necessity.

מה שאין כן בדורות הראשונים, שהיו נשמות האלקית גדולי הערך

It was different, however, in earlier generations, when the divine souls were of a higher order,

היה הבירור נעשה כרגע בקריאת שמע לבד וברכות שלפניה, ופסוקי דזמרה בקצרה וכו׳

and the refinement and elevation of the sparks were instantaneous by means of Keriat Shema alone21 and the blessings preceding it, and the abridged Pesukei DeZimrah, and so on.22

These prayers alone then sufficed to reveal the Jew’s love of G‑d, and brought about the resulting beirurim of the sparks.

ודי למבין

This will suffice for the discerning.