Love the One You’re With
Does love have a limit? What if I’m just not inspired? If I force myself to do mitzvos I’ll run out of energy…I’ll just keep the minimum requirements. How can I have a genuine love for G-d?
In the Rebbe’s ma’amer, Shuva Yisroel, he answers these questions and more. This ma’amer was said on the 6th of Tishrei 5737 (1976) and is the first of two ma’amorim in a series. In this ma’amer, the Rebbe explains the meaning of the verse, “Shuva Yisroel,” from the haftorah of Shabbos Teshuvah. This edition of the Long Short Way is just an excerpt of the ma’mer, but hopefully a message we can take with us. May we have a meaningful and sincere Shabbos Teshuvah and Yom Kippur. G’mar Chasima Tova.
Three Qualities of Love
ד) וְהִנֵה עַל דֶרֶךְ זֶה הוּא בְּהַעָבוֹדָה דְאַהֲבַת ה’, שְׁיֵשׁ בָּהּ ג’ מַדְרֵיגוֹת. בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ, בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
The three methods of connecting to G-d mentioned earlier apply to loving G-d. There are three ways we can love G-d: “With our entire heart,” “With our entire soul,” and “With all our might.”
Earlier in the ma’amer, the Rebbe explained that when we are in love, we’ll push ourselves beyond our nature. Fear of being separated from G-d however, will only motivate enough “mitzvah doing” as is required to “be frum.”
וּמְבוּאָר בְּכַּמָה מְקוֹמוּת38, שְׁהָאַהֲבָה דְ”בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ” הִיא עַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בְּאוֹר הָאֱלֹקִי הַמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּנִבְרָאִים לְהַחֲיוֹתָם, דְבְּכְלָלוּת הוּא אוֹר הַמְמַלֵא. דְעַל יְדֵי שְׁמִתְבֹּונֵן שֶׁהַחֲיוּת שֶׁל כָּל דָבָר הוּא אֱלֹקוּת, וְהַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת שֶׁלוֹ הִיא בְּאוֹפֶן שְׁזֶה יִהְיֶ’ה מוּבָן גַּם בְּהַשֵׂכֶל דְנֶפֶשׁ הַבְּהַמִית, עַל יְדֵי זֶה יָבוֹא לְאַהֲבָה אֶת הַוַיֶ’ה “בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ בִּשְׁנֵי יִצְרֶיךָ.”39
It’s explained in many places,38 that to love, “With all your heart,” is to create a love based on thinking deeply. Thinking deeply about the G-dly vitality which is implanted in all of creation will produce this wholehearted love. The vitality which is implanted in all of creation is, in general, the Light which fills all worlds. Think about how G-dliness is the force which gives every detail of existence its identity. Try to understand this idea in terms even the animal soul can understand. This type of thinking will lead to loving G-d, “With all your heart…with both impulses.”39
Filling all worlds… memale kol almin is the G-dly force in creation that allows specific things to exist. This G-dly force makes a difference between a chair and a table, a lamp and a cup and is “tailored” to that specific thing.
Thinking Deeply
Many wonder what that might mean. The truth is, it’s very simple. Have you ever wondered how something came into being? Let’s say you walked out of the house one day and the streets were wet. The sidewalks, the driveways, the road, etc. You look across the street and you see the sidewalk there is wet too. Even if the sky was clear and blue, you would automatically assume it rained: perhaps a wind blew away the clouds. The idea is simple: just think. Ask yourself a questions and try to answer them. “Why is it wet outside? Perhaps the neighbor’s sprinkler, a broken pipe, perhaps rain.” You’ll instinctively weigh out the options before you decide on your answer.
So having in mind that G-d created the world, look around you and ask yourself, “How?”. “How does it work? How do so many small things come from such a big G-d?” This is where Chassidus comes in. The questions have already been answered. Our job is to understand how the answers make sense to us.
וְהָאַהֲבָה דְבְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ הִיא עַל יְדֵי הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת שְׁהַאוֹר הַמְחַיֶ’ה אֶת הָעֹולָמוֹת הוּא הָאָרָה בִּלְבַד וְשֶׁהָאָרָה זוּ הִיא בְּאֵין עֲרוֹךְ לְגַבֵּי אוֹר אֵין סוֹף, דְבְּכְלָלוּת הוּא אוֹר הַסוֹבֵב, עַל יְדֵי זֶה יָבוֹא לְהָאַהֲבָה דְבְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, שְׁאַהֲבָתוֹ אֶת הַוַיֶ’ה הִיא בְּאוֹפֶן דְמְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ, אַפִילוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ.39
Loving G-d, “With all your soul,” is inspired by thought as well. Think about how the Light of G-d which causes everything to exist is just a glimmer. This glimmer has no comparison to the Infinite Light, which in general is called, “encompassing all worlds.” The type of love produced by such thinking will be “With your entire soul.” Our love for G-d will be, as a result, to the point of self-sacrifice.
Encompassing all worlds or soveiv kol almin, is the G-dly force that causes existence itself. Meaning, as opposed to “filling all worlds,” this G-dly force is so powerful, to say the least, that it isn’t specific to each thing. Everything in creation exists as one whole entity—just existence itself. No tables and chairs. Just raw existence. Wrap your head around how this works and you’ll want to give your whole life to G-d.
Beyond Any Limitations
וְהָאַהֲבָה דְבְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ הִיא עַל יְדֵי גִילוּי עֲצְמוּת אוֹר אֵין סוֹף שְׁאֵינוֹ בְּגֶדֶר עָלְמִין כְּלַל, שְׁעַל יְדֵי גִילוּי זֶה, הָאַהֲבָה הִיא לְמַעֲלָה מִמְדִידָּה וְהַגְבָּלָה.
The third type of love is, “With all your might.” This type of love happens when the Infinite Light itself, which is beyond all worlds, is revealed. This type of love, as a result, is beyond any limitations.
וְהַגַם שְׁגַם הָאַהֲבָה דְבְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ הִיא אַפִילוּ נוֹטֵל אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ39 וְעִנְיָן הַמְסִרַת נֶפֶשׁ הוּא לְמַעֲלָה מִמְדִידָה וְהַגְבָּלָה, הִנֵה הַמְסִרַת נֶפֶשׁ40 שְׁבְּהָאַהֲבָה דְּבְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, שְׁהוּא בְּכְלָלוּת בִּבְחִינַת חַיָ’ה,41 הִיא בְּאוֹפֶן שְׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְסוֹר אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ [וִיתֵירָה מִזוּ שְׁרָצוֹן זֶה הוּא דוּגְמַת42 הַרָצוֹן שְׁעַל פִּי טַעֲם, מְצַד זֶה שְׁכָּל הָעִנְָינִים הֵם בְּאֵין עֲרוֹך לְגַבֵּי אוֹר אֵין סוֹף.[
Loving to the point of self-sacrifice is loving beyond personal limitations.39 Nevertheless, the love for G-d, “with all your soul…even if your soul is taken away,” is only so deep as Chaya. 41 (Chaya is the level of the soul related to will. Although a very deep place within the soul, it’s not quite free of ego, as will be explained.) This type of self-sacrifice is willing—you would willingly give your soul to G-d. (Furthermore, this type of willingness to give your soul almost42 makes logical sense. If everything is incomparable to the Infinite Light, than giving up your life isn’t so far off.)
וְהָאַהֲבָה דְבְּכָל מְאֹדֶךָ, שְׁהִיא בְּכְלָלוּת בִּבְחִינַת יְחִידָה,41 הִיא לֹא מְצַד הַרָצֹון שֶׁלוֹ אֶלָא מִפְּנֵי שְׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִפָּרֵד חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מֵאַחֲדוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ.43 דְמְסִרַת נֶפֶשׁ בְּאוֹפֶן זֶה הוּא אַמִיתִּית עִנְיָן הַבִּיטוּל, מְכֵּיוָּן שְׁהַמְסִרַת נֶפֶשׁ הִיא לֹא מְצַד הַרָצֹון (מְצִיאוּת) שֶׁלֹו אֶלָא מְצַד הָאֱלֹקוּת. וְעַל דֶרֶךְ שְׁנִתְבָּאֵר לְעֵיל (סְעִיף ג) מַעֲלַת הָעַבוֹדָה דְ”בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם” עַל הָעַבוֹדָה דְ”וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב.”
Loving G-d, “With all your might,” comes from Yechida.41 (Yechida is the ultimate core of the soul. This part of the soul is completely one with G-d and free, thereby, of ego). It’s not that you’re willing to give your life up for G-d, it’s that being separated from G-d is impossible.43 This type of self-sacrifice is the truest and purest form. This kind of self-sacrifice is not a result of ego or will, rather an overwhelming love for G-d. It’s similar to, “Seek peace,” the method of connecting to G-d we mentioned earlier (ch. 3) that surpasses, “Turn away from evil,” and “Do good.”
This level of depth is a gift from G-d and cannot be acheived by human effort. We can however, make G-d a reality in our lives by thinking about His presence in our lives. By trying to understand the two meditaions the Rebbe mentioned earlier, we can develop and reveal our love for G-d. Really.
Summary
There are three types of love and each one is produced by different kind of thinking. The more in love with G-d we are, the more enthusiastic we’ll be to do mitzvos and the higher quality they’ll be.
38. תו”ח שמות תקלט, א [בהוצאה החדשה – תצוה ח”ב שסד, ב]. סה”מ תר”ן ע’ שנו ואילך. סה”מ קונטרסים ח”ב שפח, ב.
39. ואתחנן ו, ה. ברכות נד, א במשנה. ספרי (הובא בפרש”י) עה”פ.
40. בהבא לקמן – ראה גם (עד”ז) ד”ה פדה בשלום ה’תשל”ט סעיף ד (לקמן ח”ב ע’ מא).
41. שערי תשובה לאדמו”ר האמצעי ח”א (שער התפלה) נה, א.
42. אבל לא ממש. כי אהבה זו היא מצד הנשמה, ורק שמתעוררת ע”י ההתבוננות – קונטרס העבודה פ”ה (ע’ 18 ואילך). ובכ”מ. וכ”מ גם בתו”ח שבהערה 38.
43. המשך תרס”ו ע’ רסז. וראה גם תניא פי”ח “שאי אפשר כלל”.
44. עקב יא, יג.
45. להעיר מברכות לה, ב “הרבה עשו כר”י ועלתה בידן, כרשב”י ולא עלתה בידן”. דמזה מוכח שענין “עושין רצונו של מקום” הוא רק ביחידי סגולה – והרי “עושין רצונו של מקום” הוא כשישנה גם האהבה דבכל מאדך, כדלקמן ס”ה.