Chapter 19

In this chapter, the Alter Rebbe explains what he wants, or rather, what he seeks, the “Hidden Love” explained in the previous chapter. Because when we love something, we want to do something with that thing. For example, someone who loves ice cream wants to eat it, someone who loves a friend wants to spend time with them. This “Hidden Love” to HashemWhat do you want to do with Hashem?

To explain this, the Alter Rebbe quotes a verse¹ which says “The soul is like a lamp of Hashem”"To understand what the soul is like, we have to analyze what a lamp is.".

In a lamp, the Alter Rebbe explains, we see that the flame always rises, as if it longs to detach itself from the wick that holds it and go away. This happens because the flame wants to reunite with its spiritual source, from where it was created. But there's a problem: if the flame were to truly unite with its spiritual source, it would become nothing! Upon separating from the wick, it would be extinguished in an instant… Yet, that is the nature of flame, to yearn to reunite with its source, even though doing so would cause it to cease to exist as it does now.

The same is true of the soul: its desire and longing is to leave the body and reunite with its source in Hashem, ...even though he knows that he would cease to exist as he is now. Furthermore, Hashem He is so powerful, and His presence is so awe-inspiring, that everything that unites with Him ceases to exist… That is the nature of the soul; it is something beyond its understanding. That longing comes from the soul's level of Wisdom, which is above what we can comprehend, and that level unites with Hashem, as the Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapter.

Given this, how can it be that a Jew does not observe the Torah and the MitzvotThe level of Wisdom should prevent him from transgressing. Every time he goes to place food that isn't kosher In his mouth, his level of Wisdom should prevent him from ingesting it!

To answer this dilemma, the Alter Rebbe explains that the level of Wisdom in the soul is in exile (galutExile is when a person is forced out of their place and goes to live somewhere else, feeling bad and sad for not being able to express what they truly want as they did in their original place. Similarly, when the Soul Tool of Wisdom is in exile, it is not expressed. This exile is what gives the person the choice to transgress the Torah, God free and keep.

That is why this love is called “hidden,” because it comes from the level of Wisdom in the soul that is sometimes hidden, and this allows the “inclination to evil” to convince us to do something that... Torah It forbids. It's as if we were saying that the wisdom of the soul is asleep in those who do not take care of it. Torah.

However, when that person is presented with a test of faith, where they clearly see that if they fail it, they will completely separate themselves from Hashem, Since faith transcends reason and is connected to the soul's level of Wisdom, this level of Wisdom awakens from its slumber and takes action. With this strength, the Jew is prepared to do what... Hashem He wants it, even if he has to sacrifice his life for it.

When the Wisdom of the soul awakens, it is so strong and powerful that it makes even the "Clothing" of the soul—thought, word, and action—all function in service of it. Hashem, For example, one would not kneel before idols, even if one doesn't mean it sincerely—that is, inwardly one believes idolatry is worthless, but kneels anyway to please someone or to gain something. When the level of Wisdom awakens, the Jew would also not speak or think ill of Hashem.

Furthermore, the Alter Rebbe explains that when the soul's level of Wisdom awakens and "Hidden Love" comes to the surface, the person also fears separation from Hashem. “Hidden love” makes us want to join together Hashem, Just as we naturally want to unite with all that we love, and moreover, fear being separated from Him. It then emerges that, in reality, every Jew has, by nature, love and fear of Him. Hashem.