Chapter 24

Unlike in the previous chapter, where fulfilling Mitzvot and study Torah unites us to Hashem, In this chapter, the Alter Rebbe explains how neglecting oneself in any of the three hundred and sixty-five Mitzvot prohibitions and the decrees of our sages separate us from Hashem, because they are the exact opposite of what He wants.

When a person transgresses the Torah It joins the “impure shell,” which is also known as idolatry, in which Hashem It is hidden. Even the “garments” of the soul—thought, word, and deed—join this “impure shell” instead of joining with Hashem.

But it doesn't end there… in reality, the person who transgresses the Torah It is worse than the “Impure Shell” itself… Because the “Impure Shell” was created this way: Hashem It is hidden within her, so that we have the option to choose between good and evil. Hashem It is very hidden in the “impure shell,” but she herself recognizes that He creates her and gives her life all the time. That is why the “impure shell” does everything that Hashem He asks her. But the person who transgresses the Torah, It is worse and lower than the “Impure Shell,” because it is completely rebelling against the will of Hashem.

And why would a person do that? Our wise men¹ They say that a Jew only transgresses the Torah if a spirit of foolishness enters him (ruaj shtutThis spirit actually means ideas that arise from the "inclination to evil," which cover up the natural "hidden love" that every Jew has for Hashem, and make him think that, by transgressing, he is not separating himself from Him.

“It’s true,” the person thinks, “that if I deny Hashem ”Absolutely, I am separating myself from Him, but if I commit a small transgression… it’s no big deal!” This distinction between serious transgressions, like idolatry, and less serious transgressions is nonsense. The truth is that with any transgression, a person separates themselves from Him. Hashem, Because, after all, it is going against His will, and joining the “impure shell,” which feels separate from Him.

In conclusion: Hashem He creates the world in such a way that He is hidden. When we do Mitzvot and we studied Torah, We revealed it, and that's what we were created for. But if we transgress the Torah, we are choosing to leave Hashem hidden. The “impure shell” cannot reveal Hashem, because it wasn't created for that. Man was created to reveal Hashem, So, if instead of revealing it, you decide to keep it hidden, you are being even worse than the “impure shell”!

The key is understanding that every creature that Hashem It fulfills its purpose without changing it. Even a mosquito, considered the worst creature because all it does is draw blood from people and contributes nothing, and is far from saintly, acts this way because Hashem He creates it with that function. But the man who transgresses the Will of Hashem, It's worse than a mosquito... because it could be linked to the Holiness of Hashem, and chooses to be separated… That man is not fulfilling the function for which he was created.

The Alter Rebbe explains that if every transgression separates a person from Hashem, Jewish law should be that before transgressing anything, one should sacrifice one's life, so as not to separate oneself from Hashem. But it's not like that: the Torah It does not require the Jew to sacrifice his life in order to fulfill the Mitzvot (except for three specific cases: killing someone, practicing idolatry, and having forbidden relationships)² Why, then, is there a difference between the MitzvotSimply because Hashem decided that there should only be a few Mitzvot which one must give one's life for rather than transgress them, even if there seem to be others more important than those.

Finally, the Alter Rebbe explains that when a person transgresses the Torah, At that very moment, she is as if putting her soul into a dirty trash can. Although the soul emerges from the trash can after the transgression, it is still a terrible experience for her, even if it was only for an instant…