Chapter 40

At the end of the previous chapter, the Alter Rebbe explained what happens to the Torah and the Mitzvot that we do without motivation, neither good nor bad: they don't rise to Hashem until we revisit that issue or fulfill that Mitzvah with good motivation.

So far, then, there are two components that affect the Torah that we already studied the Mitzvot that we fulfill:

1) Concentration, that is, the love and fear of Hashem with which we fulfill the Mitzvah, which can be of an intellectual type (like a human being) or can be of an emotional type (like an animal), something explained in chapters 38 and 39.

2) Motivation, that is, why we do that Mitzvah, if it is because God sent her (lishmá) or because we want a benefit from the Mitzvah (shelo lishmá) or just because (stam), something explained in chapter 39.

When we fulfill a Mitzvah Because yes (that's the motivation), that Mitzvah It does not rise to the "Celestial Spheres" of any world (see the previous chapter to find out what these levels are), but only reaches the same level as an angel of that world.

For example, if we put tefillin because we're used to doing it (there the motivation (It's because it is) and we don't awaken in our hearts love and fear of Hashem through meditating on His greatness (there the concentration It is of an “animal” type, with a natural “Hidden Love” Hashem), then, that Mitzvah of tefillin It will rise to the Formation world, but will not join the “Celestial Spheres” of that world, but will only reach the place (not physical, but spiritual) where the angels of that world “live”.

In this chapter, the Alter Rebbe explains more about the topic of motivation. When we study Torah With a bad motivation, for example, to make people say we are very wise, that study doesn't rise to anything, and it stays down here, in this material world.

The Alter Rebbe raises a problem with this: the Torah It is something very holy and elevated, it is the Wisdom of Hashem So, why is it necessary to have concentration and good motivation for studying? Torah rise towards HashemIsn't the merit of the Torah so that the study rises on its own?

To answer this question, the Alter Rebbe explains that there are two variables at play that define how one is perceived. Hashem in a world:

1) The reflection of Hashem in that world. What is a reflection? It's like a small mirror reflecting the image of a larger mirror. The image in the large mirror appears large, but when the reflection in the large mirror passes to a smaller one, it appears smaller. This example helps us understand that Hashem It reveals itself very powerfully in the world of Emanation (the large mirror), and from there it is reflected to the world of Creation (a smaller mirror), then to that of Formation, and finally to the world of Action (the smallest mirror of all). The reflection that reaches us down here is so incredibly small that we are unable to feel its presence. Hashem.

2) There are many “clothes” that cover and conceal the energy of Hashem, ...until it is invested in the "Bright Shell" (see Chapter 7 on this Shell) to give life to all the permissible things of this world. It is like a person dressed in many clothes, one inside the other. We can say that the person is clothed in many garments. Likewise, the vital energy of Hashem It dresses in many “clothing”.

With these two ideas, the Alter Rebbe explains that the study of Torah You can't improve just by studying without good motivation, because, while there aren't that many "shells" hiding the truth... Hashem in the Torah (because when we study Torah We immediately realize that it's something related to Hashem same), however, the reflection of Hashem In that study it is very small, because we are pronouncing the words with our mouths and lips, as if they were material words, which need something spiritual that can elevate them towards Hashem.

In other words: the words of Torah What we say when we study are something of this world, where Hashem It is hidden. As if it were a physical body. That is why this study cannot rise to a spiritual world on its own. It needs something higher than this material world: motivation, which is like the soul for that body.

But if we study Torah With good motivation, that motivation elevates study to the "Celestial Spheres" of some world, according to the concentration we had (as a "human being" or as an "animal"). And the reflection of Hashem that is in the place where the Torah Studying something with good motivation brings the soul much, much more joy than being in Paradise on that same earth. The same applies to any subject. Mitzvah done with good motivation.

(The Alter Rebbe writes in a note that all this applies not only to the soul after the person has died, but even in life, when we study) Torah or we fulfill a Mitzvah With good motivation, depending on the type of concentration, there will be a corresponding effect on the world (Creation, Formation, or Action), and that effect generates that Hashem send extra energy to our material world. Moreover, even if the soul comes from a low level, it still... Mitzvot fulfilled and the Torah (studied) have an effect on the world of Emanation, and from there they are projected to our world).

With these ideas the Alter Rebbe explains why our sages¹ They call to love and fear Hashem “The wings of the dove.” The dove refers to a Mitzvah, For example, tefillin, and when that Mitzvah It is fulfilled with love and fear of Hashem (which we call concentration), that Mitzvah It has “wings” and “flies” to Hashem. But if the dove has no wings (that is, the Mitzvah It was made without love and fear of Hashem), is a Mitzvah That's the main thing, the action, but it doesn't "fly," just as a dove without wings couldn't fly.

But there's a problem: the love and fear of Hashem They are also Mitzvot, So how can we call them "wings," that is, something secondary, when in reality they are the main thing and not secondary?

The Alter Rebbe explains that the goal of love is Hashem (He talks about fear in the next chapter.) It serves as motivation to fulfill Mitzvot. We are not at the level of the Righteous, so we cannot feel true love for Hashem (for them, love to Hashem It is “the dove” itself, not a “wing.” That is why the love of Hashem For us it's like a "wing," because it helps "the dove" to "fly," that is, to allow another Mitzvah rise to Hashem.