In the previous chapter, the Alter Rebbe explained two paths to loving. Hashem, ...the "vital love" and the love as felt by a child who loves their father. A road connects two cities. There are roads that wind, climb and descend mountains, etc., and there are straight roads. The levels of love to Hashem The paths that the Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapter are winding because, despite being natural to the soul of every Jew because they are an inheritance from our patriarchs, they need help from Hashem to reveal them in the heart.
In this chapter the Alter Rebbe explains a straight path to love. HashemThe path of compassion. This path will help us to fulfill the Mitzvot and study the Torah for the love of Hashem (lishmá).
What is compassion? Compassion is a feeling of pity and tenderness for someone going through a difficult time. And what does this have to do with service to HashemWho is going through a tough time?
The Alter Rebbe explains that there is a spark of Hashem which resides within our Divine Soul and gives it life. In turn, the Divine Soul is in exile within our body and Animal Soul. Let us imagine that this divine spark was in Paradise, enjoying the presence of Hashem, And he descended to this material world to concern himself with everyday matters, and worse still, to concern himself with things that have nothing to do with Judaism, and he drifted further and further away from Hashem. It's like descending from a high mountain into a very low well. That's how that Divine spark descended.
That Divine spark is going through a difficult time. We must awaken in our hearts a profound compassion for it. It's like having compassion for Hashem himself, who is as if locked in this world.
The Alter Rebbe explains this concept with the example of Jacob and Rachel.1. Because what the Torah The stories about our patriarchs are not just historical accounts, but also hold spiritual significance. When Jacob met Rachel, he wept and then kissed her. Jacob represents compassion, and Rachel represents the Divine Soul.
Awakening compassion for our soul is like Jacob weeping for Rachel. That compassion becomes the motivation to think about Hashem, study Torah and comply Mitzvot. That represents Jacob kissing Rachel. In other words, Jacob's kiss to Rachel symbolizes the soul uniting with Hashem through Torah y Mitzvot. Compassion for the soul leads us to unite with Hashem And that allows the “deep Love” in our hearts to be revealed.
And that's the straight path. It's direct and doesn't need the help of Hashem To get through it, it's just a matter of awakening that compassion.
1Genesis 29:10-11