A greater and more intense love than this [i.e., than the love which results from realizing that G-d is one's true soul and life], a love which is likewise concealed in every soul of Israel as an inheritance from our ancestors, is that which is defined in Ra'aya Mehemna, [9] [in description of Moses' divine service]: "Like a son who strives for the sake of his father and mother, whom he loves even more than his own body, soul and spirit,... [sacrificing his life for his father and mother in order to redeem them from captivity."

This manner of service is not limited to Moses alone: it is within the province of every Jew], for [10] "have we not all one Father?"

[Just as Moses possessed this love because G-d is his Father, so, too, every Jew can possess this love, for G-d is equally our Father.

This level of love is more selfless than that described by the phrase, "My soul, I desire You." For love which results from realizing that G-d is one's true life will only be as intense as a person's desire for life itself. It will not demand total self-sacrifice, which is the opposite of life. The love of a child for his parent, however, is not limited to his love for life; his parents' lives take precedence over his own, and he is ready to give his very life in order to save theirs].

And although [one may ask], who is the man and where is he, who would dare presume in his heart to approach and attain even a thousandth part of the degree of love felt by Moses, "The Faithful Shepherd," [how, then, do we say that every Jew can feel the same love of G-d that Moses felt]?

Nevertheless a minute portion and particle of his great goodness and light illumines the community of Israel in each generation, as it is stated in the Tikkunim, [11] that "an emanation from him [Moses] is present in every generation,""...[12] "To illumine them."

[Since this luminous particle is found in all Jews in all generations, it thus becomes possible for every Jew - through Moses' goodness and light - to feel the love that he possesses as an inheritance from the Patriarchs in a manner similar to that of Moses]. [13]

Only, the glow [from Moses' soul] is present in the souls of all Israel in a manner of great obscurity and concealment.

But to bring forth this hidden love from its latency and concealment to a state of revelation, so that it will be manifest in his heart and mind, is [14] "not beyond reach, nor is it afar off, but it is very close to you, in your mouth and heart."

That is to say, it should be habitual with his tongue and voice to arouse the intention of his heart and mind, [for [15] "the sound of one's voice arouses the devout concentration" of heart and mind], so as to immerse his thought in the Life of life, the blessed Ein Sof, for He is literally our true Father and the Source of our life, and to awaken our love for Him like the love of a son for his father.

And when one accustoms himself to this continually, habit will become nature.

   

Notes:

9. (Back to text) Zohar III, 281a.

10. (Back to text) Malachi 2:10.

11. (Back to text) Tikkun 69, 112a; 114a.

12. (Back to text) Cf. Zohar III, 216b; 273a.

13. (Back to text) The Rebbe Shlita responds to a question that may very well arise:

    It was previously explained that the love every Jew has for G-d is an inheritance from the Patriarchs. Here, however, we learn that it is because Moses possessed such a love for G-d, and there is an emanation of him present in every Jew in each generation.

    The discrepancy cannot be explained by saying that since this love is concealed in the heart, it is Moses' emanation that enables a Jew to reveal it, for the revelation of love (which is about to be spoken of) is unconnected with the emanation from Moses.

    The Rebbe Shlita explains: While it is indeed true that this love is an inheritance from the Patriarchs, yet the manner and intensity of this love is received from Moses. We need the emanation from Moses in order to ensure that the love be like the love of a child for his parents, a love so strong that the child is totally nullified to them and is ready to give his very life for them. For such was the manner of divine service and the love of Moses, and a minute particle of this love was transmitted by him to all Jews.

    A wise man who by nature is drawn to the attribute of kindness, severity, or mercy will find that his wisdom enables him to achieve these traits in a wise manner. So, too, when one accomplishes self-abnegation it will enhance his natural attribute of love for G-d, so that it will be felt in a manner of self-nullification.

    Moses, whose essence was Daat and self-nullification, loved G-d with these traits. And as a "faithful shepherd" he emanated these traits to all of Jewry as well.

    This is why - the Rebbe Shlita says - the Alter Rebbe also quotes the beginning of the text in the Zohar, namely, "Like a son who strives for the sake of his father and mother," which describes the manner of service, instead of beginning only with the continuation of the sentence in the Zohar, that speaks of the love itself - "whom he loves even more...." For he does not mean to say that a minute portion of Moses' love becomes the love of every Jew; he means to say that Moses' manner of service, which resulted from his love, emanates to each and every Jew.

14. (Back to text) Cf. Devarim 30:11, 14.

15. (Back to text) Shnei Luchot HaBrit.