An additional [virtue in mitzvot involving action (aside from their function in elevating one's animal soul, mentioned above), is that]: the vitalizing soul's energy clothed in the [utterance of] letters of one's speech in Torah study, prayer or the like, or [the energy clothed in the performance of] mitzvot involving action, derives its entire growth and vitality from the blood, which is of kelipat nogah itself, meaning all the food and drink that one has eaten and drunk, and which have become blood.

These were under the dominion of kelipat nogah and drew their vitality from it.

Now [that the person performs a mitzvah with the energy derived from this food and drink] this kelipah is transformed from evil to good and is absorbed into holiness, by means of the energy of the animal soul that grows from it [i.e., the energy nourished by those objects that derive their vitality from this kelipah], which has now clothed itself in these letters [of Torah and prayer] or in the performance of this mitzvah, which actually constitute the unveiled expression of the inner aspect of G-d's Will.

For their vitality [the vitality expended in performing mitzvot] is also absorbed [like the mitzvot themselves] into the blessed Ein Sof-light, which is His Will [as expressed in mitzvot], and with their vitality the energy of the animal soul is likewise elevated and absorbed [into the Ein Sof-light;

And since the energy necessary for performing mitzvot was supplied by food and drink, the vitality of the food and drink is likewise absorbed in the Ein Sof-light, together with the mitzvah whose performance it made possible].

Thereby, all of kelipat nogah, which constitutes the vitality of this physical and corporeal world as a whole, will ascend as well.

[When will this come about?]

When the whole neshamah, the divine soul [4] in all of Israel, which is divided into 600,000 particular offshoots [the standard figure for the members of the Jewish nation, all individual souls being further subdivisions of these 600,000 "general" souls, as will be explained further] will fulfill, each individual soul thereof, the 613 mitzvot of the Torah:

[When they will refrain from transgressing] the 365 prohibitions, to restrain the 365 blood vessels of the animal soul in the body, so that they do not draw nurture or receive vitality by means of such transgression, from [any one of] the three completely unclean kelipot from which are derived the 365 Biblical prohibitions, and the Rabbinical prohibitions - their offshoots.

[Since all that derives its vitality from the three wholly unclean kelipot cannot rise to holiness, were a Jew to transgress any prohibition, and thereby cause the particular blood-vessel associated with that prohibition to receive vitality from these kelipot] - the vitalizing soul could not longer ascend to G-d, having been tainted by the impurity of the three impure kelipot.

[For] these [kelipot] can never be elevated, but must be nullified and utterly destroyed, as it is written, [5] "And I shall drive out the unclean spirit from the earth."

[Similarly, anything which derives its vitality from them can never ascend to holiness. Therefore, only the observance of all the 365 prohibitions allows the entire vital soul to ascend, without any part of it held back by the impurity of these kelipot.

When, furthermore, every individual soul will fulfill] also the 248 positive commandments, thereby drawing down the blessed Ein Sof-light below, to elevate to Him and to bind and unite with Him the entire vital soul, which is in the 248 limbs of the body, in perfect unity, [such is the effect of a mitzvah in uniting the vital, animal soul with G-d], so that they become actually one [with Him], in accordance with His Will that there be an abode for Him in the lower realms.

And [so great is this unity that they [the limbs of the body with the vitality of the animal soul invested in them] become a "chariot" for G-d, as were the Patriarchs - [whose every limb was in total submission to the Divine Will, wherefore they are designated as G-d's "chariots" - and so will every Jew become a chariot by performing the mitzvot].

   

Notes:

4. (Back to text) The Rebbe Shlita asks the following question: We are speaking here of the vital soul's energy which is clothed in the letters of Torah study, prayer, and the performance of divine commandments. This energy comes from the person's food and drink, which is under the dominion of kelipat nogah. And it is through the vitalizing soul that the life-force of kelipat nogah is transformed and absorbed into holiness. Moreover, the Alter Rebbe is now about to explain more specifically how the vitalizing soul (and through it the general vitality of this world) is united with G-d's Will and infinite light through the performance of both the positive and prohibitive commands of the Torah.

   This being so, why does the Alter Rebbe interpolate the phrase, "When the whole neshamah, the divine soul in all of Israel," when we are in reality speaking of the vitalizing soul?

   The Rebbe Shlita says that the answer may possibly lie in the fact that a certain number of the 613 commandments are carried out through a person's thought processes. The effect of the vitalizing soul, however, is felt mostly in those matters that relate to speech and action, inasmuch as the vitalizing soul is bound up with the corporeal limbs and organs. These are utilized for those commandments that are performed through action or speech.

   Conversely, the commandments performed through the person's thought are for the most part carried out by the divine soul without the intermediacy of the vitalizing soul. The term "divine soul" is therefore used here, for the ultimate source of power that enables a person to perform all the commandments is the divine soul.

5. (Back to text) Zechariah 13:2.