A New Tanya class By Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz ״Studying Torah with Love & Awe draws down the greatest light to this world” Tanya Last Essays Number 1 The Alter Rebbe starts by saying to to look deeply into the first section of Tanya chapter 40. There the Alter Rebbe explains that by Studying Torah & Doing Mitzvot we create a oneness with Hashem & by adding Love & Awe we take the Torah & Mitzvot out of this world & we bring that oneness to the infinite light of Hashem. On one hand love & Awe on its own don’t accomplish much as you need Torah & Mitzvot to create the Union, however on the other hand when its connected to Torah & Mitzvot it brings it to the highest places. Like the analogy of the Bird where the main part is the head & body & it’s kosher with out wings on the other hand it can’t fly with out wings. The Alter Rebbe begins with the question: How by reading stories in the Torah are you connected with חכמה עילאה? When you learn Torah so as your comprehending the Torah your connected to the intellect of Hashem, when your learning the Halacha your connected to the will of Hashem, even though the stories have deep mystical insights for example וישק יעקב לרחל which is seemingly a simple story however it’s a reference of huge levels of רחמים coming down to כנסת ישראל however most people don’t know the mystical insights. The Alter Rebbe quotes from the Zohar that when one studies Torah down here the דיוקן האדם העליון למעלה studies Torah as well so even though when studying the stories we are not connected to the חכמה עילאה thru the stories we are nevertheless connected via the source of our soul that is studying on high & the source is connected with חכמה עילאה. This connection that the source of the soul is connected to חכמה עילאה applies as well when one just thinks words of Torah. However when one uses his speech to study Torah if he’s totally nullified to Hashem than he’s elevated to the world of Atzilut. If one uses his intellect to inspire his emotions than he’s elevated to the world of Beriah. If one just uses his natural emotions of love & Awe than he’s elevated to the world of Yetzirah. If one just reads the words than he’s elevated to the 10 sefirot of of Asiyah as you pierce thru from this physical world to the spiritual world of Asiyah. However thru meditation with out saying the words the only way your connected to חכמה עילאה is with your source of your soul on high that is studying simultaneously with you. The Alter Rebbe poses a question as we know the Zohar says that the meditation does not create any effect even for good things how come we just said that it does have an effect thru your soul on high? The Alter Rebbe explains that meditation does create the soul on high to create light & energy however it stays on high. When one uses his speech to study or action to do Mitzvot than the light & energy goes on high & draws down the light & energy back in this world. Therefore you have not fulfilled your obligation of your soul coming down to this world to bring light into the physical. In order for the Torah & Mitzvot to be elevated one has to have Awe & Love. The Alter Rebbe asks that we learnt that saying the words does get elevated even with out love & Awe. The Alter Rebbe explains with out love & Awe the elevation is only to external levels not the internal levels like the Sefirot or in the soul of אדם העליון even in the internal level of עשיה as the Zohar says with out love & Awe it can’t rise to the level of קדם ה׳ however with love & awe it’s elevated to the internal sefirot to be קדם ה׳. A Project of Chabad Lubavitch of Southwest Florida 5620 Winkler Road Fort Myers, FL 33919 239-433-7708 www.Chabadswf.org Rabbi@chabadswf.org A Special thanks to Warren Kahminsky for Video Taping the Class Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/zfp6pbb_YKk Brought to you by: ALL THINGS PODCAST Contact us for all your podcast needs: podcast@habet.dev