"And you shall love Hashem your Elohim"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi talks about the pleasure that God takes in the children of Yisrael when they are in their own land, and the anguish He feels when they are in exile. Rabbi Yosi emphasizes that there is no worship like the love of God. Rabbi Aba concurs, saying that love is the essence of the Torah. He says that you must love God with both your good and your evil heart and with your good and your evil soul. Rabbi Aba gives the example of Abraham, who gave up his own wishes, his son, his wife and his money for the love of God; this is why he was given the crown of Chesed, and why all the worlds were blessed for his sake. Rabbi Yosi tells the rabbis that the righteous have many dwellings in the world beyond, and the highest of all is for those who are connected to the love of God, and their chamber is connected to the highest chamber, that is called Love. Everything is called love and therefore whoever loves God is connected to that love.

Love

136. "And you shall love Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 6:5). Rabbi Yosi opened, "Now therefore, what have I here, says Hashem, that My people is taken away for naught..." (Yeshayah 52:5). Come and see the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, for Yisrael. Even though transgressions caused His departure from among them and they dispersed among the nations, He demands satisfaction for their insult. Come and see, when Yisrael live in their land and the Holy One, blessed be He, takes delight in His garden, MALCHUT, and comes near Yisrael, and hears their voices, He praises Himself with them.

136. וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. רַבִּי יוֹסִי פָּתַח, וְעַתָּה מַה לִי פֺה נְאֻם יְיָ' כִּי לֻקַּח עַמִּי חִנָּם וְגוֹ.' ת"ח, רְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אע"ג דְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ גָּרְמוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְבָּדָּרוּ בֵּינֵי עַמָמַיָא, הוּא תָּבַע עֶלְבּוֹנָא דִּלְהוֹן. וְת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעֲהוֹן, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בְּגִנְתֵּיהּ, וְקָרִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְשָׁמַע קַלֵּיהוֹן, וְאִשְׁתְּבַּח בְּהוּ.

Holy Land Shechinah

137. When their transgressions caused Yisrael to become exiled from the Holy Land, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not enter His garden, MALCHUT, and takes no delight in it. Moreover, He cries out and says, "Now therefore, what have I here, says Hashem." It is written elsewhere, "here will I dwell; for I have desired it" (Tehilim 132:14). AS "HERE" IN THE LATTER IS THE SHECHINAH, SO "HERE" IN THE FORMER IS THE SHECHINAH. "My people is taken away for naught" is the same as, "You were sold for naught" (Yeshayah 52:3).

137. כֵּיוָן דְּגַרְמוּ חוֹבַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְגְּלֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא עָאל בְּגִנְתֵּיהּ, וְלָא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בֵּיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ צָוַוח וְאָמַר, וְעַתָּה מַה לִּי פֺה נְאֻם יְיָ,' וּכְתִיב הָתָם פֺּה אֵשֵׁב כִּי אִוִּיתִיהָ. כִּי לֻקַּח עַמִּי חִנָּם, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, חִנָּם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם.

Heavens Love Ten Ten Commandments Torah

138. Ever since the day Yisrael were exiled from their country there is no joy before the Holy One, blessed be He. This is the meaning of, "I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering" (Yeshayah 50:3). All this is for the love the Holy One, blessed be He, has for them, as it is written, "I have loved you, says Hashem" (Malachi 1:2). Hence, "And you shall love Hashem your Elohim." "And you shall love" MEANS that man should be connected to Him with supernal love that at every worship man should serve the Holy One, blessed be He; let him perform it with love. For there is no worship like the love for the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Aba said, These things, NAMELY LOVE, are the essence of the Torah, since the Ten Commandments are included here. The friends have already explained it.

138. וּמֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְגְּלִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעֲהוֹן, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח חֶדְוָותָא קָמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. הה"ד, אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת וְשַׂק אָשִׂים כְּסוּתָם. וְכָל דָּא, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן, דְּרָחִים לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ.' וְעַל דָּא וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. וְאָהַבְתָּ: דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בֵּיהּ בִּרְחִימוּתָא עִלָּאָה, דְּכָל פּוּלְחָנָא דְּבָעֵי ב"נ לְמִפְלַח לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּיִפְלַח בִּרְחִימוּ. דְּלֵית לָךְ פּוּלְחָנָא, כְּמוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. ר' אַבָּא אָמַר, הָנֵי מִלֵּי כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִינּוּן, בְּגִין דַּעֲשַׂר אֲמִירָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, הָכָא אִתְכְּלִילוּ, וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא.

Evil Heart Soul, The

139. Come and see, nothing is more precious before the Holy One, blessed be He, than he who loves Him properly. This accords with the verse, "with all your heart" (Devarim 6:5). What is meant by "all"? It should have said, 'with your heart' AND ALSO 'with your soul, and with your might.' What is, "with all your heart"? AND HE ANSWERS, Its purpose is to include two hearts, a good one and an evil. "With all your soul" (Ibid.) IS WITH TWO SOULS, a good one and an evil. "With all your might" (Ibid.) IS LITERAL AND needs no interpreting. Rabbi Elazar said, Even this needs interpreting. The reason is that whether he receives money as an inheritance or from another source, or whether he earns it, it is written of it, "with all your might."

139. ת"ח, לֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמַאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת. וּמַה הוּא. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ. בְּכָל, מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי, בִּלְבָבְךָ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. בְּנַפְשְׁךָ, בִּמְאֺדֶךָ, מַהוּ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ. אֶלָּא לְאַכְלְלָא תְּרֵין לִבִּין, חַד טַב וְחַד בִּישׁ. בְּכָל נַפְשְׁךָ: חַד טַב, וְחַד בִּישׁ. בְּכָל מְאֺדֶךָ, דָּא לָא אַתְיָא לִדְּרָשָׁא. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, וַאֲפִילּוּ הַאי לִדְּרָשָׁא הוּא. מ"ט. בֵּין דְּנָפַל לֵיהּ מָמוֹנָא מִיְּרוּתָא, אוֹ מִסִּטְרָא אַחֲרָא, אוֹ בֵּין דְּאִיהוּ רָוַוח לֵיהּ, וְע"ד כְּתִיב בְּכָל מְאֺדֶךָ.

Abraham Body Directions Heart Love Soul, The

140. א"ר אַבָּא, אַהֲדַרְנָא לַקְּרָא וְאָהַבְתָּ. מַאן דְּרָחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִתְעֲטָּר בְּחֶסֶד מִכָּל סִטְרִין, וְעָבֵיד חֶסֶד בְּכֺלָּא, וְלָא חָיֵיס עַל גּוּפֵיהּ וְעַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ. מְנָלָן. מֵאַבְרָהָם. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, דְּהָא לָא חָס בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, עַל לִבֵּיהּ, וְעַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְעַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ.

Abraham Chassidim Crowns Heart Koh Love Shechinah Soul, The

141. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS: His own heart means that ABRAHAM did not pay attention to his own wishes for love of his Master; his soul means that he had no pity on his son and his wife for love of his Master; his money means that he used to stand at the crossroads and prepare nourishment for the whole world. For that reason he was adorned with a crown of kindness, NAMELY THE SFIRAH OF CHESED, as it is written, "loyal love (Heb. Chesed) to Abraham" (Michah 7:20). Whoever is connected to the love for his Master merits that. Moreover, all the worlds are blessed for his sake. This is the meaning of, "and Your pious ones shall bless You (Heb. yevarchuchah)" (Tehilim 145:10). Do not pronounce it as "shall bless You," but 'shall bless (Heb. yevarchu) koh.' THIS MEANS THAT THE PIOUS ONES (HEB. CHASSIDIM), NAMELY THOSE WHO ATTAINED THE SFIRAH OF CHESED, SHALL BLESS THE SHECHINAH CALLED 'KOH.' THUS EVEN THE SHECHINAH IS BLESSED FOR THEIR SAKES.

141. עַל לִבֵּיהּ לָא אַשְׁגַּח, עַל רְעוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ, דְּלָא חָס עַל בְּרֵיהּ, וְעַל אִתְּתֵיהּ, בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ. עַל מָמוֹנֵיהּ, דַּהֲוָה קָאֵים בְּפָרָשַׁת אָרְחִין, וְאַתְקִין מְזוֹנֵי לְכָל עָלְמָא. בג"כ, אִתְעֲטָּר בְּעִטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם. וּמַאן דְּאִתְקְשַּׁר בִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, זָכָה לְהַאי. וְלֺֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכָן בְּגִינֵיהּ. הה"ד, וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה, אַל תִּקְרֵי יְבָרְכוּכָה, אֶלָּא יְבָרְכוּ כֺּ"ה.

Balsam Face Heart Illness Rivers Soul, The Suffering Thirteen

142. One day Rabbi Yosi was ill. Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Yehuda visited him. They saw him prostrated on his face, sleeping. When he awoke FROM HIS SLEEP, they saw his face smiling. Rabbi Aba said to him, You have seen something new. He said to them, Indeed, for my soul rose and saw the glory of those who suffered martyrdom for the sanctity of their Master going into thirteen rivers of pure balsam and the Holy One, blessed be He, taking delight in them. I saw what I was given no permission to relate. I asked them saying, Whose glory is this, and they told me it is that of those who loved their Master in that world, NAMELY THIS WORLD. From what my soul has seen, my heart is illuminated. Hence my face is smiling.

142. יוֹמָא חַד, הֲוָה חָלַשׁ רַבִּי יוֹסִי, עָאל לְגַבֵּיהּ, ר' אַבָּא וְר' יְהוּדָה וְר' יִצְחָק, חָמוּ לֵיהּ, דַּהֲוָה נָפִיל עַל אַנְפּוֹי, וְנָאִים. יָתְבוּ. כַּד אִתְּעַר, חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְאַנְפּוֹי דְּחַיְיכִין. א"ל ר' אַבָּא, מִלָּה חַדְתָּא חֲמֵיתָא. א"ל וַדַּאי, דְּהַשְׁתָּא סַלְּקָא נַפְשִׁי, וְחָמֵית יְקָרָא, מֵאִינּוּן דְּמָסָרוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ עַל קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, דַּהֲווֹ עָאלִין בִּתְלֵיסָר נַהֲרֵי דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בְּהוּ. וַחֲמֵינָא מַה דְּלָא יָהֲבוּ לִי רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵימַר. וְשָׁאִילְנָא לוֹן, אֲמֵינָא, הַאי יְקָרָא דְּמַאן הוּא. אָמְרוּ לִי, מֵאִינּוּן דִּרְחִימוּ לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וּמִמָּה דְּחָמִית נַפְשָׁאי וְלִבָּאי אִתְנְהִיר, וְעַל דָּא אַנְפָּאִי חַיְּיכִין.

Eyes Torah Witnesses

Atika Kadisha Eyes Keter Love Temple, The

144. He said to him, We have learned that, yet its secret is the words, "to behold the beauty of Hashem, and to inquire in His temple" (Tehilim 27:4). We have explained that "the beauty of Hashem" is THE PLENTY coming from Atika Kadisha, WHICH IS KETER, in which the Holy One, blessed be He, takes delight. For that beauty comes out of Atika. "to inquire in His temple" refers to the highest temple, BINAH. Here too, "neither has the eye seen, that an Elohim, beside You, should do." Who SHALL DO? That most hidden Atika, for that PLENTY comes from it. HENCE "SHOULD DO" IS WRITTEN IN THE THIRD PERSON. He said to him, It is surely so. Happy is the portion of those whose Master's love cleaves to them. Their portion in that world is immeasurable.

144. א"ל, הָא אִתְּמַר. אֲבָל רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֺעַם יְיָ' וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ. וְאוֹקְמוּהָ, נֺעַם יְיָ,' הַהוּא דְּאַתְיָא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתַּעֲשָׁע בֵּיהּ. דְּהָא הַהוּא נֺעַם מֵעַתִּיקָא נָפְקָא. וּלְבַקֵּר בְּהֵיכָלוֹ, בְּהֵיכָלָא עִילָּאָה עַל כֺּלָּא. אוּף הָכָא עַיִן לֺֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתְךָ יַעֲשֶׂה, מַאן, הַהוּא עַתִּיקָא סְתִימָא דְּכֺלָּא, דְּהָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא, א"ל וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן, דִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן מִתְדַּבְּקָן בְּהוּ, לְאִלֵּין לֵית שִׁעוּרָא לְחוּלָקֵהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא.

Chambers Dwellings Love Righteous

145. אָמַר ר' יִצְחָק, כַּמָה מָדוֹרִין עַל מָדוֹרִין אִית לְהוּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וּמָדוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּכֺלָּא, אִינּוּן דִּרְחִימוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן אִתְקְשַּׁר בְּהוּ, דְּהָא מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן אִתְקְשַּׁר בְּהֵיכָלָא דְּסָלִיק עַל כֺּלָּא. מ"ט, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי אִתְעֲטָּר.

Chambers Eden Holy Name Keter Love Rivers Tetragrammaton Waters Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

146. Come and see, this HIGHEST chamber is called love, and everything is based on love, as it is written, "Many waters cannot quench love" (Shir Hashirim 8:7). Everything is based on love, because the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, is this way. For we have explained that Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, its higher tip, WHICH IS KETER, is never separated from it, since KETER rests on it with love and never separates from it. As for Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH IS BINAH, it has been explained that Yud, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, never separates from it and they are together lovingly, NOT separated from each other. Such is Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, as we learned that it accords with the words, "And a river went out of Eden" (Beresheet 2:10). THE RIVER IS BINAH AND EDEN IS CHOCHMAH. BINAH always comes out OF CHOCHMAH, and they cleave always with love.

146. ת"ח, הֵיכָלָא דָּא, אַהֲבָה אִתְקְרֵי, וּבְגִין אַהֲבָה קַיְּימָא כֺּלָּא. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, מַיִם רַבִּים לֺֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. וְכֺלָּא בִּרְחִימוּתָא קַיְּימָא, דְּהָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא הָכִי אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, י' לָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ קוֹצָא דִּלְעֵילָּא מִן י' לְעָלְמִין. דְּהָא בִּרְחִימוּתָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ, וְלָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין. ה,' הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּיוֹד לָא מִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנָהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כַּחֲדָא בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא, לָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא ה' וְהָא אִתְּמַר, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן, יוֹצֵא תָּדִיר לְעָלְמִין, בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִתְדַּבְּקָן.

Bride Love Zeir Anpin

147. ו"ה כַּד אִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא, אִתְדַּבְּקָן בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא כַּחֲדָא, חָתָן בְּכַלָּה, דְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח. י' בְּה,' ה' עִם ו,' ו' עִם ה.' וְדָא בְּדָא אִתְקְשַּׁר בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא. וְכֺלָּא אַהֲבָה אִקְרֵי. וְע"ד מַאן דְּרָחִים לְמַלְכָּא, הָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא אַהֲבָה. וּבג"כ, וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.