[The Alter Rebbe now explains that there are also two general levels in the love of G-d.

The higher level is called ahavah rabbah ("great love").

It is a gift from above, granted to an individual after he has attained the level of yirah ila'ah.

This love is so lofty that one cannot hope to achieve it unaided.

The second and lower level of love is attained by contemplating G-d's greatness.

It is called ahavat olam ("eternal love," and more literally, "love of the world"), because it emanates from one's comprehension of the world, i.e., from one's appreciation of the G-dly life-force that animates the world].

Now, in love too there are two grades - ahavah rabbah and ahavat olam. Ahavah rabbah is a love of delight [and ecstasy], [a love of G-d which delights in Him.

There is no other desire or goal present, such as the desire to cleave to Him or to expire in one's yearning for Him. The love itself is comprised purely of delight in Him and cleaving to Him], and it is a fiery flame that rises of itself.

[Man does not create or kindle this love within himself; rather, it comes forth spontaneously], and it comes from above by way of a gift to him who is perfect in fear, as is known from the saying of the Rabbis, of blessed memory: [11] "The way of a man is to search for a woman."

[And in spiritual terms]: Love is called "man" or "male", as it is written: [12] "He has remembered his lovingkindness."

[The second letter of the verb (Zochar) is vocalized with a patach; changing this vowel to a kamatz makes it mean "male" (Zochor). Thus, love is alluded to as "male"], while a woman [symbolizes] "fear of G-d," as is known.

[The connection between a female and the fear of G-d is alluded to by the verse that says, [13] "a G-d-fearing woman."

This, then, is the spiritual meaning of the statement of the Sages, "The way of a man is to search for a woman": the level of love ("man") is revealed from above ("to search for") where the level of fear ("woman") is already present and complete].

Without the prerequisite of fear, it is impossible to attain the level of ahavah rabbah, for this love originates from the realm of Atzilut wherein there is no sundering or separateness, G-d forbid.

[In the World of Atzilut nothing exists which is separate from G-dliness; nothing at that level feels that it exists independently of G-d, and everything in Atzilut is totally nullified to G-dliness.

Understandably, the love that emanates from such a level cannot light upon one whose fear of G-d is imperfect, and who still perceives himself as existing independently of Him. Complete self-abnegation is a prerequisite for this level of love].

Ahavat olam, however, [the second and lower level of love], is that which comes from the understanding and knowledge of the greatness of G-d, the blessed Ein Sof, Who fills all worlds, [animating them with a permeating mode of vitality, which is limited and tailored to the capacity of each creature, and encompasses all worlds, animating them with a vitality which transcends them, not being limited by the worlds and created beings it animates], and before Whom everything is accounted as nothing at all, like the nullity of one utterance within the intelligent soul while it is still in its thought or in the desire of the heart, as has been explained earlier. [14]

As a result of such contemplation the attribute of love which is in the soul will as a matter of course divest itself of its garments, [which it had previously worn.

This means to say that the individual will cease loving those things he had previously loved (this love having previously led him to vest himself in those things), and all his love will be directed to G-d alone].

I.e., it will not clothe itself in anything of pleasure or enjoyment whether physical or spiritual, to love it, and will not desire anything whatever in the world other than G-d alone, the Source of the vitality of all enjoyments, for they are all nullified in reality and are accounted as nothing at all, compared with Him, there being no manner of comparison or similitude between them, G-d forbid - between all worldly pleasures and G-d, the "Source of the vitality" of all pleasures, just as there is no comparison between that which is absolutely naught and nothing - and everlasting life.

[Reflecting on this matter will lead the person to desire G-d alone, and not to desire any worldly pleasures at all, seeking as he will the Source of all pleasures, which is G-dliness].

As it is written, [15] "Whom have I in Heaven [to love other than G-d]?" [The verse goes on to say]: "And there is nothing upon earth that I desire with You."

[This means to say that anything "with You" - that is subjugated and nullified to G-d - is not desired as well].

[The next verse continues]: "My flesh and my heart yearn for You, Rock of my heart...," as [the various levels of love a Jew may attain by contemplating G-d's greatness] will be explained later. [16]

[All the above refers to a person who has a love for worldly matters, and divests himself of this love because of his contemplation of G-d's greatness. His love will then be felt for G-d rather than for mundane things.

However, he who by nature is cold and removed from any feelings of love, whether to G-d or otherwise, cannot simply transfer his love. It is much more difficult for such a person to awaken a feeling of love for G-d.

Nevertheless, the Alter Rebbe goes on to say, even he can arouse within himself a fiery love for G-d through the above-mentioned contemplation].

Also he, whose soul's attribute of love is not vested at all in any physical or spiritual enjoyment, is able to kindle his soul as with burning coals and an intense fire and a flame that soars heavenward, by contemplating the above-mentioned matters, as shall be explained later on.

[It has previously been noted that the higher level of love can come about only after one's fear of G-d is total.

However, the lower level of love may sometimes come about, as shall soon be explained, even without being preceded by the fear of G-d].

This [latter] category of love sometimes precedes fear, according to the quality of the Daat which fathers it, as is known. ([9] For Daat incorporates both Chassadim and Gevurot, which are love and fear; [Chessed is love and Gevurah is fear. Daat reveals both these emotions. Thus, binding one's Daat intensely to the greatness of G-d gives rise to both feelings, fear and love], and sometimes the Chassadim descend and manifest themselves first).

[The Chassadim may sometimes precede the Gevurot; this means that Daat may sometimes evoke love before fear].

Therefore it is possible for a wicked and sinful person to repent by virtue of the love that is born in his heart at the time he remembers the L-rd his G-d.

[Although up to the point of his repentance he was wicked, and lacked a fear of G-d, still there may be born in him a love for G-d that will lead him to repent].

At any rate, fear, too, is included therein - [in the love], as a matter of course, except that it is [there] in a state of "minuteness" and "concealment", namely, as the fear of sin - of rebelling against Him, G-d forbid, while the love is in a revealed state in his heart and mind, [so that consciously the individual is only aware of a love for G-d].

However, such a case - [where the wicked and sinful person should suddenly attain a love of G-d and become a penitent - where love precedes fear] is an extraordinary occurrence, and an "emergency prescription," through G-d's particular providence as the occasion requires, as happened with Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya, [17] [who had been sinful, and suddenly became a penitent, repenting out of a love for G-d.

Indeed, so intense was his penitence that it caused his soul to depart his body.

This was an "emergency prescription" required for that occasion.

For it is written [18] that Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya was a gilgul - the reincarnated soul - of Yochanan the High Priest, who served in that office for eighty years and then became a Sadducee. [19]

All the Torah and mitzvot fulfilled by Yochanan were elevated through the transmigration of his soul into the body of Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya, whose life-story followed the reverse course, that of a sinner who ultimately repented out of his love for G-d]. [20]

However, the [regular] order of divine service, which is determined by and depends on a man's choice, is to begin with the fulfillment of the Torah and mitzvot through yirah tata'ah in its state of "minuteness" at least, departing from evil and doing good, [i.e., refraining from committing any sins and performing all the mitzvot], so as to illuminate his divine soul with the light of the Torah and its commandments, whereupon the light of love will also shine upon it, ([9] for the word ve'ahavta, ("And you shall love [the L-rd your G-d]") has a numerical value twice that of or ("light"), as is known to those who are familiar with the Esoteric Discipline [of the Kabbalah]).

[Thus, first must come the illumination earned by the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot; only then can one be granted the illumination of experiencing a love of G-d.

   

Notes:

9. (Back to text) Parentheses are in the original text.

11. (Back to text) Kiddushin 2b.

12. (Back to text) Tehillim 98:3.

13. (Back to text) Mishlei 31:30.

14. (Back to text) Chs. 20-21.

15. (Back to text) Tehillim 73:25-26.

16. (Back to text) In ch. 44.

17. (Back to text) See Avodah Zarah 17a.

18. (Back to text) In Likkutei Torah of the AriZal, Tehillim 32.

19. (Back to text) See Berachot 29a.

20. (Back to text) The Rebbe Shlita cites the letter of the previous Rebbe, printed at the end of Kuntres HaAvodah, which states that the Alter Rebbe here speaks of Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya's love for G-d, even though the plain meaning of the narrative would seem to highlight only his repentance. True enough, the experience of ahavat olam alone would not be expected to bring about klot hanefesh, the expiry of his soul. Both love and repentance, however, were present here; indeed, his teshuvah was so intense that his soul left his body while he shed tears of contrition.