LIKUTEI AMARIM

CHAPTER 17

PART 1

At this point we can understand the meaning of the Posuk "it is close/easy to feel it in your heart".

Some points on the effect that the feeling of love has on us, verses the effect that fear has on us.

What the Torah is seeking from us, is the creation of will, the will to connect. 
A Bal Shem Tov story of will.

Why this system of contemplation to create a will, works by Jews. Revealing our innate love of being Jewish. 

The purpose of our being. 

The most important concept we will need to understand: It is all about our action.

PART 2

The ability to overcome the emotions with proper thoughts, gets weakened every time we don't follow through.

A real Rasha is  one who is a habitual offender... His punishment is that the ability to control himself is taken from him.

The first step to become better, is Teshuva. By that, we mean, really breaking away from the sin/bad. Moving forward is not enough. 

Why is a broken heart so important to the act of Teshuva and why it doesn't cause depression.

The purpose of Karbanos / Sacrifice.

Insight into the letters of Hashem's name.

Insight into the spiritual DNA of this world (fragments of the world of Tehu).

CHAPTER 18

PART 1

We are introduced to a simple way on how to feel positive in everything jewish. 

Insight into the "Pintele Yid".

Besides the inherent love that a Jew has, we also have inherent fear (Yiras Shamayim), why is this necessary?

We have all these inherent spiritual gems as an inheritance from our forefathers. 

What made our forefathers so unique, and why did these traits become an inheritance to all Jews?

PART 2

How the Avos made it possible that at whichever level a Jew is at and whatever state they find themselves, they can always reconnect to Hashem. 

An overview and explanation of the four spiritual worlds, and how they affect all the different types of Jewish souls. 

Why we have this gift from the Avos, and the fact that it is not reversible by bad parents or bad behavior. 

Understanding the 10 Sefirot/elements that make up each world's reality and its effect on the Neshama.

PART 3

Understanding that even though there are many different levels of souls, they are all connected. Using the analogy of the many parts of a body unified together. 

Delving deeper into the soul to understand the ability of Chochmah. Using the analogy of stem cells. 

Emunah is not what we depend on when all else fails. It is the starting point to navigate through all life issues. Seeing this through Dovid Hamamelch. 

Emunah is actually a Jew's primary reaction. 

It is extraordinary that within Judaism, you find that even individuals that have been completely disengaged, have given up their life to preserve their faith.

CHAPTER 19

PART 1

Further discussion about the unbreakable bond that a Jew feels towards their Judaism. 

Understanding the analogy from Mishlay that compares a candle to a Jewish soul. 

The inner reason as to why a Jew always feels driven and is unsatisfied with the status quo. 

Understanding the self imposed limitations of one's statement "I can't, it's just who I am". 

Humbleness begets holiness and true vision.

PART 2

Understanding that the root of bad is haughtiness. 

Why the bad of the world are compared to blood sucking leeches. 

Why the evil are considered dead even while alive. 

Chochmah, the ability of the soul to achieve humbleness makes everything come alive. 

Explanation of how even the most negative of Jews can reconnect. Using the defibrillator as a metaphor for a test of faith, to bring the Jewish heart back.

PART 3

The soul's innate love of G-D is blocked by ones continuous pursuit of pleasure. Understood better through the analogy of an unhealthy lifestyle.

It is actually G-D's intention that we be challenged this way, so that we are able to uncover the strength to overcome. 

Theory- That the reason for one's irrational pursuit of pleasure stems from the super-rational yearning of the soul to G-D. 

Galus / Exile is often compared to sleeping and dreaming - the incredible insight this gives. 

The bad is always just a block on good... the good always remains intact and when it's revealed, it can change us completely in just one moment.

CHAPTER 20

At this point we have come to the realization that being Jewish is an innate relationship. The only reason one would be  able to transgress is the rationalization that a  particular act won't affect this relationship. 

Tanya wants to expand the innate bond to Judaism of not only being felt at extreme times, but in every detail in our lives. 

To realize the above we need to start looking at the world differently. As a place that is completely connected to G-D, even now.

Explaining the first two commandments. The significance of why only two of ten were heard directly from G-D.

Why is it so important to realize that G-D had not changed at all after the creation of the world, even though the world is so unG-Dly.

Understanding the power of speech and why we are sometimes misunderstood.

CHAPTER 21

The concept of speech as we understand and use it, verses how the Torah uses it regarding G-D.

The concept of thought as we have and use it verses how the Torah uses it regarding G-D.

Understanding that regarding us, only action actually creates. In contrast, every single attribute, speech, and thought of G-D's creates.

A better understanding of the 10 sayings that created the world. 

What the prophets saw in creation that made them unique. 

A deeper realization that everything in creation is always one with G-D. 

Using the analogy of a turtle or snail to better understand the blockages in our vision of the world.

 CHAPTER 22

PART 1

Further discussion regarding speech as an analogy to better understand how to see the world around us as a world intimately connected to G-D. 

A speaker can have one thought but to articulate that thought he would need an a abundance of words. 
The many entities in existence are just words and sentences to find G-D. 

The difficulty in seeing G-D in creation is not just our limitations but G-D himself made the world with very convoluted sentences... G-D hid himself. 

A takeaway from above is that when we see bad in the world we should know that even that is from G-D. There is purpose in bad as well as good.

Why we need to make a blessing on bad as we need to make on good. 

Using the analogy of two types of giving, one to keep a connection long after the giving, the other given in a way in which no connection remains. To understand the difference in seeing the world in a way that connects us to G-D or in a way that disconnects us from G-D. 

The reason for creating bad. How bad ends up destroying itself. How in the end the one message which is one G-D, will come through.

PART 2

How we look at idol worship is paramount in our service of Hashem. 

The world G-D created is a two way road, your either going in the right direction or the opposite direction. 

The root cause of death is an association with entities that cause a disconnect from G-D an ideal example would be Etz Hadaas.

Using the analogy of jail to understand the affect exile has on us. 

Understanding that at the heart of the matter, the attitude of an idol worshiper and someone that is arrogant is the same. 

Realizing that arrogance and haughtiness causes a blockage to connect us to G-D and our fellow Jew. This is the heart of bad.

CHAPTER 23

PART 1

The role of Mitzvot in creating unity. 

Using the analogy of a wedding to better understand Pnimius and Chitzonius (essential and superficial / inessential). 

The bond and unity that is caused between us and G-D when we do Mitzvot.

When we do a Mitzvah, we become an extension of G-D in the same manner as the Avos did. 

Recounting the analogy that the Alter Rebbe gave of the lengths that the king will go to save his child, to see the lengths we need to go to save another Jew.

PART 2

Torah is the way G-D sees creation. 

When one learns Torah and understands it, one starts seeing things the way G-D does. 

The unity that is accomplished by learning, far exceeds the unity accomplished through Mitzvot and even Tefilah.

The unity accomplished through Torah and Mitzvot here in this world, far exceeds anything in the spiritual world.

To better understand and relate to the existence of the upper spiritual worlds and Angels, we discuss politics as an analogy. 

The source to why sometimes in the middle of nothing in particular one becomes jolted and moved, to either do good or stop a bad. 

Just knowing about the bond that is accomplished through learning Torah, has a very deep effect on our emotions.

CHAPTER 24 

PART 1

Previously we discussed the unity of doing positive commandments. Now we will focus on the disconnect that is done by sinning.

One of the new insights that we should have is that the main value of a Mitzvah is the bond that it fosters and the disconnect that a negative commandment does. 

We need to start looking at our actions as worse than the entity of the sin. For example, a pig is benign by itself, but if a Jew eats it, then he has created a bad situation. It starts and ends with us. 

Using the analogy of our interaction with germs to better understand the above. 

Even the worst of klipah and negative has a framework that it follows. Not so with us, we have choice and that availability makes us able to create an even worse level of bad. 

Understanding the analogy used in Kabbalah of dregs, to explain negative existences. Also the allegory of excrement to better understand klipah.

PART 2

G-D worked really hard on hiding himself, and it's our job to find him. 

The reason why it's much easier for bad and negative behavior to go viral rather than good and positive behavior. 

At this point, we can have a clearer understanding of the statement "a person would never do a sin if not for a temporary derangement"

By understanding that Ruach Shtus is a temporary derangement, one can better understand how on one hand one would be ready to give their life for Judaism and on the other hand be able to sin. 

Understanding that with man's ability of choice, he can choose to either be the best or the worst of creation. 

Explaining the adage "a gnat is before you", how the most selfish of all creation has an edge over the one that chooses wrong. 

Understanding that the mindset of the sinner is worse than the sin.

PART 3

If at it's core, all Mitzvot are the same (connecting to G-D), then why is it that only when it comes to the sins of idolatry, adultery and murder, is one supposed to give their life rather than transgress, and not the rest of the Mitzvot?

A deeper appreciation of the Torah telling us that it is better to transgress one Shabbos to save a life, so as to be able to live and have the opportunity to observe many more Shabbosim.

The difference between Mitzvot that are punishable by karos (completely cut off) and those that are not punishable by karos.

The difference between the Yaakov part of our soul (as it pertains to our body) and the Yisroel part (as it pertains to the higher, more spiritual).

Using the analogy of rope made out of 613 strands, to understand the connection between G-D and us. 

The analogy brought in Tanya of dunking the head of a king in a toilet ... to what happens when a Jewish soul transgress.

CHAPTER 25 

PART 1

Overview of Chapters 17 - 25

Getting in touch with our innate love of G-D / Judaism is like a parent disciplining a child by saying "is that what a good boy does"?  - the child gets it, even though the parent did not explain what a good boy is - innately he knows. 

Understanding the effect that teshuvah has on the transgressor whether it causes Karus or not. 

Even though the Torah tells us that if one transgresses with the mindset that they will repent at a later time ... teshuvah will not be available, here in Tanya it states (a major "chidush") resilience to do teshuvah will overpower everything, even the limitations that the Torah put forth on teshuvah.

PART 2

One of the strongest blocks of the innate abilities that a Jew has, is laziness. 

The reason that the Shulchan Aruch starts with "wake up like a lion".

The biggest culprit of laziness is BEING lazy. The only way to fight it off is .... just do it!

Every Mitzvah causes an eternal bond with G-D, and the goodness that we do in this life are the only things that remain with us. 

For the above reason, the Rebbe pushed that everyone should do any Mitzvah, even if it was done one time... for it creates a bond that will last forever. 

The reason that we ask for forgiveness in Shemoneh Esrei three times a day - is that it ensures a constant connection. 

The very important reason that Moshe Rabbeinu enacted to say Shema twice daily.

CHAPTER 26

PART 1

Two major challenges that limit our ability to reveal our spiritual sides are:
    1.    Depression
    2.    Timtum Halev 

We need to remember that in the life of a Jew, there are two souls fighting for complete control (they don't believe in a "two state solution").

To win, more important than strength is zeal. Laziness and an unenthusiastic behavior will cause a stronger fighter to lose. 

The only time one is supposed to feel down or broken spirited should be due to negative behavior/s, but after the resolve of regret and commitment not to repeat the bad act/s one must immediately revert to a positive stance. 

The advantage of being down on one's own bad behavior.

The importance of saying "I'm sorry",  verses "let's just move on".

The best way to say I'm sorry is to show eagerness to reconnect.

PART 2

Being positive and happy is not just a beneficial way to be. The Torah ascribes the worst... to one who doesn't have happiness. 

The advice Tanya gives to achieve happiness. 

If the unhappiness stems from either family, health or money issues, then the only way to remain happy is to take a leap of faith that All IS GOOD. 

How does one accomplish the above?
Understanding that there are two realities, one that we see and appreciate and the other that is far truer, but beyond our scope of realization. 

When you give your child everything they want it doesn't mean you love them more. Sometimes  punishment is a bigger act of love than gifts. 

Understanding the analogy of a shadow ... the shadow of a person is the darkest place next to him.

PART 3

Not only is it important to be remorseful for misdeeds, the remorse also needs to be done correctly. 

The only items we are allowed to be remorseful for, are misdeeds of faith (including interpersonal relationships).

There are those people that are always putting themselves down.... yet they never change. Why?

Timing is everything when it comes to personal soul searching. 

The most unproductive time for a person to be remorseful for a misdeed, is when one is actually in the midst of a good deed. 

The most powerful tool the Yetzer Hara has, is depression, so any soul searching needs to stay very clear of anything that would lead to a depressed state. 

The times the Torah allotted for soul searching. 

Man has a limitation on how many times he can forgive another. G-D doesn't have any limitations. One must know that if they ask for forgiveness from G-D, he will always forgive. 

The most important part of soul searching is the positive resolve to move forward.

CHAPTER 27 

PART 1

It always amazed me that in retrospect, if you present the side of good and bad, inevitably the one choosing will choose good. So why are we choosing bad?  The bad has more energy at the fight. This is the agenda in these chapters. 

It can be very discouraging to realize that even though one has done teshuvah on a misdeed, they will still most likely be plagued with improper thoughts regarding it. How to deal with this and NOT get discouraged. 

One of the attitudes needed to stay positive even though one is still distracted by their Yetzer Hara, is to realize that there is a great Mitzvah "לא תתורו"  "do not follow your heart ". Not going astray, in and of itself is a great Mitzvah. 

It's actually the mission of a person with a lusting heart and distracted head, to realize that he is a soldier on the front line whose job is to hold off the enemy. 
It is a very important life mission.

CHAPTER 27

PART 2 

A continuation of the discussion about one not being saddened that they constantly need to fight off the challenges of the Yetzer Hara. 

The Zohar goes so far as to state that when one subdues their Yetzer Hara, it causes much pleasure to G-D, far greater than the pleasure caused by anything else. 

When one subdues his evil inclinations, he causes a universal diminishing of the negative energy in our environment. Every act of self control makes it easier for everyone else too to be able to subdue their negative inclinations.

Not only does it break the universal hold that evil has, but it actually "accomplishes a positive". The added joy that G-D has by seeing us control ourselves, brings a new far greater positive energy to the world. 

This task, to break bad and cause this level of pleasure to G-D cannot be accomplished by a Tzaddik. Only those that still have a Yetzer Hara, the challenged Jew can accomplish this. It should create immense joy to the struggling Jew, knowing that in his struggle, he is making a world of difference.

PART 3

A continuation of the exercises that help to motivate and energize one who is forever challenged by lusts and desires that don't seem to go away. 

When the Torah tells us that G-D created Reshaim, it doesn't mean that these souls don't have a choice, it means that they will need to deal with issues that  revolve around wickedness. More importantly they are specifically created with the strength to overcome these challenges. 

Based on Sichos of the Rebbe, an even more amazingly positive explanation of the meaning that G-D created Reshaim.

There are two types of souls - Tzaddikim and Reshaim. These two types of souls correspond to two modes of interaction with challenges- one that subdues evil and the other that completely turns bad into good.  

Using the analogy of food to understand the two above modes: one is sweet and easy on every pallet. The other, spicy or tart, a bit challenging to the pallet but not less satisfying...sometimes even more so.

With the above in mind, we will have a deeper perspective into the story of Yitzchak asking for food from Esav. 

Using the analogy of smelling salt or some other extremely offensive smell, when used in the right time, as when someone is faint, it will rejuvenate and awaken the faint person - the rejuvenated energy that comes after overcoming a challenge. 

The reason that the Gemara has for the time of eating for Torah scholars, two hours after the common man... pushing off anything that gives pleasure to the animalistic soul is one of the most effective tools to take control of it's impulses. 

The tremendous positive results one will have if they delay saying something that originated in his animalistic soul. The same with thoughts. 

The benefits of overcoming internal challenges are not just felt in regard to this unique challenge but it unleashes a flow of energy that helps in all that we do. 

Subdueing the urges for items that are permitted but unnecessary is not just a better way to live. It is a commandment - to BECOME holy. 

Someone who utilizes all the methods mentioned in these chapters will be a person invigorated, less challenged, and will become substantially holier.

CHAPTER 28 

PART 1

In regards to conquering Eretz Yisroel, Moshe tells the Jews that the conquest will be a little at a time "ma'at ma'at"  to overcome them. Conquering Eretz Yisroel (the seven nations that dwelled there) is an analogy of us conquering our emotions. That is not done quickly, it can only be done a little at a time - "ma'at ma'at".

In this chapter it will teach us how to react and overcome our inability to concentrate during prayer. 

The distractions come from the Yetzer Hara, and that is it's one agenda - to keep us distracted. 

It would be a grave mistake to think that these foreign thoughts that are distracting us have some holy meaning - they don't. They are only there to distract us. Refocusing is the only real way to deal with this. 

Interestingly, Tzaddikim that are distracted and disturbed during their prayer, would be require to deal with that thought - why? They don't have a Yetzer Hara anymore, so this distraction is only due to someone in their sphere of influence that is being plagued by this issue. It is imperative upon him  (the tzaddik) to fix this issue in any way he can so that the extra help will trickle down to the really challenged soul and give him the strength to overcome the issue. 

Why it's so important not to deal with thoughts that distract the person during prayer and just continue trying to pray.
It's like someone who is in debt, broke and doesn't have a job. How is he going to help himself out of this? The only way, is to start a new means to acquire money in order to get out of this bind. The same applies to prayer, the distractions are coming from the person themselves and the only way to move forward is to acquire positive resources to build himself up. That is what prayer does. Getting distracted is like quitting the only job you have.

PART 2

Why are the distractions more pronounced  and more frequent at times when one is trying to daven?  Why is it that whenever we resolve to do something, we get distracted?.... Why do my kids get hungry every time they need to go to bed?

We have explained previously that when two entities are fighting and one gains an upper hand, the other side pushes back and tries even harder to gain control. Whenever our positive side is determined to move forward and be positive, the opposite side - the Yetzer Hara - pushes back and tries to keep his hold. 

For a Jew, having two completely opposite interests is normal, since Jews have two completely opposite souls. 

Based on the above fact, it's important to know that when one wants to daven and keeping focused becomes exceedingly difficult, don't lose faith by thinking that your davening is insincere, it is actually the Yetzer Hara trying to fight back...It's happening BECAUSE you are sincere.  

The two souls in a Jew aren't completely separated. The G-Dly soul is enclothed in the animalistic soul. Ultimately it's the job of the G-Dly soul to completely change and turn the animalistic soul into good. 

CHAPTER 29

PART 1

This chapter will discuss Timtum Halev, a spiritual virus that causes one to be unable to feel spiritual emotions, and unable to get excited about having a relationship with Hashem. Otherwise one is emotionally healthy, intellectually fine, they totally get it. It's just not resulting in any positive spiritual emotional feelings. 

Obviously if one still has negative behaviors that they have not done teshuvah on, that would result in a blocking of spirituality and positive feelings towards spirituality. It's like starting on a new shiduch potential while still going out with the previous one...

In the Zohar it states that the Rosh Yeshiva of Gan Eden was asked "what is one to do, if after doing all that's right, he still lacks positive emotions towards G-D and holiness"? He answered allegoricaly, "a log that is overly large and can't be used for the fire.... splinter it, it's smaller size will make great firewood".
Sometimes it's not the lack of fire or inspiration that's the issue, but it's actually you. 
It's one's own "thickness", one's own coarseness that's the problem. In others words, one's strong sense of self is blocking his ability to feel. 
The person needs to  feel "splintered" first and ONLY then is one able to feel that missing passion.

Continuing the analogy of a virus to understand the issue of Timtum Halev, there are viruses that are floating about that are looking for a host to land on and to grow. When the virus finds a host, it settles in and makes them sick. In response, the body immediately starts shutting down making the person unable to function, developing high fever and the like. The purpose for this is that when the body starts breaking down, so does the virus, giving the body a chance to rebuild with the virus. 

Unfortunately for this alignment the only cure is to demean and humiliate oneself to clean shop of any haughtiness to rebuild a very healthy spiritual self. 
Just like antibiotics are used only when no other options are available, so to with the above remedy.

PART 2

Continuing the discussion of the method and reason on why, in very extreme times, it's important to debase oneself. It is only through this method that one is able to break one's unhealthy feelings of self-importance, making one emotionally and spiritually available. 

Theorizing on what the self-debasement should sound like. Have you ever been really angry at someone and in your mind, you had the perfect speech for that person about how utterly bad they are? The problem is, that if you actually tell them that exact speech with all the anger that your feeling, they will NEVER talk to you again. That's the exact speech you should give yourself in order to really break yourself from being overly self obsessed. 

It's vitally important to understand that our main functioning soul that vitalizes us, is the Nefesh Habehamis. The Nefesh Elokis, as pure and holy that it is, unfortunately needs to go through the Nefesh Habehamis to have any positive effect. That's why the needs and feelings of self importance are so prevalent and problematic in our lives. 

Tzaddikim on the other hand, don't have a Nefesh Habehamis, so their relationship with physicality is very removed. To understand this we will use the analogy of a father playing sports with their child. At this point, playing sports with his child doesn't actually bring him any personal satisfaction, but when his child wants to play with him, he joyfully goes to play. His enjoyment is not the game,  it's spending time with his child. The same is with the Tzaddik, his enjoyment is not the food he eats it's that through the food he lives another day to be able to do a Mitzvah. It is solely about the relationship with Hashem.

PART 3

This chapter is definitely not ego friendly. On the contrary, when one sees that all the positive things they do, do not yield positive emotional feeling, understand that to some degree, ego / self-pride is the culprit. 

Many mental exercises are given on how to break the ego and gain proper perspective. One such exercise is to look at animals and then at ourselves. All animals are predictable, they are designed without choice. Man on the other hand has choice, but as beautiful as choice is, it indirectly allows bad and evil to become a possibility (by making a choice) in their lives. Though knowing that bad is a possibility, the recognition alone keeps one somewhat in check. 

The realization, that since the Benoni can not convert his Nefesh Haelokis, one constantly needs to be actively doing good. If one throws a ball upwards, the ball will remain in the air as long as the energy caused by throwing the ball is still active but moment it ceases, the gravitational pull will bring it right back down. The same with us, as long as we will be involved in goodness and good deeds, we will be good, but if we stop the gravitational pull, the Nefesh Habehamis will pull us right back down. 
I believe it is for this reason that the Rebbe always pushed everyone to continue, and never stop, it's the only way to REMAIN good. 

On taking accountability for the damage that is done by sexual self-gratification: According to Kabbalah the damage done by that is incomprehensible, due to the fact that the damage is to the seed of man. When damage is done on that level, the corruption damages and  spreads to entirety of man.

Using an analogy of marijuana use to explain the above: The drug kills the brain cells to the point that the user doesn't even realize that they are nothing like the person they used to be. 

The bottom line is, that at any point, if we see that we are not moving forward, there are still some open accounts (spiritually) that haven't been completely settled. A more positive approach, is that G-D wants us to reevaluate the teshuvah that we did and G-D knows that we are capable of much more. By making it difficult to connect, G-D wishes for us to dig deeper and find a much better place. 

Accounting seems to be a Jewish profession. But the Zohar says we should be "master of accounts". Meaning that when an accountant looks at a company, he just looks at the total. If there are some divisions in the corporation that are not doing well, it doesn't necessarily bother him, so long as the bottom line is positive, he's ok with it. The master/ owner of the business obviously cares about the bottom line but he cares AS MUCH  for the details. If there is a division in the company that is not profitable, that would be completely unacceptable. 
That's how the Zohar wants us to take account of our actions.

PART 4

At this point, one has already done teshuvah for everything that needs fixing, though still doesn't have positive feelings when doing the right things. One must then apply the Zohar's advice to become a "master of accountants" and do a forensic accounting of their life. 

The forensic accounting would entail looking into our youth. The transgressions of our
past, even though completely forgotten about, are nonetheless still very damaging and teshuvah for them needs to be done. For example, we see people still nursing the wounds that occurred in their youth. The one that is guilty for this wound might have completely forgotten about it. Even more so, this person might now be a very upright citizen, nothing like they were in their past. Nonetheless they had a past and it needs to be reconciled. The same applies to our transgressions of our youth, teshuvah for them needs to be done.

When one thinks everything is good but they are not seeing the positive that should have occurred as a result of doing good, one needs to look into the past. Something there needs to be mended. 

How can one remember the past, even into our childhood (as recommended in Tanya)? Remembering is a result of caring. The more we care to fix things, the easier it will be to remember. 

Another sign of acknowledgment that our lives need spiritual adjustments, are dreams. A well adjusted person has healthy dreams. 
If one has nightmares or completely meaningless dreams, the Zohar says that it is a result of an unfocused and spiritually unproductive day. It states that if your day was under the control of the Nefesh Habehamis - "the other side", then they will have fun and mock you (by giving you the bad dreams).

The Rebbe used to say that if one has a question that he cannot answer, ....go to sleep with it and you will wake with an answer. 

Our sages tell us that one needs to "rage his good side against his bad side", to the point where one uses name calling (you bleep bleep how can you destroy my life) to invoke this rage. Why is name calling important? We see in our life that when two people have a fight, the name calling takes the fight to a whole new level. Even if they reconcile, the names leave a lingering separation. Our sages want us to see the "other side" as the enemy, the harsher the name calling, the harder the reconciliation. This is a fight that we cannot compromise. The other side is definitely not our friend.

PART 5

It says that "one should anger their Yetzer Tov on their Yetzer Harah", one should always demand of themselves to be better. The recommended method of doing this, is by getting the Yetzer Tov angry and demanding of the Yetzer Harah to stop its antics.  But why with the use of anger? Isn't anger a bad trait? 

We see that whatever state a person is in, anger is always available, while happiness and gladness only exist when everything is working out well. Anger unfortunately, is always ready to come out, the second something is imperfect, anger is ready. 

The Torah says that anger is best suited against YOURSELF. It's important to keep yourself in the right place. Anger keeps the discipline going. 
Upon yourself, anger is the best tool. 
Upon others, anger is the worst tool. 

If a room is dark and you open the light, everything is immediately visible. Even if the light is dim, it takes the edge of darkness off the entire room. This is not so in reverse. You can't bring darkness in and then darken the room. Darkness is not an entity, it is simply the result of no light. 

Bad and challenges are not real, they are only the result of bad lighting. When you bring in light / positive energy, it no longer seems bad and the challenge ceases to exist.

As we saw with Moshe reprimanding the Jews for their panic and fright of conquering Eretz Yisrael, as they feared that the enemy was unconquerable. Moshe brings some light to them (with choice words), and immediately they could see that it could DEFINITELY be done. 

That's the main reason we need to break the bad, it's simply not real.

CHAPTER 30

PART 1

In this chapter we will further employ methods of breaking the "other side", thereby leaving a more humble self. Not a broken self, but a more humble self, which is the start of something great. 

There is a level of humbleness that leaves a person feeling worthless and actually shuts the person off even more, a feeling that everything is worthless and meaningless. This type of humbleness, is coming from an "I deserve more" attitude, which is a result of arrogance. 

Then there is the good humbleness, the one that is a result of realizing that the only REAL truth is G-D, this humbleness leaves the person seeing the beauty in everything, seeing even the smallest things as meaningful. Good humbleness LETS the person see others besides themselves. That's why they can then start appreciating and enjoying spirituality. 

The Mishna tells us to see ourselves LOWER then EVERYONE. How is this possible? There really are some bad people, how are we to see ourselves worse than them?

Step 1:
Our sages teach us "you cannot judge another until you reach HIS place". We are humans, we need to learn from our environment what to do and what not to do. Judging is very important. The Torah however says that when it comes to judging another, FIRST look at HIS place, his upbringing, parents, abilities, circumstances, his personal challenges, etc... You will see that even though this person is doing bad, based on all his circumstances, I don't think I would do better, therefore I can't judge him. 

Step 2:
If a child steals something, and an adult steals something, we treat the adult's crime much worse. Why? Because he KNOWS better, even if the child stole something far more valuable than the adult did. The fact that the adult knows better makes the crime far worse. 

Step 3:
Tanya teaches us that the correct way to measure good or bad is by how much one's potential was realized. If one is capable of giving $1 million to charity but only gave $1,000, he is not nearly as great as someone who could give $100 and gave $101. It's always about what you could do verses what you actually do.

The Baal Shem Tov used to say regarding the Mishna "Who is strong? One who captures HIS Yetzer". It is not an act of strength to be able to conquer someone else's issues, it is only an act of strength to conquer our own issues.

PART 2

In regards to NEVER judge another...

To see the challenges of another is to know that this person is being tested. A test is an extremely difficult situation. It is with "tests" that Avraham became Avraham AVINU, on the other hand, Dovid Hamalech failed his test (he requested to be tested). Actually every day one of the first items we request of G-D is to please not test us. Knowing how difficult tests are, when we see someone faltering, we need to recognize that they are being tested. What that person needs is your prayers for success, and positive encouragement to succeed, not your judgmental attitude. 

You cannot relate to this person's circumstances and challenges, so how do you know how you would act if you were put in his predicament. An extreme analogy to better see how wrong it is to judge another, is understanding that we could never judge a Jew and his decisions during the holocaust. Even today, people have very great personal challenges. 

The above liberal and nonjudgmental attitude is only awarded to not judging another. Regarding judging ourselves, we NEED to remember that G-D gave us the ability to overcome any challenge that comes our way. As the Frierdiker Rebbe used to say - we have two eyes, a right eye to see everyone with compassion and a left eye to see ourselves stringently. 

G-D gave us the ability to truly become a far greater version of ourselves. Not only from bad to good but from good to great. That's our mission. To succeed we need to push ourselves beyond our present comfort zones. Beyond that spot lies our true self. 
Not getting there is a failure on our part. A bigger failure would be to waste our time on judging another while failing to fulfill our own potential.

The result of finding righteousness in another and fault in ourselves is to become a impeccable vessel for
G-Dliness.

CHAPTER 31 

PART 1

In the previous few chapters we learned about timtum halev, a spiritual dullness, where no matter how hard we try, we just can not get excited about doing good, learning and daavening. 
There are root issues of self inflated feelings that cause a blockage of being able to feel a general passion for another and specifically for G-D. 
The remedy given is numerous different exercises to deflate ones overinflated self-admiration. 

In this chapter we will discuss how to prevent one who is working on deflating one's own ego and to ensure, that at the same time they do not fall into a depression. 

A positive and uplifting spirt is the root of unity amongst people and everything in the world around us. Only by seeing the good in everything, can we aspire to reach this positive spiritual level. 
Depression, the opposite extreme, is the root of all evil. It makes all people and all things in the world seem meaningless or worse. 
Seeing the bad in everything, leaves the person himself void of energy, even to the degree of being unable to get out of bed. It is a horrible state to be in and must be completely avoided.

If depression is to be avoided at all costs, then why do we need to implement exercises of anger towards self when that CAN potentially lead to depression? Why risk it?
The Zohar teaches, that the way to chop down a tree is by axe - an axe's own handle is made of wood. It is it's own wood that facilitates it's own downfall. 
By nature, in order to break something you need to use a like item. 
Since the issue is an inflated sense of self with a disregard to others. It needs to be chopped down with anger, an attribute whose sole purpose is to belittle and destroy. 

In reality, these exercises of which it's sole intention is to break an inflated ego, will not  lead to depression since it started from a good place. Depression starts from a bad place. A place of "I deserve better" and when the better is not received, it leads to depression. In our case, the bitterness starts from "why am I not feeling for another"? "why is my daaving and learning without passion "? This quest is starting from a good place, the broken spirt of this type of quest can and will only lead to an even better place.

PART 2

Some children are born with very unique character traits. Some are even very edgy, or blunt and the like. These traits are of a negative nature, but utilized correctly can bring out positivity and creativity. Ironically some insights are best brought out with edginess and wit (comedy being a good example). 
When humorous comments come from children, it is usually not taken in a negative way since we know it's coming from innocence. But this character trait left alone, unchecked by parents can easily turn into a very bad character trait. It started from a good place, seeing everything from a unique and special perspective but it can easily evolve into deliberately seeking to find what's odd in others and taking pleasure in mocking them. 
Our Nefesh Habehamis was given to us in order to enable us to see things differently, to see the uniqueness of everything. Ultimately, this perspective is seeing why everyone and everything is an integral part of a beautiful whole. Yet left unchecked, it causes diversity and separation. The opposite of its original intention. 

Previously we learned that being sad or depressed for anything pertaining to health, wealth or family is completely unacceptable. One must live a life based on the principle that everything is good and for the good.
Here in Tanya we are given a gem of advice, If one IS depressed already for any of the above reasons (granted it's wrong), they should take advantage of it and redirect it away from the issue that caused it. They should then direct it towards their behavioral issues that really do need fixing, use this negative state to REALLY see how unsavory one's behavioral issues are, ruining our lives. Taking something that stems from negative and turning it into a positive force is one of the surest ways to have a constructive outcome. 

An analogy for our mission: A king's son is being held captive in a dark dungeon by the enemy. The king is terribly sad. If someone was able to take him out and have him breath the fresh air and see light even for just a very short moment, it would be a great deed for the king and especially his son. If they were able to break him out and feel freedom, even if it were just for a short time, it would also be great. Why? 
Why would it be great if he will be going right back again? Because every breath of fresh air and every taste of freedom, brings out the strength and power for him to to keep fighting and hoping, until he will truly be freed. 
Our Nefesh Elokis is being held captive by the Nefesh Habehamis. Every time we break it out, it gets reinvigorated giving the next battle a better shot until ultimately it will be able to break out and stay free.  

There is no greater adrenaline rush than when you are breaking out. The more we see our good deeds as a breaking out of bad, the greater the rush. 

We need to see this as a mission of G-D's only son (the Nefesh Elokis) is being held captive by terrorists (the Yetzer Hara) we are the elite search and rescue command unit. Our mission is to break the captive free. G-D will then bring in air support to wipe out the enemy. 
ואת רוח הטומאה אעביר מן הארץ

CHAPTER 32 

PART 1

The number 32 = לב, the heart of Tanya. 
At this point we have gained a clear perspective that it is the Neshamah of a Jew that is really the essence of a Jew. His body and his Nefesh Habehamis, with all its idiosyncrasies is his mission, not his essence. Only with that premise can one see and love another as THEMSELVES. Knowing that a soul is G-Dly and that the body is its mission, helps us see that we really are all the same, it it only our missions and challenges that are different. At heart, we are the same. 

It's interesting to note that this chapter starts with the word קיום - acting. To really gain this perspective we will need to act on the exercises mentioned in the previous chapters. You don't get into shape by reading an exercise manual, you actually need to do the exercise. 

To better illustrate how we are all one and it is just our different missions that makes us seem different, let's use the science of DNA. 
DNA is the code of the entire body. It has been discovered that in every part of our bodies, the entire code is found. From any part of our bodies we can use the DNA to make a different part. In every cell, the entire DNA code is there but shut off, except for that specific cell. When the scientist want to make another type, they just turn that switch on. 
It is the same with us Jews. In every one of us, the entire Jewish nation exists. Since we have our specific mission in our personal life, only our unique switch is on. But essentially we are really all one. 
With this analogy, we can see that it's really correct to love and treat each other as ourself. We REALLY are one. 

Tanya uses the analogy of a body to illustrate that we Jews are all one. Just like in a body, the different parts serve different tasks, yet in the end it's all part of one whole body. So to, us Jews might all function differently but we are part of one entity, every part is essentially needed to function properly. We need everyone in order to be a healthy nation. 

The students of the Maggid had three different perspectives on loving another Jew. 

R' Zusha  - He didn't see negative in another, he just saw the good in another. He ignored the bad. 

R' Levi Yitzchak - He saw the positive and negative issues in another but at the same time through love, found a way to overlook the negative. He was famous for always twisting the negative until it sounded positive. He loved every Jew, but he need to see him as innocent. 

The Alter Rebbe - He also saw both the positive and the negative, but he didn't need to justify that person to still love him. He saw another as we see ourselves, even if we acknowledge our negative issues, we still have a innate love of self. The faults of another didn't make the love that the Alter Rebbe had for him any less. He loved everyone as they were. At the same time, he looked to help that person turn the bad into good. All out of love.

PART 2

When Hillel was asked to epitomize the entire Torah, he said "to love your fellow Jew as yourself".
It's a beautiful Mitzvah but why did Hillel see it as the essence of Torah? 
The main point of Torah is to bring out the holiness in everything. To be ABLE to love another as yourself needs a certain mindset. A mindset that doesn't see what makes things different but a mindset that sees what is the same in all of us. 
We need to see the G-Dly soul as the essence of everyone. All the negativities in a person, are obstacles to their essence. With that mindset, when we see people, we don't define them by their issues but we feel bad that those issues and challenges that this person has is blocking his true self. With that we are able to see how can 'I' help the other UNBLOCK himself, in order to bring out his G-Dly soul. 
That is the sole attitude of all Torah and Mitzvahs. 

An analogy to help realize this is watching a child with special needs. There is nothing sadder than to watch a child challenged with special needs. Why?
Because we see a beautiful child trapped by a body with a physical or mental flaw. We wish and pray that either through rehabilitation or surgery or a miracle, that flaw would go away and the REAL child be able to live a free and productive life that they truly deserve.
If we see a fellow Jew struggling with flaws, we need to see them as special needs, by that we mean that inside that person is a perfect person and for some reason or another,  his Yetzer Hara has trapped him. His present actions and attitudes aren't who the person really is. He's trapped. Let's join the Friendship Circle and see how WE can help. 

After Hillel told him the essence in one point, he continued, "now go and learn" - to just KNOW something is not enough, one needs to really learn this in order to internalize and become a reality. 
Knowing that medicine helps people recover from illness doesn't make you a doctor. Going to school, learning and practicing medicine, that will make you a doctor that can heal. 

Especially today, to gain access to just about anything, you need a code. Without the code access is denied. To Access G-D in the most profound way, by that we mean to be able to have peace with ourselves and see the good in everything, there is also a code. The code is to REALLY love your fellow Jew as yourself. 

Once there was a great Jew whose son became gravely ill. It destroyed him. He spent all his waking hours praying and anything else that he could do to help bring his son back to health. Thank G-D the son had a full recovery. After the recovery, the father felt very bad. He realized that he never broke down and daavened for someone else's child's recovery like that. He realized that his Ahavas Yisroel needs help. 
A Jew has the ability to treat all Jews as their own. Everything else is a form of self love. Even to one's own child. There were times during the darkest days of communist Russia that the Rebbe Rashab sent his ONLY son on missions that were vitally necessary for judiasim and if he were caught, his only son would be shot immediately. He could have given this mission to someone else. That's the point. Why is someone else's kid less important than your own? At the same time, it's interesting to note seeing the writings of both the Rebbe Rashab and his son the Frierdikke Rebbe I have never seen such intense love between father and son. 
Having Ahavas Yisroel is code to a life of love. Without this code, access to this intense love is denied.

CHAPTER 33 

PART 1

The purpose of this chapter is to help create happiness in our service to G-D. We need energy to overcome our challenges and make a difference. 
If one does his job as an obligation, everything becomes tedious and tiresome. 
If on the other hand, one loves what they do, they get excited and stimulated doing it.
Nothing creates more energy than love. 
We need to learn how to bring love into our Judaism. 

The first step to happiness is a real perspective on reality. Reality is as it always was, G-D. Different circumstances, different challenges are only ways that G-D expresses himself. G-D expresses himself differently to different people. But it is paramount for us to acknowledge that whatever we are looking at, it is G-D. Both the good and what appears to be bad. 
This is the mindset one needs twice a day while saying the Shema. 
The more often we think like this, the easier it becomes to see it this way. 

The SOLE purpose of our existence is to instill this perspective into our lives. To see G-D in everything. To see G-D living with us. 

Knowing that G-D is with us in every detail, both watching and guiding us, is very uplifting and reassuring.

PART 2

The development of positive spiritual emotions can only be accomplished with the right mindset and attitude. Much of Chassidus revolves around the meditations for acquiring that mindset and attitude. I believe that a very opportune time for these meditations is to be done when we are already in a good mood. When one is happy one is uninhibited and not self conscious. In that state one can see the the big picture much more easily. 
Instead of just enjoying the happy state for mundane matters, one ought take advantage of this happy mood and use it for a higher calling, to get in touch with their spiritual needs. 

With the right mindset we can see that as we increase our Torah and Mitzvos, we MAKE G-D a reality in the world. Every act increases his presence. This is our mission, to turn something mundane into something G-Dly. We also start seeing unity and meaning in everything. There is an inherent high that we get when we start seeing the world with spiritual lenses. This is only possible because we are the inheritors of the Avos that saw everything with these lenses. Everyday when we start daving we thank G-D for this inheritance. 
 
There was a time that Jews saw the 613 Mitzvahs as 613 pillars, each standing alone. The prophet Chavakuk reinvented the Jewish perspective and stated that the foundation of Judaism is Emunah. Emunah is the ability to see G-Dliness, and only with emunah can we really see what the 613 Mitzvos accomplish. 

As a child everything is about us. Our parents are there to provide for us. As we get older we start to see the sacrifices they have done for us and the incredible gift it is to have them as parents. At that point we start to live FOR our parents and their welfare. Nothing is too much to make our parents more comfortable and happy. Our spiritual life is the same, as our emunah grows we grow and as we grow we start to really be thankful that we can service G-D, the 613 Mitzvos aren't even enough, so we enact many many more just to make it as good as possible. It is all out of love. 

The Zohar states that there is no greater pleasure we can give G-D then forgoing our temptations, pleasures and pursuits and instead do what G-D wants from us.

There was a chossid that wanted to make Aliyah to the holy land. In response to his quest, the Tzemach Tzedek told him that it is this place that you are in, that G-D put you, that needs an Aliyah, make this a holy land.

CHAPTER 34 

PART 1

The intention of this chapter is to make our spiritual quest real to us and to others. 

The Mashpia of Reb Mendel became very ill. Due to his extreme frailty he needed constant care so Reb Mendel attended to him. Reb Mendel related that this Mashpia once exclaimed "I wish my ruchnius would be like my gashmius." Reb Mendel shocked at this ask him how he could say that when his gashmius is so weak? He answered, "true, I'm very ill and I have very little strength, I can only eat very very little each day but that little I see gives me vitality and keeps me alive. I wish that the little learning and davening, (the little ruchnius)that I am able to do will also give me such spiritual vitality. 

First we look at those whose spirituality was their entire reality. As in the Avos, where everything they did 24/7 was only for Hashem. An even deeper and more real spiritual life was Moshe Rabeinu, for even when he spoke, you felt as if you were hearing it from Hashem. 

The Maggid once said that he was in such awe of the Baal Shem Tov, that if he didn't hear from the Baal Shem Tov himself that he was human and born to a mother, he wouldn't have believed it. The true Tzaddikim are so completely one with Hashem that you can barely see their individuality anymore. 

The greatness of the Avos, Moshe Rabeinu, all the other great prophets and Tzaddikim can be accomplished by anyone at the time of their Torah and Mitzvahs. At that moment, G-D completely bonds with that Jew, whomever he may be. The difference is just in the realization. The holy ones refined themselves to realize this. The rest of us truly accomplish the same unity but our coarseness blocks it. 

There is no greater compliment to me personally than when I do something that causes someone to exclaim "you remind me of your father." The inner satisfaction is amazing. 
Knowing that when we learn or daven, we are like the Avos ought to bring us tremendous satisfaction. 

At Matan Torah, everyone was given permission to see Hashem and the world as it really is. Completely one. We were then granted Moshe's vision. 

Since the Yidden didn't refine themselves, this experience was very short lived. The building of the Mishkan was to recreate that experience. 

Since the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed, the only way to create a "place" to see G-D, is through Torah. 

The expression in Chazal to this is that G-D can only be found in the "four Amos of Halacha", why four Amos? Chazal explains that the average person is three Amos but if one stretchs out their hands, they can reach a fourth Amah. To make a Mishkan, it is not enough just to better ourselves, we need to REACH outside of us as much as we can. 

Reb Zusha said that on his judgment day, the heavenly court won't hold him accountable for not being like his Rebbe the famous Maggid, they will hold him accountable for why he wasn't himself. 

Hilchos Talmud Torah states that the amount of  time we are required to devote to studying Torah, is based on our predicament. In Tanya,  it states that if one does what his obligation is and has the mindset the if they would have more time, they would do much more, G-D considerers it as if that person learned the entire day, since G-D is the one that gave him this limitation. The same is true if one gives to the limit he can....

PART 2

Realizing the greatness of the Avos, Moshe and other great Tzaddikim shouldn't leave us feeling unimportant and unnecessary in comparison. On the contrary, the clearer we see the distinction between us and them, the clearer we see our unique place. It is our job to elevate that place. The Avos and the like are too holy to even realize that place, therefore that place would be neglected if not for us. G-D is counting on us to elevate that place. 
Realizing this, we thank G-D for the opportunity to be a full partner in this world's refinement. 

There was a Chossid of the Alter Rebbe who unfortunately lost all of his wealth. One time his wife saw him looking very disheartened and sad. She asked him what was upsetting him so, and he replied that the Alter Rebbe sent a collector to him for a very great cause, but he just didn't have anything to give. His wife quickly went to get a necklace that she still owned, immediately sold it, then she took the coins, polished them to mint condition and gave them to her husband and told him to go run and catch the collector before he leaves town and give them to him. When the Alter Rebbe saw these polished coins and heard the story behind it, he said that of all the vessels in the Mishkan, the brightest was the Kior and that was because the women donated their own mirrors that they would use to beautify themselves to beautify the Mishkan - G-D's place. 

The underlying attitude is, this is all I have, this is what I will give. I am thankful to G-D that I could be a part of this - I will polish it to mint condition, and then give it willingly.

The purpose of lifting weights is to build muscle. The lift that actually builds the muscle is the last "rep", the one that pushes what we think is our limit. The same is true in our spiritual life. It is only the acts that push our supposed limits that build new spiritual muscle. 

Reb Eliezer once heard a beautiful explanation of the meaning of our exile from his father. After hearing his father's insights he exclaimed that he feels completely split. On one side he is completely ecstatic and overwhelmed with the new insights about the exile, but from the other side he is torn up on how bad it is. 
That is the attitude a Jew should have when dealing with the coarseness of the world and our Nefesh Habehamis. On one hand, the issues we need to deal with are so menial and contemptible, yet on the other hand how great our mission is, that we have the honor of elevating what is so coarse and turn it into something so exalted.

CHAPTER 35

PART 1

The purpose of Tanya is to help us truly understand the verse "for it is close to you.... to do it" why is there such a great emphasis on action?
If you had a great Jew that looked forward to Pesach, prepared everything he could and learned in depth every possible insight there was to the holiday, but for whatever reason he could not get hold of even one piece of Matzah. He unfortunately misses the whole point of the Holiday for he did not do the Mitzvah of Pesach.

On the other hand if there was an atheist that was definitely uninterested in any Mitzvos and was yet somehow coerced into making the Bracha and eating Matzah on Pesach night, then he DID IT, he preformed the Mitzvah. Why is his careless act infinitely greater than the one that is completely passionate of every detail of Matzah, yet couldn't eat it. 
Why is L'asoso - to do it. The only thing that counts in the end?

There was once a Chossid that was extremely dedicated to divine worship, to the point that he ate and slept less then he needed in order to weaken his needs for indulgence in order to give 100 percent plus to his main focus of life, G-Dliness. (As we see, unfortunately on the negative side when one is addicted they will eat and sleep less in order to indulge more). Unfortunately, the Chossid's health paid the price for his zealousness. He got very ill at an early age. On his death bed he lamented while holding his Teffilin that he would give up ALL his zealousness and extra spiritual regiments if he could PUT ON TEFFILIN JUST ONE MORE DAY. He lost his life but he did find the meaning to life. IT IS NOT OUR GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THE ACTUAL GOOD ACT ITSELF.

The next two chapters will explain this. 

Firstly we need to preface. The purpose of man is to become G-Dly and holy. How is that possible? The moment one becomes G-Dly, they cease to be individuals. To understand this deep concept, the Zohar gives an analogy of an oil lamp. To keep the fire going, you always need to add oil. The way an oil lamp works is that there is oil in the lamp, the wick absorbs the oil from one end and there is a flame on the other end, when the oil in the wick reaches the fire, the liquid heats up and turns into a gas and that becomes the fire. This is what happens, as long as there is oil it continues the fire and saves the wick from burning up. 
The Zohar is telling us that the fire is G-D, the wick is the person and the oil is all the Mitzvos. As long as we keep doing Mitzvos, we (the wick) can have all the light, all the time and never burn out as long as we keep oiling the flame (doing Mitzvos).

The Zohar is based on a posuk of Shlomo Hamelech saying that Shlomo is YELLING "DON'T RUN OUT OF OIL" 
Why is he yelling? Because he is worried that everyone will pursue greater insight and inspiration to gain spirituality. So he is warning everyone, don't make this mistake, be very careful not to lose your flame. The oil is Mitzvos. Only by continuing to do them will you see the fire that you are looking for. 

Mitzvos are the will of Hashem. His will needs to be expressed. When we do the Mitzvos, we become his extension. Just as my feet accomplish my will to walk, when a Jew does the Mitzvos, they become the limbs of G-D. Becoming one entity.

PART 2

The Maggid once shared a very holy and spiritual vision that he had. He was once allowed to enter a place where Moshe Rabbeinu was teaching Chumash... "Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and he said to himself, "Will [a child] be born to one who is a hundred years old, and will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?" Moshe Rabbeinu asked how it is possible that Avraham laughed in disbelief? He quotes Rashi's commentary that says that the term laugh here means that he was exceedingly happy with the good news. So Moshe Rabbeinu says, but it ACTUALLY SAYS THAT HE LAUGHED! Moshe answered that no matter how great a tzaddik is, even of the caliber of Avraham Avinu, the coarse physical world has it's negative effects on any soul. The world had an effect even on Avraham, even though Rashi's interpretation is correct, the fact that the Torah says that he laughed, means to tell us that this world's physical coarseness would even put a tinge of disbelief in Avraham Avinu.

The above story was regarding Avraham BEFORE he preformed Mitzvos. We will now see that Mitzvos open up a completely new reality, G-D. With the Mitzvos, we become one with Hashem. In this reality we will be capable of a belief that is void of even a tinge of disbelief.

Reb Mendel was arrested in Russia for helping Jews obtain visas to get out of communist Russia. He was sentenced for many years in Siberia. There were other Jews there as well. They asked him if they could eat the food being that it was non-kosher. He told them that since it's a matter of life and death, they could eat it. After a while they saw that Reb Mendel himself would only eat things that he knew to be kosher (obviously that was a rare occasion), so they confronted him and said why are you doing this to yourself, for it was you yourself told us that if it's a matter of life and death it is fine to eat it. He answered them that when he was a child, his mother took him to the Rebbe and he got a blessing for LONG LIFE. He countinued "I'm definitely going to survive, I was blessed by the Rebbe with a long life, you didn't get that blessing so you need to take very good care of yourselves."

That's what happens to belief after years of doing Mitzvos, especially Gemilas Chessed (obtaining visas to give the gift of life to another) ... not a tinge of disbelief. 

The Mitzvah of Milah changed Avraham forever. Due to his Mesiras Nefesh for this Mitzvah, as his inheritors we will be fortunate enough to be like him. 

One Mitzvah is all you need to create change forever.

CHAPTER 36

PART 1

This chapter is arguably the most important chapter in all of Tanya. It's message is to state that the purpose of all creation and of Torah and Mitzvos is to transform this world into
G-D's world.

In stating this objective, the Torah uses the word Nesavah (like lust or desire but infinitely more). If you wanted to articulate an objective that is so deeply rooted that absolutely NOTHING will stand in the way of achieving it, you say Nesavah. When you want to say that someone is so attached and into something, you say "they are crazy about it" it doesn't mean in crazy in a derogatory way, what it means is that there are no words that can articulate it and any type of explanation will fall short of this extremely deep commitment. 
This is the relationship G-D has with the physical world. He's crazy about it transforming away from it's own self interest into a place where G-D is realized. 

It is fundamental to realize this. Since G-D desires physicality so deeply, we will better understand why every Mitzvah has a physical expression. 

Upon realizing the extreme love and desire G-D has with physical Mitzvos.... It happened on Sukkos that while performing the Mitzvah of Esrog, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev realized at that moment G-D's deepest desires are being fulfilled... he started to kiss the Esrog excessively, to the point of making it posul so he needed to acquire a new one. 

Holiness and spirituality are things that don't  have independence, they only reveal G-D. 
This physical world is the antithesis of holiness. Everything in this world is embedded with a sense of "I", this is bad and if left unreformed will lead to disaster. At the same time there is something very profound in this embedded belief: Since G-D, who is the one and only real "I" is so desirous of everything in this world, everything by default becomes extremely important. It is Torah and Mitzvos that will remove the negatives that are inherent in any sense of "I" and reveal it's real hidden goodness that G-D so desires. 

That is our job and purpose, to use everything for good. When we see how everything can be used for good, we will then be able to see how everything is important and good.

CHAPTER 36 

PART 2

It is our mission to find G-D. How exactly do we go about finding G-D? How do we identify
G-D's place? 
The place where G-D was felt the most was in the Kodesh Hakodashim, the holy of holies. In this room the holy arc resided. The room was 10 x 10 and the arc was 2.5 x 2.5. Based on the above dimensions, the space between the arc and the wall of the holy of holies should be 2.5 but it wasn't... it was 5. How is this possible? It actually is not possible. Only because it's G-D's place, can opposites exist. Something that is impossible for us to comprehend. 
G-D is beyond limitations, therefore his "place" is also beyond limitation. If one wants to "find" G-D, one needs to go beyond their limitations when doing anything good. The further one goes beyond their limitations in good, the closer one gets to G-D.

Man by nature is a being that pursues his own interests in ways beyond any other creature. Self preservation and the pursuit of happiness is at man's core, it is the most basic instinct of man. When man decides to forgo his own desires and replace it with what G-D wants, one has then gone beyond his limitations and just entered G-D's place. 

We are limited and therefore we can only experience everything in limitations and moderation. G-D on the other hand has no limitations. How are we going to be able to experience something far greater than our limitations?
That is the great gift of having the Torah. As the adage goes "you are what you eat". When we learn Torah and internalized it, we start thinking differently, we start feeling different and eventually become completely different to the point that experiencing G-D is not only not overwhelming anymore, but it is now who we are.

CHAPTER 37

PART 1

The time that everything will come together will be the time of Moshiach. The most unique and defining phenomenon of that time is the  - Techias Ha'Meisim - Resurrection of the dead. Techias Ha'Meisim is the result of our actions now. How are we to relate to this?

In the laws of Brachos, when one didn't see his friend for over thirty days and then sees him, he makes the blessing of "Mechaya Meisim" thanking G-D for resurrecting the dead. What is the connection between reconnecting to a friend and Mechaya Meisim? A life is a body and a soul. If it separates, life ceases. A friendship is a combination of a person and the feelings we have towards that person. When we spend time with a friend, we share, we laugh, we cry, it's a relationship. If one doesn't see their friend for an extended time and there is no interaction or communication, the relationship weakens. The soul of the relationship is the feeling each has for the other. The body of the relationship is the physical presence (or communication), together the relationship lives. Separated it ceases. So when two friends meet after an extended absence, the sheer seeing each other is extremely exciting, they remember how important the other is, the relationship is resurrected. Friendships needs to be nourished to remain alive. 

Mitzvos are also a combination of body and soul. The body is the physical Mitzvah and the soul is G-D's tremendous want in our actions. Now in exile we are apart, we don't see G-D, so our Mitzvos seem to be without life. But we still do it and we even try harder, knowing that this is what G-D loves. We just can't see it now. 
Nothing makes a friend come back more than when they see how much their friend misses them and does what they can to meet again. 
Due to our unrelenting commitment to the relationship with G-D, as a reward, in the time of Moshiach there will no more be dual existences, body and soul will be fused together forever, with that all the deeds of the past and all the people of the past will come together and be as one. 

I anxiously look forward to saying this bracha to my very old and dear friend, my father.

CHAPTER 41

PART 1

It says that a Jew needs to wake up in the morning like a lion. Just as a lion instinctively feels the strength to overcome any challenge, so to we are to get up with the realization that we truly do have the strength to overcome any challenge. If one starts his day with this resolve, the foundation of the day will be strong  and anything you build on it will be strong as well.

In this chapter, the Alter Rebbe tells us the first step we need to do to achieve our goal. 

As beautiful as it seems, starting anything with love is, it's not a good starting point. The core of loving something is "I" - I like it. If your feeling towards that object of your love changes, then so will the relationship. That is not a good foundation. A foundation needs to be stable, sturdy and unmoving if you want to build on it. 

Fear of G-D makes a great foundation. 
Fear in general is a very weak emotion. It's always frowned upon. It makes the person feel powerless and most often leads to depression, so how can we build on that? 

Fear, as explained in Tanya is extremely positive and a great motivator. 
For instance, a truly great man seeks you out and shares with you his great plan and reveals to you that he needs you to bring this great plan to fruition. When this is expressed to you, a great feeling of purpose sets in, yet with it also comes fear. Not fear that your not worthy, for you specifically were just sought out and told that you can do it. You feel fearful that you might let down this expectation. The result of this type of fear is motivation to succeed. 

Fear of G-D is the recognition that everything is from G-D and he picked you personally to bring about his lofty goals... G-D in his infinite knowledge knows that you can do it and you will not let him down. Fear of G-D is respecting G-D's expectations of you. 

‎חייב אדם לומר: בשבילי נברא העולם
A man is obliged to say: “For my sake was the world created.”

PART 2

When one is being watched, they act very different than when they are alone. Why? 
When one is alone, they act as they are but when one is being watched they act as they would like to be. The knowledge that one is being watched, gives the person the strength to start acting in a manner that one feels is proper and respectful. 

This is so fundamental that one of the twelve passages is taken from this chapter :
      "והנה ה׳ ניצב עליו, ומלא כל הארץ כבודו, ומביט עליו
“And, behold, G‑d [Himself] stands over him,” and “The whole world is full only with His Glory,” and not only being omnipresent does He see everything, but moreover He scrutinizes him in particular,
               ובוחן כליות ולב אם עובדו כראוי
and searches his reins and heart i.e., his innermost thoughts and emotions [to see] if he is serving Him as is fitting."

The first Mitzvah act of the day is putting on a Tallis. The Zohar says that the analogy to this is putting a yoke on an ox. When the yoke is put on, the reins will lead the ox to where it is needed. The ox can then be used for productivity and be beneficial for mankind. By putting on the Tallis that covers our head and body, we are putting a yoke on ourselves that covers our body, heart and mind. We are saying that we are totally ready for duty and we give the reins to G-D's Torah and Mitzvahs to guide and lead us to the paths that would bring out our true potential and purpose. 

This is the foundation of the service of G-D.

PART 3

R' Mendel relates that in Russia during the darkest days of Russian oppression of Judaism, a time when any Jewish observance was strictly forbidden and anyone caught promoting Judaism was severely punished, the lightest sentences was exile in Siberia...

Once at a farbrengen, the Frierdikker Rebbe gave an analogy. In those days making a living was very difficult. There was a group of musicians that went from place to place to play their music, keeping a bowl on the floor hoping that the listeners would like the concert and drop some money in it. During their travelings, a young orphan attached to their ensemble. His job was to play a small instrument and cheer in order to get the crowd wowed. The more wowed they were, the more money people would drop in the bucket. 
The head of this ensemble took in this boy and provided for him. Once at an event, the boy was completely off tempo both in his playing and his cheer. The maestro, seeing that the boy is ruining the event, reached over to him and slapped him in the face. The boy hid his shame of being slapped in public and the physical pain of the slap, he immediately got back on tempo and continued to cheer the crowd, even in pain. 
R' Mendel relates that after the farbrengen with the Frierdikker Rebbe, the chassidim sat and farbrengged  about the boy. Was his cheer fake and did he continue his duty superficially, or was the Frierdikker Rebbe trying to tell them that even though the kid was hurt both emotionally and physically, he realized that this group is his family and if he is out of tempo it hurts everyone's livelihood including himself. If he doesn't get with it and cheer up then he won't get the crowd to cheer up and everyone will lose. The pain and the shame will leave but you and your family won't. 
Cheer up. 

This is Kablos Aol. 
This is the foundation attitude of a Jew. 
This the Tanya declares :
וקבלה זו היא אמיתית בלי שום ספק
This is being "real"

CHAPTER 42

PART 1

Moshe Rabbeinu was not just a great leader of the Jews who led them out of Egypt and gave them the Torah. He was, as the Zohar defines in the Roah Nemon - a faithful shepherd. Just as a shepherd fully provides for his flock, Moshe Rabbeinu provided all of the needs of the Jewish nation, especially the ability to have faith in G-D. Moshe's complete devotion to the Jews, devoid of any self interest whatsoever enabled his character the ability to actualize faith and realize G-D on a very real level, so much so that it was embedded into every Jewish soul. Moshe Rabbeinu's effect on the Jewish nation was eternally transformational. 

This ability to realize G-D, to feel that G-D is so real in our life and to know the path that we need to take, cannot be realized alone. Just as the Jews in the time of Egypt needed Moshe to redeem them and the Torah needed to be given through Moshe, we still need Moshe to facilitate our redemption from personal exile and to achieve holiness. 

In every generation, there are individuals that have the spark of Moshe Rabbeinu to a greater degree than the rest. Throughout history, the Jews that connected to those individuals found salvation and holiness. 
It's incumbent upon everyone to recognize such great individuals and have them guide you in the right path. 

I was lucky to have been born in Crown Heights where I have seen and lived with the greatest individual I can imagine. When I read about the exodus and I imagine Moshe Rabbeinu at the splitting of the sea or coming down the mountain with the Luchos, that individual resembles the Lubavitcher Rebbe to me. 

The purpose of realizing this is to realize that the direction and directives that the Rebbe taught us for over fifty years, is the path that G-D gave him to give to us. This was a precious gift that we were given to help us connect to Hashem. 

As it says in the Talmud on the verse:
 ולדבקה בו — שכל הדבק בתלמיד חכם מעלה עליו 
הכתוב כאלו נדבק בשכינה ממש
 “And cleave unto Him” “He who cleaves unto a [Torah] scholar is deemed by the Torah as if he had actually become attached to the Shechinah (the Divine Presence).”

PART 2

There was a Chabad Chossid of the Rebbe Rashab that was a very wealthy businessman whose name was R' Shmuel Gurary. Once, at a wedding, many of the chassidim from different dynasties came together. Each told a miraculous story of their Rebbe. When it was R' Shmuel's turn he related that he was once presented with a deal that he could either make big or lose big, it was a very risky deal. So as a Chossid he asked his Rebbe what to do. He was told to go ahead with the deal. He did it and lost a fortune. Confused the other chassidim asked him "what's the Miracle"?? 
"I'm STILL a Chossid" he answered. He then explained to them that the biggest miracle in his life, is the ability to live with faith. To live with utmost calm and tranquility, knowing that G-D is taking care of you. He continued, I don't know the reason I lost that money, what I do know is that what happens due to the Rebbe's advice is what's best for me. To be able to live like this, I have clearly learned what the Rebbe has taught. I do what he asks and therefore he made a mentch out of me. I can now live like a Jew is supposed to live. That's the miracle. ויאמינו בהשם ובמשה עבדו

There is a very important step in making G-D a reality in our lives and that is to use our Daas. 

Daas is our ability to connect to something outside of us to the point where it becomes internally connected to us. As we can see, when people put their mind to politics, sports or even celebrity gossip, the more mental energy they invest into the pursuit, the more it has a intimate effect on them. We see that if their political party, their sports team or their celebrity of choice wins or loses, it can totally affect their mood, to the point where sometimes taken to extremes their pursuit can destroy their lives. 

When we start to think about G-D regularly for a meaningful amount of time without distraction, we create a "place" for G-D within us. The deeper and more meaningful the time spent on G-D, the sooner we will start seeing G-D become more real in our lives. 

This is not easy but it works and well worth it, for without it we will remain with a very uncomfortable emotional disconnect with G-D.

PART 3

There is an extensive amount of weight loss research, ideas and articles but the one truth that overrides all techniques and shortcuts is to ACTUALLY eat less. When one eats less than they really need, they will definitely lose weight. So too with our spiritual side, there are steps that can't be avoided if you want to get into spiritual shape, namely, spending the time needed to realize that G-D, the one that created the world, with all it's infinite details has done all of this for one purpose, so that us Jews heed the path of the Torah to enable us and the world around us to bring out it's true potential. Even more so, he singled out each one of us in particular to achieve this goal, as our unique perspectives and characters are  needed for this purpose. 

The more often we think about this, the better shape we will be in to achieve this goal. 

‎יגעתי ומצאתי, תאמין
"I tried to achieve and I found it, believe him"

Our sages are not just saying that "if you try you will succeed", they are stating that if you try to connect to G-D  you will see a result of "ומצאתי/and I found it" like one who finds something unexpected "a find" something far more than you set out to achieve. 

Emunah (in Hebrew translation) doesn't just mean faith, it also has roots in the words worker and skill. 
To have Emunah is not just to believe, it's to work at it until it becomes a skill that we acquire. A skill and a technique that gets us through any challenge and keeps us on the right path.

CHAPTER 43

PART 1

There are two levels of Yiras Shamayim, a lower level and a higher level. 
The lower level is based on one's own experiences and happenings of the world around them. If one lived during the times when the Jews left Egypt, they would base it on experiences of food falling from heaven, water coming out of rocks, clouds that would clean their clothes and always protect them from any dangers... that would lead to a realization far different than one living today's lifestyle. 
A realization that is realized only due to experiences is weak and changeable, if the experience changes, the realization will too.

The higher level of Yiras Shamayim is not due to outside influences but a deep realization of Emes, regardless of anything that may be happening around us. 

There were those that experienced the atrocities of the Holocaust and their faith and Yiras Shamayim where unmoved and as strong as ever. The Emes was so much a part of them that no experience could challenge their faith. They had question that they didn't have answers for, but they knew in an internally sure way that G-D had those questions covered.

On a much lighter note and example, there are those that won't steal for fear that they will get caught. But if no one will know, or they can justify it, then they will. Vendors sell bootleg copies of movies. Most people that buy these would never outright steal, they would not just walk into the theater that is showing the movie without paying. What then is the difference?  Because they could get caught, or the stealing is obvious but in private, where no one sees, it's ok. 

Versus an individual that has a deep appreciation of right and wrong and would never buy the copy, not because they will get caught but because they would never take anything from another. Period. Even if the laws change and bootleg copies are not illegal, they still won't buy it, why? Because it's just wrong. 

This is the higher level of Yirah, to live life by a code of truth. 

Regarding the love of G-D, there is also a higher level and a lower level. The lower level is the result of appreciating the beauty in the world and of life in general, based on positive outside experiences. 

The higher level can only be gotten as a gift of G-D. This is gifted only to those that live with the code of the higher Yirah. It's a state of happiness and tranquility in just being. Normally happiness is the result of either acquiring or achieving something, it's a result of a pursuit. The higher level of love is just seeing everything in a beautiful place, seeing G-D's plan and loving every moment and detail. This is a truly beautiful gift. In the time of Moshiach this will be our reality. 

At the end of the chapter it reiterates that the first step in the service of G-D is Kabbalas Ol (lower level of Yirah) is to do it simply because G-D asked. I think the reason this is reiterated is because living with Kabbalas Ol has a purity that can't be matched. To understand the Emes (truth), is great, to feel for it is even greater but to  simply do it because G-D asked, is pure dedication. 

Thus creating a foundation strong enough to build on.

CHAPTER 44

A man's psyche is very diverse, to the point that it feels like there is more than one person within us. It's for this reason that we can feel strongly about something and yet act completely different. One part of us likes it and a different part of us doesn't. 

There is one thought and emotion that holds a person together and that is - to survive. 

Our need to survive is very much hardwired into our psyche. Whenever our survival instinct is challenged, it overrides all else. Be it habit or hobby, when challenged with anything that becomes potentially life threatening, one stops immediately (normal people). 

Thanks to our spiritual forefathers, every
Jew, in addition to our basic survival needs, is also embedded with the need to be Jewish. 

Just as man's basic survival instinct is evident only in life threatening situations, so to the Jewish survival instinct becomes evident when challenged (i.e. anti semitism).

The more often one reflects upon bringing his survival need into his conscience, the more productive and aligned one's life will become. 

This applies to our spiritual life as well. The more often we reflect upon the fact that Judaism is our real life, the more productive and aligned our life will become, in both our physical and spiritual needs. 

An even deeper and more life changing perspective is that we would do more for our parents then we would do for ourselves (normal person with normal parents).

If it comes to pass where our parents needs demand of us to give up our own needs, by nature one is readily available to comply knowing it will make his parents happy. Ironically this actually makes the child happy too. 

This too, is hardwired  in our spiritual soul. When we start looking at G-D as our true parent, only then do we start feeling that G-D's happiness is more important than ours.

Nothing makes a parent prouder and happier than seeing their children caring and giving, and nothing makes a child prouder and happier than seeing their parent/s proud of them. 

Learning to see that our survival and life is G-D and also to start seeing G-D as our true parent to the point where we start acting that way is the primary mission of our soul on this earth.

CHAPTER 46 

PART 1

There is an amazing phenomenon in human interactions, “As water mirrors the face to the face, so does the heart of man to man.” 
When you look at a mirror, the mirror will reflect your exact face and expression, be it angry or happy, sad or glad, whether you like what you see or not, "...so does the heart of man to man.” You could say the right thing to another, maybe even do the right thing, but your heart will come through. If you really like someone they will "feel" this like. If you're angry at someone, regardless of what you say, the other will "pick up" that anger. 

This natural phenomenon is even more pronounced when the person that is interacting with us is a great person, just knowing that they really care about us has a very deep affect on us. 

I remember once standing on line to get a Brocha from the Rebbe before the new year, as the lines were around the block I was wondering if the Rebbe recognizes each of us personally or not. Unfortunately at the time I felt that the Rebbe did not recognize everyone individually... as I passed the Rebbe and got the same blessing as the many before me and the many behind me will have gotten, I felt saddened that he really doesn't recognize me as an individual. As two others passed after me, the Rebbe turned completely around (a very unusual act) and looked me right in my eyes and reiterated his blessing to me. I understood very clearly that he was showing me how much he did recognize me and that he really does care for me personally. I clearly remember how all encompassing that blessing felt, it was so intense that I practically lost my balance. That event changed me forever.

In this chapter, Tanya teaches us to look and realize that regardless of the infinite physical and spiritual entities in all of existence, Hashem chose us as his own.  Notwithstanding that it was at our lowest spiritual point (due to the years of slavery in Egypt) that Hashem made us his chosen people. 

As a people and as individuals, we are unique in all creation. Realizing and acknowledging this will automatically have a mirror effect on us and we will then feel the need to reciprocate G-D's great affection towards us.

PART 2

Marriage is about two, becoming one. They were two separate people living two separate lives until they committed to each other in marriage. Unlike all other types of arrangements and partnerships that are limited to the terms that are stipulated, marriage is two that ultimately become one והיו לבשר אחד - "and they shall be one flesh”,  it is an all encompassing relationship. 

At Matan Torah, G-D married us and we married him. Together we are now one. The Torah is our vow, our kesubah. Every time we do a Mitzvah we are "renewing our vows" it is for this reason that prior to Mitzvos, we make a Bracha that states
אשר קדשנו במצותיו - “Who has sanctified us by His commandments”.
The term קדשנו/sanctified also means "separated" that's why marriage / chupah is called קדושין״".
When a couple gets married, they are off limits to everyone else, that's the vow, that's the commitment. When we do a Mitzvah we are again recommitting to G-D and separating from anything that's not G-D. 
 
It is for this reason that the Torah speaks so harshly about someone that transgresses, they are actually breaking their commitment to the marriage. 
Just imagine for a moment, the reaction of a spouse to the infidelity of their partner... beyond horrible. 

(It is truly amazing that G-D accepts Teshuvah when he's cheated on. Most spouses wouldn't, shouldn't or just plain cannot forgive)

The Alter Rebbe was once passing the kitchen and overheard his wife refer to him as
מיין מען -  "my man" (Yiddish for husband).
Hearing this, he was completely moved. He realized that with this one Mitzvah, to betroth a wife, he is hers and she is his. Through his wife's comment, he acknowledged the magnitude of the reality that by doing a Mitzvah, you become "mine".

There once was a Chossid that brought a letter to the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin, requesting a blessing for his friend. When the Chozeh read it, he threw it down in disgust. His friend picked it up and gave it to the Chozeh again in the evening. Looking at the letter the Chozeh commented on the holiness of the writer and proceeded to give a blessing. When asked about his contradictory behavior towards the letter he explained. When I first read the letter, the writer was at that time doing something wrongfully inappropriate. The second time I read the letter, the writer was lighting Chanukah candles. 

Our Mitzvos make us who we are.

The fact that we don't feel the amazing bond created by a mitzvah is only due to our coarseness and lack of sensitivity but the fact is that we are actually transformed when we are doing a Mitzvah. 

As an analogy to this: one goes to the doctor and is told that he has cancer. Worse yet, the growth indicates that he had it for 10 years. The patient is astonished that for the last 10 years, while he was living he was actually progressively dying. 

Since realization is not indicative of the facts. Dovid exclaims in Tehillim:
ואני בער ולא אדע... ואני תמיד עמך
“And I am foolish and know and feel not ... [Yet] I am always with You.”
Normally, one acts differently when his spouse is around or not. Dovid's song of praise in Tehillim was his appreciation that he is always in the presence of G-D and for the times that he doesn't feel it, he attributes it to his own foolishness. 

Now that's a holy matrimony, always feeling as if your spouse is with you.

CHAPTER 47 

There is no greater story in our rich Jewish history, as the story of Exodus from Mitzrayim. It transformed us from slavery to freedom. Even more so, a sense of freedom that is so dominant that from then on, no nation was or will ever be able to assimilate us. Like oil we will always float to the top, the freedom G-D gave us is that we will forever rise to the top. 
For that we are eternally grateful. It is for this reason that we mention Yetzias Mitzrayim three times every day.

והנה בכל דור ודור, וכל יום ויום, חייב אדם לראות עצמו כאילו הוא יצא היום ממצרים
“In every generation and every day a person is obliged to regard himself as if he had that day come out of Egypt.”

It is incumbent upon us to see ourselves as if we are leaving Mitzrayim TODAY. How is this possible? I live in New York, I have never been, nor do I ever plan on going to Mitzrayim, what really is the meaning of this obligation?

Mitzrayim is not just a geographical location, but it is a state of being. The root word of Mitzrayim is matzar/tzar- a confined/restrained/limited place. 

A state of being in which one finds himself confined/restrained/limited in a personal or spiritual way is the more profound meaning of being in Mitzrayim. 
With this definition in mind, who doesn't find themselves in Mitzrayim?

It is in this interpretation of Mitzrayim that the Torah asks of us that we see ourselves leaving, overcoming the obstacles that hinder our growth. That freedom can be found in direct proportion to our commitment to Torah and Mitzvos. 
 
The Baal Shem Tov was once teaching his students and in midst of studying, a wagon driver asked the group if anyone can help him get his wagon out of the mud. They said they can't. To this, the wagon driver said "you can, you just don't WANT TO". The Baal Shem Tov was very moved by those very true words. From then on, the attitude by chassidim was "you CAN you just need to WANT to"

Coming out of Mitzrayim / Freedom from spiritual exile is readily available, our only obstacle is the will to WANT to. When we really WANT to, we will see that we really can.

CHAPTER 49

In a huge private business there are many divisions with many employees. Each division has a manager on top of them and there are managers to manage the managers, then you have the board of directors. No matter how many employees, managers and directors there are, and all the different options on how to run the business successfully, it will all come down to what the boss wants because it's his business. 

Each employee yearns to be promoted, to be a more integral part of the business. 

There is one other type of employee that is inherently different than everyone else in the business. He will be an integral part of the business no matter what he does. 
Better yet he is the one employee that the boss actually works for.... how is this possible?

He's the boss's SON. 

The entire business is there for his benefit. The only want of the father is that his son will "fill his shoes". 

How great is it when this son recognizes the enormous responsibilities and abilities he was given, just because he is the boss's son and how much greater it is when he "stands up to it" and becomes the man he is destined to be. 

This is the meaning of Shema and the two blessings we say before it every day. 

In the first blessing we discuss all the angles (employees). The different divisions (אופנים/שרפים/חיות הקדש) all searching for G-D all trying to be an integral part of G-D's creation. 

What they all realize in their quest is that if you want to be an integral part of it all and you need to know is where Hashem is and where his ultimate interest lies - it's with his son - us, the Jews אהבת עולם אהבתנו.

When we as Jews realize that there are really great employees in the company, far smarter and more accomplished than us, yet G-D's only interest is us, we realize that G-D sees more in us than we see in ourselves. We stand up to the task, we say Shema, recognizing that it's our obligation to see the uniqueness of G-D. By
overcoming our immaturity and starting to live as he wishes, we end up making Hashem a proud parent, we become אחד - one.

CHAPTER 50

Comedian Jackie Mason had a great routine that he used to do about Jews never being able to relax and be satisfied. There wasn't a Jew in the audience that didn't relate to it. 

Actually, it's not a joke, it's true.

Jews are always driven, be it business, medicine, education, politics... in every field, the internal drive that a Jew has is extremely visible. Always searching for more and better. 

From a psychological point of view there is a level of discomfort that is often felt by a Jew, the feeling that they are not happy with themselves and want more out of life. Seemingly, not being happy with oneself is not a good state to be in, but in truth there is a very positive reason behind this discomfort and an amazing reason behind this willpower that makes Jews so driven.

והיינו על ידי תגבורת יסוד האש אלקי שבנפש האלקית
This results from the predominance of the element of divine Fire that is in the divine soul
ומזה באה לידי צמאון,
From this, the soul comes to a thirst.

The soul of a Jew is compared to fire. Fire is very unique, while everything in the physical world goes down, fire always goes up. Interestingly, it burns itself out to do so.

In Kabbalah it explains this phenomenon, in which fire, even in its physical form, realizes its spiritual soul (everything has a spiritual soul) and how great it is. It knows that its physical form is limiting its soul's potential. It is this realization that causes the fire to flicker as it burns, expressing its discomfort with its own limitations and impatiently awaits to become its true self, a soul without any physical restraints. 

This uniqueness that is found in fire, is also found in a Jew. The Jewish soul is always in touch with its source, it has an inherent realization of its omnipotence and it yearns to connect to it. 

It's source is Hashem. 

This is the true source of the Jewish drive. Utilized correctly this drive is extremely positive and uplifting. A constant source of positive energy. 

On the other side, in addition to the Nefesh Elokis - a G-Dly soul, a Jew also has also a Nefesh Habehamis, an animalistic soul. This animalistic soul is completely self centered. The Nefesh Habehamis misconstrues and redirects this drive into selfish pursuits. As in, the desire to be richer or better than someone else or the feeling that "I deserve better", a very destructive mindset. 

CHAPTER 52

In the Kodesh Hakodashim, the Aron Hakodesh measured 2.5 x 2.5 amos. The measurements of the Kodesh Hakodashim were 5 x 5 amos. One would expect that when the Aron would be in the middle of the room, only 1.25 amos of space should be left on either side. Miraculously there were still 5 amos on either side. 

On one hand, the Aron NEEDED to be exactly 2.5 x 2.5 yet at the same time it miraculously did not take up any space. 

The Rebbe once explained the reason that we face ourselves towards the Kodesh Hakodashim when we daven. In life there is what we deserve and then, there is what we would like, these two can't coexist. The Kodesh Hakodashim enlightens us, there is a place where that is impossible, actually the impossible is the norm in this place. 

Therefore we daven towards the Kodesh Hakodashim as a means of asking Hashem to let us into that place that reveals Hashem's limitless abilities so that we are granted our personal requests regardless of any obstacles and limitations, deserving or not.

CHAPTER 53

The first Bais Hamikdosh was unique due to the Luchos that were there, in the second Mikdosh the Aron and Luchos were missing. 

The Luchos were miraculous. The commandments were engraved on stone. There was no back to it. When turned over, the commandments were written facing the proper way.

The mem ם and samach ס stayed afloat not withstanding it's empty middle and had nothing to hang on to. 

It radiated G-Dliness to such a great extent that anyone entering the room of the Luchos ceased to exist (except for the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur with his greatest preparations).

From one side it was a stone, the lowest and most lifeless of all creation, on the other side it was the greatest manifestation of G-Dliness in the world. 

The existence of the Luchos was supernatural and therefor it changed the natural order.

From after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh when the Luchos were no longer around, the natural order regained precedence and therefore G-Dliness is not apparent (it is still here, it just can't be seen).

On the cryptic words of Koheles
‎שמן על ראשך אל יחסר - don't run out of oil
The Zohar explains that an oil lamp has three entities and when they come together, they create something beautiful. 

Oil, wick and fire. Fire can't exist by itself, only when it burns through something can the fire remain. The wick is the substance the fire needs but the fire will be short lived, it takes a moment for fire to burn through a wick. When the oil gets absorbed into the wick it raises to the top of the wick where the fire is, it feeds the fire. As long as oil flows through the wick the fire will remain. 

It is miraculous that by nature, fire consumes anything yet it found peace with the wick whereby they can both coexist as long as the oil flows. 

All of this is a metaphor. The fire is G-D and the Nefesh Elokis, the body and our natural Soul is the wick and Torah and Mitzvos are the oil. 

When we learn and do what the Torah dictates and it flows through us, our Neshama can come to light and at that point we become a luminary both to ourselves and the world around us. 

There is one prerequisite to the fire, the tip actually gets burned but the rest of the wick will remain as long as the oil flows. 
In our analogy for the fire, we will need to burn something to start the fire, our negativity and selfish side is what we will need to burn first leaving a pure person in which goodness can flow through and bring light to all. 

The Luchos is the tool that G-D created to bring in the light. 

The "lamp" is the tool man made to bring in the light. 

‎שמן על ראשך אל יחסר
As long as we do good, we feed the flame.