Enthusiasm, Joy, Purpose

19 Iyar 5782

“You shall not work him with rigor, and you shall fear your G‑d.” (Vayikra 25:43)

“Working without purpose is demoralizing and can even drive a person insane, whereas working for a constructive purpose – even if the task requires great effort – is richly rewarding. The satisfaction that results from accomplishment can be greater even than the satisfaction from the actual wages.” (Daily Wisdom, Lubavitcher Rebbe)

“Therefore, this love is called ahavat olam, literally, ‘a love of the world,’ for it refers to the ‘contraction’ of His great and infinite light by assuming the garb of finitude, which is called olam (‘world’) for the sake of His love for His people Israel in order to bring them near to Him that they might be absorbed into His blessed Unity and Oneness through Torah and mitzvot.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, middle of Chapter 49)

“The efforts we are required to expend in studying the Torah and fulfilling G‑d’s commandments may be great, but we have been taught that our efforts here below have profound influence on the cosmic realm above. Keeping this knowledge in mind enables us to study the Torah and fulfill G‑d’s commandments with enthusiasm, joy, and purpose.” (Daily Wisdom, continued from above)

“How great are Your works, O L‑rd; how very profound Your thoughts! A brutish man cannot know, a fool cannot comprehend this” (Tehillim 92:6-7)

One who doesn’t meditate on the above makes himself blind to how great are Hashem’s works. He therefore resembles a brutish man, a fool who cannot comprehend the lofty nature of the Torah and mitzvot. Because, in his mind, the reward remains concealed, the effort becomes ever harder. He must therefore constantly struggle to keep himself on the right way. Thankfully, Chassidus teaches us how to align ourselves with the cosmic reality above, and see every mitzvah for what it really is, a gift from above, in and of itself, with infinite reward in tow.