Torah Ohr · Parshas Noach · Maamar 2
אם יתן איש את כל הון ביתו באהבה…
If a man would give all the wealth of his house
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The big idea
The highest love, “with all your might,” wants G‑d’s very essence, so it scorns even the wisdom of the Torah and the Garden of Eden, which are only His radiance. That essence is reached only through the practical mitzvos, G‑d’s inner will, which is clothed in physical things and fulfilled “today,” while the soul is in the body.
The maamar in brief
Continuing the previous maamar’s reading of “many waters cannot extinguish the love,” the Alter Rebbe turns to the verse’s end: “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” “The wealth of his house” is the wisdom of the Torah, the reasons of the mitzvos. It flows from divine Chochmah (“Eden”) as a river to the “garden,” the fifty-three sidros, and forms the Higher and Lower Garden of Eden. Yet Chochmah came about only through many contractions (ish, “a man of war”) and is only a radiance, nothing next to G‑d’s essence. The love “with all your might” seeks to be absorbed into “the body of the King,” and so scorns all that wealth. But the practical mitzvos are G‑d’s will, above reason; like a deep idea that can only be hinted, they are revealed only when clothed in physical things. So the Shema says “which I (Anochi), the One Who is I, command you today”: G‑d’s essence is reached through deeds, and only while the soul is in the body. Through this the soul, the “little sister” (achos), becomes one (achas) with G‑d, embraced from every side.
Outline
- The love that waters cannot quenchLivelihood worries and worldly thoughts cannot extinguish the love; through them one reaches the love “with all your might.”¶1
- The wealth of his houseTorah’s wisdom, the reasons of the mitzvos, flows from Chochmah through many contractions into the Garden of Eden; it is only a radiance of G‑d.¶2–3
- Scorning the radianceThe love “with all your might” wants only G‑d’s essence, “the body of the King,” and so scorns Eden and the wealth of wisdom.¶3–4
- The mitzvos: will above wisdomThe practical mitzvos are G‑d’s inner will, above reason, and like a deep idea conveyed only by a hint, they are revealed only in physical things.¶4–5
- “Which I command you today”The Shema’s love rises to union with G‑d’s essence, which comes only through doing the mitzvos, and only “today,” while the soul is in the body.¶6–7
- Our little sisterSpeaking Torah counts as a deed; through the mitzvos the soul becomes “one” with G‑d and is embraced from every side.¶8
Key concepts
- The wealth of his houseהון ביתו
- The wisdom of the Torah: the explanations and reasons of the mitzvos, drawn from G‑d’s Chochmah.
- With all your mightבכל מאדך
- The highest love in the Shema, beyond one’s own measure: the desire to cleave to G‑d’s very essence.
- To be absorbed into the body of the Kingלאשתאבא בגופא דמלכא
- The goal of that love: union with G‑d’s essence itself, not only with His light.
- Radiance and illuminationזיו והארה
- G‑d’s light as it shines outward. Chochmah, the Torah’s wisdom and the Garden of Eden are all only this, compared with His essence.
- His essence and beingמהותו ועצמותו
- G‑d Himself, above the whole chain of descending worlds.
- The inner dimension of His willפנימיות רצונו
- The root of the practical mitzvos, higher than reason and wisdom, which is why it is clothed in physical deeds.
- Their beginning is wedged in their endנעוץ תחלתן בסופן
- The highest root reveals itself precisely in the lowest level, the physical deed.
For children · ages 9–13
Wanting G‑d Himself
The big idea
The deepest love wants G‑d Himself, more than any reward or understanding, and we reach Him by actually doing mitzvos, here and now.
The verse goes on: “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” The Alter Rebbe explains that “the wealth of his house” is the wisdom of the Torah, the reasons for the mitzvos, and the pleasure of Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden, where souls enjoy G‑d’s light. These are very great. Yet they are only G‑d’s light shining out, a radiance, and not G‑d Himself. The highest love, loving G‑d “with all your might,” wants G‑d Himself, so it would give up all that wealth for Him. How can we reach G‑d Himself? Through the mitzvos we do with our bodies: tefillin, sukkah, tzedakah. The mitzvos are G‑d’s will, which is deeper than any reason, and something so deep can show itself only in physical things. That is why the Shema says, “which I command you today.” “Today” means now, while the soul is in the body. Before the soul came down, it could not do mitzvos. Even speaking words of Torah counts as a deed. Through the mitzvos the soul, called “our little sister,” becomes one with G‑d, held close from every side.
The mashal
Our Sages say, “For the wise, a hint.” A very deep idea often cannot be said in words; a teacher can only point to it with a finger. So too, G‑d’s deepest will is too deep to be shown in a higher way, and it shows itself only in simple, physical mitzvos.
Questions for the Shabbos table
- Why is loving G‑d Himself higher than wanting a reward, even Gan Eden?
- What does the word “today” in the Shema teach us about doing mitzvos?
- Which physical mitzvah could you do this week while thinking that through it you are close to G‑d Himself?
Explanation © likuteitorah.com, CC BY-NC 4.0: retold for children from our translation and explanation, with AI assistance; not yet reviewed by a human editor.
The love that waters cannot quench ¶1
“If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly scorned.” For it has been explained above how “many waters” are the preoccupations of earning a livelihood.
The maamar opens with the second half of a verse in Song of Songs whose first half (“many waters cannot extinguish the love, nor can rivers drown it”) was the subject of the preceding maamar. There, the “many waters” were read as the worries of making a living.
ונהרות שהם המחשבות בענינים גשמיים שנקראו בשם נהרות דניידי ואזלי2 משא״כ מים הם מכונסים ועומדים וכל זה לא יוכלו לכבות את האהבה ואדרבה בהם וע״י דוקא תבא לבחי׳ האהבה היותר גדולה היינו בחי׳ בכל מאדך הנ״ל.
And “rivers” are the thoughts about material matters, which are called by the name “rivers” because they move and flow on, whereas waters are gathered and standing. And all of this cannot extinguish the love; on the contrary, specifically in them and through them one comes to the level of the greatest love, namely the level of “with all your might” mentioned above.
The “rivers” are the stream of thoughts about worldly matters: like a river, such thoughts keep moving, while “waters” (the livelihood worries) stay pooled in place. None of this puts out the soul’s love for G‑d; rather, overcoming exactly these distractions is what brings a person to the highest love, the love “with all your might” (bechol me’odecha) of the Shema, a love that goes beyond one’s own measure.
The paragraph recalls the preceding maamar’s reading of “many waters” and “rivers” as material distractions that cannot quench the love, and that in fact lead to the greatest love, “with all your might.” It sets up the question of what the rest of the verse, “if a man would give all the wealth of his house,” adds.
Marei mekomos
- 1
- 2שו״ה המחשבות — דניידי ואזלי · ראה תו״ח נח סב, ב.
The wealth of his house ¶2–3
2ולזה אומר אח״כ אם יתן איש את כל הון ביתו כו׳. הון ביתו נק׳ חכמת התורה שהן פירוש וטעמי המצות שנמשך מבחי׳ חכמתו ית׳.
And for this [reason] it says afterward, “If a man would give all the wealth of his house,” etc. “The wealth of his house” refers to the wisdom of the Torah, which is the explanation and reasons of the mitzvos, drawn from the level of His blessed wisdom (Chochmah).
The Alter Rebbe now reads the verse’s second half: “the wealth of his house” is the wisdom of the Torah, meaning the explanations and reasons behind the mitzvos. That wisdom is drawn from G‑d’s own Chochmah, the level of divine wisdom.
וכמ״ש ונהר יוצא מעדן1 להשקות את הגן. כי מעדן שהוא בחי׳ חכמה שנק׳ עדן2 יוצא נהר לשון המשכה להשקות את הגן שהם ג״ן סדרים דאורייתא שהן
As it is written, “And a river goes out from Eden to water the garden (gan).” For from “Eden,” which is the level of Chochmah, which is called “Eden,” there “goes out a river” (a term for drawing down) “to water the garden (gan)”: these are the fifty-three (gan) sidros of the Torah, which are
The verse from Genesis is read as a map of how Torah’s wisdom flows down: “Eden” is Chochmah, the “river” is the drawing-down of that wisdom, and the “garden” (gan, whose letters have the numerical value fifty-three) stands for the fifty-three weekly portions (sidros) of the Torah.
פירוש וטעמי המצות ונעשה מהם בחי׳ ג״ע עליון וג״ע תחתון עד שנשתלשל מטה מטה ששרשם מבחי׳ חכמתו ית׳ שנק׳ ראשית ההשתלשלות ואינו ערוך כלל לגבי מהותו ועצמותו יתברך שהוא למעלה מההשתלשלות:3
the explanation and reasons of the mitzvos. And from them are made the level of the Higher Garden of Eden and the Lower Garden of Eden, until it descended lower and lower. Their root is from the level of His blessed Chochmah, which is called the beginning of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), and it bears no comparison at all to His blessed essence and being, which is above the chain of descent.
The explanations and reasons of the mitzvos form the Higher and Lower Garden of Eden, the spiritual realms where souls enjoy G‑d’s light, and continue descending level by level. But since their root is Chochmah, which is only the first step of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), it is nothing compared to G‑d’s essence, which is entirely above that chain.
The paragraph identifies “the wealth of his house” with Torah’s wisdom, the reasons of the mitzvos, which flow from divine Chochmah through the Garden of Eden. It then limits its value: all of it belongs to the chain of descent and bears no comparison to G‑d’s essence.
Elsewhere in Torah Ohr (Yisro), the Alter Rebbe explains that Chochmah is called “Eden” because it receives from the supernal delight, and that from Eden the flow reaches the “garden,” the Higher and Lower Garden of Eden, where souls enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah.
Marei mekomos
- 1ונהר יוצא מעדן · Genesis 2:10
- 2שהוא בחי׳ חכמה שנק׳ עדן · ראה לקמן ע, ב. קז, ד.
- 3
Scorning the radiance ¶3–4
And this is [the meaning of] “If a man (ish) would give”: [the word ish] denotes restraints (gevuros) and contractions (tzimtzumim), as it is written (Exodus 15), “G‑d is a man (ish) of war,” etc.
שכדי שיומשך מעצמותו ית׳ להתהוות בחי׳ חכמה שאינו אלא זיו והארה בלבד א״א להיות כ״א ע״י צמצומים וגבורות רבים.
For in order that there be drawn from His blessed essence [what is needed] for the level of Chochmah to come into being (and it is no more than a radiance and illumination alone), this is impossible except through many contractions and restraints.
Even Chochmah, the source of Torah’s wisdom, is only a glow radiating from G‑d, not G‑d’s essence itself; and even that glow could come into being only through many contractions and restraints. This shows how far below the essence Torah’s wisdom stands.
וזהו אם יתן איש את כל הון ביתו באהבה3 שהוא אהבת בכל מאדך המבואר למעלה שהוא לאשתאבא בגופא דמלכא.
And this is [the meaning of] “If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love”: this is the love of “with all your might” explained above, which is to be absorbed into the very body of the King.
The “love” for which a man would give away all that wealth is the love “with all your might” described earlier: the desire to be absorbed into “the very body of the King,” an image for G‑d’s own essence, not merely His light.
The paragraph shows that the wisdom of the Torah came about only through many contractions, and so is only a radiance of G‑d. The love “with all your might” longs for G‑d Himself, the “body of the King,” and therefore would give up that whole “wealth.”
A parallel passage in Likkutei Torah (Re’eh) ranks the three loves of the Shema: “with all your heart” is the soul’s longing for G‑d’s courtyards; “with all your soul” is binding one’s faculties to Torah and mitzvos, the King’s palace; and “with all your might” is self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), a desire of the heart beyond intellect.
Marei mekomos
- 1וזהו אם יתן איש שהוא לשון גבורות · ראה לקו״ת ראה לא, ד.
- 2
- 3אם יתן איש את כל הון ביתו באהבה · Song of Songs 8:7
The mitzvos: will above wisdom ¶4–5
4וכמ״ש מי לי בשמים1 ועמך לא חפצתי כו׳ שלא יחפוץ לא בג״ע כו׳ שהם אינם רק זיו והארה בלבד רק לאשתאבא בגופא דמלכא שהוא מהותו ועצמותו ית׳.
As it is written, “Whom do I have in heaven? And with You I desire nothing,” etc.: that he desires neither the Garden of Eden, etc., which are only a radiance and illumination alone, but only to be absorbed into the body of the King, which is His blessed essence and being.
The Psalmist’s words, “Whom do I have in heaven? And with You I desire nothing,” express the love that wants neither the Garden of Eden nor any spiritual reward, since these are only G‑d’s radiance, but only G‑d Himself, His essence.
ואי לזאת בוז יבוזו לו הון ביתו הנ״ל שאינו אלא זיו והארה כו׳ וד״ל. אכן כ״ז הוא הפי׳ וטעמי המצות שהוא בחי׳ חכמת התורה שנמשך מחכמתו ית׳ כנ״ל.
Accordingly, “utterly scorned” by him is “the wealth of his house” mentioned above, which is no more than a radiance and illumination, etc.; and this suffices for one who understands. However, all this is the explanation and reasons of the mitzvos, which is the level of the wisdom of the Torah, drawn from His blessed wisdom, as mentioned above.
That is why such a lover scorns “the wealth of his house.” But the Alter Rebbe adds a qualification: this applies to the reasons and explanations of the mitzvos, the intellectual wisdom of the Torah that comes from G‑d’s Chochmah.
אבל גופי המצות מעשיות כמו תפלין וסוכה ומצות צדקה שנא׳ (ישעי׳ לב) והי׳ מעשה הצדקה2 וכדומה שהן הם רצונו ית׳ שלמעלה מהטעם והדעת הנמשך בבחי׳ חכמה.
But the very body of the practical mitzvos, such as tefillin and sukkah and the mitzvah of tzedakah (as it is said (Isaiah 32), “And the deed of tzedakah shall be”), and the like, are His blessed will (ratzon), which is above the reason and understanding that are drawn down in the level of Chochmah.
The mitzvos themselves, the actual deeds such as tefillin, sukkah and giving tzedakah, are different: they are G‑d’s will, which is higher than reason and understanding, since reason belongs to the level of Chochmah while will stands above it.
ולהיות ששרש׳ גבוה מאד ממדרגת התורה כו׳ ע״כ נתלבשו בדברים גשמיים דוקא שא״א לבא לבחי׳ השגה כו׳.
And because their root is very much higher than the rank of the Torah, etc., therefore they were clothed specifically in physical things, for [their root] cannot come to the level of comprehension, etc.
Because the mitzvos are rooted so high, above even the Torah’s wisdom, they could not be captured in comprehension, and so they are clothed specifically in physical objects and actions.
The love “with all your might” wants only G‑d’s essence, and so scorns even the Garden of Eden and Torah’s wisdom. But the practical mitzvos are G‑d’s will, above wisdom, and for that very reason are clothed in physical things.
Marei mekomos
- 1מי לי בשמים · Psalms 73:25
- 2
As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “For the wise, a hint.” For a very deep matter cannot be revealed in speech, but only by a hint, pointing it out to him with a finger, etc.
The Sages’ saying “for the wise, a hint” illustrates the point: an idea too deep for words cannot be spoken outright; it can only be pointed to, as with a finger.
כמו״כ מצות מעשיות מפני ששרשם מאד נעלה שהן פנימיות רצונו ית׳ כביכול שלמעלה מהשגה. לזאת א״א לבא לידי גילוי למטה כ״א בהתלבשותם בדברי׳ גשמיים דוקא כי נעוץ תחלתן בסופן דוקא.
So too the practical mitzvos: because their root is exceedingly lofty, being the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of His blessed will, as it were, which is above comprehension, therefore they cannot come to revelation below except by being clothed specifically in physical things, for “their beginning is wedged in their end,” specifically.
The practical mitzvos are like that hint: their root is the inner dimension of G‑d’s will, too deep for any understanding, so it can be revealed below only when it is clothed in physical things. “Their beginning is wedged in their end”: the highest root shows itself precisely in the lowest, most physical level.
An analogy: as a very deep idea can be conveyed only by a hint, not in words, so G‑d’s innermost will, beyond comprehension, can be revealed only through physical deeds. The highest is expressed specifically in the lowest.
Marei mekomos
- 1לחכימא ברמיזא · Zohar I, 26b
- 2לחכימא ברמיזא · Zohar, Ki Teitzei 18:88–20:98
- 3לחכימא ברמיזא · Tikkunei Zohar 36a:11–12
- 4לחכימא ברמיזא · Tikkunei Zohar 107b:4
- 5לחכימא ברמיזא · Tikkunei Zohar 116a:3–4
- 6לחכימא ברמיזא · Midrash Mishlei 22
“Which I command you today” ¶6–7
6וזהו והיו הדברים1 האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום כו׳. כי הנה כל פ׳ ק״ש שמע ישראל הוא רק התבוננות מבחי׳ שמותיו כו׳.
And this is [the meaning of] “And these words which I (Anochi) command you today shall be,” etc. For the whole passage of the reading of the Shema, “Hear, O Israel,” is only contemplation on the level of His Names, etc.
The Alter Rebbe turns to the Shema. Its opening, “Hear, O Israel,” is a meditation on G‑d’s Names, that is, on the ways G‑d is revealed, and “which I (Anochi) command you today” will be explained in the next paragraph.
ועי״ז ואהבת בכל לבבך כו׳ עד שיגיע לבחי׳ אהבת בכל מאדך הנ״ל שהוא ליכלל ולדבקה בו במהותו ועצמותו ית׳ ממש.
And through this [comes] “And you shall love with all your heart,” etc., until one reaches the level of the love of “with all your might” mentioned above, which is to be included and to cleave to Him, in His blessed essence and being itself.
That meditation leads to “you shall love with all your heart,” and further, to love “with all your might,” the desire to be absorbed into G‑d’s very essence and cleave to Him, not merely to His revealed light.
Contemplating G‑d’s Names in the Shema produces love, rising up to the love “with all your might,” which seeks union with G‑d’s essence. The verse “and these words which I command you” will show how that love is fulfilled.
Marei mekomos
- 1והיו הדברים · Deuteronomy 6:6
7וא״א זאת כ״א ע״י קיום מצותיו ית׳ דוקא שהן פנימיות רצונו ית׳ ונעוץ סופן בתחלתן
And this is impossible except through fulfilling His blessed mitzvos specifically, for they are the inner dimension of His blessed will, and “their end is wedged in their beginning.”
The union with G‑d’s essence that love “with all your might” seeks cannot be reached by love or understanding alone, only by actually doing the mitzvos, which are G‑d’s innermost will. “Their end is wedged in their beginning”: the physical deed is bound to the highest root.
וזהו אשר אנכי12 מי שאנכי3 שהוא מהותו ועצמותו ממש ולא בבחי׳ אור וזיו בלבד מצוך ע״י קיום מצות מעשיות דוקא כנ״ל.
And this is [the meaning of] “which I (Anochi)”: the One Who is “I,” which is His very essence and being, and not merely at the level of light and radiance, “command you,” through fulfilling the practical mitzvos specifically, as mentioned above.
The word Anochi (“I”) in “which I command you” refers to G‑d’s own essence, “the One Who is I,” not to any light or radiance of His; and that essence is what commands and is reached through doing the practical mitzvos.
היום כו׳ שהיום דוקא שהנשמה מלובשת בתוך הגוף משא״כ קודם התלבשותה בגוף היתה רק נהנית מזיו השכינה כו׳.
“Today,” etc.: specifically “today,” when the soul is clothed within the body; whereas before it was clothed in the body, it was only delighting in the radiance of the Shechinah, etc.
“Today” means now, while the soul is in the body. Before it entered the body, the soul only enjoyed the radiance of the Shechinah; only in the body, doing physical mitzvos, can it reach G‑d’s essence itself.
The paragraph reads “which I (Anochi) command you today” as the answer: union with G‑d’s essence comes only through the practical mitzvos, and only “today,” while the soul is in a body. Before its descent, the soul had only the radiance of the Shechinah.
The first maamar of Torah Ohr reads the same verse the same way, “which I, the One Who is I, command you,” and ties it to the revelation of G‑dliness and the coming into being of the Torah.
Marei mekomos
- 1וא״א זאת כ״א ע״י קיום מצותיו . . אשר אנכי · נתבאר בד״ה והיה ברכה תרל״ט.
- 2אשר אנכי · Deuteronomy 6:6
- 3אשר אנכי מי שאנכי · ראה לעיל א, א במ״מ.
Our little sister ¶8
And this is [the meaning of] “And you shall speak of them”: this is the mitzvah of speaking the words of the Torah. And as it is written, “And you shall meditate on it,” etc. And the moving of one’s lips counts as an action, etc.
“And you shall speak of them” is the mitzvah of saying words of Torah aloud. The Talmud’s rule that moving one’s lips counts as an action means that speaking Torah is itself a kind of deed, and so shares the power of the practical mitzvos.
וזהו אחות לנו קטנה שנעשה בחי׳ אחות והוא לשון אחת שמתאחדת בתכלית עם מהותו ועצמותו ית׳ כביכול ממש ע״י קיום המצות מעשיות כנ״ל.
And this is [the meaning of] “We have a little sister (achos)”: that she becomes the level of achos, which is a term of “one” (achas), for she becomes united completely with His blessed essence and being itself, as it were, through fulfilling the practical mitzvos, as mentioned above.
The verse “We have a little sister” is read through wordplay: achos (sister) is related to achas (one). Through the practical mitzvos the soul becomes completely one with G‑d’s essence.
וכמ״ש וימינו תחבקני כאדם החובק את חבירו מכל צדדיו כו׳ וזהו מה נעשה לאחותינו ביום שידובר בה וד״ל:
And as it is written, “And His right hand embraces me,” like a person who embraces his fellow from all sides, etc. And this is [the meaning of] “What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for”; and this suffices for one who understands.
The image of G‑d’s right hand embracing the soul, like a person who embraces a friend from every side, describes that total union. “What shall we do for our sister on the day she is spoken for” is left as a hint for the reader to work out.
The paragraph adds that speaking words of Torah counts as a deed, and ends with the image of the “little sister” who becomes “one” with G‑d and is embraced by Him from every side, through the practical mitzvos.
A passage in Likkutei Torah (Shemini Atzeres) explains that moving the lips is an action, though not as great an action as a physical deed, and that the power of the deed to arouse a response from above is drawn through Torah study, since “study is great, for it leads to action.”
Marei mekomos
- 1והגית בו · Joshua 1:8
- 2עקימת שפתיו הוי מעשה · Bava Metzia 90b:13–14
Finished the maamar?
Mark it as learned; it counts toward the week and the year’s siyum.
In one’s avodah
Worries about a livelihood and a flood of worldly thoughts should not discourage a person: overcoming them is how one reaches the love “with all your might.” That love should want neither reward nor Eden nor even understanding for its own sake, but G‑d Himself; and it is fulfilled by actually doing the mitzvos (tefillin, sukkah, tzedakah) and by speaking words of Torah, now, while the soul is in the body.
Questions for discussion
- Why would a love that wants G‑d’s essence “scorn” even the wisdom of the Torah and the Garden of Eden?
- How does the word ish, as in “a man of war,” show that Chochmah is far from G‑d’s essence?
- Why must G‑d’s innermost will be clothed in physical things? How does the analogy of “for the wise, a hint” help explain this?
- What does “today” add to “which I command you,” and why can the soul in a body reach what it could not reach before its descent?
- Speaking Torah counts as a deed. What does that suggest about the place of Torah study among the practical mitzvos?
Key terms in this maamar
- Chochmah (wisdom)חכמה
- The first flash of insight. ×3
- The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus)השתלשלות
- The step-by-step descent of divine light from the highest level down to this world. ×2
- Gevurah (restraint)גבורה
- Measure, limitation and judgment.
- Tzimtzum (contraction)צמצום
- The self-concealment of the Infinite Light that makes room for finite worlds.
- Willרצון
- Desire; in G‑d, the level above intellect.
- The inner dimension (pnimiyus)פנימיות
- The innermost core of a level. ×2
- The Shechinah (Divine Presence)שכינה
- G‑d's presence as it dwells in the world. ×1
- Daas (knowledge)דעת
- Deep connection to an idea, bridging intellect and emotion. ×1