ו' כסלו – קונטרס אחרון פרק ד'

When it comes to learning about the סדר ההשתלשלות—the order of spiritual worlds and the process of creation—even if a person manages to understand the המציאות—the existence or reality—of these concepts, that in itself is not as advantageous as learning about the המצות—the mitzvos themselves.

Why is this so? Because when you learn the halachos of a mitzvah, you are able to grasp and connect with the המהות—the very essence—of the mitzvah. The Alter Rebbe says that this is considered as if you actually performed the mitzvah in practice. This is based on the teaching, "זאת התורה כו'"—"This is the Torah..."—which the Gemara explains to mean that one who learns about the offerings is considered as if he brought them. So, learning the halachos is not just theoretical; it is as if you have done the mitzvah itself.

In contrast, when you learn about the סדר ההשתלשלות, even if you understand its reality, it does not have the same quality as learning the mitzvos, where you are able to grasp the essence and it is considered as if you have fulfilled the mitzvah in actuality.

However, the knowledge of the reality of ההשתלשלות—the process of spiritual evolution—is itself a tremendous and exalted mitzvah. In fact, in some ways, it is even greater than other mitzvos. The Alter Rebbe brings the verses "וידעת היום כו'"—"And you shall know today..."—and "דע את אלקי אביך כו'"—"Know the G‑d of your father..."—to show that there is a special value in knowing and understanding G‑dliness and the process of creation.

This knowledge leads a person to serve Hashem with a whole heart—לב שלם. That is the main point: the understanding and recognition of G‑dliness brings a person to a deeper, more complete service of Hashem. The purpose of understanding the reality of ההשתלשלות is to strip away the physicality and material aspect, to see the deeper meaning behind it all.

So, while learning about mitzvos connects you with the essence of the mitzvah, learning about the process of creation and G‑dliness has its own unique advantage: it elevates your heart and brings you to serve Hashem with greater sincerity and depth.

Still, this knowledge is only one of the 613 mitzvos. A person is required to fulfill all תרי"ג—613—mitzvos. The reason is that each mitzvah corresponds to a different aspect of the spiritual worlds: they are the השתלשלות המהות דחיצונית דכלים דאצילות—the chain of the essence as it is expressed in the external aspect of the vessels of Atzilus.

Therefore, it is necessary to increase one's learning in all of the 613 mitzvos, and to fulfill them in actual practice—through thought, speech, and action. These three modes correspond to the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, and through them, a person is able to refine and elevate the sparks—בירורין—that are found in those worlds.

In summary, there is a unique advantage to practical mitzvos, because through them you grasp the actual essence. There is also a special quality in learning about the השתלשלות, because it brings you to serve Hashem with a whole heart. Both are necessary: one must both learn and fulfill all the mitzvos, in order to accomplish the full purpose of creation.