Bringing the Spiritual to Dominate Over the Material

(The essay below is published in honor of the birthday of
the Rebbe Rashab, nishmaso Eden, on 20 Cheshvan—today.
May his merit protect us.)

Bringing the Spiritual to
Dominate Over the Material

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Hashem created us in the default state of valuing the material above the spiritual—in Hebrew, “hisgabrus ha’chomer al ha’tzurah.” At first glance, and especially in light of the materialistic and degenerate culture and times in which we live, changing this around may seem unrealistic and even unattainable.

Yet Torah, and the teachings of Chassidus in particular, teach that in fact, we are not doomed to remain in this state. We can and must choose to transcend it, but try as we might, we cannot truly do so on our own.

Without an airplane or similar device, a human being cannot fly up into the sky. Likewise, without special tools, we are trapped in our natural, default state of regarding the material as of foremost importance.

What are the tools that enable this inner change? In general, this is the purpose of all of Torah and Mitzvos.[1] However, in Torah itself, the area that facilitates this inner change in the most thorough and lasting way can be found, in our generation, in the teachings of Chassidus.

It is written, “From my flesh I see Hashem.”[2] This encapsulates the purpose of the teachings of Chassidus—to explain in great depth and detail the faculties of the soul, and how they interact with one another. Since the Jew’s soul descends from the higher spiritual worlds,[3] everything in our inner selves parallels the world at large, and can thus be used to understand it.

Thus Chassidus uses as its mashal, analogy (pl. meshalim), the soul’s faculties—“my flesh”—in all its intricacies, through which we are able to “see Hashem”—to understand the nimshal (concept being explained by the analogy) of sublime levels of Hashem’s greatness.

In particular, by learning about and becoming aware of and sensitive to the soul’s faculties, one can come to truly know and understand the ten Sefiros (divine emanations), and all the levels of Seder Hishtalshelus (the entire spiritual cosmos—see here), which Hashem created “So that we would come to know His greatness”[4] through them.

One should reflect upon these levels thoroughly and with great concentration (this is known as hisbonenus—see here). This enables the Neshamah to shine, elevating the person to a state of inner closeness and attachment to G–dliness, and the appropriate time to engage in this reflection is during Tefillah, prayer (see here and here).

This leads one to fulfill the goal of Chassidus: to bring the spiritual to dominate over the physical.[5] For when the Neshamah shines, one naturally casts aside materialistic desires and preoccupations (“chumriyus”—see here), and views all the physical as nothing but a tool to be used to fulfills the Torah’s instructions, “All your actions should be for the sake of Heaven,”[6] and “In all your ways, know Him.”[7]

May Hashem help us to go from strength to strength in this endeavor!

Based on the Rebbe Rashab’s Hemshech 5672, Vol. 3, pp. 1310-1311.

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[1] Cf. Tanya, ch. 32: “...כי יסוד ושורש כל התורה הוא להגביה ולהעלו' הנפש על הגוף מעלה מעלה”.
[2] Iyov 19:26.
[3] Tanya, ch. 3, beg.
[4] Zohar 2:42b.
[5] In the original, “hisgabrus hatzurah al hachomer.”
[6] Avos 2:12.
[7] Mishlei 3:6.


Dedicated by Dovid and Bracha Tsap as a merit for their daughter Sara Rachel bas Hinda Zelda Bracha, in honor of her birthday on 10 Cheshvan.


Dedicated in the merit of a speedy release for the captives Yonasan ben Malka (Jonathan Pollard), Alan Gross (Aba Chonah ben Hava Chana), Sholom Mordechai Halevi ben Rivka (Sholom Rubashkin), and Zeva Rochel bas Chaya (Wendy Weiner Runge).

Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for (at least) $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.

The Neshamah: The Jew’s True Inner Self

The Neshamah: The Jew’s True Inner Self

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

The Rambam discusses[1] a case of a husband who refuses to grant his wife a get when the beis din (Jewish court) requires it. Although our sages do not usually follow such an approach, in this extreme case, for the wife’s sake, they require that the husband be forced—even, if necessary, by the use of physical force—to release his wife from marriage by issuing her a get.

But, the Rambam asks, how can such a get be valid? Isn’t this a get me’useh, a get given under duress, which is invalid? The Rambam explains that Torah only recognizes an act as coercion when one was coerced into doing an act that Torah doesn’t require. However, if one was coerced to fulfill a Torah requirement, he is considered to have done so of his own volition. For since he is a Jew, his true desire is to perform the Mitzvos. In the Rambam’s words:

... He wants to be a Jew; he wants to perform all the mitzvos and distance himself from transgressions, and [the] only [reason that he acts to the contrary is that] his evil inclination has overpowered him. So once he is beaten to the extent that his evil inclination has become weakened, and he says “I want [to divorce],” he has surely divorced of his own volition.

In the language of Chassidus, when the husband refuses to obey the beis din, he is being consumed by his Bestial Soul (the term more commonly used in this literature to refer to the Evil Inclination). But his true inner self is his Neshamah, his Divine Soul. When pressure is applied upon the Bestial Soul, it stops obstructing the will of the Neshamah, and the divorce is considered to have been issued voluntarily, for the Neshamah wants to obey the beis din.

In other words, although the Bestial Soul is very much a part of the person—in fact, for most of us, it is our conscious self[2]—Torah views it as external and additional; it is not the Jew’s true, inner self. His true self is his Neshamah. 

The Neshamah possesses a natural love for Hashem that spurs an intense desire to connect with Him, and a natural awe of Hashem that makes him recoil from sin and want to keep a distance from it,[3] even to the point of being willing to give up his life rather than sin.[4] Concerning this, the Alter Rebbe declared: “A Jew neither desires, nor is able, to sever himself from G–dliness.”[5] 

This awareness can also encourage the Jew in his performing the Mitzvah of Teshuvah, of repenting for sin.[6] Since the Jew’s true, inner desire is to serve Hashem, as soon as he sins, he regrets, feels pained, and worries over it. I.e., deep down, he does Teshuvah immediately. I.e., the Jew’s connection with his true, inner self is even more emphasized with regard to Teshuvah than other Mitzvos, for the Jew’s Neshamah not only desires to keep all the Mitzvos, but it actually does Teshuvah as soon as he sins, and so in order to do Teshuvah all the Jew need do is reveal his inner Teshuvah to his external, conscious self.

(For an earlier post on this topic, see here.)

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[1] Mishneh Torah, Laws of Divorce, end ch. 2.
[2] Cf. Tanya ch. 29: “היא היא האדם עצמו.”
[3] Ibid. chs. 14, 19, 25.
[4] Ibid. chs. 18, 19, 24.
[5] Hayom Yom p. 73.
[6] Sefer HaMa’amarim Melukat, Vol. 5, p. 56. 




This post has been dedicated by Rabbi Dov and Shevi Oliver of Monsey in honor of the yahrtzeit of Rephoel Dovid ben Kasriel, ע"ה, on 13 Tishrei.

Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.

On the Human Subhuman and the Spiritual Living Dead

On the Human Subhuman and
the Spiritual Living Dead

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver

Hashem urges us: “See, I have set before you today life and goodness, death and evil” (Devarim 30:15).

When the Torah urges us to choose “life and goodness” and not “death and evil,” it is not coming to dismiss a materialistic lifestyle—never mind a sinful lifestyle. What rational person would think that we exist in this world in order to pursue wealth and honor, and indulge our animalistic urges? We are not animals—the wondrous intellect that Hashem implanted in us makes it patently obvious how superior we are to animals. Did He then give us intellect so that we could indulge in even more pleasures than the animals, outdoing the animals in our depraved lusts?!

One who lives such a life, one in which his mind is enslaved to his animalistic desires, degrades himself to the level of an animal, and is essentially subhuman. He fails to consider that if he was supposed to devote his life to pursuing animalistic pleasures, Hashem would not have given him an intellect that enables him to transcend his Bestial Soul and submit to the will of Hashem.

Rather, when we use the intellect with which we have been blessed, we will naturally come to realize that the world and everything in it does not exist for our self-gratification, but for a higher purpose—to serve Hashem. Thus, true life is only life that revolves around the spiritual.

If so, what is Hashem coming to tell us by urging us to choose life and goodness and avoid death and evil?

We are talking about a more insidious evil here, one that plagues someone who is fully frum. A Jew could live a life of Torah and Mitzvos, but lack interest and enthusiasm, to the point that what is in fact an awesome privilege seems like an onerous burden. Concerning this the Torah tells him: Although you are fulfilling the letter of the law—and so in a certain sense, you are living a spiritual life—with all due respect, this is a spiritual life that is dead. Choose “life and goodness”—choose to live in a way that Torah and Mitzvos excite and inspire you. And then you will be truly alive.

Based on the Previous Rebbe’s Sefer HaMa’amarim 5700, p. 90.
Also, see this article.

Dedicated by Yissachar Naftali Schneiderman as a merit for a refuah shelaimah for Aidel Rivka Bas Chaya Sara and Esther bas Aidel Rivka.

Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.

The Purpose of Creation: Hashem Dwelling Down Here

The Purpose of Creation:
Hashem Dwelling Down Here

Rabbi Y. Oliver

What is the purpose of creation, and what is the purpose of our individual lives? Why are we here?

According to Chassidus, the answer to this question lies in our Sages’ statement: “Hashem desired to have a dwelling place in the lower worlds.”[1] Chassidus explains that the phrase “the lower worlds” refers primarily to our physical world, which is the lowest of all the worlds. This is the place where He yearns for His Shechinah, the divine presence, to be revealed.

To be specific, within our world, Hashem wishes to have his primary dwelling place in the Beis Hamikdash, as He instructed, “Make for me a Mishkan, and I will dwell amongst them.”[3] On the basic level, this verse means that the Mishkan and the Beis Hamikdash (the latter being a progression from the former) were places appropriate for the indwelling of the Shechinah, and these domains of concentrated holiness then served as beacons of divine light for the rest of the world.

But if so, why does it refer to the Mishkan in the plural, saying that Hashem will dwell “amongst them”? Shouldn’t the verse have used the singular “within it”—the Mishkan?

Here the verse alludes to the fact that in addition to Hashem’s desire to dwell within the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash, He desires to dwell “among them”—to establish a Mishkan within the heart of every single Jew.

More specifically, there are two elements, or stages, in the Jew’s mission to make a personal Mishkan for Hashem. Hashem desires that the Jew reveal the Shechinah, the divine presence:

1. within his inner self—in his mind and heart, and in his thought, speech, and action;

2. in the world around him, beginning from his home, and spreading out to his community, and the world around him, according to each Jew’s opportunities and talents.

These two tasks were achieved in the most complete way through the Mishkan, and later on, the Beis Hamikdash.

Now that we are in exile, and we no longer have the Beis Hamikdash, we have been charged with the mission of revealing G–dliness within ourselves and the world around us. In this merit, Hashem will return the Beis Hamikdash to us, “measure for measure” with the coming of Moshiach now!

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[1] Midrash Tanchuma, Naso, sec. 16.
[2] Tanya ch. 36.
[3] Shemos 25:8.
[4] Sotah 8b.

Based on Sefer HaMa’amarim Kuntreisim, Vol. 2, p. 828 ff. s.v. Basi L’gani.

This post was dedicated by Rivkah Katz and family, in honor of the graduation of their daughter, Dilkah Beilah bas Rivka Leah. This post was also dedicated by Menachem Kovacs in honor of the Yahrzeit of his father, Eliezer ben Shalom ע"ה, on 17 Sivan.

Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.

Torah: A Body and a Soul

Torah: A Body and a Soul

Rabbi Y. Oliver

The holy Zohar (3:152b) states that the Torah consists of a body and a soul.


The Torah’s body is Nigleh (or Galya) de’Oiraysa, the “revealed” dimension of the Torah (also known as chitzoniyus HaTorah, the “external” dimension of the Torah). This is the field that discusses earthly realities and technical Mitzvah obligations, whether in the form of definitive rulings or abstract debate. It also includes more down-to-earth explanations of Tanach and related ethical teachings.

The Torah’s soul is Pnimiyus HaTorah, the “inner” dimension of the Torah (also known as Nistar de’Oiraysa—see here)—Kabbalah and Chassidus. It describes the mystical meanings that lie within the Mitzvah obligations, and more generally it describes Hashem’s greatness and absolute unity.

So if we are to learn Torah, we need to understand that both the Torah’s body and soul are vital, and though very different, complementary.


Likewise, our Mitzvah observance ought to consist of a body and a soul. The body consists of rigorous adherence to the halachic requirements of the Mitzvah, as outlined in Nigleh de’Oiraysa. Likewise, the soul consists of the inspiration of love and fear of Hashem that drives the person to perform the Mitzvah (see Tanya ch. 4) and profound grasp of the meaning of the Mitzvah (the Mitzvah’s “kavanah”) that accompanies one’s performance of it; these are developed through studying Pnimiyus HaTorah.


Pnimiyus HaTorah is widely regarded as an optional, peripheral adjunct of one’s Torah study. However, based on the Zohar’s statement that Pnimiyus HaTorah is to Nigleh de’Oiraysa as a soul is to a body, it becomes clear that the study of Pnimiyus HaTorah is indispensible. Just as a body cannot function as it should without a soul to animate it, so will Torah study restricted to Nigleh be dry and lifeless.

The same also holds for Mitzvah performance, as the Arizal famously puts it, “A Mitzvah performed without the proper intention is akin to a body without a soul” (Likutei Torah LeArizal, beg. Ekev; Shaloh, 1:249b; Tanya, ch. 38).

Conversely, one should not restrict oneself to study of Pnimiyus HaTorah and neglect the study of Nigleh, for a soul without a body, as lofty as it may be, cannot function in this world. We live in a world of souls in bodies and not disembodied souls. Torah study confined to Pnimiyus HaTorah alone is liable to make a person unstable and out of touch with his own physical needs and those of others. Likewise, since this realm of Torah stems from a level that transcends earthly limitations, exclusive study of Pnimiyus HaTorah will bring the person lose a sense of the boundaries of time and space, quite possible leading to a very unfortunate outcome.

Likewise, Mitzvah observance will be adversely affected by neglecting the study of Nigleh. Just as Hashem placed the soul in the body in order to enable us to perform physical Mitzvos, so will the person who neglects the study of Nigleh be lacking in his Mitzvah observance, for the requirements of Shulchan Aruch are very complex, and in order to fulfill the Mitzvos properly one must study “to know the Mitzvos that one should do and that one should not do.” One who neglects the study of Nigleh can certainly not go beyond the letter of the law in his observance, for “A boor is not sin-fearing, neither is an ignorant person pious” (Avos 2:5).


However, this is only to say that one should study both the inner and revealed dimensions of Torah regularly. The exact proportion to which they ought to be studied is not set in stone. It depends upon the individual and his intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs.