Now, the fourth, higher level is that due to his Divine contemplation, in which his intellect becomes very excited, this brings about an immediate and spontaneous emotional excitement in his heart, in an aspect of an excitement that is felt with a greater and more inner vitality than the intellectual excitement, mentioned above.
(However, this is not actual Divine excitement which the heart also feels in addition to the feelings of the Divine soul. That level of excitement takes place specifically in the Divine soul and subsequently also spreads to the physical body. However, that is a level which is even higher than the fifth level being explained here. The levels of excitement of the Divine soul will be explained later. Here we are still only dealing with the levels of excitement of the intellectual, natural, animalistic soul.)
About this the verse states, “And you shall love” – specifically – “with all your heart” – meaning, with both your good inclination and your bad inclination, as mentioned above. This is the essence of the commandment to serve G_d with the heart – which means to toil intellectually to such an extent that the heart, specifically, becomes excited. This is called, “A Labor of love”, because it actually is laborious and involves much toil.
This is because in regard to matters of the world, as soon as a good thing arises in thought and excites the mind, this excitement affects the emotions of the heart, in that the heart immediately becomes excited with flaming desire or its opposite – bitterness from something bad, which is despised in thought etc. However, in regard to the service of HaShem, excitement of the heart is not easily drawn from excitement in thought. The reason is because the aspect of the G_dliness within this contemplation is not drawn to the heart in a revealed way, but rather as an encompassing light in the intellect of thebrainetc.
There are very many different levels of how the heart is activated. One person maybecome more excited in the heart than in the brain, while another maybecome excited with great joy etc. All in all, this level is considered to be actual fear and love of G_d, though generally, it is considered to be “natural fear and love”. (Nonetheless, as stated above, none of this is considered to be actual Divine excitement at all. That is the sole domain of the Divine soul, as will be explained later.) About this scripture states, “Closeness to G_d is good for me”[1]– for me, literally. This is also called, “My G_d in my midst etc.”[2] which is also the matter of the verse,[3] “to love HaShem” – specifically with the heart – “for He is your life” – which is from the Divine soul, as mentioned above.
Now, the aspect of the love and fear of G_d which is born in the revelation of the emotions of the heart on this fourth level etc., manifests as inner light and tremendous vitality toward the action of desisting from evil and doing good etc. In other words, one does the positive commandments with tremendous love and eagerness, in that the action is invested with inner light and vitality. Likewise, the opposite is also true. He will be embittered with active resentment over anything that opposes it, in that he will distance himself from all evil and guard himself from it, with the same level of excitement.
This is literally similar to a person who is enthusiastically occupied with his business dealings. Because he loves amassing wealth, he will do everything that benefits the business with eagerness and zeal. Moreover, he will distance and guard himself from anything that is detrimental to the business, with the same degree of enthusiasm.
This, then, is the foundational root of the 248 positive commandments, which are specifically drawn from love, in that love of G_d is the motivational rootof the 248 positive commandments. Fear, on the other hand, is the motivational rootfor desisting from doing the 365 negative commandments. Together, they comprise the aspects of kindness and severity of the heart [Chesed and Gevurah]. This is the meaning of the verse, “To love and serve Him”[4], as known.
Behold, this level is higher than the excitement of intellectual love and fear of G_d of the third level of “Good thought”, mentioned above. This is sufficient for those of understanding.
