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Since managing the inner conflict between the souls is a lifelong struggle for the beinoni, he may question if his mode of serving G-d actually has any value. The comfort for the beinoni is to realize and understand that it is action that is most important.
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The purpose of all creation is that there be this physical world, the place of ultimate concealment, where G-d desires to be revealed most of all.
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The process through which the physical world is transformed into the place where G-d's Essence will be revealed, is the physical performance of mitzvos using physical objects.
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Action and feeling are like body and soul. The feeling (kavanah) with which a mitzvah is performed intensifies its impact.
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In order to develop sufficient feelings of awe and love to serve G-d, one must meditate on such subjects that lead to these feelings.
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Is awe of G-d a small matter? Yes, for Moshe it is--and for the "spark" of Moshe within each of us, namely, the faculty of daas that allows us to focus on abstract concepts until they feel real to us.
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The lower level of awe is necessary in order to do mitzvos; the higher level of awe comes as a result of doing mitzvos. "Ahavah rabbah" (great love) is a gift from Above; "ahavas olam" (worldly love) is developed by meditating on creation (Ch. 43.)
The love called "my Soul I desire you" is loving G-d because He is your life; the love called "Like a son who strives" is loving G-d more than your life. Both are based on natural feelings that are magnified through meditation (Ch. 44.)
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Arousing mercy for the plight of the G-dly soul is a means for generating love for G-d (Ch. 45.)
"As water reflects a face so does the heart of a man to his fellow" (Mishlei 27) describes the reciprocal nature of love. When one thinks about G-d's love for us shown at the time of the Exodus, it will cause us to feel love for G-d (Ch. 46.) The Exodus does not only refer to the historical liberation from Egypt but to our personal ability to transcend bodily limitations and be close to G-d in the present (Ch. 47.)
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In order to create finite worlds, G-d concealed His infinite light through the process of tzimtzum (Ch. 48.) If G-d contracted His light for us, all the more so must we feel moved to set aside our own comforts for Him (Ch. 49.)
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All forms of love studied until now are from the "right side" which represents "chesed." This unique love, "the love like gold," however, is from the "left side" which represents "gevurah." It is a fiery desire to leave the body, which is ultimately redirected back to the body in order to do G-d's will in this world.
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Returning to the metaphor of the wick, the oil, and the flame (ch. 35) we explain how it is that we reveal G-d's Presence in this world.
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R' Mendel Horodoker composed the Niggun Hishtapchus HaNefesh (Melody of the Outpouring of the Soul) as an expression of longing.
Rabbi Shais Taub and Eli Marcus discuss the background and meaning of this stirring song.
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