Two Ways of Expressing Desire

There are also two ways of expressing desire: one stems from the intellect while the other stems from the heart. You attach your soul to the Shechinah by observing each and every commandment with desire, enthusiasm, and with great love. This, in effect, is the "desire of the heart" that the Zohar often mentions. It is impossible for you to feel this desire of the heart unless, before fulfilling a commandment, you stop and think of the Holy One with love. The intensity of your desire will depend on the love with which you think of Him at these times. Rashbi, of blessed memory, discusses at length the concept of desire of the heart:

"Collect among yourselves an elevated offering to G‑d, everyone whose heart motivates him shall bring it." (Ex. 25:2) Come and see! At the time that you direct your will to fulfill the Divine service of your Master [with all your soul and with all the parts of your body], the conscious will with which you serve the Holy One first infuses your heart. [That is, the first of your body parts to become aroused is the heart] which is the life-essence and foundation of your entire body [for it is from the heart that life is drawn into all the body parts].

Your good will then spreads to all the parts of your body [that will participate in your Divine service, in accordance with the heart. The life-essence stemming from the heart absorbs the heart’s desire and carries it within, thus causing it to spread to all the other body parts. Consequently], the will of your [intellect transferred to your] body parts merges with the desire of your heart, thereby drawing down to themselves the luminous energy of the [Shechinah. This is the Divine help prepared to dwell within those who serve the Holy One. When you become resolved to serve your Maker with all your heart and all the parts of your body, the Shechinah immediately comes to dwell within your heart, and each one of your body parts becomes a vehicle or dwelling space for the Shechinah.]

You then become part of the Holy One. This is the esoteric meaning of "take from yourselves an elevated offering to G‑d": "from yourselves." Your drawing the terumah-elevated offering-that is, onto yourself, [is in your own hands. Your ability to draw down the spirit of holiness to dwell within you totally depends on the devotion with which you give yourself to Divine service.]

Couldn’t one object, however, that this is not within man’s power to accomplish? [Couldn’t one think that man is not able to constantly reject evil with contempt and choose good in order to become attached to the Shechinah?]

Come and see! Pay close attention to the wording of the verse: "Anyone whose heart motivates him shall bring the terumah-elevated offering". (ibid.) When your heart longs to become a dwelling space for the Shechinah, [your very desire imbues you with the strength of character to choose good, and as the verse says, such a person "shall bring the terumah-Shechinah"]. Even though She dwells on high, you will surely bring Her to dwell within you, [for it all depends on the extent of your longing or motivation].

[Translated by Simcha Benyosef]