Jewish Spiritual Growth: A Step-by-Step Guide by a Hasidic Master

The actual performance of mitzvot and the words and letters of Torah and prayer are Divine Names, sefirot and holy angels from a level of supernal holiness.

if the body and physical strength in which our soul is clothed do not join our soul in its work, then how can the heart of our soul be revealed through sustained hitlahavut?

When we serve God with energy and effort, our animal spirit itself is transformed into holiness (as we learn from the holy texts). So our service, a holy service of God, depends upon our animal spirit and human nature.

our voice arouses our directed intent. This is because, by acting with vigor, we bring forth our soul, even against its will.

that too should be a source of pleasure to you: that you are able to do God’s will like an ox to the yoke and a donkey to the burden. And when you derive pleasure from that, you will taste it, with God’s help.”

when we dance vigorously and pray loudly and vigorously, then we will arouse our emotions.

Rather, when a person has the world-to-come even in this world, when he tastes the world-to-come (as it comes to him through a hidden light) in the mitzvot, he will experience the same thing in the world-to-come. But a person who does not taste that in this world will not be able to taste it in the world-to-come.

It is human nature that our stubborn insistence on attaining something can trigger the opposite of what we want.

we can force ourselves to serve God with our physical vigor. Even if we do not want to do it, we can make ourselves do it.