Putting it all on the Line (Unit 4 Hear! Ch. 1 Ch.11 in DM)

Truly in the Shma Prayer [the reading of the three passages Deut 6:1-9, Deut. 11:13-21, Num. 15:37-41] in the first verse, Hear O Israel that is called accepting the yoke of Heaven in the Talmud, this is to draw an illumination from the Source of All that is from the Essence of the Infinite Light as it is in its Essence, much  much higher than its light as it shines in the Ten Sefirot...

When a Jew says Sh'ma Yisroel, Hashem Elokeinu, Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G-d..., this is a declaration. when I say the Lord is our G-d this a serious statement that if we took it seriously the we would become completely different. There are several intentions brought down in the works of the Ari in connection with the Sh'ma Prayer. There are intentions having to do with the different Sefirot and other matters. But there is also a simpler intention, that one is preparing himself at this moment to give up his life for the purpose of sanctifying G-d's name. This is what's called the yoke of Heaven. This is not complicated from a logical aspect or from a practical angle. That a person should say Sh'ma as if he's to be taken to the stake to be burned sanctifying G-d's name. But a person has to be prepared for this, when he says Sh'ma. The Sh'ma prayer of unique moments is otherwise because a person has a different intention. But the point is a declaration that has all the weight of accepting the yoke of Heaven upon oneself.

Our intention is that we want the G-d essence alone beyond any material garments. R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya, when he would pray, he was heard to say, "I don't want your physical world, and I don't want your Gan Eden, or your World to Come, I want only You!" This is the whole idea. I don't want all your most exalted and elevated worlds - I want you in your very Essence alone. To reach the original source, the cause of all causes, reason of all reasons, and not any of His "manifestations".

The willingness to sacrifice oneself is a central concept in Jewish life. Our forefather Abraham spread his message through the dereliction of his self-preservation, and the preservation of his offspring. In the beginning of every morning prayer we read the Torah passages regarding the Binding of Isaac. A real relationship has to begin with complete devotion down to the last hair and toenail - otherwise it could end with infidelity.

(The text in italics are the words of Derech Mitzvosecha by the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek. The bolded words are Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's commentary as heard on his shiurim on hashefa.co.il. The rest is my commentary. All rights reserved to Rabbi Steinsaltz. Pictures courtesy of Moshe Schlass.)