For this [ability to experience and to be absorbed in G-d's unity], it was instituted [by the Sages] that one should render praise and thanks to G-d's Name each morning, saying:

"How fortunate are we! How good is our portion, [how pleasant our lot], and how beautiful our heritage!"

In other words, just as a person rejoices and is glad when an immense fortune falls into his possession - by inheritance, through no toil of his own, similarly, and infinitely more so, ought we to rejoice over the inheritance which our forefathers bequeathed to us.

This [inheritance] is the true unity of G-d - that even here below on earth there is nothing else besides Him alone, and this is His abode amongst the lowly beings [of this physical world - when they are pervaded by the awareness of G-d's unity and nullify themselves before it.

Our own unaided efforts would never win for us the ability to experience G-d's unity; it is our inheritance from our forefathers].

This is [the meaning of] what our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: [6] "Six hundred and thirteen mitzvot were given to Israel;... came Habakkuk and based them all on a single one - [faith] as it is written, [7] `a tzaddik lives by his faith.'"

This means, it is as if they - [all the mitzvot] - consisted of this one mitzvah of faith alone, for through faith alone one will come to fulfill all the 613 mitzvot.

That is, when his heart will rejoice and be glad with his faith in G-d's unity, in perfect joy, as though he were obligated by just this one mitzvah, and it alone were the purpose for which he and all the worlds were created - [surely, if there were but one such mitzvah for him to do, he would fulfill it with utmost joy.

Let him thus rejoice in the mitzvah of faith, and] by the power and vitality of his soul [generated] from this great joy, his soul will soar far above all obstacles hindering his fulfillment of all the 613 mitzvot; both [obstacles] from within - [from one's animal soul], and from without - [arising from one's environment.

Being thus imbued with the awareness of G-d's true unity, he will be able to overcome any obstacle hindering him from carrying out the mitzvot. For how can anything stand in the path of G-d's Will - the mitzvot, when there is nothing in the world apart from G-d]?

Thus, the expression Yichyeh ("will live") [in the verse "a tzaddik will live by his faith]" is meant in the sense of "will be revived"; as though resurrected from the dead, so will his soul be revived by this great joy.

This is a double and redoubled joy. Apart from the soul's joy upon apprehending how near G-d is to him, and how He dwells together with him.

   

Notes:

6. (Back to text) Makkot 24a.

7. (Back to text) Chavakuk 2:4.