by Akiva at Mystical Paths

The 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote this important story about the 1st Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Baal HaTanya, in the book HaYom Yom, from Day to Day (entry for 17th Adar Alef)...

Many years before the Alter Rebbe's imprisonment in Petersburg in 5559 (1798), he once came out of his private quarters to where the Chassidim were gathered and said: "In Gan Eden they sense the preciousness of this lowly world.

Not only the Ministering Angels, but even the earliest Emanations [1] would forego everything for one Amein Y'hei Sh'mei Raba said by a Jew `with all his power,' meaning with full concentration, i.e., being totally immersed and involved with these words." ...

[1] In Atzilut, the World of Emanation, all existences are Divine, G-dhood. They are totally one with Him, not entities in any sense. These "existences" or "Emanations" may be the Divine attributes, for example. In "lower" Worlds, the beings are entities, distinct from Him.

This small entry provides a massive education all by itself. It's low here in this world, it's hard here, it's so so dark here. But thats it's value. If one can make a connection here, a full and complete connection, just answering Amein (amen) with all of one's power focused on the connection with HaKodesh Baruch Hu, the value is beyond measure. And why? Exactly because it comes from here, from this dark lowly place so separated from G-d.

There is a reason why we are here, and why it's so hard, and so seemily bad much of the time. WE can't see it, but that's exactly it's value.

Amein.

Posted at Mystical Paths. Read it elsewhere? Stop by the source.