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Sefer Hachinuch: Mitzvah 16
שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁבֹּר עֶצֶם מִן הַפֶּסַח – שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁבֹּר עֶצֶם מִכָּל עַצְמוֹת הַפֶּסַח, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב מו) וְעֶצֶם לֹא תִשְׁבְּרוּ בוֹ.
To not break a bone from the Pesach sacrifice: To not break any from all of the bones of the Pesach sacrifice, as stated (Exodus 12:46), "and a bone of it, you shall not break."
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לִזְכֹּר נִסֵּי מִצְרַיִם כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ בָּאֲחֵרוֹת. וְגַם זֶה גֶּזַע מִן הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ הַנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁאֵין כָּבוֹד לִבְנֵי מְלָכִים וְיוֹעֲצֵי אָרֶץ לִגְרֹר הָעֲצָמוֹת וּלְשַׁבְּרָם כִּכְלָבִים, לֹא יָאוּת לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּכָה, כִּי אִם לַעֲנִיֵּי הָעָם הָרְעֵבִים. וְעַל כֵּן בִּתְחִלַּת בּוֹאֵנוּ לִהְיוֹת סְגֻלַּת כָּל הָעַמִּים מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ (שם יט ו), וּבְכָל שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה בְּאוֹתוֹ הַזְּמַן, רָאוּי לָנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים הַמַּרְאִים בָּנוּ הַמַּעֲלָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁעָלִינוּ בָּהּ בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. וּמִתּוֹךְ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וְהַדִּמְיוֹן שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ עוֹשִׂין, נִקְבַּע בְּנַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ הַדָּבָר לְעוֹלָם. וְאַל תַּחְשֹׁב בְּנִי לִתְפֹּשׂ עַל דְּבָרַי וְלוֹמַר וְלָמָּה יְצַוֶּה אוֹתָנוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת כָּל אֵלֶּה לְזִכְרוֹן אוֹתוֹ הַנֵּס, וַהֲלֹא בְּזִכְרוֹן אֶחָד יַעֲלֶה הַדָּבָר בְּמַחְשַׁבְתֵּנוּ וְלֹא יִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעֵנוּ? דַּע, כִּי לֹא מֵחָכְמָה תִּתְפְּשֵׂנִי עַל זֶה, וּמַחְשֶׁבֶת הַנַּעַר יַשִּׁיאֲךָ לְדַבֵּר כֵּן. וְעַתָּה בְּנִי, אִם בִּינָה שִׁמְעָה זֹּאת, וְהַטֵּה אָזְנְךָ וּשְׁמַע (משלי כב יז), אֲלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת. דַּע, כִּי הָאָדָם נִפְעָל כְּפִי פְּעֻלּוֹתָיו, וְלִבּוֹ וְכָל מַחְשְׁבֹתָיו תָּמִיד אַחַר מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בָּהֶם אִם טוֹב וְאִם רָע, וַאֲפִלּוּ רָשָׁע גָּמוּר בִּלְבָבוֹ וְכָל יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ רַק רַע כָּל הַיּוֹם, אִם יַעֲרֶה רוּחוֹ וְיָשִׂים הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתוֹ וְעִסְקוֹ בְּהַתְמָדָה בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְוֹת, וַאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, מִיָּד יִנָּטֶה אֶל הַטּוֹב, וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ בָּא לִשְׁמָהּ, וּבְכֹחַ מַעֲשָׂיו יָמִית הַיֵּצֶר הָרַע, כִּי אַחֲרֵי הַפְּעֻלּוֹת נִמְשָׁכִים הַלְּבָבוֹת. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם יִהְיֶה אָדָם צַדִּיק גָּמוּר וּלְבָבוֹ יָשָׁר וְתָמִים, חָפֵץ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְוֹת, אִם יַעֲסֹק תָּמִיד בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁל דֹּפִי, כְּאִלּוּ תֹּאמַר דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל שֶׁהִכְרִיחוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמִנָּהוּ בְּאֻמָּנוּת רָעָה, בֶּאֱמֶת אִם כָּל עִסְקוֹ תָּמִיד כָּל הַיּוֹם בְּאוֹתוֹ אֻמָּנוּת, יָשׁוּב לִזְמַן מִן הַזְּמַנִּים מִצִּדְקַת לִבּוֹ לִהְיוֹת רָשָׁע גָּמוּר, כִּי יָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר וֶאֱמֶת שֶׁכָּל הָאָדָם נִפְעָל כְּפִי פְּעֻלּוֹתָיו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וְעַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים זַ"ל (מכות כג, ב) רָצָה הקב"ה לְזַכּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִיכָךְ הִרְבָּה לָהֶם תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹת, כְּדֵי לְהַתְפִּיס בָּהֶן כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּ וְלִהְיוֹת בָּהֶן כָּל עֲסָקֵינוּ לְהֵטִיב לָנוּ בְּאַחֲרִיתֵנוּ. כִּי מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּעֻלּוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת אֲנַחְנוּ נִפְעָלִים לִהְיוֹת טוֹבִים וְזוֹכִים לְחַיֵּי עַד. וְרָמְזוּ ז"ל עַל זֶה (מנחות מג, ב), בְּאָמְרָם כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מְזוּזָה בְּפִתְחוֹ וְצִיצִית בְּבִגְדוֹ וּתְפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, מֻבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֱטָא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵלּוּ מִצְוֹת תְּמִידִיּוֹת, וְנִפְעָל בָּהֶן תָּמִיד.
From the roots of the commandment is to remember the miracles of Egypt, as we have written in the other [related commandments]. And this is also a trunk from the root mentioned: For it is not honorable for the sons of kings and the advisers of the land to drag the bones and break them like dogs. Except for the impoverished among the people and the starving, it is not proper to do this. And therefore, as we began to become the chosen of all nations, "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" — and in each and every year at that time — it is fitting for us to do acts that show within us the great stature which we achieved at that time. And in the act and reenactment that we do, this thing is placed in our souls for eternity. My son, do not think to pounce upon my words and say, "Why would God, may He be blessed, command us to do all of these commandments to commemorate that miracle; would we not remember it with one commemoration, [such that] it not be forgotten from the mouth of our offspring?" You must know that it is not from wisdom that you would [question] me about this; your youthful thoughts lead you to this. And now, my son, "If you have understanding," "incline your ear and hear," and I will teach you to benefit from Torah and the commandments: You must know that a man is acted upon according to his actions; and his heart and all his thoughts always follow after the actions that he does — whether good or bad. And even he who in his heart is a complete sinner and all the desires of his heart is only for evil; if his spirit shall be enlightened and he will put his efforts and actions to persist in Torah and commandments — even if not for the sake of Heaven —, he shall immediately incline towards the good. And from that which is not for its own sake comes that which is for its own sake [as opposed to being for personal gain]; for the hearts are drawn after the actions. And even if a man is perfectly righteous and his heart is straight and innocent, desiring of Torah and the commandments, if he constantly deals with improper things, you could compare it to someone who was forced by the king to work a wicked craft — if he constantly works in that wicked craft — eventually, from his righteousness, he shall have become entirely evil. As we have said, it is known and proper that every man is acted upon according to his actions. And the Sages, may their memory be blessed, spoke about this (Makkos 23b), "God wanted to grant merits to Israel, therefore he gave them many laws and commandments," to occupy all of our thoughts and all our deeds, to benefit us at our end [i.e., in the world to come]. Because from the good actions, we are acted upon to be good and merit eternal life. The Sages hinted at this (Menachos 43b) with their statement that anyone who has a mezuzah on his door, tzitzis on his garment and tefillin on his head is promised that he shall not sin — for these are constant commandments, and [so] he is constantly acted upon by them.
לָכֵן אַתָּה רְאֵה גַּם רְאֵה, מָה מְלַאכְתְּךָ וְעִסְקְךָ, כִּי אַחֲרֵיהֶם תִּמָּשֵׁךְ וְאַתָּה לֹא תִּמְשְׁכֵם. וְאַל יַבְטִיחֲךָ יִצְרְךָ לוֹמַר, אַחֲרֵי הֱיוֹת לִבִּי שָׁלֵם וְתָמִים בֶּאֱמוּנַת אֱלֹהִים, מָה הֶפְסֵד יֵשׁ כִּי אֶתְעַנֵּג לִפְעָמִים בְּתַעֲנוּגֵי אֲנָשִׁים, בַּשְּׁוָקִים וּבָרְחוֹבוֹת, לְהִתְלוֹצֵץ עִם הַלֵּצִים, וּלְדַבֵּר צָחוֹת, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בְּאֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאֵין מְבִיאִין עֲלֵיהֶן אֲשָׁמוֹת וְחַטָּאוֹת, הֲלֹא גַּם לִי לֵבָב כְּמוֹ הֵם, קָטָנִּי עָבָה מִמָּתְנֵיהֶם, וּמַדּוּעַ יִמְשְׁכוּנִי הֵם אַחֲרֵיהֶם? אַל בְּנִי, הִשָּׁמֵר מִפְּנֵיהֶם, פֶּן תִּלָּכֵד בְּרִשְׁתָּם. רַבִּים שָׁתוּ מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ כּוֹס תַּרְעֵלָתָם, וְאַתָּה אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ תַּצִּיל. וְאַחַר דַּעְתְּךָ זֶה, אַל יִקְשֶׁה עָלֶיךָ מֵעַתָּה רִבּוּי הַמִּצְוֹת בְּעִנְיַן זְכִירַת נִסֵּי מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁהֵם עַמּוּד גָּדוֹל בְּתוֹרָתֵנוּ, כִּי בִּרְבוֹת עִסְקֵנוּ בָּהֶם, נִתְפַּעֵל אֶל הַדָּבָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ.
Therefore, observe what [you choose] to be your craft and your dealings since they will pull you, and you will not pull them. And do not let your [evil] impulse assure you by saying, "Since my heart is complete and pure in the faith of God, what loss is there if I periodically enjoy the pleasures of men in the markets and the plazas — to joke with the jokers and to speak finely, and similarly, [to perform] those things for which one needs not bring up guilt-offerings and sin-offerings — do I not have a heart like them, 'my small finger is thicker than their loins,' and how would they pull me in behind them?" Do not [say this], my son. Guard yourself from them, lest you be trapped in their snare. Due to this, many have drunk the cup of poison, but you should save your soul. Once you know this, the multitude of commandments about remembering the miracles of Egypt will no longer be a challenge to you — as they are a great pillar in our Torah. By extensively engaging in them, we will be acted upon by the matter, as we have said.
Rambam: Mishneh Torah/Human Dispositions.1.7
וְכֵיצַד יַרְגִּיל אָדָם עַצְמוֹ בְּדֵעוֹת אֵלּוּ עַד שֶׁיִּקָּבְעוּ בּוֹ. יַעֲשֶׂה וְיִשְׁנֶה וִישַׁלֵּשׁ בַּמַּעֲשִׂים שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה עַל פִּי הַדֵּעוֹת הָאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת וְיַחֲזֹר בָּהֶם תָּמִיד עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם קַלִּים עָלָיו וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָּהֶם טֹרַח עָלָיו וְיִקָּבְעוּ הַדֵּעוֹת בְּנַפְשׁוֹ. וּלְפִי שֶׁהַשֵּׁמוֹת הָאֵלּוּ נִקְרָא בָּהֶן הַיּוֹצֵר וְהֵם הַדֶּרֶךְ הַבֵּינוֹנִית שֶׁאָנוּ חַיָּבִין לָלֶכֶת בָּהּ. נִקְרֵאת דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ ה'. וְהִיא שֶׁלִּמֵּד אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לְבָנָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח יט) "כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה" וְגוֹ'. וְהַהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ זוֹ מֵבִיא טוֹבָה וּבְרָכָה לְעַצְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח יט) "לְמַעַן הָבִיא ה' עַל אַבְרָהָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלָיו":
How can one train to follow these temperaments to the extent that they become a permanent fixture of his [personality]?
He should perform - repeat - and perform a third time - the acts which conform to the standards of the middle road temperaments. He should do this constantly until these acts are easy for him and do not present any difficulty. Then, these temperaments will become a fixed part of his personality.
Since the Creator is called by these terms, and they make up the middle path that we are obligated to follow, this path is called "the path of God." This is [the heritage] which our Patriarch Abraham taught his descendants, as [Genesis 18:19] states: "for I have known Him so that he will command his descendants...to keep the path of God."
One who follows this path brings benefit and blessing to himself, as [the above verse continues]: "so that God will bring about for Abraham all that He promised."
Mesilas Yesharim - End of Chapter Seven
וְאָמְנָם, הִתְבּוֹנֵן עוֹד, שֶׁכְּמוֹ שֶׁהַזְּרִיזוּת הוּא תּוֹלֶדֶת הַהִתְלַהֲטוּת הַפְּנִימִי, כֵּן מִן הַזְּרִיזוּת יִוָּלֵד הַהִתְלַהֲטוּת. וְהַיְנוּ, כִּי מִי שֶׁמַּרְגִּישׁ עַצְמוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּצְוָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְמַהֵר תְּנוּעָתוֹ הַחִיצוֹנָה, כֵּן הִנֵּה הוּא גּוֹרֵם שֶׁתִּבְעַר בּוֹ תְּנוּעָתוֹ הַפְּנִימִית כְּמוֹ כֵן, וְהַחֵשֶׁק וְהַחֵפֶץ יִתְגַּבֵּר בּוֹ וְיֵלֵךְ. אַךְ אִם יִתְנַהֵג בִּכְבֵדוּת בִּתְנוּעַת אֵיבָרָיו, גַּם תְּנוּעַת רוּחוֹ תִּשְׁקַע וְתִכְבֶּה. וְזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁהַנִּסָּיוֹן יְעִידֵהוּ.
Reflect further that just like an inner fieriness of soul leads one to act with zeal, so too the opposite, outwardly acting with zeal leads to an inner fieriness of the soul. Namely, when one feels himself performing a Mitzva with great swiftness, this will move his inner being to kindle aflame, and the desire and want will increasingly intensify within him. But if he acts sluggishly in the movement of his limbs, the movement of his spirit will die down and extinguish. This is something experience can testify to.
וְאָמְנָם כְּבָר יָדַעְתָּ, שֶׁהַנִּרְצֶה יוֹתֵר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא, יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, הוּא חֵפֶץ הַלֵּב וּתְשׁוּקַת הַנְּשָׁמָה. וְהוּא מָה שֶׁדָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ מִתְהַלֵּל בְּחֶלְקוֹ הַטּוֹב וְאוֹמֵר (תהילים מ"ב:ב'-ג'): כְּאַיָּל תַּעֲרֹג עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם כֵּן נַפְשִׁי תַעֲרֹג אֵלֶיךָ אֱלֹהִים, צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי לֵאלֹהִים וְגוֹ'. (תהילים פ"ד:ג'): נִכְסְפָה וְגַם כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי לְחַצְרוֹת ה'. (תהילים ס"ג:ב'): צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי כָּמַהּ לְךָ בְשָׂרִי.
You already know that what is most desired in the service of G-d, may His Name be blessed, is desire of the heart and longing of the soul. It is concerning this that King David praised his portion saying: "As a deer yearns longingly for the water brooks, so does my soul yearn longingly to You, O G-d; My soul thirsts for G-d..." (Tehilim 42:2-3), "My soul longs, and goes out for the courtyards of G-d" (Tehilim 84:2). "My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You [in an arid and thirsty land (Rashi-desert), without water]" (Tehilim 63:2).
וְאוּלָם הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר אֵין הַחֶמְדָּה הַזֹּאת לוֹהֶטֶת בּוֹ כָּרָאוּי, עֵצָה טוֹבָה הִיא לוֹ שֶׁיִּזְדָּרֵז בִּרְצוֹנוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ מִזֶּה שֶׁתִּוָּלֵד בּוֹ הַחֶמְדָּה בַּטֶּבַע, כִּי הַתְּנוּעָה הַחִיצוֹנָה מְעוֹרֶרֶת הַפְּנִימִית, וּבְוַדַּאי שֶׁיּוֹתֵר מְסוּרָה בְּיָדוֹ הִיא הַחִיצוֹנָה מֵהַפְּנִימִית. אַךְ אִם יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ מִמָּה שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ, יִקְנֶה גַּם מָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּיָדוֹ בְּהֶמְשֵׁךְ, כִּי תִּוָּלֵד בּוֹ הַשִּׂמְחָה הַפְּנִימִית וְהַחֵפֶץ וְהַחֶמְדָּה מִכֹּחַ מָה שֶׁהוּא מִתְלַהֵט בִּתְנוּעָתוֹ בְּרָצוֹן. וְהוּא מָה שֶׁהָיָה הַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר (הושע ו): וְנֵדְעָה נִרְדְּפָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה', וְכָתוּב (שם יא): אַחֲרֵי ה' יֵלְכוּ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג.
But for a man in whom this longing does not burn as it should, sound advice for him is to act with zeal by force of will so that this will bring an inner awakening of this longing in his inner nature. The external movement rouses the inner ones; the external movement is more in his power than the inner ones. Thus, if he exercises what is in his power to do, he will also attain what is not in his power. An inner joy will awaken within him, and a desire and longing will be felt through the power of acting fiery, externally, by the force of will. This is what the prophet said- "let us know, let us run to know the L-rd" (Hoshea 6:3) and "After G-d, they will go, who shall roar like a lion" (Hoshea 11:10).