Time in the Teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

dirah ba-tahtonim
], who would [thus] 
become a “vehicle” [
merkavah
] for Him, as were the Patriarchs. Once the 
totality of the vital soul of the whole community of Israel becomes a holy 
merkavah 
for God, the total vitality of this world, which at present constitutes 
kelipat nogah
, would emerge from its impurity and filth and ascend unto 
holiness, to become a 
merkavah
for God through the revelation of His glory, 
“and all flesh shall see it together” [Is 40:5], […] and the whole world will be 
filled with the glory of the Lord, and [Israel] shall behold [it] eye to eye, as at 
the Giving of the Law.
141
Thus the commandments correlate with the body in the following way: the 365 
negative commandments correspond to the 365 blood vessels, and the 248 positive 
commandments correspond to the 248 body parts. Every transgression of a negative 
commandment enables one blood vessel to draw vitality from the three impure 
husks, thus rendering the whole body impure and unable to ascent to God. At the 
same time, however, the prohibitive force of each negative commandment serves to 
protect a corresponding blood vessel from being penetrated by the impurity of the 
husks. To emphasize this positive value of the negative commandments, Rashaz 
quotes the messianic prophecy of Zechariah: since these commandments insulate the 
body from impure influences by blocking the channels from which the Evil Side 
141
T1, 37:47b-48a [Appendix 23]. 

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105 
draws its vitality they actively diminish the power of the Evil Side and bring closer 
the messianic era, when – according to Zechariah – the spirit of impurity would 
“pass out of the land.”
By the same token, the positive commandments suffuse the body parts with 
the divine vitality, thereby transforming every observant Jew into a “chariot” or a 
“vehicle” for the divine will. Notably, among the 613 commandments, which the 
individual must perform in order to become a chariot for the divine are the cardinal 
positive commandments of prayer and Torah study. Both are considered not only as 
spiritual or intellectual pursuits but also as physical actions, since “moving one’s lips 
constitutes action.”
142
They are therefore no less involved in the transformation of 
the body into a vehicle for the divinity than any more manifestly material practical 
commandments, such as the commandment of 
tefilin
or 
mezuzah
. Torah study, 
prayer, and various other positive commandments, especially the commandment of 
giving charity [
tsedakah
], are often ascribed a particular redemptive significance.
143
142
T1, 37:47a. 
143
The emphasis on prayer, Torah study and charity recurs throughout Rashaz’s teachings and derives 
from the belief that these three commandments comprise the essence of divine service: “Now, the 
entire Torah and the commandments may be reduced to the following three steps: Torah [study], 
prayer and charity, as we were taught: ‘The world is based upon three things: the Torah, divine 
service and the practice of kindliness’ [
m
Avot 1:2]. For [divine service through] prayer has replaced 
[divine service through] sacrifices, and the practice of kindliness is charity. It is in reference to these 
three things that Scripture says: ‘I have created him, I have formed him, yea, I have made him’ [Is 
43:7]. This refers to [serving God with one’s] thought, speech and deed” (LT 
Aharei 
25d) [Appendix 
24]. Prayer, Torah study and charity are not only the three pillars of worship enumerated by Rabbi 
Shimon ha-Tsadik in 
m
Avot, but they also correspond to the three garments of the soul: thought, 
speech and deed. This correlation can be explained as follows: prayer as the “service of the heart” 
[