Holy Kedushat Levi on Parashat Vayeshev: A Short Torah Thought to Enhance Your Shabbat Table

'Yaakov settled in the land where his father had sojourned, the land of Canaan' (Genesis 37:1)

The author of 'Kedushat Levi' establishes the principle that every action a person does, whether physical or spiritual, should be directed for the sake of Heaven. Even everyday activities should be done with the intention of serving Hashem.

He emphasizes that everything in the world was created for Hashem's honor, including the most material things. Any action can become a service to Hashem, provided its purpose is for the sake of Heaven. For example, when a person eats or drinks, they are not just fulfilling a physical need, but can also intend that this action will give them health and strength to serve Hashem. Intention is the key, and it is what elevates the physical action and connects it to a spiritual purpose.

'The general rule is that a person must consider all his ways and actions to be for the sake of Heaven, because everything Hashem created in His world, He created only for His honor, even in material things, meaning when he sits to eat and drink his intention should be for the health of his body to serve his Creator...'

'The Main Thing is It Should be for the Honor of Heaven'

The author of 'Kedushat Levi' teaches that in every material thing in the world there are holy sparks that can be elevated through spiritual intention. When a person eats, drinks, or engages in the pleasures of the world, the intention should be to serve Hashem, like strengthening the body so it can serve the Creator.

This process is called 'clarifying the sparks,' as it separates the holiness from the material world and returns it to its spiritual source. Thus, even everyday actions become part of serving Hashem when the intention is to do them for the sake of Heaven. This is a practical way to make daily life full of spiritual meaning.

'It is the same with all material matters he engages in from the affairs of this world—the main thing is it should be for the honor of Heaven; in this, he elevates the holy sparks to their root, because in everything you will find love, fear, and material pride, but when you desire to eat and drink or other worldly desires and you direct it to His love, you elevate the material desire to spiritual desire and in this way, you clarify the holy spark within this food or other matters....'

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In conclusion, it is emphasized that a person acting with intention for the sake of Heaven demonstrates immense love for Hashem. In this way, the person serves the Creator in every aspect of life, even in the most external matters.

It is found that when a person goes this way, it shows an intense and immense love for Hashem, and there is no greater way than this, because wherever he goes and in everything he does, even in outward matters of this world, he is serving his honored Creator.'

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