This [mitzvah] is the root of all the positive commandments, as it is written in the Tikkunim on the verse “Then prepare a tasty dish for me, the way I love it” (Genesis 27:4)—from the positive commandments (Tikkuney Zohar #21, p.51a, 52a) .
How does one fulfill the mitzvah “you shall love [God your Lord]”? As is brought in the Talmud concerning the verse “you shall love”—that the Name of Heaven becomes beloved through you. How? When a person has read and studied and attended Torah scholars, and his dealing with people is pleasant and he conducts his business affairs faithfully, what do people say? “Fortunate is the one who taught him Torah…” (Yoma 86a). Thus it is that Heaven’s Name grows to be beloved through him and he fulfills the mitzvah of “you shall love,” which is the root of all the mitzvot.
2. Also, by conducting one’s business affairs faithfully one attains a level that transcends time. This is as the Talmud concludes (ibid.): Regarding him Scripture says: “Yisrael, I take pride in you” (Isaiah 49:3). Yisrael is “in thought,” as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: Yisrael arose in thought (Bereishit Rabbah 1:5). And thought transcends time.
3. And by conducting one’s business affairs faithfully one can also pray with a clear mind. For prayer, too, transcends time, since it is something that stands at the very summit of the universe (Berakhot 6b). Thus, attaining love enables one to attain expanded consciousness, so that he is able to pray with a clear mind.
כָּל הָעוֹשֶׂה מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, מְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל וְאָהַבְתָּ,
Anyone who conducts his business affairs faithfully thereby fulfills the positive commandment “you shall love [God your Lord]” (Deuteronomy 6:5) .
שֶׁהִיא שֹׁרֶשׁ לְכָל מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה. כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון כא): עַל פָּסוּק: וַעֲשֵׂה לִי מַטְעַמִּים כַּאֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתִּי, מִפִּקּוּדִין דַּעֲשֵׂה:
This [mitzvah] is the root of all the positive commandments, as it is written in the Tikkunim on the verse “Then prepare a tasty dish for me, the way I love it” (Genesis 27:4)—from the positive commandments (Tikkuney Zohar #21, p.51a, 52a) .
וְכֵיצַד מְקַיְּמִין מִצְוַת וְאָהַבְתָּ, דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (יומא פו) עַל פָּסוּק וְאָהַבְתָּ, שֶׁתִּרְאֶה שֶׁיִּתְאַהֵב שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם עַל יָדְךָ. כֵּיצַד, אָדָם קָרָא וְשָׁנָה וְשִׁמֵּשׁ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, וְעִסְקוֹ בְּנַחַת עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וּמַשָּׁאוֹ וּמַתָּנוֹ בֶּאֱמוּנָה – מָה הַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים, אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ תּוֹרָה וְכוּ'. נִמְצָא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם מִתְאַהֵב עַל יָדוֹ, וּמְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת שֶׁל וְאָהַבְתָּ, שֶׁהוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת:
How does one fulfill the mitzvah “you shall love [God your Lord]”? As is brought in the Talmud concerning the verse “you shall love”—that the Name of Heaven becomes beloved through you. How? When a person has read and studied and attended Torah scholars, and his dealing with people is pleasant and he conducts his business affairs faithfully, what do people say? “Fortunate is the one who taught him Torah…” (Yoma 86a). Thus it is that Heaven’s Name grows to be beloved through him and he fulfills the mitzvah of “you shall love,” which is the root of all the mitzvot.
גַּם בְּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, בָּא לְמַדְרֵגָה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (שם) בַּמַּסְקָנָא: וְעָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, כְּמַאֲמַר חַכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ר פ"א): יִשְׂרָאֵל עָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, וּמַחֲשָׁבָה הוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן.
2. Also, by conducting one’s business affairs faithfully one attains a level that transcends time. This is as the Talmud concludes (ibid.): Regarding him Scripture says: “Yisrael, I take pride in you” (Isaiah 49:3). Yisrael is “in thought,” as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: Yisrael arose in thought (Bereishit Rabbah 1:5). And thought transcends time.
וְגַם עַל יְדֵי מַשָּׂא־וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּשֵׂכֶל צַח, כִּי תְּפִלָּה הִיא גַּם־כֵּן לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, כִּי הוּא דָּבָר הָעוֹמֵד בְּרוּמוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם (ברכות ו:). וְגַם מֵחֲמַת שֶׁבָּא לְאַהֲבָה, מִכֹּחַ זֶה בָּא לְגַדְלוּת הַמֹּחִין, וְיָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּשֵׂכֶל צַח:
3. And by conducting one’s business affairs faithfully one can also pray with a clear mind. For prayer, too, transcends time, since it is something that stands at the very summit of the universe (Berakhot 6b). Thus, attaining love enables one to attain expanded consciousness, so that he is able to pray with a clear mind.