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Chassidic literature tells us that it’s the mitzvah of “being holy” that will bring about the advent of the Messianic era. That is, by “being holy,” whatever that means, we will bring the meshiach. Learning Torah, fulfilling the positive mitzvoth and avoiding transgression of the negative commandments just isn’t enough in order to merit to the revelation of the future redemption. For that, we need to make everything holy – “sanctify yourself even in those things that are permitted to you!”
The more spiritual something is, the more refined and sensitive is the veil of secrecy and confidence surrounding it. When G-d wanted the forefathers to follow in His footsteps, bringing people closer to the concept of One G-d, He had Abraham circumcise himself. However, Abraham’s circumcision included only the outer, coarse membrane, leaving intact the inner, thin membrane. But, when the Jews approached Mt. Sinai in order to receive the Torah, it was no longer sufficient to remove only the coarse outer membrane. For the higher revelation of Mt. Sinai, it was necessary to perform not only “mila,” but also “priah” - removal of the inner, thin membrane. For the highest revelation – that of the meshiach in the future redemption, an even more refined operation is necessary. At that time, it will be necessary to remove the inner spiritual membrane of the heart – and that’s what makes the difference between “holy” and “spiritual.”
G-d’s goal in creating the universe was to make a “dwelling place” for Himself in the lowest, non-spiritual world. He wanted man – and specifically the Jews – to create an atmosphere and environment in which even the grossly physical expresses the presence of G-d. It wouldn’t be a ray or reflection of spirituality, or a mere expression of G-d that would be present in this “dwelling,” but G-d Himself. Just as when man lives in a house, his essence and entire being are there, so when G-d wishes to dwell among us in this universe that He created, His object is to be among us in His essence and entirety. Expressions of spirituality and hints at His presence are not enough – He Himself wants to be among us.
We bring this about by being holy. Not spiritual, but holy. This is expressed both in ourselves, and in our avoda (service of the One Above). When we accept Torah and mitzvoth as a course of study and a task, we add them to our daily lives in much the same way that we might add, let’s say, a new book that we want to read, and another gym to work out in (lehavdil). Torah and mitzvoth are from G-d, and we want to add a spiritual element to our lives, so we begin to read one book of Torah after another, become educated in Torah, and at the same time we begin to accept one mitzvah after another. This is commendable, and an important beginning. It sets us out on a path of spiritual growth and development. But, the path of holiness is somewhat different. It doesn’t let us suffice with adding to our storehouse of knowledge and our repertoire of activities. It demands that we change ourselves. Instead of us learning the Torah, we seek for the “Torah to learn us,” that is, for the inner light of the Torah to penetrate our very beings. And at the same time, we look for ways to elevate and refine all of our activities – not just those indicated and proscribed by the Torah – but those permitted by the Torah as well. When even those activities that are permitted by the Torah become vehicles for G-dly expression, we are fulfilling the commandment of “kedoshim tihyu – be holy, for I the Lord your G-d am holy.” To be spiritual means to elevate your mind and behavior. To be holy means to transform and elevate yourself.
The original mitzvoth were spiritual. G-d wanted the forefathers to bring G-dliness down to earth by publicizing His presence, but not in a way that lasted – the universe wasn’t ready for that yet. Not until the giving of the Torah was it possible to permanently transform the physical realm. Not until Moses brought the Torah down to earth was it possible to bring the spiritual down to the physical in a way that permanently altered the physical world. But, even that isn’t enough to bring the final redemption. The mitzvoth affect certain specific physical objects – those mentioned and commanded in the Torah. But the future redemption demands that the entire physical universe becomes elevated. It demands that not only the objects mentioned in the Torah become permeated with His presence, but that everything in the universe become an expression of G-dliness. That’s what it means to make a “dwelling for Him in the lower worlds” – and that’s what true holiness is.
“Three are bound together – the Holy One, the Torah, and the Jews – and all are both revealed and concealed.” So says the Zohar (part 3, p.72a). G-d conducts the world on two different levels – the level of the revealed laws of nature, and the level of miraculous behavior that sometimes imbues the world. But, in truth, both of these levels are revealed – they are from the aspect of Him that relates to the creation and is therefore revealed. What is truly concealed are the miracles that He does at all times that we don’t even recognize. This is the true concealed dimension of the One Above – the little things that are going on all the time that aren’t even recognized as miracles, because they are embedded in the laws of nature in such a way that we don’t see them. Only when our eyes are opened by learning the concealed level of the Torah – the secrets of the Torah as revealed by kabala and Chassidut – will we detect the miracles within the laws of nature. That demands true holiness – it demands that we transform ourselves so that not only we learn the Torah (as a subject of interest), but the “Torah learns [permeates] us.” When in addition, not only those things that the Torah instructs us to do and say are of interest to us, but we desire to elevate all of our (permitted) activities and conduct, then we are truly fulfilling the injunction of “Be holy, because I the Lord your G-d am holy.” And that will bring us to the era when awareness of Him permeates all of the universe, and the hidden aspect of His miracles within nature become obvious to all of us, in the time of the future redemption.
From Likutei Sichot, vol. 1, of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ztz’l Shabbat Shalom, Good Shabbos, Rabbi David Sterne, Jerusalem Connection