Tanya / Iggeres Ha’Kodesh - The Holy Epistle, Epistle 24, Class 3 tanyaonline.com/?p=2130 It is also [revealed] below, to those who earnestly desire to gaze upon His glory and greatness, which garbs and vests itself in the words of the liturgy which is known to all, וְגַם לְמַטָּה - אֶל הַחֲפֵצִים לְהַבִּיט אֶל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְגָדְלוֹ, הַמִּתְעַטֵּף וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ תֵּיבוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה הַסְּדוּרָה בְּפִי כֹל, and which becomes revealed to every individual, according to his intellect and according to the root of his soul; וּמִתְגַּלֶּה לְכָל אֶחָד לְפִי שִׂכְלוֹ וְשׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ, as it is written, “A man is praised ( yehulal ) according to [the measure of] his intellect."9 כְּדִכְתִיב: "לְפִי שִׂכְלוֹ יְהוּלַּל אִישׁ" - As spelled, [the word could be pronounced] yehalel . "יְהַלֵּל" כְּתִיב. The verse would thus mean, “A man praises (i.e., prays) according to the measure of his intellect," i.e., in proportion to his comprehension of G‑d’s greatness. Now, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a kingdom on earth.10 וּ"מַלְכוּתָא דְרָקִיעַ - כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דְאַרְעָא", It is customary for a king to have his might concealed11 in [his] innermost chambers, with many guards at the doors, שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ לִהְיוֹת חֶבְיוֹן עוּזּוֹ בְּחַדְרֵי חֲדָרִים, וְכַמָּה שׁוֹמְרִים עַל הַפְּתָחִים, (so)12 that many people wait for days and years [hoping] to behold his might and glory. (עַד) אֲשֶׁר כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, מְצַפִּים יָמִים וְשָׁנִים לִרְאוֹת עוּזּוֹ וּכְבוֹדוֹ, Now, when he wishes to be seen by all, and proclaims throughout his kingdom [that his subjects] should assemble and stand before him so that he can show them his majestic glory and the exalted splendor of his greatness, וּכְשֶׁעָלָה רְצוֹנוֹ לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת לַכֹּל, וְהֶעֱבִיר קוֹל בְּכָל מַלְכוּתוֹ לְהִקָּהֵל וְלַעֲמוֹד לְפָנָיו, לְהַרְאוֹתָם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וִיקַר תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדוּלָּתוֹ, whoever will stand before him and not care to see him, busying himself at that time with his own needs- מִי שֶׁעוֹמֵד לְפָנָיו וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ לִרְאוֹתוֹ וּמִתְעַסֵּק בִּצְרָכָיו - how lowly, foolish, and senseless is he; he resembles an animal in the eyes of all. כַּמָּה גָּרוּעַ וְסָכָל וּפֶתִי הוּא, וְנִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמֶה בְּעֵינֵי כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת. Moreover, it is a dishonor to the king when he demonstrates before him that to have pleasure and delight from gazing upon his glory and beauty is of no more esteem in his eyes than busying himself with his own needs. וְגַם, הוּא בִּזְיוֹן הַמֶּלֶךְ, בְּהַרְאוֹתוֹ לְפָנָיו, שֶׁאֵינוֹ סָפוּן בְּעֵינָיו לְקַבֵּל נַחַת וְשַׁעֲשׁוּעִים מֵהַבִּיט אֶל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְיָפְיוֹ, יוֹתֵר מֵעֵסֶק צְרָכָיו. Moreover, it is a capital offense toward the king to exhibit how he disgraces and dishonors the king in the eyes of the public. וְגַם, הוּא מִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ, עַל הַרְאוֹת קְלוֹנוֹ וּבִזְיוֹנוֹ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ לְעֵין כָּל רוֹאֶה. Of this it is written, “And fools raise the insult."13 וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: "וּכְסִילִים מֵרִים קָלוֹן", This means to say that though he is a fool, he should not “raise the insult," making [it] apparent to all, for this not only dishonors the king but also constitutes a capital offense. כְּלוֹמַר: אַף שֶׁהוּא כְּסִיל לֹא יִהְיֶה "מֵרִים קָלוֹן", שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִרְאֶה הַקָּלוֹן לְעֵין כֹּל. For this reason, our Sages, of blessed memory, ordained that with prayer, one should [conduct himself] “as if he is standing before the king."14 וְעַל כֵּן קָבְעוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה בַּתְּפִלָּה: "כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ", Now, if he is standing before the King of kings, why do our Sages say “as if"? This means: At least he should make himself appear as if he is standing [before the king] in the sight of all who look with physical eyes at his actions and words, עַל כָּל פָּנִים יִהְיֶה מַרְאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד כוּ' לְעֵין כָּל רוֹאֶה בְּעֵינֵי בָשָׂר אֶל מַעֲשָׂיו וְדִיבּוּרָיו, FOOTNOTES 9. Proverbs 12:8 . 10. Cf. Berachot 58a . 11. Note by the Rebbe: “ Likkutei Torah (Discourses on Yom Kippur, at the conclusion of the discourse beginning Shabbat Shabbaton ) explains the level of Divinity called ‘concealed might.’ This allows us to understand, as it were, its mortal analog." 12. Parentheses are in the original text. 13. Proverbs 3:35 . 14. Berachot 33a .