Breathing in open space

Aeter with R' Paltiel 8/17/09 Monday 27 Menachem Av 5769 Pay Vav

Page pay hay – one third lines from the top. Line starts “bechinas”.

This is brought to explain that 'tho you only have katnus (smallness) of perception, like a child's first relating to his father, without understanding the depth – nevertheless this katnus contains in it the whole gadlus. It is not self-serving – he feels a real primary connection.

Similar inyan relates to our discussion of matzah. In the matzah we eat there is a revelation atzus, but still it is revealed not independently, but through the mitzvah – the mitzvah is the garment and the garment covers/overpowers the atzmus that is in it.

Atzmus is camouflaged by the means of its revelation – matzah. We're doing the mitzvah.

For this reason it is a mitzvah and not reshus. Meaning it had to be commanded.
Reshus is that it comes from an arousal from above – independently, without any solicitation from below. It is atzus unto itself. But by eating matzah, there is the preeminent factor of it being a mitzvah – solicitation of response from above.

Breathing naturally – air flows in by a change of air pressure – on the other hand we have to participate. The air comes automatically, yet it has to come through a conduit – therefore the sensation of abundance of life is not really experienced, though it is a constant. This is the same as reality being there automatically and yet we relate to it by an action/process.

This is similar to chochmah and sight – sight is really automatic – we see the reality itself – you have to be a recipient and not actively pursuing it. On the other hand you have to have open eyes and look in the right direction.
A normal mitzvah is at the level of shmiah/hearing. The gilui comes as the result of the action. Mitzvah of matzah is different – matzah represents the complete bitul of the mata – atzmus is right there yet it comes through a mitzvah.

Since it has the quality of a mitzvah – i.e. the essence itself is hidden – thus the time to do it is before chatzot.