The Zohar HaKodosh speaks very often of t’shuva and how important it is, along with the great power this carries to affect change for the one who returns to Hashem and the sweetening of judgments that occurs. In Parshas Mishpatim, Raya Mehemna, the Raya Mehemna speaks of how each part of one’s t’shuva process impacts different Sefiros through the mitzvos they do and the tefillos they say. With the hands putting on tefillin and giving tzedakah the sefiros of Chesed and Gevurah are rectified, through praising Hashem and speaking with Him the lips, representing Netzach and Hod (explained there) are fixed, and far more than can be fully expressed here.
In Sefer Keser Shem Tov it is brought in the name of the Baal Shem Tov that if every Yid understood the great impact their actions have in the Higher Worlds, then the Geulah (redemption) would come. The piece of Zohar mentioned above ties very nicely into this. So we should contemplate a little, why exactly should it be that if a Yid is conscious of their actions that we should all experience the Geulah?
People are often compared to trees, as is popular to speak of on Tu B’Shvat. The Etz Chaim represents the flow of Shefa (Divine Influence) to this world. Seeing that the Etz Chaim is mapped out on the human body, we can see that each part of our body corresponds to a sefirah on this symbolic diagram. There are different meditations as well that focus on this idea, such as brought by the Arizal in relation to giving tzedakah to focus on making the Shem Havayah through the exchange of money through the hands of the giver and receiver. What we can see from this is that a person is effectively a small world, in a sense. It’s not just that above the Sefiros are arranged in this particular pattern, but rather below as well, the great schema of the world is exhibited. As we all know, kavanna (intent) is a crucial aspect of every single thing we do in life; in fulfilling mitzvos, in Torah, and simply interacting with the world around us we have to conduct ourselves with purpose. So when one understands this concept properly, and contemplates how Hashem Himself, through our Chelek Elokah Mima’al (Piece of God from Above) that is within the neshama, expresses His might through our actions, then we can merit to the Geulah through every single thing we do.
Yismach Lev 