Man And Animal Part 2

There is a halacha that a person should decide on what to learn based on what he is drawn to, the topic from which he will derive pleasure - אין אדם לומד אלא במקום שלבו חפץ. We don't find this halacha in regard to mitzvos. If one enjoys visiting the ill more that he enjoys giving people rides, there is no bigger mitzva to do the former. One still may choose to do what he wants but there is no special "inyan" to follow his hearts desire. Only with respect to Torah do we find that one follows the heart. The explanation is that a person relates to things through connection. A person sees and connects to various objects by means of light. He ears connect to sound by means of sound waves etc. The same applies to the intellect. A person connects to a concept by means of PLEASURE - ta'anug. Without some measure of pleasure the mind cannot comprehend. The deeper the pleasure the greater the understanding [and the greater the understanding the deeper the pleasure]. That is why it is so important that a person learn what his heart desires. Otherwise the mind lies immobile like an inanimate rock. This explains the bracha we make every morning on Torah - והערב נא, make it sweet and pleasurable, we ask Hashem. We don't say that about any other mitzva because Talmud Torah is unique in that it can only be fulfilled with pleasure. Talmud Torah is intellectual and the intellect requires pleasure in order to connect to the subject matter. Ever try reading a REALLY boring book for school? Ever study math and couldn't care less? So you know what I am talking about.

We already learned that the intellect is the master over ones middos [as human exercise mastery over the animal kingdom] but this only happens after the intellect ENJOYS and derives pleasure from the subject matter. So the כח התענוג is above the intellect but once the intellect achieves this תענוג and connects to the subject matter it can start exercising its power over the middos.

To be continued bl"n... hold your breath, it gets better!