Tanya: Chapter 17

The emphasis of the Torah being within one's grasp is on the performance of the Mitzwoth of the Torah. This is because the intellect is given complete control over the heart, as far as whether or not the heart can use the body to express its wishes. [As has been explained at length in the preceding chapters]

The only exception brought in this chapter is the case of a truly sinful person whose heart is freed from his intellectual control as a punishment for his actions. This explains why first he must do teshuvah to regain control of his heart, then once again, the performance of the Torah's mitzwoth are entirely up to him.

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