This limud has been presented in a different context on the site, illustrating how the many facets of Torah (70) allow one lesson to enlighten many aspects of life. Educating Learners — Torah Concepts

Spirituality is energy conversion. So, for example, someone who has a thirst for blood in their nature, should direct that into being a shochet (kosher slaughterer) or mohel (circumciser.) Let’s see how this works.

The Midrash says that when Moshe went up to receive the Torah, he was confronted by the ministering angels incensed by his presence in their domain. Hashem said; “he has come to receive the Torah,” to which the angels responded; “how can You give this creature of flesh and blood Your treasure that You created before the world,” and they were ready to destroy Moshe.

Hashem said “answer them”; Moshe responded: “what is written in this book? do not murder, do you have the inclination to murder? Do not steal, do you have a desire to steal? Keep the Shabbos, do you need a day of rest?” etc. Eventually the angels capitulated and revealed to him secrets of the universe.

By answering two questions on this Midrash, we can understand how the spiritual to physical conversion works.

1. The angels surely knew what was written in the Torah, so what did Moshe reveal to them?

2. What was so convincing about Moshe’s argument that caused the angels to retract?

Let’s explain through an analogy. A digital designer receives an invitation from the CEO of Adobe Systems to receive a complementary version of the Creative Suite. He arrives and is ushered into the conference room, the CEO sitting at the head and the engineers around the table looking at him in disgust.

After regaining their composure they say to the CEO; “what is this arty doing amongst us MIT graduates?” He answers, “he’s come to receive the latest Creative Suite”. In an incredulous tone they attack the CEO; “what, you’re going to give this Jewel of software engineering to an Art School graduate who doesn’t know the first line of code?”

The CEO tells him to answer. He asks; “what does this package contain? Illustrator – do you guys do digital illustration? Photoshop – do you do image manipulation? InDesign – do you do page layout? This is what I do. This program is created for me, the end user. You guys are just working for me.” They catch themselves, capitulate and as a sign of reverence reveal keyboard shortcuts. 

What were the engineers thinking in the first instance and what changed their view? 

At first, they were relating to the package from an engineering perspective. As such they were quite correct, this is an engineering marvel and does not belong in the realm of visual art. The designer came along and revealed to them the ultimate purpose of the package, the end use, digital design.

This not only gave them a different perspective of the software, but also the realisation that the greatness of their work goes beyond the genius of coding, to affect a universe of visual aesthetics. 

So it was with the angels. They were looking at the spiritual content of Torah and as such it belongs in the higher realms having little to do with the physical world. But, when Moshe revealed that the ultimate purpose is the application of the law in the physical world (conversion of spiritual energy to physical,) they understood a different dimension.