. Why does Judaism emphasize the practical Mitzvot (commandments)?
A central question in Jewish thought, and in general philosophy, is ‘Why did the Creator create the world and its inhabitants?’
Many explanations have been offered, but Chassidus emphasizes the concept brought forth in the Midrash: “The Creator Blessed be He desired a dwelling place in the lower worlds.”
That is to say that it is G d’s will, an essential will which is above rhyme and reason (and as the Alter Rebbe says, one does not question a ‘desire’) to cause His presence to be revealed and felt in its magnificence, not in spiritual worlds, but in the lowest, physical and material world.
For this, the Torah demands from us not to detach ourselves from matters of the world, but to sanctify them and cause them to become penetrated with holiness. The final goal is specifically a dwelling place in the lowly physical world, and thus the G dly soul came from supernal spiritual worlds to perform a special mission: to draw holiness and G dliness down below, through learning Torah and performing Mitzvos—which are done using physical means in the physical world.