The Rebbe once emphasized the importance of longing and thirsting for the holy. Even if you are not worthy of actual fulfillment, the yearning itself is good. This has already been discussed at length (see “His Wisdom” #12, #14, #155).
The Rebbe brought proof for this from a law in the Shulkhan Arukh (Orach Chaim 62:4). If you are in an unclean place and cannot recite the Shma, you should at least think it in your heart. The commentaries (Magen Avraham 62:2) explain that you should think you must recite the Shma and be upset because of your inability to do so. You then receive a reward for this (Perishah, ibid.).
פַּעַם אַחַת דִּבֵּר עִמִּי וְהִפְלִיג בְּמַעֲלַת הַהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת וְהַכִּסּוּפִין וְהַגַּעְגּוּעִים לִדְבָרִים שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ זוֹכֶה לַעֲשׂוֹתָם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הַהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת וְהַגַּעְגּוּעִים בְּעַצְמָן טוֹבִים מְאֹד וְכוּ'. (וְכַמְבֹאָר בִּדְבָרֵינוּ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים).
The Rebbe once emphasized the importance of longing and thirsting for the holy. Even if you are not worthy of actual fulfillment, the yearning itself is good. This has already been discussed at length (see “His Wisdom” #12, #14, #155).
וְאָז הֵבִיא רְאָיָה לָזֶה מֵהַדִּין הַמְבֹאָר בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ אֹרַח חַיִּים סִימָן ס"ב (שֶׁמִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָקִי וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע יְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ. וּפֵרְשׁוּ שָׁם, שֶׁהַפֵּרוּשׁ הוּא: שֶׁיְּהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל וְיִצְטָעֵר עַל זֶה וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר עַל זֶה עַיֵּן שָׁם.
The Rebbe brought proof for this from a law in the Shulkhan Arukh (Orach Chaim 62:4). If you are in an unclean place and cannot recite the Shma, you should at least think it in your heart. The commentaries (Magen Avraham 62:2) explain that you should think you must recite the Shma and be upset because of your inability to do so. You then receive a reward for this (Perishah, ibid.).
נִמְצָא שֶׁהַהִשְׁתּוֹקְקוּת וְהַגַּעְגּוּעִים שֶׁמִּצְטַעֲרִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּצְוָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְגָמְרָהּ הֵם גַּם כֵּן יְקָרִים מְאֹד וּמְקַבְּלִים שָׂכָר עֲלֵיהֶם.
Even though you cannot actually complete an observance, the yearning and longing is still very precious and worthy of reward.