Fear, Love and Splendor
Noach's three sons hint at three levels every tzaddik must climb: Shem is fear that repairs, Cham is love that warms, and Yefes is splendor.
"Noach begot three sons: Shem, Cham and Yefes." The Noam Elimelech reads the verse as the path of the tzaddik, who must rise step by step through three levels. The first is Shem, which means "the Name": a person begins by serving Hashem with fear, repairing the sins of his youth through teshuvah, and so mending the blemish he made in Hashem's great Name. When the holy Name stands before his eyes, the Rebbe writes, it is a sign his teshuvah is complete. Next comes Cham, warmth: the love of Hashem, which must be purified of old desires, until even the lower loves of his past are raised to holiness. Last is Yefes, beauty, when all his deeds are beautiful in every eye. One who reaches all three becomes like a saraf, an angel burning with love without pause.
Source: Noam Elimelech, Bereishis, Noach (on Bereishis 6:10)
Before you aim for great love and inspiration, begin where the Noam Elimelech begins: with fear of Heaven and repair. Tonight, think of one thing you did this week that you regret, and say a short, honest sentence of teshuvah about it. Then, at some point tomorrow, picture Hashem's Name before your eyes for a moment, perhaps when you see it in your siddur. The warmth and beauty can come later. The first step is setting things right.