Glossary · Torah Ohr · Likkutei Torah
Merkavah
מרכבה
The Chariot (merkavah)
A chariot: whatever is wholly nullified to the One who rides it, as a horse to its rider, and so carries Him: the Chayos bearing the Throne, or the Patriarchs, who “are the chariot.”
The word מרכבה is literally a chariot (the chariots of Pharaoh, of Zechariah’s horses). In these maamarim it names what carries G‑dliness by being nullified to it: Yechezkel’s Chariot of Chayos and Ofanim beneath the Throne, and the Patriarchs ("האבות הן הן המרכבה"). The word does not by itself say which world is meant.
Where it’s explained
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 9, ¶1The faces of lion and ox are a chariot because they come from the shattering of the vessels of Tohu, which gives them the strength to lift and carry the Throne, and because, being created, they are nullified like a horse beneath its rider. The question the maamar sets is why the Patriarchs, rooted in Atzilus where “He and His life are one,” are also called a chariot.
והמה בבחי׳ מרכבה לפי שהם בטלים כסוס לגבי רוכבו מפני שהם נבראים
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 5, ¶20The Throne is the garment and screen that hides the light so that Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah can come into being. The Patriarchs and Moshe were a chariot for the revelation of a light above that garment (the “arms,” above the Throne), through constant, complete nullification.
והאבות ומשה רבע״ה היו מרכבה לבחי׳ גילוי אור זה והיינו ע״י שהיו מרכבה בבחי׳ בטול תמידי ממש
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 10, ¶20The faces of lion and ox have some grasp of the light, hence fiery love and awe. The horses of a chariot have no understanding at all; they are only a chariot, nullified to the rider himself for his own delight, which is not seen or held in the chariot. So the soul’s nullification before the supernal delight in the mitzvos, which is above all grasp, is like a horse in Pharaoh’s chariots.
רק שהם מרכבה וביטול לגבי הרוכב עצמו שיהי׳ לו הנאה והתענוג משעשועי המלך בעצמו
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 8, ¶17The holy Chayos of the Chariot constantly storm and are nullified to Or Ein Sof, but what they draw down serves only to sustain and enliven the worlds. The ascent and drawing down of the Patriarchs, who are the chariot, is higher: it brings new souls into being.
אך ההפרש שבין חיות הקדש שבמרכבה. ובין האבות שהם הם המרכבה
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 9, ¶25There can be no revelation of the Shechinah without a chariot, so Yeshayahu and Yechezkel both saw the chariot; at times the Shechinah clothes itself in one chariot and at times in another, as in “He rides on His light cherub and floats through eighteen thousand worlds.”
כי א״א להיות גילוי שכינה מבלעדי מרכבה שכלולה בהם
Stated differently
In which world the Chayos of the Chariot are
והנה בבריאה הם שרפים וביצירה חיות ובעשיי׳ אופניםThe faces of lion and ox are the holy Chayos; in Beriah they are Seraphim, in Yetzirah Chayos, and in Asiyah Ofanim, all already refined holiness.
אבל האופנים שהם בעשייה ואפילו החיות שהם ביצירהThe Seraphim are in Beriah; the Ofanim are in Asiyah and the Chayos in Yetzirah, which receives from Beriah as “something from something,” so they storm with great noise and carry the Throne, the head of the world of Beriah.
פני אריה פני שור כו׳ שהם מרכבה לפי שהם משבה״כ שנפלו בבריאהThe faces of lion and ox are a chariot because they are from the shattering of the vessels that fell into Beriah; their main source is the world of Tohu.
וכולם שרשם מעולם התהו שירדו בבריאה בשבה״כThe animal soul is taken from the dregs of the Ofanim and the Chayos of the Chariot (the faces of lion, ox and eagle), and all of them are rooted in the world of Tohu and came down into Beriah in the shattering of the vessels.
In which world the Ofanim are
אבל האופנים שהם בעשייהThe Ofanim are in Asiyah (the Chayos in Yetzirah, the Seraphim in Beriah).
אשר חב״ד מתגלים בבריאה ושם בחי׳ שרפים וחג״ת ביצירה וזהו בחי׳ חיות ונה״י בעשייה וזהו בחי׳ אופניםChochmah, Binah and Daas are revealed in Beriah, where the Seraphim are; Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes in Yetzirah, the Chayos; Netzach, Hod and Yesod in Asiyah, the Ofanim.
אבל החיות והאופנים שהם ביצירה ואין משיגים האורThe Seraphim are in Beriah, where Or Ein Sof shines openly and they grasp it, so they say “holy”; the Chayos and the Ofanim are in Yetzirah and do not grasp the light, so they rise with great noise.
והאופנים מיצירה. יוצר אור משפיעים למטה ואומרים ברוך כבודThe Seraphim are from Beriah (“who creates darkness”) and say “holy,” set apart; the Ofanim are from Yetzirah (“who forms light”), give influence downward, and say “blessed is the glory.”
What the Patriarchs, as the chariot, lift up
האבות הן הם המרכבה שהם מגביהים ומעלים בחי׳ ו״ק דאצי׳ בחי׳ אדם שהוא ז״אAs the holy Chayos lift the “man” on the Throne, the Patriarchs lift the six attributes of Atzilus, the “man” that is Zeir Anpin; likewise the middos of Atzilus are a chariot for Chochmah and Binah.
והאבות הן חג״ת דאצילות הם בחי׳ מרכבה להעלות את האדם הוא בחי׳ חכמה דאצי׳The Patriarchs are Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes of Atzilus, a chariot to lift the “man,” which is Chochmah of Atzilus.
האבות הן היו מרכבה לבחי׳ זרועות עולם אברהם לבחי׳ חסד דרועא ימינא ויצחק לבחי׳ דרועא שמאלאThe Patriarchs were a chariot for the “arms of the world”: Avraham for Chesed, the right arm, Yitzchak for the left arm; the arms of the supernal Man are far above the Throne.
Main sources
Torah Ohr, Yisro 9, ¶1Torah Ohr, Yisro 8, ¶10Torah Ohr, Yisro 8, ¶17Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 5, ¶20Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 10, ¶20Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 27, ¶2Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 3, ¶43Likkutei Torah, Shemini 2, ¶7
Where it appears
In 200 paragraphs of 110 maamarim.
- Likkutei Torah, Bechukosai 6 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Behar 3 ¶12
- Likkutei Torah, Eikev 1 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Korach 1 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 2 ¶29
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 1 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 8 ¶4 ¶9
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 8 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 7 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 6 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 10 ¶17 ¶18 ¶19 ¶20
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 16 ¶16
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 1 ¶4 ¶5 ¶11 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 3 ¶7 ¶9 ¶11 ¶13
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 3 ¶18
- Torah Ohr, Vayakhel 2 ¶8
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 5 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 1 ¶2 ¶3 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 6 ¶22
- Likkutei Torah, Ki Seitzei 1 ¶2 ¶3 ¶4 ¶11 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Nasso 7 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 5 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 2 ¶8 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 8 ¶29 ¶30 ¶32 ¶33 ¶39
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 37 ¶12
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 9 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Vayishlach 3 ¶4
- Torah Ohr, Vayishlach 6 ¶10 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Tazria 4 ¶6 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Tetzaveh 2 ¶5 ¶23
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 4 ¶2 ¶4 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 6 ¶4 ¶9 ¶12 ¶24
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini 2 ¶2 ¶3 ¶4 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 2 ¶2
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 4 ¶3 ¶5 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 2 ¶22
- Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 3 ¶6 ¶8 ¶10 ¶14 ¶43
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 5 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Acharei 1 ¶10 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 5 ¶14 ¶19
- Likkutei Torah, Bechukosai 5 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 2 ¶6 ¶12 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Matos 7 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 1 ¶11 ¶20
- Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 2 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Pinchas 3 ¶2 ¶3 ¶4 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 1 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 3 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Shemini Atzeres 4 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 5 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 23 ¶11 ¶13 ¶17
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 27 ¶2
- Torah Ohr, Beshalach 8 ¶13 ¶14
- Torah Ohr, Ki Sisa 1 ¶14
- Torah Ohr, Ki Sisa 2 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 5 ¶8 ¶17
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 15 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 5 ¶19 ¶20 ¶22 ¶37
- Torah Ohr, Toldos 2 ¶6 ¶7 ¶8
- Torah Ohr, Vayakhel 1 ¶24
- Torah Ohr, Vayeitzei 5 ¶3 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 7 ¶14 ¶20 ¶41
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 8 ¶9 ¶10 ¶16 ¶17
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 9 ¶1 ¶3 ¶5 ¶8 ¶24 ¶25
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 21 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 3 ¶5 ¶6 ¶7 ¶15 ¶18
- Likkutei Torah, Haazinu 4 ¶2 ¶6 ¶10
- Likkutei Torah, Kedoshim 1 ¶8 ¶23
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 7 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 1 ¶9 ¶11
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 2 ¶10
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 10 ¶3 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Masei 5 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 34 ¶6 ¶11
- Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 2 ¶2 ¶3 ¶17 ¶18
- Torah Ohr, Mikeitz 14 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Emor 3 ¶15
- Likkutei Torah, Re’eh 7 ¶24 ¶36 ¶50
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 12 ¶12 ¶16 ¶18
- Torah Ohr, Va’eira 2 ¶15
- Torah Ohr, Vayeishev 4 ¶17 ¶18 ¶39
- Likkutei Torah, Nitzavim 3 ¶14
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 9 ¶1 ¶4 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 24 ¶6
- Torah Ohr, Bereishis 5 ¶12
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 8 ¶19
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 3 ¶2
- Likkutei Torah, Rosh Hashanah 7 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Va’eschanan 6 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Megillas Esther 10 ¶9
- Torah Ohr, Terumah 1 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 4 ¶4
- Likkutei Torah, Chukas 6 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Tazria 6 ¶5
- Torah Ohr, Vayeitzei 4 ¶6 ¶8
- Likkutei Torah, Behaaloscha 5 ¶3
- Torah Ohr, Mishpatim 6 ¶10
- Torah Ohr, Noach 3 ¶5
- Likkutei Torah, Shelach 6 ¶3
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 20 ¶27
- Likkutei Torah, Tzav 8 ¶7
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 22 ¶2 ¶4 ¶6
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 4 ¶13
- Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 29 ¶16
- Torah Ohr, Yisro 5 ¶1
- Torah Ohr, Vayechi 4 ¶19
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 11 ¶1
- Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar 13 ¶2
- Torah Ohr, Va’eira 3 ¶7
- Torah Ohr, Vayishlach 5 ¶5
Written with AI from the paragraphs of Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah, each entry checked by a second AI reader and every Hebrew quote checked by code; not yet reviewed by a person. Our English: CC BY-NC 4.0.