Likkutei Torah · Parshas Emor · Maamar 2
לבאר הדברים ע״פ ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל בענין…
To Explain “And I Shall Be Sanctified in the Midst of the Children of Israel”
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The big idea
The angels’ threefold “Kadosh” corresponds to three crowns that Israel draw down: self-sacrifice in the Shema brings new light from the Infinite One through the union of Abba and Imma, Torah study draws the crown of will to Z’eir Anpin, and the practical mitzvos draw it furthest down, to Malchus and the lower worlds, because what descends lowest is rooted highest.
The maamar in brief
The Raaya Mehemna explains that when Israel sanctify G‑d below, the vav, Z’eir Anpin, rises to Kodesh, Chochmah, and becomes Kadosh; the light then returns to Z’eir Anpin and descends to Yesod and Malchus, giving three Kedushos. The Alter Rebbe builds on the Arizal: the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva draws light already held in the vessels of Atzilus, and Torah and mitzvos suffice for it, but the union of Abba and Imma draws new light from the Infinite One, above the chain of descent, and requires self-sacrifice, which comes from the soul’s yechidah, above reason. This is the first Kadosh, said by the Seraphim. The second is the Keser, the will, drawn from Tiferes of Imma to Z’eir Anpin through Torah study; it is needed because every revelation, even Atzilus, is a contraction for G‑d, like a teacher’s speech next to his thought. The third is the Keser drawn to Malchus through the practical mitzvos, which refine sparks that fell from Tohu and are rooted above Chochmah. The Midrash of three crowns, one on G‑d’s head and two on Israel’s, and “the crown with which his mother crowned him” express the same order.
Outline
- The three Kedushos in the ZoharThree groups of angels say Kadosh; the Raaya Mehemna and Pri Etz Chaim explain the first as the vav of Tiferes rising to Chochmah, called Kodesh, and the second as the light returning to Tiferes.¶1–3
- Two kinds of unionThe union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva draws light already in the vessels of Atzilus and is reached through Torah and mitzvos; the union of Abba and Imma draws new light from the Infinite One, beyond the chain of descent, and needs the self-sacrifice of the Shema, which in the soul too is above intellect.¶4–5
- The first Kadosh and the SeraphimYechidah, the root of self-sacrifice, raises the vav to Chochmah, ayin, which unites with Binah, yesh; the Seraphim “stand above lo,” the thirty-six of the attributes, and the Talmud’s five hundred and fifteen shows them drawing yud-hei into the attributes.¶6–9
- The second Kadosh: the Keser of Z’eir AnpinTiferes of Imma becomes the Keser, the will, of Z’eir Anpin; because every revelation, even Atzilus, is a contraction for G‑d, as the Maggid explained the Shechinah between the poles of the Ark and as a teacher’s speech hides his thought, His will for the attributes must be drawn down, and this comes through Torah study.¶10–20
- The third Kadosh: the practical mitzvosThe light descends to Tzaddik and Malchus through the mitzvos, called tzedakah; Torah draws from the inner dimension, but the physical mitzvos, which refine sparks fallen from Tohu, are rooted above Chochmah and so reach furthest down, while Torah remains the inner flow to which nothing compares.¶21–32
- Two crowns and the refinement of sparksThe world needs Israel to draw down G‑d’s will; like a crown of gems and craftsmanship, the mitzvos supply the refined sparks and the Torah sets them, as in the Omer days and the night of Shavuos, all resting on the self-sacrifice of the first Kadosh.¶33–38
- The crown with which his mother crowned himThe Midrash’s three crowns: the one on G‑d’s head is the supernal Keser drawn by self-sacrifice, when Israel is “My mother,” and the two on Israel’s heads are drawn by Torah and mitzvos, when Israel is “My daughter” and “My sister”; “go forth” means going beyond every limit.¶39–42
Key concepts
- Kodesh and Kadoshקדש וקדוש
- Kodesh, written without a vav, is Chochmah, the supernal source; Kadosh, with the vav, is Z’eir Anpin that has risen to it and received its light. Each of the angels’ three “Kadosh” is a stage in this light’s ascent and descent.
- mayin nukvin (feminine waters)מיין נוקבין
- The arousal from below that calls forth a flow from above. Here it takes two forms: Torah and mitzvos for the lower union, and self-sacrifice for the higher one.
- the union of Abba and Immaיחוד אבא ואימא
- The union of Chochmah and Binah, the passage from ayin to yesh, through which new light from the Infinite One, never yet in the vessels of Atzilus, first appears.
- self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh)מסירות נפש
- The readiness to give one’s life over to G‑d in “Echad” of the Shema. It comes from yechidah, the soul’s highest level, above reason, and so reaches what is above the chain of descent.
- Keser as willכתר — רצון
- The crown above the attributes is G‑d’s will that there be worlds and a revealed conduct of them. Since every revelation is a contraction for Him, this will must be drawn down anew by Israel’s service.
- the refinement of the 288 sparksבירור רפ״ח ניצוצין
- The sparks of the World of Tohu fell in the shattering of the vessels into kelipas nogah, the realm of physical things. Mitzvos done with physical objects refine them and raise them to their root above Atzilus.
The three Kedushos in the Zohar ¶1–3
To explain the matters on the verse “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel,” concerning the three groups of angels: one group says “Kadosh” (“Holy”),
The verse “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel” is the source of the mitzvah to sanctify G‑d’s Name, and the Raaya Mehemna reads it as the command to sanctify Him every day, raising His holiness from below to above. The Talmud teaches that the angels’ “Holy, holy, holy” is divided among three groups of angels: one says a single “Kadosh,” one says “Kadosh, Kadosh,” and one says the whole verse.
וזהו ענין השרפים וכת אחת אומרת קדוש קדוש4 כו׳ צריך להקדים מ״ש ברע״מ פ׳ אמור דצ״ג ע״א5 ע״פ זה דונקדשתי. קדש איהו סטר עלאה6 כו׳.
and this is the matter of the Seraphim; and one group says “Kadosh, Kadosh,” etc. We must first preface what is written in the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Emor, folio 93, side a, on this verse of “And I shall be sanctified”: “Kodesh (‘holiness’) is the supernal side,” etc.
The Alter Rebbe identifies the first group, who say a single “Kadosh,” with the Seraphim, and the rest of the maamar explains what each “Kadosh” accomplishes. He begins with the Raaya Mehemna (“the Faithful Shepherd,” a section of the Zohar) on this verse, which distinguishes Kodesh, written without the letter vav, as the supernal side, the beginning of all levels, from Kadosh, which has the vav.
The maamar opens with the verse of sanctifying G‑d’s Name and with the three groups of angels who divide the threefold “Kadosh” between them, and sets out to explain them through the Raaya Mehemna on this verse.
Marei mekomos
- 1לבאר הדברים · בסה״מ תקס״ג ע׳ שעד הנחת כ״ק אדמו״ר האמצעי. שם ע׳ שסו הנחת הר״מ בן כ״ק אדה״ז. ביאור באוה״ת ויקרא-ג ע׳ תתכט. ושם ע׳ תתלד קיצור מהביאור.
- 2
- 3ג׳ כתות מלאכים כת אחת אומרת קדוש · Chullin 91b:14–15
- 4קדוש קדוש · Isaiah 6:3
- 5ברע״מ פ׳ אמור דצ״ג ע״א · נעתק גם באוה״ת נ״ך-ב ע׳ תתקס.
- 6קדש איהו סטר עלאה · Zohar, Emor 21:86–93
2ומאי דאקרי קדוש כו׳ וכיון דישראל קא מקדשי סלקי מתתא לעילא יקרא עילאה עד דאסתלק1 ו׳ רזא דשמים עלאין לעילא. כיון דאינון שמים אסתלקו לעילא נהיר ההוא קדש בהו וכדין אקרי לעילא קדוש כו׳.
“And what is called Kadosh,” etc. “And since Israel sanctify, they raise the supernal glory from below to above, until the vav, the secret of the supernal heavens, ascends on high. Once those heavens have ascended on high, that Kodesh shines in them, and then it is called on high Kadosh,” etc.
The Zohar asks why the angels’ word on high is Kadosh, with a vav, when the supernal level is Kodesh, which has none. It answers that when Israel sanctify below, they raise the supernal glory until the vav, which stands for Z’eir Anpin, called “the supernal heavens,” ascends to Kodesh; Kodesh then shines in it, and Kodesh with the vav is Kadosh.
The Raaya Mehemna explains the first Kadosh: Israel’s sanctification below lifts the vav, the “heavens,” up to Kodesh, and Kodesh with that vav becomes Kadosh.
The letter vav, whose numerical value is six, stands for the six emotive attributes that make up Z’eir Anpin, and the Zohar calls Z’eir Anpin “heavens.” The spelling itself carries the teaching: קדש is Kodesh alone, and קדוש is Kodesh with the vav inside it.
Marei mekomos
- 1סלקי מתתא לעילא יקרא עילאה עד דאסתלק ו׳ רזא דשמים עלאין לעילא · Zohar, Emor 21:86–93
3ופי׳ בפע״ח1 שער הק״ש פ״ב גבי קדושה דיוצר אור וז״ל והנה ענין קדוש הוא כי תחלה עולה סוד2 ו׳ של תפארת לקבל הארה מחכמה הנקרא קדש ונעשה קדוש.
And it is explained in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Kerias Shema, chapter 2, regarding the Kedushah of [the blessing] Yotzer Or, and these are his words: “Now, the matter of Kadosh is that first the secret of the vav of Tiferes rises to receive illumination from Chochmah, which is called Kodesh, and it becomes Kadosh.
Pri Etz Chaim, the Arizal’s teachings on the intentions of prayer, explains the Kedushah said in the morning blessing Yotzer Or. The vav, which stands for Tiferes, the center of Z’eir Anpin, first rises to Chochmah, which is called Kodesh, to receive its light, and so becomes Kadosh: this is the first Kadosh.
ואח״כ מתפשט עד התפארת כו׳ ונעשה שם קדוש ב׳ וז״ש ברע״מ שם ואינון שמים תייבין לדוכתייהו3 כו׳.
Afterwards it spreads down to Tiferes, etc., and there the second Kadosh is formed.” And this is [the meaning of] what is written in the Raaya Mehemna there: “And those heavens return to their places,” etc.
The light then spreads down with the vav to Tiferes in its own place, and this forms the second Kadosh. The Alter Rebbe shows that the Raaya Mehemna says the same thing in its words “those heavens return to their places”: Z’eir Anpin, having risen, goes back to its own level carrying the light it received.
Pri Etz Chaim interprets the Zohar in terms of the Sefiros: the first Kadosh is Tiferes rising to Chochmah, which is Kodesh, and the second is that light coming back down to Tiferes in its place.
In the passage quoted, Pri Etz Chaim concludes that the secret of Kadosh is always “Kodesh and vav,” and that with the third Kadosh Yesod is joined with Netzach and Hod, “Havayah of hosts,” after which the light spreads into Malchus, “the whole earth is full of His glory.”
Marei mekomos
- 1ופי׳ בפע״ח · מובא גם לעיל כג, ד. נעתק גם באוה״ת נ״ך-ב ע׳ תתקס.
- 2והנה ענין קדוש הוא כי תחלה עולה סוד ו׳ של תפארת לקבל הארה מחכמה הנקרא קדש ונעשה קדוש · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Recitation of the Shema 2:3
- 3ואינון שמים תייבין לדוכתייהו · Zohar, Emor 21:86–93
Two kinds of union ¶4–5
4ואח״כ מתפשט ביסוד ונעשה שם קדוש ג׳ כו׳ ומשם מתפשט במל׳1 עכ״ד וכ״כ בשער חזרת העמידה רפ״ג וז״ש ברע״מ2 שם לבתר נחית ההוא נהירו עד דנטיל כולא חד צדיק עילאה דרגא יקירא לקדשא כולא לתתא.3
“Afterwards it spreads into Yesod, and there the third Kadosh is formed, etc., and from there it spreads into Malchus.” Thus far his words. And so he wrote in Shaar Chazaras HaAmidah, at the beginning of chapter 3. And this is [the meaning of] what is written in the Raaya Mehemna there: “Afterwards that light descends, until one supernal Tzaddik, a precious level, takes it all, to sanctify everything below.”
Pri Etz Chaim completes its account: the light spreads further into Yesod, where the third Kadosh is formed, and from there into Malchus. Its section on the repetition of the Amidah says the same, and the Raaya Mehemna puts it in its own words: the light descends until “one supernal Tzaddik,” Yesod, takes it all in order to sanctify everything below.
The explanation of the matter will be understood by first prefacing what is written in Etz Chaim: that for the sake of the union of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) there must be an elevation of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) through actual self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in the Shema.
To explain the three stages, the Alter Rebbe first brings a principle from the Arizal. The union of Abba and Imma, Chochmah and Binah, requires mayin nukvin, “feminine waters,” the arousal from below that calls forth the flow from above, and for this union it must be actual self-sacrifice, as when one gives one’s life over to G‑d in reciting the Shema.
ולצורך יחוד זו״נ סגי בהעלאת מ״ן ע״י6 התורה והמצות שעי״ז ממשיכים יחוד זו״נ ולכן אפילו מי שתורתו אומנתו מפסיק לק״ש7 וארז״ל גדול הקורא ק״ש בעונתה8 יותר מהעוסק בתורה כו׳.
But for the sake of the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, the elevation of mayin nukvin through Torah and mitzvos suffices, for through this one draws down the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva. Therefore even one whose Torah is his occupation interrupts [his study] for the Shema; and our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Greater is one who recites the Shema in its time than one who occupies himself with Torah,” etc.
The lower union, of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva (the emotive attributes and Malchus), needs only the arousal brought about by Torah and mitzvos. Because the Shema reaches higher than Torah study, even those whose whole occupation is Torah stop for it, and the Talmud rules that reciting the Shema in its proper time is greater than studying Torah.
(ואע״ג שבלק״ת פ׳ בראשית9 איתא דמצוה הוא שם הוי׳ ששני אותיות מ״צ דמצוה הם בא״ת ב״ש י״ה דהיינו שע״י המצוה גורם גם יחוד או״א שהם י״ה אך מ״מ הם אותיות מחולפות במ״צ להורות שאין זה גילוי גמור
(And although in the Likkutei Torah [of the Arizal], Parshas Bereishis, it is stated that [the word] mitzvah is the Name Havayah, since the two letters mem-tzadi of mitzvah are, in the Atbash [exchange of letters], yud-hei, which means that through the mitzvah one also brings about the union of Abba and Imma, which are yud-hei; nevertheless, they are letters exchanged into mem-tzadi, to show that this is not a complete revelation
A parenthetical objection: the Arizal teaches that the word mitzvah (מצוה) holds the whole Name Havayah. Its last two letters are the Name’s vav and hei, and its first two, mem and tzadi, become yud and hei through Atbash, the code that pairs the first letter of the alphabet with the last, the second with the next-to-last, and so on; since yud-hei stands for Abba and Imma, a mitzvah too would seem to bring about their union.
כמו ו״ה שבאו בלא חלופי אתוון במצוה אבל עיקר יחוד או״א שהם י״ה ממש זהו הנמשך ע״י העלאת מ״ן דמס״נ באחד וזהו ענין ק״ש וע׳ בפי׳ וענין חלופי אתוון בבינונים שער היחוד והאמונה פרק י״ב).
like the vav-hei, which come in mitzvah without an exchange of letters. But the essential union of Abba and Imma, which are the actual yud-hei, is what is drawn down through the elevation of mayin nukvin of self-sacrifice in [the word] Echad (“One”), and this is the matter of the Shema. And see the explanation, and the matter of the exchange of letters, in [Sefer Shel] Beinonim, Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, chapter 12.)
The answer is that yud-hei appear in the word mitzvah only in exchanged, disguised letters, showing that through a mitzvah Abba and Imma are not fully revealed, while the vav-hei, Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, appear openly. Their essential union comes through the self-sacrifice of “Echad” in the Shema; Tanya explains that exchanged letters carry a more concealed and diminished life-force.
והטעם לזה הוא מפני שמכיון שכבר נמשך האור וההמשכה של א״ס ב״ה בהכלים דאצי׳ וא״כ כבר באה ההמשכה וישנה בבחי׳ סדר ההשתלשלות דהיינו כשנמשכה לאצילות לזו״נ ורק שצריכים להמשיכה משם לבי״ע.
The reason for this is that, since the light and the flow of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, has already been drawn into the vessels of Atzilus, then the flow has already come and exists at the level of the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), that is, when it was drawn into Atzilus, into Z’eir Anpin and Nukva; and one need only draw it from there into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
Here is the reason for the difference. The light that the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva needs is already present in the vessels of Atzilus as part of the orderly chain of descent, so it need only be drawn further down, into the lower worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
(אשר זהו ענין יחוד זו״נ שע״י יחוד זה נמשך הולדת נשמות מאצילות לעולם הבריאה כמ״ש בע״ח שער מ״ז שער סדר אבי״ע פד״ה).
(And this is the matter of the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva: through this union the birth of souls is drawn from Atzilus into the World of Beriah, as is written in Etz Chaim, Shaar 47, the Shaar of the Order of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, chapters 4 and 5.)
The Alter Rebbe adds that the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva is what brings souls into being, drawing them from Atzilus into Beriah. He cites Etz Chaim’s section on the order of the four worlds, which discusses where in them souls are born.
לכן ע״י התורה והמצות ג״כ יכולים להמשיך המשכה זו מאחר שכבר ישנה לההמשכה בכלים דזו״נ דאצילות ע״כ ע״י התומ״צ שהם בחי׳ כלים ממשיכים המשכה זו שבכלים דזו״נ להיות נמשך בבי״ע.
Therefore through Torah and mitzvos, too, one can draw down this flow: since the flow already exists in the vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus, therefore through Torah and mitzvos, which are at the level of vessels, one draws this flow that is in the vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva so that it be drawn into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
Since this flow already rests in the vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, Torah and mitzvos are enough to draw it down. They are themselves “vessels”: defined expressions of G‑d’s will and wisdom, matching a light that is already held in vessels.
(וגם עסק התורה צ״ל ג״כ בבחי׳ ביטול להיות ולא תחללו1011 שלא לעשות חלל והפסק ח״ו דאל״כ גם תורה אין לו12 אלא שעכ״ז הוא בבחי׳ כלי אבל מסירת נפש היינו לצאת מהכלי לגמרי.
(And the occupation with Torah, too, must also be in a state of self-nullification (bittul), so that it be [in keeping with] “And you shall not profane”: not to make a void and an interruption, G‑d forbid; for otherwise “he does not even have Torah.” Yet even so, it is at the level of a vessel; whereas self-sacrifice means to go out of the vessel entirely.
Torah study, too, needs self-nullification: “You shall not profane” (תחללו) is read as “do not make a void” (חלל), for study with self-importance makes a gap from which G‑d’s light withdraws, and the Talmud says that one who claims he has only Torah does not even have Torah. Yet even humble study stays within the measure of a vessel, while self-sacrifice means leaving every vessel and limit behind.
ולפיכך להמשיך היחוד דזו״נ שהוא המש כת האור שכבר מלובש בכלי ממשיכים ע״י העלאת מ״ן דעסק התורה והמצות שהן הן מבחי׳ ז״א ונוק׳ שהתורה היא בז״א
Therefore, to draw down the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, which is the drawing down of the light that is already enclothed in a vessel, one draws it down through the elevation of mayin nukvin of occupation with Torah and mitzvos, which are themselves of the level of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva: the Torah is in Z’eir Anpin
So the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, which concerns light already clothed in vessels, is drawn through Torah and mitzvos, which belong to those very levels. Torah corresponds to Z’eir Anpin, the emotive attributes of Atzilus.
והמצות בנוק׳ ומ״מ כ׳ בבינונים ס״פ כ״ה שקיום התורה ומצותיה תלוי בזה שיזכור תמיד ענין מסירת נפשו לה׳ על יחודו שיהיה קבוע בלבו תמיד ממש13 כו׳ ע״ש)
and the mitzvos are in Nukva. Nevertheless, he wrote in [Sefer Shel] Beinonim, at the end of chapter 25, that the keeping of the Torah and its mitzvos depends on this: that one always remember the matter of giving over his soul to G‑d for His unity, so that it be fixed in his heart always, literally, etc.; see there.)
The mitzvos correspond to Nukva, Malchus. Even so, Tanya (chapter 25) teaches that keeping the Torah and its mitzvos depends on always remembering one’s readiness to give one’s life for G‑d’s unity, so that even the lower service draws its strength from self-sacrifice.
אבל כדי להמשיך יחוד או״א14 שהוא המשכת אור חדש מה שלא נמשך עדיין בהכלים דאצילות כלל
But in order to draw down the union of Abba and Imma, which is the drawing down of new light, that which has not yet been drawn into the vessels of Atzilus at all,
The union of Abba and Imma is of another kind: it draws down new light, light that has never yet entered the vessels of Atzilus.
כי אם שצריכים לעורר ולהמשיך אור חדש והמשכה חדשה ממש מאור א״ס ב״ה אשר זהו ענין יחוד או״א דאין הפי׳ שהתחלת ההמשכה מאו״א לבד אלא
rather one must arouse and draw down new light and a truly new flow from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He; and this is the matter of the union of Abba and Imma. For the meaning is not that the flow begins from Abba and Imma alone; rather,
Such light must be aroused from the Infinite Light itself as a truly new flow. Calling it “the union of Abba and Imma” does not mean that the flow starts with them.
כי או״א מקבלים מכתר וכתר מעתיק עד א״ס המאציל העליון כי הוא לבדו יש בו כח לחדש תמיד לפי שאין לו סוף משא״כ בנאצלים כו׳.
Abba and Imma receive from Keser, and Keser from Atik, up to the Infinite One, the Supernal Emanator; for He alone has the power to renew constantly, since He has no end, which is not so with the emanated beings, etc.
Abba and Imma receive from Keser, Keser from Atik, and so up to the Infinite One, the source of all emanation. Only He can bring forth something truly new, because He has no end; every emanated level is finite and can only pass on what it has received.
אלא שנק׳ ע״ש יחוד דאו״א לפי כי בהיות האור עדיין למעלה מאו״א הוא בחי׳ סתימו דכל
It is only called by the name of the union of Abba and Imma because while the light is still above Abba and Imma it is at the level of “the most hidden of all
The union is named after Abba and Imma because above them the light is utterly hidden, “the most hidden of all hidden things,” the Zohar’s phrase for the highest concealed levels.
סתימין ונעלם מאד וראשית הגילוי הוא בחכמה וממנה נמשך בבינה וכמ״ש כ״ז בפע״ח שער הק״ש פי״א ומבואר באריכות יותר בלק״ת פ׳ וירא15
hidden things” and very concealed, and the beginning of revelation is in Chochmah, and from it the light is drawn into Binah. All this is as written in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Kerias Shema, chapter 11, and it is explained at greater length in the Likkutei Torah [of the Arizal], Parshas Vayera.
Revelation begins in Chochmah and passes from it to Binah, so the new light first appears through their union. Pri Etz Chaim (Shema, chapter 11) teaches that while a union for sustaining the worlds draws on what Abba and Imma already hold, a union that brings forth new souls requires new light from above.
(ועיין בזהר פ׳ בשלח דס״ג ע״ב ע״פ ממעמקים קראתיך16 אמר רבי חזקיה כד עתיקא סתימא דכל סתימין בעי לזמנא ברכאן לעלמין אשרי כולא ואכליל כולא בהאי עמיקא עילאה17 כו׳ וע׳ במק״מ שם בשם האריז״ל.
(And see the Zohar, Parshas Beshalach, folio 63, side b, on the verse “Out of the depths I have called You”: “Rabbi Chizkiyah said: When the Ancient One, most hidden of all hidden, wishes to prepare blessings for the worlds, He places everything and includes everything in this supernal depth,” etc. And see the Mikdash Melech there, in the name of the Arizal, of blessed memory.
The Zohar reads “Out of the depths I have called You” as the supernal depth: when the hidden Ancient One wishes to bestow blessings, He places everything in this depth, and from it the well and all the streams are filled. The Alter Rebbe brings it to illustrate the point just made: the blessings of the hidden Ancient One first gather in a supernal level and only from there flow outward.
וע׳ עוד בפ׳ ויגש דר״י ע״א ת״ח בית פרעה18 כו׳ ע״ש. ועוי״ל הטעם שנקרא ע״ש יחוד דאו״א מטעם שכשנמשך האור ומגיע בחו״ב זהו ההתקשרות והמשכת הסובב בממלא ועמ״ש גבי פסח19 בענין ויוציאנו ה׳ אלקינו או״א שהלבישו20 כו׳ ועמ״ש סד״ה שימני כחותם2122 ע״ש)
And see further in Parshas Vayigash, folio 210, side a: “Come and see: the house of Pharaoh,” etc.; see there. One may further say that the reason it is called by the name of the union of Abba and Imma is that when the light is drawn down and reaches Chochmah and Binah, this is the bond and the drawing of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) into the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). And see what is written regarding Pesach on the matter of “And Havayah our G‑d brought us out”: Abba and Imma, who enclothed, etc. And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “Set me as a seal”; see there.)
The Zohar in Vayigash reads “the house of Pharaoh” (בית פרעה) as the house from which all lights are uncovered (אתפרעו), where whatever was hidden is revealed. A second reason for the name: in Chochmah and Binah the light that encompasses all worlds first binds with and enters the light that fills them, as elsewhere “Havayah our G‑d” of the Haggadah is explained as Abba and Imma clothing themselves.
ולכן כדי לעורר ולהמשיך מאור א״ס ממש צ״ל העלאת מ״ן במס״נ שעי״ז ממשיך מעיקרא דכולא המשכה חדשה דאל״כ אינו יכול לעורר ולהמשיך מבחי׳ א״ס ממש.
Therefore, in order to arouse and draw down from the Infinite Light itself, there must be an elevation of mayin nukvin through self-sacrifice, for through this one draws a new flow from “the root of all”; otherwise one cannot arouse and draw down from the level of the Infinite One itself.
This is why self-sacrifice is needed. Only it reaches “the root of all,” the Infinite itself, and draws from there a flow that is new; without it one cannot reach the level of the Infinite One.
ולכן לעורר המשכה זו צ״ל העלאת מ״ן במס״נ ממש שעי״ז מעורר וממשיך מעצמות אור א״ס ב״ה וממשיך משם המשכה חדשה ע״י יחוד דאו״א (ועמ״ש בזה בד״ה מה יפו פעמיך23 בנעלים24 ובביאור ע״פ הראיני את מראיך)25
Therefore, to arouse this flow there must be an elevation of mayin nukvin through actual self-sacrifice, for through this one arouses and draws from the essence of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, and draws from there a new flow through the union of Abba and Imma. (And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “How beautiful are your steps in sandals,” and in the explanation of the verse “Show me your appearance.”)
Actual self-sacrifice arouses the very essence of the Infinite Light, and from there the new flow comes down through the union of Abba and Imma. Two maamarim on verses of the Song of Songs develop this further.
ויובן עוד ענין זה ממ״ש במ״א בד״ה פתח אליהו26 שמאצילות לבי״ע הגם שהאור נמשך ע״י פרסא מ״מ נק׳ סדר ההשתלשלות משא״כ מא״ס ב״ה לאצילות הוא שלא כסדר ההשתלשלות
This matter will be understood further from what is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Patach Eliyahu”: that from Atzilus to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, although the light is drawn through a parsa (partition), it is nevertheless called the order of hishtalshelus; whereas from the Infinite One, blessed be He, to Atzilus it is not according to the order of hishtalshelus,
The Alter Rebbe’s discourse “Patach Eliyahu” in Torah Ohr explains that between Atzilus and the lower worlds there is a parsa, a partition that screens the light, yet the descent there is still one continuous order of cause and effect. From the Infinite One to Atzilus, however, there is no such continuous order.
רק ע״י צמצום ומקום פנוי כי אין ערוך לך כו׳ חד לא בחושבן27 כו׳ ע״ש באריכות.
but only through tzimtzum (contraction) and an empty space, for “There is no comparison to You,” etc., “One, but not in number,” etc.; see there at length.
That step happens only through tzimtzum, G‑d’s concealment of His light that leaves an “empty space.” As the prayer says, “There is no comparison to You,” and Patach Eliyahu says “You are One, but not in number”: G‑d is not the first link in a series, so a new flow from Him is beyond any chain.
After completing the account of the three Kedushos, the Alter Rebbe lays the foundation for explaining them: the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva draws light already present in the vessels of Atzilus, and Torah and mitzvos suffice for it, while the union of Abba and Imma draws new light from the Infinite One, above the chain of descent, and requires self-sacrifice.
Pri Etz Chaim (Shaar Nefilas Apayim, chapter 4) speaks of two ways of giving oneself over in prayer: sanctifying G‑d’s Name in the Shema, whose mayin nukvin rise to the union of Chochmah and Binah, and giving oneself over to death at Nefilas Apayim, whose mayin nukvin serve the union of Tiferes and Malchus. The Alter Rebbe keeps the self-sacrifice of the Shema for the higher union and ties the lower union to Torah and mitzvos, while noting from Tanya that these too depend on remembering that self-sacrifice.
Marei mekomos
- 1ואח״כ מתפשט ביסוד ונעשה שם קדוש ג׳ כו׳ ומשם מתפשט במל׳ · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Recitation of the Shema 2:3
- 2ברע״מ · Zohar III, 96a
- 3לבתר נחית ההוא נהירו עד דנטיל כולא חד צדיק עילאה דרגא יקירא לקדשא כולא לתתא · Zohar, Emor 21:86–93
- 4מ״ש בע״ח שלצורך יחוד או״א · בדרך מצותיך מצות קדוש השם נסמן לפע״ח ש׳ נפ״א פ״ד ה״ו. וראה ג״כ ע״ח שט״ל דרוש י, יא. לקו״ת נשא כב, א. תו״א מקץ לה, ד. לקו״ת אמור לב, ד ובכ״מ. — הערת כ״ק אדמו״ר בסה״מ תש״ג ע׳ 168. בסה״מ תקס״ג ובמאמרי אדהאמ״צ ויקרא-ב ע׳ תרכא: בכאריז״ל.
- 5מ״ש בע״ח שלצורך יחוד או״א צ״ל העלאת מ״ן במס״נ ממש בק״ש · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of Putting Down the Head 4:2–5
- 6ולצורך יחוד זו״נ סגי בהעלאת מ״ן ע״י התומ״צ · ואין הכוונה בחי׳ יחוד זו״נ לבד אלא גם למעלה מזה רק שאינו בחי׳ אור חדש כ״א מה שכבר נמשך כו׳ — סה״מ תרס״ו ע׳ תקלב.
- 7אפי׳ מי שתורתו אומנתו מפסיק לק״ש · Shabbat 11a
- 8גדול הקורא ק״ש בעונתה · Berakhot 10b:36–37
- 9שבלק״ת פ׳ בראשית · בטעה״מ ד״ה סוד מציאות, פיסקא נ״ל כי הנה. ראה לקמן פ׳ שלח מו, א.
- 10ולא תחללו · Leviticus 4:4
- 11ולא תחללו · Leviticus 22:32
- 12גם תורה אין לו · Yevamot 109b:4–5
- 13שקיום התורה ומצותיה תלוי בזה שיזכור תמיד ענין מסירת נפשו לה׳ על יחודו שיהיה קבוע בלבו תמיד ממש · Tanya, Likkutei Amarim 25:15
- 14יחוד או״א המשכת אור חדש · ראה אוה״ת בראשית-ד דף תשכ״ז, ב. דברים-ה ע׳ ב׳עב. בסה״מ תרנ״ז ע׳ קעח מציין ”ע״ח שער הזיווגים פ״א וב׳, ושער מוחין דצלם פ״ב ושער דרושי מ״ן ומ״ד דרוש ז” ע״ש. נזכר בד״ה והי׳ אור הלבנה תרנ״ד ע׳ קכה.
- 15בלקו״ת פ׳ וירא · נעתק באוה״ת ויקרא-ג ע׳ תתכט.
- 16
- 17כד עתיקא סתימא דכל סתימין בעי לזמנא ברכאן לעלמין אשרי כולא ואכליל כולא בהאי עמיקא עילאה · Zohar, Beshalach 28:408–418
- 18ת״ח בית פרעה · Zohar, Vayigash 10:99–11:108
- 19ועמ״ש . . גבי פסח · סידור ד״ה עבדים היינו. אוה״ת שמיני ע׳ כט.
- 20ועוי״ל הטעם . . או״א שהלבישו · מובא באוה״ת ויקרא-ג, ע׳ תשסא. ואתחנן ע׳ תז.
- 21סד״ה שימני כחותם · אולי הכוונה ללקו״ת שה״ש מז, א.
- 22
- 23בד״ה מה יפו פעמיך · לקו״ת שה״ש מג, ב ואילך.
- 24
- 25הראיני את מראיך · Song of Songs 2:14
- 26בד״ה פתח אליהו · תו״א יד, ב.
- 27חד לא בחושבן · Tikkunei Zohar 17a:9
5והנה באדם ג״כ יש בחי׳ השתלשלות ומה שלמעלה מהשתלשלות. דהיינו כי מחכמה ולמטה הוא בחי׳ השתלשלות שכל ומדות ומחודומ״ע. לכן עי״ז ממשיכים ג״כ מסדר ההשתלשלות מאצילות לבי״ע.
Now in man, too, there is the level of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) and that which is above hishtalshelus. That is, from Chochmah downward is the level of hishtalshelus: intellect and emotive attributes (middos), and thought, speech and action. Therefore through these one also draws down from the order of hishtalshelus, from Atzilus to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
A person mirrors the worlds. From Chochmah, the first flash of insight, downward, the soul’s powers form their own chain of descent: intellect, the emotions, and then thought, speech and action, each derived from the one above it. Service through these powers, through understanding, feeling and doing, draws down the flow that follows this order, from Atzilus into the lower worlds.
אבל להיות המשכת אור חדש מא״ס ב״ה שהוא מלמעלה מסדר ההשתלשלות זה אינו כ״א ע״י העלאת מ״ן במס״נ דייקא שהוא בנפש ג״כ מבחי׳ שלמעלה מסדר ההשתלשלות דהיינו למעלה מהשכל וה טעם.
But for there to be a drawing down of new light from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is from above the order of hishtalshelus, this is only through the elevation of mayin nukvin through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) specifically, which in the soul, too, is from the level that is above the order of hishtalshelus, that is, above intellect and reason.
Self-sacrifice does not come from reasoning; it springs from a level of the soul that is above intellect and reason. Because it stands above the soul’s own chain of descent, it can draw down the new light from the Infinite One, which is above the chain of the worlds.
The two kinds of drawing down have their counterparts in the soul: service through intellect, emotion, thought, speech and action draws the orderly flow, while self-sacrifice, which is above reason, draws the light that is above the chain of descent.
The first Kadosh and the Seraphim ¶6–9
6והשכל לגבי למעלה מהשכל והחכמה הוא שלא כסדר ההשתלשלות כמ״ש והחכמה מאין תמצא.1 ועמ״ש מזה סד״ה כי קרוב אליך הדבר2.3
And intellect, relative to that which is above intellect and Chochmah, is not according to the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), as it is written, “And wisdom, from where (me’ayin) shall it be found?” And see what is written on this at the end of the discourse beginning “For the matter is very near to you.”
Chochmah itself does not follow from what is above it by a continuous chain: the step from what is beyond intellect into intellect is a leap, not a derivation. Chassidus reads Job’s question “And wisdom, from where (me’ayin) shall it be found?” as a statement: wisdom comes from ayin, “nothing,” a source that has no common measure with it.
והיינו בחי׳ יחידה שבנפש45 שממנה נמשך הרצון לה׳ במס״נ ולכן עי״ז דייקא מעורר וממשיך מלמעלה מסדר ההשתלשלות כו׳
This is the level of yechidah in the soul, from which the will for G‑d with self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) is drawn; and therefore through this specifically one arouses and draws down from above the order of hishtalshelus, etc.
The soul’s highest level, yechidah (“the single one”), is where the will to give oneself over to G‑d comes from, a will beyond reason. Because it stands above the soul’s own chain of faculties, self-sacrifice reaches, and draws down from, what is above the chain of the worlds.
(וז״ש בפע״ח שער הק״ש פ״ה דרוחין ונפשין של הצדיקים הם מ״ן ומ״ד דזו״נ. אך נשמה לנשמה ונשמה הם מ״ן ומ״ד דאו״א.6 ועיין מזה בשער היחודים פ״ח.
(And this is what is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar Kerias Shema, chapter 5: that the ruach and nefesh [levels] of the righteous are the mayin nukvin (feminine waters) and mayin duchrin (masculine waters) of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, but the neshamah of the neshamah and the neshamah are the mayin nukvin and mayin duchrin of Abba and Imma. And see on this in Shaar HaYichudim, chapter 8.
Pri Etz Chaim says which levels of the soul serve as mayin nukvin for each union. The lower levels, ruach and nefesh, rise to the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, while the higher ones, neshamah and the “neshamah of the neshamah” (which it also calls chayah), rise to the union of Abba and Imma; Shaar HaYichudim, a work of the Arizal’s teachings on meditative unifications, is also cited.
והיינו כי רוח ונפש זהו בחי׳ האור המלובש בכלי וממשיכים עי״ז האור שכבר מלובש בכלים כנ״ל אבל להמשיך יחוד או״א צ״ל העלאת מ״ן בבחי׳ מאדך בלי גבול שהוא בחי׳ יחידה וזהו ענין נשמה לנשמה.
That is, ruach and nefesh are the level of the light enclothed in a vessel, and through them one draws down the light that is already enclothed in vessels, as mentioned above; but to draw down the union of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) there must be an elevation of mayin nukvin at the level of me’odecha (“your might”), without limit, which is the level of yechidah, and this is the matter of the neshamah of the neshamah,
Ruach and nefesh are light already clothed in vessels, so they draw down light that is already in vessels. The union of Abba and Imma needs mayin nukvin of me’odecha, the love “with all your might” that has no limit, which comes from yechidah; this is what the Arizal calls the neshamah of the neshamah.
כנודע דהיינו שהיא למעלה מבחי׳ נשמות הכלים כו׳) וזהו ענין קדוש הא׳ דפי׳ ברע״מ שהוא הסתלקות הוי״ו שהוא ז״א דאצילות בחכמה שנק׳ קדש.
as is known; that is, it is above the level of the souls of the vessels, etc.) And this is the matter of the first Kadosh, which the Raaya Mehemna explains as the ascent of the vav, which is Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, into Chochmah, which is called Kodesh.
The neshamah of the neshamah is above the souls that belong to the vessels. With this the Alter Rebbe identifies the first Kadosh of the Raaya Mehemna: the vav, Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, rising into Chochmah, which is called Kodesh.
ועלייה זו היינו שז״א עולה בבחי׳ מ״נ בכדי שעי״ז יהיה יחוד או״א שבחינה זו נעשה ע״י המס״נ למטה.
And this ascent means that Z’eir Anpin rises as mayin nukvin, so that through this there will be the union of Abba and Imma; and this level is brought about through self-sacrifice below.
Z’eir Anpin rises as mayin nukvin, an arousal from below, and this brings about the union of Abba and Imma above it. What sets this in motion above is a person’s self-sacrifice below.
ולמעלה הוא ג״כ בחי׳ ביטול והתכללות ז״א למעלה (ועמ״ש מזה בביאור ע״פ שימני כחותם.78 בהפרש שבין עליות העולמות ובין עליות ז״א בבחי׳ עיבור במעי אימא שעי״ז ממשיך מוחי׳ דגדלות כו׳ ע״ש)
And Above, too, it is a state of self-nullification (bittul) and inclusion of Z’eir Anpin Above. (And see what is written on this in the explanation of the verse “Set me as a seal,” on the difference between the ascents of the worlds and the ascents of Z’eir Anpin in the state of ibur (gestation) in the womb of Imma, through which it draws down the mochin of gadlus (the mature intellect), etc.; see there.)
Above, too, the ascent means that Z’eir Anpin sets itself aside and is included in the higher level, the counterpart of self-sacrifice below. The cross-reference distinguishes this from the ascent of whole worlds: here Z’eir Anpin returns to the state of “gestation” within Imma, through which it later receives the mature intellect.
ועי״ז דייקא נמשך יחוד או״א אשר החכמה נק׳ קדש והוא בחי׳ אין. והבינה נק׳ יש. והיחוד הוא שיומשך ויתהווה מאין ליש.
And through this specifically the union of Abba and Imma is drawn down: Chochmah is called Kodesh and is the level of ayin (nothing), and Binah is called yesh (something), and the union is that it be drawn down and come into being from ayin to yesh.
Chochmah is Kodesh and ayin, “nothing,” because it is pure self-nullification; Binah is yesh, “something,” a defined grasp. Their union is the passage from nothing to something, the very pattern of bringing a new existence into being.
והוא המשכת אור חדש ולאו דוקא בחו״ב דאצילות לבד. כ״א שרש המשכה זו הוא מלמעלה מאצילות וגם בעולם העקודים שיומשך מחכמה לבינה כו׳.
This is the drawing down of new light, and not necessarily in Chochmah and Binah of Atzilus alone; rather, the root of this flow is from above Atzilus, and also in the World of the Akudim, that it be drawn from Chochmah to Binah, etc.
This union draws down new light, and its root is above Atzilus. The same pattern, a flow from Chochmah to Binah, is found even in the World of the Akudim, one of the early stages of emanation in the Arizal’s account, before Atzilus.
The first Kadosh is now identified: the soul’s yechidah, the source of self-sacrifice, raises mayin nukvin to Abba and Imma, and above, the vav of Z’eir Anpin rises in self-nullification to Chochmah, bringing about the union of Chochmah, ayin, with Binah, yesh, which draws new light from above Atzilus.
The Midrash lists five names of the soul: nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah and yechidah. Pri Etz Chaim here speaks of four (nefesh from Malchus, ruach from Tiferes, neshamah from Imma, and the neshamah of the neshamah, called chayah, from Abba); the Alter Rebbe identifies the self-sacrifice that reaches Abba and Imma with yechidah, the root of the soul above all four.
Marei mekomos
- 1והחכמה מאין תמצא · Job 28:12
- 2
- 3סד״ה כי קרוב אליך הדבר · לקו״ת נצבים מו, ג.
- 4יחידה שבנפש · Bereshit Rabbah 14:1
- 5בחי׳ יחידה שבנפש · Bereshit Rabbah 14:9
- 6דרוחין ונפשין של הצדיקים הם מ״ן ומ״ד דזו״נ. אך נשמה לנשמה ונשמה הם מ״ן ומ״ד דאו״א · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Recitation of the Shema 5:6
- 7בביאור ע״פ שימני כחותם · סידור ריז, ב ואילך. לקו״ת שה״ש מו, ב.
- 8שימני כחותם · Song of Songs 8:6
And this is [the meaning of] “Blessed is He who says and does”: the saying is in Chochmah and the doing in Binah, which are the thirty-two paths and pathways drawn from Chochmah to Binah,
The words of the morning prayer “Blessed is He who says and does” are read the same way: the “saying” is in Chochmah and the “doing” in Binah. Between them run the thirty-two paths of wisdom of Sefer Yetzirah, which lead from Chochmah to Binah.
שהם ל״ב שמות אלקים שבמעשה בראשית2 וזהו כולם בחכמה עשית3 בבינה. והוא מפני שהחכמה נק׳ אין ובינה נק׳ יש.
which are the thirty-two Names Elokim in the work of Creation. And this is [the meaning of] “You made them all with wisdom”: [the making is] in Binah. This is because Chochmah is called ayin and Binah is called yesh.
These paths correspond to the thirty-two times the Name Elokim appears in the account of Creation. The verse “You made them all with wisdom” means that what originates in Chochmah, ayin, is actually made in Binah, yesh.
The movement from Chochmah, ayin, to Binah, yesh, appears in the prayer’s “who says and does,” in the thirty-two paths of wisdom and the thirty-two Names Elokim of Creation, and in “You made them all with wisdom.”
Marei mekomos
- 1ל״ב נתיבות · Sefer Yetzirah 1:1
- 2ל״ב שמות אלקים שבמעשה בראשית · Zohar III, 81b
- 3כולם בחכמה עשית · Psalms 104:24
8ולכך התלבשות אור א״ס הוא בחכמה דוקא מפני שחכמה היא בחינת ביטול וכמ״ש בסש״ב פל״ה בשם המגיד נ״ע
Therefore the enclothement of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) is in Chochmah specifically, because Chochmah is the level of self-nullification (bittul), as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim (Tanya), chapter 35, in the name of the Maggid, whose soul is in Eden.
Since Chochmah is self-nullification, the Infinite Light enclothes itself specifically there. Tanya (chapter 35, in the gloss) brings this in the name of the Maggid of Mezritch, the Alter Rebbe’s teacher.
והיינו שהחכמה הוא רק זה ההשגה עצמה שמשגת עוצם הביטול איך דכולא קמיה כלא חשיב ממש ואין עוד.
That is, Chochmah is only this very comprehension that comprehends the intensity of the bittul: how “all before Him is considered as actually nothing,” and “there is nothing else,”
Chochmah is not a separate grasp of some object; it is the very perception of how completely all is nullified before G‑d, that “all before Him is considered as nothing” and “there is nothing else.”
and how “no thought can grasp Him at all.” Therefore Chochmah is called truth; as is written on this on the verse “And Moshe wrote their goings forth,” etc.
It also perceives that no thought can grasp Him at all. Because it sees things as they truly are before G‑d, Chochmah is called “truth,” a theme developed in the maamar on “And Moshe wrote their goings forth.”
אבל בחי׳ בינה שהוא בחי׳ ההשגה נק׳ יש (וכמ״ש במ״א בענין מוחין דאבא ומוחין דאימא. שבחי׳ מוחין דאימא זהו מקור סדר ההשתלשלות מעילה לעילה אבל מוחין דאבא הוא מה שלמעלה מסדר ההשתלשלות.)
But the level of Binah, which is the level of comprehension, is called yesh (something). (As is written elsewhere on the matter of the mochin of Abba and the mochin of Imma: the mochin of Imma are the source of the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), from cause to cause, but the mochin of Abba are that which is above the order of hishtalshelus.)
Binah, the detailed grasp of a matter, is yesh, a defined existence. The mochin of Imma, Binah, are the source of the orderly chain in which each level is caused by the one above, while the mochin of Abba, Chochmah, belong to what is above that chain.
(See on this in the discourse beginning “This matzah,” etc., and in the discourse beginning “There are sixty queens,” regarding “And a spring shall go forth from the house of Havayah.”)
Two related discussions: the maamar on “This matzah” and the maamar on “There are sixty queens,” where the verse “a spring shall go forth from the house of Havayah” is explained.
וזהו שדוקא ע״י עליית הוי״ו שהוא בחי׳ שמים ז״א דאצילות לבחי׳ קדש שהוא חכמה. שהוא בבחינת ביטול ואין. עי״ז הוא ממשיך יחוד או״א.
And this is why specifically through the ascent of the vav, which is the level of “heavens,” Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, to the level of Kodesh, which is Chochmah, which is in a state of bittul and ayin, through this it draws down the union of Abba and Imma,
So it is specifically when the vav, Z’eir Anpin, called “heavens,” rises to Kodesh, Chochmah, the level of nullification and ayin, that it draws down the union of Abba and Imma.
שיומשך המשכה חדשה מאור א״ס. ויתה וה ויומשך מאין ליש. וזהו ענין שרפים עומדים ממעל לו.78 והם כת אחת האומרת קדוש פ״א.
so that a new flow be drawn from the Infinite Light, and come into being and be drawn from ayin to yesh. And this is the matter of “Seraphim stand above him (mima’al lo),” and they are the one group that says Kadosh once,
Through that union a new flow comes from the Infinite Light, passing from ayin to yesh. Isaiah saw the Seraphim “standing above him (mima’al lo),” and they are the group of angels that says Kadosh only once.
דהיינו בחי׳ קדוש הא׳. והיינו שעבודתם הוא ליכלל וליבטל באור א״ס ב״ה. אשר למטה זהו נק׳ מס״נ.
that is, the level of the first Kadosh. Their service is to be absorbed and nullified in the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which below is called self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh).
Their single Kadosh is the first Kadosh: their service is to be absorbed and nullified in the Infinite Light. The human counterpart of this is self-sacrifice.
ולכן עומדים ממעל לו פי׳ ל״ו נק׳ המשכת האור שנמשכו כבר בכלים. שהוא בחי׳ הוי״ו דקדוש.
Therefore they “stand above lo”: that is, lo (lamed-vav) is the name for the drawing down of the light that has already been drawn into vessels, which is the level of the vav of Kadosh.
The Alter Rebbe reads לו (“him”) as the letters lamed-vav, thirty-six. This number stands for the light already drawn into vessels, the vav of Kadosh.
(וגם ו׳ פעמים ו׳ גימט׳ ל״ו וכמ״ש במ״א בענין מי ברא אלה.9 דאלה היינו ששה מדות כל א׳ כלול מששה בגימטריא אלה)
(And also, vav times vav is numerically lamed-vav (thirty-six), as is written elsewhere on the matter of “Who created these (eleh)”: that eleh is the six attributes, each one comprising six, which is the numerical value of eleh.)
Vav, six, times six is thirty-six, and so is the value of אלה, eleh (alef 1, lamed 30, hei 5). Isaiah’s “Who created these (eleh)” is read elsewhere as the six emotive attributes, each including all six.
אבל השרפים עומדים ממעל ל״ו שהם גורמים גם באצי׳ עליית הוי״ו לבחי׳ קדש מה שלמעלה מבחי׳ ו׳.
But the Seraphim stand above the lamed-vav, for they bring about, in Atzilus too, the ascent of the vav to the level of Kodesh, which is above the level of vav.
The Seraphim stand above these thirty-six: they cause the vav, even in Atzilus, to rise to Kodesh, which is above the vav, above the emotive attributes.
(וע״ד מ״ש במ״א בד״ה לך לך10 בענין הוא עשנו ולו אנחנו1112 ולא באל״ף ול״ו בוי״ו. וע״ד מ״ש באדר״ז דרצ״ב סע״ב ע״פ ולו נתכנו עלילות1314 ע״ש.
(This is along the lines of what is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Lech Lecha,” on the matter of “He made us, and we are His (velo)”: velo with an alef, and lo with a vav. And along the lines of what is written in the Idra Zuta, folio 292, end of side b, on the verse “And by Him (velo) actions are weighed”; see there.
Two verses where the written text has לא with an alef and the reading is לו with a vav: “He made us, and we are His” (Psalm 100) and “by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3), which the Idra Zuta discusses. Like the next example, they pair an alef with a vav, a higher level with a lower one.
ועד״ז ועד בחילופי אתוון אחד15 נמצא מה שבאחד זהו בחי׳ אלף רישא דאתוון. בחלופי אתוון זהו ו׳ וזהו בחי׳ ועד. ולכן בחי׳ למס״נ באחד זהו ממעל לוי״ו דועד. כי ועד הוא יחו״ת משא״כ אחד יחו״ע כו׳.)
In the same way, vaed (“and ever”) is, in the exchange of letters, echad (“one”). Thus what is in echad the level of alef, the head of the letters, is in the exchange of letters a vav, and this is the level of vaed. Therefore the level of self-sacrifice in Echad is above the vav of vaed, for vaed is the lower unity (yichuda tata’ah), whereas echad is the higher unity (yichuda ila’ah), etc.)
The Zohar says that ועד, “and ever” (in “Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever”), is אחד, “One,” in exchanged letters: alef becomes vav and ches becomes ayin. Echad is the higher unity, in which the world is nothing before G‑d, and vaed the lower unity, G‑d within the world’s existence; self-sacrifice in “Echad” is therefore above the vav of vaed.
(ובזה יובן מ״ש בירושלמי רפ״ט דברכות. עוביו של רקיע מהלך ת״ק שנה. טלפי החיות מהלך חמש מאות שנה וחמש עשרה מנין ישרה.)
(And with this will be understood what is said in the Jerusalem Talmud, at the beginning of chapter 9 of Berachos: “The thickness of the firmament is a journey of five hundred years. The hooves of the Chayos are a journey of five hundred and fifteen years, the number of yesharah (‘straight’).”)
The Jerusalem Talmud measures the thickness of the firmament as a journey of five hundred years, and the hooves of the Chayos, the angels whose feet Ezekiel saw as “a straight foot,” as five hundred and fifteen, the numerical value of ישרה, “straight” (yud 10, shin 300, reish 200, hei 5).
(הובא בתוספות פ״ב דחגיגה די״ג ע״א). דאינו מובן מהו ענין שהרגל הוא חמש עשרה דוקא יותר מעובי הרקיעים ושבין כל רקיע שהכל מהלך ת״ק שנה.
(It is cited in Tosafos, chapter 2 of Chagigah, folio 13, side a.) For it is not understood why the foot is specifically fifteen more than the thickness of the firmaments and [the distance] between each firmament, which are all a journey of five hundred years.
Tosafos on Chagigah cites this passage. The question is why the angels’ foot should exceed by exactly fifteen the five hundred years that measure every firmament and every space between them.
והענין כי ת״ק שנה נמשך מבחי׳ ה׳ מדות שבפסוק לך ה׳ הגדולה והגבורה והתפארת והנצח וההוד.16
The explanation is that the five hundred years are drawn from the level of the five attributes in the verse “Yours, Havayah, are the greatness, and the might, and the beauty, and the victory, and the splendor,”
Five hundred corresponds to the five attributes named in the verse: greatness (Chesed), might (Gevurah), beauty (Tiferes), victory (Netzach) and splendor (Hod).
שהן עצמיות המדות משא״כ בחי׳ מדה הששית בחי׳ כי כל הוא ההשפעה שהוא כללות דחמשה מדות העצמיים וכמ״ש בפע״ח שכ״ח ספ״א.17
which are the essence of the attributes; whereas the level of the sixth attribute, the level of “for all (ki chol),” is the bestowal, which is the general and collective expression of the five essential attributes, as is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar 28, end of chapter 1.
These five are the essential attributes. The sixth, Yesod, “for all (ki chol) that is in heaven and earth,” is not a further essence but the channel of bestowal that gathers all five; Pri Etz Chaim explains that Yesod is called “all” because it includes all five.
Because Chochmah is self-nullification, the Infinite Light rests in it, and the Seraphim’s single Kadosh raises the vav of Z’eir Anpin to it; their standing “above lo,” above the thirty-six of the emotive attributes, and the Talmud’s five hundred and fifteen both express service that reaches above the attributes.
Five hundred and fifteen is five hundred plus fifteen, and fifteen is the value of יה, yud-hei. The next paragraph explains the extra fifteen in exactly this way: the angels draw from the level of yud-hei, Chochmah and Binah, into the attributes that measure five hundred.
Marei mekomos
- 1דלית מחשבה תפיסא בי׳ כלל · Zohar III, 225a
- 2ויכתוב משה את מוצאיהם · Numbers 33:2
- 3בד״ה מצה זו · לעיל פ׳ צו יא, ד.
- 4ובד״ה ששים המה מלכות · לקו״ת שה״ש לט, א ואילך.
- 5ששים המה מלכות · Song of Songs 6:8
- 6ומעין מבית ה׳ יצא · Joel 4:18
- 7וזהו ענין שרפים עומדים ממעל לו · ראה ביאה״ז לאדה״א עח, א.
- 8שרפים עומדים ממעל לו · Isaiah 6:2
- 9מי ברא אלה · Isaiah 40:26
- 10בד״ה לך לך · תו״א יא, ד.
- 11הוא עשנו ולו אנחנו · Psalms 103:2
- 12הוא עשנו ולו אנחנו · Psalms 100:3
- 13ולו נתכנו עלילות · I Samuel 2:3
- 14באדר״ז דרצ״ב סע״ב ע״פ ולו נתכנו עלילות · Zohar, Idra Zuta 24:113–27:121
- 15ועד בחילופי אתוון אחד · Zohar II, 134a
- 16לך ה׳ הגדולה והגבורה והתפארת והנצח וההוד · I Chronicles 29:11
- 17
And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “You set all the borders of the earth.” And the heavens (shamayim) are fire and water (esh umayim), that is, they were drawn from the level of the supernal attributes;
The Talmud reads shamayim, “heavens,” as esh umayim, “fire and water,” combined into one firmament. Fire and water stand for the supernal attributes of Gevurah and Chesed, so the heavens are drawn from those attributes; the maamar “You set all the borders of the earth” discusses this.
לכן הם כל אחד ת״ק שנה כפי המדות העצמיים שמהם חוצבו. אמנם עבודת המלאכים שהם בחי׳ עומדים ממעל לו.
therefore each of them is five hundred years, according to the essential attributes from which they were hewn. However, the service of the angels who are at the level of “standing above lo”
That is why each firmament measures a journey of five hundred years: its measure follows the five essential attributes from which it was hewn. The angels who “stand above lo,” above the thirty-six of the attributes, serve in another way.
היינו להמשיך האור מיחוד או״א שלמעלה מבחי׳ המדות כי בחכמה מלובש אור א״ס שלמעלה מעלה מבחי׳ מדות כו׳ וע״כ נאמר ורגליהם רגל ישרה3 אשר מנין ישרה הוא בחי׳ י״ה יותר מבחי׳ ת״ק
is to draw down the light from the union of Abba and Imma, which is above the level of the attributes, for in Chochmah is enclothed the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), which is far above the level of the attributes, etc. Therefore it is said, “And their feet were a straight (yesharah) foot,” for the number of yesharah is the level of yud-hei more than the level of five hundred.
Their service is to draw down light from the union of Abba and Imma, which is above the attributes, since the Infinite Light rests in Chochmah. So Ezekiel says their feet were “a straight (yesharah) foot”: yesharah equals five hundred and fifteen, five hundred plus yud-hei, which is fifteen.
והיינו לפי שממשיכים מבחי׳ י״ה בהמדות שהם בחי׳ ת״ק שנה4 שלהיות מקור ההתחדשות מאין ליש הוא מבחי׳ י״ה וכמ״ש כי ביה ה׳ צור עולמים כו׳
That is because they draw from the level of yud-hei into the attributes, which are the level of five hundred years; for the source of renewal from ayin to yesh is from the level of yud-hei, as it is written, “For in Yah, Havayah, is the Rock of the worlds,” etc.
They draw the yud-hei, Chochmah and Binah, into the attributes that measure five hundred. Yud-hei is the source of every renewal from nothing to something, as the Sages read “For with Yah, Havayah formed the worlds”: with the yud and the hei the two worlds were created.
ועד״ז יובן ענין ט״ו ווין שבאמת ויציב שהם נגד ט״ו שיר המעלות שהוא ג״כ להמשיך מבחי׳ י״ה בבחי׳ ו״ה (ועמ״ש בד״ה ראה אנכי נותן56 בענין יהא שמיה רבא מברך כו׳):78910
In the same way will be understood the matter of the fifteen vavs in Emes VeYatziv, which correspond to the fifteen Songs of Ascents: this too is to draw from the level of yud-hei into the level of vav-hei. (And see what is written in the discourse beginning “See, I set before you,” on the matter of “May His great Name be blessed,” etc.)
The blessing after the Shema, Emes VeYatziv, strings together fifteen words that begin with vav (“and”), corresponding to the fifteen psalms that open “A Song of Ascents.” Both draw the yud-hei, fifteen, into the vav-hei, Z’eir Anpin and Malchus; a maamar on “See, I set before you” discusses the related “May His great Name be blessed.”
The firmaments measure five hundred because they come from the five essential attributes; the Seraphim exceed this by yud-hei because they draw from Chochmah and Binah, the source of all renewal, into the attributes, and the fifteen vavs of Emes VeYatziv and the fifteen Songs of Ascents do the same.
In the parallel in Chukat the Alter Rebbe adds that because the source of the angels’ drawing is the two letters yud-hei they are called “standing,” while souls, who through “with all your might,” without limit, draw new light from the essence of the Infinite Light, above the Name Havayah itself, are called “walking.”
Marei mekomos
- 1אתה הצבת כל גבולות ארץ · Psalms 74:17
- 2שמים הם אש ומים · Chagigah 12a:19–20
- 3ורגליהם רגל ישרה · Ezekiel 1:7
- 4ת״ק שנה · ראה אוה״ת שמות ע׳ ל. יהל אור ע׳ שצג. סה״מ תר״ל ע׳ צט. סה״מ תרס״ח ע׳ פו. לקו״ש חכ״ו ע׳ 207 הערה 29.
- 5בד״ה ראה אנכי נותן · לקו״ת ראה יח, ד.
- 6ראה אנכי נותן · Deuteronomy 11:26
- 7לך ה׳ הגדולה · דברי הימים-א כט, א.
- 8שכ״ח ספ״א · לפננו שכ״ט וע״ע שם פ״ט. [כ]. [ל״מ].
- 9בפע״ח — בד״ה אתה הצבת · סידור שער ל״ג בעומר. ועם הגהות באוה״ת נ״ך-ב.
- 10כי בי-ה ה׳ צור עולמים · Isaiah 26:4
The second Kadosh: the Keser of Z’eir Anpin ¶10–20
2. And the matter of the second Kadosh, which the Raaya Mehemna explains: “And afterwards that supernal light shines upon the throne, which is the heavens,
Section 2 turns to the second Kadosh. The Raaya Mehemna says that afterwards the supernal light shines upon “the throne, which is the heavens,” that is, upon Z’eir Anpin.
ואינון שמים תייבין לדוכתייהו ומתיישבין ביה בההוא נהירו וכדין אקרי קדוש היינו מה שאח״כ נמשך מחו״ב לז״א והוא ענין שתפארת דאימא נעשה כתר לז״א.
and those heavens return to their places and settle in that light, and then it is called Kadosh”: this is what is afterwards drawn from Chochmah and Binah to Z’eir Anpin, and it is the matter of Tiferes of Imma becoming Keser for Z’eir Anpin.
The heavens return to their places and settle in that light. In the terms of the Arizal, this is the light drawn from Chochmah and Binah to Z’eir Anpin: Tiferes of Imma becomes the Keser, the crown, of Z’eir Anpin.
פי׳ שע״י עליות הוי״ו דקדוש בקדש שהוא למטה מבחי׳ העלאת מ״ן במס״נ שעי״ז נעשה יחוד או״א כנ״ל ואז נעשה מזה אח״כ להיות ת״ת דאימא כתר לז״א וזהו הקדוש הב׳ והמשכה זו הוא ע״י עסק התורה.
That is: through the ascents of the vav of Kadosh into Kodesh, which below comes from the level of the elevation of mayin nukvin through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), through which the union of Abba and Imma comes about, as mentioned above, there afterwards comes about from this that Tiferes of Imma becomes Keser for Z’eir Anpin; and this is the second Kadosh. And this flow is through occupation with Torah.
The order is this: first the vav rises into Kodesh, which below is brought about by self-sacrifice and produces the union of Abba and Imma; then, from that union, Tiferes of Imma becomes Keser for Z’eir Anpin. This second Kadosh is drawn down through Torah study.
The second Kadosh is the light that comes down after the union of Abba and Imma, when Tiferes of Imma becomes Keser for Z’eir Anpin, and it is drawn down through Torah study.
Marei mekomos
- 1ולבתר נהיר ההוא נהירו עילאה על כורסיא דאיהו שמים · Zohar, Emor 21:86–93
11ועיין בע״ח שכ״ב פ״ג דנשמת הכתר דז״א הוא מתפארת דאבא. וזהו שע״י יחוד או״א דייקא נמשך הכתר לז״א.
And see Etz Chaim, Shaar 22, chapter 3, that the soul of the Keser of Z’eir Anpin is from Tiferes of Abba. And this is why specifically through the union of Abba and Imma the Keser is drawn to Z’eir Anpin.
Etz Chaim teaches that the inner “soul” of Z’eir Anpin’s Keser comes from Tiferes of Abba. That is why the Keser reaches Z’eir Anpin only through the union of Abba and Imma.
וביאור הדבר הוא כי הנה א״ס ב״ה כשמו כן הוא אין לו תחלה ואין לו תכלה וכל העולמות נאצלו ונבראו במחשבה א׳ לבד
The explanation of the matter is this. The Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, is as His Name: He has no beginning and no end, and all the worlds were emanated and created with one thought alone.
The Alter Rebbe now explains why Z’eir Anpin needs a Keser at all. The Infinite One truly has no beginning and no end, and all the worlds came from a single thought of His.
וזהו ענין צופה ומביט עד סוף כל הדורות1 והיינו בסקירה אחת ולזאת צמצום עצום הוא להיות מצמצם א״ע כביכול במחשבה האחת ובתחלת הבריאה היה זה מעצמו כי חפץ חסד הוא2
And this is the matter of “He looks and gazes to the end of all generations,” that is, in one glance. Therefore it is an immense tzimtzum (contraction) for Him to contract Himself, as it were, into the one thought. At the beginning of creation this came of itself, “for He desires kindness”;
As the Rosh Hashanah prayer says, He looks and gazes to the end of all generations, and the Alter Rebbe adds that He does so in a single glance. For the Infinite to confine Himself to that one thought is an immense contraction; at the start of creation He did so freely, out of His desire for kindness.
אבל עתה צ״ל אתעדל״ת להעלות מ״ן להמשיך לו יתברך רצון. שיהיה רוצה לצמצם א״ע להחיות העולמות.
but now there must be an arousal from below, to raise mayin nukvin, to draw down for Him, may He be blessed, a will (ratzon): that He will want to contract Himself to give life to the worlds.
Since creation, an arousal from below is needed, mayin nukvin, to draw down in Him the will to go on contracting Himself and giving the worlds life.
The Keser of Z’eir Anpin is will: since creating and sustaining the worlds is an immense contraction for the Infinite One, an arousal from below must draw down His will to go on contracting Himself to give them life.
Marei mekomos
- 1צופה ומביט עד סוף כל הדורות · מוסף דר״ה.
- 2כי חפץ חסד הוא · Micah 7:18
12וזהו ענין שממשיכים להיות הכתר לז״א שהכתר היינו רצון והוא המשכת הרצון להיות בחי׳ ז״א דאצילות.
And this is the matter of drawing down so that there be the Keser for Z’eir Anpin: the Keser is will, and it is the drawing down of the will that there be the level of Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus.
Keser, the crown, stands for will. Drawing the Keser to Z’eir Anpin means drawing down the will that there be Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, the attributes by which the worlds are run.
כי באמת גם בחינת אצילות הוא בחי׳ צמצום אצלו ית׳ כי אצילות היינו מלשון ויאצל מן הרוח.1 שהוא בחי׳ הארה והתגלות ממנו ית׳.
For in truth even the level of Atzilus is a tzimtzum in relation to Him, may He be blessed, for Atzilus is from the expression “And He drew (vayatzel) from the spirit,” which is the level of an illumination and revelation from Him, may He be blessed.
Even Atzilus, the highest world, is a contraction for Him. Its name comes from “And He drew (vayatzel) from the spirit,” said of Moshe’s spirit passed on to the elders: an illumination drawn from Him, not His essence.
The Keser is the will that there be revealed attributes at all, for even Atzilus is, from G‑d’s side, a contraction: an illumination “drawn” from Him.
Marei mekomos
- 1ויאצל מן הרוח · Numbers 11:25
From the perspective of the recipients, the level of Atzilus is called a revelation from concealment, for He, may He be blessed, is not comprehended; He is the Concealed One, “the most hidden of all hidden.”
From the recipients’ side, Atzilus is revelation coming out of concealment: G‑d is beyond grasp, “the most hidden of all hidden,” and Atzilus is how He becomes revealed.
ואצילות הוא מה שנמשך בבחינת גילוי. אבל אצלו ית׳ הוא להיפך שקמיה יתברך אין נעלם.
And Atzilus is what is drawn down in a revealed way. But in relation to Him, may He be blessed, it is the opposite, for before Him, may He be blessed, there is nothing concealed.
From His side it is the reverse: nothing is hidden before Him, so what counts as revelation for us is not revelation for Him.
Atzilus is a revelation from the recipients’ point of view, but from G‑d’s point of view, before whom nothing is hidden, the terms are reversed.
Marei mekomos
- 1גילוי מן ההעלם · ראה תו״א עו, ב ובאוה״ת ענינים ע׳ קסב.
14ולהיות בחי׳ אצילות שהוא הגילוי לגבי המקבלים צ״ל ע״י צמצום עצום א״כ אצילות זה נקרא העלם אצלו יתברך
And since for the level of Atzilus, which is the revelation for the recipients, to come about there must be an immense tzimtzum (contraction), then this Atzilus is called concealment in relation to Him, may He be blessed:
Because revealing Atzilus to the recipients requires an immense contraction, Atzilus is, from His side, a concealment.
דהיינו שעיקר האור הוא בבחינת העלם ולא נגלה כלל בהאצילות כו׳. א״כ מה שאצלנו נקרא גילוי.
that is, the essence of the light is in concealment and is not revealed at all in Atzilus, etc. If so, what is called revelation for us
The essence of the light stays hidden and does not appear in Atzilus at all. It follows that what we call revelation is something else from His side.
אצלו יתברך נקרא בחינת העלם וכמאמר הזהר דכתר עליון1 אע״ג דאיהו אור צח אוכם הוא קדם עילת העילות2 דהיינו שהאור והגילוי דכתר נקרא חשך והעלם לגבי א״ס ב״ה.
is called concealment in relation to Him, may He be blessed; as the saying of the Zohar that the supernal Keser, “even though it is a clear light, is black before the Cause of causes”: that is, the light and revelation of Keser is called darkness and concealment relative to the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He.
From His side, what we call revelation is concealment. The Tikkunei Zohar says that the supernal Keser, though a pure light, is “black” before the Cause of causes: even the highest revelation is darkness compared with the Infinite One.
(ועמ״ש מזה ע״פ שחורה אני34 אש שחורה) ונודע דהכתר נקרא אצילות שבאצי׳ והיינו שמה שאצל הע״ס נק׳ אצילות וגילוי זהו באמת בחינת העלם אצלו ית׳ מטעם הנ״ל שלהיות גילוי זה הוא ע״י העלם עיקר האור כו׳.
(And see what is written on this on the verse “I am black,” [concerning] “black fire.”) And it is known that Keser is called the Atzilus of Atzilus; that is, what is called, relative to the Ten Sefiros, Atzilus and revelation is in truth concealment in relation to Him, may He be blessed, for the reason mentioned above: that this revelation comes about through the concealment of the essence of the light, etc.
The maamar on “I am black” develops this. Keser is called “the Atzilus of Atzilus,” the highest level of emanation, yet what counts as emanation and revelation for the Sefiros is concealment from His side, because every revelation comes about by hiding the essence of the light.
ועד״ז ארז״ל צמצם שכינתו בין5 שני בדי הארון.67 דלכאורה אינו מובן מהו הפי׳ צמצם שכינתו בין שני בדי הארון.
And in the same way our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “He contracted His Shechinah between the two poles of the Ark.” For seemingly it is not understood what is meant by “He contracted His Shechinah between the two poles of the Ark”:
The Sages say that G‑d “contracted His Shechinah between the two poles of the Ark” in the Sanctuary. The question is what this can mean.
is it not [so that] “there is no place empty of Him,” and “the whole earth is full of His glory,” [and] “I fill the heavens and the earth”?
There is no place empty of Him, as the Tikkunei Zohar says, and the verses say “the whole earth is full of His glory” and “I fill the heavens and the earth”; how, then, could He be confined to one place?
What is revelation for us is concealment for Him, so that even Keser is “black” before the Cause of causes; this leads to the Sages’ saying that G‑d contracted His Shechinah between the poles of the Ark, which seems to contradict His filling everything.
Marei mekomos
- 1וכמא׳ הזהר דכתר עליון · תקו״ז ת״ע קלה, ב.
- 2דכתר עליון אע״ג דאיהו אור צח אוכם הוא קדם עילת העילות · Tikkunei Zohar 135b:1
- 3ע״פ שחורה אני · Song of Songs 4:3
- 4שחורה אני · Song of Songs 1:5
- 5צמצם שכינתו בין ב׳ בדי הארון · Bereshit Rabbah 5:7
- 6צמצם שכינתו בין שני בדי הארון · Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 7:2
- 7צמצם שכינתו בין שני בדי הארון · Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:14:3
- 8לית אתר פנוי מיני׳ · תקו״ז תנ״ז, (צא, ב).
- 9לית אתר פנוי מיני׳ · Tikkunei Zohar 91b:6
- 10ומלא כל הארץ כבודו · Isaiah 6:3
- 11את השמים ואת הארץ אני מלא · Jeremiah 23:24
15ופי׳ המגיד נ״ע1 כי הנה בכל העולם עם היותו מלא כל הארץ2 הוא בבחי׳ העלם מהעולם שלכן נקרא סתימו דכל סתימין.
And the Maggid, whose soul is in Eden, explained: in the whole world, though He fills the whole earth, He is concealed from the world, which is why He is called “the most hidden of all hidden.”
The Maggid of Mezritch answered: although He fills the whole world, in the world He is hidden, which is why He is called “the most hidden of all hidden.”
רק בין בדי הארון היה אור ו יתברך מתגלה בבחינת גילוי. אך זה הגילוי גופא הוא בחינת צמצום אצלו יתברך. שהוא יתברך בעצמו הוא סתימו דכל סתימין.
Only between the poles of the Ark was His light, may He be blessed, revealed openly. But this revelation itself is a tzimtzum (contraction) in relation to Him, may He be blessed, for He Himself, may He be blessed, is “the most hidden of all hidden.”
Between the poles of the Ark His light was openly revealed, and that very revelation is the “contraction”: from His side, to be revealed at all is to be confined, since in Himself He is utterly hidden.
The Maggid’s answer: G‑d fills the world hidden, and the open revelation between the poles of the Ark is itself the contraction, because in Himself He is “the most hidden of all hidden.”
Marei mekomos
- 1ופי׳ המגיד נ״ע · ראה גם אוה״ת חנוכה כרך ה תתקכה, א. וראה לקמן פ׳ בלק עג, ב.
- 2מלא כל הארץ כבודו · Isaiah 6:3
16ואי אפשר להתגלות רק הארה בעלמא. לכך כל בחינת גילוי הוא בחינת צמצום אצלו יתברך.
And it is impossible for anything but a mere glimmer to be revealed; therefore every revelation is a tzimtzum (contraction) in relation to Him, may He be blessed.
Only a mere glimmer of Him can be revealed, so every revelation is, from His side, a contraction.
וקצת משל ע״ז כמו עד״מ כשהרב מעמיק מאד באיזו שכל עמוק מאד וכל שכלו ומחשבתו בעמקות השכל ההוא.
Something of an analogy for this: as, by way of example, when a teacher delves very deeply into some very deep idea, and all his intellect and thought are in the depth of that idea,
The Alter Rebbe offers an analogy: a teacher immersed in a very deep idea, with all his mind and thought in its depth.
Since only a glimmer of G‑d can be revealed, every revelation is a contraction, and an analogy from a teacher’s thought and speech begins.
17ובעת טרדתו בעמקות מחשבתו מדבר אותו בדבור ג״כ הנה אצל הרב הארת השכל שיצא בדבור ממנו הוא כלא חשיב לגבי עיקר עמקות השכל שבמחשבתו שלא נמשך ונתגלה כלל בדבור
and while he is absorbed in the depth of his thought he also speaks it in speech. For the teacher, the glimmer of the idea that has come out from him in speech is as nothing compared with the essential depth of the idea in his thought, which has not been drawn and revealed in speech at all.
If he speaks while absorbed in it, the part of the idea that comes out in his words is nothing to him compared with the depth he holds in thought and does not express.
אבל לגבי התלמיד השומע אזי הדבור של הרב הוא אצלו הגלוי והמחשבה של הרב הוא ההעלם.
But for the student who listens, the teacher’s speech is for him the revealed, and the teacher’s thought is the concealed.
For the student who hears him, the teacher’s words are what is revealed and his thought is what is hidden.
In the analogy, what the teacher says is as nothing to him beside his thought, while for the student it is the revealed part and the thought is hidden.
18ואצל הרב הוא להפך שזה הגלוי הוא העלם כו׳ ומכ״ז מובן מה שצריכים להמשיך מתפארת דאימא להיות כתר לז״א.
And for the teacher it is the reverse: this revealed [speech] is concealment, etc. From all this one understands why it is necessary to draw down from Tiferes of Imma to become Keser for Z’eir Anpin.
For the teacher it is the reverse: his spoken words conceal his thought. This explains why the Keser of Z’eir Anpin must be drawn from Tiferes of Imma, from a level above it.
כי הנה ז״א הוא המדות דאצילות כשמלובשים האורות בכלים ונק׳ חג״ת שהם בחי׳ סדר הנהגת העולמות.
Z’eir Anpin is the attributes of Atzilus as lights clothed in vessels, called Chesed, Gevurah and Tiferes, through which the worlds are governed. Such revealed conduct is, for G‑d, a contraction, as the next paragraph says.
Revelation is concealment from the higher side; the attributes of Z’eir Anpin, which govern the worlds, are such a contraction, and so they need a Keser of will drawn from Tiferes of Imma.
19וזהו צמצום אצלו ית׳ דלאו מכל אלין מדות1 איהו כלל.2 ועל כן צריכים להמשיך לו רצון שירצה בזה הצמצום שהוא הגילוי שבמדות דאצילות שבהם התנהגות העולמות.
And this is a tzimtzum (contraction) in relation to Him, may He be blessed, for “He is not of any of these attributes at all.” Therefore it is necessary to draw down for Him a will (ratzon), that He will want this tzimtzum, which is the revelation in the attributes (middos) of Atzilus, through which the worlds are conducted.
The attributes of Atzilus, by which the worlds are run, are a contraction from G‑d’s side, since, as Patach Eliyahu says, He is “not of any of these attributes at all.” So His will must be drawn down, that He should want this contraction, which is the revelation of the attributes.
וזהו ענין הכתר דז״א שהוא בחי׳ רצון שממשיכים מתפארת דאימא. כי אימא נק׳ א״ס בערך ז״א ע׳ בע״ח שכ״ה דרוש ה׳ וגם שהתגלות עתיק שהוא א״ס הוא בבינה.
And this is the matter of the Keser of Z’eir Anpin, which is the level of will, which is drawn from Tiferes of Imma. For Imma is called “Ein Sof” relative to Z’eir Anpin (see Etz Chaim, Shaar 25, Derush 5), and also, the revelation of Atik, which is Ein Sof, is in Binah.
That will is the Keser, the crown, of Z’eir Anpin, and it is drawn from Tiferes of Imma. Relative to Z’eir Anpin, Imma (Binah) is so far above it that she is called “Ein Sof,” infinite; moreover Atik, the inner Keser, which is “Ein Sof,” is revealed in Binah.
Because the attributes that govern the worlds are a contraction for G‑d, His will for them must be drawn down; this will is the Keser of Z’eir Anpin, drawn from Imma, which relative to Z’eir Anpin is called infinite.
Marei mekomos
- 1לאו מכל אלין מדות · ת״ז בהקדמה.
- 2דלאו מכל אלין מדות איהו כלל · Tikkunei Zohar 17b:5
20וזהו ענין הקדוש השני והוא נמשך ע״י עסק התורה דמחו״ב נפקת.1 אך היינו אחר העלאת מ״ן דקדוש הא׳ למס״נ באחד שעי״ז ממשיכים יחוד דאו״א
And this is the matter of the second Kadosh, and it is drawn down through occupation with Torah, which “comes forth from Chochmah and Binah.” But this is after the elevation of mayin nukvin of the first Kadosh, self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in Echad, through which one draws down the union of Abba and Imma,
The second Kadosh is drawn down through Torah study, for the Torah “comes forth from Chochmah and Binah.” But it comes only after the first Kadosh: the mayin nukvin of self-sacrifice in “Echad” of the Shema, which brings about the union of Abba and Imma.
שהוא המשכת אור חדש מהמאציל העליון כו׳ ואזי אח״כ קדוש הב׳ הוא מה שנמשך מאו״א הכתר לז״א כנ״ל.
which is the drawing down of new light from the Supernal Emanator, etc.; and then afterwards the second Kadosh is what is drawn from Abba and Imma: the Keser for Z’eir Anpin, as mentioned above.
That union draws new light from the Infinite One, and only then does the second Kadosh follow: the Keser drawn from Abba and Imma to Z’eir Anpin.
(ופי׳ מ״ש ברע״מ נהיר ההוא נהירו עילאה על כורסיא דאיהו שמים יובן ממ״ש במ״א בד״ה השמים כסאי2 שהשמים היא התורה כמו שנתלבשה במדות חו״ג ולהיות התהוות התורה בבחי׳ שמים שהתורה קדמה אלפים שנה לעולם3
(The meaning of what is said in the Raaya Mehemna, “that supernal light shines upon the throne, which is the heavens,” will be understood from what is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “The heavens are My throne”: that the heavens are the Torah as it is enclothed in the attributes of Chesed and Gevurah. And for the Torah to come into being at the level of heavens, for “the Torah preceded the world by two thousand (alpayim) years,”
The Raaya Mehemna’s “the throne, which is the heavens” is explained through the maamar “The heavens are My throne”: the “heavens” are the Torah as it is clothed in the attributes of Chesed and Gevurah. In its source, the Torah preceded the world by two thousand (alpayim) years.
דהיינו בחי׳ אאלפך חכמה אאלפך בינה4 שלמעלה מבחי׳ עולם ומבחי׳ שמים הנה זהו נק׳ בחי׳ כסאי שהוא בחי׳ ישיבה והשפלה והיינו ע״י אתעדל״ת כו׳ ע״ש וז״ש הרע״מ ולבתר נהיר ההוא נהירו עילאה על כורסיא דאיהו שמים.
that is, the level of “I will teach you (a’alefcha) wisdom, I will teach you understanding,” which is above the level of world and above the level of heavens, this is called the level of “My throne,” which is the level of sitting and lowering, and this is through an arousal from below, etc.; see there. And this is what the Raaya Mehemna says: “And afterwards that supernal light shines upon the throne, which is the heavens.”
The Alter Rebbe links alpayim (“two thousand”) with a’alefcha (“I will teach you”) wisdom and understanding: the Torah in its source is Chochmah and Binah, above the world and above the heavens. Its coming down into the “heavens” is called “My throne,” for sitting is a lowering of oneself, and it happens through an arousal from below.
כורסיא דייקא כמ״ש השמים כסאי כנ״ל והיינו מה שנמשך מאו״א הכתר לז״א הנק׳ שמים והיינו ע״י עסק התורה):
“Throne” specifically, as it is written, “The heavens are My throne,” as mentioned above; and this is what is drawn from Abba and Imma: the Keser for Z’eir Anpin, which is called heavens, and this is through occupation with Torah.)
The Zohar says “throne” deliberately, as in “The heavens are My throne”: the light drawn from Abba and Imma as Keser for Z’eir Anpin, which is called heavens, comes to rest there, and this is brought about through Torah study.
The second Kadosh, the Keser drawn from Abba and Imma to Z’eir Anpin, comes through Torah study, but only after the self-sacrifice of the first Kadosh; the Zohar calls it light resting on “the throne, which is the heavens,” the Torah lowering itself from Chochmah and Binah into the attributes.
Marei mekomos
- 1התורה דמחו״ב נפקת · Zohar II, 85a
- 2השמים כסאי · Isaiah 66:1
- 3התורה קדמה אלפים שנה לעולם · Bereshit Rabbah 8:2
- 4אאלפך חכמה אאלפך בינה · Job 33:33
The third Kadosh: the practical mitzvos ¶21–32
21ג והקדוש הג׳ הוא כשיורד ונמשך עוד למטה לדרגא דצדיק שהוא סופא דכל דרגין שהוא בחי׳ יסוד.
3. And the third Kadosh is when it descends and is drawn further down, to the level of Tzaddik, which is “the end of all levels,” which is the level of Yesod.
Section 3 explains the third Kadosh: the light descends further to the level called Tzaddik, “the end of all levels,” which is Yesod, the channel that passes the flow on to Malchus.
וזה נעשה ע״י קיום המצות מעשיות. כי פי׳ צדיק זהו ע״ד מ״ש באברהם ושמרו דרך1 הוי׳ לעשות צדקה כו׳
And this is brought about through the fulfillment of the practical mitzvos. For the meaning of Tzaddik is along the lines of what is written of Avraham, “And they shall keep the way of Havayah, to do tzedakah,” etc.;
This is brought about through the practical mitzvos. Tzaddik is connected with tzedakah, as G‑d says of Avraham that his descendants will “keep the way of Havayah, to do tzedakah.”
שהצדקה היא להחיות רוח שפלים2 וגם כל המצות נק׳ צדקה וכמ״ש וצדקה תהיה לנו כי נשמור כו׳
for tzedakah is “to revive the spirit of the lowly,” and all the mitzvos, too, are called tzedakah, as it is written, “And it shall be tzedakah for us, if we take care,” etc.
Tzedakah, charity, “revives the spirit of the lowly,” in Isaiah’s words; and all the mitzvos are called tzedakah, as the verse says, “And it shall be tzedakah for us, if we take care to do all this commandment.”
וכך למעלה המשכת האור לדרגא דצדיק שממנו נמשך במל׳ מקור דבי״ע זהו ע״י המצות מעשיות.3
And so Above: the drawing down of the light to the level of Tzaddik, from which it is drawn into Malchus, the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, is through the practical mitzvos.
In the same way above, the light is drawn to Tzaddik, Yesod, and from it into Malchus, the source of the three lower worlds, and this happens through the practical mitzvos.
The third Kadosh is the light drawn down to Tzaddik, Yesod, and from it to Malchus, the source of the lower worlds; it comes through the practical mitzvos, which are all called tzedakah, “reviving the spirit of the lowly.”
Marei mekomos
- 1ושמרו דרך ה׳ לעשות צדקה · Genesis 18:19
- 2להחיות רוח שפלים · Isaiah 57:15
- 3וצדקה תהי׳ לנו · Deuteronomy 6:25
22וביאור הדבר יובן בהקדים להבין ההפרש בין עסק התורה לקיום המצות.1 דהנה הגם שהתורה אינה רק פירוש על המצות להורות איך תיעשה המצוה. א״כ העיקר הוא המעשה.
The explanation of the matter will be understood by first understanding the difference between occupation with Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvos. Now, although the Torah is only an explanation of the mitzvos, to teach how the mitzvah is to be done, so that the main thing is the deed,
To explain why Torah draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin and the mitzvos draw it to Malchus, the Alter Rebbe compares Torah and mitzvos. On one side, the Torah is in a sense only the explanation of the mitzvos, teaching how to do them, so the deed would seem to be the main thing.
וכן ארז״ל לא המדרש הוא העיקר2 אלא המעשה.3 וגם מה שנמנו וגמרו4 תלמוד גדול היינו משום שמביא לידי מעשה.
and so our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Not study is the main thing, but deed”; and also what they voted and concluded, “Study is greater,” is because it leads to deed
The Mishnah says, “Not study is the main thing, but deed,” and when the Sages decided that “study is greater,” they gave the reason that it leads to deed.
(and see what is written on the verse “And now, may it be great,” in Parshas Shelach, that this is why the Torah is called His garments: it is called a garment relative to the mitzvah and the supernal will itself,
The maamar on “And now, may the power be great” explains that the Torah is called G‑d’s “garments” because it is a garment relative to the mitzvah, which is the supernal will itself.
וכמ״ש הרמ״ז פ׳ במדבר דקי״ח ע״א דאבא הוא מלבוש הפנימי של אריך7 כו׳ ועמ״ש עוד בד״ה אני דפ׳ ציצית גבי שער בימין ושער בשמאל).
and as the Ramaz wrote on Parshas Bamidbar, folio 118, side a, that Abba is the inner garment of Arich, etc.; and see further what is written in the discourse beginning “Ani” (“I”) of the passage of tzitzis, regarding “hair on the right and hair on the left”),
The Ramaz, in his commentary on the Zohar, writes that Abba, Chochmah, is the inner garment of Arich Anpin, the outer level of Keser; the Torah, from Chochmah, is likewise a garment for the will. The discourse on the passage of tzitzis discusses the related image of hair on the right and on the left.
אעפ״כ התורה שהיא בחי׳ חכמה היא נעלה מהמצות שממשכת מבחי׳ הפנימית שהוא התגלות חכמה עילאה ממש.
even so, the Torah, which is the level of Chochmah, is loftier than the mitzvos, for it draws from the inner dimension (pnimiyus), which is the revelation of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) itself,
Even so, the Torah, rooted in Chochmah, is higher in one respect: it draws from the inner dimension, the revelation of the higher Chochmah itself.
ומעשה המצות ממשיכים רק מחיצוניות הכתר (ועמ״ש ע״פ וידבר דעשרת הדברות) ולכן ע״י עסק התורה ממשיכים הכתר לז״א.
whereas the performance of the mitzvos draws only from the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of Keser (and see what is written on “And He spoke” of the Ten Commandments). Therefore through occupation with Torah one draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin,
The performance of the mitzvos draws only from the outer dimension of Keser, the will as such. That is why Torah study draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, the inner level of Atzilus.
דאורייתא מחכמה נפקת8 ועיקר לימוד התורה הוא להבינה על בוריה נמצא הוא המשכת החכמה בבינה ומתפארת דבינה נעשה כתר לז״א.
for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah,” and the essence of Torah study is to understand it thoroughly; so it is the drawing of Chochmah into Binah, and from Tiferes of Binah the Keser for Z’eir Anpin is made.
The Torah comes from Chochmah, and the point of studying it is to understand it fully, which is Chochmah drawn into Binah. From Tiferes of Binah comes the Keser of Z’eir Anpin.
וע״י המצות מעשיות ממשיכים שיהיה כתר לנוק׳ שהוא לבחי׳ מל׳ מקור דבי״ע וז״ש ברע״מ שם לקדשא כולא לתתא.9
And through the practical mitzvos one draws down that there be a Keser for Nukva, that is, for the level of Malchus, the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. And this is what is said in the Raaya Mehemna there: “to sanctify everything below.”
The practical mitzvos draw a Keser to Nukva, Malchus, the source of the three lower worlds. This is the Zohar’s “to sanctify everything below,” the third Kadosh.
נמצא ההמשכה שע״י התורה היא פנימית שהוא המשכת הכתר והרצון בבחי׳ אצילות וע״י המצות שנמשך הכתר לנוק׳ מקור דבי״ע זהו ההמשכה בחיצוניות.
So the flow through the Torah is inner: it is the drawing of the Keser and the will (ratzon) into the level of Atzilus; while through the mitzvos, by which the Keser is drawn to Nukva, the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, this is the flow in the outer dimension.
So Torah draws the Keser and the will inward, into Atzilus, while the mitzvos draw the Keser to Malchus, the source of the lower worlds, an outward drawing.
אך הנה מבואר במ״א שכל בחינה ומדרגה שהיא נשפלת למטה יותר שרשה גבוה ונעלה יותר.
However, it is explained elsewhere that every level and rank that is lowered further down has a higher and loftier root.
But the mitzvos have an advantage too, based on a principle explained elsewhere: whatever descends lower has its root higher.
(ועמ״ש ע״פ וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות10 מענין דצח״מ שהם עד״ז) וגם שכל בחינה ומדרגה הנעלה יותר יכולה לישפל ולירד למטה יותר. ע״ד ועברתי בארץ מצרים11 אני ולא מלאך כו׳.
(And see what is written on the verse “And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes,” on the matter of the inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking, which are along these lines.) And also, every loftier level and rank can be lowered and descend further down, along the lines of “And I will pass through the land of Egypt”: I and not an angel, etc.
The four kingdoms of creation, mineral, plant, animal and human, follow this pattern, as the maamar “And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes” explains. Likewise the higher something is, the further down it can reach: at the Exodus G‑d Himself, “I and not an angel,” went down into Egypt.
וכמ״כ כאן בענין המצות מעשיות כי הנה המצות הם הכל בדברים גשמיים ציצית מצמר גשמי וכן קלף התפילין והיינו לפי ששרשם גבוה מאד נעלה יותר מהחכמה
So too here, regarding the practical mitzvos: the mitzvos are all in physical things, tzitzis of physical wool, and likewise the parchment of the tefillin, and this is because their root is very high, loftier than Chochmah;
So too the mitzvos: they are all done with physical things, like tzitzis of wool and the parchment of tefillin, precisely because their root is very high, higher than Chochmah.
ולכן התורה דמחכמה נפקת לא נשפלה כ״כ למטה כמו המצות (וע׳ באג״ה איהו וחיוהי שהוא כחותם המתהפך12 כו׳).
and therefore the Torah, which “comes forth from Chochmah,” has not been lowered so far down as the mitzvos. (And see Iggeres HaKodesh, [the letter beginning] “He and His life-forces,” that it is like an inverted seal, etc.)
The Torah, which comes from Chochmah, does not descend that far. Iggeres HaKodesh (in the letter “He and His life-forces”) compares this to an inverted seal, where what is highest in the seal appears lowest in the impression.
והיינו כי מעשה המצות הם נשפלו בדברים שתחת ממשלת ק״נ שהוא משבירת הכלים שנפלו בק״נ.
That is, the practical mitzvos have been lowered into things that are under the dominion of kelipas nogah, which is from the shattering of the vessels that fell into kelipas nogah,
The objects of the mitzvos are under the dominion of kelipas nogah, the “translucent husk” that holds permitted physical things, which came from the shattering of the vessels.
שהיו קודם השבירה במדרגה גבוה מאד נעלה. דהיינו מעולם התהו שהוא בחי׳ נקודים שלמעלה מהאצילות שהוא בחי׳ ברודים כו׳.
which before the shattering were at a very high, lofty rank, namely from the World of Tohu, which is the level of Nekudim, which is above Atzilus, which is the level of Berudim, etc.
Before the shattering those vessels stood very high, in the World of Tohu (chaos), called Nekudim (“points”), which is above Atzilus, the world of Tikkun (order), called Berudim (“speckled”).
Torah is the inner drawing, from Chochmah, which brings the Keser to Z’eir Anpin within Atzilus, while the mitzvos draw only from the outer dimension of Keser, to Malchus and the lower worlds; yet because what descends lowest is rooted highest, the physical mitzvos, which elevate what fell from the World of Tohu into kelipas nogah, are rooted above Chochmah.
In the Arizal’s terms, the World of Tohu, called Nekudim, had great lights in small, unconnected vessels, which shattered; the World of Tikkun, called Berudim, has smaller lights in vessels joined to one another. The fallen vessels of Tohu came under kelipas nogah, so the physical objects of the mitzvos carry sparks whose root is higher than Atzilus itself.
Marei mekomos
- 1ההפרש בין עסק התורה לקיום המצות · ראה תו״א צב, ב.
- 2לא המדרש הוא העיקר · אבות א, יז. [ובסידור אדה״ז ולא המדרש עיקר].
- 3לא המדרש הוא העיקר אלא המעשה · Pirkei Avot 1:17
- 4שנמנו וגמרו שתלמוד גדול · Kiddushin 40b:8–9
- 5ע״פ ועתה יגדל נא · לקו״ת שלח לח, ד.
- 6ועתה יגדל נא · Numbers 14:17
- 7כמ״ש הרמ״ז פ׳ במדבר דקי״ח ע״א דאבא הוא מלבוש הפנימי של אריך · Mikdash Melekh, RaMaZ Commentary on Zohar 3:118a:1
- 8דאורייתא מחכמה נפקת · Zohar, Yitro 21:378–22:389
- 9לקדשא כולא לתתא · Zohar, Emor 22:94–95
- 10וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות · Numbers 30:2
- 11ועברתי בארץ מצרים · Exodus 12:12
- 12וע׳ באג״ה איהו וחיוהי שהוא כחותם המתהפך · Tanya, Iggeres HaKodesh 20:17
Therefore man receives life-force (chayus) and is nourished from the vegetative and the animal; and “a child does not know how to call ‘father’ until he tastes the taste of grain.”
Because what is lowest is rooted highest, the human being, the highest creature, is nourished by plants and animals, which are lower. The Talmud even says that a child does not know how to say “Abba” (“father”) until it has tasted grain: even the first recognition of a father comes through physical food.
וכן אכילת מצה מיכלא דמהימנותא. ואף אותן שנשמותיהם הם מאצילות ממש ואפילו משרע״ה היו צריכים ג״כ לאכול מצה.
And likewise the eating of matzah, “the food of faith”; and even those whose souls are from Atzilus itself, and even Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, also needed to eat matzah.
So too with matzah, which the Zohar calls “the food of faith”: even souls from Atzilus itself, and even Moshe, had to eat it in order to receive that faith.
The principle that what is lowest is rooted highest explains why man is nourished from lower creatures, why a child calls “Abba” only after tasting grain, and why even the greatest souls needed matzah, “the food of faith.”
Marei mekomos
- 1ואין התינוק יודע לקרות אבא עד שיטעום טעם דגן · Berakhot 40a:14
24והוא מפני שהאמונה הנמשכת מאכילת המצה שהיא מיכלא דמהימנותא היא מלמעלה מבחי׳ אצילות והיינו לפי ששרשה הוא מעולם התהו כו׳
This is because the faith drawn from eating matzah, which is “the food of faith,” is from above the level of Atzilus; that is, because its root is from the World of Tohu, etc.
The faith that matzah brings is above Atzilus, because its root is in the World of Tohu, which stands above Atzilus.
אך עתה לאחר השבירה הם רחוקים מאור א״ס ב״ה שנפלו בשבירה בק״נ אבל כשהם מתבררים ע״י שם מ״ה המבררן שהוא בחי׳ ח״ע כי בחכמה אתברירו.
But now, after the shattering, they are far from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, for they fell in the shattering into kelipas nogah. But when they are refined through the Name Mah, which refines them, which is the level of the higher Chochmah, for “through Chochmah they are refined,”
Since the shattering, the sparks of Tohu have fallen into kelipas nogah and are far from the Infinite Light. They are refined through the Name Mah, the higher Chochmah, in the principle drawn from the Zohar and Etz Chaim, “through Chochmah they are refined”: wisdom separates the good from the waste.
Matzah’s faith is above Atzilus because it is rooted in Tohu; the fallen sparks of Tohu are refined through Chochmah, the Name Mah.
In the Arizal’s system the Name Mah (45, the Name Havayah spelled out with alefs) is the source of the World of Tikkun and refines the fallen sparks; the next paragraph places the sparks’ root in the Name Sag (63), which is above Mah.
25והוא ע״י בחי׳ קדוש הא׳ שהוא בחי׳ עליית הו׳ בקדש העליון לצורך יחוד או״א. ועי״ז שמתבררים הם מתעלים למקורם ושרשם שם ס״ג שלמעלה ממ״ה ואז הם נעלים מאצילות שאז מתקרבים לאור א״ס ב״ה
and this is through the level of the first Kadosh, which is the ascent of the vav into the supernal Kodesh for the sake of the union of Abba and Imma. And through their being refined they ascend to their source and root, the Name Sag, which is above Mah; and then they are loftier than Atzilus, for then they come close to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He.
This refinement depends on the first Kadosh, the vav rising to the supernal Kodesh, Chochmah, for the union of Abba and Imma. Once refined, the sparks rise to their root in the Name Sag, which is above Mah, and so they stand higher than Atzilus, close to the Infinite Light.
ולכן ע״י עליית מ״ן הנ״ל ממשיכים היחוד דאו״א שמקור ההמשכה מהמאציל העליון למעלה מעלה מהחכמה.
Therefore through the elevation of mayin nukvin mentioned above one draws down the union of Abba and Imma, for the source of the flow is from the Supernal Emanator, far above Chochmah.
That is why the mayin nukvin of self-sacrifice draws the union of Abba and Imma: the source of this flow is the Infinite One Himself, far above Chochmah.
Refined through Chochmah by the first Kadosh, the sparks of Tohu return to their root in Sag, above Atzilus, close to the Infinite Light, and this is why the elevation of mayin nukvin draws the union of Abba and Imma from the Infinite One.
26ועמ״ש בביאור ע״פ ואהיה אצלו אמון1 בפי׳ ממושבותיכם תביאו2 כו׳ שזהו ענין ק״ש יחוד או״א שנמשך דייקא ע״י ביטול היש בירור הרפ״ח ניצוצין כו׳.
And see what is written in the explanation of the verse “And I was beside Him as a nursling (amon),” on the meaning of “From your dwellings you shall bring,” etc.: that this is the matter of the Shema, the union of Abba and Imma, which is drawn down specifically through the nullification (bittul) of the yesh, the refinement of the 288 sparks, etc.
The maamar on “And I was beside Him as a nursling” explains the verse about the two loaves of Shavuos, “From your dwellings you shall bring,” in the same way: the Shema is the union of Abba and Imma, and it is drawn down specifically through nullifying the yesh, one’s sense of separate existence, which is also the refinement of the 288 sparks that fell in the shattering.
וזהו מ״ש בע״ח שהמשכת הכתר לע״ס דתיקון הוא ג״כ מבירורים דעולם דתהו עתיק דתיקון לקח ה׳ ראשונות דכתר דב״ן כו׳
And this is what is written in Etz Chaim: that the drawing of the Keser to the Ten Sefiros of Tikkun is also from the refinements of the World of Tohu; Atik of Tikkun took the first five of the Keser of Ban, etc.;
Etz Chaim teaches that even the Keser of the ten Sefiros of Tikkun, the ordered world of Atzilus, comes from what was refined out of the World of Tohu: Atik of Tikkun was formed from the first five levels of the Keser of Ban, which belongs to the World of Tohu.
דהיינו שדוקא מהבירורים של הרפ״ח ניצוצים שבשבירה יכולים להמשיך הכתר לי״ס דתיקון והיינו מטעם הנ״ל שלאחר שמתבררים אז הם מתקרבים לשרשם שמעולם התהו בחי׳ נקודים
that is, specifically from the refinements of the 288 sparks of the shattering one can draw the Keser to the ten Sefiros of Tikkun, and this is for the reason mentioned above: that after they are refined they come close to their root, which is from the World of Tohu, the level of Nekudim,
Only from the refined 288 sparks of the shattering can a Keser be drawn for the Sefiros of Tikkun. Once refined, the sparks come close to their root in Tohu, called Nekudim.
שהוא למעלה מבחי׳ התיקון שהוא בחי׳ ברודים. לכך בהם ועל ידם נמשך הכתר דתיקון. (ועמ״ש מזה בביאור ע״פ וידבר דראשי המטות):3
which is above the level of Tikkun, which is the level of Berudim. Therefore in them and through them the Keser of Tikkun is drawn down. (And see what is written on this in the explanation of “And he spoke” of “the heads of the tribes.”)
That root is above Tikkun, called Berudim, and so in the refined sparks and through them the Keser of Tikkun comes down. The explanation of “And he spoke … the heads of the tribes” (in Mattos) treats this further.
The Arizal’s teaching that the Keser of the world of Tikkun is built from the refined sparks of Tohu supports the point: once refined, the sparks return to a root higher than Atzilus, and through them the Keser is drawn down.
Marei mekomos
- 1ואהיה אצלו אמון · Proverbs 8:30
- 2ממושבותיכם תביאו · Leviticus 23:17
- 3ע״פ וידבר דראשי המטות · Numbers 30:2
27ד ונחזור לענינינו בענין מעלת המצות מעשיות דהיינו שלפי שהם נעשים בדבר שנפל תחת ממשלת ק״נ שהם משבה״כ
4. Let us return to our subject, the superiority of the practical mitzvos: because they are done with a thing that fell under the dominion of kelipas nogah, which are from the shattering of the vessels,
Section 4 returns to the advantage of the practical mitzvos: they are done with physical things that are under kelipas nogah, which came from the shattering of the vessels.
כמו קלף התפילין וצמר דציצית וכן כולם. והם הם בירור והעלאת מהות הדבר עצמו שנפל בשבירה.
such as the parchment of the tefillin and the wool of the tzitzis, and so all of them; and they are themselves the refinement and elevation of the very substance of the thing that fell in the shattering;
The parchment of tefillin, the wool of tzitzis and every other object of a mitzvah is a fallen piece of the shattered world, and doing the mitzvah refines and raises the very substance of that thing.
לכך הם דוקא ממשיכים הכתר לנוק׳1 שהיא מל׳ דאצילות מקור דבי״ע שזהו ענין המשכת הרצון להחיות רוח שפלים2 דהיינו להשפעת האור והחיות בבי״ע
therefore they specifically draw the Keser to Nukva, which is Malchus of Atzilus, the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. This is the matter of drawing down the will (ratzon) “to revive the spirit of the lowly,” that is, for the bestowal of light and life-force (chayus) in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah;
That is why the mitzvos specifically draw the Keser to Nukva, Malchus of Atzilus, the source of the lower worlds: they draw the will “to revive the spirit of the lowly,” to give light and life to Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
וזהו צמצום גדול יותר מהמשכת הכתר לז״א שאינו עדיין מקור דבי״ע ממש. ולכן צריכים להמשיך כתר ורצון זה ממקום גבוה ונעלה יותר.
and this is a greater tzimtzum (contraction) than the drawing of the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, which is not yet actually the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Therefore this Keser and will must be drawn from a higher and loftier place,
Giving life to the lower worlds is a greater contraction than giving the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, which is still within Atzilus and not yet the source of the lower worlds. So this will must come from a still higher place.
וכמו שנזכר למעלה דדוקא כל דבר גבוה ונעלה יותר יכול לישפל ולירד למטה יותר (ועמ״ש בד״ה ועשית בגדי קדש34 ובביאור ע״פ5 יונתי6 בענין רעיתי יפתי)
as mentioned above, that specifically whatever is higher and loftier can be lowered and descend further down. (And see what is written in the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments,” and in the explanation of the verse “My dove,” on the matter of “my beloved, my beautiful one.”)
This follows the principle stated earlier, that only what is higher can descend lower. Two maamarim develop it further, one on the priestly garments and one on the verse “My dove.”
ולכן המשכת כתר לנוק׳ זהו דייקא ע״י המצות מעשיות שהם בירור מהות הדבר שנפל בשבה״כ
Therefore the drawing of the Keser to Nukva is specifically through the practical mitzvos, which are the refinement of the substance of the thing that fell in the shattering of the vessels,
Therefore the Keser reaches Nukva specifically through the practical mitzvos, which refine the substance of what fell in the shattering of the vessels.
ששרשן גבוה מאד מס״ג שלמעלה מאצילות ע״כ ע״י בירור והעלאה זו מעוררים למעלה מעלה ומשם דייקא נמשך להיות הגלוי למטה במקור דבי״ע כו׳
whose root is very high, from Sag, which is above Atzilus; therefore through this refinement and elevation one arouses far, far above, and specifically from there it is drawn down to be the revelation below, in the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.
The root of these sparks is very high, in the Name Sag, above Atzilus. Refining and raising them arouses the highest levels, and from there the revelation comes down to Malchus, the source of the lower worlds.
ועמ״ש מזה בביאור ע״פ יביאו לבוש מלכות78 שהיא כמשל האבוקה שמאירה למרחוק כו׳ ומאחר שמאיר למרחוק מוכרח שבמקומו הוא אור גדול מאד כו׳
And see what is written on this in the explanation of the verse “Let them bring the royal garment”: that it is like the analogy of a torch that shines far off, etc.; and since it shines far off, it must be that in its own place it is a very great light, etc.;
The explanation on “Let them bring the royal garment” uses the image of a torch: a light that reaches far away must be very great where it stands.
כך לפי ששרש המצות למעלה מעלה ע״כ נמשך על ידם האור למרחוק והוא להיות המשכת הכתר למל׳ שהיא מקור דבי״ע.91011121314151617
so, because the root of the mitzvos is far, far above, therefore through them the light is drawn far off, and this is the drawing of the Keser to Malchus, which is the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
So too, because the root of the mitzvos is so high, the light they draw reaches far down, bringing the Keser to Malchus, the source of the lower worlds.
The practical mitzvos refine the very substance of what fell from Tohu, whose root is above Atzilus, so they draw the Keser from a higher place and bring it furthest down, to Malchus, the source of the lower worlds, like a torch that lights far off because it is great at its source.
Marei mekomos
- 1כתר לנוק׳ · ראה לקמן קרח נב, ג.
- 2להחיות רוח שפלים · Isaiah 57:15
- 3בד״ה ועשית בגדי קדש · תו״א פב, ב.
- 4ועשית בגדי קדש · Exodus 28:2
- 5בביאור ע״פ וידבר דראשי המטות · לקמן פ׳ מטות פב, ג.
- 6ובביאור ע״פ יונתי · לקו״ת שה״ש יח, ב.
- 7בביאור ע״פ יביאו לבוש מלכות · תו״א צ, סע״ד.
- 8יביאו לבוש מלכות · Esther 6:8
- 9ע״פ וידבר משה אל ראשי המטות · לקמן פ׳ מטות פא, ב.
- 10ועברתי בארץ מצרים · Exodus 12:12
- 11אני ולא מלאך · הובא ונתבאר בזח״א קיז, א.
- 12באג״ה איהו וחיוהי · סי׳ כ (קלא, א). וראה לקמן שה״ש ג, ריש ע״ב.
- 13אין התינוק יודע לקרות אבא · Berakhot 40a:14
- 14מצה מיכלא דמהימנותא · נסמן לעיל יב, ב.
- 15בחכמה איתברירו · Leviticus 4:1
- 16מהמאציל — בביאור ע״פ ואהי׳ אצלו אמון · לקו״ת ס״פ במדבר כ, ב.
- 17וזהו מ״ש בע״ח · ש׳ עתיק רפ״א. ועל״ק מטות בבי׳ (פ״ב) פב, ד. [כ].
28וזהו ענין הקדוש השלישי. שמבואר ברע״מ שנתפשט ונמשך יותר למטה לדרגא דצדיק לקדשא כולא לתתא1 שהוא להיות המשכת הכתר לנוק׳ שמתפארת דז״א נעשה כתר לנוק׳ ועמ״ש מזה בביאור ע״פ ויקח קרח.23
And this is the matter of the third Kadosh, which, as explained in the Raaya Mehemna, spreads and is drawn further down, to the level of Tzaddik, “to sanctify everything below”: this is the drawing of the Keser to Nukva, for from Tiferes of Z’eir Anpin the Keser for Nukva is made. And see what is written on this in the explanation of the verse “And Korach took.”
This is the third Kadosh of the Raaya Mehemna: the light spreads further down to Tzaddik, Yesod, “to sanctify everything below.” In the Arizal’s terms this is the Keser of Nukva, made from Tiferes of Z’eir Anpin.
The third Kadosh is the Keser drawn to Nukva, Malchus, from Tiferes of Z’eir Anpin, the Zohar’s “to sanctify everything below.”
Marei mekomos
- 1לקדשא כולא לתתא · Zohar, Emor 22:94–95
- 2בביאור ע״פ ויקח קרח · אולי הכוונה להנדפס בסה״מ תקס״ב-א ע׳ רכז ובח״ב שם ע׳ תסב.
- 3ויקח קרח · Numbers 16:1
29וזהו ולכבודי בראתיו1 יצרתיו אף עשיתיו. פי׳ כבוד הוא בחי׳ כתר כמ״ש כבוד חכמים ינחלו2 שהחכמים הם ינחלו את הכבוד
And this is [the meaning of] “For My glory I have created it, I have formed it, I have also made it.” That is, kavod (glory) is the level of Keser, as it is written, “The wise shall inherit glory”: the wise will inherit the glory,
Isaiah’s “For My glory I have created it, I have formed it, I have also made it” names the three lower worlds, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Kavod, “glory,” is Keser, as in “The wise shall inherit glory”: the wise, who have Chochmah, inherit what is above Chochmah.
which is above Chochmah, which is the level of Keser. And it is like the difference between Anochi and Ani (both “I”): Ani is at the level of Malchus,
Glory is above wisdom, so it is Keser. The same difference appears between the two Hebrew words for “I”: Ani, the plainer form, is the level of Malchus.
Kavod, glory, is Keser, above Chochmah; the verse “For My glory I have created it, formed it and made it” ties the three lower worlds to the Keser.
Marei mekomos
- 1ולכבודי בראתיו · Isaiah 43:7
- 2כבוד חכמים ינחלו · Proverbs 3:35
- 3ההפרש בין אנכי לאני · ראה אוה״ת פ׳ יתרו ע׳ תתקיד. לקו״ש חל״ט ע׳ 380 ובהערה 37.
- 4אני הוא בבחי׳ מל׳ · פע״ח בתחילתו.
30ואנכי שהוא ג״כ כפי׳ אני אלא שהוא בבחי׳ כבוד והתנשאות. ולכן הוא בבחי׳ כתר.1 וע״ז מורה תוספת הכף שבאנכי שהיא ראש תיבת כתר ותיבת כבוד. ועמ״ש מזה סד״ה זאת חנוכת המזבח.2
and Anochi, which also means “I,” but at the level of glory and exaltation, and therefore it is at the level of Keser. And this is indicated by the added kaf in Anochi, which is the initial of the word Keser and of the word kavod. And see what is written on this at the end of the discourse beginning “This is the dedication of the altar.”
The second part of the comparison: Anochi also means “I,” but with glory and exaltation, so it is Keser. Its extra letter, kaf (אנכי against אני), is the first letter of keser (crown) and of kavod (glory).
אך פי׳ ולכבודי בראתיו יצרתיו כו׳ רומז על המשכת הכתר לנוק׳ שהיא מקור דבריאה יצירה עשייה ונמשך ע״י מצות מעשיות וזהו פזר נתן לאביונים3 כו׳ קרנו תרום בכבוד.
But the meaning of “For My glory I have created it, I have formed it,” etc., alludes to the drawing of the Keser to Nukva, which is the source of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, and it is drawn through the practical mitzvos. And this is [the meaning of] “He has distributed, he has given to the needy,” etc., “his horn (keren) shall be exalted with glory.”
“For My glory I created, formed and made” points to the Keser drawn to Nukva, the source of the three lower worlds, through the practical mitzvos. Psalm 112 says the same: he who gives to the needy, “his horn (keren) shall be exalted with glory.”
פי׳ שהמל׳ דאצילות נקראת קרן ע״ש שהיא התחברות אצי׳ עם הבריאה וזהו עד״מ כמו קרן זויות
That is: Malchus of Atzilus is called keren because it is the joining of Atzilus with Beriah; and this is, by way of analogy, like a keren zavis (a corner),
Malchus of Atzilus is called keren because it joins Atzilus to Beriah, as a keren zavis, a corner, joins two walls.
שהוא התחברות ב׳ הכתלים וכמ״ש במ״א ועיין מזה בזהר פ׳ במדבר דק״ך ע״א4 ופי׳ קרנו תרום בכבוד היינו רוממות המל׳ כמ״ש ארוממך אלקי המלך5
which is the joining of two walls, as is written elsewhere; and see on this in the Zohar, Parshas Bamidbar, folio 120, side a. And the meaning of “his horn shall be exalted with glory” is the exaltation of Malchus, as it is written, “I will exalt You, my G‑d the King,”
The Zohar in Bamidbar speaks of the “keren” as the yoke of the holy kingdom, Malchus. “His horn shall be exalted” means Malchus is raised, as in “I will exalt You, my G‑d the King.”
והיינו בכבוד שהוא הכתר וזהו הנמשך ע״י פזר נתן לאביונים שהוא הצדקה שהיא כללות המצות כנודע ועיין בזהר פ׳ בהעלותך דף קנ״ד ריש ע״א מענין קרנו תרום כו׳
and this is “with glory,” which is the Keser; and this is what is drawn through “He has distributed, he has given to the needy,” which is tzedakah, which is the general and collective expression (klalus) of the mitzvos, as is known. And see the Zohar, Parshas Behaalos’cha, folio 154, beginning of side a, on the matter of “his horn shall be exalted,” etc.;
It is raised “with glory,” that is, with Keser, and this comes through giving to the needy, tzedakah, which is the general expression of all the mitzvos. The Zohar in Beha’alos’cha explains the same verse.
and the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas, folio 255, side b: “The supernal Keser,” etc., “the supernal glory,” etc. And see what is written further on the meaning of “For My glory I have created it,” etc.,
The Raaya Mehemna in Pinchas also speaks of the supernal Keser as “the supernal glory.” The Alter Rebbe refers as well to his explanation of “For My glory I created it” in another maamar.
“I have also made it,” in the explanation of the verse “Who has counted,” etc., “and the number,” etc. But the Torah is the Chochmah that refines the performance of the mitzvos;
That explanation is in the maamar “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov.” Torah, by contrast, is the Chochmah that guides and refines the performance of the mitzvos.
אבל אין בה מהות הרפ״ח הניצוצים עצמן המתבררים משבירת הכלים שזהו דייקא ע״י מצות מעשיות כנ״ל אלא דעקימת שפתיו10 מה שקורא ושונה נמי הוה מעשה.
but it does not contain the substance of the 288 sparks themselves that are refined from the shattering of the vessels, which is specifically through the practical mitzvos, as mentioned above; except that “the moving of his lips,” his reading and reviewing, is also a deed,
Torah study does not itself contain the physical substance in which the sparks are lodged; that is refined only by the practical mitzvos. Still, the Talmud says that “the moving of one’s lips” is a deed, so reading and reviewing Torah is a kind of action too.
Anochi and kavod point to Keser, and “his horn shall be exalted with glory” describes Malchus, the keren that joins Atzilus to Beriah, raised by the Keser through tzedakah, the general and collective expression of the mitzvos; Torah, by contrast, guides the mitzvos but does not itself refine the substance of the sparks.
In the Kehot note (from Yahel Or) the Zohar’s words are explained: the supernal Keser is the one “no eye can see,” and the supernal glory is the one of which Moshe said “Show me Your glory,” and was answered “You cannot see My face”; glory is an encompassing light (makif).
Marei mekomos
- 1ואנכי . . הוא בבחי׳ כתר · Zohar III, 11a
- 2סד״ה זאת חנוכת המזבח · לקו״ת נשא כט, ב.
- 3פזר נתן לאביונים · Psalms 112:9
- 4בזהר פ׳ במדבר דק״ך ע״א · Zohar, Bamidbar 7:65–8:73
- 5ארוממך אלקי המלך · Psalms 145:1
- 6וברע״מ פ׳ פנחס . . כתר עליון כו׳ כבוד עילאה · כתר עליון דלא שלטה בה עינא כבוד עילאה עליה אמר משה הראני את כבודך ואתיב ליה קוב״ה לא תוכל לראות את פני כו׳, והיינו כי כבוד הוא מקיף — יהל אור ע׳ תקנב
- 7וברע ״מ פ׳ פנחס דרנ״ה ע״ב כתר עליון כו׳ כבוד עילאה · Zohar, Pinchas 120:811–121:822
- 8בביאור ע׳פ מי מנה · לקמן בלק סט, ג.
- 9מי מנה · Numbers 23:10
- 10עקימת שפתיו · Sanhedrin 65a:10
31והוא ג״כ בירורי רפ״ח כו׳ אבל מ״מ עיקר מהות העלאת הרפ״ח ניצוצין הוא ע״י מעשה.
and it is also refinements of the 288, etc.; but nevertheless the essential elevation of the 288 sparks is through deed.
Torah study does refine sparks to some degree, but the essential raising of the 288 sparks is through physical deeds.
לכך ע״י התורה הוא המשכת הכתר לז״א. וזהו קרוב ה׳ לכל קוראיו1 לכל אשר יקראוהו באמת ואין אמת
Therefore through the Torah is the drawing of the Keser to Z’eir Anpin. And this is [the meaning of] “Havayah is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth,” and “there is no truth
Therefore Torah draws the Keser only to Z’eir Anpin. The verse says that Havayah is near to all who call upon Him in truth, and the Sages identify that truth with Torah.
אלא תורה23 שע״י עסק התורה קוראים וממשיכים את הכתר לז״א דאצילות. אבל כדי להיות נמשך הכתר למל׳ זהו דוקא ע״י המצות מעשיות מטעם הנ״ל.
but Torah”: for through occupation with Torah one calls and draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus. But for the Keser to be drawn to Malchus, this is specifically through the practical mitzvos, for the reason mentioned above.
The Sages’ “there is no truth but Torah” shows that it is through Torah study that one “calls” and draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus. Drawing the Keser to Malchus requires the practical mitzvos, for the reason given.
Since the essential refinement of the sparks is through deed, Torah, the “truth” by which one calls upon G‑d, draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, while only the practical mitzvos draw it to Malchus.
Marei mekomos
- 1קרוב ה׳ לכל קוראיו · Psalms 145:18
- 2ואין אמת אלא תורה · איכה רבתי פתיחה ב. ירושלמי ר״ה פ״ג ה״ח. וראה ברכות ה, רע״ב. וראה לקו״ת סוכות פא, ג. ועל״ק מטות פג, סוף ג וש״נ [כ].
- 3ואין אמת אלא תורה · Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah 3:8:2
32ועוד כי זו״נ הן בחי׳ יצירה ועשייה שבאצילות והנה בי״ע הם מודומ״ע וע״כ ע״י עסק התורה שהיא בחי׳ דבור ממשיכים הכתר לז״א שהוא יצירה שבאצילות
Furthermore, Z’eir Anpin and Nukva are the level of Yetzirah and Asiyah within Atzilus; and Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah are thought, speech and action. Therefore through occupation with Torah, which is the level of speech, one draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, which is Yetzirah within Atzilus;
A further reason: Z’eir Anpin and Nukva are the “Yetzirah” and “Asiyah” within Atzilus, while the lower worlds correspond to thought, speech and action. Torah study is speech, so it draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, the “Yetzirah” of Atzilus.
אבל שיהיה המשכת הכתר בבחינת עשייה שבאצי׳ שהיא המל׳ זהו דייקא ע״י המצות מעשיות. ועיין מ״ש בפ׳ שלח ע״פ טובה הארץ1 מאד מאד.2
but for the drawing of the Keser to be at the level of Asiyah within Atzilus, which is Malchus, this is specifically through the practical mitzvos. And see what is written in Parshas Shelach on the verse “The land is very, very good,”
Bringing the Keser to Malchus, the “Asiyah” of Atzilus, takes actual deeds, the practical mitzvos. The maamar on “The land is very, very good” in Shelach discusses this.
וע״פ ועתה יגדל נא3 שלכך ע״י התורה נמשך האור בג״ע העליון וע״י המצות נמשך בג״ע התחתון כו׳ ע״ש
and on the verse “And now, may it be great”: that this is why through the Torah the light is drawn into the higher Gan Eden, and through the mitzvos it is drawn into the lower Gan Eden, etc.; see there.
Another maamar in Shelach, on “And now, may the power be great,” explains on this basis that Torah draws light into the higher Gan Eden and the mitzvos into the lower Gan Eden.
אך מ״מ המשכה זו שע״י התורה היא בחי׳ פנימית ועל זה אמרו כל חפצים לא ישוו בה4 כו׳ וכמ״ש במ״א:
Nevertheless, this flow through the Torah is the inner level (pnimiyus), and of this they said, “All desirable things cannot compare to it,” etc., as is written elsewhere.
Even so, what Torah draws is the inner level, and of it the verse says “All desirable things cannot compare to it”: as the Talmud explains, not even the “desires of Heaven,” the mitzvos, compare to Torah study.
Torah, as speech, draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin, the “Yetzirah” of Atzilus, and the higher Gan Eden, while the practical mitzvos draw it to Malchus, its “Asiyah,” and the lower Gan Eden; yet the flow drawn by Torah is the inner one, to which nothing compares.
Marei mekomos
- 1ע״פ טובה הארץ · לקו״ת שלח לח, א.
- 2טובה הארץ מאד מאד · Numbers 14:7
- 3ועתה יגדל נא · Numbers 14:17
- 4ועל זה אמרו כל חפצים לא ישוו בה · Proverbs 8:11
Two crowns and the refinement of sparks ¶33–38
33ה ובזה יובן מארז״ל כשם שא״א לעולם בלא רוחות1 כך א״א כו׳. והיינו שצריך להיות המשכת הרצון בקיום והשתלשלות העולמות.
5. And with this will be understood the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “Just as the world cannot be without winds, so it cannot be,” etc. That is, there must be a drawing down of the will (ratzon) into the existence and the chain of descent (hishtalshelus) of the worlds.
Section 5 applies the principle to a saying of the Sages: just as the world cannot exist without winds, it cannot exist without Israel. The reason is that G‑d’s will must continually be drawn into the existence and the chain of descent of the worlds, and Israel are the ones who draw it.
כי הרצון פשוט שעלה ברצונו לברוא את העולם. זה היה אותו הפעם בתורת נדבה בלתי העלאת מ״ן. אבל אחר בריאת האדם צ״ל לעבדה ולשמרה2 להעלות מ״ן להמשיך הרצון.
For the simple will, that it arose in His will to create the world, was at that time as a free gift, without an elevation of mayin nukvin; but after the creation of man there must be “to work it and to guard it,” to raise mayin nukvin to draw down the will.
The first, simple will to create the world came as a free gift, with no arousal from below. Since the creation of man, whose task is “to work it and to guard it,” mayin nukvin must be raised from below to draw that will down.
The world cannot exist without Israel because, since the first creation, G‑d’s will for the worlds must be drawn down by an arousal from below, which is man’s task “to work it and to guard it.”
Marei mekomos
- 1כשם שא״א לעולם בלא רוחות · Taanit 3b:2
- 2לעבדה ולשמרה · Genesis 2:15
34והיינו ע״י התורה והמצות שעי״ז ממשיכים ב׳ כתרים לז״א ולנוקבא שהוא בחי׳ הרצון להיות עולם האצילות ובי״ע כו׳.
This is through the Torah and the mitzvos, for through them one draws down two crowns, to Z’eir Anpin and to Nukva, which are the level of the will that there be the World of Atzilus and Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, etc.
This is done through Torah and mitzvos, which draw two crowns, one for Z’eir Anpin and one for Nukva: the will that there be the World of Atzilus and the three lower worlds.
וזהו א״ת בניך אלא בוניך1 שעוסקים בבנינו של עולם.23 וזהו ג״כ ענין העסק בתורה שבכתב ושבע״פ בליל שבועות שממשיכים הכתר לזו״נ כמ״ש בפע״ח.45
And this is [the meaning of] “Do not read ‘your children’ (banayich) but ‘your builders’ (bonayich),” for they are occupied with the building of the world. And this is also the matter of occupation with the Written and the Oral Torah on the night of Shavuos, by which one draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, as is written in Pri Etz Chaim.
The Sages read “your children” (banayich) as “your builders” (bonayich), because Torah scholars are engaged in building the world. Pri Etz Chaim explains that the custom of studying the Written and Oral Torah through the night of Shavuos draws the Keser to Z’eir Anpin and Nukva.
Through Torah and mitzvos Israel draw the two crowns of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, the divine will for the worlds; this is why scholars are called “builders” of the world and why Torah is studied on the night of Shavuos.
Marei mekomos
- 1א״ת בניך אלא בוניך · Berakhot 64a:14
- 2שעוסקים בבנינו של עולם · Shabbat 114b
- 3שעוסקים בבנינו של עולם · Shabbat 114a:7
- 4שממשיכים הכתר לזו״נ כמ״ש בפע״ח · שער כג, פ״א. באוה״ת נ״ך-א ע׳ קו שכאן מבואר ”שהעטרה שנתן בראשו זהו כתר דא״א הנמשך ע״י בכל מאדך, והשנים שנתן בראשו של ישראל זהו המשכת הכתר לז״א הנק׳ ישראל והמשכת הכתר למל׳ הנק׳ יעקב, ועיין מענין המשכת הכתר לז״א בסידור בדרושי סעודות שבת בסעודתא תליתאה דשבתא . . וענין המשכת הכתר למל׳ בלקו״ת בד״ה יו״ט של ר״ה שחל להיות בשבת ושם פ״ב”.
- 5בליל שבועות שממשיכים הכתר לזו״נ כמ״ש בפע״ח · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of Shavuot 1:9
35והוא עד״מ העטרה והכתר שעושין למלך ב״ו מזהב ואבנים טובות שיש בה שני דברים הא׳ עצם וגוף הזהב ואבנים טובות. הב׳ מה שמתקנים אותם להיות נקבעים בציור והידור היותר נאות בהכתר והעטרה.
It is like, by way of analogy, the diadem and crown made for a king of flesh and blood from gold and precious stones, in which there are two things: first, the substance and body of the gold and precious stones; second, that they are fashioned to be set in the most fitting design and splendor in the crown and diadem.
The Alter Rebbe compares this to a king’s crown made of gold and precious stones. Two things go into it: the materials themselves, and the craft that sets them in the most beautiful design.
A royal crown needs both precious materials and the craftsmanship that sets them, an analogy for the two crowns drawn by mitzvos and Torah.
36וכמו כן יובן על דרך משל זה למעלה אשר בהמשכת הכתר יש ג״כ ב׳ בחינות דהיינו תורה ומצות.
In the same way will be understood, by way of this analogy, Above: in the drawing down of the Keser there are also two aspects, namely Torah and mitzvos.
Likewise above, the drawing of the Keser has two parts, which correspond to the mitzvos and the Torah.
כי ע״י המצות נעשה בירורי רפ״ח ניצוצים שנמשלו לעצם האבנים טובות שיקרותן הוא לפי שהוא דבר הפלא שהאבן שהוא דומם יהיה מאיר.
For through the mitzvos come about the refinements of the 288 sparks, which are likened to the substance of the precious stones, whose preciousness is because it is a wondrous thing that a stone, which is inanimate, should shine.
The mitzvos refine the 288 sparks, which are like the precious stones themselves. A gem is precious because it is a marvel: a stone, an inanimate thing, gives off light.
כך הוא ענין בירור הרפ״ח ניצוצים מק״נ שנפלו מאד למטה וע״י הבירור מאירים מאד ע״י שרשן הנעלה
So is the matter of the refinement of the 288 sparks from kelipas nogah, which fell very far down, and through the refinement they shine greatly by virtue of their lofty root.
So the sparks, which fell very low into kelipas nogah, shine brightly once they are refined, because their root is so lofty.
אך עכ״ז כדי שיעלו להיות בבחי׳ כתר זהו דייקא ע״י התורה שהיא בחי׳ חכמה איך ומה יהיה בירורם ועלייתם כי בחכמה אתברירו.
Yet even so, for them to rise to be at the level of Keser, this is specifically through the Torah, which is the level of Chochmah: how and what their refinement and ascent will be, for “through Chochmah they are refined.”
Yet for the sparks to rise and become a crown, the Torah is needed. As Chochmah, it determines how and in what way they are refined and raised, for “through Chochmah they are refined”; this is the craftsmanship that sets the stones.
In the analogy, the mitzvos supply the precious stones, the refined sparks that shine from their lofty root, while the Torah, as Chochmah, is the craft that sets them into a crown.
37וזהו שבכל ימי הספירה הוא בירור רפ״ח ניצוצים כנודע מענין עומר שעורים מאכל בהמה שם ב״ן כו׳
And this is why in all the days of the Counting [of the Omer] there is the refinement of the 288 sparks, as is known from the matter of the Omer of barley, animal food, the Name Ban, etc.;
During the forty-nine days of counting the Omer the 288 sparks are refined. The Omer offering is of barley, animal food, and בהמה (“animal”) has the numerical value of the Name Ban, 52, the level of what is to be refined.
ואח״כ בליל שבועות עוסקים בתשב״כ ותשבע״פ שבאמרו שכך כשר ואם לא כן פסול וכן בטהור וטמא אסור ומותר חייב וזכאי כו׳
and afterwards, on the night of Shavuos, one occupies oneself with the Written Torah and the Oral Torah, in which one says that so it is fit and if not it is unfit, and likewise with pure and impure, forbidden and permitted, liable and exempt, etc.;
Then, on the night of Shavuos, one studies the Written and Oral Torah, which rule what is fit or unfit, pure or impure, forbidden or permitted, liable or exempt.
דהיינו שבאופן זה דייקא יעלו הניצוצים ולא באופן אחר זהו ענין ציור הכתר והעטרה עד״מ והיינו ע״י התורה כו׳.
that is, that specifically in this way the sparks will ascend and not in another way: this is the matter of the design of the crown and diadem, by way of analogy, and this is through the Torah, etc.
Those rulings determine that the sparks rise in this way and no other: this is the design of the crown in the analogy, and it comes through the Torah.
אך היסוד והשרש לכ״ז הוא הקדוש הא׳ שהוא בחי׳ השרפים שהוא בחינת העלאת מ״ן במס״נ בק״ש שעי״ז הוא עליית הו׳ דקדוש שהוא ז״א דאצילות בקדש שהוא ח״ע לייחד מוחין דאו״א.
But the foundation and root of all this is the first Kadosh, which is the level of the Seraphim, the elevation of mayin nukvin through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in the Shema, through which is the ascent of the vav of Kadosh, which is Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, into Kodesh, which is the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), to unite the mochin of Abba and Imma.
But the foundation of it all is the first Kadosh of the Seraphim: the self-sacrifice of the Shema, which raises the vav of Kadosh, Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, into Kodesh, the higher Chochmah, to unite the mochin of Abba and Imma.
The Omer days refine the sparks, the study of Shavuos night sets them in their proper form, and all of it rests on the first Kadosh, the self-sacrifice of the Shema that brings about the union of Abba and Imma.
38ובחכמה דייקא אתברירו נמצא עי״ז דייקא עיקר שלימות בירור הרפ״ח ניצוצים ואז יכולים להמשיך מהם ועל ידם הכתר לע״ס דתיקון.
And it is specifically “through Chochmah that they are refined”; so it is specifically through this that the essential completion of the refinement of the 288 sparks comes about, and then one can draw from them and through them the Keser to the Ten Sefiros of Tikkun.
Since the sparks are refined specifically through Chochmah, the union reached by the first Kadosh is what completes their refinement, and only then can the Keser for the ten Sefiros of Tikkun be drawn from them.
וכאשר למטה מעלים מ״ן במס״נ כמ״כ נעשה למעלה שמתעלה הוא״ו דקדוש בקדש להמשיך יחוד העליון דאו״א.
And when below one raises mayin nukvin through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), so too it comes about Above that the vav of Kadosh rises into Kodesh, to draw down the supernal union of Abba and Imma.
Self-sacrifice below and the rising of the vav above correspond: when a person raises mayin nukvin below, the vav rises into Kodesh above and draws down the supernal union of Abba and Imma.
וכן להפך מלמעלה למטה שכשמתעלה למעלה הו׳ בקדש כו׳ כמ״כ נעשה למטה כו׳. וכמ״ש בביאור ע״פ ואהיה אצלו אמון בענין יעקב חבל נחלתו1 כו׳. (ועמ״ש סד״ה שה״ש):
And so in reverse, from above to below: when Above the vav rises into Kodesh, etc., so too it comes about below, etc. As is written in the explanation of the verse “And I was beside Him as a nursling,” on the matter of “Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance,” etc. (And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs.”)
It also works the other way, from above to below. The maamar on “And I was beside Him as a nursling” explains this through “Yaakov is the rope of His inheritance,” a rope that links the two ends.
The first Kadosh completes the refinement of the sparks through Chochmah, and the self-sacrifice below and the ascent of the vav above mirror each other in both directions.
Marei mekomos
- 1יעקב חבל נחלתו · Deuteronomy 32:9
The crown with which his mother crowned him ¶39–42
39ו והנה עפ״ז י״ל פי׳ הפסוק צאינה וראינה1 כו׳ בעטרה שעטרה לו אמו והוא ע״ד מ״ש במדרש פ׳ קדושים2 ס״פ כ״ד בענין ג״פ קדוש.
6. Now, according to this one may explain the verse “Go forth and see,” etc., “the crown with which his mother crowned him.” It is along the lines of what is said in the Midrash on Parshas Kedoshim, at the end of section 24, on the matter of the three times Kadosh:
Section 6 applies all this to the verse “Go forth and see, daughters of Zion, King Shlomo with the crown with which his mother crowned him.” The Midrash on Kedoshim speaks of the three times Kadosh as three crowns.
משל לבני מדינה שעשו שלש עטרות למלך.3 מה עשה המלך הניח בראשו אחת ושתים בראש בניו כך בכל יום העליונים מכתירים לפני הקב״ה שלש קדושות ואומרים קדוש קדוש קדוש.
“A parable of the people of a province who made three crowns for the king. What did the king do? He placed one on his own head and two on the heads of his sons. So every day the supernal beings crown before the Holy One, blessed be He, three sanctifications, saying ‘Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh.’
In the Midrash’s parable, the people of a province made three crowns for the king; he put one on his own head and two on his sons’ heads. So the angels crown G‑d each day with a threefold “Kadosh.”
מה הקב״ה עושה. נותן בראשו אחת ושתים בראשן של ישראל הה״ד כי קדוש אני והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים4 עכ״ל.
What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He puts one on His own head and two on the heads of Israel, as it is written, ‘For I am holy,’ ‘and you shall sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy.’” End of quote.
G‑d keeps one crown for Himself and gives two to Israel, as the verses “For I am holy” and “you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy” show. A Kehot note, citing the maamar VeNikdashti of 5725, observes that the Midrash as printed reads differently, but the Alter Rebbe counts the two crowns as “sanctify yourselves” and “be holy.”
פי׳ העטרה הא׳ שהקב״ה נותן בראשו הוא בחי׳ המשכת הכתר עליון דאצילות שלמעלה גם מהחכמה עילאה הנקרא ראשו עד״מ ונק׳ כתר זה רעוא דכל רעוין5
The meaning: the first crown, which the Holy One, blessed be He, puts on His own head, is the level of the drawing down of the supernal Keser of Atzilus, which is above even the higher Chochmah, which is called “His head,” by way of analogy; and this Keser is called “the will of all wills,”
The one crown on G‑d’s own head is the supernal Keser of Atzilus, above even the higher Chochmah, which is figuratively “His head.” This Keser is called “the will of all wills,” the innermost will.
והוא נמשך ע״י קדוש א׳ דהשרפים שהוא בחי׳ למס״נ באחד שעי״ז ממשיכים יחוד או״א אשר המשכה זו הוא ממקורא דכולא ממש ומשם נמשך במוחין דאו״א וזהו ענין נותן בראשו אחת.
and it is drawn down through the first Kadosh of the Seraphim, which is the level of self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in Echad, through which one draws down the union of Abba and Imma; for this flow is from “the source of all” itself, and from there it is drawn into the mochin of Abba and Imma. And this is the matter of “He puts one on His own head.”
It is drawn down through the first Kadosh of the Seraphim, the self-sacrifice of “Echad,” which brings about the union of Abba and Imma, a flow from the source of all, from which it is drawn into the mochin of Abba and Imma. This is the crown He “puts on His own head.”
The Midrash of the three crowns maps onto the three Kedushos: the crown G‑d keeps for Himself is the supernal Keser, “the will of all wills,” drawn by the self-sacrifice of the first Kadosh.
Marei mekomos
- 1צאינה וראינה · Song of Songs 3:11
- 2והוא ע״ד מ״ש במדרש פ׳ קדושים · ראה גם דרך מצותיך קנג, ב. ובאוה״ת נ״ך-ב ע׳ תשסא.
- 3משל לבני מדינה שעשו שלש עטרות למלך · Vayikra Rabbah 24:8
- 4הה״ד כי קדוש אני והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים · בד״ה ונקדשתי תשכ״ה הנ״ל העיר ”ולהעיר, דבמדרש שלפנינו איתא הה״ד דבר אל כל עדת בני ישראל קדושים תהיו והתקדישתם והייתם קדושים, דלכאורה מזה משמע דשתי העטרות שנתן בראשן של ישראל הם קדושים תהיו (שבסמיכות לכי קדוש אני) ווהתקדישתם והייתם קדושים (שנחשבים שניהם לעטרה אחת). אבל בלקו״ת מפרש דשתי העטרות שנתן בראשן של ישראל הם והתקדישתם והייתם קדושים, וקדושים תהיו (שבסמיכות לכי קדוש אני) אינה נמנית בהעטרות” ע״ש.
- 5רעוא דכל רעוין · Zohar II, 253b
40והשתים שנותן בראשן של ישראל היינו המשכת הב׳ כתרים לזו״נ שנמשכים ע״י התורה והמצות כנ״ל.
And the two that He puts on the heads of Israel are the drawing down of the two crowns to Z’eir Anpin and Nukva, which are drawn through the Torah and the mitzvos, as mentioned above.
The two crowns G‑d gives Israel are the two Kesarim drawn to Z’eir Anpin and Nukva through Torah and mitzvos, the second and third Kadosh.
ועיין בפי׳ הרמ״ז בזהר ר״פ שלח1 דקנ״ט ע״א גבי תלת עלמין אית ליה לקב״ה2 מה שפי׳ שם בענין ג׳ פעמים קדוש. והוא קרוב למשנ״ת כאן.
And see the commentary of the Ramaz on the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Shelach, folio 159, side a, regarding “The Holy One, blessed be He, has three worlds,” what he explains there on the matter of the three times Kadosh; and it is close to what has been explained here.
The Ramaz, in his commentary on the Zohar in Shelach, explains the Zohar’s “The Holy One, blessed be He, has three worlds” in terms of the three times Kadosh, and the Alter Rebbe notes that this is close to what he has explained here.
The two crowns given to Israel are the Kesarim of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva drawn through Torah and mitzvos, and the Ramaz’s explanation of the three worlds is similar.
Marei mekomos
- 1ועיין בפי׳ הרמ״ז בזהר ר״פ שלח · ראה לעיל ל, ג.
- 2תלת עלמין אית ליה לקב״ה · Zohar, Sh'lach 6:39–8:49
41והנה מבואר במ״א דמה שכנס״י נק׳ אמי זהו ע״י מס״נ באחד שמשם מקור התורה ועי״ז הוא ממשיך גילוי התורה.
Now, it is explained elsewhere that the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael) is called “My mother” through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) in Echad, from where is the source of the Torah; and through this it draws down the revelation of the Torah.
The Congregation of Israel is called “My mother” because of its self-sacrifice in “Echad”: there is the source of the Torah, and by it Israel draw down the Torah’s revelation.
ולכן נק׳ אמי אם הבנים1 שהיא היא המוליד הגילוי כו׳. ולכן נאמר בעטרה שעטרה לו אמו פי׳ שעטרה לו
Therefore it is called “My mother,” “the mother of children,” for it is what gives birth to the revelation, etc. And therefore it is said, “the crown with which his mother crowned him”: that is, “with which she crowned him”
So Israel is called “My mother,” “the mother of children,” the one who gives birth to revelation. Hence the verse speaks of “the crown with which his mother crowned him.”
היינו העטרה האחת שנותן בראשו וע״ז אמר הפייט2 יוקדש באחת משלש קדושות היא האחת המיוחדת שנמשך מבחי׳ כשנק׳ כנס״י אמי כנ״ל.
is the one crown that He puts on His own head. And of this the liturgical poet said, “He shall be sanctified with one of three sanctifications”: this is the one, the unique one, which is drawn from the level at which the Congregation of Israel is called “My mother,” as mentioned above.
That is the one crown G‑d places on His own head. The liturgical poet of the Rosh Hashanah prayers says G‑d is sanctified “with one of three sanctifications”: the unique one, drawn from the level at which Israel is called “My mother.”
Israel’s self-sacrifice in “Echad” makes it “My mother,” the source of the Torah’s revelation, and the crown “with which his mother crowned him” is the first and unique Kadosh.
Marei mekomos
- 1אם הבנים · Psalms 113:9
- 2אמר הפייט · יוצר יום א׳ דר״ה קודם קדושה של שחרית סד״ה מלך במשפט יעמיד ארץ. [כ].
42וע״ש הב׳ עטרות שנותן בראשן של ישראל דהיינו ע״י המצות והתורה נק׳ בתי ואחותי. וכמ״ש במ״א ע״פ רני ושמחי בת1 כו׳.
And on account of the two crowns that He puts on the heads of Israel, that is, through the mitzvos and the Torah, it is called “My daughter” and “My sister,” as is written elsewhere on the verse “Sing and rejoice, O daughter,” etc.
Through the two crowns given to Israel, by mitzvos and Torah, the Congregation of Israel is called “My daughter” and “My sister,” names that belong to the two lower crowns, as “My mother” belongs to the highest; a maamar on “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion” discusses this.
ולכן נאמר על עטרה זו שנותן בראשו צאינה וראינה. פי׳ צאינה מהכלי והגבול בבחינת בכל מאדך בלי גבול וע״ד מה שנת׳ במ״א בביאור ענין שם מ״ב שבפ׳ ראשונה דק״ש שעי״ז ממשיכים עטרה זו כו׳
Therefore it is said of this crown that He puts on His own head, “Go forth and see.” The meaning of “Go forth” is: from the vessel and the limit, in the manner of “with all your might,” without limit; and along the lines of what is explained elsewhere in the explanation of the matter of the Name of forty-two [letters] in the first section of the Shema, through which one draws down this crown, etc.,
That is why the verse says “Go forth and see” of the crown on G‑d’s own head: “go forth” from every vessel and limit, with the love “with all your might” that has no limit. The Name of forty-two letters, which the Kabbalists find in the first section of the Shema, draws this crown.
כנ״ל וגם כמ״ש במ״א דפי׳ צאינה היינו מן הלבושים שהנשמה מלובשת בג״ע כי היא למעלה מכח החכמה וההשגה כו׳ ע״ש:
as mentioned above. And also as is written elsewhere, that the meaning of “Go forth” is from the garments in which the soul is clothed in Gan Eden, for it is above the power of wisdom and comprehension, etc.; see there.
Another explanation, given elsewhere, is that “go forth” means leaving even the garments in which the soul is clothed in Gan Eden, for this crown is above wisdom and comprehension.
The two lower crowns make Israel “My daughter” and “My sister,” while the highest crown requires “going forth” beyond every limit, even the soul’s garments of comprehension in Gan Eden.
Marei mekomos
- 1רני ושמחי בת · Zechariah 2:14
Finished the maamar?
Mark it as learned; it counts toward the week and the year’s siyum.
In one’s avodah
Torah and mitzvos have their full effect only when built on the self-sacrifice of the Shema, which the maamar calls the foundation and root of all; through it a person draws new light from the Infinite One. Torah study must be done in self-nullification, without making “a void” of self-importance, and the physical mitzvos are to be valued because, being lowest, they are rooted highest.
Questions for discussion
- Why does the word Kadosh, with a vav, describe a higher state than Kodesh alone, and what does the vav stand for?
- Why can Torah and mitzvos draw down the union of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva but not, by themselves, the union of Abba and Imma?
- How does the analogy of a teacher’s thought and speech explain why every revelation is a contraction for G‑d?
- In what sense is Torah study higher than the practical mitzvos, and in what sense are the mitzvos higher?
- How do the three crowns of the Midrash correspond to the three Kedushos and to the names “My mother,” “My daughter” and “My sister”?
Key terms in this maamar
- Chochmah (wisdom)חכמה
- The first flash of insight. ×34
- Tiferes (beauty)תפארת
- Harmony of kindness and restraint; associated with compassion. ×9
- Yesod (foundation)יסוד
- The channel that connects and transmits. ×3
- Malchus (sovereignty)מלכות
- Kingship: the level through which G‑d's word creates and rules the worlds. ×2
- Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah)אבא ואמא
- The intellectual configurations.
- Binah (understanding)בינה
- Developing and grasping an insight in detail. ×13
- Self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh)מסירות נפש
- Giving oneself over entirely to G‑d.
- Nukva (the feminine / Malchus)נוקבא
- Malchus as the receiving configuration. ×1
- Z'eir Anpin (the emotive attributes)ז״א
- The six emotive Sefiros as one configuration.
- The Name Havayahהוי׳
- The Tetragrammaton: G‑d as transcending time and bringing all into being.
- The Infinite One (Ein Sof)אין סוף
- G‑d's own boundless essence.
- The World of Atzilus (Emanation)אצילות
- The highest world, still one with G‑d. ×37
- The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus)השתלשלות
- The step-by-step descent of divine light from the highest level down to this world. ×14
- The World of Beriah (Creation)בריאה
- The first world of separate existence. ×4
- The World of Yetzirah (Formation)יצירה
- The world of the angels and emotions. ×3
- The World of Asiyah (Action)עשיה
- The lowest world, including our physical one.
- Self-nullification (bittul)ביטול
- Setting aside one's own sense of self before G‑d. ×6
- The Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof)אור אין סוף
- G‑d's light as it is, beyond all limits, before any contraction.
- Keser (the Crown)כתר
- The level above intellect: divine will and delight. ×53
- The light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin)סובב כל עלמין
- Divine light too great to enter the worlds; it 'surrounds' them and affects them from beyond.
- The light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin)ממלא כל עלמין
- Divine light that enters each world and gives it life according to its measure.
- Tzimtzum (contraction)צמצום
- The self-concealment of the Infinite Light that makes room for finite worlds. ×9
- The emotive attributes (middos)מדות
- Love, awe, compassion and the rest. ×14
- The intellect (mochin)מוחין
- Chochmah, Binah and Daas as a whole. ×6
- The Name Elokimאלקים
- G‑d as concealed within nature, measuring and limiting. ×1
- The lower unity (yichuda tata'ah)יחודא תתאה
- G‑d is present within the world's existence.
- The higher unity (yichuda ila'ah)יחודא עילאה
- The world is nothing next to G‑d.
- The general and collective expression (klalus)כללות
- That which encompasses the particulars as one: their general and collective expression (the klal, as against the prat). Never “sum”, “sum total”, “totality” or “general principle”, as if the particulars were added up (וכללותן היא מצות הצדקה is “their general and collective expression is the mitzvah of charity”). Render by sense: “their general and collective expression”, “that which encompasses them all”, “X in general”, “X as a whole”. Keep התכללות as “inclusion” / “inter-inclusion”. ×2
- An arousal from belowאתערותא דלתתא
- Human initiative that draws down a divine response.
- Willרצון
- Desire; in G‑d, the level above intellect. ×14
- The Sefirosספירות
- The ten divine attributes through which G‑d relates to creation.
- The Shechinah (Divine Presence)שכינה
- G‑d's presence as it dwells in the world.
- Chesed (kindness)חסד
- Expansive giving. ×1
- Gevurah (restraint)גבורה
- Measure, limitation and judgment. ×1
- The inner dimension (pnimiyus)פנימיות
- The innermost core of a level.
- The outer dimension (chitzoniyus)חיצוניות
- The external, expressive aspect. ×2
- Kelipah (the husk)קליפה
- The forces of concealment that oppose holiness.
- Life-forceחיות
- The divine vitality that sustains every creation. ×6
- The Holy One, blessed be Heקב״ה