Likkutei Torah · Parshas Shelach · Maamar 2
ויאמרו אל כל עדת בני ישראל לאמר כו׳…
“And they said to the whole congregation of the Children of Israel” (Numbers 14:7)
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The big idea
The spies, rooted in the World of Thought, held that the mitzvos could be fulfilled in spirit alone. But the lights break through the vessels only when the highest level, the inner dimension of Keser, is drawn down, and it is drawn down only through physical deed in the Land, for “their beginning is wedged in their end.”
The maamar in brief
Why do Yehoshua and Calev say “very, very,” and why is the Land one that “flows” with milk and honey? The spies, rooted in Leah, the World of Thought, would not descend into the Land, the World of Speech, where the mitzvos are done. The mitzvos refine the sparks of Tohu fallen into nogah and draw the Infinite Light into their objects, but how can a human act do that? The Alter Rebbe explains Iggulim and Yosher, illustrated by a teacher and his student: from the concealed Iggulim come all the concealments, down to the vessels of Atzilus and the physical world. When a person subdues the sitra achra below, the vessels above stop hiding the lights, which break through: this is the mature intellect of milk and honey. The spies thought the mitzvos could be kept in thought, as Avraham kept the whole Torah, but the highest is clothed in the lowest, as a gesture conveys what words cannot. So the two “very”s are the hidden and revealed worlds, “If Havayah desires us” is the inner dimension of Keser, and the Jerusalem above is reached only through the Jerusalem below.
Outline
- The questions, and the spies’ rootWhy does the verse say “very” twice, and why is the Land one that “flows”? Etz Chaim traces the spies to Leah, the World of Thought, who would not lower themselves into the Land, the World of Speech, where the purpose is “to do,” to keep the mitzvos there.¶1–3
- What the mitzvos doThe Torah and mitzvos refine the 288 sparks of Tohu fallen into nogah: the prohibitions separate the good from the evil, and the positive mitzvos, done with an esrog or tzitzis exactly as the law requires, draw the Infinite Light into the refined object. But how can a human act draw down the Infinite Light?¶4–5
- Iggulim and Yosher, and the roots of concealmentThe Zohar’s “when the sitra achra is subdued” is explained through two modes of light: Iggulim, concealed and undivided, and Yosher, revealed and divided, illustrated by a teacher and his student and identified with Nefesh and Ruach. From the Iggulim come all the concealments: the chambers of love, awe and will, the vessels of Atzilus, and the physical world that seems to exist by itself.¶6–14
- The arousal from belowContemplating that G‑d renews creation every day removes the concealment within a person, and this arousal from below makes the vessels above stop hiding the lights. This is “You shall sanctify yourselves… for I, Havayah, am holy,” and the glory that “rises up in all the worlds,” the hidden and the revealed.¶15–19
- Milk and honeyMilk and honey are the chassadim and gevuros of mature intellect, the lights breaking through the vessels. “To do in the land” means to rectify the Land, so that through the mitzvos kept there it flows with this revelation.¶20
- The spies’ error and the doubled “very”The spies held that the mitzvos could be kept in thought, as Avraham fulfilled the whole Torah before it was given. But the highest is clothed in the lowest, as a gesture conveys what words cannot, so only deed makes the lights break through; the two times “very” are the hidden and the revealed worlds.¶21–25
- “If Havayah desires us”: Keser and the two JerusalemsDesire is the inner dimension of Keser, beyond all vessels, revealed through the Land. The “daughter,” the Jerusalem below, will rise to be “the crown of her husband,” and the Jerusalem above, thought, is reached only through the Jerusalem below.¶26–27
- Three levels and a fourthThe servant who keeps the mitzvos in deed will be “very high.” Jeremiah’s threefold “Heichal” and “land” are the two Jerusalems of Atzilus and the physical Jerusalem: thought, speech and action. The generation of the desert accepted only the first two, but the deed reveals a fourth level above all three, the supernal Kodesh.¶28–31
Key concepts
- The World of Thought and the World of Speechעולם המחשבה ועולם הדבור
- Leah and Rachel in the Kabbalah. The spies, rooted in the World of Thought, refused to descend into the World of Speech, Malchus of Atzilus, where the mitzvos are done in speech and deed.
- Iggulim and Yosherעגולים ויושר
- Two modes of divine light. Iggulim (Circles) are concealed and undivided, the root of every concealment; Yosher (Uprightness) is revealed and divided among the Sefiros, each in its own vessel. They are also the levels of Nefesh and Ruach.
- The lights breaking through the vesselsבקיעת האורות את הכלים
- The aim of the mitzvos: that the vessels no longer limit and hide the lights, so that they are revealed below as they are.
- Mature intellectמוחין דגדלות
- The revelation of the lights, the opposite of the contraction of immature intellect. Milk and honey are its chassadim and gevuros, which the Land “makes flow.”
- Their beginning is wedged in their endנעוץ תחלתן בסופן
- From Sefer Yetzirah: the highest is bound to the lowest. So the highest light is clothed specifically in physical deed, as a hint conveys what words cannot.
- Desire and willחפיצה ורצון
- Desire (chafitzah) is the inner dimension of Keser, the delight within the will; will (ratzon) is its outer dimension. “If Havayah desires us” is the revelation of that inner dimension, beyond all vessels.
- The Jerusalem below and the Jerusalem aboveירושלים של מטה וירושלים של מעלה
- The “daughter” and the “mother”: speech and thought, the lower and the upper hei. The Jerusalem above is reached only through the Jerusalem below, and the physical Jerusalem of this world is a third level, that of action.
The questions, and the spies’ root ¶1–3
“And they said to the whole congregation of the Children of Israel, saying,” etc., “The land is very, very good. If Havayah desires us,
The maamar opens with the words Yehoshua and Calev spoke to the people after the spies’ report: the land they had toured is “very, very good,” and if G‑d desires them He will bring them into it.
והביא אותנו אל הארץ הזאת ונתנה לנו ארץ2 אשר היא זבת חלב ודבש. הנה להבין ענין דקדוק לשון הכתוב במה שאמר מאד מאד שני פעמים.
He will bring us to this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.” Now, [we need] to understand the matter of the precise wording of the verse, in that it says “very” (me’od) two times: “very, very.”
The Alter Rebbe asks why the verse doubles the word “very” (me’od me’od), when once would seem enough. The answer comes in section 4, where the two “very”s are tied to two kinds of supernal worlds.
The verse of Yehoshua and Calev is quoted, and the first question is posed: why does it say “very” twice?
Marei mekomos
- 1
- 2
2וכן ארץ אשר היא זבת כו׳. יש להקדים שרש ענין המעשה דמרגלים למעלה במה שלא רצו ליכנס לארץ ישראל וגינו אותה כו׳.
And likewise, “a land that flows,” etc. [To explain this,] we must first preface [an explanation of] the root, above, of the episode of the spies: that they did not want to enter the Land of Israel, and disparaged it, etc.
A second phrase also needs explaining: “a land that flows with milk and honey.” Before answering, the Alter Rebbe sets out the spiritual root of the spies’ refusal to enter the Land and of their speaking against it.
הנה מבואר בע״ח דשרש המרגלים הוא מבחי׳ עולם המחשב׳ הנק׳ לאה כי הם היו מדור המדבר שנקראו דור דעה
Now, it is explained in Etz Chaim that the root of the spies is from the level of the World of Thought, which is called Leah. For they were of the generation of the desert, who were called “the generation of knowledge” (dor de’ah);
In the Arizal’s teaching, Leah and Rachel are two feminine configurations: Leah stands for the hidden “World of Thought” and Rachel for the revealed “World of Speech.” The spies, like the whole desert generation, were rooted in Leah, the level of thought; that is why that generation is called “the generation of knowledge.”
ועל כן לא רצו להשפיל א״ע ליכנס לארץ ישראל שהוא מבחי׳ עולם הדבור הנק׳ רחל.
and therefore they did not want to lower themselves to enter the Land of Israel, which is from the level of the World of Speech, which is called Rachel.
Rooted in thought, they did not want to “lower themselves” into the Land of Israel, which corresponds to Rachel, the World of Speech. Entering the Land meant coming down from the level of thought to the level of speech and deed.
The spies’ refusal to enter the Land is traced to its root above: they belonged to the World of Thought (Leah) and did not want to descend to the World of Speech (Rachel), which the Land represents.
3ולהבין ביאור הדברים הללו בהיות ידוע שעיקר המצוה בכניסת א״י הוא כמ״ש לעשות בארץ כו׳.
To understand the explanation of these things: it is known that the main point of the mitzvah in entering the Land of Israel is as it is written, “to do in the land,” etc.,
To explain the spies’ root, the Alter Rebbe first states the purpose of entering the Land, in the Torah’s phrase “to do in the land.” The Land is a place for doing.
דהיינו לקיים שם התורה והמצות כי יש כמה מצות שתלוי׳ בארץ דוקא כמו בנין בית המקדש ודומיהן כו׳.
that is, to fulfill the Torah and the mitzvos there. For there are a number of mitzvos that depend on the Land specifically, such as the building of the Beis HaMikdash, and the like, etc.
Some mitzvos can be fulfilled only in the Land of Israel, such as building the Beis HaMikdash (the Holy Temple). So entering the Land is bound up with keeping the Torah and mitzvos in practice.
Entering the Land is defined by its purpose, to fulfill the mitzvos in deed there, which frames the question of why practical action matters so much.
What the mitzvos do ¶4–5
The explanation is this. The main point of the Torah and the mitzvos is “to distinguish between the pure and the impure”: that is, the level of
The Alter Rebbe now explains what the mitzvos accomplish. The Torah’s phrase “to distinguish between the pure and the impure” describes the main work of the Torah and mitzvos: sorting and separating.
ברורים לברר הטוב מן הרע שעל ידי השבירה דמלכין קדמאין דתהו נפלו רפ״ח ניצוצין2 דתהו ונתלבשו בנוגה להיות מעורבי׳ טו״ר כידוע והם צריכים עלייה
refinements (beirurim), to refine the good from the evil. For through the shattering of the primordial kings of Tohu, two hundred and eighty-eight sparks of Tohu fell and became enclothed in nogah, so that they are a mixture of good and evil, as is known; and they need an ascent.
Beirurim (“refinements”) is the Kabbalistic term for separating good from evil. In the Arizal’s teaching, the “primordial kings” of the world of Tohu (chaos) shattered, and 288 sparks of holiness fell into nogah, the realm where good and evil are mixed; these sparks must be raised back up.
והיינו ע״י שיתבררו ויופרדו תחלה מן הרע הקשור בהם ואז יהיו יכולים אחר כך להתעלות למעלה למקור שרשן
This comes about through their first being refined and separated from the evil that is bound up with them; and then, afterwards, they will be able to ascend on high, to the source of their root.
Raising a spark has two stages. First it must be separated from the evil bound up with it; only then can it rise to its source.
והוא ענין המצות מעשיות מ״ע ומל״ת שע״י הל״ת נפרד הטוב מן הרע וע״י העשיה הוא בחי׳ עליית הטוב למעלה כו׳.
And this is the matter of the practical mitzvos, the positive commandments and the prohibitive commandments: through the prohibitions the good is separated from the evil, and through the doing there is the ascent of the good on high, etc.
The two stages match the two kinds of practical mitzvos. The prohibitions separate the good from the evil, and the positive commandments, which are done, raise the good upward.
דהיינו עד״מ כשעושה איזה מצוה כגון שנוטל אתרוג לנענע3 בו או צמר ועושה ממנו ציצית שהאתרוג והצמר הם מבחי׳ נוגה שהטוב מעורב שם ברע וכשעושה בו המצוה הרי הוא ממשיך בו השראת אור א״ס ונכלל הטוב
That is, for example, when one does some mitzvah, such as taking an esrog to wave it, or [taking] wool and making tzitzis from it: the esrog and the wool are from the level of nogah, where the good is mixed with the evil; and when one does the mitzvah with it, he draws into it the indwelling of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), and the good
An esrog or wool, like every physical thing, belongs to nogah, where good and evil are mixed. When a person waves the esrog or makes tzitzis from the wool, he draws the Infinite Light to dwell in that object.
(דניצוצות דתהו שנתלבש בתוך האתרוג והצמר על ידי השבירה) באור א״ס הנמשך ע״י המצוה הזאת.
(of the sparks of Tohu that became enclothed within the esrog and the wool through the shattering) is included in the Infinite Light that is drawn down through this mitzvah.
The parenthesis identifies the good in question: the sparks of Tohu that became enclothed in the esrog and the wool through the shattering. Through the mitzvah they are absorbed into the Infinite Light that the mitzvah draws down.
ואמנם זה אינו כ״א כשנתברר תחלה ונפרד מן הרע ונעשה בחי׳ כלי להשראת אור א״ס אזי ע״י שיעשה המצוה ימשיך אור א״ס להיות שורה בו ועי״ז יתכלל בו כו׳.
However, this is only when it has first been refined and separated from the evil, and has attained the level of a vessel for the indwelling of the Infinite Light. Then, through his doing the mitzvah, he will draw down the Infinite Light to dwell in it, and through this it will be included in it, etc.
This works only after the object has been refined and separated from evil, so that it can serve as a vessel for the Infinite Light. Then the mitzvah draws the light into it, and the spark within it is absorbed into that light.
The purpose of the Torah and mitzvos is defined as refining the fallen sparks of Tohu: the prohibitions separate the good from the evil, and the positive mitzvos draw the Infinite Light into the refined object and raise its good into that light.
The number 288 (רפ״ח) is the Arizal’s count of the sparks that fell in the shattering of the vessels of Tohu. Kehot’s note points out that another version of this discourse, in Sefer HaMaamarim 5567, gives the shofar and the sukkah as its examples.
Marei mekomos
- 1להבדיל בין הטהור ובין הטמא · Leviticus 11:47
- 2רפ״ח ניצוצין · ראה סה״מ תקס״ה ע׳ תרמב.
- 3אתרוג לנענע · בסה״מ תקס״ז ע׳ רכז: מביא הדוגמא משופר וסוכה.
5והוא ענין דקדוקי המצות להיות האתרוג כך וכך דוקא ובאם שחיסר בו אחת מדקדוקיו הוא פסול.
And this is the matter of the fine details of the mitzvos: that the esrog must be such-and-such specifically, and if one of its details is lacking in it, it is invalid.
This also explains why the mitzvos have so many exact requirements: an esrog must meet specific criteria, and if one of them is missing it is invalid (pasul).
וכן הציצית אם חסר חוט א׳ הם פסולים דהיינו שאינם בחי׳ כלי להשראת אלקות ועכ״פ מובן מזה שעיקר התורה והמצות הוא לברר הטוב מן הרע שנתערב על ידי השבירה להפרידו מהרע ולהעלותו לשרשו כו׳.
Likewise the tzitzis: if one thread is missing, they are invalid; that is, they are not at the level of a vessel for the indwelling of G‑dliness. At any rate, it is understood from this that the main point of the Torah and the mitzvos is to refine the good from the evil with which it became mixed through the shattering, to separate it from the evil and to raise it up to its root, etc.
Tzitzis missing even one thread are invalid as well. In the terms used above, an invalid object is not a vessel in which G‑dliness can dwell, which confirms that the heart of the mitzvos is refining the good that the shattering mixed with evil and raising it to its root.
אך באמת אין זה מובן האיך יגרום האדם בחי׳ השראת אור א״ס ע״י שעושה המצוה
But in truth this is not understood: how can a person bring about the indwelling of the Infinite Light by doing the mitzvah?
Now the Alter Rebbe raises the real difficulty. How can a human act cause the Infinite Light to dwell in an object?
כי מה שייכות והתחברות יש לו לאלקות על ידי שלובש התפילין ומתעטף בציצית לגרום עי״ז המשכת אור א״ס או לגרום הפרדת הטוב מן הרע על ידי שהוא סור מרע כו׳:
For what relation and connection does he have with G‑dliness through putting on the tefillin and wrapping himself in tzitzis, that he should thereby bring about a drawing down of the Infinite Light? Or that he should bring about the separation of the good from the evil through his “turning away from evil,” etc.?
What connection does a person have with G‑dliness, that putting on tefillin or wrapping oneself in tzitzis should draw down the Infinite Light, or that turning away from evil should separate good from evil above? The rest of the maamar answers this question.
The detailed laws of the mitzvos confirm the account of refinement, and the central question is posed: how can a finite human action draw down the Infinite Light?
Iggulim and Yosher, and the roots of concealment ¶6–14
2. But the matter will be understood in light of what is written in the Zohar: “When the sitra achra (the other side) is subdued, the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up in all the worlds.”
Section 2 begins the answer with a teaching of the Zohar: when the sitra achra, the side opposed to holiness, is subdued, the glory of G‑d rises up in all the worlds. A person’s self-mastery below thus has an effect above.
דהנה ידוע שיש שני בחי׳ בכללות ההשתלשלות העולמות והם הנק׳ עגולים ויושר והם ג״כ בחי׳ נפש ורוח כידוע.4
For it is known that in the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) as a whole there are two levels, which are called Iggulim (Circles) and Yosher (Uprightness); and they are also the levels of Nefesh and Ruach, as is known.
To explain this, the Alter Rebbe introduces two modes of divine light found throughout the chain of worlds: Iggulim (“circles”) and Yosher (“upright,” the straight line). They are also linked with Nefesh and Ruach, the two lower levels of the soul.
The Zohar’s teaching on subduing the sitra achra is offered as the key to the question, and the two modes of light, Iggulim and Yosher, are introduced in order to explain it.
Marei mekomos
- 1שכתוב בזהר · ע׳ זח״ב (קכח, ב. קפד, א). [כ].
- 2כד אתכפייא סט״א אסתלק יקרא דקוב״ה בכולהו עלמין · Zohar, Terumah 6:38–7:45
- 3כד אתכפייא סט״א אסתלק יקרא דקוב״ה בכולהו עלמין · Zohar, Tetzaveh 10:83–11:92
- 4בחי׳ נפש ורוח כידוע · נתבאר בדרך מצותיך קסא, א. אוה״ת שמות-ז ע׳ ב׳תצג ואילך. וראה גם מאמרי אדה״ז-ענינים ע׳ שנב. ובארוכה בסה״מ תרס״ה ע׳ קנז.
7וההפרש ביניהם הוא דבבחי׳ עגולים האורות הם כלולים שם בהתכללות בבחי׳ העלם מבלי התחלקות לפרטי פרטיות בבחי׳ גילוי ועל כן נקרא בחי׳ עגולים כמו שהעיגול הוא בהשוואה אחת ואין בו התחלקות כו׳.
The difference between them is that in the level of Iggulim the lights are included there in inter-inclusion, in a state of concealment, without division into minute particulars in a state of revelation. Therefore it is called the level of Iggulim: just as a circle is of one evenness, and there is no division in it, etc.
In Iggulim the lights are merged together and hidden, not yet divided into distinct, revealed particulars. That is why it is called “circles”: a circle is the same all the way around, with no point different from any other.
Iggulim is defined: light that is concealed and undivided, uniform like a circle.
8ובחי׳ היושר הוא כשמתגלים האורות ומתחלקים לפרטי פרטיות להיות כלולים מיו״ד ויו״ד מיו״ד כו׳. והמשל בזה הוא כמו העילה שמקיף את העלול וכוללו
The level of Yosher is when the lights are revealed and divide into minute particulars, so that they are comprised of ten, and [each of the] ten of ten, etc. The analogy for this is like the cause, which encompasses the effect and includes it:
In Yosher the lights are revealed and divided into many particulars: each comprises ten, and each of those ten again comprises ten. Iggulim relates to Yosher as a cause relates to its effect, containing and encompassing everything in it.
דהיינו כמו עד״מ הרב שמשפיע שכל לתלמידו1 שכאשר צריך להשפיע השכל אליו מצטרך לירד ממדרגתו ולצמצם את שכלו לעיין על כלי השגת התלמיד כו׳
that is, by way of analogy, like a teacher who imparts an idea to his student. When he needs to impart the idea to him, he must come down from his level and contract his intellect, attending to the vessels of the student’s comprehension, etc.,
The analogy is a teacher who wants to convey an idea to a student. He must step down from his own level and narrow his thinking, attending to what the student is able to grasp.
ומשפיע השכל לפי ערכו אכן בעצמות שכלו הרי הוא כולל כל שכל של התלמיד מראשו לסופו.
and he imparts the idea according to [the student’s] measure. Yet in the essence of his intellect, he includes the whole of the student’s intellect, from its beginning to its end.
He conveys the idea at the student’s level, yet his own understanding already contains everything the student will grasp of it, from beginning to end.
Yosher is defined as revealed, differentiated light, and the analogy of teacher and student is introduced to show how the general contains the particulars.
The Kehot note records that this analogy of teacher and student is quoted in the Alter Rebbe’s name in the Tzemach Tzedek’s Or HaTorah (Nach, vol. 1, p. 670).
Marei mekomos
- 1כמו עד״מ הרב שמשפיע שכל לתלמידו · ראה אוה״ת נ״ך-א ע׳ תרע ב׳ ענינים בזה. דרושים לסוכות ע׳ א׳תשכא. פ׳ וזאת הברכה ע׳ א׳תתמו. המשל מובא בשם אדה״ז באוה״ת נ״ך-א ע׳ תרע. וראה גם ד״ה שמח תשמח תרנ״ז ע׳ רלט.
9וגם ההשפעה שמשפיע להתלמיד שהיא באמת כציור ואופן שכל של התלמיד הרי היא כלולה בשכל של הרב בסקירה אחת בלתי התחלקות לחלקים והנה גם אחר שנמשכה מהרב להתלמיד
And even the influence that he imparts to the student, which in truth is in the form and manner of the student’s intellect, is included in the teacher’s intellect in a single glance, without division into parts. Now, even after it has been drawn from the teacher to the student,
Even the version of the idea fitted to the student’s mind already exists in the teacher’s mind, held all at once in a single glance, not divided into parts. This undivided holding of all the details corresponds to Iggulim.
הנה בתחלת השגתו אזי שכל התלמיד הוא מוקף עד״מ מאור אותו השכל ששופע לו מהרב ואור אותו השכל עודף על שכל התלמיד והשגתו ומקיפו מכל צד.
at the beginning of his comprehension the student’s intellect is, by way of analogy, encompassed by the light of that idea which flows to him from the teacher; and the light of that idea exceeds the student’s intellect and comprehension, and encompasses it on every side.
When the idea first reaches the student it is larger than his grasp: its light surrounds his mind from every side instead of entering it. This is what “encompassing” light means.
The teacher’s all-inclusive grasp, and the student’s first encounter with an idea that surrounds his mind, illustrate the encompassing quality of Iggulim.
10וביאור הענין היינו כי התלמיד בתחלת קבלתו השכל הנשפע לו אינו משיג השכל לעומקו עדיין
The explanation of the matter is this: at the beginning of his receiving the idea imparted to him, the student does not yet grasp the idea in its depth;
When the student first receives the idea, he does not yet grasp its depth.
דהיינו שהשגתו השכל הוא רק דרך כלל בלתי התחלקות לעמוד על כל חלקי השכל והסברו׳ כל דבר בפ״ע.
that is, his grasp of the idea is only in a general way, without division, [so as] to fully comprehend all the parts of the idea and the explanations, each thing by itself.
His understanding is only general: he cannot yet tell apart each part of the idea and each line of reasoning on its own. This general, undivided grasp is what the analogy calls “encompassing.”
The student’s first, general grasp of an idea is described, explaining why the idea is still said to “surround” his mind.
11וע״כ כללות אותו השכל הוא מקיף לשכל התלמיד בבחי׳ מקיף לבד עדיין ובלתי התחלקות. וזהו משל לבחי׳ ע״ס דעגולים.
Therefore that idea as a whole still encompasses the student’s intellect in the manner of an encompassing [light] alone, without division. And this is an analogy for the level of the Ten Sefiros of Iggulim.
Because the student does not yet grasp it, the idea as a whole remains “around” his mind, undivided. This is the analogy for the Ten Sefiros of Iggulim.
אמנם הנה אחר כך כשמתבונן התלמיד בשפע השכל וירד לעומקו וישיגו היטב אז יהיה אדרבה שכלו מקיף לאותו שפע השכל שיכנס בו שפע השכל בבחי׳ אור פנימי ממש שישיגנו יפה
But afterwards, when the student contemplates the flow of the idea, goes down into its depth and grasps it well, then, on the contrary, his intellect will encompass that flow of the idea: the flow of the idea will enter into it as an actual inner light, for he will grasp it well,
Once he studies the idea in depth, the relation reverses: now his mind “encompasses” the idea, and the idea enters him as a true inner light.
וגם יעמוד על כל חלקי הסברות שבו כל אחד על מכונה בפ״ע ולא בדרך כלל לבד והוא עד״מ בחי׳ יושר
and he will also fully comprehend all the parts of the reasonings within it, each one in its proper place, by itself, and not only in a general way. And this is, by way of analogy, the level of Yosher,
He now understands each argument in its proper place, separately and not only in general. This differentiated understanding is the analogy for Yosher.
שהוא בחי׳ או״פ [ועמ״ש עוד מענין לא קאים אינש אדעתיה דרביה1 עד ארבעים שנין בדרוש בגדי לבן דכה״ג בביאור ע״פ כי ביום הזה יכפר].23
which is the level of inner light (Or Pnimi). [And see further what is written on the matter of “A person does not grasp the mind of his teacher until forty years,” in the discourse on the white garments of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), in the Biur on “For on this day He shall atone.”]
Yosher is therefore the level of inner light (Or Pnimi). The bracket points to the Talmud’s saying that a student does not fully grasp his teacher’s mind until forty years, discussed in the Biur on “For on this day He shall atone” in Likkutei Torah, Acharei.
The analogy is completed: an idea that still surrounds the mind stands for Iggulim, encompassing light, and an idea absorbed in all its particulars stands for Yosher, inner light.
Kehot’s note cites Sefer HaMaamarim 5665, where the understanding a student reaches after forty years is explained as coming from the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the intellect.
Marei mekomos
- 1לא קאים אינש אדעתי׳ דרבי׳ · Avodah Zarah 5b:2
- 2בביאור ע״פ כי ביום הזה יכפר · לקו״ת אחרי כח, ד.
- 3כי ביום הזה יכפר · Leviticus 16:30
12ולכן נקרא עגולים בחי׳ נפש ויושר הוא בחינת רוח1 שהוא2 מעלה ומדרגה עליונה מבחי׳ נפש ובא אחר כך וכענין מוחין דגדלות שבא אחר מוחין דקטנות
Therefore Iggulim is called the level of Nefesh, and Yosher is the level of Ruach, which is a higher quality and degree than the level of Nefesh and comes afterwards, like the matter of the mature intellect (mochin degadlus), which comes after the immature intellect (mochin dekatnus);
Iggulim corresponds to Nefesh and Yosher to Ruach, a higher level that comes later. The comparison is to the development of the mind: “immature intellect” (mochin dekatnus) comes first and “mature intellect” (mochin degadlus) afterwards, just as the student first grasps an idea in general and only later in detail.
וכמ״ש בזהר ח״ב צ״ד ב׳ בר נש כד אתיילד יהבין ליה נפשא3 כו׳ זכה יתיר יהבין ליה רוחא45 כו׳ (וכמ״ש בע״ח שער עגולים ויושר ענף ג׳).
and as it is written in the Zohar, Part II, 94b: “When a person is born, they give him a Nefesh, etc. If he merits more, they give him a Ruach,” etc. (And as is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Iggulim VeYosher, Branch 3.)
The Zohar teaches that every person receives a Nefesh at birth, and a Ruach only if he merits more; so Ruach is the higher, later level. Etz Chaim, in its gate on Iggulim and Yosher, likewise says that the Ten Sefiros of Yosher are the level called Ruach.
והנה ממשל זה יובן למשכיל למעלה ענין העגולים ויושר דבחי׳ העגולים הוא שאורות עליונים הנמשכים מן המאציל ית׳ אינן נגלים עדיין בבחי׳ גילוי
Now, from this analogy the discerning will understand the matter of Iggulim and Yosher above. The level of Iggulim is that the supernal lights drawn from the Emanator, may He be blessed, are not yet manifest in a state of revelation,
Now the analogy is applied above. In Iggulim, the supernal lights drawn from G‑d, “the Emanator,” are not yet openly revealed.
רק הם בבחי׳ העלם והם כלולים יחד בלתי התחלקות לפרטיות להיות דבר בפני עצמו כח החכמה בפ״ע וכח החסד בפ״ע כו׳
They exist in concealment, merged together, without each power standing as a distinct thing: Chochmah is not yet separate as Chochmah, nor Chesed as Chesed.
אלא הם כלולים ומוקפים יחד בהשוואה אחת והיינו מפני שאינו בבחי׳ גילוי רק בבחי׳ העלם.
rather, they are included and encompassed together in one evenness. And this is because it is not in a state of revelation, but only in a state of concealment.
Instead they are contained together in one uniform state, because they are concealed rather than revealed. Distinction comes only with revelation.
ובחי׳ יושר הוא בחי׳ האורות כשהם יורדים ומתגלים שאז הם בבחי׳ התחלקות כל ספי׳ בפ״ע החכמה מיוחדת בכלי בפ״ע והבינה בפ״ע והיינו מפני שנתלבשו בכלים ונמשכו בבחי׳ גילוי כו׳
The level of Yosher is the level of the lights when they descend and are revealed, for then they are in a state of division, each Sefirah by itself: Chochmah distinct, in a vessel of its own, and Binah by itself. And this is because they have become enclothed in vessels and have been drawn forth in a state of revelation, etc.
In Yosher the lights descend and are revealed, and so each Sefirah stands by itself in its own vessel, Chochmah in one and Binah in another. The division comes from their being enclothed in vessels and revealed.
(וגם הם בבחי׳ התכללות שמתכללים זה עם זה כמו אברי האדם שאע״פ שהן רמ״ח אברים מכל מקום מתקשרים זה עם זה שגידי המוח יש ברגל כו׳
(Yet they are also in a state of inter-inclusion, for they are included in one another, like the limbs of a person: although they are two hundred and forty-eight limbs, they are nevertheless bound to one another, for the sinews of the brain are in the foot, etc.,
The parenthesis adds that even in Yosher the Sefiros are inter-included, like the 248 limbs of the body. Each limb is distinct, yet they are bound together, as the nerves from the brain reach the foot.
והרי הן אדם אחד ועמ״ש בפ׳ נח בדרוש דור הפלגה6 בענין ההפרש בין נקודים לברודים ועמ״ש בפ׳ שמות ע״פ מי שם פה לאדם).78
and so they are one person. And see what is written in Parshas Noach, in the discourse on the generation of the Dispersion, on the matter of the difference between Nekudim and Berudim; and see what is written in Parshas Shemos on the verse “Who has given a mouth to man?”)
Together the limbs make up one person. The cross-references are to Torah Ohr: Noach, on Nekudim (the stage where each Sefirah was a separate point) and Berudim (where the Sefiros are interconnected), and Shemos, on “Who has given a mouth to man?”
והנה שני בחינות הללו עיגולים ויושר הם נמצאים בכל העולמות מריש כל דרגין עד סוף כל דרגין
Now, these two levels, Iggulim and Yosher, are found in all the worlds, from the head of all levels to the end of all levels:
Iggulim and Yosher are not confined to one world. They exist at every level, from the very highest to the very lowest.
דהיינו לפני אצילות ובאצילות עד בחי׳ עשר ספירות דעגולים דעשיה וע״ס דיושר דעשיה וכללות ענינם הוא כנ״ל שהעגולים המה האורות כשהם נעלמים וכלולים בהתכללות מבלי התחלקות כו׳.
that is, before the World of Atzilus (Emanation) and in Atzilus, down to the level of the Ten Sefiros of Iggulim of the World of Asiyah (Action) and the Ten Sefiros of Yosher of Asiyah. And their matter in general is as mentioned above: the Iggulim are the lights when they are concealed and included in inter-inclusion, without division, etc.
This holds above Atzilus, within Atzilus, and down to the Ten Sefiros of Iggulim and of Yosher in Asiyah, the lowest world. Everywhere, Iggulim means lights that are concealed and merged without division.
Iggulim and Yosher are identified with Nefesh and Ruach and defined in the supernal realms: Iggulim is concealed, undivided light; Yosher is revealed light, divided among the Sefiros yet still inter-included; and both exist at every level of the worlds.
Kehot’s note takes up how Iggulim can be called the lower level of Nefesh when, as encompassing lights, they seem higher. The Tzemach Tzedek in Or HaTorah answers that the Nefesh of Iggulim has a higher root than the Ruach of Yosher because it is encompassing, while Likkutei Torah, Nasso explains the other side: the root of Yosher is higher, like the point around which the whole circle turns.
Marei mekomos
- 1עגולים בחי׳ נפש ויושר הוא בחינת רוח · ראה אוה״ת ענינים ע׳ ער דשם מבאר באופן אחר. והצ״צ מציין שם ”וצ״ע דידוע שעגולים הוא בחי׳ נפש ויושר הוא בחי׳ רוח”. אבל באוה״ת שמות-ז ע׳ ב׳תצג מתרץ ”ומ״ש בע״ח דהעגולים הוא בחי׳ נפש ויושר הוא בחי׳ רוח, עכ״ז בחי׳ הנפש דעגולים שרשו גבוה יותר מבחי׳ הרוח דיושר כו׳ להיותו בחי׳ מקיפים” ע״ש. ובאוה״ת פ׳ תרומה ע׳ א׳תעא מוסיף ”וכמו שהצומח בשרש גבוה מהמדבר”, ובדרך מצותיך קסא, א מבאר ”עגולים הוא שהכלים הם קטנים ולכך נק׳ בחי׳ נפש לבד . . משא״כ ביושר שהוא בחי׳ רוח החשוב מן הנפש והכלים רחבים יותר לכן שם לא הי׳ שבירה” ע״ש. וראה לעיל נשא כד, ד דשם מפרש שרש היושר גבוה מהעיגולים.
- 2עגולים בחי׳ נפש ויושר הוא בחינת רוח שהוא · Sefer Etz Chaim 1:3
- 3כד אתיילד יהבין לי׳ נפשא · ”שזה יש בכל אחד ואחד” — סה״מ תרס״ה ע׳ קנח.
- 4זכה יתיר יהבין לי׳ רוחא · ”שצריכין ע״ז זכות” — סה״מ תרס״ה ע׳ קנח.
- 5בר נש כד אתיילד יהבין ליה נפשא כו׳ זכה יתיר יהבין ליה רוחא · Zohar, Mishpatim 2:4–13
- 6בפ׳ נח בדרוש דור הפלגה · תו״א
- 7בפ׳ שמות ע״פ מי שם פה לאדם · תו״א נב, א.
- 8מי שם פה לאדם · Exodus 4:11
13ומהם הוא שנמשכו כל ההעלמות וההסתרות שנעלם ונסתר בחי׳ חיות האלקות היורד להחיות הנבראים ואינו נתגלה לנבראים רק בצמצום כו׳.
And it is from them that all the concealments and hidings are drawn, whereby the G‑dly life-force that descends to give life to the created beings is concealed and hidden, and is revealed to the created beings only in tzimtzum (contraction), etc.
From the Iggulim come all the concealments of the divine life-force. Because of them, the life-force that gives life to created beings reaches them only in a contracted, hidden form.
וכמ״ש בע״ח שיש בחי׳ היכלות למעלה יש היכלות דאהוי״ר ויש היכלות הרצון וכללות ענין ההיכל הוא שמעלים את בחי׳ האור והחיות ומסתירו שלא יתגלה לנבראים
As is written in Etz Chaim, there are chambers (heichalos) above: there are chambers of love and awe, and there are chambers of will. And the matter of a chamber in general is that it conceals the light and life-force and hides it, so that it should not be revealed to the created beings
Etz Chaim speaks of heichalos (“chambers”) above: chambers of love and awe, and chambers of will. A chamber, in general, is what conceals the light and life-force so that it is not revealed to the created beings.
כמו שהוא בעצמו אלא מתצמצם כפי שיעור יכולת כלי הנברא להכיל אורו שאילו היה מתגלה יותר מכדי המדה היה מתבטל ממציאותו לגמרי.
as it is in itself, but rather it is contracted according to the measure of the capacity of the created being’s vessel to contain its light. For if it were revealed beyond the measure, [the created being] would be nullified out of its existence entirely.
The chamber lets the light through only in the measure that a created being’s vessel can hold. If more were revealed, the created being would be completely nullified and cease to exist as a separate being.
The concealments that make created existence possible are traced to the Iggulim, and the Kabbalistic “chambers” are defined as concealments that limit the light to what creatures can bear.
14וכדי להיות התהוות בחי׳ אהבה מוגבלת בנבראים שהוא בחי׳ מחנה מיכאל וכן יראה מוגבלת במחנה גבריאל כו׳
In order for there to come into being, in the created beings, a limited love, which is the level of the camp of Michael, and likewise a limited awe in the camp of Gavriel, etc.,
Created beings have limited emotions: the angels of the camp of Michael serve with a limited love, and those of the camp of Gavriel with a limited awe.
מבחי׳ האור והחיות הנמשך מאור א״ס ית׳ שהוא בלתי מוגבל הוא דווקא ע״י צמצום והעלם האור כידוע.
from the light and life-force that is drawn from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), may He be blessed, which is unlimited, it is specifically through a contraction and concealment of the light, as is known.
The light that comes from the Infinite Light is unlimited. A limited love or awe can therefore arise from it only through a contraction and concealment of that light.
והצמצום שמצמצם את האור להיות ממנו התהוות אהבה מוגבלת הוא הנק׳ בחי׳ היכל האהבה כלומר שהוא ההעלם הגורם המשכת האהבה כו׳.
The contraction that contracts the light, so that a limited love may come into being from it, is what is called the level of the chamber of love; that is to say, it is the concealment that causes the drawing forth of the love, etc.
The contraction that narrows the light so that a limited love can arise is what Kabbalah calls “the chamber of love.” It is the concealment that allows love to be drawn forth at all.
וכן עד״ז בהיכל הרצון כו׳ וכנודע. (וע׳ מ״ש בפ׳ וישב בד״ה שיר המעלות1 כו׳ היינו כחולמים2 בענין אלביש שמים קדרות3 שמים הם העגולים הם מלובשים בבחי׳ קדרות כו׳ שהוא העלם והסתר כו׳ ע״ש.
And so too, in the same way, with the chamber of will, etc., as is known. (And see what is written in Parshas Vayeshev, in the discourse beginning “A Song of Ascents… we were like dreamers,” on the matter of “I clothe the heavens in blackness”: the heavens are the Iggulim, and they are clothed in the level of blackness, etc., which is concealment and hiding, etc.; see there.
The chamber of will works in the same way. The parenthesis cites Torah Ohr, Vayeshev, where “I clothe the heavens in blackness” is explained: the “heavens” are the Iggulim, clothed in “blackness,” that is, concealment.
ועד״ז יש לפרש ענין השראת והתלבשות העגולים בההיכלות4 וע׳ בע״ח שמ״א פ״ד ה׳ ועמ״ש בד״ה יביאו לבוש5 מלכות6 ובד״ה מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית78 בענין מזון לבוש בית).
Along these lines one may explain the matter of the resting and enclothement of the Iggulim in the chambers. And see Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, chapters 4 and 5; and see what is written in the discourse beginning “Let them bring royal apparel,” and in the discourse beginning “A Psalm, a song for the dedication of the House,” on the matter of food, clothing [and] a house.)
In the same way one can explain how the Iggulim rest and are enclothed within the chambers. Further references are given: Etz Chaim, the Torah Ohr discourse “Let them bring royal apparel,” and the Likkutei Torah discourse “A Psalm, a song for the dedication of the House,” on food, clothing and a house.
וכן עד״ז בחי׳ הכלים הם מגבילים9 את האורות ומעלימים אותם שלא יתגלו כמו שהם אלא יהיו נגבלים בתוכם ושיהיה התגלות החיות רק הארה מועטת
So too, in the same way, the vessels limit the lights and conceal them, so that they should not be revealed as they are, but should be limited within them, and so that the revelation of the life-force should be only a slight glimmer;
The vessels act like the chambers. They limit the lights and hide them, so that only a faint glimmer of life-force is revealed.
והיינו בכדי להיות התהוות הנבראים שהם מוגבלים כידוע ושרש כל השרשים להעלמות אלו הוא מבחי׳ עיגולים וכנ״ל
and this is in order for the created beings, which are limited, to come into being, as is known. And the root of all the roots of these concealments is from the level of Iggulim, as mentioned above.
This limiting is needed so that limited created beings can come into being. The deepest root of all these concealments is the level of Iggulim.
(And see Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, chapter 5, in what is written there: “For this we must make known to you the matter of the garments and the chambers, what they are,” etc.; see there.)
Etz Chaim explains what the “garments” and “chambers” are. The Alter Rebbe cites it by the numbering of the edition he used; as Kehot’s note points out, in today’s editions the passage is in Sha’ar 42, chapter 3.
והנה אעפ״י שהעלמות אלו הם בודאי מבחי׳ קדושה עליונה כי המכוון בצמצום זה הוא בשביל שיתהוו הנבראים וכמבואר במ״א בפי׳
Now, although these concealments are certainly from the level of supernal holiness, for the intent in this contraction is that the created beings should come into being, as is explained elsewhere on the meaning of
These concealments are themselves from supernal holiness, since the purpose of the contraction is to bring created beings into existence. The Alter Rebbe refers to an explanation given elsewhere of the verse cited in the next part.
כי הוי״ה הוא האלקים שהצמצום דשם אלקים הוא עצמו בחי׳ הוי׳ כו׳ עכ״ז בריבוי ההשתלשלות עד שנמשך בעגולים דעשיה שמהם נתהוו שמים וארץ הגשמיים
“that Havayah is Elokim”: that the contraction of the Name Elokim is itself the level of Havayah, etc., nevertheless, through the manifold chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), until it was drawn into the Iggulim of the World of Asiyah (Action), from which the physical heavens and earth came into being,
“Havayah is Elokim” means that the contraction associated with the Name Elokim is itself Havayah. Yet as the descent continues down to the Iggulim of Asiyah, from which the physical heavens and earth were made, the concealment grows.
שהם מבחי׳ העגולים וכנראה בעליל שהשמים הם עגולים בטבען וכן כדור הארץ הוא עגול (וגם יסוד הרוח שבארץ הוא מבחי׳ עגולים)
which are from the level of the Iggulim, as is plainly seen: the heavens are round by their nature, and likewise the globe of the earth is round (and the element of air that is on the earth is also from the level of Iggulim),
The physical heavens and earth come from the Iggulim, and this can be seen: the heavens are round by nature and the earth is a globe. Even the element of air around the earth belongs to Iggulim.
הנה בריבוי ההשתלשלות נתהווה מזה צמצום גמור והעלם גדול שנתעלם בחי׳ כח האלקי המחיה את העולם ונתלבש בלבושים רבים ועצומים12 כי עולם הוא מלשון העלם13 כנודע.
through the manifold chain of descent there came about from this a complete contraction and a great concealment, so that the G‑dly power that gives life to the world became concealed and enclothed in many and mighty garments; for olam (world) is from the term he’lem (concealment), as is known.
Through the long chain of descent the concealment becomes total: the divine power that gives the world life is hidden in many thick garments. The Hebrew word olam (“world”) is related to he’lem (“concealment”).
ושרש כל השרשים להעלים זהו מבחי׳ ההעלם דעגולים העליונים שהאור מתעלם בהם ואינו מתגלה שמזה נמשך באצילות להיות הכלים מכסים על האורות ומעלימים אותם שיהיה גילוי
And the root of all the roots of concealment is from the level of the concealment of the supernal Iggulim, in which the light is concealed and not revealed. From this it follows in the World of Atzilus (Emanation) that the vessels cover the lights and conceal them, so that the revelation of
The root of all concealment is the hiddenness of the supernal Iggulim, in which light is concealed and not revealed. From this comes the fact that in Atzilus the vessels cover and hide the lights.
החיות מוגבל בתוכם בגבול שמזה הוא הגורם שבריבוי ההשתלשלות יהיה בחינת העלם גמור שיתעלם הכח האלקות ויתלבש בלבושים רבים עד שיהיה נראה כאלו העולם הוא יש ודבר בפ״ע (וכמ״ש מזה בסש״ב פרק כ״א כ״ב):
the life-force should be limited within them, within a boundary. And this is what causes that, through the manifold chain of descent, there should be a complete concealment, so that the G‑dly power is concealed and enclothed in many garments, until it appears as if the world were an existent (yesh), a thing by itself. (And as is written about this in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapters 21 [and] 22.)
The limiting of the life-force within the vessels of Atzilus is what causes, further down the chain, a total concealment in which the world appears to exist on its own. The Tanya (Sefer Shel Beinonim), chapters 21 and 22, discusses this.
Every concealment, from the chambers of love and awe to the vessels of Atzilus and finally the physical world that seems to exist by itself, is traced to the Iggulim. The concealment is holy in its purpose, since it allows limited beings to exist.
Kehot’s note cites a gloss of the Tzemach Tzedek on this passage (Or HaTorah, Sh’lach, p. 468): the concealment can go so far that the world seems to exist by itself, as in the boast of the ruler of Egypt, “My river is mine, and I have made myself.” The first maamar of this parsha (Likkutei Torah, Sh’lach 36c) also explains olam as from he’lem and calls these worlds heichalos, with the camps of Michael and Gavriel within them.
Marei mekomos
- 1בפ׳ וישב בד״ה שיר המעלות · תו״א כח, ד.
- 2שיר המעלות כו׳ היינו כחולמים · Psalms 126:1
- 3אלביש שמים קדרות · Isaiah 50:3
- 4ענין השראת והתלבשות העיגולים בההיכלות · בד״ה ויחלום בסה״מ תש״ח ע׳ 82 מפרש: ”והיינו לפי שההיכלות הן בחי׳ יש שמעלימים ומסתירים על האור” ע״ש. וראה אוה״ת דברים ע׳ כ. אוה״ת נ״ך ע׳ תצו.
- 5בד״ה יביאו לבוש מל׳ · תו״א דרושים למג״א.
- 6יביאו לבוש מלכות · Esther 6:8
- 7ובד״ה מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית · לקו״ת ברכה
- 8מזמור שיר חנוכת הבית · Psalms 30:1
- 9הכלים הם מגבילים · בענין הכלים שמגבילים ראה לקמן שה״ש יט, ג. סידור עג, ג. ביאה״ז להצ״צ-א ע׳ תקמו.
- 10בע״ח שער מ״א פ״ה · בדפוס שקלאוו תק״ס. לפננו [שמ״ב] פ״ג ולא פ״ה. [כ].
- 11לזה צריך שנודיעך ענין הלבושים וההיכלות מה ענינם · Sefer Etz Chaim 42:3
- 12ונתלבש בלבושים רבים ועצומים · באוה״ת שלח ע׳ תסח יש הג״ה לכאן וז״ל ”עד שלא יהי׳ נראה לנבראים איך שהוא ית׳ מחי׳ את העולם עד שיוכל להדמות כאילו העולם יש ודבר בפ״ע וכמא׳ שרו של מצרים לי יאורי ואני עשיתיני כו׳ והיינו מצד שנתעלם כח האלקי המחי׳ את הנבראים” עכ״ל שם.
- 13עולם הוא מלשון העלם · וטעם הדבר . . לפי שבריאת העולם הוא ע״י העלם האור — סה״מ ש״ת ע׳ 160. ראה לקמן ש״ש סד, ב. ביאוה״ז לכ״ק הצ״צ-א ע׳ שנה (ומציין למרז״ל). ראה לעיל לו, ג. ובפ׳ במדבר ה, ג.
The arousal from below ¶15–19
15ג והנה באתערותא דלתתא הוא אתערותא דלעילא1 ע״י שהאדם מעמיק ונותן דעת ולב לראות איך שהקב״ה מחדש בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית.
3. Now, through an arousal from below there is an arousal from above, by a person’s delving deeply and applying his mind and heart to see how the Holy One, blessed be He, renews the work of creation every day, continually.
Section 3 shows how human effort reaches above: through an arousal from below there is an arousal from above. The arousal from below is a person’s deep contemplation of how G‑d renews creation every day, in the words of the morning blessing before the Shema.
וכמ״ש וידעת היום2 וגו׳ וכולא קמיה כלא חשיב ממש ומה שהעולם נדמה ליש ודבר הוא מצד ההעלם וההסתר שמתעלם הכח האלקות
As it is written, “Know this day,” etc.; and “All before Him is considered as actually nothing.” That the world seems to be an existent and a thing is because of the concealment and hiding by which the G‑dly power is concealed;
The verse “Know this day” calls for this contemplation, and “all before Him is considered as nothing.” The world seems to be a real thing in itself only because the divine power within it is hidden.
אבל באמת אין עוד מלבדו3 כו׳ נמצא שהוא פועל שיועבר הצמצום וההעלם שמתעלם הכח האלקות ולהיות מתגלה בבחינת גילוי.4
but in truth “there is nothing else besides Him,” etc. It follows that he brings about the removal of the contraction and the concealment by which the G‑dly power is concealed, so that it becomes revealed in a state of revelation.
In truth “there is nothing else besides Him.” When a person grasps this, he removes the concealment in his own soul, and the divine power is revealed.
The “arousal from below” is defined as contemplating G‑d’s constant renewal of creation, which removes the concealment within the person; this begins the answer to how a human act affects the worlds above.
Marei mekomos
- 1והנה באתערותא . . דלעילא · Zohar I, 237a
- 2וידעת היום · Deuteronomy 4:39
- 3אין עוד מלבדו · Deuteronomy 4:35
- 4מחדש בכי״ת · ברכת יוצר.
16ובאתעדל״ת זו גורם אתערותא דלעילא שגם למעלה לא יהיו בחי׳ הכלים מעלימים את האורות ומגבילין אותן ושיהיו בוקעין ומתגלין למטה כמו שהם ממש ולא יהי׳ בחי׳ ההסתרות והצמצומים כו׳.
And through this arousal from below he brings about an arousal from above: that above, too, the vessels will not conceal the lights and limit them, and that [the lights] will break through and be revealed below exactly as they are, and there will not be the hidings and the contractions, etc.
This contemplation below brings about a matching arousal above. There too the vessels stop hiding and limiting the lights, and the lights break through and are revealed below just as they are.
והיינו כמו שיהיה לעתיד לבא דכתיב ונגלה כבוד1 הוי׳ וגו׳ שלא יסתיר העולם על אור קדושתו ב״ה
This is like what will be in the time to come, as it is written, “And the glory of Havayah shall be revealed,” etc., when the world will not conceal the light of His holiness, blessed be He;
This is a foretaste of the time to come, of which Isaiah says “the glory of Havayah shall be revealed”: then the world will no longer hide G‑d’s holiness.
וכמו שהיה לפני החטא שהיה העולם מזוכך ביותר עד שלא היה מסתיר כלל על גילוי אלקותו ית׳ שהרי אדה״ר גם כשהיה מלובש בגוף השיג בג״ע סודות התורה2 כו׳
and as it was before the sin, when the world was exceedingly refined, so that it did not conceal the revelation of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, at all. For Adam, the first man, even while he was clothed in a body, grasped the secrets of the Torah in Gan Eden, etc.
It also recalls the world before Adam’s sin, which was so refined that it hid nothing of G‑dliness. Adam, though clothed in a body, grasped the secrets of the Torah in Gan Eden.
וגם כללות השתלשלות העולמות היה מזוכך ביותר משהם עתה שאור א״ס היה מתגלה בהם ביותר וכמ״ש בפע״ח שער השבת דמה שכעת נק׳ בחי׳ ז״א דאצילות היה אז מדרגה זו בבחי׳ עולם הבריאה
The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) as a whole, too, was more refined than they are now, so that the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) was revealed in them more; as is written in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaShabbos, that what is now called the level of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation), that degree was then at the level of the World of Beriah (Creation).
Before the sin the whole chain of worlds was more refined, and the Infinite Light more revealed in it. Pri Etz Chaim says that the degree now called Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus was then the level of the World of Beriah: Beriah stood far higher than it stands now.
והרי בחי׳ הבריאה דעתה הרי הוא רחוק מאד בערך מז״א דאצילות שהרי בחי׳ אצילות הוא בחי׳ אלקות והוא כח מכחותיו ואור א״ס שורהבו בתכלית הגילוי משא״כ בריאה היא יש מאין כו׳
Now, the level of Beriah of the present is very far removed in rank from Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus. For the level of Atzilus is the level of G‑dliness, and it is a power of His powers, and the Infinite Light dwells in it in utmost revelation; whereas Beriah is something from nothing, etc.,
The distance between the two is enormous. Atzilus is G‑dliness itself, one of G‑d’s own powers, with the Infinite Light fully revealed in it, while Beriah is “something from nothing,” a created realm.
והם נבראים נפרדים ומחודשים מאין ליש והם בעלי גבול וכנודע ובחטא אדם הראשון הוא שנתגשמו העולמות להיות אור א״ס מאיר בהם ע״י העלם וצמצום עד שבעה״ז הגשמי אור א״ס מוסתר בהם בתכלית כנ״ל.
and they are created beings, separate, and brought into being anew from nothing to something, and they are bounded, as is known. And it was through the sin of Adam, the first man, that the worlds became coarse, so that the Infinite Light shines in them through concealment and contraction, until in this physical world the Infinite Light is utterly hidden in them, as mentioned above.
The beings of Beriah are separate, newly created and limited. Adam’s sin made the worlds coarse, so that the Infinite Light now shines in them only through concealment, until in our physical world it is completely hidden.
The arousal from below brings an arousal above, in which the vessels no longer hide the lights. This recalls the revelation of the time to come and the refined state of the worlds before Adam’s sin, which made them coarse and hid the Infinite Light.
Marei mekomos
- 1ונגלה כבוד ה׳ · Isaiah 40:5
- 2שהרי אדה״ר — השיג בג״ע סודות התורה · ראה תו״א ו, א.
17וכאשר למטה נעשה אתכפיא סט״א דהיינו העברת הצמצום וההסתרה שיהיה בחי׳ גילוי אלקות בנפש האדם על ידי זה נעשה למעלה גם כן גילוי אלקות שלא יהיו בחי׳ כלים המסתירים את האורות כו׳.
And when below there comes about the subduing of the sitra achra (the other side), that is, the removal of the contraction and the hiding, so that there is a revelation of G‑dliness in the soul of man, then through this there comes about above, too, a revelation of G‑dliness, so that there will not be vessels that hide the lights, etc.
The Zohar’s “subduing of the sitra achra” is defined here as removing the contraction and hiding, so that G‑dliness is revealed in a person’s soul. When that happens below, G‑dliness is revealed above as well, and the vessels no longer hide the lights.
Subduing the sitra achra below, which reveals G‑dliness in the soul, brings a matching revelation above.
18וז״ש והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים1 כי קדוש אני הוי״ה. ולכאורה אין זה טעם שלפי שהוא ית׳ קדוש צריכים ישראל להיות ג״כ קדושים.
And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “You shall sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy, for I, Havayah, am holy.” Seemingly, this is no reason: that because He, may He be blessed, is holy, Israel must also be holy.
The verse “You shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I, Havayah, am holy” seems to give a strange reason. Why should G‑d’s being holy require Israel to be holy?
אך הענין בפי׳ והתקדשתם כמאמר רז״ל קדש את עצמך במותר לך2 דהיינו להיות אתכפייא סט״א שלא יסתירו השמים והארץ וכל
But the matter is [this]: the meaning of “You shall sanctify yourselves” is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Sanctify yourself in what is permitted to you”: that is, that there be a subduing of the sitra achra (the other side), so that the heavens and the earth and all
The Sages explain “sanctify yourselves” as “sanctify yourself in what is permitted to you,” holding back even from what is allowed. That is a subduing of the sitra achra, so that the physical world no longer conceals G‑d’s holiness.
גשמיות העולם על אור קדושתו ית׳ ועי״ז יהיה למעלה ג״כ קדוש אני הוי׳ כו׳ דקדוש הוא לשון הבדלה3 כנודע.
the physicality of the world should not conceal the light of His holiness, may He be blessed. And through this there will also be, above, “I, Havayah, am holy,” etc.; for kadosh (holy) is a term for separation, as is known.
Through this, “I, Havayah, am holy” comes about above as well. Kadosh means “separate,” so what is revealed above is G‑d’s holiness that stands apart from and beyond the worlds.
The verse is read as cause and effect: a person’s sanctifying himself below brings about the revelation of G‑d’s transcendent holiness above.
Marei mekomos
- 1והתקדשתם והייתם קדושים · Leviticus 20:7
- 2קדש את עצמך במותר לך · Yevamot 20a:15
- 3דקדוש הוא לשון הבדלה · ראה תניא פ׳ מו.
19והיינו שיהיה בחי׳ גילוי עצמות אלקותו ית׳ שלמעלה מצמצום הכלים שמגבילים האורות כי באתערותא דלתתא אתערותא דלעילא כנ״ל.
That is, there will be a revelation of the essence of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, which is above the contraction of the vessels that limit the lights; for through an arousal from below [there is] an arousal from above, as mentioned above.
The revelation above is of G‑d’s very essence, beyond the contraction of the vessels that limit the lights. It comes about because an arousal from below brings an arousal from above.
וזהו ענין המאמר בזוה״ק כד אתכפיא סט״א לתתא אסתלק יקרא דקב״ה בכולהו עלמין1 דהיינו ע״י דאתכפיא סט״א שהועבר הצמצום וההסתרה דשמים וארץ הגשמיים עי״ז אסתלק יקרא דקוב״ה בכולהו עלמין
And this is the matter of the saying in the holy Zohar: “When the sitra achra (the other side) is subdued below, the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up in all the worlds.” That is, through the sitra achra being subdued, whereby the contraction and the hiding of the physical heavens and earth is removed, through this “the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up in all the worlds”:
Now the Zohar’s words are explained. When the sitra achra is subdued below, removing the concealment of the physical heavens and earth, the glory of G‑d “rises up” in all the worlds.
דהיינו שגם למעלה מת גלים האורות ובוקעים דרך הכלים כנ״ל ואסתלק יקרא דקוב״ה בכולהו עלמין הם עלמין סתימין ועלמין דאתגלין
that is, that above, too, the lights are revealed and break through the vessels, as mentioned above. And “the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, rises up in all the worlds”: these are the hidden worlds and the revealed worlds.
That “rising up” means that above, too, the lights are revealed and break through the vessels. “All the worlds” includes both the hidden worlds and the revealed worlds.
וזהו המכוון בתורה ומצות שגורמים עי״ז השראת אור א״ס דהיינו כנ״ל דכד אתכפיא סט״א בסור מרע ועשה טוב2
And this is the intent in the Torah and mitzvos, that through them one brings about the indwelling of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof): that is, as mentioned above, that when the sitra achra is subdued through “turn away from evil and do good,”
This is how the Torah and mitzvos draw down the Infinite Light, which answers the question of section 1. Subduing the sitra achra through “turn away from evil and do good” is the arousal from below.
אזי באתערותא דלתתא אתערותא דלעילא שיהיה למעלה העברת כל ההעלמות המעלימים את גילוי אור וחיות כו׳
then, through an arousal from below [there is] an arousal from above, so that above there will be a removal of all the concealments that conceal the revelation of light and life-force, etc.,
That arousal from below brings an arousal from above, which removes all the concealments that hide the light and life-force.
עד שגם צמצום הכלים המגבילים את האורות ומסתירים אותו יועבר ג״כ שיהיו האורות בוקעים ומתגלים למטה כנ״ל (ועמ״ש בפ׳ חקת ע״פ ע״כ יאמרו המושלים באו חשבון כו׳).
until even the contraction of the vessels, which limit the lights and hide it, will also be removed, so that the lights will break through and be revealed below, as mentioned above. (And see what is written in Parshas Chukas on the verse “Therefore the rulers say, ‘Come to Cheshbon,’” etc.)
Even the contraction of the vessels is removed, so that the lights break through and are revealed below. The parenthesis refers to the discourse in Parshas Chukas on “Therefore the rulers say, ‘Come to Cheshbon.’”
ועתה יובן ג״כ שרש ענין קיום המצות בארץ ישראל דוקא וכמ״ש לעשות בארץ כו׳. כי
Now the root of the matter of fulfilling the mitzvos in the Land of Israel specifically will also be understood, as it is written, “to do in the land,” etc. For
With this the Alter Rebbe can explain why the mitzvos must be kept in the Land of Israel specifically, as the verse says, “to do in the land.”
הנה כתיב בה בא״י ארץ אשר היא זבת חלב ודבש.3 פי׳ לשון זבת הוא לשון מפעיל שעושה להיות זב חלב ודבש.
it is written of it, of the Land of Israel, “a land that flows with milk and honey.” The meaning is that the term zavas (“flows”) is a causative term: that it causes milk and honey to flow.
The Land is called “a land that flows with milk and honey.” The word zavas is causative: the Land does not merely flow, it makes milk and honey flow.
The Zohar is explained in full: subduing the sitra achra through the mitzvos removes every concealment above, even that of the vessels, which answers the opening question; the way is then open to explain “a land that flows with milk and honey.”
Marei mekomos
- 1כד אתכפיא סט״א לתתא אסתלק יקרא דקב״ה בכולהו עלמין · Zohar, Terumah 6:38–7:45
- 2בסור מרע ועשה טוב · Psalms 34:15
- 3ארץ אשר היא זבת חלב ודבש · Numbers 14:8
Milk and honey ¶20
20והענין הוא כי חלב ודבש הם בחי׳ כללות השתלשלות ע״ס שהם בחי׳ מ״ה וב״ן שהם חסדים וגבורות חלב הוא בחי׳ חסדים1 ודבש הוא בחי׳ גבורות
The explanation is this. Milk and honey are the level of the chain of descent of the Ten Sefiros as a whole, which are the level of [the Names] Mah and Ban, which are chassadim (kindnesses) and gevuros (severities): milk is the level of chassadim, and honey is the level of gevuros.
Milk and honey stand for the whole chain of the Ten Sefiros, made up of the Names Mah and Ban (two spellings of the Name Havayah, numbering 45 and 52), which are chassadim, forces of kindness, and gevuros, forces of severity. Milk is chassadim and honey is gevuros.
For honey is called “the judgment of maturity” (din degadlus), as is known; and that is why it is said, “For no leaven and no honey shall you burn,” etc.
Honey is called “the judgment of maturity” (din degadlus), a strong form of severity. That is why the Torah forbids burning honey, like leaven, on the altar.
ושניהם הן בחי׳ מוחין דגדלות חלב הוא בחי׳ מוחין דגדלות דחסדים4 וכמשל חלב האם שמגדל את הולד וממשיך בו שכל5 כו׳.
And both of them are the level of mature intellect (mochin degadlus): milk is the level of the mature intellect of chassadim, like the analogy of the mother’s milk, which makes the child grow and draws intellect into him, etc.
Both milk and honey are “mature intellect.” Milk is the mature intellect of chassadim, like a mother’s milk, which makes the baby grow and develops its mind.
וכך למעלה הוא בבחינת בינה שמגדלת אברים דז״א ע״י השפעת השכל והוא הנק׳ בחינת חלב דאימא. וכמארז״ל עשה להדדים במקום בינה כו׳.
So too above, it is in the level of Binah (understanding), which makes the limbs of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) grow through imparting intellect; and this is what is called the level of the milk of Imma. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “He made for her breasts in the place of understanding (binah),” etc.
Above, this is Binah, the “mother” (Imma), which makes the “limbs” of Z’eir Anpin, the emotive attributes, grow by imparting intellect to them; this is called “the milk of Imma.” The Sages likewise said that the breasts were placed at the seat of understanding (binah).
ובע״ח (שער הכללים ספ״ג) מבואר ג״כ בענין אלד״ד ומיד״ד שהם שני דדים דאימא6 שמהם יוצא החלב לז״א לגדלו כו׳ (ועמ״ש בפ׳ ויחי ע״פ חכלילי כו׳ ולבן שנים מחלב).7
And in Etz Chaim (Sha’ar HaKelalim, end of chapter 3) it is also explained, on the matter of Eldad and Meidad, that they are the two breasts (dadim) of Imma, from which the milk issues forth to Z’eir Anpin to make it grow, etc. (And see what is written in Parshas Vayechi on the verse “Red of eyes,” etc., “and white of teeth from milk.”)
Etz Chaim reads the names Eldad and Meidad as hinting at dad, “breast”: they are the two breasts of Imma, from which milk flows to Z’eir Anpin to make it grow. The cross-reference is to the discourse in Parshas Vayechi on “white of teeth from milk.”
ודבש הוא בחי׳ מוחין דגדלות דגבורות שהרי נק׳ דין דגדלות והיינו שהם בחינת גילוי האורות היפך בחי׳ הצמצום של הכלים כו׳
And honey is the level of the mature intellect of gevuros, for it is called “the judgment of maturity.” That is, they are the level of the revelation of the lights, the opposite of the contraction of the vessels, etc.
Honey is the mature intellect of gevuros. Like milk, it stands for the revelation of the lights, the opposite of the limiting contraction of the vessels.
(And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Kavanas HaShofar, end of chapter 1, on the matter of honey; and see what is written in Parshas Savo on the verse “This day Havayah your G‑d commands you,” etc.)
The parenthesis cites Pri Etz Chaim on honey, where judgments, once sweetened, turn into the “taste of honey.” It also refers to the discourse in Parshas Savo on “This day Havayah your G‑d commands you.”
וזהו ענין זבת חלב ודבש11 שהם מוחין דגדלות שהוא היפך ההעלם והצמצום שהוא בחי׳ מוחין דקטנות כו׳
And this is the matter of “flowing with milk and honey”: they are mature intellect, which is the opposite of the concealment and the contraction, which is the level of immature intellect (mochin dekatnus), etc.
“Flowing with milk and honey” therefore means mature intellect. It is the opposite of the concealment and contraction of immature intellect.
ומזה נמשך גם בגשמיות שיהיה החלב נוטף מן העזים12 ומן התאנים13 כו׳. והוא מחמת סיבת בקיעת האורות את הכלים למעלה כנ״ל.
And from this it follows in physicality, too, that the milk drips from the goats, and [the honey] from the figs, etc. And this is on account of the cause, the lights’ breaking through the vessels above, as mentioned above.
This spiritual flow shows itself physically too: in the Land, milk drips from the goats and honey from the figs, as the Sages describe. Its cause is the lights’ breaking through the vessels above.
וזהו כללות ענין מצות דכניסת א״י לקיים שם התוהמ״צ דכתיב לעשות בארץ14 כו׳. ופי׳ לעשות15 הוא לתקן כמו ועשתה את צפרניה ותרגומו ותתקן16 כו׳.
And this is the matter of the mitzvah of entering the Land of Israel as a whole: to fulfill there the Torah and the mitzvos, as it is written, “to do in the land,” etc. And the meaning of “to do” is to rectify (letaken), as in “and she shall do her nails,” whose Targum is “and she shall rectify,” etc.
This is the general purpose of the mitzvah to enter the Land: to fulfill the Torah and mitzvos there. La’asos, “to do,” here means “to rectify,” as in “she shall do her nails,” which the Targum the Alter Rebbe cites renders “she shall rectify.”
והיינו לתקן בארץ שיהיה בחי׳ ארץ זבת חלב כו׳ שיבקעו האורות את הכלים ויתגלו למטה ע״י קיום התורה ומצות שיקיימו בא״י דבאתערותא דלתתא אתערותא דלעילא כנ״ל:17
That is, to rectify in the land, so that there will be the level of “a land flowing with milk,” etc.: that the lights will break through the vessels and be revealed below through the fulfillment of the Torah and mitzvos that they will fulfill in the Land of Israel; for through an arousal from below [there is] an arousal from above, as mentioned above.
So “to do in the land” means to rectify the Land so that it becomes “a land flowing with milk.” Through the mitzvos kept there, the lights break through the vessels and are revealed below.
Milk and honey are identified as the chassadim and gevuros of mature intellect, the revelation of the lights through the vessels. The mitzvah of entering the Land is to “rectify” it by keeping the mitzvos there, so that it becomes a land that makes this revelation flow.
Kehot’s note observes that the Targum Onkelos in our editions renders “and she shall do her nails” as “and she shall let her nails grow” (ותרבי), not “and she shall rectify,” though the Alter Rebbe’s reading also appears in other Chabad works; Likkutei Sichos remarks that the Targum manuscripts should be checked. The Talmud (Yevamos 48a) records a dispute over whether “doing” the nails means cutting them or letting them grow.
Marei mekomos
- 1חלב הוא בחי׳ חסדים · ראה מא״א אות ח׳ ס״ל. מובא באוה״ת שה״ש-ב ע׳ תרסג.
- 2דבש נק׳ דין דגדלות · מאו״א אות ד׳ ס״ה.
- 3כי כל שאור וכל דבש · Leviticus 2:11
- 4חלב הוא בחי׳ מוחין דגדלות דחסדים · מובא באוה״ת שה״ש-ב ע׳ תרסג. ראה גם לקמן ואתחנן ד, ג. עקב טז, ד. שה״ש לב, ג.
- 5וכמשל חלב האם שמגדל את הולד וממשיך בו שכל · ראה גם תו״א קו, ג. קח, ב. דרושי חתונה לכ״ק אדה״א כרך-ב ע׳ תרפ ואילך. בסה״מ תקס״ב-א ע׳ קלב מבאר ”והטעם הוא שבכל פעם שיונק מחלב דאמו נמשכת מוחין גשמיים דאמו בו וגורמת למוח בינה דתינוק להתגשם בפעולת המשכת אותיות הדיבור” ע״ש בארוכה.
- 6אלד״ד ומיד״ד שהם שני דדים דאימא · Sefer Etz Chaim, Shaar HaKlalim 3:3–4
- 7חכלילי כו׳ ולבן שנים מחלב · Genesis 49:12
- 8וע׳ פע״ח שער כוונת השופר ספ״א · נתבאר בתו״א קז, ב.
- 9בענין דבש · Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Shofer 1:25
- 10היום הזה ה׳ אלקיך מצוך · Deuteronomy 26:16
- 11וזהו ענין זבת חלב ודבש · באוה״ת שלח ע׳ תסח יש הג״ה לכאן וז״ל ”שיהי׳ האורות בוקעים דרך הכלים ויתגלו למטה שיהי׳ זבת חלב ודבש” עכ״ל.
- 12החלב נוטף מן העזים · Ketubot 111b:22–23
- 13החלב נוטף מן העזים ומן התאנים · Rashi on Megillah 6a:9:1
- 14ארץ . . חלב ודבש · ביאור פסוק זה באו״א — ראה ד״ה זה בס׳ שני המאורות (לבוב, תרמ״ב, ה, א ואילך). לקו״ת תבא (מא, ג).
- 15ופי׳ לעשות לתקן · Yevamot 48a:9–10
- 16ועשתה את צפרני׳ ותרגומו ותתקן · Deuteronomy 21:12
- 17עשה לה דדים במקום בינה · Berakhot 10a:16–18
The spies’ error and the doubled “very” ¶21–25
21ד ואחר כל הנ״ל יובן ג״כ ענין המעשה דמרגלים שלא רצו ליכנס לא״י מפני ששרשם הוא מבחי׳ לאה עולם המחשבה1 כו׳
4. After all the above, the matter of the episode of the spies will also be understood: that they did not want to enter the Land of Israel because their root is from the level of Leah, the World of Thought, etc.
Section 4 applies everything explained so far to the episode of the spies. They did not want to enter the Land because their root is in Leah, which stands for the World of Thought.
(כמ״ש בע״ח שער הארת המוחין פ״א) וטענו למה צריכים לירד בבחי׳ עולם הדבור שהוא בחי׳ מל׳ דאצילות סוף כל דרגין כו׳
(as is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Hearas HaMochin, chapter 1). And they argued: Why must [we] descend into the level of the World of Speech, which is the level of Malchus (sovereignty) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation), the end of all levels, etc.,
The parenthesis gives the source in Etz Chaim for this root. The spies argued: why must we descend to the World of Speech, which is Malchus of Atzilus, called “the end of all levels” because it is the last of the Sefiros?
בכדי לקיים שם התורה ומצות בדבור ובמעשה שעי״ז יהיה בחי׳ גילוי אור א״ס שיבקעו האורות כו׳
in order to fulfill there the Torah and mitzvos in speech and in deed, so that through this there will be a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), that the lights will break through, etc.?
That descent was meant for fulfilling the Torah and mitzvos in speech and in deed, so that the Infinite Light would be revealed and the lights would break through the vessels, as section 3 explained.
הלא זה אפשר לקיים גם ע״י התורה ומצות ברוחניות ולא בעשייה גשמיות דהיינו כי גם בעולם המחשבה יש כל פרטים הנמצאים בדבור ובמעשה מאחר שהדבור נמשך מן המחשבה.
Surely this can be fulfilled also through the Torah and mitzvos in spirituality, and not in physical doing. That is, in the World of Thought, too, there are all the particulars that are found in speech and in deed, since speech is drawn from thought.
Their claim was that the same could be achieved by keeping the Torah and mitzvos spiritually, without physical action. Since speech flows from thought, every detail found in speech and deed already exists in the World of Thought.
The spies’ refusal is explained in the terms of the previous sections: rooted in the World of Thought, they argued that the revelation the mitzvos bring about could be achieved in thought, without descending into speech and deed.
In the chapter of Etz Chaim cited, the whole generation of the desert issues from a “Leah” that stands behind Yaakov, and they are called dor de’ah, “the generation of knowledge,” because they came from the Daas of Z’eir Anpin within the Yesod of Abba, the level of Moshe.
Marei mekomos
- 1מפני ששרשם הוא מבחי׳ לאה עולם המחשבה · Sefer Etz Chaim 32:3–4
22וא״כ כל מצוה ומצוה שמקיים בדבור או במעשה גשמיות יכול הוא לקיימה ברוחניות בבחינת מחשבה. ועי״ז יהיה ג״כ למעלה בחי׳ גילוי אור א״ס כו׳.
If so, each and every mitzvah that one fulfills in speech or in physical deed, he can fulfill in spirituality, in the level of thought; and through this there will also be, above, a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), etc.
If every detail of the mitzvos exists in thought, then any mitzvah done in speech or physical deed could be done spiritually, in thought. That too, the spies argued, would bring about the revelation of the Infinite Light above.
וכדוגמא שאמרו באברהם קיים אברהם את כל התורה כולה עד שלא ניתנה וא״א לומר שקיים כל התורה בפועל ממש1
As in the example of what they said of Avraham: “Avraham fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given.” And it is impossible to say that he fulfilled the entire Torah in actual practice,
Their example is Avraham, of whom the Sages say that he fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given. That cannot mean he performed all of it in actual practice.
שהרי יש כמה מצות שלא היה אפשר לו לקיימם כלל. אלא שקיים אותם ברוחניות שהמשיך כל האורות עליונים הנמשכים ע״י המצות כו׳.
for there are a number of mitzvos that he could not possibly fulfill at all. Rather, he fulfilled them in spirituality: he drew down all the supernal lights that are drawn down through the mitzvos, etc.
Some mitzvos he could not possibly have performed at all. He fulfilled them spiritually, by drawing down all the supernal lights that the mitzvos draw down, which seemed to prove that their effect above does not need the deed.
The spies’ position is supported by the example of Avraham, who fulfilled the whole Torah before it was given, some of it in spirit alone, by drawing down the lights that the mitzvos draw down.
Marei mekomos
- 1קיים א״א את כל התו׳ כולה · Yoma 28b:9–10
23וכמו כן היו סבורים המרגלים שיקיימו המצות ברוחניות דהיינו בבחינת עולם המחשבה כו׳ ועל כן לא רצו ליכנס לארץ ישראל.
Likewise, the spies were of the opinion that they would fulfill the mitzvos in spirituality, that is, in the level of the World of Thought, etc.; and therefore they did not want to enter the Land of Israel.
The spies thought they too could fulfill the mitzvos spiritually, in the World of Thought, and therefore saw no need to enter the Land.
אך באמת היו מוטעים שהעיקר הוא לעשותם בארץ דוקא וכמארז״ל כמה תפלות1 התפלל משה ליכנס לא״י ושאלו וכי לאכול מפירותיה היה צריך אלא לקיים את המצות התלוים בה
But in truth they were mistaken, for the main thing is to do them in the Land specifically, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: How many prayers Moshe prayed to enter the Land of Israel! And they asked: Did he then need to eat of its fruits? Rather, [it was] to fulfill the mitzvos that depend on it.
But they were mistaken: the main thing is to perform the mitzvos in the Land itself. The Sages make the point about Moshe: his many prayers to enter the Land were not for the sake of its fruit, but to fulfill the mitzvos that can be kept only there.
והיינו שצריך להמשיך את האורות העליונים שיבקעו את הכלים כו׳ שאי אפשר לגרום המשכה זו אם לא ע״י מעשה דוקא ולא במחשבה כו׳.2
That is, one must draw down the supernal lights so that they break through the vessels, etc.; and it is impossible to bring about this drawing down except through deed specifically, and not in thought, etc.
The goal is to draw the supernal lights down until they break through the vessels, and only an actual deed can bring that about, not thought.
The spies’ reasoning is rejected: the breaking through of the lights comes only through physical deed, which is why even Moshe longed to enter the Land and keep its mitzvos.
Marei mekomos
- 1וכמארז״ל כמה תפלות · Sotah 14a:7
- 2באמת היו מוטעים · ראה לקו״ש ח״ה ע׳ 292. ח״ד ע׳ 1046.
24והטעם הוא משום דסוף מעשה עלה1 במחשבה תחלה2 וכמאמר נעוץ תחלתן בסופן34 וכו׳ שכל דבר שהוא גבוה ומרומם יותר בעצם יתלבש דוקא בדבר היותר נמוך. וכענין מאמר רז״ל די לחכימא ברמיזא5 כו׳.
The reason is that “the last in deed was first in thought,” as in the saying, “Their beginning is wedged in their end,” etc.: whatever is higher and more exalted in essence becomes enclothed specifically in the lowest thing. It is like the matter of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “For a wise man, a hint suffices,” etc.
The reason is a principle stated in two sayings: “the last in deed was first in thought” and “their beginning is wedged in their end.” Whatever is higher in essence is clothed specifically in the lowest thing, as the saying “for a wise man, a hint suffices” illustrates.
דהיינו כשיש שכל עמוק מאד אשר א״א להסבירו לזולתו ע״י אותיות הדבור מגודל עמקותו אשר לא יכילו אותו אותיות הדבור ולא יהיה יכול להוגבל בהן עכ״ז יוכל להבינהו לזולתו ע״י רמז בתנועה גשמיות כו׳.
That is, when there is a very deep idea that cannot be explained to another through the letters of speech because of its great depth, for the letters of speech cannot contain it and it cannot be limited within them, nevertheless one can make another understand it through a hint, with a physical gesture, etc.
A very deep idea may be beyond the letters of speech, which cannot contain it or set limits to it. Yet it can still be conveyed to another person by a hint, a physical gesture.
The reason that deed alone can draw down the highest light is given: the highest is clothed in the lowest, as a hint conveys what words cannot.
Sefer Yetzirah says of the ten Sefiros that “their end is wedged in their beginning and their beginning in their end, like a flame bound to a coal”: the highest and the lowest are bound together, so the lowest point holds the highest.
Marei mekomos
- 1סוף מעשה עלה במח׳ תחלה · ע״פ פיוט לכה דודי.
- 2סוף מעשה עלה במחשבה תחלה · Siddur Ashkenaz, Shabbat, Kabbalat Shabbat, Lekha Dodi 4–6
- 3נעוץ תחלתן בסופן · ס״י פ״א, מ״ז.
- 4נעוץ תחלתן בסופן · Sefer Yetzirah 1:7
- 5ודי לחכימא ברמיזא · Zohar I, 26b
25ונמצא שיש יתרון לתנועה ורמיזה שהיא גשמיות יותר מאותיות הדבור שהם רוחניים בזה שדבר הגבוה יותר יתלבש בהם דוקא ולא בדבור כו׳.
It follows that a gesture and a hint, which is physical, has an advantage over the letters of speech, which are spiritual, in that the higher thing becomes enclothed specifically in them, and not in speech, etc.
It follows that a physical gesture has an advantage over the letters of speech, which are spiritual: the higher thing is clothed precisely in the gesture, and not in words.
וכמו כן יובן למעלה שלהיות המשכה עליונה להיות גילוי בחינת מוחין דגדלות שיבקעו האורות את הכלים אי אפשר לעורר זה כ״א ע״י מעשה דוקא ולא ע״י בחינת המחשבה משום דנעוץ תחלתן בסופן1 כו׳.
So too it will be understood above: for there to be a supernal drawing down, so that there will be a revelation of the level of mature intellect (mochin degadlus), that the lights break through the vessels, it is impossible to arouse this except through deed specifically, and not through the level of thought, because “their beginning is wedged in their end,” etc.
The same is true above. The revelation of mature intellect (mochin degadlus), in which the lights break through the vessels, can be aroused only by actual deed and not by thought, because the beginning is wedged in the end.
(ועיין במשנה פי״ב דיבמות דף ק״ד ע״ב כל דבר שהוא מעשה2 כו׳) וע״כ ביקש משה ליכנס לארץ דוקא
(And see the Mishnah, chapter 12 of Yevamos, page 104b: “Anything that is a deed,” etc.) And therefore Moshe asked to enter the Land specifically.
The Mishnah on chalitzah makes a similar point: the recitation is not indispensable, but Rabbi Eliezer derives from “thus shall be done” that “anything that is a deed” is. For this reason Moshe asked to enter the Land itself.
(ועיין מ״ש בפ׳ ויצא ע״פ וללבן שתי בנות.34 ועמ״ש ע״פ ראשי המטות56 מענין יתרון בחי׳ המעשה דוקא משא״כ בבחי׳ מחשבה כו׳ ובד״ה מי מנה עפר יעקב78 כו׳ ועמ״ש ע״פ יביאו לבוש9 מלכות).10
(And see what is written in Parshas Vayeitzei on the verse “And Lavan had two daughters”; and see what is written on the verse “The heads of the tribes,” on the matter of the advantage of the level of deed specifically, which is not so with the level of thought, etc.; and in the discourse beginning “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov,” etc.; and see what is written on the verse “Let them bring royal apparel.”)
The parenthesis lists other discourses on the advantage of deed over thought: the discourse in Parshas Vayeitzei on “And Lavan had two daughters,” the discourse on “The heads of the tribes,” the discourse “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov,” and the discourse on “Let them bring royal apparel.”
וזהו שכתוב טובה הארץ מאד מאד.11 פי׳ ב׳ פעמים מאד הם כנגד עלמין סתימין דלא אתגלין
And this is what is written, “The land is very, very good.” The meaning is that the two times “very” correspond to the hidden worlds that are not revealed,
Now the first question of the maamar, the doubled “very,” is answered. The two times “very” correspond to two kinds of worlds, the first being the hidden worlds, which are not revealed.
שהם היכלות דאו״א ועלמין דאתגלין שהם היכלות דזו״נ כו׳. שבשני מיני עולמות הללו בוקעים ויורדים ומתגלים האורות עליונים למטה.
which are the chambers of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah), and the revealed worlds, which are the chambers of Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes) and Nukva (the feminine / Malchus), etc.: in these two kinds of worlds the supernal lights break through and descend and are revealed below.
The hidden worlds are the chambers of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah), and the revealed worlds are the chambers of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva (the emotive attributes and Malchus). Through the deed in the Land, the supernal lights break through and are revealed below in both.
Deed, like a gesture, carries what is higher than thought and speech, so only physical deed can make the lights break through the vessels. This answers the doubled “very”: the lights break through in both the hidden and the revealed worlds.
Marei mekomos
- 1משום דנעוץ תחלתן בסופן · Sefer Yetzirah 1:7
- 2כל דבר שהוא מעשה · Mishnah Yevamot 12:3
- 3בפ׳ ויצא ע״פ וללבן שתי בנות · תו״א ויצא כג, ב.
- 4וללבן שתי בנות · Genesis 29:16
- 5ע״פ ראשי המטות · לקמן פ׳ מטות פא, ג. סה״מ תקס״ד ע׳ קפט.
- 6ראשי המטות · Numbers 30:2
- 7ובד״ה מי מנה עפר יעקב · לקמן פ׳ בלק סז, ד.
- 8מי מנה עפר יעקב · Numbers 23:10
- 9ע״פ יביאו לבוש מל׳ · תו״א צ, ג ואילך.
- 10יביאו לבוש מלכות · Esther 6:8
- 11טובה הארץ מאד מאד · Numbers 14:7
“If Havayah desires us”: Keser and the two Jerusalems ¶26–27
26ובכללות ענין גילוי ובקיעת האורות כנ״ל הוא ע״י המשכת בחינת הכתר עליון שהוא למעלה מגדר ההלבשה בכלים כו׳.
In general, the matter of the revelation and the breaking through of the lights, mentioned above, is through drawing down the level of the supernal Keser (the Crown), which is above the bounds of enclothement in vessels, etc.
In general, the lights’ breaking through the vessels comes from drawing down the supernal Keser (the Crown), which is above being clothed in vessels at all.
And this is what is written, “If Havayah desires us”: desire (chafitzah) is the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of Keser, which is the level of the relish and the delight that is in will, etc.
This explains the next words of the verse, “If Havayah desires us.” Desire (chafitzah) is the inner dimension of Keser: the relish and delight within the will.
ורצון הוא בחינת חיצוניות הכתר וכמ״ש בד״ה ואהיה אצלו אמון3 כו׳. וכאן הוא אומר אם חפץ בנו הוי׳
And will (ratzon) is the level of the outer dimension (chitzoniyus) of Keser, as is written in the discourse beginning “And I was with Him as a nursling,” etc. And here it says, “If Havayah desires us”:
Will (ratzon) is only the outer dimension of Keser, as the discourse on “And I was with Him as a nursling” explains. The verse, though, speaks of desire.
דהיינו שיתגלה פנימיות הכתר שהוא למעלה מגדר ההלבשה בכלים שעי״ז יהיה ג״כ למטה בקיעת האורות כו׳
that is, that the inner dimension of Keser, which is above the bounds of enclothement in vessels, will be revealed, so that through this there will also be, below, the breaking through of the lights, etc.
It speaks of desire because the aim is that the inner dimension of Keser, which is above all vessels, be revealed. Through that revelation the lights break through below as well.
(And see the Zohar, Parshas Sh’lach, page 160, end of side a.) And all this is through “the land is good,” etc., because “their beginning is wedged in their end, and their end in their beginning.”
The parenthesis refers to the Zohar on Parshas Sh’lach, which reads “If Havayah desires us” as the words of the men of faith. All this comes about through “the land is good,” the deed in the physical Land, because the beginning is wedged in the end and the end in the beginning.
ויובן זה עוד עפמ״ש בת״א פ׳ מקץ סד״ה רני ושמחי בת6 לא זז מחבבה עד שקראה בתי כו׳
This will be understood further in light of what is written in Torah Ohr, Parshas Mikeitz, at the end of the discourse beginning “Sing and rejoice, daughter”: “He did not cease to cherish her until He called her ‘My daughter,’ etc.,
A further explanation comes from Torah Ohr, Parshas Mikeitz, at the end of the discourse on “Sing and rejoice, daughter.” It quotes the saying that G‑d did not cease to cherish Israel until He called her “My daughter.”
עד שקראה אמי כו׳ ולע״ל כתיב רני ושמחי בת שבחינת בת תתעלה ביתר שאת ולהיות אשת חיל7 עט״ב עכ״ל.
until He called her ‘My mother,’ etc. And of the time to come it is written, ‘Sing and rejoice, daughter,’ for the level of ‘daughter’ will be elevated with surpassing loftiness, and become ‘a woman of valor, the crown of her husband,’” end of quote.
His love grew further until He called her “My mother.” Of the time to come it says “Sing and rejoice, daughter”: the level of “daughter,” the lowest, will be raised highest of all, to be “a woman of valor, the crown of her husband.”
The breaking through of the lights comes from the inner dimension of Keser, the “desire” of “If Havayah desires us,” and it is revealed through the lowest, the Land. The Torah Ohr passage on the “daughter” who will become “the crown of her husband” shows the same principle.
In the Kabbalah the “daughter” is Malchus, the last of the Sefiros; to become “the crown of her husband” is to rise above Z’eir Anpin to the place of Keser. The lowest reaching the highest is the principle of “their end is wedged in their beginning.”
Marei mekomos
- 1אם חפץ בנו הוי׳ · Numbers 14:8
- 2אם חפץ בנו הוי׳ · Zohar, Sh'lach 9:59–10:67
- 3ואהיה אצלו אמון · Proverbs 8:30
- 4טובה הארץ · Numbers 14:7
- 5דנעוץ תחלתן בסופן וסופן בתחלתן · Sefer Yetzirah 1:7
- 6רני ושמחי בת · Zechariah 2:14
- 7אשת חיל · Proverbs 12:4
27והנה בחינת בת זהו ענין ירושלים של מטה ובחינת אמי זהו ענין ירושלים של מעלה והיא בחינת עולם המחשבה בחינת ה׳ גדולה לאה אם הבנים כו׳
Now, the level of “daughter” is the matter of the Jerusalem below, and the level of “My mother” is the matter of the Jerusalem above, which is the level of the World of Thought, the level of the great hei, Leah, “the mother of the children,” etc.
The “daughter” is the Jerusalem below, and “My mother” is the Jerusalem above. The Jerusalem above is the World of Thought: the great hei, the upper hei of the Name, which is Leah, called “the mother of the children.”
והם רצו להמשיך הכל ע״י ירושמ״ע לבד אך באמת א״א להגיע לזה כ״א ע״י ירושמ״ט
And they wanted to draw down everything through the Jerusalem above alone; but in truth it is impossible to attain this except through the Jerusalem below,
The spies wanted to draw everything down through the Jerusalem above alone, through thought. But in truth that goal can be reached only through the Jerusalem below.
כי זה השער לה׳1 והיא בחינת כעיר שחוברה לה יחדו2 כו׳ לבחינת ירושמ״ע ולכן ארז״ל נשבע הקב״ה שלא יכנס בירושמ״ע עד שיכנס בירושמ״ט.
for “this is the gate to Havayah,” and it is the level of “like a city that is joined together,” etc., to the level of the Jerusalem above. And therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said: The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that He would not enter the Jerusalem above until He enters the Jerusalem below.
The Jerusalem below is “the gate to Havayah,” the way in to all that is above, and it is “a city that is joined together” with the Jerusalem above. That is why the Sages said that G‑d swore He would not enter the Jerusalem above until He enters the Jerusalem below.
The spies’ error is restated in terms of the two Jerusalems: they wanted to work through the Jerusalem above, thought, alone, but it is reached only through its gate, the Jerusalem below, which is deed.
Marei mekomos
- 1זה השער לה׳ · Psalms 118:20
- 2כעיר שחוברה לה יחדו · Psalms 122:3
Three levels and a fourth ¶28–31
28ועוד זאת שהרי נאמר כי הנני בא ושכנתי בתוכך1 דוקא בבחינת ירושמ״ט כו׳ שבחינת בת תתעלה ביתר שאת כנזכר לעיל
Moreover, it is said, “For behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst”: specifically in the level of the Jerusalem below, etc.; for the level of “daughter” will be elevated with surpassing loftiness, as mentioned above.
A further proof: the prophet says “For behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst” of the Jerusalem below specifically. That is the “daughter” who, as quoted above, will be elevated with surpassing loftiness.
והיינו בבחינת קיום המצות במעשה גשמיות דוקא שנקרא בחינת עבד וע״ז דוקא נאמר הנה ישכיל עבדי ירום ונשא וגבה מאד.2
That is, in the level of fulfilling the mitzvos in physical deed specifically, which is called the level of a servant; and of this specifically it is said, “Behold, My servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and be very high.”
The “daughter” is the keeping of the mitzvos in physical deed, which is called the level of a servant. Of the servant specifically Isaiah says, “Behold, My servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and be very high.”
וזהו טובה הארץ מאד מאד3 כמו בחי׳ וגבה מאד. ועוד י״ל כי הנה מבואר בשל״ה ר״פ ויחי בענין מ״ש ג״פ היכל ה׳ המה
And this is “The land is very, very good,” like the level of “and be very high.” It may further be said: for it is explained in the Shelah, at the beginning of Parshas Vayechi, on the matter of what is written three times, “The Heichal (Sanctuary) of Havayah,” “are these”
The “very” of “and be very high” is the “very, very” of “the land is very, very good.” A further explanation follows, from the Shelah at the beginning of Parshas Vayechi, on why Jeremiah says “the Heichal of Havayah” three times.
(בירמיה סי׳ ז׳ ד׳) וכן ארץ ארץ ארץ שמעי דבר4 ה׳ (שם ססי׳ כ״ב) נז׳ ג״פ ארץ.
(in Jeremiah, chapter 7, [verse] 4), and likewise “Land, land, land, hear the word of Havayah” (there, end of chapter 22), where “land” is mentioned three times:
The text gives the place of that verse, Jeremiah 7:4, and adds a parallel from the end of Jeremiah 22. There too “land” is said three times: “Land, land, land, hear the word of Havayah.”
כי גם למעלה באצילות יש ג״כ ירושמ״ט וירושמ״ע שהם ה׳ תתאה וה׳ עילאה. והבחי׳ הג׳ זהו ירושמ״ט ממש שבעשי׳ הגשמיות בעוה״ז.
for above, too, in the World of Atzilus (Emanation), there are also a Jerusalem below and a Jerusalem above, which are the lower hei and the upper hei; and the third level is the actual Jerusalem below, in the physical World of Asiyah (Action), in this world.
The Shelah’s explanation is that even above, in Atzilus, there is a Jerusalem below and a Jerusalem above, the lower hei and the upper hei of the Name. The third is the actual Jerusalem below, in the physical World of Asiyah, this world.
והיינו כי המצות הם בשלשה בחינות מחדומ״ע כמ״ש לקמן בד״ה ועתה יגדל נא5 ובד״ה וישלח יהושע כו׳ מרגלים חרש.67
That is, the mitzvos are in three levels, thought, speech and action, as is written below, in the discourse beginning “And now, I pray, let [the power] be great,” and in the discourse beginning “And Yehoshua sent,” etc., “spies, secretly.”
These three correspond to the three levels of the mitzvos: thought, speech and action. Discourses further on explain this, the one beginning “And now, let the power be great” and the one beginning “And Yehoshua sent spies secretly.”
The doubled “very” is linked to the exaltation of the servant who keeps the mitzvos in deed. Jeremiah’s threefold “Heichal” and “land” are explained, after the Shelah, as two Jerusalems in Atzilus and a third, the physical Jerusalem: thought, speech and action.
The words “For behold, I come, and I will dwell in your midst” are the continuation of “Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 2:14). The same verse that calls the daughter to rejoice says that G‑d will dwell in her.
Marei mekomos
- 1כי הנני בא ושכנתי בתוכך · Zechariah 2:14
- 2הנה ישכיל עבדי ירום ונשא וגבה מאד · Isaiah 52:13
- 3טובה הארץ מאד מאד · Numbers 14:7
- 4ארץ ארץ ארץ שמעי דבר ה׳ · Jeremiah 22:29
- 5ועתה יגדל נא · Numbers 14:17
- 6וישלח יהושע כו׳ מרגלים חרש · Joshua 2:1
- 7היכל ה׳ המה · Jeremiah 7:4
And this is the matter of “holy” three times: through this we draw down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) to the three worlds, “I created it, I formed it, I also made it,” which are
The threefold “holy” of the seraphim belongs to the same pattern. Through it the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) is drawn down into the three worlds of “I created it, I formed it, I also made it,” that is, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.
בחינת מחשבה ודבור ומעשה שהן הן ג׳ בחי׳ היכל הנ״ל והן הן ג״כ ג׳ בחינות תורה ועבודה3 וגמ״ח כמ״ש במ״א בד״ה כי ביום הזה יכפר.4
the levels of thought, speech and action; these are themselves the three levels of Heichal mentioned above, and they are also the three levels of Torah, divine service (avodah) and acts of kindness (gemilus chassadim), as is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “For on this day He shall atone.”
These three worlds are thought, speech and action, the same three levels as the threefold “Heichal.” They are also the three of Torah, divine service (avodah) and acts of kindness (gemilus chassadim), as the discourse “For on this day He shall atone” explains.
The triad of thought, speech and action appears again in the threefold “holy,” in the three worlds of “I created it, I formed it, I also made it,” and in Torah, divine service and acts of kindness.
Marei mekomos
- 1ג׳ פעמים קדוש · Isaiah 6:3
- 2בראתיו יצרתיו אף עשיתיו · Isaiah 43:7
- 3תורה ועבודה · Pirkei Avot 1:2
- 4כי ביום הזה יכפר · Leviticus 16:30
30ועפ״ז י״ל שדור המדבר שהם בחינת ומדברך נאוה1 רצו להמשיך בבחינת דבור ומחשבה שהם הם ירושמ״ט וירושמ״ע שבעולם העליון היינו ה׳ תתאה וה׳ עילאה כנ״ל. אבל בבחינת זו הג׳ דארץ שלמטה לא רצו.
According to this, it may be said that the generation of the desert (midbar), who are the level of “and your speech (midbarech) is comely,” wanted to draw down in the level of speech and thought, which are the Jerusalem below and the Jerusalem above that are in the upper world, that is, the lower hei and the upper hei, as mentioned above. But this third level, of the land below, they did not want.
The generation of the desert (midbar) were the level of “and your speech (midbarech) is comely,” for the two words share one root. They wanted to draw down only through speech and thought, the Jerusalem below and the Jerusalem above of the upper world, but not through the third level, the land below.
The generation of the desert, rooted in speech and thought, accepted the two Jerusalems of the upper world but refused the third level, the physical land.
Marei mekomos
- 1ומדברך נאוה · Song of Songs 4:3
31והיינו דקסברו שיוכלו להמשיך ע״י ירושמ״ט וירושמ״ע שבעולם העליון והיינו ע״י דבור ומחשבה לבד כנ״ל.
That is, they held that they would be able to draw down through the Jerusalem below and the Jerusalem above of the upper world, that is, through speech and thought alone, as mentioned above.
The spies held that they could draw everything down through the Jerusalem below and the Jerusalem above of the upper world, that is, through speech and thought alone.
But in truth the main point of all the drawings-down is through doing (asiyah) specifically. And see what is written about this in the discourse beginning “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov,” on the meaning of “I also made it.”
In truth, every drawing-down comes mainly through doing. The discourse “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov” explains this on the words “I also made it.”
ושם נתבאר דאף מרבה בחינה רביעית שלמעלה מכל הג׳ בחינות דבראתיו יצרתיו עשיתיו שבחינה זו נמשך ומתגלה ע״י העשיה דוקא. ויש לומר ג״כ שזהו ענין התגלות קדש העליון שלמעלה מבחינת ג״פ קדוש בוי״ו.
And there it is explained that “also” (af) comes to include a fourth level, which is above all three levels of “I created it, I formed it, I made it,” and that this level is drawn down and revealed through the doing specifically. And it may also be said that this is the matter of the revelation of the supernal Kodesh (holiness), which is above the level of the three times Kadosh (holy) with a vav.
There the word af, “also,” is read as adding a fourth level, above all three of “I created it, I formed it, I made it,” which is drawn down and revealed only through the deed. This may also be the supernal Kodesh, “holiness” written without a vav, which is above the three times Kadosh, “holy,” written with a vav.
ועמ״ש סד״ה שיניך כעדר הרחלים3 ואפ״ל ששלשה בחינות היכל הנ״ל זהו ג״כ ג׳ המדריגות דלא זז מחבבה עד שקראה בתי ואחותי ואמי וכו׳:
And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes.” And one can say that the three levels of Heichal mentioned above are also the three degrees of “He did not cease to cherish her until He called her ‘My daughter,’ and ‘My sister,’ and ‘My mother,’” etc.
The text also refers to the end of the discourse “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes.” Finally, the three levels of Heichal may be the three stages of the saying that G‑d did not cease to cherish Israel until He called her “My daughter,” “My sister” and “My mother.”
The section closes: the spies relied on speech and thought, but every drawing-down comes through deed, which alone reveals a fourth level above the three, the supernal Kodesh.
The triads gathered in this section are one pattern: the threefold “Heichal” and “land,” thought, speech and action, the threefold “holy,” and “daughter, sister, mother.” The deed, the lowest of each, is what reveals the level above all three.
Marei mekomos
- 1מי מנה עפר יעקב · Numbers 23:10
- 2אף עשיתיו · Isaiah 43:7
- 3שיניך כעדר הרחלים · Song of Songs 6:6
Finished the maamar?
Mark it as learned; it counts toward the week and the year’s siyum.
In one’s avodah
A person draws the revelation above by contemplating, with mind and heart, that G‑d renews creation every day, so that the world no longer hides Him, and by sanctifying himself even in what is permitted to him. And he must not rest content with spiritual intention alone: the highest light is drawn down only through the actual, physical deed of the mitzvos.
Questions for discussion
- Why did the spies think that fulfilling the mitzvos in thought, as Avraham did, would achieve everything that physical deed achieves, and where did their reasoning fail?
- How does the analogy of a deep idea conveyed by a gesture explain why physical deed reaches higher than thought and speech?
- What is the difference between Iggulim and Yosher, and how does the analogy of the teacher and his student illustrate it?
- How does subduing the sitra achra below cause the lights above to break through the vessels?
- Why does the verse say “If Havayah desires us” rather than speaking of His will, and how is that desire revealed through the Land?
Key terms in this maamar
- The Name Havayahהוי׳
- The Tetragrammaton: G‑d as transcending time and bringing all into being.
- The Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof)אור אין סוף
- G‑d's light as it is, beyond all limits, before any contraction.
- The sitra achra (the other side)סטרא אחרא
- The realm opposed to holiness.
- The Holy One, blessed be Heקב״ה
- The chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus)השתלשלות
- The step-by-step descent of divine light from the highest level down to this world. ×6
- The Sefirosספירות
- The ten divine attributes through which G‑d relates to creation. ×1
- The intellect (mochin)מוחין
- Chochmah, Binah and Daas as a whole. ×9
- Chochmah (wisdom)חכמה
- The first flash of insight. ×2
- Chesed (kindness)חסד
- Expansive giving. ×1
- Binah (understanding)בינה
- Developing and grasping an insight in detail. ×3
- The World of Atzilus (Emanation)אצילות
- The highest world, still one with G‑d. ×8
- The World of Asiyah (Action)עשיה
- The lowest world, including our physical one. ×6
- Life-forceחיות
- The divine vitality that sustains every creation. ×7
- Tzimtzum (contraction)צמצום
- The self-concealment of the Infinite Light that makes room for finite worlds. ×14
- Love and aweאהבה ויראה
- The two 'wings' of divine service.
- Willרצון
- Desire; in G‑d, the level above intellect. ×4
- The Name Elokimאלקים
- G‑d as concealed within nature, measuring and limiting. ×2
- An arousal from belowאתערותא דלתתא
- Human initiative that draws down a divine response. ×4
- An arousal from aboveאתערותא דלעילא
- Divine initiative, unprompted by us. ×5
- Z'eir Anpin (the emotive attributes)ז״א
- The six emotive Sefiros as one configuration.
- The World of Beriah (Creation)בריאה
- The first world of separate existence. ×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.
- Nukva (the feminine / Malchus)נוקבא
- Malchus as the receiving configuration.
- Keser (the Crown)כתר
- The level above intellect: divine will and delight. ×4
- The inner dimension (pnimiyus)פנימיות
- The innermost core of a level. ×1
- Delightתענוג
- Pleasure; the inner root of will.
- The outer dimension (chitzoniyus)חיצוניות
- The external, expressive aspect. ×1
- 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 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”. ×8