להבין בתוספת ביאור ע״פ וידעת היום והשבות אל…

1To understand, with additional explanation, the verse “Know this day and take it to your heart,” etc., concerning Daas (knowledge) and faith; and to understand how the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) can be on the level of Daas and sensing, for surely “no thought can grasp Him at all,” as is known.

But the point is that we must understand what the essential concept of Daas is, as is known in the language of the philosophers, and as the Rambam writes concerning the knowledge of G‑dliness,

that He, blessed be He, is the One whose existence is known and not His essence. This is what is called the level of Daas, for the concept of Daas is the knowing and sensing of existence.

2This will be understood by way of analogy from man, [as in] “from my flesh I behold”: because of the matter of the physical body, a person cannot apprehend even the essence of the spirituality that is actually enclothed within him,

namely the soul and its powers. Nevertheless, he senses their existence with actual knowing and sensing. Thought, for example: he knows its existence, and yet he does not apprehend its essence.

For we see that thought extends even into the foot and is actually present, enclothed, in the foot. For surely, the moment it arises in his mind to think of moving the foot, the foot immediately goes, just as it arose in thought.

Now if we were to say that this thought in the brain, to walk, descended and was drawn down through the descent of levels until it came to the foot and moved it, then the movement would have had to linger and be delayed for some amount of time. Why, then,

the moment it arises in thought, does the foot move to walk without any lingering or delay at all, not even for a moment? From this it is evident that the thought did not descend from the brain by way of a drawing-down, like water that is drawn along and flows down, etc.,

but rather that it is actually present in the foot. And although its main [place] is in the brain, nevertheless its radiance extends into all the limbs, like the light of the sun upon the earth. And none of this is apprehended: how and what it is.

3So too the intellect and the letters of thought in the soul: their actual essence is not apprehended. Take a person who studied a tractate in depth, so that it is fluent on his lips and as though it lay with him in a box. Afterwards, when he is occupied with another matter

or is studying another tractate, he nevertheless remembers, whenever he wishes, the whole of that tractate he studied earlier. Therefore one must say that it is present in his mind and intellect even at a time when he is not thinking about it at all.

4If so, how and what is the essence of this intellect that is with him even when he is not thinking about it at all? This is not apprehended at all, how and what it is.

This is because a person, being in a body, does not apprehend even the essence of the spirituality within him, namely the soul and its powers, but only their existence.

5Nevertheless, their existence he actually knows and senses, even though he does not apprehend their essence; and for this there is no need of faith or proof, but rather it is actually sensed.

This is what is called, in the language of the philosophers, apprehension of the existence and not apprehension of the essence. From this we will understand [the matter] above, in G‑dliness: that the apprehension of His existence alone, and not the apprehension of His essence,

that is, in the manner of the body’s sensing of the soul mentioned above, is what is called by the name Daas (knowledge), as it is written, “Know the G‑d of your father,” etc. For the concept of Daas is the concept of sensing, as is known, which is the concept of apprehending the existence alone,

as in the analogy mentioned above, that a person knows of his soul that is within him: he knows only its existence and not its essence, yet he senses it with a complete sensing, and this sensing is called by the name “knowledge,” in that he knows himself, etc.

So too the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, as it is enclothed in all the worlds, is sensed and known to the created beings; but only its existence is known, and not its essence, as the Rambam writes.

6With this the question raised above is answered: how can the level of sovev be on the level of Daas (knowledge), when surely “no thought can grasp Him,” etc.? For the meaning of “grasp” is specifically apprehension of the essence, like a person who grasps an object in his hand, etc.

And this is the meaning of “apprehension” without qualification: that one apprehends the essence of the thing, etc. In truth, there is no apprehension whatsoever of the essence of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), but only apprehension of its existence alone, as mentioned above.

Nevertheless, the statement that “no thought can grasp” refers to apprehension of His essence; but Daas and sensing, which is only a matter of apprehending His existence alone, the created beings can reach and attain. And this is the positive commandment of “Know this day,” etc., and likewise of “You have been shown, to know,” etc.

72. This matter will be understood with greater clarity from something similar that we find in the study of the Torah: that it has a concealed [part] and a revealed [part],

which are also the levels of body and soul, as explained in the Zohar, Beha’alos’cha (152a). With the bodies of the Torah, apprehension of the essence applies, which is not so with the level of the concealed and inner [part].

Nevertheless, through the bodies of the Torah a person can also know something of the existence of the inner [part], just as, by way of analogy, through the life of a person’s body one senses the existence of the soul, etc.

The explanation of the matter: our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Fortunate is he who comes here with his learning in his hand,” [meaning] that in Gan Eden they also study the whole Oral Torah, for example the subjects of the laws that we study here in this material world, “an ox that gored,” etc.,

and the like. And it is known that this law is the word of G‑d, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and studies opposite him, etc. If so, in Gan Eden, where the souls occupy themselves with this law of “an ox that gored,” etc.,

one cannot say that their apprehension there is like our apprehension here, concerning actual physical matters, for surely there is no physical ox in Gan Eden, etc.; [everything] there is certainly abstracted from every limit and physicality, etc.

Rather, their apprehension there certainly concerns the spiritual, such as the level of the ox of the Chariot, “the face of an ox on the left,” and the like, and the secret of the intent in the reason of the law, why the ruling should be so, etc. This is what is called the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the Torah and “the soul of the Torah,”

whereas our apprehension here of this law of “an ox that gored” is the level of the body of the Torah; and there is also what is called “the garment of the Torah,” in the Zohar there.

8And so too, in this manner, with all the laws that we study here, such as “If the bright spot preceded the white hair,” etc.,

as stated in the Gemara: the Holy One, blessed be He, in the Heavenly Academy says, “Pure,” etc., and “Who will decide it? Rabbah bar Nachmani,” etc. Certainly the subject of the afflictions there is not a physical matter like the afflictions below;

rather, they are the level of “harsh judgment,” from which the external forces draw their nurture, as is written in the Zohar, and the like. And concerning their secret, how and by what they are sweetened, etc.:

this is the law that they study there, “If the bright spot preceded,” etc. And this is called the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the Torah, with which souls occupy themselves in Gan Eden, etc.

And so too with other laws of this kind, such as the laws of mikva’os: “There are six grades of mikva’os, one above the other,” etc.

The mikveh here is forty se’ah of physical water, etc.; and above, it is the drawing down of the supernal waters of Binah (understanding) from the source of Chochmah (wisdom), through the level of the four yuds of [the Name] Av (72), etc.,

from which the forty se’ah are drawn, as explained in Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaShabbos. And the secret of the purification [coming] specifically through them, from every impurity, is the inner dimension of the Torah. In the same way they also study there this law, “There are six grades of mikva’os, one above the other,” etc.,

which are the six permutations of yud-hei-vav, as written in Pri Etz Chaim there. And so too with all the matters of the mitzvos, all of them, as with the secret of tefillin: here, the mitzvah of tefillin is enclothed in a physical action, on physical parchment and ink, etc.; and the section “Sanctify to Me every firstborn,” etc.,

is known to have its root in the level of Chochmah, for “holy” is Chochmah; and it is drawn down to be written on parchment and placed in the housing of the tefillin, and from this there will be drawn to a person the level of supernal intellect (mochin), in the mode of an encompassing [light], what is impossible for him to apprehend with his own intellect, etc., as is explained elsewhere.

9Thus the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) in the Chochmah (wisdom) that is in the section “Sanctify,” etc., is drawn down here by way of a garment and a physical matter, while above it is in the mode of the inner dimension and the actual essence,

that is, the level of the light of the Chochmah of holiness itself. See what is written in Parshas Yisro, in the discourse beginning “Moshe would speak,” concerning the mitzvos, what they are above: the matter of visiting the sick and the matter of tefillin, etc.; see there.

10Now, because the soul is enclothed in a physical body, it is therefore impossible for us to have apprehension of the essence, even for the greatest of the sages of the Truth, except for a prophet and seer alone, [whose apprehension] is termed in Scripture

by the name of actual “seeing,” as all this is explained elsewhere on the verse “He wraps Himself in light as in a garment.” Rather, this is the learning in the Heavenly Academy, where the essence of the inner dimension of the Torah is apprehended, as it is in Keser, Chochmah and Binah of [the World of] Beriah, etc.

But nevertheless, although the essence of the inner dimension of the Torah is not apprehended at all by any sage, still, from studying the bodies of the Torah, one can come to some tiny measure of knowledge of the existence of the inner [dimension];

for at any rate the merest edge of it is understood and apprehended: that perforce there is some mode of the inner dimension of the Torah and of reasons for the mitzvos, which are the soul of the body of this law and this mitzvah.

Just as in physical things: from what we see of a person’s body, it is sensed that there is a soul within it, even though one does not know its essence, how and what it is.

11So too the Torah is called “man”: the 248 positive commandments are 248 limbs, etc., and it has a body and a soul, as mentioned above.

Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Fortunate is he who comes here with his learning in his hand,” for through studying the bodies of the Torah in this world, one apprehends in Gan Eden the actual essence of the inner [dimension], etc.,

which is not so for one who has nothing at all of the bodies of the Torah in his hand, etc. Now, in the same way it will also be understood how there can be a drawing down of Daas (knowledge) in the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), through fulfilling the Torah and mitzvos.

For although “no thought can grasp Him at all,” nevertheless knowledge of the existence is possible, in the manner of the knowledge of the inner dimension of the Torah; for the Torah and mitzvos are from the level of sovev kol almin.

12Moreover, we know that the level of the light that fills [the worlds] (memalei) is only a glow and a radiance, etc., and it necessarily issues from an essential source, like the luminary of the sun that gives forth the light, and the like. If so, through this knowledge we sense, at any rate, the knowledge and apprehension of the existence of the light that encompasses [the worlds] (sovev),

namely, that there exists sovev in relation to memalei. See what is written in the discourse beginning “The heavens are My throne,” on “Grant our hearts understanding, to understand,” that is,

to understand one thing from within another thing: the meaning of “within a thing” is the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed within the worlds, and from the level of memalei kol almin we come to understand the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), etc.;

see there. See also what is written elsewhere in explaining “Blessed is He Who spoke and the world came into being, blessed is He,” concerning the meaning of “You” and the meaning of “He,” which are the levels of memalei kol almin and sovev kol almin, etc.; see there.

And this is why we were commanded also concerning the level of sovev, “Know this day,” etc., “that Havayah,” which is the level of sovev, “is Elokim”: to be revealed to you, that is, at least on the level of apprehending the existence.

But the drawing down of Daas (knowledge) into this level comes specifically through engaging in the Torah and mitzvos, through which [there is] “and nurture faith,” which draws nourishment into faith. For although in truth, with regard to the level of sovev kol almin, only the level of faith applies, nevertheless through the Torah and mitzvos one draws [it] down to become, in actuality, “by his faith he shall live.”

That is, through the Torah and mitzvos the level of Daas is drawn down, as will be explained below on the Sifri, “through this you come to recognize,” etc.

It will also be understood further from what is written in the discourse beginning “After Havayah your G‑d shall you walk,” concerning “for [He] is testing,” etc., “to know,” etc.; see there.

133. Now, the meaning and concept of “Know the G‑d of your father” is the deepening of the heart, so that one does not divert his mind from this and it is a constant remembrance before him, as it is written, “I have set Havayah before me always.”

The explanation of the matter: first we must further understand the difference between Daas (knowledge) and faith. For Daas is the level of the inner dimension of the emotive attributes (middos), and in the Zohar it is called “the key that includes six.” See Sifra diTzniusa, the end of chapter 1; and it is explained in Etz Chaim, etc.; see below.

14The explanation of the matter: “from my flesh I behold,” for we see in man that all the emotive attributes (middos) are subordinate to the level of Daas (knowledge), etc.

For when a person knows and senses himself, as mentioned above, we see plainly that to the degree that he senses himself and his life-force (chayus) strongly,

his emotive attributes are then aroused with the utmost arousal, to love with arousal whatever he loves and to hate with arousal whatever he hates, more than when he does not sense himself so much.

For because of the sensing of his own self, his soul is very precious in his eyes; and so a thing that is for his good he will love with the utmost arousal of love, and conversely, a thing that is not for his good

but harms him he will hate with the utmost arousal of hatred. This is not so concerning another person: even about his friend and companion he does not care so much

as about himself. For although he loves him, nevertheless he does not sense [him] so much at all times, and he removes his mind from him;

therefore he will not be aroused so much by his affairs as about himself, from whom he never removes his mind and his sensing of himself. Therefore he will be aroused most of all by his own affairs.

15Therefore, even in his own affairs, if for the time being he removes the sensing of his own self to such an extent, his soul will not be so precious in his eyes, and it may be that he will not be so aroused by something that is against his will;

and likewise he will not love something that is for his good with so much arousal of love, since he is removed from the matter of his own self and does not sense his soul and his life-force so as to know himself so much;

as when he is preoccupied with a great matter, so that he is then removed from sensing his own self, and the like. A proof is what the Rambam writes at the end of chapter 7 of the Laws of Kings: “And whoever begins,” etc.,

“and frightens himself transgresses a prohibition, as it says, ‘Let your heart not be faint; do not fear,’” etc. Now this is difficult: what is he to do so as not to be afraid?

But the point is that he should remove his thought and his musing from this fear, and through this the fear is nullified. And this is what he writes: “And whoever begins to think and to muse.” This is clear proof that even the natural arousal in self-love is dependent

on Daas (knowledge) and thought. If so, we see that all the emotive attributes (middos), love, hatred, fear and the like, are drawn forth and pulled along only through Daas and sensing: because he constantly knows and senses himself,

therefore great arousal will be drawn forth in his own affairs; and the reverse, if he removes his Daas and sensing so much from his self-love, etc., as mentioned above.

16From this it will be understood how the arousal of the emotive attributes (middos) follows only after Daas (knowledge) and sensing: even in a matter that touches his very self, the arousal will be drawn forth only through Daas specifically, for it is what extends into the attributes to give them life, and from it comes chiefly their conduct and their inclination, as mentioned above.

17And this is why Daas (knowledge) is called by the name “the key that includes six”: that is, because it opens the arousal of the attribute and awakens it, like, by way of analogy, a physical key, etc.

And it “includes six”: of all six attributes, Chesed (kindness), Gevurah (restraint) and Tiferes (beauty), etc. See what is written elsewhere concerning Daas, in the explanation of the verse “Many waters,” in Parshas Toldos, and in the discourse beginning “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov.”

18Along these lines will be understood the concept of “Know the G‑d of your father”: namely, to contemplate constantly and not divert one’s mind from this, for specifically through this the emotive attributes, love and awe, will be drawn forth; just as, by way of analogy, one is greatly aroused by the affairs of his soul and body because he does not remove his mind and his sensing, etc.;

so too, and even more so, one must not divert his mind from the Life of life, the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He. And through this his emotive attributes will be drawn forth to love G‑d with heart, soul and might, and to be in awe and dread of His greatness, blessed be He, as will be explained.

19Now, the level of Daas (knowledge) is called a key in relation to the emotive attributes (middos), and to them it is their core and inner dimension, as mentioned above; but in relation to the Chochmah (wisdom) within the intellect (mochin), it is drawn from there

only on the level of the back of Chochmah, as is written in Etz Chaim: from the back of Abba, which is enclothed in the Yesod (foundation) of Imma, the level of Daas of Z’eir Anpin is formed; and as is written in the Likkutei Torah of the Arizal, Parshas Shemos, on “She called his name Moshe, for from the water I drew him.”

20The matter is understandable in its own right. For the sensing mentioned above is not apprehension of the essence, like the level of sight, which is the level of Chochmah (wisdom);

rather, it is knowledge and apprehension from afar, not of the essence and quality, but only on the level of sensing, in that one senses the existence of the thing. If so, this is only the level of the back of Chochmah.

For the body of Chochmah and its inner dimension is the level of sight. Therefore the apprehension of the prophets is termed in Scripture “seeing”: “Havayah appeared to him,” and “You shall see My back.”

And although this is by way of a metaphor, and it is not actual seeing with a physical eye of flesh, nevertheless the thing illustrated must resemble the illustration. Whereas Daas (knowledge) and sensing is

only the level of the back in relation to this level. Therefore it is only from the level of the back of the Yesod of Abba and Imma that the level of Daas of Z’eir Anpin is formed and drawn forth.

21And this is the meaning of “and from my flesh I behold”: it means the level of Daas (knowledge), for “behold” (achazeh) is the Aramaic rendering of “seeing,” and this is only the level of the back

of the level of actual seeing. See the Likkutei Torah of the Arizal on Psalms, on the verse “His understanding is beyond number,” where it is explained that understanding (tevunah) is above the level of the Daas of Z’eir Anpin; and this is for the reason mentioned above.

22Now, since it has been explained that it is specifically through the level of Daas (knowledge) that arousal comes into existence, as mentioned above, from this the essential difference between Daas and faith will be understood, as mentioned above.

For just as was explained above regarding the level of Daas in the soul of man, so it will be understood above, regarding the level of Daas in the living G‑d and King of the world:

namely, the level of the emotive attributes (middos) of Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus, in which the level of Daas is enclothed: it is they that descend to be enclothed in Malchus (sovereignty) of Atzilus, in the Chochmah, Binah and Daas and the emotive attributes within it, in order “to revive the spirit of the lowly,” from nothing into something, etc.

And this is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). From this the level of Daas is drawn into all the created beings as well, in that they know and recognize their Creator with actual sensing: just as a person knows himself and his life-force, so they know the Source of life and the Life of life, Who gives life to all the created beings, etc.

23and that without Him they have no endurance or existence at all, even for a moment. And from this Daas (knowledge) there branch out the level of the emotive attributes, love and awe: to love G‑d and to do His commandments

as one loves the life of his soul, as it is written, “to love Havayah,” “for He is your life,” etc.; and to hate whatever opposes him and harms the G‑dly illumination upon him, namely all the 365 prohibitions, to keep utterly far from them,

just as a person hates with the utmost hatred a thing that harms him. If so, the cause of fulfilling the positive commandments and of keeping far from all the prohibitions depends only on the level of Daas,

which is the sensing by which the G‑dly soul senses the G‑dly light, and that it is the level of the Life of life. Of this it is said, “Know the G‑d of your father”: that it be a remembrance between his eyes constantly,

so that he will sense very strongly how he must fear transgressing His will. See what is written in the discourse beginning “The heads of the tribes,” on the meaning and concept of fear of sin.

24And that he must yearn and long to cleave to Him, blessed be He. Faith, however, is above the level of Daas (knowledge) and apprehension: that is, it is only on the level of an encompassing [light] over the intellect and the emotive attributes (middos).

Therefore it does not produce so much arousal of the emotive attributes. For “the thief at the mouth of the tunnel calls upon the Merciful One”: he believes in the power of the Master of the world, and nevertheless he transgresses His will, blessed be He. This is because, with him, faith is at a distance and only encompassing.

25Therefore faith is called by the name “crown,” for it is like a crown that encircles the head, as written above. And above, in G‑dliness, it will be understood from this that it is a level and rank higher than the level of the Daas (knowledge) of Z’eir Anpin mentioned above;

rather, it is the level of an encompassing light over the emotive attributes (middos) of Atzilus, to the point that they are not aroused by it at all, etc. And this is what is called the level of the Keser of Z’eir Anpin,

like the crown that crowns the head, etc. And when this illumination comes down into the Malchus of Atzilus, it is called the Keser of Malchus, etc.

In general, this is from the level of the encompassing light (sovev) in each world according to its measure: in Atzilus, from the level of the sovev of Atzilus; and in Beriah, from the level of the sovev and Keser of Beriah, etc.

And because it is the level of sovev and encompassing, therefore it does not shine in revelation so much in the world, on the level of actual Daas. So too below, in man: Daas is on the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), but faith is also on the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

But through the mitzvos one draws down the level of sovev kol almin, so that it will be drawn down also on the level of Daas. For the 248 positive commandments and the 365 prohibitions are drawn from the level of the five Chasadim and the five Gevuros, which are drawn from the level of Daas, etc.;

and the root of this drawing-down is from the level of the Supernal Will, the sovev kol almin. See the commentary of the Ramaz on the Zohar, at the beginning of Parshas Korach; and see what is written further on this below, with the help of Heaven.

And this is the essence of the command “Know this day”: that through Daas and deep immersion in the level of “I, Havayah, have not changed,” the level of sovev kol almin, specifically through this his love and awe will grow, as is written in Pri Etz Chaim,

Sha’ar Chag HaMatzos, chapter 1, that there are several levels of mature intellect (mochin degadlus), etc. Now, through fulfilling the commandment “Know this day,” which is only the level of [Him] whose existence is known and not His essence,

through this the reward will be drawn forth in the Time to Come, that “the glory of Havayah shall be revealed,” etc., on the level of actual seeing and apprehension, “for they shall see eye to eye”; as is written on this in the discourse beginning “Return, O Israel”; see there.

264. Now, according to this, we need to understand what is said of the Time to Come, “The earth shall be full of knowledge,” for surely something greater than this is said of the Time to Come: “The glory of Havayah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see,” etc.;

and it is written, “For they shall see eye to eye,” where seeing is actual apprehension of the essence; as our Sages, of blessed memory, said at the end of tractate Taanis, on the verse “And it shall be said on that day: Behold, this is our G‑d,” etc.; and as is also known concerning Moshe, that he prophesied with [the word] “this” because he saw through a luminous lens.

27If so, what is [the meaning of] what is said of the Time to Come, “The earth shall be full of knowledge,” when Daas (knowledge) is only the apprehension and sensing of the existence and not of the actual essence?

The explanation: according to what has been explained above, it will be understood that there are three levels below, in man. The first is the level of seeing and apprehension of the essence. The second is the level of Daas, which is the knowing and sensing of the existence and not apprehension of the essence.

The third is the level of faith, in that one believes the truth with a whole heart even though for him it is not on the level of Daas and sensing; and along these lines, “the Name of Heaven is fluent in the mouth of all,” as mentioned above.

If so, above too it is along these lines, with these three levels. However, it is self-evident that above, whatever is higher is more wondrous and hidden.

Now, Chochmah (wisdom) is called “You,” as in “For You are our Father,” as written in the Idra Zuta (290a). This is because it is the beginning of revelation, “You made them all with Chochmah”; it is enclothed in all the worlds, and in Gan Eden it is

on the level of revealed apprehension, for “each one according to his measure,” on the level of actual apprehension of the essence in this glow and radiance (see what is written on this in Torah Ohr, Parshas Chayei Sarah); and therefore it is called “You.”

For “You” is the language of direct address and the level of actual revelation; and this revelation is from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), whose source is the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah).

But from the level of Keser (the Crown), which is above Chochmah and is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), no illumination shines in Gan Eden in the mode of revelation and apprehension of the essence; rather, this revelation will be in the Time to Come specifically, at the Resurrection of the Dead, as is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the section beginning “It is known that through an arousal from below,” etc.; see there.

But in Gan Eden, [light] from the level of sovev kol almin does not shine in actual revelation. Nevertheless, the level of Daas applies also to sovev kol almin,

for He is known in His existence even though His essence is not known. Therefore it is stated in the Idra Zuta there that Atika is not called “You,” because He is concealed and not revealed.

28And He is called “He.” As is also written in the Zohar, Parshas Korach, on the verse “And the Levite, he shall serve”: “‘He’: this is Atika.” That is, nevertheless His existence is known; only His essence is not known.

It is like, by way of analogy, a person, in whom there is the level of intellect and there is the level of the intellective power from which the intellect issues: although the intellective power is not apprehended at all, nevertheless its existence is known, for since the intellect issues forth, there must necessarily be a source from which it issues, etc.

In the same way, since in Gan Eden Chochmah (wisdom) shines in revelation, the Keser (the Crown), from which is the source of Chochmah’s welling forth, is known in its existence, and it is called “He.”

Therefore the level of Daas (knowledge) applies to it. (See what is written in the discourse beginning “If the bright spot preceded,” on “the Holy One, blessed be He, says ‘Pure,’” that this is what shines to them from the level of the encompassing [light], and it is above the level of their apprehension, etc.)

However, there is yet another level of a higher encompassing [light], which is above even the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and it is called “the Head that is not known” (Reisha d’Lo Isyada). For since it is above even being a source for Chochmah, which is called “You,”

therefore it is not apprehended even in Gan Eden on the level of actual Daas, but only on the level of faith. Therefore it is called “that is not known”: that is, it is above the level of Daas and shines only on the level of faith.

All this is as explained in the commentary on “Blessed is He Who spoke and the world came into being, blessed is He,” etc.; see there. (And see in the Siddur, in the explanation of the verse “You set the borders of the earth,” concerning acknowledgment.)

Now, in the Time to Come there will be an ascent of the worlds. For now, Malchus (sovereignty) receives from Z’eir Anpin, which is called “You,” which is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin); and therefore the level of sovev kol almin is not apprehended even in Gan Eden except by apprehension of the existence alone, as mentioned above.

But in the Time to Come, when there will be an ascent of Malchus into Keser, which is above the level of the Daas of Z’eir Anpin, then what is now the level of Keser, [known] only by apprehension of the existence, as mentioned above, will be, in the Time to Come, by apprehension of the essence, like the souls who “enjoy the radiance,” etc.,

for they actually enjoy [it]; and in the manner of their saying, of blessed memory: “In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a circle dance for the righteous, and He will sit among them in Gan Eden,” etc., until

“Behold, this is our G‑d,” etc. This is certainly [said] only of what is directly present, as in Gan Eden where they sit and enjoy, which is apprehension of the essence, as mentioned above. And this revelation will be in the Time to Come from the level of sovev kol almin, which is the level of Keser.

Therefore it is called machol, which is a circle: that is, the level of the supernal circles and encompassing [lights] will be drawn down into revelation, so that one will say of them “this.”

29Of this it is said of the Time to Come, “For they shall see eye to eye.” And then there will be drawn down, to become the level of the encompassing light (sovev), [light] from still higher levels;

that is, the higher encompassing [light], which is now above the level of sovev kol almin and is called “the Head that is not known,” will in the Time to Come be drawn down to be on the level of sovev. And of this it is said, “The earth shall be full of knowledge,” etc.

30See what is written in the discourse beginning “A great shofar will be sounded.” The explanation of the matter: it is known that there are many myriads of levels in the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus). Thus in the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah there are, in general, three well-known levels: the Upper Gan Eden, the Lower Gan Eden, and this world, of the World of Asiyah.

Now, it is known that in every cause and effect, what is on the level of revelation in the higher becomes the level of concealment in the lower, which is its effect, etc. That is, what is the level of the light that fills (memalei) in the higher becomes the level of the light that encompasses (sovev) in the lower;

and so too the higher in relation to the one above it, and so on up to the loftiest heights, in many myriads of levels, without end or measure: all is in the mode of concealment and revelation, namely sovev and memalei, etc. And so too the Upper Gan Eden and the Lower Gan Eden, in this way;

that is, what in the Upper Gan Eden is on the level of apprehension of the essence as directly present, that is, on the level of actual revelation, when this illumination comes down into the Lower Gan Eden it is still, for them there, on the level of concealment and sovev, and for them it is only on the level of apprehension of the existence alone, etc.

And of the Time to Come it is written, “He will make her wilderness like Eden”: what is now the level of Eden, this revelation will be actually below, so that [her] wilderness will be like Eden; and if so, the level of Eden will be raised still higher, without end, etc.

Along these lines there are fifty thousand jubilees, etc. From all this the concept of “The earth shall be full of knowledge” will be understood; and all this is drawn down through “Know this day.”

315. And this is the meaning of “Speak upon the heart of Jerusalem and call out to her.” The meaning of “and call out to her” is what will be drawn down on the level of actual inner light, in apprehension of the essence, in the manner of “They shall see eye to eye.”

And “Speak upon the heart” is the level of an encompassing [light]. That is, after the encompassing [lights] of the present are drawn down to be on the level of inner light,

then a higher and greater light will be drawn down to be on the level of an encompassing [light]: that which is now far, far above even being called an encompassing light.

(And see concerning “speak upon the heart” in Midrash Rabbah, Vayishlach, section 80; Acharei, section 21; in Midrash Eichah, at the end of the first alphabet, on the verse “Let all come”;

in Midrash Koheles on the verse “I spoke with my heart,” and on the verse “A time to love,” regarding “and a time to speak.” And see what is written in the discourse beginning “After Havayah your G‑d shall you walk,” concerning “And these words shall be,” etc., “upon your heart.”)

Of this it is said, “The earth shall be full of knowledge.” And it is self-evident that there will be an encompassing [light] to the encompassing [light], from a still higher level, for “His greatness is unsearchable,” and as it is written, “according to His abundant greatness,” etc.

And of this it is also said of the Time to Come, “Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his waist,” etc. (and see the Zohar, Parshas Balak, 198b).

But all these drawings-down in the Time to Come come through “today, to do them.” And this is [the meaning of] “For her service is fulfilled”: this is the refinement of the sparks, which are refined through prayer and through the Torah and mitzvos.

And this is also what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “If Israel do teshuvah (return), they are redeemed.” For teshuvah means that the sparks that fell below should return to their source and root; and after the refinement of all the sparks is completed, of this it is said, “For her service is fulfilled.”

32And then, “Speak upon the heart,” etc. See what is written in the discourse beginning “And all your children,” etc., “increase peace,” etc.; see there. Now, through the refinement of the sparks mentioned above, there is also drawn down a revelation of the level of Daas (knowledge), as is written in the discourse beginning “After Havayah your G‑d shall you walk.” And the main refinement

is through prayer and Torah and mitzvos. That is, through this one draws down the level of “and nurture faith.” See what is written in Iggeres HaKodesh on the verse “She girds her loins with strength,” how through engaging in the Torah, life-force and strength are drawn into faith.

33And in the Sifri it is stated, on the verse “And these words shall be,” etc., that “through this you come to recognize Him Who spoke and the world came into being.”

The explanation: the apprehension and study of the Torah is apprehension of the actual essence of His will and His wisdom, blessed be He, which is above knowledge of the existence alone;

only that this apprehension is as His wisdom and will, blessed be He, are enclothed in physical action. Because they are enclothed in physical action, therefore there is apprehension of the essence in them, which is not so as they are above, where surely “no thought can grasp” them at all.

34See what is written on this at length elsewhere, in the explanation of the verse “You shall not omit the salt,” in Parshas Vayikra. But at any rate, it is apprehension of the actual essence of His wisdom and will, blessed be He.

Therefore this apprehension has the power to bring about “and nurture faith,” which is the drawing down of Daas (knowledge). For Daas is the apprehension and recognition of the existence of the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), as mentioned above; and the apprehension and study of the Torah

is apprehension of the essence of His wisdom and will, blessed be He, which is from the level of sovev kol almin, and not by apprehension of the existence alone; only that the Torah has been lowered down into physical matters. And this is

like, by way of analogy, food, which gives life to a person and adds knowledge to him, for “a child does not know how to call ‘Father’ until he tastes the taste of grain.” This is because the root of wheat is from the level of the Daas of Tohu, which is above man, etc.

Therefore, although it has been lowered below man, it nevertheless gives life to man and draws knowledge into him. So too, in the same way, although the Oral Torah speaks of physical matters of this world, which is below the level of intellectual insight into and contemplation of the greatness of G‑d,

nevertheless its root is higher, for it is apprehension of the actual essence of His will and wisdom, blessed be He. Therefore it is the level of nourishment for the soul and “nurture faith,” which draws the level of Daas into faith.

35And this is [the meaning of] “You have been shown, to know”: seeing is apprehension of the essence, and this is through engaging in the Torah, which is His wisdom and will, blessed be He, only that they are enclothed in action;

and therefore from this is drawn “to know that Havayah is Elokim,” etc. See what is written on the verse “When I break for you the staff of bread.”

36See what is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 51, “And what is the garment,” etc., “of the most supernal,” etc. See further in the Siddur, in the discourse beginning “Six days you shall eat matzos,” concerning “A maidservant saw at the sea,” etc.,

which was through the revelation from the level of “I am Who I am,” through which the sea and the hidden world were transformed to come into revelation on the level of actual seeing, as it is written, “This is my G‑d and I will glorify Him.” Along these lines it will also be understood that the Torah and the mitzvos are “the words that I (Anochi) command you today”:

“Anochi” [is] “I am Who I am.” Therefore they have the power to draw the level of Daas (knowledge) into a person, so that he comes to the level of “You have been shown, to know” and “Know this day,” etc.

37Summary. The concept of Daas (knowledge): it is not knowledge of the essence but knowledge of the existence, like a person’s knowledge of the powers of his soul. Therefore, even though of the Holy One, blessed be He, “no thought can grasp Him at all,” nevertheless there must be an actual “Know this day,” etc.

Now, in the Torah too there is likewise apprehension of the essence and knowledge of the existence. Now, the drawing forth of the emotive attributes (middos) is according to Daas;

and this is “Know the G‑d of your father,” which means that one should not divert his mind from this: “I have set Havayah before me always.” Nevertheless, Daas is only the level of the back in relation to seeing; but the reward for “Know this day,” in the Time to Come, is “They shall see eye to eye,” etc.

And the concept of “The earth shall be full of knowledge.” The concept of “Speak” and “call out”; and that all these drawings-down are drawn through “Know this day” [and] “today, to do them.”